From the recommendations of bookseller and kids’ author Rosanne Parry, here are three middle grade novels perfect for 9- to 14-year-olds:

The Artifact Hunters by Janet Fox is like Harry Potter set in a magical school in Scotland. But, unlike Harry Potter, the characters travel through time in an attempt to solve real historical problems and keep the dangers of the world at bay. It’s a companion to The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle but stands alone if you want to read them out of order.

Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor is set in contemporary Nigeria. It’s a murder mystery with a kid detective, Nnandi, keen to uncover the corruption in his home town and bring his father’s murderer to justice. He is aided by a magical golem-like creature who is much influenced by the Nnandi’s anger. Fans of the Marvel universe will love it and the go on to devour Okorafor’s many novels for teens and adults.

Debut author James Bird has a winner in The Brave, the story of a boy who feels completely out of step with his father at home and his friends at school. He is sent to live with his mother’s people on the Ojibwe reservation, where he learns to value the very talents that caused him trouble before and embrace life fully. It’s the best of the Percy Jackson series theme of a misunderstood child finding his power. But the brilliance is, he doesn’t need magic; he needs his indigenous culture, all his relatives, and the time and space that nature provides to claim the power he has had within all along.