Generations can be defined by many influential things: historical events, television and movies, celebrity icons, and even shared morals and principles. But what about middle-grade chapter books? Stay with me, I promise this goes somewhere!
Generations from X to Z each have their iconic, defining, book series that follows the themes and ideals of the time. Gen X had a plethora of books that focused on simple, “slice-of-life” themes and emphasized familial love and dedication. Millennials had some of those, but were also starting to read darker and edgier books; whereas Gen X had Sweet Valley High, millennials had Goosebumps. The millennial era started to focus less on those basic, everyday premises and more on wild, weird, adventures starring a group of friends or siblings.
Gen Z, however, is a whole different story. This generation erupted with series after series, with readers absolutely devouring book after book in their favorite series. With that came a plethora of different genres, too. Dystopian reads had become increasingly popular, focusing more on showing kids the power of standing up for what’s right rather than just friendship and family. We also had silly family comedies, around-the-world mysteries, and plenty of fantasy and adventure to keep our increasingly curious and insatiable minds happy and well-fed.
The lines between generations and their books are messy and arbitrary, so here is the obligatory disclaimer! This is not a definitive guide; people of all ages will probably find that they’ve read most of these books, no matter the release date. They’re iconic for a reason! Many of these books were released during a time when two generations were reading them at once. Additionally, the period of each generation is highly debated (zillennials, I feel you) so my boundaries are just an estimate.
Without further ado, it’s time to find out what iconic middle-grade reads left a lasting impression on each generation!
Gen X: Born 1965 – 1980
This era of literature had less of a focus on series as we do today; books like Nancy Drew or Little House on the Prairie would revolve around the same characters and setting but were otherwise completely separate from each other. Middle readers could pick up any book in the series without missing out on plot developments, which was paramount when libraries were the standard — no Kindle or Amazon Prime delivery.
Middle-grade series of this time focused mainly on these themes: family values, love, friendship, and safe, home-by-nightfall adventures. Siblings or groups of friends would spend the day solving mysteries or talking about school drama, making sure they’d be back in time to drink their Ovaltine. There were outliers, like The Chronicles of Narnia or A Wrinkle in Time, but the outlandish adventures of the Pevensie family made sure to emphasize the loving bond that a family shares.
If you’re Gen X, you’ll recognize these next novels. If you aren’t Gen X, they might look familiar. Let’s jump right in!
Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene
I can confidently say that anyone who says they haven’t read Nancy Drew is probably lying. This was a staple for Gen X young and middle readers, but its influence has persisted even today. There is also a “boy version” called The Hardy Boys, because a boy reading Nancy Drew? That was apparently a big no-no.
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
This sweet series for younger readers focused on a “slice of life” for the Ingalls family in the mid-to-late 19th century. The simple and pre-technological life is a great way to reminisce about one’s childhood, especially for Gen X’ers.
Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal
The epitome of dreamy, pastel, 80s vibes, this series follows high schoolers but is still most popular among middle grades. It’s another cute, coming-of-age story that both entertained and comforted junior high students as they navigated the turmoil of growing up.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
The Chronicles of Narnia was a game-changer. Like the others, it had those themes of love, friendship, and family that were important to this generation. Unlike the others, though, it focuses entirely on the adventures and magic of a realm other than America or Earth. It applied to kids and adults alike with its warm magical vibes and the inspiring connection between its characters.
The A Wrinkle in Time series by Madeline L’Engle
A Wrinkle in Time is a great series for young and middle readers; it focuses on the enduring themes of friendship and family while showing readers that sci-fi can be cool. Lots of middle readers checked this series out as they “graduated” from Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary.
Millennials: Born 1981 – 1996
The millennial era marked the transition between the anthologies of the 80s and the extended plot arcs of the 2000s. While Gen X had a significant lack of lengthy book series, millennials consistently devoured the endless mass of books coming from their favorite series. These middle-grade novels continued the tradition of family and friendship themes while including slightly darker and more mature subject matter. All of these have that great nostalgic ’90s vibe that we all know and love, making revisiting these books all the more sweet. Let’s get started!
Harry Potter
Obviously, this series was pretty much read by everyone in every generation. This series is unique for millennials specifically because as they grew up, so did the books. The childish whimsy of the first book is slowly replaced as the series goes on, ending on a much darker and slightly more violent note.
The Babysitter’s Club by Ann M. Martin
The 80s and 90s vibes of this series are completely unmatched. Scrunchies, corded phones, bright patterns — a retro dream. This series was read by millennials and Gen X alike, attracting middle grades to its inspiring themes of friendship and fun.
Goosebumps by R. L. Stine
I don’t care what anyone says, the Goosebumps books were scary as hell. Yes, they were for middle grades and young teens, but you have to admit they were seriously creepy — even at older ages. This series is great because it doesn’t follow a consistent storyline; it’s an anthology about unrelated creepy happenings in a small town. This is one of the last of the popular anthologies, as millennials are turning to more connected, intricate plots.
Animorphs by K. A. Applegate
Similar to Goosebumps, this series was… insane. People turning into animals is creepy by itself, but when you add in the disturbing and violent things that a lot of the kids go through? It was a little mature for its age group. The millennials who read this are probably pretty weird now after all this series put them through (just like the Gen Z who read Warrior Cats… you know who you are).
The Island series by Gordon Korman
The Island series is a bit like Lord of the Flies for younger kids; it’s a trilogy of cool adventure books about kids who get stuck on an island and have to fend for themselves. This series contributed heavily to the change from Gen X’s popular “slice of life” series to books with more interesting and interrelated plots.
Gen Z: Born 1997-2009
Gen Z has fully transitioned into the era of completely related novels with interconnected plots and a consistent forward time flow. No more reading a bunch of books and going “Wait, shouldn’t they have graduated sixth grade by now?” Each novel marks the passing of time and another step closer to the completion of the characters’ final goals.
This was also the generation of dystopian literature — many dystopian series were geared toward older teens, but there was still plenty for younger teens and kids to read. Of course, to say most of us didn’t read series that were WAY too adult for us anyway (Gone by Michael Grant, anyone?) would be a total lie.
Middle reads for Gen Z were all about adventure — Greek Gods, secret underworlds, time travel, and above all, revolution. These books prioritized the idea that if there is a better world out there, we can make it. Of course, there are books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, where the main character doesn’t incite revolution or save lives, he only makes things worse (Greg Heffley, it’s on sight). So, without further ado, let’s get into the fascinating world of middle-grade adventure, fantasy, and sci-fi!
The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
Starting with one of the more relevant classics, Percy Jackson is well-loved by millennials to Gen Alpha, but it was Gen Z who got to grow up with the novels. The themes of friendship and adventure appealed to middle graders who liked the Magic Tree House series but wanted something a little more advanced. The inclusion of Greek mythology was a huge bonus; now there is a large population of Gen Z who know a ton of random facts about Greek Gods and their offspring.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games is a series that most of us probably read earlier than we should have — it was a violent, disturbing, and occasionally depressing series — but it was just so addictive! The adventure of the games and the love triangle between Peeta, Gale, and Katniss were well worth the occasional nightmare about tracker jackers. Plus, this book influenced the burgeoning dystopian genre; who doesn’t love a good “let’s overthrow the government” book?
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
This series is geared more towards younger readers, but who am I kidding? I read these up until, like, ninth grade. They’re funny, relatable, and classic. And there’s nineteen of them now, so they’ll keep their new readers entertained for a while… or at least a few days.
The Giver series by Lois Lowry
Some of us Gen Z kids were forced to read The Giver for school, but we loved it so much that we bought all the rest of them. These extraordinary novels are all set in the same world, but they each follow a different set of characters that somehow end up being connected. It’s a great way to showcase several separate aspects of a dystopian society, so the readers can satisfy their craving for diverse dystopian reads without switching series.
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
A Series of Unfortunate Events was a dark comedy series that was all at once hilarious, depressing, and extremely weird. Of course it was popular with Gen Z middle graders! That pretty much describes the generation to a T.
The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne
Another series geared more towards kids, Magic Tree House is an enchanting way to educate kids and young middle graders on important historical moments. There are books on Pompeii, the Civil War, and even dinosaurs! This series was also loved by millennials, as most were published in the mid to late 90s. Most middle readers strayed beyond the originals to the more advanced Merlin Missions, longer chapter books with more challenging text.
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Some of these books had themes a little too sexual for middle schoolers, but obviously, that didn’t stop us. We came for the cool cyberpunk spin on well-known fairy tales but stayed for the found family and the romance. These are absolute classics for any middle grader who likes Disney, sci-fi, and/or romance. Plus the covers are insanely cool.
Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
This is popular with the younger Gen Z crowd, as the books are slightly newer. Still, they are filled with adventure and love triangles and there are a lot of books — perfect for those already interested in fantasy and adventure but were a little too young for books like A Court of Thorns and Roses.
The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
This series was for the edgy middle schoolers; it was unlike the other popular books of the time. Rather than have a reluctant hero as the main character, they had a villain. Pretty cool, right?
39 Clues by Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, and others
I devoured these books when I was around 9-13 years old. Kind of like The Inheritance Games, they’ve got a massive, worldwide competition, deadly(ish) stakes, and a teeny tiny bit of romance. They were also written by different authors, creating a more diverse and entertaining set of books. Also, apparently, there aren’t 39 of them, only 11. I learned that the hard way.
Middle-grade novel series have become bigger, more connected, and faster-paced to keep up with the ever-growing and changing readers. As time goes on, more books become available and therefore more books get published. Gen Alpha middle graders will be able to read just about anything they want and they will likely turn to these iconic and universally beloved series in addition to brand-new modern novels.
Gone are the trends following Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z; Gen A will shed all norms and patterns as novels of every variety can appear right at their fingertips. Micro-trends like romance and science fiction might appear and disappear but they will no longer be the thing that populates an entire middle schooler’s bookshelf. They can read anything they want!
What do you think? Did I miss a series you loved, or include something you haven’t even heard of? Let us know on Instagram, Facebook, or X!
Want books for even younger readers? Check out our article!
For some more classic novel recommendations, you can browse our bookshelf.
