Most puzzle books give kids something to fill in. Escape Rooms! dares them to solve their way out. Young sleuths ages 8–12 will explore six richly illustrated worlds, from a dinosaur planet and wizard’s castle to a haunted cheese factory and spaceship, searching for hidden objects, cracking codes, solving logic puzzles, and following clues. Every answer matters and may unlock the final escape. From Highlights, this hardcover adventure turns screen-free puzzling into an immersive experience kids can tackle solo or with friends. Can they outsmart the mysterious Escape Artist and make it out of all six rooms?
Puzzle books fall into many different categories. Some are stories featuring puzzles, others are collections of puzzles waiting to be solved, and I suppose some might be a singular tome that cannot be opened or deciphered until a series of riddles is completed. (Actually, I’d like that book, please.) As a kid, I adored word searches and the rebus puzzles that were copied on the ditto machine as a special treat in elementary school (yes, I was born in the 1900s), but it wasn’t until the last decade or so that I realized completing a jigsaw puzzle could actually be fun. Now, I find myself subscribing to get access to Connections and The Mini, so I guess you could say the puzzle bug has stuck with me.
As an educator, over the past 20 years, I have noticed a lot ofchanges in the way people’s brains work. One thing that hasn’t disappeared, however, is our shared love for puzzles. In my school library, leaving out a jigsaw puzzle for staff to drift by is a massive community builder. During free choice times, kids constantly beg me to print out word searches. Even our illustration analysis during the Caldecott unit is a form of code-cracking: what do the pictures tell us that the words do not? The most resolutely unengaged fifth grader can’t resist the pull of figuring it out. Below, I’ve gathered some captivating puzzle books for middle graders. Whether you’re looking for a story filled with clues or a collection asking to be cracked, there are some alluring choices just waiting to be deciphered.
EXIT: The Book – The Mysterious Bank Robbery: A Puzzle Adventure by Anna Maybach, Inka Brand, Markus Brand, Burkhard Schulz, Beroy + San Julian
This puzzle book is not for the faint of heart. Blending a fictional narrative with the real-life requirement of deciphering clues, this one-time-use tome has readers cutting, folding, and solving their way through riddles. When a group of intelligent, adventurous kids find themselves in pursuit of a lost family treasure, the reader’s help is required to finally foil the thieves! This pick is perfect for a puzzle-loving early teen or as a collaborative family project for younger Sherlocks.
The Codebreakers Club Solve the Mystery of the Missing Puzzle Professor: 150+ Logic Puzzles by Naoya Imanishi MEd
Written by an accomplished mathematics educator who is also the founder of a theater company, this book combines brain-tickling puzzles and codes with a fast-paced mystery story. Instead of massive puzzles that move you drastically forward in the plot, The Codebreaker’s Club: Solve the Mystery of the Missing Puzzle Professor includes 150 puzzles interspersed between short excerpts of narrative. Featuring a fantastic variety—including codes, logic grids, sudoku, and rebus puzzles—this book may be geared toward middle schoolers, but many adults sing its praises.
Murdle Jr.: Curious Crimes for Curious Minds: Solve Your Way Through 40 Puzzle Mysteries by G.T. Karber
Murdle Jr. is appropriately following in the footsteps of its elder, providing a thrilling narrative that requires solving logic puzzles to get to the bottom of the case. This version of the puzzle-plot blend leans more into character development, and the challenges stay firmly in the logic and deduction realm for the most part. Murdle Jr. features plots and difficulty levels that are just right for preteens, along with a cast of whiz-kid detectives to lead the reader on a wonderful chase. The best part? It’s a series—so keep ’em coming!
Puzzle Mania!: Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, Minis and More! by The New York Times Games and Joel Fagliano
The New York Times Games are a palatable introduction to the puzzle world for many. While not explicitly geared toward the middle school crowd, both of my kids had seventh- and eighth-grade teachers who used Wordle, Pips, or Connections as an option for early finishers—and it was truthfully one of the most positive things they had to say about their school days. Additionally, this book is gorgeous and perfect for leaving on the coffee table to pick up between episodes of your latest streaming marathon. It is a collection that both teens and families can truly get something out of.
The Friendship Riddle by Megan Frazer Blakemore
Looking for a title that can be read again and again? The Friendship Riddle features a series of puzzles that lead the reclusive, bookish Ruth on a journey she can’t resist. However, she needs help to decode the clues and uncover the truth. For Ruth, making friends is almost as terrifying as leaving this mystery unsolved. Will she risk the pain of rejection to form a meaningful bond, or will she choose safety…and solitude?
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
Janae Marks takes the stakes to the next level with her gorgeous mystery, From the Desk of Zoe Washington. When 12-year-old Zoe unexpectedly hears from her father—who is incarcerated for a crime he says he didn’t commit—the sleuthing needed to clear his name goes from playful to life-altering. Zoe is unearthing clues, learning where the justice system falls short, and preparing for a massive audition for a baking reality show, all while navigating middle school! Sleuth right along with Zoe in this thrilling narrative.
Hopefully, you’ve found some puzzle books for middle graders to challenge and delight! Looking for more mysteries? Check out this fantastic list of middle grade mysteries by Alice Nuttall. Happy sleuthing, and happy reading!
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