The 5 Best Read-Alouds for Middle Schoolers
Middle schoolers are a rare breed- moody, hilarious, exuberant, apathetic, endearing, and let’s be honest, sometimes downright mean. All that to say, capturing their attention in a read-aloud can be tricky-- particularly when you want to appeal to an entire class.
Over the years, I have found that every class has a very distinct personality, and sometimes the same read aloud just doesn’t appeal to each group of students. Maybe you’ve found the same to be true of your classes this year.
Below I share the five best read-alouds for middle schoolers, and exactly who each read aloud will appeal to, so that you can experience read-aloud bliss every time. Because, let’s be real, who doesn’t want to hear students beg, “Please, just one more chapter!”?
Ok, let’s dive in.
1. Crash ~ Jerry Spinelli
This novel is my tried and true read aloud. I gush about it in this post, but I’ll say it here again. This book is magical. Especially when you have a group of kids who are generally apathetic or reluctant to read. In fact, I’ve found this title to be most successful with students who downright dislike school or me. I mean, we’ve all had those classes, right? Let this book come to the rescue. It will make kids laugh and it will make them grow-- academically and emotionally. If you’re looking for a guide to help you make this read-aloud a success, grab my tried-and-true one HERE!
2. The Honest Truth ~ Dan Gameignhart
This book has my whole dang heart, and I’d be lying if I said my copy wasn’t crinkled by tear stains. In fact, I share all about why it made me cry, while dressed up as a Christmas tree, in this post. This novel will pull on the heartstrings of every student in your class. It uniquely weaves serious emotional content with action and adventure. This title is the perfect read aloud for any class, really, but it’s especially powerful with groups who are a little more mature and capable of deeper empathy than the average middle schooler. However, it’s also a great novel to help a class build empathy.
3. Schooled ~ Gordon Korman
I cannot even type the title of this book without smiling. This novel is my absolute favorite feel-good novel. It is the best pick-me-up, plus, it offers so many opportunities to discuss big middle school topics such as being yourself, the true meaning of kindness, and why some people are bullies. And even though it addresses some serious themes, this book will have students smiling and laughing the whole way through. I think it is the perfect book for a beginning or end-of-the-year read aloud. It’s well-suited for any group of students because it mixes fun, funny, and meaningful. It can be read for pure pleasure or serve as the foundation for debates, vocabulary activities, student activism project, and more!
4. Front Desk ~ Kelly Yang
When I finished this book, I truly wanted to stand on rooftops and shout to the world about how incredible Mia Tang’s story is. Yang writes Mia’s story as a reflection of her own experiences growing up in California as a Chinese immigrant. Not only is it funny, inspiring, heartwarming, and heart-wrenching, it will also open students’ eyes to the experiences of immigrants trying to make a life for themselves in this country. This book is a great option for classes early in the year because it teaches students to recognize that everyone is fighting their own battle, and it encourages readers to strive for their goals and dreams, even if friends or families don’t understand them. I think most students would enjoy this read-aloud, but I would select it particularly for groups of students with struggling readers.
5. Look Both Ways ~ Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds’ beautiful writing captured my heart again in this novel. Each chapter of Look Both Ways is a window into the world of a different middle schooler as they walk home from school. Some stories will make you laugh, others will make you cry, and some will leave you speechless. Through each narrative, Reynolds does a magnificent job of encouraging readers to put aside assumptions and look beyond what appears to be true about a person at first glance (a much-needed reminder for so many middle schoolers). Because the chapters of this novel can stand alone, I would recommend this novel as a read aloud if you know that you won’t be able to read aloud super consistently. It is also the perfect novel to use as a mentor text in a narrative unit. You could even use a chapter for a short story unit. Be aware that some chapters of this book are much more captivating than others. My favorites are: The Low Cuts Strike Again, Call of Duty, and How A Boy Can Become A Grease Fire.
To get the MOST success book-talking any title, I use this guide to help structure class conversations and encourage students to use academic language as we discuss the text.
Books are POWERFUL. But, they should be selected with care based on the students in front of you. I hope this roundup helps you select a read aloud that you can feel confident students will love.
♥ Kara & Riley
