11 Must-Read Books For A Middle Schooler

Middle School has to be one of the most confusing time periods in any student’s life. Some may call it the best and some may call it the worst, but one thing is certain, that Middle school presents us with a lot of learning opportunities more than any other period in our life. There’s an ocean of knowledge and there’s a lot to learn especially for middle schoolers.

And what better source you will find for learning other than books. It is really important to read books during middle school may it be for knowledge or entertainment because this is the time when your learning skills get developed the most.

There are a numerous amount of books for middle schoolers that not only give you an informative content but it also provides the middle schoolers with fun and entertainment. The books will also introduce you to the struggle one faces in middle school.

There are some books or series that are dedicated to informing the kids about the struggles of a kid in middle school using a humorous approach. The below-mentioned books some of the must-read for the kids in middle school. Check them out below:

1. Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life

Author Name: James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts

Publishing Year: 2011

Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life

Now a Netflix drama series, Middle School: the worst years of my life is a humorous novel by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts. The book marks the beginning of James Patterson’s middle school series writing. It is a realistic fiction book about middle school and all the drama that goes on during it.

The book follows the life of a boy named Rafe. Rafe who hates middle school us trying to escape from all the chaos he faces at school as well as his home. Later he comes up with Operation Rafe, an attempt to survive the situation. The game will give him points for breaking the rules in his school’s oppressive code of conduct.

The points increase with the increasing risk of breaking the rules. He will have to face many difficulties to win the game, his teachers, parents, and bullies are getting in his way but it is up to Rafe who will have to save this magic from becoming tragic.

2. Smile

Author’s Name: Raina Telgemeier

Publishing Year: 2010

Smile

Smile by Raina Telgemeir is an autobiographical graphic book about her own experience in the middle school. The author has severely injured her two front teeth at the beginning of her sixth grade and the book recounts her funny experience of how she survived middle school after it.

Get ready to laugh with Smile as the author has shared some of the most laugh-worthy moments of her life that will definitely put a grin on your face. Not just the laughter but the book is filled with all sorts of emotions that a normal middle-grade kid feels at the age.

Raina who just wants to be a normal middle grader and fit in the group like everyone else is met with an accident one day that caused her front teeth to be heavily injured. What follows after is a story that is funny, touching, sad and feel-good.

3. Wednesday Wars

Author’s Name: Gary D. Schmidt

Publishing year: 2007

Wednesday Wars

Wednesday Wars follows the life of a seventh-grade boy named Holling Hoodhood. Holling Hoodhood who is a Presbyterian has to stay back with his teacher Mrs. Baker when all the other students go to the religious instructions. This happens every Wednesday. This ritual always leaves Holling feeling mortified and he is pretty convinced too that the school is punishing him for something.

The story then develops into a funny and touching one as Holly learns a lot about everything around him and finally gets to know how is it like to live the life of a grown-up. This book is definitely worth a read for all the middle schoolers as it provides you with a new perspective on life.

4. Gone Crazy in Alabama

Author’s Name: Rita Williams-Garcia

Publishing year: 2015

Gone Crazy in Alabama

The Coretta Scott King winner Gone Crazy in Alabama is about the life story of two half-sisters. The sisters who haven’t spoken in years and lives just across the streets. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern get to know about it when they travel from Brooklyn to the rural south to visit their grandmother Big Ma.

Ma Charles and her half-sister Miss Trotter are not on talking terms for years and as we learn about the story behind it you will get more revealing truth about the secrets of the family.

5. Summerlost

Author’s Name: Ally Condie

Publishing year: 2016

Summerlost

The book Summerlost written by Ally Condie follows the life of a 12-year-old girl, Cedar Lee. Cedar Lee who lost her little brother Ben and her father in an accident is still heeling from the tragedy. The rest of the family then, including her mother and her little brother Miles then move to their hometown.

After reaching the hometown, the mother then buys an old house and tries to fix it so that the family could spend the rest of the summer in it. Cedar then is friendly and oddly dressed boy in the town who works at a famous Shakespeare festival, Summerlost.

Through this book, you will get to learn how this girl deals with all the drama that goes around meanwhile dealing with her own personal life.

6. The Truth About Twinkie Pie

Author’s Name: Kat Yeh

Publishing Year: 2015

The Truth About Twinkie Pie

The Truth About Twinkie Pie written by Kate Yeh is about two sisters. The sisters in search of a better life move from South Carolina to the North Shore, Long Island. Gigi, who is just twelve years old is trying to get used to her new friends and a new school. On the other hand, a junior high dropout who is turned into a hairstylist who Gigi calls Didi has recently won the national cooking contest.

With a touching storyline and some great feel-good experience of reading a book, The Truth About Twinkie Pie is a must. The book also features some great family recipes that you will definitely find handy.

7. Schooled

Author’s Name: Gordon Korman

Publishing Year: 2007

Schooled

Schooled is about the life story of Capricon Anderson. Anderson has been homeschooled by his grandmother for his entire life and he grew up on a commune outside of town. Then Anderson is forced to go to a middle school as his grandmother is injured and she is not able to school him.

Anderson has a happy-go-lucky kind of personality and he is also optimistic about going to the school but the world is not as kind as he assumes it is. He has to face a lot of school politics and cruelty but with his positive attitude he survives it all with a smile on his face and that’s what makes this a great story and a must-read for all the middle schoolers.

8. Goodbye Stranger

Author’s Name: Rebecca Stead

Publishing Year: 2015

Goodbye Stranger

Goodbye Stranger is a great Children’s fiction novel about three best friends. At the start of the Seventh grade, Bridge, Emily and Tab made a pact about no fighting but with everything changing around them, it is getting hard to keep the bond as it is. Everybody is going with their own life as a middle schooler and the test is really is to see are they able to grow up without falling apart.

Goodbye Stranger is a story of friendship and sticking with each other through every thick and thin. With this book, you will learn a lot about relations and priorities.

9. The Crossover

Author’s Name: Kwame Alexander

Publishing Year: 2014

The Crossover

The Crossover series by Kwame Alexander has won the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award in the year 2015. The entire book is filled with poetry and verses. There are a total of two books in the series and it is about Josh’s family, the Bells. The whole book is in a fast-paced rhythmic tone that will leave you emotional and breathless.

The book portrays the relationship of Josh with his family with the help of verses and poetry. Josh refers to her father as a backbone as he supports the whole family and is also a great support system in his life. The touching book will definitely leave you wondering about family and relationships.

10. A Night Divided

Author’s Name: Jennifer Nielson

Publishing Year: 2015

A Night Divided

A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielson is about the life of a twelve-year-old girl Greta. The theme of the book is set n a post-war period in Berlin. The life of the girl suddenly changes when after the war, the Berline wall goes up overnight. After the wall goes up, Greta’s father and a brother are not able to get back with their family as they were on the west side of the country to find some work.

Greta, her mother, and her other brother is left behind and they are facing the everyday terrors of living to the eastern side. One day she somehow manages to get the message from her father and she realizes that he wants her to build a tunnel at the other side of the wall.

The thrilling, exciting and historic novel is a must-read because it not only shows you the historic period but always gives you the adrenaline rush.

11. Listen, Slowly

Author’s Name: Thanhha Lai

Publishing Year: 2015

Listen, Slowly: books for middle schoolers

Listen, Slowly written by Thanhha Lai is about a girl named Mai who is just 12 years old. Mai is very excited to spend the summer with her friends on the beach. But she is left heartbroken when she came to know that she will be going to Vietnam to spend the summer with her Grandmother.

But what follows after is a quest to find her grandfather. Her grandmother was never able to reunite with her husband after she fled the country at the time of war. Now Mai and her grandmother are determined to find him. The satisfying read with a lot of emotions is a must-have on every middle schooler’s desk.

Conclusion

The above-mentioned books are some of the must-read books for all the middle schoolers. They do not only provide you with some informative stuff but it also serves as entertainment and the pleasure of reading a good book. It is really important to encourage reading in middle schoolers as it is going to be really helpful for them in the future.

The books that we mentioned on the list are engaging and will bind you with the story until the end. Middle Schoolers should develop the habit of reading, regardless of the genre. Some of the books on the list will also introduce with the struggles that a middle schooler goes through using different approaches.

Do let us know in the comment section how you liked this article. Also, you can leave suggestions and questions in the comment box too.

Scroll to Top