Summer Reading List: Middle School

Are you looking for a list of books for your 6th, 7th, or 8th grader to read this summer (2016)? I’ve compiled a list of must-read books that your tween or teen is sure to enjoy!

Reading can be one of the many fun activities children fill their summer time with. Children who participate in public library summer reading programs not only avoid the “summer slide” in learning but also score higher on reading achievement tests than those who do not participate.

The books on this list come highly recommended by kid readers from all over the country and may also be available in ebook, audiobook, braille, and large print formats. This summer, encourage your child to participate in the summer programs happening at your library. Affiliate links used.

RELATED: 5 gift ideas for kids who love books

SUMMER READING LIST FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL

Masterminds by Gordon Korman Balzer + Bray, 2015, ISBN: 9780062299963 After living in a perfect town his whole life, Eli discovers there are secrets that will change everything.

First in a series. Me & Miranda Mullaly by Jake Gerhardt Viking, 2016, ISBN: 9780451475404 Three boys all trying to gain the attention of the same girl become rivals in this hilarious tale of misunderstandings.

Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin Roaring Brook Press, 2015, ISBN: 9781596439528 From the Oval Office to the editor’s office of the New York Times, Sheinkin tells a gripping tale of government secrecy and manipulation that is still relevant today.

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier Abrams/Amulet Books, 2014, ISBN: 9781419711442 Molly and Kip are orphaned and must find a way to take care of themselves. Molly finds work as a maid but soon discovers the family is being haunted, and she and her brother are soon targeted by the Night Gardener as well.

The Night Parade by Kathryn Tanquary Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky, 2016, ISBN: 9781492623243 Saki Yamamoto does not want to spend her summer vacation visiting her grandma’s small village. Things get more interesting than she expected when she unintentionally invokes a death curse, and she must enter the dangerous spirit world at the Night Parade to break the curse.

Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty Disney-Hyperion, 2015, ISBN: 9781484709016 At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old secretly living in the basement of the Biltmore Estate solves an ancient evil and unravels her family history.

Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart Scholastic, 2016, ISBN: 9780545665773 Bears, bandits, and raging rapids can’t stop Joseph from searching for what’s left of his family— his beloved horse, Sarah—across the American Northwest frontier.

 

Tesla’s Attic by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman Disney-Hyperion, 2014, ISBN: 9781423148036 When Nick holds a yard sale to get rid of the junk in the attic of his new home, he realizes too late that all the objects have mysterious powers and he needs to get them back. First in a series.

Beetle Boy by M. G. Leonard Illustrated by Julia Sarda Scholastic/Chicken House, 2016, ISBN: 9780545853460 A giant talking beetle and cast of crazy characters help Darkus search for his missing father, a famous entomologist. First in a series

The Bitter Side of Sweet by Tara Sullivan Putnam, 2016, ISBN: 9780399173073 Amadou and his brother, Seydou, are modern-day child slaves on a cacao plantation, until Khadija arrives. The three band to make their escape from the Ivory Coast to freedom.

Booked by Kwame Alexander Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, ISBN: 9780544570986 The thrill of a soccer tournament, the pressure of family expectations, the social minefield of crushes and bullies, and the beauty of words are all explored in this exciting, extraordinary novel in verse.

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club by Phillip Hoose Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2015, ISBN: 9780374300227 A group of teenagers in Denmark resist the Nazi invasion of their country and inspire others to follow suit in this award-winning nonfiction book.

Dead to Me by Mary McCoy Disney-Hyperion, 2015, ISBN: 9781423187127 Veronica Mars meets L.A. Confidential as sixteenyear-old Alice tries to piece together the events that lead to her older sister winding up in a coma.

Dream On, Amber by Emma Shevah Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky, 2015, ISBN: 9781492622505 Amber’s father left when she was little, so now she fills in the frustrating gap in her life with imagined conversations to help her deal with art projects, bullies, and little sisters.

Fatal Fever: Tracking Down Typhoid Mary by Gail Jarrow Calkins Creek, 2015, ISBN: 9781620915974 Learn about this dreaded disease that ravaged our country early in the twentieth century in this nonfiction title that reads like a medical mystery.

Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods by Hal Johnson Illustrated by Tom Mead Workman Publishing, 2015, ISBN: 9780761184614 This reworking of American tall tales features stories of fearsome legendary creatures of the wooded wilds of early North America, including the snoligoster, the hodag, and the hoop snake. Glow-in-thedark illustrations add to the alternately fun and creepy tone of this collection of stories.

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books, 2015, ISBN: 9780399162596 Ally struggles to hide her dyslexia by continually getting into trouble, until a substitute teacher discovers what she is really hiding.

The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine, 2014, ISBN: 9780545525527 Jackson Greene vowed never to get involved in another middle-school con, but he is put to the test when the girl of his dreams runs for class president.

Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel by Megan Morrison Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine, 2015, ISBN: 9780545638265 After leaving her tower for the first time, Rapunzel joins Jack Beanstalker on a perilous journey through the lands of Tyme.

First in a series. Hour of the Bees By Lindsay Eagar Candlewick Press, 2016, ISBN: 9780763679224 Carol is stuck in the New Mexican desert one summer with her family and her grandfather, who suffers from dementia. Her world is rocked by the stories he tells her during that time.

I Kill the Mockingbird by Paul Acampora Roaring Brook Press, 2014, ISBN: 9781596437425 Over summer break, Lucy, Elena, and Michael launch a campaign to make a beloved teacher’s favorite book “go viral.”

The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare Scholastic, 2014, ISBN: 9780545522250 Despite his father’s warnings about the dangers of magic, Callum enrolls in the Magisterium and begins to learn about himself and his own bewildering powers.

Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff Philomel Books, 2015, ISBN: 9780399164064 Trent blames an unfortunate event for his misfortunes and tries to turn things around. He is able to make that turn when he meets Fallon, and together they help him find the healing and redemption he seeks.

The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson Random House/Delacorte, 2014, ISBN: 9780385376150 When plucky machinist Piper saves Anna after a meteor shower, both girls stow away on an armored train to escape the man chasing them.

Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A.Nielsen Scholastic, 2015, ISBN: 9780545561549 Nic, a slave in the mines of ancient  Rome, escapes after discovering a magical amulet. First in a series. Grades 6-8

Has your middle schooler read any books on this summer reading list? Any others you would add?

Don’t miss these summer reading lists for other age groups and tips on saving money on books:

• Summer Reading List (6th-8th grade)
• Summer Reading List (3rd-5th grade)
• Summer Reading List (Kindergarten – 2nd)
• How to Save Money on Reading

This 2016 Summer Reading Book List was created by members of the Association for Library Service.