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Sixth through Eighth Grade



Last updated: August 16, 2011

Friends and Crushes

Red Zone Red Zone by Tiki Barber
Identical twins Ronde and Tiki Barber's excitement over the approaching state championship football game turns to worry when there is a chicken pox outbreak at Hidden Valley Junior High.
Cosmic Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce
Twelve-year old Liam looks like he's thirty. Sometimes it's not bad; for example on the first day of school the principal mistakes Liam for a teacher or when he convinces a car dealer to let him test drive a Porsche. So feeling like he's stuck between two worlds, Liam cons his way into being the adult chaperone on the first space ship to take civilians into space. But when the ship is stuck 230,000 miles from home, being mistaken for an adult may not be his best idea.
How to Survive Middle School How to Survive Middle School by Donna Gephart
When thirteen-year-old David Greenberg's best friend makes the start of middle school even worse than he feared it could be, David becomes friends with Penny, who shares his love of television shows and posts one of their skits on YouTube, making them wildly popular--online, at least.
The Cruisers The Cruisers by Walter Dean Myers
Friends Zander, Kambui, LaShonda, and Bobbi, caught in the middle of a mock Civil War at DaVinci Academy, learn the true cost of freedom of speech when they use their alternative newspaper, The Cruiser, to try to make peace.
The Miles Between The Miles Between by Mary Pearson
Seventeen-year-old Destiny keeps a painful childhood secret all to herself until she and three classmates from her exclusive boarding school take off on an unauthorized road trip in search of "one fair day."
After Ever After After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick
Although Jeff and Tad, encouraged by a new friend, Lindsey, make a deal to help one another overcome aftereffects of their cancer treatments in preparation for eighth-grade graduation, Jeff still craves advice from his older brother Stephen, who is studying drums in Africa.
When You Reach Me When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.
Kiss Kiss by Jacqueline Wilson
Sylvie and Carl have been friends since they were tiny children. Sylvie has always believed that they'll end up married to each other. But as they become teenagers, things begin to change. Sylvie can tell his feelings have changed and that her plans for the future may be affected. But can she guess at the true reasons behind it all?
Feathers Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson
When a new, white student nicknamed "The Jesus Boy" joins her sixth grade class in the winter of 1971, Frannie's growing friendship with him makes her start to see some things in a new light.

Reinventing Yourself

Does My Head Look Big In This? Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
Year Eleven at an exclusive prep school in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, would be tough enough, but it is further complicated for Amal when she decides to wear the hijab, the Muslim head scarf, full-time as a badge of her faith--without losing her identity or sense of style.
Anything But Typical Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Jason, a twelve-year-old autistic boy who wants to become a writer, relates what his life is like as he tries to make sense of his world.
All the Broken Pieces: A Novel in Verse All the Broken Pieces: A Novel in Verse by Ann E. Burg
Two years after being airlifted out of Vietnam in 1975, Matt Pin is haunted by the terrible secret he left behind and, now, in a loving adoptive home in the United States, a series of profound events forces him to confront his past.
Elijah of Buxton Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
In 1859, eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman, the first free-born child in Buxton, Canada, which is a haven for slaves fleeing the American south, uses his wits and skills to try to bring to justice the lying preacher who has stolen money that was to be used to buy a family's freedom.
I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Lieb
In Omaha, Nebraska, twelve-year-old Oliver Watson has everyone convinced that he is extremely stupid and lazy, but he is actually a very wealthy, evil genius, and when he decides to run for seventh-grade class president, nothing will stand in his way.
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Sophomore Frankie starts dating senior Matthew Livingston, but when he refuses to talk about the all-male secret society that he and his friends belong to, Frankie infiltrates the society in order to enliven their mediocre pranks.
Slob Slob by Ellen Potter
Picked on, overweight genius Owen tries to invent a television that can see the past to find out what happened the day his parents were killed.
8th Grade Superzero 8th Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
After half-heartedly joining his church youth group's project at a homeless shelter near his Brooklyn middle school, eighth-grade "loser" Reggie McKnight is inspired to run for school office on a platform of making a real difference in the community.
One Crazy Summer One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
In the summer of 1968, after travelling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.

You're History! Fact and Fiction

If Stones Could Speak: Unlocking the Secrets of Stonehenge If Stones Could Speak: Unlocking the Secrets of Stonehenge by Marc Aronson
Explore the mysterious monument of Stonehenge and learn some of its secrets and history.
Spies of Mississippi Spies of Mississippi by Rick Bowers
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission compiled secret files on more than 87,000 private citizens in the most extensive state spying program in U.S. history. Its mission: to save segregation.
The War to End All Wars: World War I The War to End All Wars: World War I by Russell Freedman
In this clear and authoritative account, the author shows the ways in which the seeds of a second world war were sown in the first. Numerous archival photographs give the often disturbing subject matter a moving visual counterpart.
Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow: The Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix by Gary Golio
Before he became one of the greatest guitar players of all time, Jimi Hendrix was a boy who loved to paint and listen to records, and who asked himself an unusual question: could someone paint pictures with sound?
Tupac Shakur: Hip-Hop Idol Tupac Shakur: Hip-Hop Idol by Carrie Golus
Tupac Shakur saw himself as both artist and urban soldier, battling the media, the law, the courts and rival rappers. Tupac overcame poverty to become one of hip-hop's biggest stars. His life, death, and music were all surrounded by controversy.
Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice by Phillip Hoose
On March 2, 1955, fifteen-year-old Colvin, fed up with the daily injustices of segregation, refused to give her seat to a white woman on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Instead of being celebrated, Colvin found herself shunned by her classmates and dismissed by community leaders.
The Year of Goodbyes: A True Story of Friendship, Family and Farewells The Year of Goodbyes: A True Story of Friendship, Family and Farewells by Debbie Levy
This book tells the true story of what happened to a 12-year-old girl named Jutta (Debbie Levy's mother) in 1938. Actual entries in a posiealbum (autograph book) serve as markers of a crucial year in history, when people of Jewish ancestry in Germany and Austria were systematically stripped of their rights. Debbie wrote verses in consultation with her mother to reflect her voice, feelings, and thoughts throughout this memorable year.
Sweethearts of Rhythm Sweethearts of Rhythm: The Story of the Greatest All-Girl Swing Band in the World by Marilyn Nelson
A look at a 1940's all-female jazz band, that originated from a boarding school in Mississippi and found its way to the most famous ballrooms in the country, offering solace during the hard years of the war.
Burn My Heart Burn My Heart by Beverly Naidoo
Two boys--one white, one black--share an uneasy friendship in Kenya in the 1950s, a country shaken by a rebellion of Africans against white landowners, but suspicions and accusations are escalating, and an act of betrayal could change everything.
Secret keeper Secret keeper by Mitali Perkins
In 1974 her father leaves New Delhi, India, to seek a job in New York. Ashi, a sixteen year old tomboy, feels thwarted in the home of her extended family in Calcutta where she, her mother, and sister must stay. When her father dies before he can send for them, they must remain with their relatives and observe the old-fashioned traditions that Ashi hates.
We Troubled the Waters We Troubled the Waters by Ntozake Shange
These poems are a tribute to the many individuals who acted with courage for justice and change during the civil rights movement.

Adventure, Mystery and Survival

Life in the Wild: George Schaller's Struggle to Save the Last Great Beasts Life in the Wild: George Schaller's Struggle to Save the Last Great Beasts by Pamela S. Turner
In this compelling biography, illustrated with Schaller's own photographs, Turner examines the amazing life and groundbreaking work of the man International Wildlife calls "the world's foremost field biologist." Schaller's landmark research revolutionized field biology, demonstrating that it is possible to study dangerous animals in their own habitats.
Peak Peak by Roland Smith
After Peak Marcello is arrested for scaling a New York City skyscraper, he goes to live with his long-lost father, who runs a climbing company in Thailand. But Peak quickly learns that his father's interest in him has strings attached. He wants Peak to be the youngest person to reach the Everest summit--and his motives are selfish at best. Even so, for a climbing addict like Peak, tackling Everest is the challenge of a lifetime. But it's also one that could cost him his life.
The Case of the Missing Marquess The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer
A new series featuring Sherlock Holmes' much-younger sister Enola begins. When her mother disappears, Enola is determined to find her and sets out to the heart of London. There Enola becomes involved in the kidnapping of a young marquess.
H.I.V.E.: Higher-Institute-of-Villainous-Education H.I.V.E.: Higher-Institute-of-Villainous-Education by Mark Walden
Swept away to a hidden academy for training budding evil geniuses, Otto, a brilliant orphan, Wing, a sensitive warrior, Laura, a shy computer specialist, and Shelby, an infamous jewel thief, plot to beat the odds and escape the prison known as H.I.V.E.
Leviathan Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
In an alternate 1914 Europe, fifteen-year-old Austrian Prince Alek, on the run from the Clanker Powers who are attempting to take over the globe using mechanical machinery, forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn who, disguised as a boy to join the British Air Service, is learning to fly genetically-engineered beasts.
STORM: The Infinity Code STORM: The Infinity Code by E.L. Young
In London, the teenaged geniuses of STORM, a secret organization dedicated to eliminating the world's misery through science and technology, uncover plans for a deadly weapon and race to find and dismantle it, then confront the corrupt scientist behind the scheme.

Science Fiction and Fantasy

The Hunger Games The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place.
Incarceron Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
To free herself from an upcoming arranged marriage, Claudia, the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, a futuristic prison with a mind of its own, decides to help a young prisoner escape.
The Knife of Never Letting Go The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in this series that follows a boy and girl on the run from a town where all thoughts can be heard--and the passage into manhood embodies a horrible secret. Pursued by power-hungry Prentiss, young Todd and newly arrived Viola set out across New World searching for answers about the colony's true past and seeking a way to warn the ship bringing hopeful settlers from Old World.
Fever Crumb Fever Crumb by Phillip Reeve
Foundling Fever Crumb has been raised as an engineer although females in the future London, England, are not believed capable of rational thought. But at age fourteen she leaves her sheltered world and begins to learn startling truths about her past while facing danger in the present.
Gateway Gateway by Sharon Shinn
As a Chinese adoptee in St. Louis, teenage Daiyu often feels out of place. When an elderly Asian jeweler shows her a black jade ring, she buys it as a talisman of her heritage. But it's more than that; it's magic. It transports Daiyu into a version of St. Louis much like 19th century China. Almost immediately she is recruited as a spy. It also means stealing time to be with handsome Kalen, who is in on the plan. There's only one problem. Once her task is done, she must go back to St. Louis and leave him behind forever.
The Story of Cirrus Flux The Story of Cirrus Flux by Matthew Skelton
In 1783 London, orphan Cirrus Flux is being watched. Merciless villains are conniving to steal the world's most divine power which they believe Cirrus has inherited. Now he faces a perilous journey through the dirty backstreets of the city. Cirrus must escape, but he'll need to trust some unlikely allies if he hopes to thwart his foes and survive a grand and terrifying showdown.
The Mysterious Howling The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the three "Incorrigibles" are no ordinary children. Luckily, fifteen-year-old Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position--- to teach them to behave in a civilized manner, in time for a Christmas ball. But mysteries abound at Ashton Place.

Great Graphics

Rapunzel's Revenge Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
Rapunzel is raised in a grand villa surrounded by towering walls. She dreams of a different mother than Gothel, the woman she calls Mother. She climbs over the wall and finds out the truth. Her real mother, Kate, is a slave in Gothel's gold mine. In this Old West retelling, Rapunzel uses her hair as a lasso and to take on outlaws--including Gothel.
A Family Secret A Family Secret by Eric Heuvel
While searching his Dutch grandmother's attic for yard sale items, Jeroen finds a scrapbook which leads Gran to tell of her experiences as a girl living in Amsterdam during the Holocaust, when her father was a Nazi sympathizer and Esther, her Jewish best friend, disappeared.
Gunnerkrigg Court. Volume 1, Orientation Gunnerkrigg Court. Volume 1, Orientation by Tom Siddell
Antimony Carver is a precocious and preternaturally self-possessed young girl starting her first year of school at gloomy Gunnerkrigg Court, a very British boarding school that has robots running around along side body-snatching demons, forest gods, and the odd mythical creature.
Yummy Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by Greg Neri
Robert "Yummy" Sandifer, an eleven-year old African American gang member from Chicago shot a young girl and was then shot by his own gang members.
Smile Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Eleven-year-old Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after a trip-and-fall mishap, she injures her two front teeth, and what follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, corrective surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly.
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit by Nahoko Uehashi
It looks like an accident: a suspension bridge's cables snapped, a boy tumbled from a carriage into the river. But the wandering moribito Balsa recognizes it for what it is: an assassination attempt.

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