Books like Louis Sacher’s Holes have been staples in the world of middle school read-alouds, but for today’s kids, much as the story is still inspiring and engaging, there are elements of today’s world that simply do not exist in that story. It doesn’t mean the story isn’t worth sharing but rather, there should be new books to supplement classics like that, featuring kids who utilize and engage with today’s technology, access to knowledge, and, of course, need to be more inclusive. What is it that makes good read-aloud books for middle school? The answer is pretty straightforward: the book can be either action-driven or character-driven; the chapters are moderately short and can be read in a few minutes every day or every few days. Relatability is another biggie: can students relate to the characters or the story in some way? This is where stories that lack modern guideposts like cell phones can feel dated—today’s young people, even if they do not have their own phones, relate to being in that position in a different way than when phones are not present at all. Read-aloud books should also give young people something to think about or talk about with their teachers and each other. This is why continuing to read aloud in middle school can be so valuable: at a time when tweens and young teens are coming into their own and navigating the challenging waters of middle school, books can be a life raft, an anchor, and an opportunity to see the shore ahead of them. Graphic novels, while excellent independent reading, aren’t the best read-aloud choices. Recommend them and share them with middle schoolers and encourage them to enjoy them in their own reading lives. It’s important to note that middle school and middle grade are not the same thing. Middle school is that 6–8th grade age range, give or take a year or two, so roughly from the ages of 11 to 14 or 15. Middle grade skews younger, landing somewhere in that 3–6th grade age range, roughly 8 years old to 11 or 12 years old. There is absolutely overlap, and there are excellent middle grade books for middle school readers—some are included here. But the terminology can get confusing. Anyone who works with teens knows many love to read up and can be more reluctant to stories where the protagonist is younger than them. I’ve noted where these books feature a younger protagonist, though as anyone who reads aloud knows, it’s not hard to adjust age mentions to align with what your students might need. Whether your read aloud will be virtual or you’ll get the chance to share stories in person, here are some excellent recent read aloud books for middle school, offering up a wide range of stories and experiences. These books are no more than five years old and will speak to today’s middle schoolers in so many powerful ways.
Fantastic Read-Aloud Books for Middle School
Of course, you’ll also do well seeking out recent work by authors like Jacqueline Woodson (Harbor Me, for example), Anne Ursu (The Lost Girl), and more. This is but the tip of the iceberg and meant to help get you thinking beyond Holes and other long-time read-aloud staples. Those books are great, but there are so many others to include, too. But just how corrupt is the landlord’s family? What happens when Amal realizes this might not be as temporary as she hopes? A devastating story, but one that ultimately packed with hope. Scoob is scooped up by his grandma for a road trip, wherein he learns about the history of green books, interracial marriage, and the Jim Crow era from her. It’s part coming-of-age and part understanding one’s present based on the past—including the older people in one’s life. This one will work best with younger readers, and for older middle schoolers, Stone’s debut Dear Martin would make for a good read aloud pick. Iris is 11, so this will resonate especially well with younger middle schoolers. What follows is a story of Mia learning to fit into her new school, navigating new friendships and explanations for what her life is like, dealing with racism, and finding herself in the position to change the fate of many of the weeklies in the motel. Yang dives deep into what life is like for newly arrived immigrants, as well as frankly explores racism and social class at numerous levels. A powerful middle grade novel that manages to hit all of the big markers of what middle school is like. There’s changing friendships, and in Shayla’s case, race plays a role in what her friendships changing looks and feels like. Set over the course of 60 seconds, Reynolds’s novel in verse follows 15-year-old Will as he puts a gun in his pocket and rides the elevator in his apartment building down. He plans to get revenge on the person who killed his brother. But the people he meets at each floor on the way down might be enough reason for him to change his mind. Jade is on a scholarship to attend a primarily white high school in Portland, as she believes that to succeed, she needs to get out of her community. But as much as she works to succeed on her own, the support she gets from adults because of her being “at risk” holds her back, rather than pushes her forward. Friendship, race, and class at central in this immersive story of a young artist. Shusterman’s cinematic writing will enrapture young readers, as will the premise: human kind has conquered everything from war to disease to death. Scythes are now the only ones able to end life, and they’re commanded to do this for population control. Now Citra and Rowan are tasked with apprenticing as scythes, but neither wants the role. They don’t want to be in charge of death, but by avoiding the job, their own lives are on the line. It’s in this space Bryan realizes that his love and passion for comic heroes might be the answer to his troubles. A story about toxic friendship between boys and toxic masculinity more broadly. Bird and Fitch are twins. Their older brother Cash has been having a hard time in school, and despite being older than them, he’s in 7th grade with them. Mom and dad have a rocky relationship, which comes out again and again in unsettling ways. It impacts each of the kids, and the only way that the siblings are hanging on is through their shared science teacher. The story is tied tightly to the launch of the Challenger in 1986, following as each of these teens comes into their own understanding of themselves, of their siblings, and of what it means to be and have a family. So you want more? Here’s how you can rock reading aloud, as well as offer excellent book recommendations to middle schoolers based on the most popular middle grade books and great YA books for middle grade readers.
