Books Every Middle Schooler Should Read

I have given recommendations for college and high school students so it would be remiss of me not to mention middle schoolers. I think it is important to instill the importance of reading in children as early as possible and I think middle school is as good of a time as any to start if children are not frequent readers at this age. I don’t expect all middle school children to be enthused about reading to the point where they may read every day, but there are some books that I feel all should read at this stage.

Here are books every middle schooler should read:

THE GIVER – LOIS LOWRY

I actually didn’t read this book until maybe freshman year in college, however, it is one that I could have definitely seen me reading it in middle school.

Via Amazon:

“The Giver, the 1994 Newbery Medal winner, has become one of the most influential novels of our time. The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. Lois Lowry has written three companion novels to The Giver, including Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son.”

P.S. Did anyone see the movie starring Meryl Streep and Katie Holmes? Was it any good?

ANNE FRANK: THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL – ANNE FRANK

Via Amazon:

“Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank’s remarkable diary has since become a world classic—a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit. In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the “Secret Annex” of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death. In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period. By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, her account offers a fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was tragically cut short.”

To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee

I have mentioned this before in my high school list and I’ll mention it here again. I feel like this book can be read at the middle school level and it is definitely one to pick up to add to your child’s reading list.

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE – C.S. LEWIS

I had the boxed set when I was younger. I have no idea where it is now and my mother probably threw it away but I loved it and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was my favorite out of this series.

Via Amazon:

“Four adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change . . . and a great sacrifice.”

MATILDA – ROALD DAHL

This is still one of my favorite books and I think people at any age can read this and learn something from it. Who didn’t hate Miss Trunchbull, the terrible headmistress? And who didn’t think that Miss Honey was just what the doctor ordered for Matilda.

This novel about the girl with incredible and extraordinary powers is just what a lot of middle schoolers need to read, especially for those who may feel as if they don’t belong. The film of the same name starring Mara Wilson and Danny DeVito will make you love this story even more.

So there you have it – my list of books every middle schooler should read. What did I leave out and what book would you recommend for this age group?

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Natalya

Natalya is an Account Manager by day and an editor and author's assistant to passionate creatives by night. When she is not adding to her enormous book collection or stationery supply, she is catching up on her favorite television shows.

Natalya is the author of All The Things I Never Said, a soul-stirring collection of short stories, prose and love letters for the soulful wanderers, the brokenhearted and the hopeless romantics.

You can follow her rantings and occasional sparks of brilliance on Twitter @NatalyaMuncuff.