Books for Middle School Readers

Not sure what your child should be reading next? Check out one college student’s list of favorite books for middle school readers. Reading levels provided by Scholastic and Lexile.

1. How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found by Sara Nickerson. This book was probably my all-time favorite as a child. Any reader would enjoy unraveling this curious, exciting, and dramatic mystery tale about two young sisters, the boy next door, a series of strange homemade comic books, and a house that is not as abandoned as it seems. It’s deemed appropriate for readers in grades 6-8, although I read it in grade 5.
2. The Mediator series by Meg Cabot. Author of the ever-popular Princess Diaries series, Meg Cabot has been delighting readers with her work for well over fifteen years. My favorite character she’s created is teenage medium Suze Simon, who must learn to balance schoolwork and a social life with helping ghosts get to the other side. These books are a fun read and are appropriate for readers in grades 8 and up.
3. The Woman in the Wall by Patrice Kindl. This book is a little unusual, and that’s exactly why I liked it. Painfully shy Anna is so tiny, mousy, and quiet that she is invisible to other people. When faced with being sent away to school, Anna retreats to hide in secret passageways she builds in the walls of her house. To find out what happens when she finally comes out, read this book appropriate for grades 6-8. 
4. The Gilda Joyce series by Jennifer Allison. Gilda Joyce is a quirky, gutsy, funny, and exceedingly likeable heroine. A self-proclaimed teenage psychic investigator, Gilda has many adventures that span years, continents, and five books to date. These books are sometimes spooky and they all involve some kind of alleged paranormal activity, but they are appropriate for grades 7 and up.
5. Coraline by Neil Gaiman. You may know Coraline from the stop-motion film adaptation that came out in 2009. In my opinion, the book is even better and spookier than the movie. In it, you follow Coraline through a mysterious passageway into the world of her “Other” mother, who has shiny black buttons for eyes. It’s one of the scarier books for young readers that I’ve read, but it’s well worth it, and it has been deemed appropriate for readers in grades 6-8.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services