My Favorite Middle-Grade Reads for Fall || 2024 Edition)

Hello, my lovely friends! This week felt so much like fall here with the cooler weather and crisp breezes. Fall is my favorite season because it’s the perfect time to make a hot cup of tea, curl up with a cozy blanket, and read a good book. If you’re like me, you’re always looking for new books to read with the fall vibe. So, this week, I’m sharing my top five favorite autumn reads, just in time for fall 2024!

The Star That Always Stays

This is one of my favorite middle grade books. It’s a coming-of-age story about family, friends, and navigating change. And of course, much of the story is set in fall!

Blurb: Growing up on Beaver Island, Grand-père told Norvia stories—stories about her ancestor Migizi, about Biboonke-o-nini the Wintermaker, about the Crane Clan and the Reindeer Clan. He sang her songs in the old language, and her grandmothers taught her to make story quilts and maple candy. On the island, Norvia was proud of her Ojibwe heritage.
Things are different in the city. Here, Norvia’s mother forces her to pretend she’s not Native at all—even to Mr. Ward, Ma’s new husband, and to Vernon, Norvia’s irritating new stepbrother. In fact, there are a lot of changes in the city: ten-cent movies, gleaming soda shops, speedy automobiles, ninth grade. It’s dizzying for a girl who grew up on the forested shores of Lake Michigan.
Despite the move, the upheaval, and the looming threat of world war, Norvia and her siblings—all five of them—are determined to make 1914 their best year ever. Norvia is certain that her future depends upon it… and upon her discretion.
But how can she have the best year ever if she has to hide who she truly is?

Little House in the Big Woods

Growing up, I read the Little House books over and over. Little House in the Big Woods was one I read over and over because I liked reading about how the family got ready for the long winter. I always wished that I had an attic to play in like Laura and Mary did!

Blurb: Little House in the Big Woods takes place in 1871 and introduces us to four-year-old Laura, who lives in a log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. She shares the cabin with her Pa, her Ma, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their lovable dog, Jack.

Pioneer life isn’t easy for the Ingalls family, since they must grow or catch all their own food as they get ready for the cold winter. But they make the best of every tough situation. They celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do their spring planting, bring in the harvest in the fall, and make their first trip into town. And every night, safe and warm in their little house, the sound of Pa’s fiddle lulls Laura and her sisters into sleep.

Holly’s Heart: Collection One

My friend Pearl and I became friends because of Holly’s Heart. The entire series takes place during Holly Meredith’s high school years, a time of big changes and questions. The reason I like Holly’s Heart so much is because that Holly seems so real, and I got to know her over the course of the series. She’s fun and sweet, not irritating or phony.

Blurb: Holly Meredith loves her family, her friends, and her cuddly cat, Goofey. She has a fabulous birthday-Valentine’s Day-and her mom affectionately calls her “Holly Heart.” But Holly has a lot to learn about dealing with life-her crazy family, school pressures, and unpredictable relationships. Thankfully, with the help of her closest friends and her strong faith in God, Holly can survive anything!

THe Penderwicks on Gardam Street

The Penderwick sisters and their adventures are so enjoyable to read about. They’re always up to something new and coming up with crazy ideas. Between Skye, Jane, and Rosalind worrying about their father starting to date again and little Batty convinced that a “Bug Man” is on the loose, there isn’t a dull moment on Gardam Street!

Blurb: The Penderwick sisters are home on Gardam Street and ready for an adventure! But the adventure they get isn’t quite what they had in mind.

Mr. Penderwick’s sister has decided it’s time for him to start dating—and the girls know that can only mean one thing: disaster. Enter the Save-Daddy Plan—a plot so brilliant, so bold, so funny, that only the Penderwick girls could have come up with it. It’s high jinks, big laughs, and loads of family warmth as the Penderwicks triumphantly return.

SummerHill Secrets: Volume 2

This collection is one of my go-to comfort books. Merry Hanson is such a sweet, relatable character, and I laughed, cried, and sympathized with her the first time I read it. (And every time after!) Most of these stories are set in fall, and each one is different from the one before; Merry has a new experience or challenge in each book.

Join Merry Hanson, a very modern sixteen-year-old living in Pennsylvania’s Amish country, as she faces the true-to-life struggles and heartfelt triumphs of growing up to be the best she can be in God’s eyes.

House of Secrets
When Chelsea Davis’s mom vanishes, unsettling clues lead Merry to suspect a strange religious cult may be involved.

Echoes in the Wind
A skating party on Zooks’ pond has Merry on edge until a disastrous event forces her to look at things from a fresh perspective.

Hide Behind the Moon
When Merry gives in to Rachel Zook’s pleas for a taste of forbidden fancy life, her friend begins making all kinds of crazy plans.

Windows on the Hill
Staying with Ruby Spindler offers Merry the perfect opportunity to explore the woman’s big house…and uncover her surprising secrets.

Shadows Beyond the Gate
Can Merry count on her friends to understand as she at last attempts to come to grips with a years-old tragedy?

Let’s Chat!

What are your favorite fall reads? Do you like fall, or do you prefer summer? What’s your favorite way to spend a fall day?