|
Here are our favorite realistic fiction books for middle schoolers. These titles are classified as Teen Middle School (TM) and can be found in the Teen section of the library, unless otherwise noted.
|
|
|
|
Holding on for Dear Life
by Dusti Bowling
Canyon loves bull riding, the one thing he and his dad connect on since his mom died, but doctors have warned him about concussions and when he's chosen for a music competition, a new dream forms.
|
|
|
|
No Purchase Necessary
by Maria Marianayagam
Ajay Anthonipillai wins a million-dollar prize in a candy bar he stole trying to impress a popular kid, pushing Ajay to navigate his identity and morality in deciding whether to claim something that could change his family's life forever.
|
|
|
|
Not Nothing
by Gayle Forman
Assigned to work at a nursing home for the summer, Alex meets Josey, a 107-year-old Holocaust survivor who stopped talking years before, and forming an unlikely bond, he starts to believe he can make a difference in the world.
|
|
|
|
Take It from the Top
by Claire Swinarski
A contemporary realistic novel set at a camp over the course of six summers, the book follows the friendship and falling out of two girls from different backgrounds who thought they'd be friends forever.
|
|
|
|
Candle Island
by Lauren Wolk
After the death of her father, Lucretia Sanderson and her mother, a famous artist, move to tiny Candle Island, Maine, where she learns the power of art and being true to yourself.
|
|
|
|
Kareem Between
by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
With the school year getting off to a rough start, Syrian American seventh grader Kareem finds himself stuck between friends, between football, between parents, and between right and wrong, and must find his voice amidst the chaos.
|
|
|
|
Shark Teeth
by Sherri Winston
Seventh-grader Sharkita, known as "Kita," embarks on a tumultuous journey to keep her family together while handling the consequences of her mother's alcoholism.
|
|
|
|
The Door Is Open
by Hena Khan
Celebrating the diversity of the South Asian American experience in a local community center, this heartwarming novel of interconnected stories, set in New Jersey, follows a group of local kids who gather together to discover new crushes, fight against ignorance and even save a life.
|
|
|
|
And Then, Boom!
by Lisa Fipps
Poverty-stricken Joseph bravely rides out all the storms life keeps throwing at him.
|
|
|
|
Any Way You Look
by Maleeha Siddiqui
When some boys from her Muslim community start harassing her, Ainy channels her inner creative strength and confidence to stand her ground and get the respect she deserves.
|
|
|
|
The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls
by James Bird
After being caught stealing one too many times, Benjamin Waterfalls is sent to a boot camp at the Objibwe reservation where he searches for answers as he tries to turn his life around and embrace this second chance.
|
|
|
|
Bright
by Brigit Young
Getting by in school on a combination of luck, deflection and charisma, Marianne Blume joins her school's Quiz Quest team and wonders what it really means to be “bright.”
|
|
|
|
Enemies
by Svetlana Chmakova
Felicity's sure she's going to do something big. Exactly what is still a mystery, but she'll figure it out. Her sister, Letty, teases Felicity that she never finishes stuff, but that's just because Letty is so perfect. But when she decides to join a contest to show Letty that she CAN get things done, Felicity begins to wonder if friends becoming enemies is easier than she thought.
Please note, this title can be found in the Teen Graphic Novel section of the library.
|
|
|
|
The Labors of Hercules Beal
by Gary D. Schmidt
Given an assignment to duplicate the mythical feats of Hercules in real life, Herc Beal, the smallest kid in his class, figures out how to take his first steps and discovers that, unlike his namesake, he doesn't have to go it alone.
|
|
|
|
All of Me
by Chris Baron
Thirteen-year-old Ari faces what it is to be a man while dealing with a cross-country move, his parents' separation, being bullied for his weight, and belatedly starting bar mitzvah preparations.
|
|
|
|
Dream, Annie, Dream
by Waka T. Brown
When she lands a big role in the production of The King and I, Japanese American seventh grader Annie, belittled by her mostly white classmates, must rise above racism while chasing her dreams.
|
|
|
|
OCDaniel
by Wesley King
A thirteen-year-old boy's life revolves around hiding his obsessive compulsive disorder until a girl at school, who is unkindly nicknamed Psycho Sara, notices him for the first time and he gets a mysterious note that changes everything.
|
|
|
|
Repairing the World
by Linda Epstein
With the help of a new perspective from Hebrew school and supportive new friends, 12-year-old Daisy grapples with her grief over the tragic loss of her best friend, in this heartfelt middle grade novel about learning to look forward.
|
|
|
|
Danny Constantino's First (and Maybe Last?) Date
by Paul Acampora
Surprised when a Hollywood star who was once his close friend accepts his invitation to the homecoming dance, Danny is surrounded by neighbors, television crews and fans who gossip about their romance before a pep rally goes terribly wrong.
|
|
|
|
Rick
by Alex Gino
Eleven-year-old Rick Ramsey has generally gone along with everybody, just not making waves, even though he is increasingly uncomfortable with his father's jokes about girls, and his best friend's explicit talk about sex; but now in middle school he discovers the Rainbow Spectrum club, where kids of many genders and identities can express themselves--and maybe among them he can find new friends and discover his own identity.
|
|
|