The Best Books for Middle Schoolers to Start the Year With
It’s no secret that middle school is a messy time. Messy friendships, messy lockers, messy hygiene routines…. It’s all growing and changing so quickly that middle schoolers themselves can barely keep up with their own bodies or emotional needs.
Change is probably the only constant among middle schoolers, and so it’s only natural that the books we recommend to students over the course of a year would change. Students in middle school typically begin and end the year in dramatically different places maturity-wise, and so, the books I recommend and book-talk in the fall are intentional.
The best books for middle schoolers in the fall, in my opinion, are ones that discuss kindness, inclusion, and being yourself. They encourage considering others’ experiences and perspectives, and they broaden students’ understanding of those around them. They are light, but meaningful.
With so much running through the adolescent brain at the beginning of a school year, I feel that students need characters who are bold, bright, and flawed, but authentic. They need stories that inspire generosity, reflection, and positive relationships.
Below, you’ll find my roundup of the best books for middle schoolers at the start of a school year. I have found so much success with these titles in my classroom, and I think you will too!
Every book here is discussed in more detail in a separate post, so just click the picture to get more info!
The Best Books for Middle Schoolers to Start the Year
Front Desk
This novel is one of my all-time favorites, and students love it too! Protagonist, Mia Tang, is like many other 10-year-old girls: She wants to fit in at school, her mom gets on her nerves at times, and she hates the class bully. But there is something very different about Mia. When she’s not at school, she’s working at the front desk of the motel her parents manage. This novel will capture kids’ hearts and minds while opening their eyes to the realities of many immigrants in this country.
New Kid
Being a new kid isn’t easy for anyone, especially not in middle school. Protagonist Jordan Banks struggles to find true friends when he is one of the only non-white and non-wealthy students at Riverdale Academy Day School. Forced to attend by his parents because of the academic opportunities, Jordan tries to navigate each day with a positive mindset. But some students and teachers make it really hard.…
Counting By 7s
This novel features Willow Chance, a seventh- grade genius, who has never really fit in with her peers, teachers, or anyone, for that matter. Other than her parents, not many people understand Willow’s intricate, kind, but blunt, and somewhat obsessive mind. But when Willow’s parents both die in a freak car accident, Willow is left without family or friends to stay with. Written from several different points of view, the chapters of this novel get to the heart of life–its uncertainty and pain, but also its beauty.
Knockout
Levi’s mom and older brother, Timothy, have sacrificed everything for Levi since birth, when it was unclear if Levi was going to survive his medical condition. Now, as a seventh grader, Levi wants more freedom to explore and experience life, but he is consistently held back by his overprotective mom and brother. Will he find a balance? And can he keep his newfound passion--boxing--a secret? Written in verse, this novel is a page-turner and a great option for students who struggle to finish titles.
The War That Saved My Life
If you have any historical fiction lovers in the classroom, this one will definitely be a hit! Set during World War II, the novel details the experiences of Ada and Jamie Smith, who lived with their unbelievably cruel mother in London until all children in the city are evacuated because of the war. Ada had never left the one-room apartment the family lived in because her mother was ashamed of her “crippled foot.” But should she be? Time away from home opens entirely new possibilities for Ada, and she slowly is able to explore the world and let others into hers.
El Deafo
This novel will not only be accessible to every level of reader in your classroom, its protagonist, Cece, will also connect with every child who has ever been embarrassed about being different. In this graphic memoir, Cece Bell struggles to navigate making (and keeping) friends, enjoying time in her neighborhood, and succeeding in school while adjusting to being deaf after a scary illness permanently damaged her hearing.
I hope you find success with these titles in your classroom! And if you would like all you'll need to recommend and book talk these titles--and more-- in your classroom, snag my Book Talk Bundle! Happy reading!
♥ RileyReadsYA ♥