These books every middle schooler should read are a must before your child heads off to high school. Start adding more books to your homeschool library. Check out my list of the Best Educational Books for Kids.
We all have our favorite books from our childhood. Now that I have my own children, I get to enjoy those books over again with my kids. Most of these are classic children’s books, with some newer ones included as well.
I know book lists are always changing but my son read these and remembers a lot of them.
Our rule is that if the movie has a book, in order to watch it, you must read the book first.
This post may contain affiliate links meaning I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Read my disclosure policy here.
Recommended Middle School Guide Books
Do you want your kids in middle school to be ready with anything and acquire new skills? These guide books will give them ideas on how to survive middle school!
Do you want your child to start saving money? This money bank robot will help you encourage your middle schooler to do that. Kids will enjoy building this robot that swallows money!
Get this activity kit for your little one who loves science experiments. With this kit, your child will have a better understanding of how crystals are formed.
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Karana, a young Indian girl, has lived alone on the Island of Blue Dolphins for years. She watches as ship after ship passes, failing to take no notice for her. While she waits, she creates a life for herself; finding food and shelter.
It’s World War II, and the Nazis have invaded Annemarie’s quote home in Denmark. When the Nazis order the Jews, include Annemarie’s friend, Ellen, to “relocate” – Annemarie must find the courage to help her friend in the midst of adversity.
At fifteen, Amos Fortune was captured by slave traders and sent to Massachusetts. He refuses to lose his dignity and longs for nothing more than freedom. 45 years later, his dreams finally become true.
Nathaniel Bowditch showed persistence and determination to become a sea navigator during the 18th century even though people doubted him with his small stature.
Young Heidi goes to live with her grandpa in the Alps, and loves the free mountains. However, her aunt soon sends her back to the town, and Heidi wishes more than ever to return to life in the Alps.
When Opal and her father, a preacher, move to a small town, Opal is instantly devastated. One day, she goes to the grocery store for a few groceries and comes back with a dog! Through the dog, who she names Winn Dixie, Opal slowly begins to make friends and move on from her past.
Nick Allen isn’t a bad kid, he just likes to make school more interesting. His latest idea? Why is a pen called a pen? Why not call it a frindle? Soon, his new word begins to spread in his classroom, in his school, in his town, and in the country!
This bestselling series is loved by middle schoolers everywhere. Greg, a wimpy kid, is easily relatable as he balances the good and the bad of middle school; including figuring out girls, his best friend Rowley, and his crazy older brother.
In this beloved children’s classic, C.S. Lewis invents a place called Narnia. The series kicks off with the classic “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” where Narnia is cursed with eternal winter by the White Witch. It’s up to the four siblings; Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy to help restore peace and freedom to Narnia.
Stanley Yelnats is falsely accused of stealing a pair of shoes and is sent to Camp Green Lake as a punishment. (He’s pretty confident it’s because of his family’s ancient curse.) For their “character building” sentence, each inmate must dig one hole per day. But why?
Percy Jackson finds himself about kicked out of middle school, once again. Even crazier, Greek gods and mythological creatures begin coming out of his Greek mythology textbook! To make matters worse, he thinks he has angered a few of them. Zeus’ lightning bolt is stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.
Anne Frank was a young Jewish girl growing up in the Netherlands during the Holocaust. Sheltered by a kind family, this was her diary that she wrote in hiding. Sadly, her father was the sole survivor in their family, and he was the one who published her diary.
Accidentally cursed as a child, Ella Enchanted was given the gift of “obedience,” and must do everything she is told! However, Ella is determined to break her curse in this fairy tale story!
