13 Must-Read, Middle-Grade Books

Whether curled up at home with a hot mug of cocoa, or nestled on a couch in the Peck library during Reading Zone, a good book is just the ticket for the middle-school mind! Librarian & Literacy Specialist Melissa Sorge lists out her top must-reads for grades 5-8.

GRADES 5-6

• The Smartest Kid in the Universe (Book 1) by Chris Grabenstein (Realistic Fiction/Humor) What would happen if you could learn everything just by eating jellybeans?! Meet the Smartest Kid in the Universe and find out in this exciting new series from the bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and coauthor of the Max Einstein series.

• The City of Ember (Book 1) by Jeanne DuPrau (Fantasy/Dystopian)Ember is the only light in a dark world. But when its lamps begin to flicker, two friends must race to escape the dark. This highly acclaimed adventure series is a modern-day classic—with over four million copies sold!

• From the Desk of Zoe Washington (Book 1) by Janae Marks (Realistic Fiction)From debut author Janae Marks comes a captivating story full of heart, as one courageous girl questions assumptions, searches for the truth, and does what she believes is right—even in the face of great opposition.

• Gold Rush Girl by Avi (Historical Fiction)Newbery Medalist Avi brings us mudcaked, tent-filled San Francisco in 1848 with a willful heroine who goes on an unintended—and perilous—adventure to save her brother.

• Spy School Project X (Book 10) by Stuart Gibbs (Mystery)In the 10th book in the New York Times bestselling Spy School series, Ben Ripley races against time and across state lines—by car, train, boat, and plane—to avoid his new cyber enemies and track down Murray Hill.

• Three Keys by Kelly Yang. This is Book 2 of the Front Desk series; many students read Book 1 in fourth grade. (Historical Fiction)The story of Mia and her family and friends at the Calivista Motel continues in this powerful, hilarious, and resonant sequel to the award-winning novel Front Desk.

• Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez (Graphic Novel)For fans of New Kid by Jerry Craft and Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd, this must-have graphic novel tells the story of five very different students who are forced together by their school to complete community service...and they may just have more in common than they thought.

GRADES 7-8

• Alone by Megan E. Freeman (Dystopian/Adventure)Perfect for fans of Hatchet and the I Survived series, this harrowing middle-grade debut novel-in-verse from a Pushcart Prize–nominated poet tells the story of a young girl who wakes up one day to find herself utterly alone in her small Colorado town.

• Button Pusher by Tyler Page (Graphic Novel/Memoir)In this memoir-driven realistic graphic novel, we meet Tyler, a child who is diagnosed with ADHD and has to discover for himself how to manage it.

• They Called Us Enemy by George Takei (Graphic Novel/Memoir)This stunning graphic memoir recounts actor/author/activist George Takei’s childhood imprisonment in American concentration camps during World War II. Experience the forces that shaped an American icon—and America itself—in this gripping tale of courage, country, loyalty, and love.

• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (Realistic Fiction)Enjoy an iconic classic of over 50 years! This international bestseller and inspiration for a beloved movie is a heroic story of friendship and belonging.

• Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan (Realistic Fiction)In the tradition of Out of My Mind, Wonder, and Mockingbird, this is an intensely moving middle-grade novel about being an outsider, coping with loss, and discovering the true meaning of family.

• Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry. This is Book 2 of The Giver Quartet; students read Book 1 in sixth grade. (Science Fiction)Lois Lowry’s Gathering Blue continues the quartet that began with the quintessential dystopian novel The Giver and was followed by Messenger and Son.

The Peck School is a K-8, co-ed, independent school in Morristown, NJ. www.peckschool.org

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