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Great Middle School Reads

Compiled by Merri Lindgren and Megan Schliesman

This list was originally developed by former CCBC librarian Hollis Margaret Rudiger. In her introduction to the original Hollis wrote, "the middle school period refers to a range of years when there are more variables among like-aged children than in any other period, so the only real common denominator among all of them is the building in which they are educated."

For this 2020 revision, we have expanded some of the categories and eliminated others while striving to maintain the original list's emphasis on emotional needs and interests of older children and young teens. While books are organized into specific categories, many of the titles would easily fit into two or more. An effort was made to incorporate fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, as well as graphic novels (both fiction and non-fiction) across the list and, when possible, within each category.

This list is far from exhaustive, but we hope it provides ideas for reader's advisory, library or classroom displays, and other initiatives in which you are engaged to connect middle school-aged readers with books.

Who Am I If Not My Family?

Bagley, Jessixa Duel. Illustrated by Aaron Bagley. Simon & Schuster, 2023. 307 pages. Ages 10-14

Balcarcel, Rebecca Shine On, Luz Veliz!. Chronicle, 2022. 262 pages. Ages 9-12

Cartaya, Pablo Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish. Viking, 2018. 249 pages. Ages 10-13

Hargrave, Kiran Millwood Julia and the Shark. Illustrated by Tom de Freston. Orion, 2023. 191 pages. Ages 9-13

Martin, Pedro Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir. Illustrated by Pedro Martin. Dial/Penguin Random House, 2023. 309 pages. Ages 8-13

Moreno, Nina Don't Date Rosa Santos. Disney/Hyperion, 2019. Age 12 and older

Rhodes, Jewell Parker Black Brother, Black Brother. Little, Brown, 2020. 239 pages. Ages 10-13

Sylvester, Natalia Running. Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020. 328 pages. Age 12 and older

Thompson, Lin The House That Whispers. Little, Brown, 2023. 330 pages. Ages 9-13

Yee, Lisa Maizy Chen's Last Chance. Random House, 2022. 276 pages. Ages 8-12

Changing Relationships

Callender, Kacen King and the Dragonflies. Scholastic Press, 2020. 259 pages. Ages 9-12

Craft, Jerry New Kid. Illustrated by Jerry Craft. Harper, 2019. 249 pages. Ages 9-13

Dasnes, Nora Cross My Heart and Never Lie. Illustrated by Nora Dasnes. Translated by Matt Bagguley. Astra/Hippo Park, 2023. 239 pages. Ages 9-13

Drazin, Meira Honey and Me. Scholastic/Scholastic Press, 2022. 283 pages. Ages 9-13

Everett, Sarah The Shape of Lost Things. Harper/HarperCollins, 2024. 263 pages. Ages 10-13

Gansworth, Eric If I Ever Get Out of Here. Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2013. 359 pages. Age 11 and older

Maldonado, Torrey Tight. Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House, 2018. 180 pages. Ages 9-13

Sales, Leila The Museum of Lost and Found. Abrams/Amulet, 2023. 297 pages. Ages 9-13

Zarr, Sara A Song Called Home. Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, 2022. 356 pages. Ages 9-12

Seeing Myself in New Ways

Draper, Sharon M. Out of My Heart. Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 2021. 342 pages. Ages 9-12

Giles, Chrystal D. Not an Easy Win. Random House, 2023. 245 pages. Ages 9-12

Ha, Robin Almost American Girl. Illustrated by Robin Ha. Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, 2020. 227 pages. Age 12 and older

Harrold, A. F. The Worlds We Leave Behind. Illustrated by Levi Pinfold. Bloomsbury, 2023. 241 pages. Ages 9-13

Mahoney, Kristin The 47 People You'll Meet in Middle School. Knopf/Random House, 2019. 291 pages. Ages 9-12

McCullough, Joy Code Red. Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, 2023. 233 pages. Ages 10-13

O'Shaughnessy, Kate The Wrong Way Home. Knopf/Random House, 2024. 322 pages. Ages 9-13

Santat, Dan A First Time for Everything. Illustrated by Dan Santat. First Second/Roaring Brook, 2023. 308 pages. Ages 10-14

Yelchin, Eugene The Genius Under the Table. Illustrated by Eugene Yelchin. Candlewick, 2021. Age 9 and older

Zarr, Sara Kyra, Just for Today. Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, 2024. 305 pages. Ages 9-13

Growing and Healing

Arango, Andrea Beatriz Something Like Home. Penguin Random House/Random House, 2023. 248 pages. Ages 9–12

Bow, Erin Simon Sort of Says. Disney-Hyperion, 2023. 305 pages. Ages 9-13

Bushby, Aisha A Pocketful of Stars. Carolrhoda/Lerner, 2023. 241 pages. Ages 10-13

Comrie, Courtne Rain Rising. Harper/HarperCollins, 2022. 327 pages. Ages 10-13

Curato, Mike Flamer. Illustrated by Mike Curato. Henry Holt/Macmillan, 2020. 366 pages. Age 12 and older

Fong, Debbie Next Stop. Illustrated by Debbie Fong. Random House/RH Graphic, 2024. 249 pages. Ages 9-13

Harrell, Rob Wink. Dial/Penguin Random House, 2020. 314 pages. Ages 9-12

Lowe, Mari Aviva vs. the Dybbuk. Levine Querido, 2022. 171 pages. Ages 9-13

Monsef, Kiyash Once There Was. Simon & Schuster, 2023. 406 pages. Age 12 and older

Reynolds, Jason Long Way Down. Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 2017. 320 pages. Age 11 and older

Living Through History

Alexander, Kwame The Door of No Return. Little, Brown, 2022. 418 pages. Age 10 and older

Atkins, Jeannine Grasping Mysteries: Girls who Loved Math. Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, 2020. 305 pages. Age 10 and older

Behar, Ruth Across So Many Seas. Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House, 2024. 258 pages. Ages 10-13

Boyce, Jo Ann Allen and Debbie Levy This Promise of Change: One Girl's Story in the Fight for School Equality. Bloomsbury, 2019. 310 pages. Age 11 and older

Cline-Ransome, Lesa One Big Open Sky. Holiday House, 2024. 296 pages. Ages 9-13

Hiranandani, Veera The Night Diary. Dial/Penguin, 2018. 264 pages. Ages 10-13

Lee, Julie In the Tunnel. Holiday House, 2023. 332 pages. Ages 10-14

Manzano, Sonia Coming Up Cuban. Scholastic/Scholastic Press, 2022. 301 pages. Ages 10-13

Marsh, Katherine The Lost Year: A Survival Story of the Ukrainian Family. Roaring Brook, 2023. 354 pages. Ages 9-13

Polonsky, Ami World Made of Glass. Little, Brown, 2023. 276 pages. Ages 10-13

Sepetys, Ruta and Steve Sheinkin The Bletchley Riddle. Penguin Random House/Viking, 2024. 392 pages. Ages 10-14

Takei, George and Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott They Called Us Enemy. Illustrated by Harmony Becker. IDW/Top Shelf, 2019. 204 pages. Age 11 and older

Tingle, Tim How I Became a Ghost: A Choctaw Trail of Tears Story. RoadRunner, 2013. Ages 10-13

Rising to Challenges

Almellehan, Muzoon and Wendy Perlman Muzoon: A Syrian Refugee Speaks Out. Knopf/Random House, 2023. 270 pages. Ages 11-14

Arango, Andrea Beatriz Iveliz Explains It All. Random House, 2022. 268 pages. Ages 10-13

Chan, Ruth Uprooted: A Memoir about What Happens When Your Family Moves Back. Illustrated by Ruth Chan. Roaring Brook, 2024. 285 pages. Ages 11-14

Eliopulos, Andrew Will on the Inside. HarperCollins/Quill Tree, 2023. 292 pages. Ages 9-13

Emezi, Akwaeke Bitter. Knopf/Random House, 2022. 264 pages. Age 12 and older

Jamieson, Victoria and Omar Mohamed When Stars Are Scattered. Illustrated by Victoria Jamieson. Dial/Penguin Random House, 2020. 256 pages. Ages 9-13

Keller, Tae Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone. Random House, 2022. 277 pages. Ages 9-12

Larsen, Mylisa Quagmire Tiarello Coudn't Be Better. Clarion/HarperCollins, 2024. 234 pages. Ages 10-14

Little Badger, Darcie A Snake Falls to Earth. Arthur A. Levine Books/Levine Querido, 2021. 372 pages. Age 12 and older

Miller, Kalena South of Somewhere. Albert Whitman, 2024. 282 pages. Ages 9-12

Morrow, Bethany C., compiler. Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance. Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, 2019. 245 pages. Age 12 and older

Reynolds, Jason Ain't Burned All the Bright. Illustrated by Jason Griffin. Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 2022. Age 12 and older

Smith, Pauline Vaeluaga Dawn Raid. Illustrated by Mat Hunkin. Levine Querido, 2021. 217 pages. Ages 9-12

Soontornvat, Christina All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team. Candlewick, 2020. 280 pages. Age 10 and older

Van Heidrich, Katie The In-Between. Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, 2023. 295 pages. Age 11 and older

I Am Enough

Cartaya, Pablo and Nikki Grimes, Leah Henderson, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Remy Lai, Kyle Lukoff, Meg Medina, Daniel Nayeri, Linda Sue Park, Mitali Perkins, Pam Munoz Ryan, Gary D. Schmidt, Brian Young, Ibi Zoboi A Little Bit Super: With Small Powers Come Big Problems. Clarion/HarperCollins, 2024. 278 pages. Ages 9-12

Charleyboy, Lisa and Mary Beth Leatherdale, compiler. #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women. Annick, 2017. 109 pages. Age 12 and older

Chee, Traci and Mike Chen, Meredith Ireland, Mike Jung, Erin Entrada Kelly, Minh Le, Grace Lin, Ellen Oh, Linda Sue Park, Randy Ribay, Christina Soontornvat, Susan Tan You Are Here: Connecting Flights. Allida/HarperCollins, 2023. 256 pages. Ages 9-13

Day, Christine We Still Belong. HarperCollins/Heartdrum, 2023. 249 pages. Ages 9-12

Fipps, Lisa Starfish. Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House, 2021. 244 pages. Ages 8-12

Hill, Jonathan Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boy. Illustrated by Jonathan Hill. Candlewick/Walker, 2022. 264 pages. Ages 9-13

I Am the Night Sky: & Other Reflections by Muslim American Youth. Shout Mouse, 2019. 171 pages. Age 12 and older

LeZotte, Ann Clare Deer Run Home. Scholastic/Scholastic Press, 2024. 224 pages. Ages 10-13

Manfredi, Angie, compiler. The (Other) F Word: A Celebration of the Fat and Fierce. Abrams, 2019. 206 pages. Age 11 and older

Ridge, Yolanda Elliot Jelly-Legs and the Bobblehead Miracle. Illustrated by Sydney Barnes. Orca, 2023. 215 pages. Ages 9-12

Walton, Jessica Stars in Their Eyes. Illustrated by Aska. Graphix/Scholastic, 2023. 209 pages. Age 11 and older

Williams, Alicia D. Genesis Begins Again. Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 2019. 364 pages. Ages 11-14

Wilson, Misty Play Like a Girl. Illustrated by David Wilson. Balzer + Bray/HarperAlley, 2022. 258 pages. Ages 10-13

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes subject access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.