Great Middle School Reads

Compiled by Hollis Margaret Rudiger
© 2004 Cooperative Children's Book Center

The following is a short list of books that will appeal to middle school readers. The term "middle school" is a problematic descriptor when it comes to identifying appropriate books because it refers to a culturally specific, often building, specific group of readers. Here, "middle school" refers to children in grades 6-8, or roughly 10-14 years old.

This "middle school" period refers to a range of years when there are more variables among like-aged children than in any other period, so the only real common denominator among all of them is the building in which they are educated. So this list, like everything else for these kids, is uncertain and constantly evolving. The categories are based on common interests and concerns of middle schoolers, and many of the books would fit in multiple categories.

This bibliography was prepared for a presentation at the 2004 Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) Leadership Conference in October, 2004.

Click on underlined book titles to see the CCBC review of the book, and/or the cover image.

When the World Lets You Down

Easton, Kelly. Walking on Air. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2004. 233 pages. Ages 11-14

Flake, Sharon. Begging for Change. Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 2003. Ages 12 - 16

Gaiman, Neil. The Wolves in the Walls. Illustrated by Dave McKean. HarperCollins, 2003. Ages 7 - 11

Smith, Hope Anita. The Way a Door Closes. Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. Henry Holt, 2003. Ages 10 - 14

Williams-Garcia, Rita. No Laughter Here. HarperCollins, 2004. Ages 10 - 14

Laughing through the Tears

Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1998. Ages 9 - 12

McKay, Hilary. Saffy's Angel. U.S. edition: Margaret K. McElderry, 2002. Ages 9 - 13

Naifeh, Ted. Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things (Volume 1). Oni Press, 2001. 128 pages. Ages 9 and up

Wheeler, Lisa. Seadogs: An Epic Ocean Operetta. Illustrated by Mark Siegel. A Richard Jackson Book / Atheneum, 2004. 40 pages. Ages 7-12

Wynne-Jones, Tim. Some of the Kinder Planets. Orchard, 1995. Ages 10 - 14

Yee, Lisa. Millicent Min: Girl Genius. Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic Press, 2003. Ages 10 - 14

Who Am I If Not My Family?

Avi, . Crispin: The Cross of Lead. Hyperion, 2002. Ages 10 - 14

Funke, Cornelia. Inkheart. Translated by Anthea Bell. U.S. edition: The Chicken House/Scholastic, 2003. 534 pages. Ages 9 - 14

Gaiman, Neil. Coraline. Illustrated by Dave McKean. HarperCollins, 2002. 162 pages. Ages 10 - 14

Giff, Patricia Reilly. Pictures of Hollis Woods. Wendy Lamb Books/Random House, 2002. Ages 10 - 14

Osa, Nancy. Cuba 15. Delacorte, 2003. Ages 12 - 15

Park, Linda Sue. When My Name Was Keoko: A Novel of Korea in World War II. Clarion, 2002. Ages 11 - 14

Sheth, Kashmira. Blue Jasmine. Hyperion, 2004. 186 pages. Ages 11 - 14

Decisions, Decisions (That's Not Fair!)

Bruchac, Joseph. The Heart of a Chief. Dial, 1998. Ages 10 - 13

Crowe, Chris. Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case. Phyllis Fogelman Books / Penguin, 2003. 12 and older

DuPrau, Jeanne. The City of Ember. Random House, 2003. 270 pages. Ages 10 - 14

Erlbach, Arlene. Worth the Risk. Free Spirit Press, 1999. Ages 10 - 14

Farmer, Nancy. House of the Scorpion. A Richard Jackson Book/Atheneum, 2002. Ages 11 and older

Goodall, Jane. The Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World and Ours. A Byron Preiss Book/Scholastic Press, 2001. Ages 8 - 14

Hiaasen, Carl. Hoot. Alfred A. Knopf, 2002. Ages 11 - 15

Konigsburg, E.L.. The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place. Atheneum, 2004. 296 pages. Ages 10 - 14

Lowry, Lois. Messenger. Walter Lorraine Books / Houghton Mifflin, 2004. 169 pages. Ages 11 - 14

Myers, Walter Dean. Patrol. Illustrated by Ann Grifalconi. Ages 11 and older

Reeve, Philip. Mortal Engines. Eos/HarperCollins, 2003. 310 pages. Ages 10 - 14

Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl. Alfred A. Knopf, 2000. Ages 12 - 16

When You Have To Be the Grown-Up

Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Does My Shirts. Putnam, 2004. 225 pages. Ages 10 - 14

Clarke, Judith. Wolf on the Fold. U.S. edition: Front Street, 2002. Age 12 and older

Collins, Suzanne. Gregor the Overlander. Scholastic Press, 2003. 311 pages. Ages 9 - 14

Ellis, Deborah. Mud City. Groundwood/Douglas & McIntyre, 2003. Ages 10 - 14

Mizayaki, Hayao. Spirited Away, Vol. 1. Viz Comics, 2002. Ages 11 and up

Ryan, Pam Munoz. Esperanza Rising. Scholastic, 2000. Ages 10 - 14

Coming of Ages, Living and Dying

Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bucking the Sarge. Wendy Lamb Books / Random House, 2004. 259 pages. Ages 12-15

Henkes, Kevin. Olive's Ocean. Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, 2003. Ages 10 - 14

Kadohata, Cynthia. Kira-Kira. Atheneum, 2004. 244 pages. Ages 10-14

Nye, Naomi Shihab, selector. What Have You Lost?. Photographed by Michael Nye. Greenwillow, 1999. Age 12 and older

Woodson, Jacqueline. Locomotion. Putnam, 2003. Ages 9 - 12

Cool People/All Kinds of Heroes

Cummins, Julie. Tomboy of the Air: Daredevil Pilot Blanche Stuart Scott . HarperCollins, 2001. Ages 8 - 12

Fleming, Candace. Ben Franklin's Almanac: Being a True Account of the Good Gentleman's Life. An Anne Schwartz Book/Atheneum, 2003. Ages 10 and older

Greenberg, Jan and Sandra Jordan . Runaway Girl: The Artist Louise Bourgeois . Abrams, 2003. 80 pages. Ages 12 and older

Johnson, Angela. The Other Side: Shorter Poems. Orchard, 1998. Ages 11 - 15

Macy, Sue. Bulls-eye: A Photobiography of Annie Oakley. National Geographic Society, 2001. Ages 10 - 14

Maurer, Richard. The Wright Sister: Katharine Wright and Her Famous Brothers. Roaring Brook Press, 2003. Ages 10 - 16

Partridge, Elizabeth. This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life and Songs of Woody Guthrie. Viking, 2002. Age 11 and older

Survive Middle School, Then Survive THIS!

Bredeson, Carmen. After the Last Dog Died: The True-Life, Hair-Raising Adventure of Douglas Mawson and His 1912 Antartic Expedition. National Geographic Society, 2003. Ages 9 - 14

Fleischman, John. Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science. Houghton Mifflin, 2002. Ages 10 - 14

Gaiman, Neil. The Books of Magic. DC Comics/Vertigo, 1993. 196 pages. Age 13 and up

Lawlor, Laurie. Magnificent Voyage. Holiday House, 2002. Ages 11 - 14

Matthews, L. S.. Fish. Delacorte, 2004. 183 pages. Ages 10-13

Murphy, Jim. An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. Clarion, 2003. Ages 10 - 14

Philbrick, Nathaniel. Revenge of the Whale: The True Story of the Whaleship Essex. Putnam, 2002. Ages 11 - 15

Ross, Val. The Road to There: Mapmakers and Their Stories.. Tundra, 2003. Age 9 and older

Schyffert, Bea Uusma. The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon: The Story of Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins. Chronicle, 2003. Ages 8 - 14

This list may be reproduced and distributed by educational and/or nonprofit organizations so long as credit is given to the Cooperative Children's Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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	CCBC Bibliographies & Booklists Charlotte Zolotow Award Book of the Week CCBC Specialized Information CCBC Book Discussions CCBC - Net Awards & Best-of-the-Year Lists Review Journals Great Middle School Reads Compiled by Hollis Margaret Rudiger © 2004 Cooperative Children's Book Center The following is a short list of books that will appeal to middle school readers. The term "middle school" is a problematic descriptor when it comes to identifying appropriate books because it refers to a culturally specific, often building, specific group of readers. Here, "middle school" refers to children in grades 6-8, or roughly 10-14 years old. This "middle school" period refers to a range of years when there are more variables among like-aged children than in any other period, so the only real common denominator among all of them is the building in which they are educated. So this list, like everything else for these kids, is uncertain and constantly evolving. The categories are based on common interests and concerns of middle schoolers, and many of the books would fit in multiple categories. This bibliography was prepared for a presentation at the 2004 Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) Leadership Conference in October, 2004. Click on underlined book titles to see the CCBC review of the book, and/or the cover image. When the World Lets You Down Easton, Kelly. Walking on Air. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2004. 233 pages. Ages 11-14 Flake, Sharon. Begging for Change. Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 2003. Ages 12 - 16 Gaiman, Neil. The Wolves in the Walls. Illustrated by Dave McKean. HarperCollins, 2003. Ages 7 - 11 Smith, Hope Anita. The Way a Door Closes. Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. Henry Holt, 2003. Ages 10 - 14 Williams-Garcia, Rita. No Laughter Here. HarperCollins, 2004. Ages 10 - 14 Laughing through the Tears Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key. Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1998. Ages 9 - 12 McKay, Hilary. Saffy's Angel. U.S. edition: Margaret K. McElderry, 2002. Ages 9 - 13 Naifeh, Ted. Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things (Volume 1). Oni Press, 2001. 128 pages. Ages 9 and up Wheeler, Lisa. Seadogs: An Epic Ocean Operetta. Illustrated by Mark Siegel. A Richard Jackson Book / Atheneum, 2004. 40 pages. Ages 7-12 Wynne-Jones, Tim. Some of the Kinder Planets. Orchard, 1995. Ages 10 - 14 Yee, Lisa. Millicent Min: Girl Genius. Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic Press, 2003. Ages 10 - 14 Who Am I If Not My Family? Avi, . Crispin: The Cross of Lead. Hyperion, 2002. Ages 10 - 14 Funke, Cornelia. Inkheart. Translated by Anthea Bell. U.S. edition: The Chicken House/Scholastic, 2003. 534 pages. Ages 9 - 14 Gaiman, Neil. Coraline. Illustrated by Dave McKean. HarperCollins, 2002. 162 pages. Ages 10 - 14 Giff, Patricia Reilly. Pictures of Hollis Woods. Wendy Lamb Books/Random House, 2002. Ages 10 - 14 Osa, Nancy. Cuba 15. Delacorte, 2003. Ages 12 - 15 Park, Linda Sue. When My Name Was Keoko: A Novel of Korea in World War II. Clarion, 2002. Ages 11 - 14 Sheth, Kashmira. Blue Jasmine. Hyperion, 2004. 186 pages. Ages 11 - 14 Decisions, Decisions (That's Not Fair!) Bruchac, Joseph. The Heart of a Chief. Dial, 1998. Ages 10 - 13 Crowe, Chris. Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case. Phyllis Fogelman Books / Penguin, 2003. 12 and older DuPrau, Jeanne. The City of Ember. Random House, 2003. 270 pages. Ages 10 - 14 Erlbach, Arlene. Worth the Risk. Free Spirit Press, 1999. Ages 10 - 14 Farmer, Nancy. House of the Scorpion. A Richard Jackson Book/Atheneum, 2002. Ages 11 and older Goodall, Jane. The Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World and Ours. A Byron Preiss Book/Scholastic Press, 2001. Ages 8 - 14 Hiaasen, Carl. Hoot. Alfred A. Knopf, 2002. Ages 11 - 15 Konigsburg, E.L.. The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place. Atheneum, 2004. 296 pages. Ages 10 - 14 Lowry, Lois. Messenger. Walter Lorraine Books / Houghton Mifflin, 2004. 169 pages. Ages 11 - 14 Myers, Walter Dean. Patrol. Illustrated by Ann Grifalconi. Ages 11 and older Reeve, Philip. Mortal Engines. Eos/HarperCollins, 2003. 310 pages. Ages 10 - 14 Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl. Alfred A. Knopf, 2000. Ages 12 - 16 When You Have To Be the Grown-Up Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Does My Shirts. Putnam, 2004. 225 pages. Ages 10 - 14 Clarke, Judith. Wolf on the Fold. U.S. edition: Front Street, 2002. Age 12 and older Collins, Suzanne. Gregor the Overlander. Scholastic Press, 2003. 311 pages. Ages 9 - 14 Ellis, Deborah. Mud City. Groundwood/Douglas & McIntyre, 2003. Ages 10 - 14 Mizayaki, Hayao. Spirited Away, Vol. 1. Viz Comics, 2002. Ages 11 and up Ryan, Pam Munoz. Esperanza Rising. Scholastic, 2000. Ages 10 - 14 Coming of Ages, Living and Dying Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bucking the Sarge. Wendy Lamb Books / Random House, 2004. 259 pages. Ages 12-15 Henkes, Kevin. Olive's Ocean. Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, 2003. Ages 10 - 14 Kadohata, Cynthia. Kira-Kira. Atheneum, 2004. 244 pages. Ages 10-14 Nye, Naomi Shihab, selector. What Have You Lost?. Photographed by Michael Nye. Greenwillow, 1999. Age 12 and older Woodson, Jacqueline. Locomotion. Putnam, 2003. Ages 9 - 12 Cool People/All Kinds of Heroes Cummins, Julie. Tomboy of the Air: Daredevil Pilot Blanche Stuart Scott . HarperCollins, 2001. Ages 8 - 12 Fleming, Candace. Ben Franklin's Almanac: Being a True Account of the Good Gentleman's Life. An Anne Schwartz Book/Atheneum, 2003. Ages 10 and older Greenberg, Jan and Sandra Jordan . Runaway Girl: The Artist Louise Bourgeois . Abrams, 2003. 80 pages. Ages 12 and older Johnson, Angela. The Other Side: Shorter Poems. Orchard, 1998. Ages 11 - 15 Macy, Sue. Bulls-eye: A Photobiography of Annie Oakley. National Geographic Society, 2001. Ages 10 - 14 Maurer, Richard. The Wright Sister: Katharine Wright and Her Famous Brothers. Roaring Brook Press, 2003. Ages 10 - 16 Partridge, Elizabeth. This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life and Songs of Woody Guthrie. Viking, 2002. Age 11 and older Survive Middle School, Then Survive THIS! Bredeson, Carmen. After the Last Dog Died: The True-Life, Hair-Raising Adventure of Douglas Mawson and His 1912 Antartic Expedition. National Geographic Society, 2003. Ages 9 - 14 Fleischman, John. Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science. Houghton Mifflin, 2002. Ages 10 - 14 Gaiman, Neil. The Books of Magic. DC Comics/Vertigo, 1993. 196 pages. Age 13 and up Lawlor, Laurie. Magnificent Voyage. Holiday House, 2002. Ages 11 - 14 Matthews, L. S.. Fish. Delacorte, 2004. 183 pages. Ages 10-13 Murphy, Jim. An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. Clarion, 2003. Ages 10 - 14 Philbrick, Nathaniel. Revenge of the Whale: The True Story of the Whaleship Essex. Putnam, 2002. Ages 11 - 15 Ross, Val. The Road to There: Mapmakers and Their Stories.. Tundra, 2003. Age 9 and older Schyffert, Bea Uusma. The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon: The Story of Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins. Chronicle, 2003. Ages 8 - 14 This list may be reproduced and distributed by educational and/or nonprofit organizations so long as credit is given to the Cooperative Children's Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.