The most recommended middle school books

Who picked these books? Meet our 2,482 experts.

2,482 authors created a book list with books for middle schoolers, and here are their favorite books.

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Book cover of This Book Will (Help) Cool the Climate: 50 Ways to Cut Pollution, Speak Up and Protect Our Planet!

Michele Sheldon Author Of The Mystery of The Missing Fur

From my list on animals, wildlife conservation, and kindness.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve travelled to the Pantanal and along the Amazon both ways from Brazil and Colombia while I was teaching English in Brazil and will never forget the destruction of the Amazon. A visit to the gaping hole of Serra Pelada, a gold mine, had a lasting effect on me as did the forest fires and scorched earth, devoid of any bird or animal apart from the skinny cattle grazing amongst the blackened trees, stretching for miles. A run-in with a hyacinth macaw egg thief, who was smuggling the beautiful birds into Europe, spurred my interest in writing a childrenā€™s series which touches on conservation, endangered species, and illegal wildlife trafficking.

Michele's book list on animals, wildlife conservation, and kindness

Michele Sheldon Why did Michele love this book?

This book does exactly what it says, although the chapter entitled "Eat Your Neighbours" did make me wonder if I was reading a different genre. Without being preachy, it gives kids 50 great ideas to help them make a difference to the environment including coming up against climate deniers, rewilding your garden (obviously without the bison, wolves, and wildcats), and buying less stuff including gadgets, clothes, and fast fashion (though I still have some way to go with a certain teenager). If you feel frustrated about how huge a problem climate change is and donā€™t know where to start, then the book will help you understand what fuels it and gives children some agency over how they choose to live their lives and make a difference.

By Isabel Thomas, Alex Paterson (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked This Book Will (Help) Cool the Climate as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Our planet is heating up, and it needs your help! If you want to learn to reduce your carbon footprint and cool the Earth, here are practical tips and projects that make a difference!

Are you concerned about climate change? The bad news is, global warming is a real problem that won't go away on its own. But the good news is, there are lots of easy ways you can get involved and make a difference! From swapping your stuff to assigning your school some eco-homework, helping to save the planet is within your reach. Arm yourself with info aboutā€¦


Book cover of On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

Tabitha Caplinger Author Of The Wayward

From my list on Christian to help you live on purpose for purpose.

Why am I passionate about this?

My faith is core to who I am. I love Jesus wholeheartedly and believe true fulfillment only comes through a relationship with Him. I believe we are all created on purpose for a purpose. I want every person I come in contact with to know that they are powerful, chosen, loved, and never alone. I also love creating and reading real and fictional stories that have a message. I believe that stories can seep through our layers and speak to the deepest parts of who we are. The books on my list are the ones that seeped deep down into my heart.

Tabitha's book list on Christian to help you live on purpose for purpose

Tabitha Caplinger Why did Tabitha love this book?

It was surprising how much a series for children spoke to my heart. I loved the deep worldbuilding that didnā€™t shy away from the darker things. As I listened with my daughter, I was overcome by the message of truth, transformation, and the power to do good. This beautiful story encouraged us to have value and purpose in this worldā€“one that is more about being than doing.

By Andrew Peterson,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

After living for years under the occupation by the evil Fangs of Dang, the Igiby children find a map rumoured to lead to the lost Jewels of Anniera - the one thing the Fangs will do anything to find. The family is thrown headlong into a perilous adventure, uncovering truths about who they are that will change their world forever.

Repackaged with new illustrations, this is the opportunity to discover the Wingfeathers.


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Book cover of Ernő Rubik and His Magic Cube

Ernő Rubik and His Magic Cube by Kerry Aradhya,

This picture book biography of Ernő Rubik, creator of the Rubikā€™s Cube, reveals the obsession, imagination, and engineering process behind the creation of this fascinating and sometimes frustrating puzzle.

A solitary child, Ernő Rubik grew up in post-World War II Hungary, curious about puzzles, art, nature, and their underlying patternsā€¦

Book cover of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Johnny B. Truant Author Of The Dream Engine

From my list on YA books that do not insult our intelligence.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve always had a healthy dose of skepticism, having been a scientist before I was an author. I look for the con when somethingā€™s too good to be true, even in fictionā€¦so donā€™t insult me by saying, ā€œa magic amulet that makes everyone nice all the time.ā€ If you want me to believe in pixie dust, tell me whatā€™s in place to keep pixie dust smugglers from rigging the system. I raised smart, critical-minded kids, so I always pointed them to my own favorite young-audience books: those that felt real, even if they were fantastical, instead of ones with the more common ā€œjust trust meā€ attitude. 

Johnny's book list on YA books that do not insult our intelligence

Johnny B. Truant Why did Johnny love this book?

If there were children in the world this peculiar, thereā€™d need to be a system to deal with them. I hate it when weā€™re just expected to accept odd things in fiction without their logical consequences, but this book doesnā€™t do that. Yep, things would suck for kids like theseā€¦which is why theyā€™d need a home and a caretaker as peculiar as they were. 

What I really liked about this book wasnā€™t the setup, though, so much as the part where we really figure out whatā€™s protecting the Home and why it was created in the way it was. I canā€™t really say more without spoiling things, but it poses a very interesting dilemma: a choice as gray in scope as any real-world dilemma.  

By Ransom Riggs,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here - one of whom was his own grandfatherā€¦


Book cover of Brighty of the Grand Canyon

Will Lowrey Author Of Where the Irises Bloom

From my list on animal loyalty.

Why am I passionate about this?

Issues impacting animals have been a major component of my life for twenty years and have inspired all of my writing. As humans, we are consumed by our own needs and often, animals go unnoticed in the shadows or in some capacity that is of service to us. But animals have stories all their own. Again and again I have encountered these stories, from cows in a slaughterhouse, to fighting dogs rescued from a chain, to primates in laboratories, they each have a meaningful story. The stories that resonate most are the ones in which the animal story intersects that of human character in a deep, and often surprising way. 

Will's book list on animal loyalty

Will Lowrey Why did Will love this book?

Probably a lesser-known book, Brighty still packs a powerful emotional punch. Similar to Pax, the book speaks movingly about the power of the wild and the value of allowing animals to exist on their terms. In addition to this less, Brighty also tells of the moving bond between a spitfire donkey and a pair of old men working the Grand Canyon. Although he loses his companion, a prospector named Old Timer, early in the book, Brighty never forgets the manā€™s kindness. He spends the rest of the book, loyal to another man, Jim, seeking justice for Old Timerā€™s murder. Throughout the book, Brighty never loses the wild inside him and Marguerite Henry does a masterful job of weaving together the themes of loyalty, purpose, and respect for Brightyā€™s personal integrity. Although mostly considered a childrenā€™s book, Brighty is well-worth the read for any adult looking for a story toā€¦

By Marguerite Henry, Wesley Dennis (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Brighty of the Grand Canyon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

A determined little burro earns the loyalty and affection of everyone he encounters in this classic story from Newbery Award-winning author Marguerite Henry.

Long ago, a lone little burro roamed the high cliffs of the Grand Canyon and touched the hearts of all who knew him: a grizzled old miner, a big-game hunter, even President Teddy Roosevelt. Named Brighty by the prospector who befriended him, he remained a free spirit at heart. But when a ruthless claim-jumper murdered the prospector, loyal Brighty risked everything to bring the killer to justice.

Brighty's adventures have delighted generations of readers, and he hasā€¦


Book cover of The Accidental Diary of B.U.G.

Sarah Hagger-Holt Author Of Proud of Me

From my list on LGBTQ plus families.

Why am I passionate about this?

Thirteen years ago, when my partner and I started our family, we didnā€™t know any other LGBTQ+ parents. We decided to learn all we could about the experiences of LGBTQ+ families. Our interviews with more than 70 families grew into an LGBTQ+ parenting guide called Pride and Joy. These real-life stories blew us away with their diversity; made us laugh, cry and gasp as we saw how families thrived, often against the odds. Yet we rarely saw families like these in the books our children read, so I started writing stories of my own. Thankfully, there are now many more - youā€™ll find some of my favourites on this list. 

Sarah's book list on LGBTQ plus families

Sarah Hagger-Holt Why did Sarah love this book?

Billie Upton Green (B.U.G.) has two mums, an obsession with biscuits (the best varieties and correct way to eat them), and a problem with spelling. Young or old, everyone surely has a favourite biscuit-like Billie, Iā€™m a custard cream fan - and even the most reluctant reader, whatever their own family is like, can pick up this quirkily illustrated book and find something to make them laugh or that they can identify with. Author Jen Carney, like me, draws on her own experience as a lesbian parent, and ensures that Billie is able to educate her classmates in a no-nonsense way on what it means to be adopted and to have two mums. 

By Jen Carney,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Accidental Diary of B.U.G. as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

Meet Billie Upton Green and her VERY accidental diary - and don't you DARE call her B.U.G!

Billie has taken the new girl at school under her wing. She'll teach her the important stuff - Biscuit Laws, Mrs Patterson and of course where to sneakily eat a Jaffa Cake. She might even get invited to the EVENT OF THE YEAR (Billie's mums' are getting married).

But then suspicion sets in. The new girl seems VERY close to Billie's best friend Layla.

And she knows a LOT about the big school heist - the theft of Mrs Robinson's purse. But, Billieā€¦


Book cover of Never Forget Eleanor

Anne O'Brien Carelli Author Of I'll Remember, Poppy

From my list on dementia and Alzheimerā€™s disease for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an educator, author of childrenā€™s books, and caregiver of a loved one with dementia, I felt that I had to write a story about the disease from a childā€™s point of view. When I became a caregiver, I was struck by the lack of information for children and the misconceptions of the public about the disease. I wanted to create a story that reassures children and gives them guidance on how they can help be a caregiver. I added the Authorā€™s Note to provide accurate information to adults so that more people are aware of the signs of dementia and to build understanding and compassion. 


Anne's book list on dementia and Alzheimerā€™s disease for children

Anne O'Brien Carelli Why did Anne love this book?

This story shows how an individual who loves crossword puzzles and storytelling can be affected by the disease of dementia.

Elijah notices that his grandmother Eleanor is struggling with language and figures out a way to carry on her legacy. Itā€™s so nice to see this aspect of the disease (memory and language) addressed in a positive, helpful way.

By Jason June, Loren Long (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Never Forget Eleanor as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

This poignant story from New York Times bestselling author Jason June and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long reminds us of the life-changing power of words and the ways we remember the ones we love who've been affected by Alzheimer's or dementia. Perfect for fans of Drawn Together and The Rough Patch.

Elijah loves spending time with his grandma Eleanor. She knows all the best words to answer tricky crossword puzzles and to tell the most beautiful stories to her family and friends.

Everyone calls her "Never Forget Eleanor" because she remembers every word she reads and personā€¦


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Book cover of Totally Turtles!

Totally Turtles! by Ginjer L. Clarke,

Did you know that leatherback turtles can weigh up to 2,000 pounds? Or that the Florida softshell turtle can breathe through its snout and its skin? Turtles have been around for millions of years, and weā€™re still learning more about them!

With simple language and vivid photographs, Totally Turtles! isā€¦

Book cover of The Adventures of Polo

Barbara Lehman Author Of The Red Book

From my list on wordless with surreal or magical realism elements.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love wordless books immoderately, and I also love books that have meta, surreal, or magical realism elements. This list combines these two features! I was personally so happy that The Red Book was described in a review as ā€œa wordless mind trip for tots,ā€ and I think all the books on this list would perfectly fit that description (and much, much more!) too.

Barbara's book list on wordless with surreal or magical realism elements

Barbara Lehman Why did Barbara love this book?

I love being in the gentle and cheery little world of Polo! Polo is a small dog who travels via ingenious visual twists of perspective and imagery. I both admire the cleverness and invention, and enjoy the cozy worlds and friends that Polo meets along the way. The Polo books are unique in being truly action-packed while also being very tranquil and peaceful.

By Regis Faller,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Adventures of Polo as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Equipped with a backpack full of supplies, Polo sets off on a little boat--and on a series of delightful adventures that take him across (and under) the ocean, to an island and a frozen iceberg, to space and home again, with a world of magical encounters along the way. Polo's journey is packed with incident and expression; 80 pages of seamless, satisfying picture storytelling are perfectly targeted to the youngest reader. Unique, dynamic, and playful, The Adventures of Polo calls to mind the worlds of film animation, comics, and classic books from Harold and the Purple Crayon to The Snowman--andā€¦


Book cover of The Secret World of Walter Anderson

Lori Mortensen Author Of Nonsense! The Curious Story of Edward Gorey

From my list on childrenā€™s books about people who made a difference.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™m an award-winning childrenā€™s author of more than 100 books, including many biographies. I first fell in love with biographies when I was a child and read about young blind and deaf Helen Keller. Blind and deaf? I couldnā€™t imagine. Yet, page by page, as I stepped into little Helenā€™s world, I felt as if I experienced her struggles, triumphs, and tragedies right along with her. I discovered that in spite of her great challenges, she succeeded. Thatā€™s why I love biographies and why I write them. I hope my biographies open a door into someone elseā€™s world that can remind readers that they can succeed too, in spite of obstacles in front of them. I try to write the sort of picture books I loveā€”funny, whimsical, captivating, and unforgettable.

Lori's book list on childrenā€™s books about people who made a difference

Lori Mortensen Why did Lori love this book?

The Secret World of Walter Anderson is one of my favorite picture book biographies. From the first lyrical lines, Bass draws the reader into another time and place where a solitary Mississippi artist climbs into his leaky skiff and sails off to an uninhabited island to paint the world around him. The watercolor illustrations are so wonderful, the reader will hear the crash of the waves, feel the warm sun on their shoulders, and breathe in the salty air right along with the illusive artist. Itā€™s a brilliant story about a man who ā€œmay be the most famous American artist youā€™ve never heard of.ā€

By Hester Bass, E.B. Lewis (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Secret World of Walter Anderson as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Enter the fascinating world of reclusive nature-lover Walter Anderson -- perhaps the most famous American artist you've never heard of.

Residents along the Mississippi Gulf Coast thought Walter Anderson was odd, rowing across twelve miles of open water in a leaky skiff to reach Horn, an uninhabited island without running water or electricity. But this solitary artist didn't much care what they thought as he spent weeks at a time on his personal paradise, sleeping under his boat, sometimes eating whatever washed ashore, sketching and painting the natural surroundings and the animals that became his friends. Here Walter created someā€¦


Book cover of Westfallen

M. Evan Wolkenstein Author Of Turtle Boy

From my list on picky Jewish teens.

Why am I passionate about this?

I teach Jewish studies to Jewish teens and have devoted my life to helping young people find meaningful the legacy thatā€™s been given to usā€”and building bridges to the future; this is in the classroom as well as on the page. My book is a distillation of everything I love about being Jewishā€”wrapped in a story that many readers find deeply familiar. At the same time, I believe in planting the universal in the specificā€”and any reader ready to go on a journey can find themselves in Will Levineā€™s shoes. 

M. Evan's book list on picky Jewish teens

M. Evan Wolkenstein Why did M. Evan love this book?

I loved this book for its unique blend of history and adventure. The novel transports readers to three friends in two eras, joined by a mystical radioā€”connecting the two generations: one before WWII and one many years later. The novel masterfully layers the past and present, weaving together humor and tragedy, secrets that refuse to stay buried.

The atmosphere is haunting and believable, capturing the weight of how few steps it could take to turn our world into a familiar nightmare. Westallen is a beautifully written, thought-provoking story that explores time travel, friendship, courage, and forgiveness. 

By Ann Brashares, Ben Brashares,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Westfallen as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

We didn't mean to change the past. Now we have to win the war.
A stunning 'what if?' story by a bestselling author about two groups of 12-year-olds - one in World War Two, one in the present day.

Henry, Frances and Lukas are neighbours, and they used to be best friends. But in middle school Frances got emo, Lukas went to private school and Henry just felt left behind. When they come together again for the funeral of a pet gerbil, the three ex-friends make a mind-blowing discovery: a radio, buried in Henry's garden, that allows them to talkā€¦


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Book cover of Haven

Haven by Valerie Biel,

Taking only what they can quickly pack, 11-year-old Mardella and her mom secretly move away from their abusive home to start a fresh life in Haven, MN. But Mardellaā€™s sure she's to blameā€”if only she hadnā€™t dialed 911, her dad wouldnā€™t be in jail, her mom wouldn't have been fired,ā€¦

Book cover of The Ones We're Meant to Find

Lauren Yero Author Of Under This Forgetful Sky

From my list on seeking hope after the end of the world.

Why am I passionate about this?

Can stories bring a human scale to something as all-encompassing as climate change? In 2011, I began an MA in Literature and Environment with this question weighing on my mind. I finished my degree two years later with a draft of my debut novel, Under This Forgetful Sky. Iā€™ve come to understand the climate crisis, in many ways, as a crisis of imagination. Its enormity tests the limits of the imaginable. What if the world as we know it ends? What would life look like on the other side? The books on this list reckon with the fears these questions bring while also gesturing beautifully, unsentimentally, courageously toward hope. 

Lauren's book list on seeking hope after the end of the world

Lauren Yero Why did Lauren love this book?

The Ones Weā€™re Meant to Find is a young adult dystopian eco-thriller that tells the story of two sisters across alternating timelines.

One timeline follows Cee, who wakes up one day colorblind and devoid of memories, stranded on a deserted island. The other timeline follows Kasey as she tries to understand her sisterā€™s disappearance from within the rank-based eco-city she calls home (a city that rewards citizens who demand the least of the Earthā€™s dwindling resources).

Though the novel takes impending ecological doom as its ever-present backdrop, it tells a complex, surprising, human story about the quest for meaning and responsibility in an intricately interconnected world.

By Joan He,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Ones We're Meant to Find as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Perfect for fans of Marie Lu and E. Lockhart, The Ones We're Meant to Find is a twisty YA sci-fi that follows the story of two sisters, separated by an ocean, desperately trying to find each other in a climate-ravaged future.
Cee has been trapped on an abandoned island for three years without any recollection of how she arrived, or memories from her life prior. All she knows is that somewhere out there, beyond the horizon, she has a sister named Kay, and it's up to Cee to cross the ocean and find her.ā€¦


Book cover of This Book Will (Help) Cool the Climate: 50 Ways to Cut Pollution, Speak Up and Protect Our Planet!
Book cover of On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness
Book cover of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

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