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

Written by Connie @ TheHomeSchoolCollective.com in Homeschool IdeasLast Updated September 15, 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.

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It’s pretty cool – You would like its convenient size. You can carry it on trips, so it’s not like carrying an extra regular-sized book around. It also seems to be pretty sturdy. The cover is a somewhat hard shell, but the material is what you need to worry about if you care about keeping it looking pristine. It’s one of those materials that scratches easily and turns from matte to shiny wherever it’s scratched. There’s also a convenient elastic strap that you can use to keep your place. All in all, it’s very user-friendly.

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?

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