It is important that students read a variety of genres. This article will share 10 different mystery novels for middle school students are engaging and will keep them reading. Mystery novels are very popular among middle school students. One of the most visited places in my classroom is my classroom library which is sorted by genre. Students love that they can select a bin and all of the books in it are from one genre.
When students ask me for a book recommendation (this happens often) the first question I ask them is what genre do you want to read?
As an adult I am very selective about the genres I read – so why not extend that courtesy to my students? I ask my students to read a variety of genres and use a checklist and journal writing to track their progress – but my students can select the schedule of when they want to read each genre.
Check out the list below for mystery novel series for middle school students. A mystery novel usually involves a puzzle or problem that a character in the novel is trying to find a solution to or solve.
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Mystery Novels For Middle School
The Maze of Bones (39 Clues Series, No.1) by Rick Riordan
Amy and Dan have been given a mission – find and solve the 39 clues hidden around the world in order to find out what really happened to their parents. Find the Common Sense Media review here. Series Box set found here: The 39 Clues Series
Stormbreaker (Alex Rider Series) by Anthony Horowitz
A fourteen-year-old boy is recruited to be a spy and save the world through various missions. Find the Common Sense Media review here. Series box set found here: Alex Rider Series
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer (Theodore Boone Series) by John Grisham
A thirteen-year-old boy from Strattenburg who dreams of being a trial lawyer one day ends up in the middle of a murder trial for what he knows.
Find the Common Sense Media review here. Series box set found here: Theodore Boone Series
Perfect Ruin (The Internment Chronicles) by Andrea Beach
Morgan Stockhour lives on an island in the sky with no way off and life is good until a murder occurs that rocks the floating city. Find the Common Sense Media review here.
The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co series) by Jonathan Stroud
Lucy Carlyle takes a job at a ghost-hunting company and while on the job the agency ends up in some trouble. To solve their issue they must spend the night in the most haunted place famous for its screaming staircase. Find the Common Sense Media review here.
Eye of the Crow (The Boy Sherlock Holmes #1) by Shane Peacock
The story of a thirteen-year-old misfit in London in the 1860s who decides to see if he can solve a murder and ends up being the accused.
Chasing The Falconers (On The Run #1) by Gordon Korman
Two children escape a juvenile detention center to try to prove their parents are innocent and prevent them from spending the rest of the lives in jail. Series box set found here: On the Run Series
The Face on the Milk Carton (Janie Johnson series) by Caroline B. Cooney
Janie Johnson realizes the picture of a three-year-old girl on the milk carton is her and tries to determine who is Janie Johnson and what happened. Find the Common Sense Media review here. Series box set found here: Janie Johnson Series
For Advanced Readers
Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock Holmes is one of the most famous detectives in the worlds. He loves to solve mysteries and enlists the help of his good friend Watson.
For students who enjoy mystery novels and are advanced readers have them try novels by the author Agatha Christie.
Love teaching with genres? Check out this resource called 12 Genre Book Reports
that is ready to use in your classroom – just photocopy and teach. Help your students dive deeper into their reading with these 12 different book assignments. Each assignment enables students to showcase their creativity while meeting your curriculum standards. This book report set covers both Fiction and Non-Fiction Genres. Find this resource on Shopify CAD or Teachers Pay Teachers USD.
Find More Great Books
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- Best 8th Grade Books
- 10 Books for Picky Middle School Readers
- 11 Great Middle School Books Made Into Movies