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Great Books for 7th & 8th Grade: |
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Before We Were Free
by Julia Alvarez
Noticing that nearly all of her family has left the Dominican Republic for the United States, twelve-year-old Anita begins to question why and quickly comes to understand when her uncle suddenly disappears and her family becomes terrorized by the secret police.
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Chains
by Laurie Halse Anderson
When their owner dies at the start of the Revolution, Isabel and her younger sister are sold to Loyalists in New York, where Isabel is offered the chance to spy for the Patriots.
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Al Capone Does My Shirts
by Gennifer Choldenko
A twelve-year-old boy named Moose moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards' families were housed there, and has to contend with his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister Natalie.
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Elijah of Buxton
by Christopher Paul Curtis
As the first child born into freedom in a Canadian town for runaway slaves, eleven-year-old Elijah finds himself on a dangerous journey to America to track down an unscrupulous former slave who stole the money from his friend, Mr. Leroy, that was intended to buy his family their freedom from slavery. 75,000 first printing.
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Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue
by Julius Lester
When gambling debts and greed enter into the Butler household, Pierce Butler decides to host the biggest slave auction in American history and breaks a promise by selling Emma, his most-valued slave and caretaker of his children--a decision that brings about unthinkable consequences. A Coretta Scott King Award-winner. Reprint.
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The Wednesday Wars
by Gary D Schmidt
During the 1967 school year, on Wednesday afternoons when all his classmates go to either Catechism or Hebrew school, seventh-grader Holling Hoodhood stays in Mrs. Baker's classroom where they read the plays of William Shakespeare and Holling learns muchof value about the world he lives in.
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Letters from Wolfie
by Patti Sherlock
Thirteen-year-old Mark donates his dog, Wolfie, to the Army's scout program during the Vietnam War, but when the Army won't say when--or if--the dogs will be returned to their owners, Mark grows more unsure of his decision to send Wolfie, in a gripping story about loyalty, dissent, patriotism, and the heartbreaking contradictions of war. Reprint.
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Artemis Fowl
by Eoin Colfer
Twelve-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl, heir to the Fowl family empire and centuries-old legacy of scams and underworld machinations, decides to uncover the secret treasure of the Fairy People by stealing one of their magical books, decoding with his computer, kidnapping leprechaun Holly Short, and taking on the entire forces of the fairy kingdom. 150,000 first printing.
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A Tale Dark & Grimm
by Adam Gidwitz
In a mischievous and utterly original debut, Hansel and Gretel walk out of their own story and into eight other classic Grimm-inspired tales that have never been more irreverent or subversive, as the siblings learn to take charge of their destinies and become the clever architects of their own happily ever after.
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Skulduggery Pleasant
by Derek Landy
When twelve-year-old Stephanie inherits her weird uncle's estate, she must join forces with Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton mage, to save the world from the Faceless Ones.
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Savvy
by Ingrid Law
Eagerly waiting to discover what her secret power will be when she turns thirteen in just two days, Mib's plans are thrown for a loop when she discovers her Poppa has been in an accident and so tries to reach him by sneaking on a salesman's bus; taking her on a curious adventure in the wrong direction where other's secrets are suddenly revealed. 75,000 first printing.
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Fablehaven
by Brandon Mull
When Kendra and Seth go to stay at their grandparents' estate, they discover that it is a sanctuary for magical creatures and that a battle between good and evil is looming.
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Ikenga
by Nnedi Okorafor
Vowing to avenge the murder of his police chief father by a powerful criminal, 12-year-old Nnamdi receives a magical object that gives him superpowers that he is challenged to use for good or bad. A first middle grade novel by the award-winning author of the Binti series.
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The Golden Compass
by Philip Pullman
An over-sized, lavishly illustrated, full-color edition of Philip Pullman's beloved classic includes more than 100 full-color illustrations from the acclaimed illustrator of the New York Times Best-Illustrated book, Teeth, Tails, and Tentacles. Illustrations.
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The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
by Michael Scott
When the legend that Nicholas Flamel lives due to his ability to make the elixir for life is discovered to be true, Dr. John Dee begins his plot to steal the Book of Abraham the Mage from him in order to rule the world, but knowing that they are the only ones with the power to stop him, Josh and Sophie quickly set their own plan in motion to do so.
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The Thief
by Megan Whalen Turner
The king's scholar, the magus, puts Gen, a prisoner of the king, in charge of stealing an ancient treasure that would allow his king to rule a neighboring country, but Gen is smarter than the magus thinks and his plan takes on an unexpected turn.
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The House of the Scorpion
by Nancy Farmer
In a future where humans despise clones, Matt enjoys special status as the young clone of El Patrón, the 142-year-old leader of a corrupt drug empire nestled between Mexico and the United States. A Newbery Honor book. Reader's Guide available. Reprint.
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Eager
by Helen Fox
Gavin Bell and his sister Fleur become immersed in mystery and adventure when their new, child-like household robot EGR3, a.k.a. Eager, makes a startling discovery about the high-tech, humanesque BDC4 robots.
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The Giver
by Lois Lowry
Living in a "perfect" world without social ills, a boy approaches the time when he will receive a life assignment from the Elders, but his selection leads him to a mysterious man known as the Giver, who reveals the dark secrets behind the utopian facade.
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Hidden Talents
by David Lubar
A debut young adult novel from a popular children's author tells the story of thirteen-year-old Martin Anderson, who arrives at the Edgewater Alternative School as an outcast but quickly finds his place among other teens with strange gifts. 15,000 first printing.
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The Recruit
by Robert Muchamore
When James is recently orphaned, he is recruited by a secret agency for his math skills and must undergo one hundred days of grueling training.
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Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment
by James Patterson
After the mutant Erasers abduct the youngest member of their group, the "bird kids," who are the result of genetic experimentation, take off in pursuit and find themselves struggling to understand their own origins and purpose.
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The Crossover
by Kwame Alexander
Fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health.
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Tangerine
by Edward Bloor
Twelve-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to remember the incident that damaged his eyesight. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Reprint. Jr Lib Guild.
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King and the Dragonflies
by Kacen Callender
A 12-year-old boy spends days in the mystical Louisiana bayou to come to terms with a sibling's sudden death, his grief-stricken family and the disappearance of his former best friend amid whispers about the latter's sexual orientation. By the award-winning author of Hurricane Child. Illustrations.
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The Only Black Girls in Town
by Brandy Colbert
Ecstatic to hear that another African American family has moved into town, surfer Alberta attempts to make friends with homesick newcomer Edie, who helps her uncover painful local secrets in a box of old journals. 30,000 first printing.
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The Face on the Milk Carton
by Caroline B. Cooney
A photograph of a missing girl on a milk carton leads Janie on a search for her real identity
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Better Nate Than Ever
by Tim Federle
An eighth-grader who dreams of performing in a Broadway musical devises a plan to run away to New York and audition for the role of Elliot in the musical version of E.T.
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The Skin I'm In
by Sharon G Flake
Thirteen-year-old Maleeka, uncomfortable because her skin is extremely dark, meets a new teacher with a birthmark on her face and makes some discoveries about how to love who she is and what she looks like.
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Keeper of the Night
by Kimberly Willis Holt
Isabel, a thirteen-year-old girl living on the island of Guam, and her family try to cope with the death of Isabel's mother who committed suicide.
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Silent to the Bone
by E. L. Konigsburg
When Branwell refuses to speak after his half-sister Nikki is injured, people begin to wonder if he had anything to do with it, yet Connor, his best friend, knows better and starts probing to find out who was really responsible. Reissue.
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Heat
by Mike Lupica
Pitching prodigy Michael Arroyo is on the run from social services after being banned from playing Little League baseball because rival coaches doubt he is only twelve years old and he has no parents to offer them proof. Reprint.
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So Hard to Say
by Alex Sanchez
Thirteen-year-old Xio, a Mexican American girl, and Frederick, who has just moved to California from Wisconsin, quickly become close friends, but when Xio starts thinking of Frederick as her boyfriend, he must confront his feelings of confusion and face the fear that he might be gay.
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Stargirl
by Jerry Spinelli
Although Stargirl is shunned by many at school for her unique presence, Leo Borlock, a fellow classmate, finds her inspiring and soon finds himself head-over-heels in love. Reprint.
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Flipped
by Wendelin Van Draanen
In alternating chapters, two teenagers describe how their feelings about themselves, each other, and their families have changed over the years.
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Down the Rabbit Hole: An Echo Falls Mystery
by Peter Abrahams
When the director of her school play suddenly has an accident, her shoes go missing, and things in town start becoming more strange with every passing moment, Ingrid must find a way to get to the bottom of the matter in order to set things right in her small community of Echo Falls once again. Reprint.
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Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator
by Jennifer Allison
While on a visit to her strange uncle's home in San Francisco, aspiring detective Gilda Joyce puts her psychic skills to the test after she learns about dark family secrets and encounters a frightening ghost who has taken up permanent residence within the home.
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Shakespeare's Secret
by Elise Broach
Named after a character in a Shakespeare play, misfit sixth-grader Hero becomes interested in exploring this unusual connection because of a valuable diamond supposedly hidden in her new house, an intriguing neighbor, and the unexpected attention of the most popular boy in school. Reprint. 50,000 first printing.
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Elatsoe
by Darcie Little Badger
When Apache teen Ellie's cousin dies, her ghost dog Kirby tells her he was murdered, so with the help of her family, her best friend Jay, and the memory of her great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother, Elatsoe, she must track down the killer and unravel the mystery.
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The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman
After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.
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Horowitz Horror
by Anthony Horowitz
Guaranteed to keep readers up all night, a collection of spine-tingling tales centers around a world that seems entirely normal at first glance, but, under the surface, lurks something terrifying and menacing.
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Darkness Creeping: Twenty Twisted Tales
by Neal Shusterman
Originally published as two volumes, a collection of creepy stories by an award-winning author will have readers believing that nothing is what it seems!
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The Girl Who Could Fly
by Victoria Forester
When farm girl Piper McCloud reveals her ability to fly, she is quickly taken to a secret government facility to be trained with other exceptional children, but she soon begins working with brilliant and wealthy Conrad to escape.
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Night of the Howling Dogs
by Graham Salisbury
In 1975, eleven Boy Scouts, their leaders, and some new friends camping at Halape, Hawaii, find their survival skills put to the test when a massive earthquake strikes, followed by a tsunami.
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Maniac Magee: Jerry Spinelli
by Jerry Spinelli
After his parents die, Jeffrey Lionel Magee's life becomes legendary, as he accomplishes athletic and other feats which awe his contemporaries.
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Houdini: The Handcuff King
by Jason Lutes
Painting a bold portrait of the legendary escape artist, this graphic biography traces Houdini's fascinating life, from the anti-Semitism he dealt with to the adulation he received from the American public, and reveals the secret behind his most amazing trick.
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Reluctant Heroes
by Todd Dezago
A swashbuckling young man, a tiger-warrior, a pirate princess, a charismatic thief, and a kleptomaniac fox embark on an adventure as they try to figure out why the evil Malesur is hunting them.
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Lumberjanes: Beware the Kitten Holy
by Noelle Stevenson
Best friends Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley spend a fun summer at Lumberjane scout camp where they encounter yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons while solving a mystery that holds the fate of the world in the balance.
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The Arrival
by Shaun Tan
In this wordless graphic novel, a man leaves his homeland and sets off for a new country, where he must build a new life for himself and his family.
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Drama
by Raina Telgemeier
Callie rides an emotional roller coaster while serving on the stage crew for a middle school production of Moon over Mississippi as various relationships start and end, and others never quite get going.
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Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, a Life in Balance
by Simone Biles
The gymnast relates how her faith and family saw her through several challenges, beginning from her childhood in foster care, and shares the professional journey that led to her earning a spot on the 2016 Olympic team.
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How Angel Peterson Got His Name
by Gary Paulsen
An amusing story tells of the adventures of the author and his friends who attempted extreme sporting before it was extreme sporting, such as jumping three barrels on a bicycle and hang gliding from an Army surplus target kite. Reprint.
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Phineas Gage: A Gruesome But True Story About Brain Science
by John Fleischman
A fascinating exploration into how the brain works details the strange case of Phineas Gage, who, in 1848, was injured at work when a thirteen-pound iron rod was shot through his brain, baffling scientists and doctors alike when he miraculously recovered but suffered a severe personality change.
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Alex Ko: From Iowa to Broadway, My Billy Elliot story
by Alex Ko
The young actor who played the starring title role in Billy Elliot on Broadway traces the story of how he made his dream come true, describing the loss of his father to cancer, his family's financial challenges, his career-compromising injury and his triumphant return to the stage. 25,000 first printing.
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All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai boys' Soccer Team
by Christina Soontornvat
Combines firsthand interviews with scientific and cultural insights in a middle grade account of the 2018 Thai cave rescue of the Wild Boars soccer team and the critical, sophisticated engineering operation that saved the lives of 13 young people. Illustrations.
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Brown Girl Dreaming
by Jacqueline Woodson
In vivid poems that reflect the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, an award-winning author shares what it was like to grow up in the 1960s and 1970s in both the North and the South.
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