Middle School Reading RecommendationsLike this list

39 items

• A First Time for Everything

  a True Story

  Santat, Dan,

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  "A middle grade graphic memoir based on bestselling author and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat's awkward middle school years and the trip to Europe that changed his life..."

• Captain America

  the Ghost Army : An Original Graphic Novel

  Gratz, Alan, 1972-

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  "In this thrilling historical adventure, 18 year-old Steve Rogers (AKA Captain America) and his young sidekick, Bucky Barnes are fighting in WWII when they encounter a threat like none they've ever seen -- a Ghost Army."

• Hidden Systems

  Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day

  Nott, Dan,

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  "We use water, electricity, and the internet every day--but how do they actually work? And what’s the plan to keep them running for years to come? This nonfiction science graphic novel takes readers on a journey from how the most essential…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• School Trip

  Craft, Jerry,

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  "Eighth grader Drew Ellis recognizes that he isn't afforded the same opportunities, no matter how hard he works, that his privileged classmates at the Riverdale Academy Day School take for granted, and to make matters worse, Drew begins to…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Invisible

  Gonzalez, Christina Diaz, 1969-

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  "For fans of New Kid and Allergic, a must-read graphic novel about five very different students who are forced together by their school to complete community service... and may just have more in common than they thought."

• Miss Quinces

  Fajardo, Kat, 1991-

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  "Rising star Kat Fajardo's debut middle-grade graphic novel about a girl who would rather do anything other than celebrate her quinceañera! A funny and heartfelt coming-of-age story about navigating the expectations of family and cultural…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Isla to Island

  Castellanos, Alexis,

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  "This stunning wordless graphic novel follows a young girl in the 1960s who immigrates from Cuba to the United States and must redefine what home means to her."

• The Girl From the Sea

  Ostertag, Molly,

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  "Fifteen-year-old Morgan has a secret: She can't wait to escape the perfect little island where she lives. She's desperate to finish high school and escape her sad divorced mom, her volatile little brother, and worst of all, her great…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Once There Was

  Monsef, Kiyash,

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  "When fifteen-year-old Iranian American Marjan discovers her murdered father was secretly a veterinarian to magical creatures, she realizes she must take up his mantle, despite the many dangers."

• Iveliz Explains It All

  Arango, Andrea Beatriz,

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  "This novel in verse offers a deeply moving and honest look at a middle schooler struggling with depression. Twelve-year-old Iveliz is trying to manage her mental health and advocate for the help and understanding she deserves, but in the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Tumble

  Pérez, Celia C., 1972-

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  "Before she decides whether to accept her stepfather's proposal of adoption, twelve-year-old Adela Ramirez reaches out to her estranged biological father--who is in the midst of a career comeback as a luchador--and the eccentric extended…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Morning Sun in Wuhan

  Compestine, Ying Chang,

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  "When the pandemic emerges in Wuhan, thirteen-year-old Mei discovers that her love of cooking can make a difference in a locked-down city that is filled with uncertainty and panic."

• Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone

  Keller, Tae,

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  "Being the new kid is never easy, and it can be especially hard at a new school with mean, popular kids. Chinese American Jennifer Chan moves in across the street from Korean American Mallory Moss in small-town Norwell, Florida..."

• The Ogress and the Orphans

  Barnhill, Kelly Regan,

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  "When a child goes missing from the Orphan House in the town of Stone-in-the-Glen, the mayor suggests the kindly Ogress is responsible, but the orphans do not believe that and try to make their deluded neighbors see the real villain among…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Last Hope of Hopetown

  Tureaud, Maria,

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  "Twelve-year-old Sophie and her 300-year-old best vampire friend Delphine break into a secret government facility to find a cure for the illness causing vampires to go rogue."

• Wave

  Farid, Diana,

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  "When her best friend's cancer returns in the summer of 1987, none of her usual pursuits--surfing, singing, or reading poetry--can keep thirteen-year-old Ava afloat."

• Two Degrees

  Gratz, Alan, 1972-

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  "Fire. Ice. Flood. Three climate disasters. Four kids fighting for their lives. Akira, Owen, George, and Natalie are all swept up in the devastating effects of climate change. They are also connected in ways that will shock them--and could…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Last Mapmaker

  Soontornvat, Christina,

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  "Joining an expedition to chart the southern seas, twelve-year-old mapmaker's assistant Sai, posing as a well-bred young lady with a glittering future, realizes she's not the only one on board harboring secrets when she discovers the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Small Town Pride

  Stamper, Phil,

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  "Jake is just starting to enjoy life as his school’s first openly gay kid. While his family and friends are accepting and supportive, the same can’t be said about everyone in their small town of Barton Springs, Ohio..."

• Maizy Chen's Last Chance

  Yee, Lisa,

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  "Eleven-year-old Maizy Chen visits her estranged grandparents, who own and run a Chinese restaurant in Last Chance, Minnesota; as her visit lengthens, she makes unexpected discoveries about her family's history and herself."