47 Books for Middle Schoolers Our Kids Adored

Vanessa M.:  Middle school is the perfect age for kids to read Harry Potter on their own. Even if they have already seen the movies, they are no replacement for the action, adventure, magical details, and background stories in this iconic kids fantasy book series.

Vanessa M.:  Percy Jackson is the kind of protagonist kids love; he is funny and cool, and takes finding out that the entirety of Greek mythology is real all in good stride. The Lightning Thief and the rest of the series are some of the best books for middle schoolers. They're adventure books that excite even the most reluctant readers, and the hidden bonus is that teens will learn a lot about Greek mythology without even realizing it!

Vanessa M.:  Auggie was born with a severe facial deformity that leaves him looking a lot different than the other kids, and Wonder chronicles his first experience attending school. Grab some tissues: this eye opening, heartwarming story is one of the must-read books for middle schoolers.

Alexandra F.:  This dystopian trilogy had everyone in our family absolutely hooked from the moment we each started it. They are good middle schooler books, but equally great reads for older teens and adults, too. Katniss Everdeen is a teenage girl living in one of 12 districts in what was once North America, under the rule of a Capitol that requires one boy and one girl from each district to participate in an annual "Hunger Games," where the children must fight to the death as punishment for a long-ago rebellion. An absolutely gripping story with wonderful characters you won't soon forget.

Alexandra F.:  These are some of the best books for middle schoolers who loved Harry Potter! Sophie is a 12-year-old girl whose life is upended when she discovers she is an elf and has to leave home to join elven society. If that weren't hard enough (elves are practically immortal and have special abilities like telepathy), she also learns she is at the center of a scheme to destroy the elven world, and has to find a way to stop it. Our entire family always eagerly awaits the next book in the series!

Vanessa M.:  Stanley Yelnats, wrongly accused of stealing, is sent to a juvenile detention camp where he befriends a ragtag group of boys who dig holes all day. Stanley discovers how his camp experiences and his family history are intertwined in this fast-paced book.

Vanessa M.:  One of the most age appropriate and accessible Holocaust books for middle schoolers. Ten-year-old Annemarie and her Danish family must hide her Jewish best friend, Ellen, and her family. When Annemarie learns that her parents are part of the Danish Resistance, she must overcome her fear to help in an important way. The story is exciting, easy to read, and the lesson of having the courage to do what is right stays with the reader long after the last page is read.

Dawn Denning:  My son recently started reading this series and he LOVES it...and so do I. Written by Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel from Glee), these are are good books for middle schoolers and older elementary school kids about the adventures of a set of twins that leave our world and travel into the world of fairytales. The fairytale worlds include Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Mother Goose and more! The stories are engaging, suspenseful and funny, so my son and I both look forward to reading time!

Billy, a poor kid from the Ozarks, saves up enough to buy himself two hunting dogs. Together this team becomes legendary for their hunting skills, forming a strong bond in the process. When the team encounters a sad accident, Billy is forced to face loss for the first time in his short life, but emerges from his despair stronger than before.

Vanessa M.:  This is an outstanding, award winning novel that grants its readers permission to begin questioning their culture and values, an important step for middle schoolers. When 12-year-old Jonas becomes the Receiver of Memories for his utopian society, he glances behind the veil and discovers its fragility.

Gina I.:  13-year-old Brian's plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness, leaving him alone with only the clothes on his back and a hatchet. He struggles to make shelter, find food and survive. This and the rest of the books in the Brian's Saga series are stories your middle schooler won't soon forget.

Juan L.:  One of the best historical fiction books for middle schoolers, a young girl in World War II Germany tries to make the best of her bleak situation by cultivating a love of books and an optimistic outlook on life despite the destruction around her. Her family takes in a Jewish boy in hiding and their friendship becomes the stuff of legend.

Vanessa M.:   This is a popular book for middle schoolers as it does an excellent job helping kids look past the wheelchair to see the real person. Readers get a look at the inner life of a young girl with cerebral palsy who struggles to overcome her obstacles with humor and determination.

Vanessa M.:  10-year-old Ada Smith discovers her own freedom in spite of living in war-ravaged England. Born with a clubbed foot and kept inside her whole life by her mother, Ada jumps at the chance to escape her home life and the war by relocating to the countryside along with the rest of London's children. With complex characters and an uplifting story, this book appeals to tweens on many different levels!

Juan L.:  This young adult classic tells the story of Ponyboy and his fellow greasers in their hard-knock life outside of regular society. This book is perfect for middle schoolers and a great book for teens, too, as they enter into the broader world, with themes about principles, loyalty, and doing the right thing.