A friend recently put out a query regarding what books his middle schooler would love…and a local English teacher responded with her favorites. And since we rather have our kids reading than the many other mischiefs they can get into with their phones, here are her top picks.
Best Books for Middle School Kids
Fablehaven. For centuries, mystical creatures of all descriptions were gathered in a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic in a cynical world. Enchanting? Absolutely! Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite. Series by Brandon Mull.
Harry Potter. is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter and his friends who are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The main story arc concerns Harry’s conflict with Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard. Read it here.
Michael Vey. Michael Vey is back with an electrifying eighth installment of the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling series. Join Michael and the Electroclan as a new threat arises even more terrible and calculating than the Elgen. Read it here.
Ranger’s Apprentice. Will, an orphan who becomes an apprentice to the mysterious protectors known as Rangers, strives to keep the Kingdom of Araluen safe from invaders, traitors and other threats in this New York Times bestselling 12-book series for action and adventure lovers. Read it here.
Shatter Me. Shatter Me is a young adult dystopian thriller series written by Tahereh Mafi. The book is narrated by Juliette, a 17-year-old girl with a lethal touch and is unusual in that it contains passages and lines that have been crossed out like a diary entry. Read it here.
Uglies and Pretties. Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can’t wait. In just a few weeks she’ll have the operation that will turn her from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty. Then a message from Tally’s ugly past arrives. Read it here.
Divergent. Divergent is a series of young adult science fiction adventure novels by American novelist Veronica Roth set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian Chicago. In Beatrice Prior’s world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue.
Maze Runner. Book one in the blockbuster Maze Runner series that spawned a movie franchise and ushered in a worldwide phenomenon! When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone and they must learn to remember, survive and run.
Where the Red Fern Grows. A book that has stood the test of time, this is the story of a loving threesome, Billy and his dogs who ranged the dark hills and river bottoms of Cherokee county. Where the Red Fern Grows.
Far World. Even though thirteen-year-old Marcus Kanenas is confined to a wheelchair, he sees himself as a survivor and a dreamer. In fact, his favorite dream is of a world far away, a world where magic is as common as air, where animals tell jokes, and where trees beg people to pick their fruit. He even has a name for this place – Farworld. Read the series.
Percy Jackson, The Lightning Thief. Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school…again. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to stay out of trouble. Suddenly, mythical creatures seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. This series is non-stop fun.
Leven Thumps. Fourteen-year-old Leven Thumps (a.k.a. “Lev”) is no ordinary boy, but that’s exactly what Sabine and his dark shadows want him to believe. They know the fate of the world and the dreams of all mankind can be saved by one boy with a powerful gift, one he has yet to understand or control. Read the series.
Hunger Games. The first novel in the worldwide bestselling series by Suzanne Collins! Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun.
13th Reality. What if every time you made a choice that had a significant consequence, a new, alternate reality was created – the life that would’ve been had you made the other choice? Atticus Higginbottom, a.k.a. Tick, is an average thirteen-year-old boy until the day a strange letter arrives in his mailbox that changes everything in the 13th Reality series.
The Red Pyramid. The bestselling author of Percy Jackson and the Olympians takes on ancient Egypt in the first book of a trilogy that offers a modern-day portal into a rich fantastical world of ancient myth. Read the series.
Beyonders. Jason Walker has often wished his life could be a bit less predictable – until a routine day at the zoo ends with Jason suddenly transporting from the hippo tank to a place unlike anything he’s ever seen. He soon learns his best hope to find a way home will be to save this world without heroes. Read the series.
Trapped in a Video Game. Kids who love video games will love this first installment of the new 5-book series about 12-year old Jesse Rigsby and the wild adventures he encounters inside different video games. Read the series.
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer. A series dedicated to teens by John Grisham, in the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and though he’s only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he’s one of them. But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than expected because he knows so much. Read the series.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid. In 2007, Diary of a Wimpy Kid was published, introducing readers to Greg Heffley and his family, his best friend Rowley Jefferson, and the dreaded Cheese Touch. More than 275 million copies later, Diary of a Wimpy Kid has become a beloved book all around the world. Read it here.
What middle school favorites would you add to this list? Please let us know!
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Author: Mile High Mamas
