Best Novels To Teach In Middle School - April 2024

A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story

The New York Times bestseller A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a surv... [Read More]

• ASIN: 0547577311
• ASIN: 0547577311
• ISBN: 0547577311
• Brand: Clarion Books
• Manufacturer: HMH Books for Young Readers

To Kill a Mockingbird

Voted America's Best-Loved Novel in PBS's The Great American ReadHarper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep South—and the heroism of one man in the face of blind and violent hatredOne of the most cherished stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable ... [Read More]

• ASIN: 0060935464
• ASIN: 0060935464
• ISBN: 0060935464
• Brand: Harper Perennial
• Manufacturer: Harper Perennial

Brave (Berrybrook Middle School)

The charming world of Berrybrook Middle School gets a little bigger in this follow-up to Svetlana Chmakova's Awkward! Still on high alert about the looming threat of sunspots, Jensen of the art club reaches out to the school newspaper to spread his message. But when Jenny and Akilah discover that Berrybrook's resident bullies have set their sights on Jensen, the girls are determined to use their positions on the school paper to shine a light on the issue. When a different incident causes a rift in their friendship, though, working together for the sake of the story may be impossible. As the bu... [Read More]

• ASIN: 0316363189
• ASIN: 0316363189
• ISBN: 0316363189
• Brand: Yen Press
• Manufacturer: Yen Press

Fish in a Tree

"Fans of R.J. Palacio’s Wonder will appreciate this feel-good story of friendship and unconventional smarts.” —Kirkus ReviewsAlly has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her conf... [Read More]

• ASIN: 0142426423
• ASIN: 0142426423
• ISBN: 0142426423
• Brand: PUFFIN
• Manufacturer: Puffin Books

Code 7: Cracking the Code for an Epic Life

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and upGuided Reading Level: H-M | Lexile® Measure: 500L - 600LKid-Tested, Parent and Teacher Approved.Mom's Choice Award Gold Recipient - Children's AnthologiesRoyal Dragonfly Award Winner - Children's Chapter BookWishing Shelf Award Winner - Children's Chapter Book"Code 7 engages kids through entertaining stories that reveal important insights about character, integrity, and social responsibility. This book is an inspiration to children who wish to pursue their passions and bring original ideas into the world." - Adam Grant, NYTBS New York Times ... [Read More]

• ASIN: 1940556007
• ASIN: 1940556007
• ISBN: 1940556007
• Brand: Candy Wrapper Inc
• Manufacturer: Candy Wrapper Inc.

Wonder

• ASIN: 0375869026
• UPC: 884605417896
• ASIN: 0375869026
• ISBN: 0375969020
• Brand: Palacio
• Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers

To Kill a Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel

“This gorgeously rendered graphic-novel version provides a new perspective for old fans but also acts as an immersive introduction for youngsters as well as any adult who somehow missed out on the iconic story set in Maycomb, Alabama.”--USA TodayA beautifully crafted graphic novel adaptation of Harper Lee’s beloved, Pulitzer Prize–winning American classic, voted America's best-loved novel in PBS's Great American Read. "Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird."A haunting portrait of race and class, innocence and injust... [Read More]

• ASIN: 0062798189
• ASIN: 0062798189
• ISBN: 0062798189
• Manufacturer: Harper

Restart

Chase's memory just went out the window. Chase doesn't remember falling off the roof. He doesn't remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name. He knows he's Chase. But who is Chase? When he gets back to school, he sees that different kids have very different reactions to his return. Some kids treat him like a hero. Some kids are clearly afraid of him. One girl in particular is so angry with him that she pours her frozen yogurt on his head the first chanc... [Read More]

• ASIN: 1338053809
• ASIN: 1338053809
• ISBN: 1338053809
• Manufacturer: Scholastic Press

The Art Teacher's Survival Guide for Elementary and Middle Schools

Easy ways to infuse art into classroom learning One of the most popular books in the Jossey-Bass Teacher series is now available in a completely updated and expanded version. With more than 110 creative art projects in varied types of media--from drawing to digital--plus tips, tools, and curricular resources, The Art Teacher's Survival Guide for Elementary and Middle Schools offers everything a teacher needs to know to present an effective arts education program. Classroom teachers who want to include art projects as part of the content curriculum and art teachers looking for new ideas will a... [Read More]

• ASIN: 0470183020
• UPC: 884850557330
• ASIN: 0470183020
• ISBN: 0470183020
• Brand: Jossey-Bass
• Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass

Out of My Mind

Over 1.5 million people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller Out of My Mind and discovered the brilliant mind of Melody Brooks. Out of My Mind spent two years on the New York Times bestseller list! “If there’s one book teens and parents (and everyone else) should read this year, Out of My Mind should be it.” —Denver Post “A gutsy, candid, and compelling story. It speaks volumes.” —School Library Journal (starred review) “Unflinching and realistic.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Uplifting…This moving novel will makes activists of us all.” —Booklist (starred... [Read More]

• ASIN: 1416971718
• ASIN: 1416971718
• ISBN: 1416971718
• Brand: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
• Manufacturer: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

The Alchemist

• ASIN: 0062315005
• ASIN: 0062315005
• ISBN: 0062315005
• Brand: imusti
• Manufacturer: HarperOne

Algebra Handbook for Gifted Middle School Students: Strategies, Concepts, and More Than 700 Problems with Solutions

The Algebra Handbook for Gifted Middle School Students gives you the most effective methods, tips, and strategies for solving algebra problems in both conventional and unconventional ways. The techniques taught here will allow students to arrive at answers to algebra questions more quickly and to avoid making careless errors. The material in this book includes: 700+ algebra questions with full explanations A comprehensive review of the most important algebra topics The questions presented in this book were created to prepare middle school students for the MATHCOUNTS competition and include m... [Read More]

• ASIN: 1514329654
• UPC: 884417076731
• ASIN: 1514329654
• ISBN: 1514329654
• Manufacturer: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Wishtree

"Warm and thoughtful, this story is told from the perspective of an ancient oak tree who has seen it all. Bestselling author Katherine Applegate gets readers rooting for the old tree, along with the people and animals who come to depend on it. The shorter length and strong plot are appealing for middle grade readers who are growing into novels with less illustrated narrative and more complex subject matter." - Seira Wilson, Amazon EditorAn Amazon Top 20 Children's Books of 2017The New York Times-bestselling story of kindness, friendship, and hope. Trees can't tell jokes, but they can certainly... [Read More]

• ASIN: 1250043220
• ASIN: 1250043220
• ISBN: 1250043220
• Manufacturer: Feiwel & Friends

Hatchet

This award-winning contemporary classic is the survival story with which all others are compared—and a page-turning, heart-stopping adventure, recipient of the Newbery Honor. Hatchet has also been nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read.Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson, haunted by his secret knowledge of his mother’s infidelity, is traveling by single-engine plane to visit his father for the first time since the divorce. When the plane crashes, killing the pilot, the sole survivor is Brian. He is alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but ... [Read More]

• ASIN: 1416936475
• ASIN: 1416936475
• ISBN: 9781416936473
• Brand: SIMON & SCHUSTER
• Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

The Running Dream (Schneider Family Book Award - Teen Book Winner)

When Jessica is told she’ll never run again, she puts herself back together—and learns to dream bigger than ever before. The acclaimed author of Flipped delivers a powerful and healing story.   Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She’s not comforted by the news that she’ll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?   As she struggles to cope, Jessica feels that she’s both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don’t know what to say act like she’s not there. Jessica’s embarrassed to ... [Read More]

• ASIN: 0375866280
• ASIN: 0375866280
• ISBN: 0375866280
• Brand: Ember
• Manufacturer: Ember

Rich Dad Poor Dad : What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!

Paperback / softback: Rich Dad Poor Dad : What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do

• UPC: 55492555
• Rating: 3.878

A Wrinkle in Time (Paperback)

This is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O'Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school), in search of Meg's missing

• UPC: 5554934
• Model: ISBN9780312367541
• Color: Multicolor
• Rating: 3.9407

Drama (Paperback)

Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school's production of "Moon Over Mississippi, " she's a terrible singer. Instead she's the set designer for the stage crew, and this

• UPC: 19860302
• Rating: 4.3171