Thirty of the best new and classic middle school and middle grade books with diversity and different genres to add to your or your child's reading list.
Reading comprehension skills like making inferences, finding the main idea, and recognizing cause and effect are critical curriculum elements in any ELA classroom. As our students build their reading skills, they need to develop their understanding of 12 different reading comprehension skills. One of my favorite ways to teach students about the reading skills is with doodle notes. Don't worry...I've put together a 20+ page set of doodle notes that you can download for FREE! (Sign up at the bottom of this post!) Have you tried doodle notes in your classroom? If so, you know that... ⭐ Doodle notes are a great way to introduce students to important information. These doodle notes include definitions for 12 different reading skills. In addition, there are tips provided for each reading skill to help students use each in their reading. The definitions are simple enough for students to understand, but specific enough to help students recognize the differences in each. ⭐ Doodle notes tap into multiple learning styles. Doodle notes are obviously great for visual learners. They also create a connection between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. This leads to an increase in learning, focus, and retention. The doodles on the note pages also help a variety of learners connect images with information. The free set of reading doodle notes also includes 4 versions for easy differentiation. There are doodle pages for lower grades, upper grades, as well as notes that are filled-in or in a guided notes format. ⭐ Doodle notes expose students to skills they can use in the classroom. Doodle notes are a fun and engaging spin on traditional notes. The free set of doodle notes focus on reading comprehension skills. Therefore, they work perfectly as a review of skills before students show off their learning while reading passages. Of course, I think reading passages should be engaging, too. So, some of my favorites to combine with the doodle notes are these... --- Reading Passages and Text-Based Evidence - R.E.A.D. Strategy --- Social Emotional Learning Passages - Read, Doodle and Do --- Nonfiction Reading Passages - Doodle and Do ⭐ Doodle notes are extremely motivating and therefore work as awesome introductions to units. The free set of reading comprehension skills doodle notes are such an awesome way to introduce students to more in-depth reading units. You could easily have students complete the packet of doodle notes before diving deeper into each reading skill. Or, you could have students complete one section of the doodle notes as they learn about different skills. The good news is that I've already created 12 reading mini-units for each reading skill. Find them here. ⭐ Doodle notes help students review and reinforce information naturally. When students complete doodle notes, first, they do the work of adding the notes to their pages. However, their learning doesn't end there. Students are super motivated to doodle, color, and embellish their note pages. As they get creative, they naturally read over and review their learning. It's the perfect way to mix creativity and learning! If you'd like to add this FREE set of reading comprehension doodle notes to your classroom, just add your email and name below. Then, check you inbox for your exclusive freebie!
For any teacher or parent that is looking, here is my list of best books for middle school readers. Each of these books has been read or recommended by my students or I during the course of our time together:
Middle grade books are admittedly some of my favorites to read. Both when I was in middle school and now as an adult. My only regret is that I hardly read
What is the purpose of literature circles? How do you structure a literature circle? How long should Literature Circles last? What is the teacher's role in
A selection of the best books for 7th and 8th grade compiled by cross-referencing multiple authoritative sources.
As students head back to school, ELA teachers everywhere are considering how they are going to begin the school year, so I wanted to walk you through one of my favorite lesson plans entitled, "Why do we read?" As an educator, there are few things as exciting and rewarding as introducing a young person to
Find over 40 books to engage your middle school boy and encourge him to read even more great titles. Find a ton of new favorites.
Are your middle grade students reading? Discover 12 ways to moivate your middle grade students to read-- either again for for the first time.
With so many of my BIG KIDS struggling with fluency, I worked to make it a part of my daily work with students, a Tier 1 intervention that the majority of the class could benefit from. Reading fluency incorporates three main components: speed, accuracy, and prosody, which directly impact comprehension. While I have shared a great deal about incorporating 6-Minute Solutions, here are a few other ways I worked to make fluency fun for my 6th graders.
10 Must-Read Historical Fiction Books for Kids in Upper Elementary
She's a reader. There's no denying that. She's also quite driven. At only 11, she has already chosen her desired college, major, and minor. And while I recognize that at eleven her opinions and plans might ebb and flow in the coming years, I also know HER and know that when she gets her sights set on a goal, there's no stopping her determination. That being said, the plan she has penciled in for herself after much prayer and self-evaluation requires a strong literary background. With that in mind, I have spent many months putting together a middle school reading list that will set her on that path. (This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for full details.) The Selection Process Since I'm not a huge fan of most modern reading lists and award-winning books, I have consulted only quality lists from sources that I trust which include THESE lovely gems, The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens, and The Home Scholar. I have pored over countless titles and have devised a list of 50 that I think represent a worthwhile sampling of different genres, themes, and eras. There is an intentional absence of non-fiction books since she reads so many of these already for our living literature style science and history. In my opinion, middle school is a time to start developing personal opinions and convictions on many topics while under the protective umbrella of home. That being said, several of these books contain gentle messages that will challenge her current belief system. While I don't introduce them to sway her from her Christian worldview. On the contrary, I hope to use these weightier-themed books to slowly help her grow stronger in her ability to filter EVERYTHING through a Biblical lens. My home is a greenhouse...a place where small buds can grow strong and form deep roots in Truth. Up until this point, so much of my daughter's growing has come from exposure to nothing-but-Truth. But now that she is in middle school and currently doing some high school level course work, she needs to learn how to weather the tough storms that the world will hurl at her by being gently released to find the Truth amidst the lies. With that in mind, I plan on reading several of these heavier titles with her. We will each read our own copy separately and dialogue about them as we are able, dissecting the Truth from the lie. The Plan I have placed all of these books on a "shelf" called Middle School MUST READS in my Goodreads account so that she can see the list at a glance. There really is no structured order to it all. She is free to pick any title at any time. I don't necessarily expect her to read all of these books by the time she starts high school. (Then again, she's an avid reader and just might surprise me. She's actually read a handful of them already!) I mostly just want to set a wide variety of books in front of her that will each add an element of excellence to her literary journey without the worldly indoctrination that so many popular books offer. As always, when she finishes a book, she will document it for her annual portfolio and mark it as "read" in my Goodreads account. The Books Classics An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Black Beauty by Anna Sewell Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling Little Women by Louisa May Alcott My Antonia by Willa Cather* Old Yeller by Fred Gipson Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson The Call of the Wild by Jack London The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls General Fiction Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt Black Ships Before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff Blue Willow by Doris Gates Johnny Tremain by Esther Hoskins Forbes Letters from Rifka byKaren Hesse* Lyddie by Katherine Paterson* Men of Iron by Howard Pyle* Mr. Tucket by Gary Paulsen* Rascal by Sterling North Redwall by Brian Jacques Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor* Sounder by William H. Armstrong Steal Away by Jennifer Armstrong* The Borrowers by Mary Norton The House of Sixty Fathers by Meindert DeJong* The Miracle Worker by Willian Gibson The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood* The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo Tree Castle Island by Jean Craighead George* The Cay by Theodore Taylor The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell* Watership Down by Richard Adams Tales from Shakespeare by Charles Lamb Biographies/Autobiographies America's Paul Revere by Esther Hoskins Forbes Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery by Russell Freedman Joni: An Unforgettable Story by Joni Eareckson Tada Not a Tame Lion: The Spiritual Legacy of C.S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia by Terry Glaspey The Diary of a Young Girl by Ann Frank Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington *Books that I am not as familiar with and will be reading alongside her. For more great book suggestions, be sure to head to iHomeschool Network and check out the Massive Guide to Homeschool Reading Lists!
Find good books for your middle school students who are reluctant readers, maybe even struggling readers, books that are motivating, some at lower levels.
As a mom of 4 boys and an upper elementary teacher for many years, I know all too well the struggle of finding books that appeal to 9-12 year old boys. Parents would often ask for recommendations for the best books for tween boys, and I always had some favorites to share. (This post may contain affiliate links which means I make a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!) Boys in this age group can be a true mystery. Generally speaking, they give one-word answers and are more
Your sixth grade students are ready not just to read young adult novels; they are ready to engage, discuss, and devour good literature.
Are you looking for some fascinating nonfiction books for kids? This list is chock full of some excellent options!
A variety of fascinating nonfiction books for middle school (ages 9-13) that teach critical thinking and critical reading skills.
Motivate students with independent reading by adding engaging reading sprints...turn the traditional reading log upside down!
Tweet
A list of fabulous books to read in 8th grade. This list of books will allow your child to read about people who think, dream, and do!
I love teaching poetry and can't wait to share these fun ideas with you! This post is full of ways you can make poetry fun in your middle school classroom.
10 mystery novels for middle school students that they will actually enjoy reading. Grab this mystery novel list for your classroom.
If you're looking for some good quality selections for summer reading for middle school homeschool students, I think you'll enjoy this one. It was heavily influenced by our local classical Christian school.
When attention spans are short, these do the trick!
Because picture books never really go out of style, and also because big kids love graphic novels, too. This post contains affiliate links.
Middle school novel study favorites - top novel study picks for grade 5-9 to engage and encourage young readers.
An updated list of books that includes graphic novels, historical fiction, and more.
Reading can be a hard sell for students. Introducing middle school literature circles can be the game changer your classroom needs to foster reading.
I just created a resource for middle schoolers and middle school teachers to implement First Chapter Friday in their ELA classrooms.
For most of us as English teachers, reading was a love-at-first-sight kind of experience, and while some of our students have that same natural love for reading, others simply have cold feet. Thankfully, it only takes a little creativity and the right reading activity for a love of reading to bloom. To foster this love
A book pass is the perfect activity to get students hooked on reading! Learn how with The Secret to a Great Book Pass (and 30 Middle School Titles to Use!)
Our list of the best books for middle school according to teachers. http://www.weareteachers.com/hot-topics/special-reports/building-your-classroom-library/the-best-books-for-grades-6-8
Get your students reading with these 11 great middle school books made into movies.
There are amazing books being published every year, check out these 30 Modern, Middle Grade Classics.
11 of the best short stories to teach in middle school. Stories with good moral lessons and plans to help you teach them!
Short stories for middle school - a list of the best short stories for your middle school classroom with tips and teaching ideas.
A multiple choice quiz after reading is a quick and easy way to check student comprehension, but it doesn't allow you to assess deeper understanding and it certainly isn't fun or creative. If you are looking for more meaningful and engaging activities to use with students during literature circles or a novel unit, here's twelve ideas that are favorites in my classroom and the Common Core standards they align with.
Yes, reading aloud to middle school students in 7th and 8th grade benefits them just as much as in elementary school. Immeasurably.
Improve your students' comprehension skills by adding independent reading to your middle school class. Perfect for reading workshop.
Picture Books in Middle School | Using picture books in your classroom can engage reluctant readers, help introduce a lesson, and build community. Check out tips & resources for using picture books in middle school from The Hanson Hallway at The Secondary English Coffee Shop.
New books for your middle and high school classroom libraries. www.traceeorman.com
Middle school novel study favorites - top novel study picks for grade 5-9 to engage and encourage young readers.
Yes, reading aloud to middle school students in 7th and 8th grade benefits them just as much as in elementary school. Immeasurably.
Thirty of the best new and classic middle school and middle grade books with diversity and different genres to add to your or your child's reading list.
An updated list of books that includes graphic novels, historical fiction, and more.
These are my favorite books to read with middle schoolers. My students and tend to love them because of the themes and messages.
Find plenty of middle school biographies to add to your teen or tweens reading list. These titles are perfect for your middle school reader.
