Middle school can be a super complicated time! Preteens are still trying to figure out who they want to be, while also navigating the precarious balance of friendships and homework. Each of these books bring to light the challenges that preteens face in an engaging and thoughtful way, infusing hope into tumultuous situations.
The authors understand the difficulties that middle school brings and highlight themes of friendship, family, and staying true to oneself! The unique characters leap off the page as they deal with different challenges that any reader going into middle school will relate to. Read on to learn about how each of these books help make the transition to middle school more bearable and fun.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Auggie Pullman has a facial deformity, so he is homeschooled until fifth grade. The book shows the perspectives of Auggie, Auggie’s older sister, her boyfriend, and his classmates throughout the school year as he is bullied ruthlessly but tries to stay kind. The author expertly weaves in different points of view, showing that everyone goes through hardships in life and has to deal with their own battles.
This book will help any preteens that are going into middle school because it highlights the importance of kindness and being non-judgmental. Auggie struggles with fitting in, but his friends and family help him realize that he just needs to be himself! Each of the characters are relatable and engaging, and the different perspectives show that everyone is complex and has their own struggles. Readers who are going into middle school will get swept away by the unique and realistic characters and the relatable moments in life that they go through.
Posted by John David Anderson
When cell phones are banned at middle school, four friends, Frost, Wolf, Bench, and Deedee come up with an idea to leave sticky notes for each other as a way to communicate. The rest of the school soon gets in on the trend and the notes go from kind to cruel, showing the power that words hold. Rumors start to form, friendships are tested, and the group of friends are in the middle of it. Friendship, bullying, and social media are at the center of this influential story that shows the power of words and how what people say matters.
This book is pivotal for preteens going into middle school because it shows how much power words have and the importance of leading with kindness. Preteens will relate to this book because of the relevant themes of social media and the universal impact of words; readers going into middle school could see themselves in any of the characters and their struggles. Themes of friendship and kindness soar off the page as the characters go through difficult challenges and come out the other side stronger, giving hope to all preteens lucky enough to read this book.
Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
This book focuses on six students who are chosen to meet weekly and talk about their individual lives and experiences. They go to a room with no teachers present, and talk about their challenges unobserved. The kids start out feeling like they cannot share their fears, but after some time, they feel free to express what is troubling them. The students each have their own challenges that they face every day and by talking about it with each other, they are able to feel stronger.
This book is important for preteens going into middle school because it shows that there is a way to feel safe to talk about struggles and to not feel judged. The author masterfully weaves prose to tell the story in a unique way while still grounding the characters in reality. By learning about what each of the characters go through, preteens will feel safe to open up about what they are struggling with and learn to be okay discussing hard topics. This book showcases the power of communication and will help preteens talk about their own fears, becoming stronger for it.
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Ally is a bit of a troublemaker; she creates distractions to hide the fact that she cannot read. Her new teacher, Mr. Daniels, sees right through her and wants to help find her potential. When Ally learns that she has dyslexia, she is ashamed of her learning disability until she finds the power in herself to be confident. When Ally accepts herself for who she is, more possibilities start to open up for her and she discovers that she is more than just a label.
The book will help preteens transition to middle school because it shows that teachers can have a positive impact on students, and that it is important to speak up and ask questions. Any reader could relate to Ally and the challenges that she faces, and by discovering how Ally accepts herself preteens can more easily overcome their own struggles of self-acceptance.
The Class by Frances O’Roark Dowell
This book showcases twenty students and twenty different points of view about navigating life at school. When a new student shows up to Mrs. Hererra’s class, students are suspicious that she is spying on the other students and writing their secrets in her notebook. Friendships are changing, enemies are working together, and an old classmate named Sam keeps showing back up at school; why? Themes of working together and friendship shine as the story progresses and surprises get revealed.
This book is helpful for preteens transitioning into middle school because they could relate to any of these students and their struggles. It shows that when people stick together, working to reach a common goal, it will reach a positive outcome. Kindness is displayed throughout this book as each of the students learn about the type of person they want to be and how to navigate the complexities of friendship. Once they learn more about each other and how they’re not so different, they are able to work together and become stronger.
These books showcase the ups and downs that preteens face when going to middle school in a hopeful and engaging way. The authors touch on powerful themes of friendship and staying true to oneself through these captivating stories. Be sure you check them out!
To read about more powerful books for school, click here.
Find these books and more on our Back-to-School Recommendations bookshelf.
