21 must-read middle grade books like Meet Me Halfway by Anika Fajardo

Cover of Meet Me Halfway by Anika Fajardo

Meet Me Halfway

By: Anika Fajardo

3.94

Format: 272 pages, Hardcover

“A romp of a read!” —Rebecca Balcárcel, Pura Belpré Honor–winning author of The Other Half of Happy…

If you liked the middle grade plot in Meet Me Halfway by Anika Fajardo , here is a list of 21 books like this:

Cover of Ellen Outside the Lines by A.J. Sass

1. Ellen Outside the Lines

By: A.J. Sass

4.37

Format: 336 pages, Hardcover

A novel about a neurodivergent thirteen-year-old navigating changing friendships, a school trip, an… read more

Similar categories in A.J. Sass's Ellen Outside the Lines book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • fiction
  • contemporary
"Not every person fits neatly into categories. Life doesn't always stick to a planned itinerary."

-A.J. Sass, Ellen Outside the Lines

Cover of Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King

2. Attack of the Black Rectangles

By: Amy Sarig King

4.21

Format: 258 pages, Hardcover

When Mac first opens his classroom copy of Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic and finds some words… read more

Similar categories in Amy Sarig King's Attack of the Black Rectangles book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
"Why do they treat kids like we don't mean anything?"

-Amy Sarig King, Attack of the Black Rectangles

"If you're comfortable learning history, it's the wrong history."

-Amy Sarig King, Attack of the Black Rectangles

"I love banned books. I used to read as many to you as I could when you were little, Mac."

-Amy Sarig King, Attack of the Black Rectangles

"But if we want to change the world so it's good for everyone, it's important to talk about the truth."

-Amy Sarig King, Attack of the Black Rectangles

Cover of The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

3. The Last Mapmaker

By: Christina Soontornvat

4.15

Format: 368 pages, Hardcover

A high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world. As assistant to Mangkon’s most celeb… read more

Similar categories in Christina Soontornvat's The Last Mapmaker book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • juvenile
"I couldn't see it then, but I could see it now. I opened my eyes, releasing another stream of tears. I had been trying so hard to run from my past. But the past was like mottlefish ink. Even if it fa…"

-Christina Soontornvat, The Last Mapmaker

Cover of Louder Than Hunger by John Schu

4. Louder Than Hunger

By: John Schu

4.55

Format: 528 pages, Hardcover

Revered teacher, librarian, and story ambassador John Schu explores anorexia—and self-expression as… read more

Similar categories in John Schu's Louder Than Hunger book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • family
Cover of Rain Rising by Courtne Comrie

5. Rain Rising

By: Courtne Comrie

4.35

Format: 336 pages, Hardcover

This dazzling debut middle grade novel in verse is a riveting journey toward self-acceptance for fa… read more

Similar categories in Courtne Comrie's Rain Rising book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
Cover of Dream, Annie, Dream by Waka T. Brown

6. Dream, Annie, Dream

By: Waka T. Brown

4.19

Format: 352 pages, Hardcover

In this empowering deconstruction of the so-called American Dream, a twelve-year-old Japanese Ameri… read more

Similar categories in Waka T. Brown's Dream, Annie, Dream book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • family
  • juvenile
Cover of Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly

7. Those Kids from Fawn Creek

By: Erin Entrada Kelly

4.11

Format: 336 pages, Hardcover

Every day in Fawn Creek, Louisiana, is exactly the same--until Orchid Mason arrives. This contempor… read more

Similar categories in Erin Entrada Kelly's Those Kids from Fawn Creek book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
  • juvenile
Cover of What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski

8. What Happened to Rachel Riley?

By: Claire Swinarski

4.23

Format: 352 pages, Hardcover

An eighth grader uses social media posts, passed notes, and other clues to find out why a formerly … read more

Similar categories in Claire Swinarski's What Happened to Rachel Riley? book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • juvenile
Cover of Sweet and Sour by Debbi Michiko Florence

9. Sweet and Sour

By: Debbi Michiko Florence

4.01

Format: 304 pages, Hardcover

A heartfelt middle-grade novel about ex-best friends, betrayals, and revenge that is best served so… read more

Similar categories in Debbi Michiko Florence's Sweet and Sour book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
  • juvenile
"Are you blaming my mood on my period?" Zach's face flushed a deeper red. "I'm just saying you don't have to feel bad about it." "I don't feel bad! And, also, I didn't have my period when I first got …"

-Debbi Michiko Florence, Sweet and Sour

Cover of Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd

10. Hummingbird

By: Natalie Lloyd

4.37

Format: 368 pages, Hardcover

Bestselling author Natalie Lloyd returns with her most personal book to date, a story about a girl … read more

Similar categories in Natalie Lloyd's Hummingbird book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • family
Cover of A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser

11. A Duet for Home

By: Karina Yan Glaser

4.24

Format: 368 pages, Hardcover

Told from the perspective of biracial sixth-graders June and Tyrell, two children living in a homel… read more

Similar categories in Karina Yan Glaser's A Duet for Home book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
  • juvenile
Cover of Yonder by Ali Standish

12. Yonder

By: Ali Standish

4.29

Format: 368 pages, Hardcover

Danny Timmons has looked up to Jack Bailey ever since the older boy saved two small children from d… read more

Similar categories in Ali Standish's Yonder book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • fiction
  • middle grade
  • childrens
  • young adult
Cover of A Song Called Home by Sara Zarr

13. A Song Called Home

By: Sara Zarr

4.06

Format: 368 pages, Hardcover

From award-winning author Sara Zarr comes a story of the small moments that show us who we are, and… read more

Similar categories in Sara Zarr's A Song Called Home book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
  • juvenile
Cover of Playing Through the Turnaround by Mylisa Larsen

14. Playing Through the Turnaround

By: Mylisa Larsen

4.19

Format: 272 pages, Hardcover

In a timely, insightful story told with sparkling wit and heart, young musicians protesting plans f… read more

Similar categories in Mylisa Larsen's Playing Through the Turnaround book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • fiction
  • contemporary
Cover of Camp Famous by Jennifer Blecher

15. Camp Famous

By: Jennifer Blecher

4.06

Format: 272 pages, Hardcover

The Princess Diaries meets Harriet the Spy when Abby—the most ordinary girl in the world—finds hers… read more

Similar categories in Jennifer Blecher's Camp Famous book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
Cover of We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963 by Shelia P. Moses

16. We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963

By: Shelia P. Moses

4.19

Format: 176 pages, Hardcover

The powerful story of an eleven-year-old Black boy determined to stand up for his rights, who's pul… read more

Similar categories in Shelia P. Moses's We Were the Fire: Birmingham 1963 book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • middle grade
  • family
  • fiction
  • juvenile
Cover of Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack

17. Black Bird, Blue Road

By: Sofiya Pasternack

4.15

Format: 320 pages, Hardcover

In this historical fantasy novel from Sydney Taylor Honor winner and National Jewish Book Award fin… read more

Similar categories in Sofiya Pasternack's Black Bird, Blue Road book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • middle grade
  • childrens
  • fiction
Cover of The Bluest Sky by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

18. The Bluest Sky

By: Christina Diaz Gonzalez

4.22

Format: 320 pages, Hardcover

A boy and his family must decide whether to remain in Cuba under a repressive government or risk ev… read more

Similar categories in Christina Diaz Gonzalez's The Bluest Sky book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • family
  • fiction
  • juvenile
Cover of The Whispering Fog by Landra Jennings

19. The Whispering Fog

By: Landra Jennings

3.93

Format: 240 pages, Hardcover

In this spooky and atmospheric debut contemporary fantasy, Snow White and Rose Red meets the moder… read more

Similar categories in Landra Jennings's The Whispering Fog book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • family
  • fiction
Cover of Meet Me Halfway by Anika Fajardo

20. Meet Me Halfway

By: Anika Fajardo

3.94

Format: 272 pages, Hardcover

“A romp of a read!” —Rebecca Balcárcel, Pura Belpré Honor–winning author of The Other Half of Happy… read more

Similar categories in Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • young adult
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • family
  • kids
  • juvenile
Cover of Where the Sky Lives by Margaret Dilloway

21. Where the Sky Lives

By: Margaret Dilloway

3.97

Format: 336 pages, Hardcover

When the private preserve adjacent to Zion National Park is sold, Tuesday's park archeologist mothe… read more

Similar categories in Margaret Dilloway's Where the Sky Lives book and Anika Fajardo's Meet Me Halfway

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • fiction
  • contemporary
  • juvenile

21 Best fiction books like Meet Me Halfway by Anika Fajardo

Transform Your Habits

Ellen Outside the Lines

A.J. Sass

4.37

Transform Your Habits

Attack of the Black Rectangles

Amy Sarig King

4.21

Transform Your Habits

The Last Mapmaker

Christina Soontornvat

4.15

Transform Your Habits

Louder Than Hunger

John Schu

4.55

View all the books

30 best-selling fiction books like The Whispering Fog by Landra Jennings

Transform Your Habits

Ellen Outside the Lines

A.J. Sass

4.37

Transform Your Habits

Attack of the Black Rectangles

Amy Sarig King

4.21

Transform Your Habits

The Last Mapmaker

Christina Soontornvat

4.15

Transform Your Habits

A Royal Conundrum (The Misfits #1)

Lisa Yee

3.82

View all the books

Never miss a story from us, get weekly updates in your inbox.