Inside: Encourage your child to keep reading during school break! Here are the best middle school summer reading lists sure to get kids reading.
Best Middle School Summer Reading Lists
Please click on any title heading to see the complete post which includes book reviews. You can also click on any book to purchase at Amazon. I compiled all the book lists I have made for Middle School.
I hope these middle school summer reading lists help you find some great books to keep your child reading happily this summer and all year long. Moreover, these books can be a source for an argumentative essay writer who is improving his research skills.
My Son’s 6th Grade Recommended Reading List
My Son’s 7th Grade Recommended Reading List
Books Like Twilight and Hunger Games
My oldest (12-year-old girl) loved Hunger Games so much that she read the series 5 times. She liked Twilight also but was less devoted. When she ran out of “good books to read,” I thought it would be easy to find a similar series for her.
Alas, no. It turns out that she has very specific requirements. The vampires have to be in a MODERN SETTING was a big one. C. C. Hunter’s Born at Midnight series fits the bill perfectly and it skews a tad younger than Twilight.
Born at Midnight series by C. C. Hunter is the winner!
Picks from Our Middle School Librarian (by Genre)
Our middle school librarian created a wonderful book list by genre including Adventure/Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Humorous, Historical Fiction, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Horror/ Supernatural, Science Fiction, Biographies and non-fiction, and Poetry.
Summer Reading List for Ages 8 and Up
Great New-ish Books for Middle School
This great list is from the Newton Free Library system. It has great detailed book reviews if you click on the title. I found many of our favorite new books there that are middle school-approved by my daughter and her friends.
My Favorite Book from 90 6th Graders
When wandering the halls of my daughter’s middle school at Parent Visiting Day, I spotted two bulletin boards with a first-day assignment each new 6th grader did in which they listed their favorite book or books. I wrote them all down on my iPhone and posted them here. It’s from the horse’s mouth!
YA Dystopian Like THE GIVER
Best Graphic Novels for Middle School
I have become a great fan of graphic novels and these are some new favorites of ours. I could use more ideas. What graphic novels do you like?
Best Historical Fiction from The Fourth Musketeer
The Fourth Musketeer is a bloggy friend of mine who is a librarian with a great blog focusing on Historical Fiction for kids and teens. I asked her to guest post for me on her favorite books of the year — she only posts on newly published books — and this is her list.
Top 10 Best Historical Fiction
Another Top 10 Best Historical Fiction List
Top 10 Middle School Picks by My 6th Grade Daughter
This post got tons of traffic and complimentary comments. My oldest, then in 5th grade, blogs on her favorite chapter books of the year.
Best YA Titles with Boy Appeal
There seems to be a real scarcity of great Young Adult books for boys which is a real shame because research shows that reading drops off for boys starting in 7th grade! Try these books if you are noticing your son is reading less.
Top 10 Diversity Chapter Books Like Percy Jackson
Thought Provoking and Downright Scary Book Recs from a Middle School Boy Wunderkind
My mother’s helper said that there was a Go To boy at her summer camp who read EVERYTHING and anyone who wanted a great book recommendation went to him. He posted this list in her summer camp newsletter and I copied it.
5 Amazing Novels in Verse
Best Multicultural Middle Grade Books
5 Books to Get Your Gamer Reading
One strategy to get kids — tweens and teens included — to read more is to match books with things they are interested in. These were the sports chapter books that stood out. What are your favorites I’ll add them to the list. Not every sport is covered so please give your suggestions!
Great March Madness YA Novel, Basketball
The Final Four is perfect for March Madness and skews young such that it’s fine for middle school.
Basketball Books for March Madness
Soccer
I would hand this chapter book to any kid who worries about making the cut.
Baseball Chapter Books
Mudville is a new classic to me. And anything about Fenway Park is popular here in Boston!
Children’s Choice Awards
If children, teens, and tweens could pick their own books to confer an award, it would be these books because KIDS are actually the judges and vote for their favorites. I’d start with this list for summer reading fun!
Maximum Ride + Hunger Games = This Book
I’m always on the lookout for new series and these two remind me of two other favorites with both interesting character development and fast-paced adventure.
Tweens Who Read 2 to 3 Grades Below
A bloggy friend who is also a teacher requested this list and it took me several iterations to get it right, at least in terms of my kid’s approving. In finding books for 12-15-year-olds who read two to three grades below, I thought that the book is interesting for that age group but also fun and easy to read.
Text broken up by graphics, shorter pages, and larger font were all carefully considered. And of course, the book has to grab the reader by the first chapter.
Books for Reluctant Middle School Readers
8th Grade Diverse Picture Books
Diverse Picture Books for 7th Grade
Diverse Picture Books for 6th Grade
Josh in 6th Grade Shares His Favorite Books
Recommendations from peers are another great way to “sell” a book to a kid. Josh in 6th grade shares two posts of his favorite books and he has great taste!
Josh in 6th Grade Shares His Ten Favorite Books
Massachusetts Book Awards
Our 5th graders are challenged to read the entire list.
Historical Fiction of Brit Amelia Earhart
Her life reads like an action adventure book but it’s all the more fascinating because she is a real person! And she actually makes Amelia Earhart look like a girly-girl wimp.
Middle School Chapter Books from Books4YourKids
Books4YourKids knows her stuff as an indy bookstore owner. She reviews a pile of newly published books and presents her favorites here.
Books for the Middle Grade Reluctant Reader
Some ideas for middle school readers who may be good at reading but just don’t like to read.
Multicultural Books for Middle School
If kids need to read about someone like them, try these multicultural books.
6th Grade Recommended Books
PickyKidPix 7th Grade Recommended Books
PickyKidPix 8th Grade Recommended Books
Top 10 Chapter Book Series Because They Are So Awesome
My 12-year-old posted on her favorite chapter book action-adventure series and it’s a very popular post for me.
7 Stories About Saving Sea Creatures That Center BIPOC Protagonists
p.s. This website has a great list of school holiday dates, make sure to stock up on some good reads for your son or daughter so they are ready for the holidays!
This Pinterest board has great book lists and book reviews from KidLit Bloggers. Search here for more ideas of what to read with your kids.
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Multicultural Books for Kids on Pinterest.
My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court
- ALSC Notable Children’s Book
- Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
- Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bank Street College’s The Best Children’s Books of the Year
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
What a fantastic, comprehensive list! I’m sharing this on FB now for all my friends with older children. Thanks!
Thanks Mrs. Brown! I really appreciate the share!
I included a link to your Possible Newbery Medal 2013 Winners on my 6th grade classroom website this past year when we participated in Mock Newbery book clubs. Today I’m updating links for my students in search of a great summer read. I’m so excited to link to this post. Thanks!
Hi Ramona,
Thanks so much for the link to your classroom blog! It’s fun to try to guess the Newbery winners for next year! I hope I have some winners on the list. I’m betting on The Center of Everything.
Super helpful! Thank you so much 🙂
Thanks so much Maria for stopping by with such a kind comment!! I really appreciate it!
You have some great books on this list, thanks for sharing. Kids need to read as much as they can. It is important to find out what your kids like and introduce them to literature in that area.
Hi Caleb,
That is such a great point! I totally agree that matching up interests with books is the key to getting kids of any age to read!! And series are great for that. I always cringe when my kids finish a series and say that “there’s nothing good to read!” Then we scramble to find books as close as possible to the ones they liked.
Another trick I used with success is to read the first few chapters aloud — even to my middle schooler! — just to get them invested in the book until they want to know how the story turns out. Sometimes one chapter will do the trick; other times we have to read at least half way through. It is hard to get kids reading. I think there are more distractions and forms of entertainment than ever for kids compared to when I was in middle school!
Hi I love that you put this list up! It is very helpful to me; I love the diary of a wimpy kid, dork diaries, and between shades of gray books.Thx for the help! 2001 (13)
Hi Tori,
I’m so glad that you like the lists!!
My 7th grade students created a list of best graphic novels:
1. Robot Dreams
2. Bone
3. The Kane Chronicles
4. Percy Jackson
5. Maximum Ride
6. Boxers
7. Saints
8. Adventure Time
9. Pokemon Manga(there’s so many books that I’ll just say that instead of a specific obscure one)
10. Amulet Series
The Adventures of Tintin
Tintin and Alph-Art
The Amazing Spiderman
The Man of Steel
Marvel Civil War
The Justice League
Uglies: Cutters
Spider-man
Guardians of the Galaxy
Iron Man
Avengers
Bone
Hulk
Hi Lorraine,
I’m going to use this for a post if that is OK with you and your class. What a GREAT list! Thank you!
lovvvvvve so many books.
most of all the romantic scenes in my fav book
GLITCH’
luv romance!!!!
Hi Elena,
I will have to add Glitch to my list! Thanks for your great book rec!
Not sure if your daughter has read these two series, but my kids devoured these! I read them with my boys as well, I love reading the same books as them because we get to have great conversations!!
Under the Never Sky trilogy by Veronica Rossi, and then the Shatter Me (trilogy) by Tahereh Mafi. Both are modern dystopian series and are attention gripping for sure!
Thanks Robin!! I’ll let my dystopian loving daughter know about your great recommendation!!
Thanks for sharing info about Summer Reading Lists.
I’m glad you like them!
I can’t thank you enough for giving us the list that the middle school kids need during summer, its great
Thanks so much for your kind words Dissertation Writing!
Thank you so much for this helpful article.