40+ Very Exciting 2020 Middle Grade Releases

Hi everyone! Like I promised in my 2020 young adult releases post, I’m bringing you a list of my most anticipated 2020 middle grade releases today! I’m both really excited about this list but also very overwhelmed, because all of these titles sound so ridiculously good but how will I be able to get to all of them and the very exciting young adult releases and my backlist? Someone help, please?

Anyway, I hope you will all be just as excited about all of these titles as I am, and that you might add some of these (or all, I’m not picky) to your TBR!

Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (January 14th) – Ancient monsters? Traditional Navajo tales? Rick Riordan Presents? Yes, yes and YES.
Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business and Mindy Kim and the Lunar New Year Parade by Lyla Lee (January 14th) – I’ve been following this author on Twitter for a while and I was so excited when she announced her book deal, and these books look adorable!
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks (January 14th) – So I’ve already read this one so I can personally tell you that it’s a good one and that you should add it to your TBR. Like, right now.
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller (January 28th) – I loved this author’s previous book, The Science of Breakable Things, and this one sounds so lovely and magical. And when I saw that one of the comp titles is Where the Mountain Meets the Moon I knew I needed to read it ASAP.

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender (February 4th) – This book sounds like it’s going to make me very sad but then also give me a big, fuzzy blanket and a hot beverage and make sure I feel warm and hopeful again so, I need it.
The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn (February 4th) – I’m a big fan of Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot and the fact that I found out about a middle grade version of this in a weekend where I’m reading two Poirot books is just amazing. This sounds wonderful and so, so much fun!
Parked by Danielle Svetcov (February 4th) – This is a story all about friendship, family and learning how to accept help, and it sounds like it’s going to be such a heartwarming read.

The Dragon Egg by Ellen Oh (March 3rd) – It’s Ellen Oh! I’ve only ever read her work in anthologies but I’ve heard incredible things about her books and I’m so excited to get to them myself!
Mañanaland by Pam Muñoz Ryan (March 3rd) – About a boy who’s mother disappeared when he was young, him finding a buried family secret-involving an underground network of guardians who lead people fleeing a neighboring country to safety, and then him setting out on a dangerous quest and DOESN’T THAT JUST SOUND AMAZING?
Goldie Vance: The Hotel Whodunit by Lilliam Rivera (March 17th) – I absolutely adore the Goldie Vance graphic novel so I’m both very excited and a little nervous about a novelized version of these graphic novels. I hope I’ll love it just as much.
Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim (March 17th) – This book sounds like it’s going to be hilarious and an absolute delight and I’m still sad I got rejected for an ARC of this because I can’t wait to read it.

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat (March 24th) – “Set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world, Christina Soontornvat’s twist on Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is a dazzling, fast-paced adventure that explores the difference between law and justice — and asks whether one child can shine a light in the dark.” This book sounds so ridiculously good and I can’t wait to read it! 
The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert (March 24th) – I really like Brandy Colbert’s YA books and I believe this is her first venture into middle grade and I’m so excited to see how she’ll tackle it, because if her middle grade books are anything like her young adult one’s then it’s going to be so so good.
Stealing Mt. Rushmore by Daphne Kalmar (March 24th) – Set in the 1970’s, about a girl who’s family is falling apart after her mom left, and her trying to bring them all back together.
Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros (March 31st) – I feel like this book about a boy living in the US with his undocumented parents is going to make me very sad, but in a good and necessary way.

Love, Love by Victoria Chang (April 7th) – I’m always a huge sucker for novels written in verse, so when I clicked on the Goodreads page for this one and read the words “In this beautiful novel in verse” I instantly added it to my TBR.
A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Joy McCullough (April 14th) – I read and loved Joy McCullough’s Blood Water Paint and this book sounds like it’s going to be wonderful as well so I can’t wait to read it.
Rick by Alex Gino (April 21st) – I’ve read and really enjoyed Alex Gino’s previous books and the fact that this one is going to feature asexual representation makes me so ridiculously excited!
In the Role of Brie Hutchens… by Nicole Melleby (April 21st) – My friend Elin told me about this one and she really liked it and I trust her so it’s definitely on my TBR. Plus, it’s queer so of course I want to read it.
Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson (April 28th) – I love Renée Watson’s books, and especially her middle grade, so I’m super excited she’s coming out with a new one.

American as Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar (May 1st) – I fell in love with this cover the moment I saw it and “an Indian American girl navigates prejudice in her small town and learns the power of her own voice” just sounds like it’s going to be an incredible read.
Any Day With You by Mae Respicio (May 5th) – I really liked Mae Respicio’s previous book, The House That Lou Built, and this one sounds like it’s going to be equally amazing. I mean, I always love reading about grandparent-grandchild relationships, and this one features a girl who’s working on making her own short movie inspired by Filipino folktales!
We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly (May 5th) – I couldn’t find anything about this book besides the cover and the title but it’s Erin Entrada Kelly, the middle grade queen, so of course it’s on my TBR.
Keep It Together, Keiko Carter by Debbi Michiko Florence (May 5th) – I heard about this book through Twitter and it sounds like such a delight. I always love reading about friendships, so this sounds like it’s right up my alley.
Fly on the Wall by Remy Lai (May 12th) – I loved Remy Lai’s Pie in the Sky and I have no doubt that this book is going to be just as wonderful. I just love the combination of her writing and illustrations so I’d definitely recommend her to everyone.

The Way to Rio Luna by Zoraida Córdova (June 2nd) – “As his magical adventure takes him from Staten Island to Ecuador to Ireland, Danny learns that meeting your favorite characters isn’t always a dream come true. But nothing will stop him from finding his sister . . .” I NEED THIS BOOK. Plus, it’s Zoraida Córdova and I’ve heard wonderful things about her books.

Not Your All-American Girl by Wendy Wan-Long Shang and Madelyn Rosenberg (July 7th) – A book about a girl who auditions for a play but is rejected because she doesn’t look like an “all-American girl”? Described as a “laugh-out-loud coming-of-age story”? I know exactly where this book belongs and it’s on my TBR.

Displacement by Kiku Hughes (August 4th) – This graphic novel about a girl who travels through time and finds herself in the 1940s in a Japanese-American detention center with her grandmother, sounds like it’s going to be a really hard-hitting and difficult read, but incredibly good as well.
What If a Fish by Anika Fajardo (August 4th) – What If a Fish sounds like it’s going to be a very sad and poignant, but also heartwarming book. That kind of book that will stay with you for a very long time.

Three Keys by Kelly Yang – This is a sequel to one of my favorite middle grade books ever, Front Desk, so naturally I’m buzzing with excitement over this one.
The Sound of Summer by Veera Hiranandani – I loved Veera Hiranandani’s The Night Diary, and this one sounds like I’m going to absolutely love this book while having tears stream down my face once again. I think that might be Veera Hiranandani’s thing.
Candlelight by G.Z. Schmidt – “the story of a magical snow globe that sends a boy through time whenever he shakes it, and connects him to strangers with pasts interwoven with his own” UHM? I need this??
Space Camp by Whitney Gardner – I’ve read and loved Whitney Gardner books before so I’m super excited for a new one by her, especially because this one sounds absolutely delightful.
The Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar – This book is 1) written in free verse and 2), about a girl who’s dad is deported to Mexico and her and her mother are detained by ICE so uhm, I’m very scared of this book because it’s going to hurt me but this also sounds like a beautiful and important book that should be on everyone’s TBR.
Maya and the Robot by Eve L. Ewing – This is the same author who also works on Iron Heart and I absolutely love that comic, so when I saw her name I automatically clicked on to-read.
Secret Book Club by Brandon Montclare and Erica Henderson – A new middle grade graphic novel series by the creator of Marvel’s Moon Girl and the artist of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl? YES.
Doodles from the Boogie Down by Stephanie Rodriguez – This graphic novel “follows a young Latina in the Bronx, who navigates friendships and a strict mother as she carves out a place for herself in the world as a budding artist” and I’m so, so excited to read it!
Jukebox by Nidhi Chanani and Nick Giordano – This is a middle grade graphic novel published by First Second and I’ve loved everything First Second has put out so this went on my TBR based on that alone. But then I read the synopsis and got even more excited.
Miosotis Flores Never Forgets by Hilda Eunice Burgos – I’ve heard amazing things about the author’s previous book, Ana María Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle, and I’m super excited to check out this author for myself. Plus, this book sounds like it’s going to be very poignant and it has puppies so! Yay!
Lupe Wong Won’t Dance by Donna Barba Higuera – This is a sports focused book all about “navigating the complexities of middle school friendships, gender biases, and her own bi-cultural identity” so that sounds amazing!
Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri – Oh boy, this book sounds like it’s going to be rough, especially because it’s autobiographical, but it also sounds like it’s going to be really beautiful and worth the pain.
The Boys in the Back Row by Mike Jung – I’ve heard great things about Mike Jung’s previous works and I can’t wait to check out his writing for myself.

So, that was my list of my most anticipated 2020 middle grade releases! Please let me know if you think I missed any, or if you added any of these titles to your TBR. I hope 2020 will be a wonderful reading year filled with incredible books for all of you!

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