A friend recently texted me looking for books her 11-year-old son would like, and I went through a mental list of the novels I loved when I was a kid. While I was coming up with recommendations for her, I realized I’d read several middle-grade fiction books lately that were SO GOOD. This list is a mix of books from my own childhood and newer releases I enjoyed. Whether you have a tween who needs ideas or want new options yourself, these books are all stellar.
Words on Fire by Jennifer A Nielsen. I just finished this book a couple days ago, and WOW. It treads the line between middle-school and young-adult fiction (I wouldn’t give it to a kid younger than 11) and follows a 12-year-old girl living in 1893 Lithuania. Audra discovers her parents have been hiding secrets from her for years: They and other villagers have been smuggling Lithuanian books, which are forbidden by the Russians who currently control the country. Audra has to decide whether books are worth risking her life to save — and discovers more about her own family in the process.
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. I first read this book in sixth grade and still look lovingly at it whenever I see it in bookstores (which to me is the mark of a great book). Karana is a young Native American who learns to live alone on an island when her family is killed. Even 20+ years later, I can still remember the emotions I had reading this book but also her resourcefulness in making her own clothes and shelter and learning to live off the land. What 11-year-old doesn’t think it would be so awesome to have your own space sometimes?
The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden. I remember laughing out loud at this book about a cricket blessed with perfect pitch and the extraordinary ability to play music in New York City. While the first two books on this list are geared toward older tweens, this one is perfect for younger kids, too (probably 8 and older). A warning: Even when I was a kid, I knew there was something wrong with the Chinese character’s dialogue (he can’t pronounce the letter l very well). That being said, this book is 60 years old, and I think it’s still worth reading. When my kids are old enough, we can have a good discussion about racism in books — and you can always discuss this with your kids when they’re ready.
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. I was absolutely stunned by how good this book was. Everyone should read it, not just the tweens/teens it was written for. It takes place in England during World War II and revolves around 10-year-old Ada, who’s never been allowed to leave the house because her mom is ashamed of her club foot. When the Germans begin bombing London, Ada and her younger brother are sent to the country where they’ll be safe. While living with Susan, the woman who takes Ada and Jamie in, Ada learns to trust again and also that she’s capable of way more than she anticipated.
Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan. My beloved fourth-grade teacher read this to my class when I was 10, and I remember sitting on the edge of my seat the entire time. It’s based on the true story of Norwegian kids who helped smuggle gold out of Norway during WWII so the Nazi occupiers couldn’t steal it. What’s crazy is that they literally put gold bars on their sleds and somehow slipped by the soldiers without notice. It’s such a fun, adventurous story for kids!
A Slip of a Girl by Patricia Reilly Giff. This new release about a young girl living in Ireland during the potato famine captured my heart. It’s told in free verse, so it’s probably better for older tweens and teens, but I think you could also read this aloud to younger kids (9- and 10-year-olds). When Anna’s mother dies and her father is arrested for failing to pay rent to the landlord, Anna has to escape and figure out how to help her family, especially her special-needs sister. It’s a quick read, but a powerful one.
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. Somehow I never read this as a child, but reading it as an adult was probably even more meaningful. A young girl, Winnie, accidentally discovers a spring in the woods near her home that gives whoever drinks from it everlasting life with a twist: They never get a day older. Winnie then meets the Tuck family, who all drank from the spring and constantly have to move around before people begin to get suspicious. While this is appropriate for kids about 10 and older, it also has more adult themes you can discuss with your children or even in a book group. Everlasting life really isn’t as great as it may seem.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. This is the ultimate “guy book” about a teen who’s the sole survivor of a plane crash and has to figure out how to live on his own in the Canadian wilderness. Technically this is young adult fiction, but I think it’s appropriate for 11-year-olds and older tweens/teens. I remember loving this book and the other companion books (like Brian’s Winter) when I was in junior high, and this is the first novel that came to mind when my friend asked for recommendations.
A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck. I vividly remember my brother coming home with this book when he was in fourth grade or so and laughing out loud while reading it, so of course I had to read it. It is legitimately one of the funniest children’s books I have ever read. The story reads almost like a memoir written by two kids remembering a series of summers spent with their eccentric grandmother. It’s set in the ’20s and ’30s, so it gives kids a sense of the past while also feeling incredibly timeless. We all have crazy grandma stories to share (or maybe it’s just me). Oh, and the sequel, A Year Down Yonder, is just as good, if not better.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. This book was published when I was in high school, so I didn’t read it until a few years ago, but MAN. It is excellent. Esperanza and her family are wealthy and live on a large ranch in Mexico until they are forced to leave the country and start over in California during the Great Depression. Suddenly, Esperanza faces poverty and racism and has to learn to take care of her family when her mother becomes ill in a migrant camp. This book has heavier themes, so I wouldn’t give it to kids younger than 10, but it’s an important and beautiful read.
I seriously love middle-grade books right now. These are the coming-of-age stories that will help shape your child’s life and love of reading — and they’re also poignant to read as adults. Tell me your favorites! What should I read next?
