Our 2023 Top 50 Kids list has so much to offer for middle grade readers! There are long-time favourites and plenty of new reads that made the list for the first time this year. From fantasy adventures to hilarious comedies, here are 8 middle-grade reads from the list:

Runt by Craig Silvey

Taking the #1 spot this year is Craig Silvey’s Runt. Craig is the only author in Better Reading history to take the number #1 spot in both the Top 100 and the Top 50 in the same year! We couldn’t be more happy for Craig and his wonderful novels. Runt is a heart-warming and hilarious tale of kindness, friendship, hurdles, hoops, tunnels, see-saws, being yourself and bringing out the best in others.

Ages 8+

Buy a copy of Runt here.

The Grandest Bookshop in the World by Amelia Mellor

We were thrilled to see The Grandest Bookshop on this list again this year! The Bookseller’s Apprentice (a prequel to The Grandest Bookshop) was released in 2022, so there’s no better time to get stuck into Mellor’s wonderful world of Melbourne’s grandest bookshop.

Ages 8+

Buy a copy of The Grandest Bookshop in the World here.

**Nevermoor #1: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend**

At #7 on the list this year, the first book in the Nevermoor series has been capturing the imaginations of middle grade readers for a few years now! Australian author Townsend has built a marvellous fantasy world beginning with this book.

Ages 8+

Buy a copy of Nevermoor #1: The Trials of Morrigan Crow here.

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman

Skandar caused a storm of excitement when it was released earlier this year, so it’s fantastic to see this debut fantasy novel on our list! Featuring elemental magic, fierce sky battles, ancient secrets and bloodthirsty unicorns, it’s a wild ride and we can’t wait for book #2.

Ages 9+

Buy a copy of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief here.

The 13-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton

This book is a firm favourite at BR Kids, as is the rest of Griffiths’ and Denton’s hilarious treehouse series. With a bowling alley, a see-through swimming pool, a tank full of man-eating sharks and a giant catapult, this is the coolest treehouse we can imagine!

Ages 8+

Buy a copy of The 13-Storey Treehouse here.

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

Keeper of the Lost Cities is back on our Top 50 this year! It’s the first in an exciting series about twelve-year-old Sophie Foster. She is a Telepath, and has the power to hear the thoughts of everyone around her.

Ages 7+

Buy a copy of Keeper of the Lost Cities here.

A Girl Called Corpse by Reece Carter

A sparkling adventure story about friendship, family and finding out that there is nothing more powerful than a kid acting with their whole heart. A Girl Called Corpse is one of the most exciting children’s fantasy debuts to hit the shelves since Nevermoor.

Ages 8+

Buy a copy of A Girl Called Corpse here.

**Wylah the Koorie Warrior #1: Guardians by Jordan Gould and Richard Pritchard**

Meet Wylah: warrior, hero and friend. Her adventures have been 40,000 years in the making! With an unforgettable cast of characters, Wylah the Koorie Warrior is a heart-stopping and imaginative adventure, inspired by First Nations history and grounded in culture.

Ages 8+

Buy a copy of Wylah the Koorie Warrior #1: Guardians here.