Today’s official TTT theme is books on your 2020-2021 winter TBR. I’m twisting the theme to continue celebrating middle grade titles on my TBR – in this case, 2021 releases. This post offers a broad overview. I’ll share more details on these titles as their release dates approach. You’ll find titles listed below by release date according to Goodreads.
Key:
✨ = speculative fiction
🌎 = realistic fiction (includes contemporary and historical)
💖 = #ownvoices for at least one marginalized/under-represented identity
🏳️🌈 = LGBTQ+ content
The latter two are as far as I’ve been able to confirm, so please let me know if I mislabeled anything.
Jan. to Apr.
✨💖 Root Magic by Eden Royce (5 Jan.)
🌎💖 The Sea in Winter by Christine Day (5 Jan.)
🌎💖 Take Back the Block by Chrystal D. Giles (26 Jan.)
🌎💖 While I Was Away by Waka T. Brown (26 Jan.)
✨💖 The Year I Flew Away by Marie Arnold (2 Feb.)
🌎 A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus (2 Feb.)
🌎💖 Ancestor Approved ed. by Cynthia Leitich Smith (9 Feb.)
🌎💖 Amina’s Song by Hena Khan (9 Mar.)
🌎 💖Soul Lanterns by Shaw Kuzki (16 Mar.)
🌎 🏳️🌈All You Knead is Love by Tanya Guerrero (30 Mar.)
✨💖 Sugar and Spite by Gail D. Villanueva (20 Apr.)
✨ How to Save a Queendom by Jessica Lawson (20 Apr.)
May On
🌎💖🏳️🌈 Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas (11 May)
🌎 The Shape of Thunder by Jasmine Warga (11 May)
✨💖Ophie’s Ghosts by Justine Ireland (18 May)
✨💖Sisters of the Neversea by Cynthia Leitich Smith (1 Jun.)
🌎💖🏳️🌈 Almost Flying by Jake Maia Arlow (8 Jun.)
🌎💖🏳️🌈 Both Can Be Trueby Jules Machias (8 Jun.)
✨💖 Josephine Against the Sea by Shakirah Bourne (6 Jul.)
✨ Ghost Girl by Ally Malinenko (10 Aug.)
✨💖 Lotería by Karla Valenti (fall)
✨ The Nightsilver Promise by Annaliese Avery (2 Nov.)
Do any of these titles catch your eye? What 2021 releases (middle grade or otherwise) are you looking forward to?
What a great post! There are so many fabulous books on my ever-growing list. Thanks for adding some new titles to it.
Thanks Kathie! If you’ve discovered some new titles from this list, I feel like I have been able to, in a small way, return the favour of all the new releases I learn about from you, haha. 🙂
I never get tired of looking at MG cover art! I wish I wanted to read it, lol. Have fun with your list!
Thanks Tammy! I’m starting to think these vibrant cover are half my motivation for writing these posts haha. They look so great together!
Your entire list looks interesting to me! I need to read all of these books.
My post.
Thank-you! Lots of great titles here, for sure 🙂
So many of these look really interesting! Your blog has really made me think of adding MGlit to my reading list next year. I think I may try a few, but can’t decide which ones. Your blog is filled with so many gems!
Thank-you, this makes comment makes me smile! Some SFF releases from the past few years I would recommend to someone new to MG include When the Sea Turned to Silver, Spirit Hunters, Sal & Gabi Break the Universe, or The Girl and the Ghost. (I haven’t read any of the titles on this list yet so can’t recommend anything in particular.) Not sure if that is helpful haha – I’m happy to answer any questions to help you decide if you’d like to try a particular title.
I think I may do MGlit for a reading event. I’ll think about it more and then contact you!
I am so intrigued by Root Magic, it sounds so good!
Right! I love the idea of magic in historical fiction.
AH i can’t wait to pick up my arc of the year i flew away soon!!
Ooh, hope you enjoy it!! That one’s got a particularly good cover. Love the colours.
I am so looking forward to How to Save a Queendom by Jessica Lawson, The Shattered Castle (book 5 of the False Prince series) by Jennifer Nielsen, Long Lost by Jaqueline West, and The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud. Although, I’m not 100% sure when this releases in the US. Root Magic sounds very intriguing too.
Thanks for sharing! I haven’t actually read anything by Stroud before. Is The Outlaws a standalone/book one?
Book one in his new series.
I have been trying to read more middle grade, so this list is so useful! Thanks for putting it together 💛
You’re welcome! I’m glad it’s useful to people who are curious about middle grade 😊
thanks! It looks like a great year ahead of us!
I feel as if I didn’t get around to reading as much MG in 2020 as usual, so I need to look out for these in 2021!
Yeay for all the MG! I’m looking forward to Amari and the night brothers coming out this month, though I haven’t decided which cover I want lol. Ghost Girl is catching my eye. Will check that out!
Hope you enjoy Amari! I have heard a lot buzz around it, but the story doesn’t appeal to me. I have high hopes for Ghost Girl, though – as I have for any MG with ‘ghost’ in the title 😛