Best Books for Middle School Kids
My oldest daughter is lucky in that she has the best Middle School librarian who really cares about finding books that make kids excited to read. He posted this list on our school eNewsletter which is how I found it. I think that by Middle School, students pretty have a good sense of the types of chapter books that they like to read so his list, by genre, is particularly helpful. His list includes: Adventure/Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Humorous, Historical Fiction, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Horror/Supernatural, Science Fiction, Biographies/Non-Fiction, and Poetry. There is something for any tween or teen on his list!
What is your tween/teen enjoying? Please share! And what is your librarian recommending? They always have great recommendations!
Adventure/Mystery
The Girl Is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines
Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
Death Cloud by Andrew Lane
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Tunnel Vision by Susan Shaw
The Secret of ROVER by Rachel Wildavsky
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Realistic Fiction
Then I Met My Sister by Christine Hurley Deriso

Tall Story by Candy Gourlay

The Summer I Learned to Fly by Dana Reinhardt

Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Now Is the Time for Running by Michael Williams
Humorous
The Accidental Genius of Weasel High by Rick Detorie

The Absolute Value of Mike by Kathryn Erskine

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison

The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander
Historical Fiction
City of Orphans by Avi

Strings Attached by Judy Blundell

Jefferson’s Sons: A Founding Father’s Secret Children by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Five 4ths of July by Pat Raccio Hughes

Bird in a Box by Andrea Davis Pickney

Small Acts of Amazing Courage by Gloria Whelan
Graphic Novels
Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

Around the World by Matt Phelan

Bad Island by Doug Tennapel

I Love Him to Pieces by Evonne Tsang

The Last Dragon by Jane Yolen
Fantasy
Chime by Franny Billingsley

Entwined by Heather Dixon

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
Horror/ Supernatural
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Flip by Martyn Bedford

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

The Poisoned House by Michael Ford

This Dark Endeavour: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein by Kenneth Oppel

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales by Chris Vall Allsburg
Science Fiction
Ultraviolet by R. J. Anderson

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

Human.4 by Mike A. Lancaster

Invasion: A C.H.A.O.S. Novel by Jon S. Lewis

Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories by Kelly and G. Grant Link

Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Biographies & Non-Fiction
Mysterious Bones: The Story of Kennewick Man by Katherine Kirkpatrick

Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom by Sue Macy

How to Cook: Delicious Dishes by Maggie Mayhew
Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea and Air by Stewart Ross
Wideness and Wonder: The Life and Art of Georgia O’Keeffe by Susan Goldman Rubin
Poetry
Hidden by Helen Frost

Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Orchards by Holly Thompson

Unlocked by Ryan G. Van Cleave

The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf
To view any book more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.























What a great list! Thanks for posting!!! A great librarian can really make a difference especially for some children!
Twitter: DoodlesandJots
To Ann,
I feel so fortunate that our middle school librarian is so wonderful and genuinely cares about getting the kids reading!
great list! my 14 and 15 year old girls will love it. they are book lovers just like their mama! thanks for sharing. oh and by the way, i got THE email! thank you so much for recommending me for such a wonderful opportunity.
Twitter: VanitaCyril
To Vanita,
Let me know which books your girls love (and hate!). Thanks! And so glad that it worked out with Retrofit. They are thrilled to have you!