Middle Grade Adventures Set in Different Countries Part 1 - (8-13 years)
- christelle
- May 29
- 8 min read
Updated: May 30
Kids learn best when they’re having fun, and nothing does that better than a well-written adventure that just happens to teach them about geography, history, and other cultures along the way.
Whether you’re homeschooling, planning your next holiday read, or just want to inspire your child to explore the world through books, this guide is for you.
Each book opens a little window into a new place, its people, and its culture, and they're the kind of books that actually keep kids reading without you having to nag them.
Let’s dive into Part 1 of this reading journey around the world! 📚✈️🌏
The Invention of Hugo Cabret - 8 -11 years
This book is a gem! Part novel, part picture book, part graphic novel, and 100% captivating.
It follows Hugo, a 12-year-old orphan who secretly lives inside the walls of a Paris train station. By day, he keeps the station’s clocks running. By night, he’s trying to fix a mysterious mechanical man his late father left behind. And to do that, he’s been stealing tiny parts from a nearby toy shop until one day, he gets caught. That’s when everything unravels. His precious notebook is taken, his secrets are exposed, and suddenly, a grumpy old toy seller and his curious goddaughter are pulled into a mystery that links Hugo’s past to a long-forgotten filmmaker.
With a stolen key, cryptic clues, and a message from beyond the grave, this book is part puzzle, part adventure, and part silent film.
Perfect for kids who love suspense, invention, and discovering hidden worlds.
The Explorer - 9-12 years
Sure, Fred had always dreamed of being an explorer, but he wasn't expecting it to be like this!
When the small plane he’s in crashes deep in the Amazon jungle, he and three other kids are left to survive with no adults, no map, and no idea if help is coming. Just endless green, strange sounds, and a sense they might not be alone.
As they navigate the wild, face their fears, and follow cryptic clues through the rainforest, they discover courage they didn’t know they had and maybe even the shadow of an explorer who came before them.
Packed with heart, survival, and mystery, this is a thrilling read for curious kids who love stories that feel like an adventure of their own.
All You Knead is Love - 9 -12 years
Twelve-year-old Alba doesn’t want to leave New York or live with her prickly, estranged grandmother in Barcelona. But her mom says it’s safer this way. This is the year she’s finally leaving Alba’s abusive father if she can find the strength.
At first, Barcelona feels like exile. But then Alba starts to warm to the city’s colours, rhythms, and unexpected kindness. She bonds with her outspoken grandma, meets new friends (and a gentle father figure), and stumbles into an old bakery that changes everything. There, she uncovers a hidden gift for bread-making, a talent that gives her purpose and joy.
When the bakery is at risk of closing, Alba knows she can’t lose this place that feels like home. With a head full of ideas and her heart set on hope, she might just find a way to save the bakery and help her family rise again too.
My not-so-great french escape - 8-12 years
When Rylan’s best friend, Wilder, gets rich and starts ghosting him for cooler kids, a summer on a French farm sounds like the perfect chance to fix their friendship. Cheese, goats, and sunshine, what could go wrong? Well… a surprise letter from his long-lost dad (who just happens to live in France), an unfriendly welcome from Wilder, and more animal-related chaos than Rylan signed up for.
Between swarms of bees, awkward French lessons, and a whole lot of emotional curveballs, Rylan has to figure out who he is—with or without his best friend—and whether meeting his dad is worth the risk.
This one’s funny, heartfelt, and perfect for middle graders navigating changing friendships and big feelings.
Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas - 8 to 12 years
Twelve-year-old Addison Cooke wishes for excitement, and luck is on his side! When his world-famous researcher uncle uncovers a mysterious Incan clue, things take a dangerous turn: Uncle Nigel is kidnapped by a secret group determined to find a lost Incan treasure. It’s up to Addison, his sister Molly, and their friends Raj and Eddie to crack the ancient code, outsmart the villains, and save the day.
From dodging deadly caimans in the Amazon to navigating tricky encounters with cunning thieves and unfriendly locals, this fast-paced adventure is packed with humour, thrills, and teamwork. Addison’s overly formal speech adds a funny twist, while Molly, Raj, and Eddie bring bravery and cleverness to the quest.
Learn about the legend of the Incas as you join the race to find treasure worth millions. But just as a heads up: while the story is really engaging and full of action, its geography and history take some creative liberties, so it’s more about fun than strict accuracy.
Perfect for fans of action-packed mysteries and laugh-out-loud moments!
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity - 10-14 years
This is a nonfiction story that reads like a thriller. Perfect for kids who think history is boring!
It all starts on a hot day in Paris, just over 100 years ago, when the unthinkable happens: the Mona Lisa disappears from the Louvre. Who stole her? A secret gang? An art-obsessed millionaire? Or maybe the young Picasso, about to change art forever?
Travel back to turn-of-the-century Paris, where detectives and thieves played a high-stakes game, then leap even further back to follow the fascinating life of Leonardo da Vinci, the mysterious genius behind the painting. Spoiler: the Mona Lisa almost never existed!
With clever black-and-white illustrations by Brett Helquist and a story packed with crime, celebrity, and secrets, this book proves nonfiction can be just as exciting as any adventure novel, even for kids 😉
Stranded Series - 8-11 years
A family vacation turns into the ultimate survival test when four kids from a newly blended family get shipwrecked on a remote island in the South Pacific. With no adults, no instructions, and no way to call for help, Vanessa, Buzz, Carter, and Jane must learn to work together — fast.
Once worried about just getting along; now their biggest challenge is staying alive. Can they overcome their differences and figure out how to escape the island?
Filled with fast-paced adventure, teamwork, and unexpected twists, this series is perfect for kids who love action and stories about family, friendship, and survival.
The boy who stepped through time - 8-13 years
When Perry explores an ancient ruin in France, he never expects to be hurled 1,700 years back in time, straight into the heart of the Roman Empire! Suddenly, he’s living as a slave at a grand Roman villa, where surviving means eating mice for dinner and staying under the radar.
But Perry soon makes a friend and learns her future might be in danger. Now, he’s caught in a race against time: should he find a way back home, or stay and protect his friend, even if it means never returning?
This thrilling time-slip adventure blends history, friendship, and tough choices. Plus, it includes a glossary and researcher’s notes for curious readers who want to dive deeper into Roman life. A nice touch, I personally enjoyed reading!
The Mapmakers - 8-13 years
Cordelia Hatmaker has never stopped searching for her father. So when she finds a hidden map tucked inside his old telescope, she’s sure it holds the clues she needs. By starlight and determination, she scours London until she stumbles into a secret society of Mapmakers who change everything she thought she knew about magic.
Turns out, magic isn’t just in the hands of the elite Maker families. It’s everywhere if you know how to see it! But something dark is rising, and Cordelia must unite the squabbling Makers and unlock the secrets of the map before magic disappears for good.
Full of invention, courage, and wonder, The Mapmakers is an incredible tale of friendship, hidden worlds, and a girl brave enough to believe in the impossible.
The Shark Caller - 9-12 years
Set on the beautiful and wild shores of Papua New Guinea, this is a magical story about friendship, bravery, and forgiveness. Blue Wing dreams of becoming a shark caller — someone who can summon the sharks with ancient magic. But instead of learning the secrets she longs for, she’s forced to team up with Maple, a newcomer she doesn’t trust or like at first.
At first, they’re too angry to share anything or become friends. But when the ocean’s tide brings a mysterious promise of treasure, the two girls must join forces and dive into an adventure like no other. Together, they face the deadliest shark and the challenges that come with it, learning what it really means to forgive, trust, and be brave.
The Last Mapmaker - 8-12 years
Sai has a secret. Everyone on the ship thinks she’s the polished, well-bred assistant to the kingdom’s most respected mapmaker. But back home? Her father’s a conman, and her past could destroy her future. So when she’s offered a spot on a high-stakes expedition to explore the uncharted southern seas, Sai says yes to escape her past and rewrite her future.
But this journey isn’t just about maps and discovery. Whispers of dragons, sunken lands, and forbidden truths begin to surface. And Sai quickly learns she’s not the only one on board hiding something.
Inspired by Thai mythology, The Last Mapmaker is packed with danger and secrets, and it is about a courageous girl who has to decide who she really is and how far she’s willing to go to chart her own destiny.
Note that this story doesn't take place in a real country but rather in a "Thai-inspired fantasy world".
A place to hang the moon - 9 -12 years
It’s 1940, in wartime London, and three siblings — William (12), Edmund (11), and Anna (9) — have just lost their grumpy grandmother who’s been looking after them since their parents died. They’re not exactly heartbroken, but now they need someone to take care of them and that’s not easy in a city under siege.
So when the chance comes to evacuate to the countryside, they jump at it, hoping to stay together. But life away from London isn’t easy. They move between foster homes, face cold outdoor toilets, empty stomachs, and tricky foster brothers.
Their bright spot? The cozy village lending library, where kind librarian Nora Müller welcomes them with open arms. Could Nora be the family they’ve been searching for? There’s just one problem: Nora’s husband is German, and nobody knows where he is…
My Beijing:Four Stories of Everyday Wonder - 8-11
Set in a cosy Beijing hutong, My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder follows young Yu’er and her loving grandpa as they explore the beauty and surprises of their small neighborhood. Though Yu’er has a disability, her imagination and determination know no limits and neither does her grandfather’s support.
In one story, Yu’er dreams of swimming in the Special Olympics, but without access to a pool, she and her grandpa invent a creative way to train, capturing the hearts of everyone around them. Another tale whisks her off on a whimsical adventure with a friend to a hidden garden of musical insects.
As the stories unfold, we glimpse moments of family history, everyday kindness, and gentle magic that bring their world to life.
And there you have it! 13 books that will take your kids around the world, teach them a ton and even make them forget they’re reading 😉
Do you have any recommendations? If so, please share them in the comment section!
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