98 Books That Every Middle School Students Should Read: Best Book Lists For Your Kids 2021

I love to read. As in, ‘Hello, I think I have a book problem,‘ like to read. When my kids were younger, we usually went to the library on Fridays during the school year. Every time we did, my little cherubs would end up standing around looking stumped about what books to choose. Or worse, they would automatically buzz toward the DVD section, like flies on poop. After a while, I felt it was time to make a plan because my kids love it when I do that.

Since my eldest was in Middle School, I decided to compile a book list for him to take to the library, both to spur him to read quality literature, and to use for my own record keeping.  He wasn’t expected to read all 98 books, but he did have to choose at least one title from the list each time we went. And since I had 3 kids coming up the ranks behind him, I figured I would get plenty of use out of it.

Whilst these are all chapter books, I made sure to include a range of reading levels since, at the time, Noah was a little low. He caught up quickly and enjoyed quite a few of these  And yes, I usually let them watch the DVDs after reading the books. I”m not totally unreasonable.

The list is in no particular order and I’m sure is not complete, but I’ll add to it as needed. Some of these all make fantastic mom read aloud. Especially if you do accents. And you so should do accents. Click the images below to see if this book is for your situation.

What books should middle school students read in 2021?

1. Across Five Aprils
2. Adam of the Road (Puffin Modern Classics)
3. Around the World in 80 Days
4. Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos
5. Bridge to Terabithia
6. The Call of the Wild
7. The Cay
8. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
9. The Great Gilly Hopkins
10. Harriet the Spy
11. The Hundred Penny Box (Picture Puffin Books)
12. The Indian in the Cupboard
13. Island of the Blue Dolphins
14. The Magician’s Nephew
15. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: The Chronicles of Narnia
16. The Horse and His Boy: The Chronicles of Narnia
17. Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (The Chronicles of Narnia)
18. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader: The Chronicles of Narnia
19. The Silver Chair (Narnia)
20. The Last Battle: The Chronicles of Narnia
21. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh (Aladdin Fantasy)
22. My Side of the Mountain (Puffin Modern Classics)
23. Old Yeller (Perennial Classics)
24. The Red Badge of Courage
25. Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes (PMC) (Puffin Modern Classics)
26. Sarah, Plain and Tall
27. Sing Down the Moon
28. The Upstairs Room (Trophy Newbery)
29. Where the Red Fern Grows
30. The Wind in the Willows
31. The Witch of Blackbird Pond
32. A Wrinkle in Time Trilogy
33. The Borrowers
34. The Chronicles of Prydain Boxed Set
35. The Giver (Giver Quartet)
36. Holes (A Yearling Book)
37. The Prince and the Pauper – Literary Touchstone Classic
38. Melindys Medal
39. The Moffats
40. The Middle Moffat
41. Rufus M.
42. The Moffat Museum
43. The Alligator Case
44. Wishing Tree
45. In Spite of All Terror
46. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
47. Anne of Green Gables Boxed Set, Vol. 1 (Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island)
48. Jane of Lantern Hill
49. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
50. Mandy (Julie Andrews Collection)
51. North to Freedom
52. Call It Courage
53. Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-7)
54. The Black Stallion
55. The Peterkin Papers (New York Review Children’s Collection)
56. The Hundred Dresses
57. The Summer of the Swans By Betsy Byars
58. Many Moons (Books for Young Readers)
59. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
60. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
61. The Empty Schoolhouse.
62. The Cricket in Times Square
63. Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars
64. Her Majesty, Grace Jones (formerly The Majesty of Grace)
65. Time at the Top
66. Five Children and It (Puffin Classics)
67. The Enchanted Castle (Puffin Classics)
68. The Story of the Treasure Seekers
69. The story of the Amulet
70. The Phoenix and the Carpet
71. The Railway Children
72. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
73. Bright April
74. The Secret Garden
75. A Little Princess
76. From Anna
77. Look Through My Window
78. Little Women Series
79. Little Men
80. The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois, William Pene Du Bois (Illustrator)
81. Homer Price
82. Black Beauty
83. Heidi
84. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 100th Anniversary Edition (Books of Wonder)
85. At the Back of the North Wind
86. The Princess and the Goblin
87. The Golden Key
88. The Light Princess
89. Pippi Longstocking (Puffin Modern Classics)
90. Seacrow Island
91. Mary Poppins
92. Mary Poppins Comes Back
93. Lassie Come-Home
94. Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman
95. Far Out the Long Canal
96. The House of Sixty Fathers
97. Hitty Her First Hundred Years
98. Calico Bush

It probably bugs you a little that I stopped at 98. So what book would YOU add to round it out?