Best Books of 2009When You Reach MeThe Last OlympianToby AloneThe Evolution of Calpurnia TateNana Cracks the CaseOdd and the Frost GiantsThe Magician's ElephantThe Georges and the JewelsAl Capone Shines My ShoesDani Noir

Best Books of 2009

Top 10 Children's Books: Middle Readers

Welcome to our Best of 2009 top 10 lists for Middle Readers. We've put our editors' picks and our 2009 bestsellers for each category on the same page together, so you can easily compare. Click on "Editors' Picks" to see our editors' list of the best books for middle readers of 2009, including our top pick, When You Reach Me, Rebecca Stead's smart and moving story of New York City in the 1970s. And click on "Customer Favorites" to find the bestselling books for middle readers at Amazon.com during 2009. (Ranked according to customer orders through October. Only books published for the first time in 2009 are eligible.) See more editors' picks and customers' favorites in our Best of 2009 Store.


Editors' Picks |Customer Favorites
1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
by Jeff Kinney
Avg. Customer Review:
4.7
In Stock
Amulet Books
January 13, 2009
Hardcover

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List Price:$13.95
Price:$8.42
You Save:$5.53 (40%)

From Publishers Weekly
The third book in this genre-busting series is certain to enlarge Kinney's presence on the bestseller lists, where the previous titles have taken up residence for the past two years. Kinney's spot-on humor and winning formula of deadpan text set against ca... Read more

2. The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 5)
The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 5)
by Rick Riordan
Avg. Customer Review:
4.8
In Stock
Disney Hyperion Books for Children
May 5, 2009
Hardcover

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List Price:$17.99
Price:$9.77
You Save:$8.22 (46%)

Review
I can't think of a child of 10-plus who could fail to enjoy Percy's adventures . . . the fusion of the magical with the mundane and modern gives the series its edge... Read more

3. Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)
Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 4)
by Jeff Kinney
Avg. Customer Review:
4.7
In Stock
Amulet Books
October 12, 2009
Hardcover

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List Price:$13.95
Price:$8.55
You Save:$5.40 (39%)

Amazon.com Review
Please note: This product is not for use by libraries.... Read more

4. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Journey to Change the World... One Child at a Time (Young Reader's Edition)
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Journey to Change the World... One Child at a Time (Young Reader's Edition)
by Greg Mortenson
Avg. Customer Review:
4.3
In Stock
Puffin
January 22, 2009
Paperback

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List Price:$8.99
Price:$8.99

Amazon.com Review
From Viking Press In regards to the 60 Minutes episode that aired April 17, 2011: "Greg Mortenson’s work as a humanitarian in Afghanistan and Pakistan has provided tens of thousands of children with an education. 60 Minutes is a serious news organization and in the wake of ... Read more

5. The Sword Thief (The 39 Clues, Book 3)
The Sword Thief (The 39 Clues, Book 3)
by Peter Lerangis
Avg. Customer Review:
4.2
In Stock
Scholastic
March 3, 2009
Hardcover

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List Price:$12.99
Price:$10.39
You Save:$2.60 (20%)

From School Library Journal
Grade 4–7—Amy and Dan Cahill are now on their way to Japan. In the dramatic opening chapter, while boarding a flight to Tokyo, they are outfoxed by two of their cousins, also in search of the Cahill family secrets. Separated from their au pair, Nellie, and cat, Saladin, they ... Read more

6. The 39 Clues Book 4: Beyond the Grave
The 39 Clues Book 4: Beyond the Grave
by Jude Watson
Avg. Customer Review:
4.2
In Stock
Scholastic Inc.
June 2, 2009
Hardcover

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List Price:$12.99
Price:$10.39
You Save:$2.60 (20%)

From School Library Journal
Grade 3–6—In this leg of the worldwide scavenger hunt, Amy and Dan Cahill, accompanied by their au pair Nellie, are off to Egypt to find the next clue left by Ekaterina branch founder Katherine Cahill. Once there, they learn about the rivalry between the Tomas and Ekaterina branches of ... Read more

7. The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel)
The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel)
by Michael Scott
Avg. Customer Review:
4.7
In Stock
Delacorte Books for Young Readers
May 26, 2009
Hardcover

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List Price:$17.99
Price:$10.98
You Save:$7.01 (39%)

Amazon.com Review
The third book in Michael Scott's "Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel" series, ... Read more

8. The Magician's Elephant
The Magician's Elephant
by Kate DiCamillo
Avg. Customer Review:
4.2
In Stock
Candlewick
September 8, 2009
Hardcover

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List Price:$16.99
Price:$11.55
You Save:$5.44 (32%)

Amazon.com Review
Amazon Best of the Month, September 2009: Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo--author of The Tale of Despereaux and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane-- has crafted another exquisite novel for young readers. The Magician's Elephant tells the tale of Peter Augustus Duchene, a ten-year-old orphan who receives ... Read more

9. Sunrise (Warriors: Power of Three #6)
Sunrise (Warriors: Power of Three #6)
by Erin Hunter
Avg. Customer Review:
3.8
In Stock
HarperCollins
April 21, 2009
Hardcover

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List Price:$16.99
Price:$12.74
You Save:$4.25 (25%)

Product Description
There will be three, kin of your kin . . . who hold the power of the stars in their paws. A mysterious murder in the ranks has ripped ThunderClan apart. But more secrets still remain to be discovered. Jayfeather is determined to find ... Read more

10. Scat
Scat
by Carl Hiaasen
Avg. Customer Review:
4.2
In Stock
Knopf Books for Young Readers
January 27, 2009
Hardcover

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List Price:$16.99
Price:$11.55
You Save:$5.44 (32%)

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 5–8—Once again, Hiaasen has written an edge-of-the-seat eco-thriller. When their unpopular biology teacher goes missing in a suspicious fire during a field trip to the Black Vine Swamp, Nick and Marta don't buy the headmaster's excuse for her absence and decide to do some investigating of ... Read more