Popular Middle School Books

It can be challenging to know what popular middle school books students actually want to read. Last year I had my two 7th grade English Language Arts classes create a list of the best books they read that year.

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Every day we read for 10 minutes at the start of class. Students know I greet them at the door, check that they have their independent reading novel and then they get started reading. I have a 10-minute kitchen timer that I use to track the reading minutes. I compiled this list to help teachers, students and parents find engaging and interesting books for middle school students.

To keep my students accountable for their independent reading I have them complete reading journal entries and regular reading conferences with me. Check out the list below of popular middle school books that will make your students want to read.

Popular Middle School Books

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
Jacob’s grandfather loved to tell him stories of the orphanage where he grew up and of the children with their unique abilities. When his grandfather dies, Jacob travels to the orphanage and learns the stories were all true.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
Thomas wakes up surrounded by strange boys all with no memories except their names. They are surrounded by a maze that is constantly changing and no one has ever made it out alive.

Point Blank (Alex Rider Series) by Anthony Horowitz
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
Teen spy Alex Rider is assigned to an elite school for rebellious children to investigate some deaths. Alex discovers the kids that were once getting into trouble have become well-behaved overnight. Alex needs to discover who is behind this before they find him.

The Giver by Lois Lowry
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
“The Giver” is written from the point of view of a 12-year-old, living in a dystopian world. Where there is no pain, fear, war and as well as hatred. At the age of 12, every community member is assigned a job based on their abilities and interests. Read how Jonas faces his new role in society with all of the responsibilities and challenges that come with his role.

Click’d by Tamara Ireland Stone
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
Allie Navarro develops an app at summer camp and it becomes a big hit at school until Allie finds a glitch that threatens to reveal everyone’s secrets. Allie must try to fix the app, and mend the friendships it has ruined before the youth coding competition.

Swap’d by Tamara Ireland Stone
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
The follow-up book to Click’d where Allie is now working on a mobile game app where the kids at school are buying, selling and trading items.

Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
Ghost a young student who is trying to work through seeing his dad try to shoot his mom. He is discovered by Coach who sees he has a great deal of natural talent on the track. Coach thinks Ghost could possibly become a member of the Junior Olympic team if he can keep his life on the right track.

I can’t keep Ghost on my classroom library shelf. I played the book trailer for the whole Track Series and my students were hooked.

The Darkest Minds (series) by Alexandra Bracken
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
Ruby wakes up on her tenth birthday different, so different her parents alert the authorities and she is taken away to Thurmond, a government rehabilitation camp. Thurmond is where all the children with powers are sent. At age sixteen Ruby escapes Thurmond and meets some other children on the run looking for the safe haven while they are chased by an organization that wants to use Ruby as a weapon against the government.

Slacker by Gordon Korman
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
Cameron Boxer loves to hang out with friends and playing video games for hours. One day while gaming his house almost burned down around him. Realizing he needs to do some damage control Cameron and friends create a fake club that makes them look like they are doing good deeds. Soon more kids want to join and Cameron becomes involved with trying to save a beaver from extinction.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
Lena, Carmen, Bridget and Tibby have been friends since before they were born. Their mothers met at a prenatal exercise class. One day, Carmen purchases a pair of jeans at a local thrift store. These jeans fit all four girls fabulously. As each of the girls leaves for their summer holiday plans they decide to share the jeans amongst themselves and share their summer stories through letters.

Harry Potter #1 by J.K. Rowling
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
Harry Potter doesn’t know he is a wizard until he is invited to attend the school for wizards. He learns about the mystical world and where he came from.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
Once a year, two people from each district in the Nation of Panem are selected by a lottery system to participate in the Hunger Games. These fight to the death games are hosted in the Capitol and televised live across the country. One day in District 13, Katniss Everdeen’s younger sister is selected to participate in these games. Katniss steps up to volunteer in her place. She along with Peeta Mellark must fight for their lives.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
Cinder is a cyborg who is blamed for her stepsister suddenly becoming ill. Cinder’s past is a mystery. When Cinder becomes involved with Prince Kai she must find out about her past to save the future of the world.

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Amazon USA, Amazon Canada
Beatrice lives in a society where it is divided into five main factions. As each citizen becomes an adult they must choose between staying with their family’s faction or switching factions. Read this book, to find out how her initiations lead her to a discovery that will shock not only Tris but her community. She is warned that she must conceal her status or risk being removed from her home.