Great Books For

1
Great Books For
Middle School
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Cryptid Hunters
By Roland Smith
Life for 13-year-old twins Grace and Marty is
turned upside down when they are told their
parents were killed and they must go live with
their Uncle Wolfe, an uncle they didnt even know
they had.
Uncle Wolfe owns a very successful technology
company, but as the twins discover, his real
passion is his hunt for Cryptidsmystical
creatures whose existence nobody has ever been
able to prove or disprove. Just as they are
getting to know each other, Wolfe is told that
his arch enemy, Dr. Blackwood, is going to the
Congo to hunt a living dinosaur that Wolfe had
located years earlier. Wolfe must beat him to
the jungle to save the cryptid. He hastily
assemblies a team and leaves for the jungle,
leaving the twins behind. Or did he? The twins
have stowed away on Wolfe's plane. The race is
on. Will the twins get the dinosaur to safety,
or will the glory-seeking Blackwood have his
display trophy? Along the way the twins make
some startling discoveries about themselves,
Wolfe, Blackwood and their parents.
Great for boys or girls 6th, 7th and 8th grades
3
The House On The Gulf
By Margaret Peterson Haddix
Britt and Bran are two teenagers living with
their mother in Illinois. Money is tight as
their mother is trying to finish college and work
full time to support her family. The family
moves to Florida in hopes that their mother can
take advantage of a scholarship program offered
by a college for single parents. Bran also finds
a job house-sitting for the elderly Marquise
couple. Not having to pay rent will allow their
mother to attend school full-time and finish her
program in one year. Everything seems ideal.
Once they move into the Marquise house, though,
Britt notices that her brother is acting
strangely. Britt cant play in the front yard.
Stay away from the neighbors Bran bosses.
Leave the thermostat alone, dont use too much
hot water, dont turn on the lights In fact,
Britt is getting the feeling that perhaps her
family shouldnt be in the house at all. Britt
begins to investigate and discovers that the
Marquises are not who her brother led her to
believe. Now the questions areWho are the
Marquises and why did Bran bring Britt and their
mother to this house?
A great mystery for 6th, 7th and 8th grades
4
Hidden Talents
By David Lubar
Martin is a teen-ager in trouble. He has been
thrown out of every middle school in his county,
Boy Scouts, and even Little League. Now hes
sitting on a bus going to Edgeview. Edgeview, an
alternative school, the school you go to when no
one else will take you. Things are even worse
then he had imagined at Edgeview. The entire
school is under the fists of bully Bloodbath and
his gang. His new roommate, Torchie, is
fascinated with fire. His other friends also
seem to have personality quirks that seem more
than the usual teen deviancy. Theres Lucky, who
finds things. Is he stealing? Cheater seems
able to copy off everyone, even when
they guard against it. Trasher destroys
thingslots of things. Just when Martin thinks
he might be finding a place where he can fit in,
he discovers that the state plans to shut down
Edgeview. Martin and his new friends decide they
must try to keep the school open. Drawing upon
their talents the group comes up with a plan to
save Edgeview and take care of Bloodbath once and
for all. Everything is on the line. If they
fail, what will happen to them? Where do you go
when the school of last resort is gone?
Especially good for boys in 6th, 7th and 8th
grade.
5
Artemis Fowl The Opal Deception
By Eoin Colfer
Hes back!! Thats right, despite being mind
wiped, Artemis Fowl has reverted to his life of
crime. This time he is headed for Munich where
he plans to steal a famous painting. Little does
Artemis know that his arch enemy Opal Koboi is
watching his every move. The evil pixie Opal
has spent the last year in a coma plotting her
return-- is she motivated or what! Opal wants
revenge upon the fairy world for taking away a
year of her life. She plans to start a war
between the fairies and humans. If the humans
win, she will become the most powerful person on
earth.
Only three people stand in her way Artemis
Fowl, Holly Short, and Commander Root. Opal must
destroy them first before she can realize her
evil goal. Can Artemis, Holly, and Commander
Root stop her before she takes over the
world?..or have they finally met their match in
this most treacherous pixie.
Recommended for 6th, 7th and 8th grade fantasy
lovers.
6
The Capture
By Kathryn Lasky
Soren, a Barn Owlet is snatched from his nest and
taken to St. Aegolius Academy. At St. Aegolius,
Soren discovers other owlets who have been
brought to the school. The teachers at St.
Aegolius tell the owlets that they have been
orphaned, but the the owlets know better, they
were kidnapped!
Life is not easy at St. Aegolius. The owlets are
not allowed to fly, hoot, or act like owls. What
is going on at this school? Soren cant shake a
feeling of evil dwelling at St. Aegolius. What
is it? With the help of a new friend, Gylfie,
Soren sets out to uncover St. Aegolius secrets
and return to his home. Little does he know that
he and Gylfie are in for the fight of their
lives.
Recommended for 6th, 7th and 8th grades.
Animal lovers will especially enjoy this
series.
7
The Son Of The Mob
By Gordon Korman
Vince Luca isnt your typical 17-year-old.
While other kids his age are worrying about
dates, exams, and high school Vince worries
about the FBI. Vinces father is a powerful mob
boss. While being the son of a mob boss does
have some benefits such as getting a Porsche for
your birthday, there are also drawbacks, such as
finding out your birthday Porsche is stolenafter
the police have arrested you.
Vince is determined to stay out of the family
business and live as normal a life as possible.
But how normal can your life be when you find the
body of Jimmy the Rat in the trunk of your car,
while on a date no less? No matter how hard
Vince tries to not get involved, he gets
involved. Even falling in love is a problem.
When Vince meets the girl of his dreams, her
father turns out to be the FBI agent trying to
get Vinces father put away. But as Vince finds
out, his problems are only beginning.
Recommended for 8th grade girls or boys
8
Colibri
By Ann Cameron
Twelve-year old Colibri is forced to beg and
steal for food by a man she knows is not her
father. Uncle kidnapped her when she was 4
years old because a fortune-teller predicted that
Colibri would lead him to a great treasure.
Colibri has spent the last 8 years of her life
wandering thru Guatemala looking for a treasure
that she knows nothing about and is pretty well
convinced does not exist.
Tired and losing hope of ever locating his
promised money, Uncle threatens Colibri.
Frightened for her safety, Colibri decides that
she must escape. While Uncle plans for a life
filled with treasure, Colibri comes up with a
plan of her own. If it fails, it could mean her
life. But if it succeeds, Colibri could discover
the greatest treasure of all.
Recommended for 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls
9
The City Of Ember
By Jeanne DuPrau
Ember is on the verge of collapse, and two young
citizens are caught up in the intrigue.
Assignment Day arrives. More than anything Lina
wants to be a messenger. Messengers run through
the city all day, going everywhere, seeing
everything, and thats what Lina wants. . . to
become a messenger. She is devastated when she
learns that her career will be in the wet,
underground tunnels of Ember as a pipework
laborer. Doon, on the other hand, desperately
wants a job in the tunnels. He suspects the city
is on the edge of disaster and is convinced the
answer lies in the tunnels. Being friends, a
trade is made. Lina takes Doons assignment as a
messenger, and Doon goes to the tunnels.
Once in the tunnels, Doon is shocked at what he
discovers. Food and supplies are dwindling.
The generator that produces light for the dark
city is failing. Blackouts are more common and
last longer. Something is seriously wrong, yet
city officials refuse to admit it. It all fits
somehow with an ancient message that warns Ember
will die and its citizens must leave. But
exactly how does one do that? Ember is Ember,
the world, there is only darkness outside of
Ember. Lina and Doon have clues, but time is
running out. What can two twelve-year-olds do
to keep their world from ending?
Recommended for 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Sci-Fi
lovers
10
Al Capone Does My Shirts
By Gennifer Choldenko
The convicts we have are the kind other prisons
dont want. I never knew prisons could be picky,
but I guess they can. You get to Alcatraz by
being the worst of the worst. Unless youre me.
I came here because my mother said I had to.
When twelve-year-old Moose Flanagan and his
family move to Alcatraz Island in 1935 Moose is
less than thrilled. His father has taken a job
as an electrician and prison guard so that
Mooses sister Natalie may attend the Esther P.
Marinoff school, a school for disabled
children. Very quickly Moose meets the other
children living on the island. Theres Theresa,
Jimmy, Annie and Piper. Piper Williams is the
wardens daughter. As soon as Moose
meets Piper he knows he has met trouble. The
kind of trouble that can get you sent off the
island. The very next day at school Piper revels
her newest scheme. Get Your Clothes Laundered
by Al Capone Laundry done by Machine Gun Kelly
and Scarface Al Cost 5 Cents Piper is selling
Alcatraz laundry services to her classmates who
do not live on Alcatraz Island. As hard as Moose
tries to avoid trouble he very quickly finds out
when you live on Alcatraz Island trouble finds
you.
Recommended for all 6th, 7th and 8th graders who
love historical fiction
11
So B. It
By Sarah Weeks
Imagine living with your mother and knowing very
little about her. Thats the way it is for
12-year-old Heidi. For 12 years Heidi and her
mother have been living in an apartment, being
looked after by their next door neighbor. Heidi
does not know her grandparents, her father, where
her mother came from, or even what her mothers
real name is. Heidis mother is mentally
disabled. She can not read and write. Her
entire vocabulary consists of only 23 words.
Thats all Heidi really knows about her mother23
words.
But there is one word that Heidi just can not
understand soof. What does it mean? The
word sticks in her brain like gum sticks to your
shoe. One day Heidi discovers a roll of
photography film that had never been developed.
It contains 24 pictures taken years
ago. Twenty-three words and 24 pictures. Its
not much to go on. Just 47 clues, but what else
can she do if she is ever going to find her past
and the secret behind soof?
Recommended for 6th, 7th and 8th grades
12
Half Moon Investigations byEoin Colfer

• Move over Encyclopedia Brown. Theres a new kid
  on the case and his name is Moon, Fletcher Moon.
  At age twelve Fletcher Moon is the youngest
  graduate of the Bob Bernstein Private Detective
  Academy and ready for a real case to come along.
  A case that pays real money. When April Deverux
  discovers a lock of pop stars hair she bought on
  e-bay is missing, the pink, preppy
  twelve-year-old hires Moon to crack the case.
• Fletcher (aka Half Moon) immediately breaks Bob
  Bernsteins 1 rule for detectives- Be
  invisible. In no time at all Half Moon finds
  himself wanted by the local police for arson and
  assault. This case is completely out of
  control, and Half Moon turns to the Sharkey
  family-a family well known for their criminal
  activity-for help.
• Theres plenty of action as Fletcher uncovers a
  growing rash of seemingly small crimes that
  appear to incriminate most of the boys at school.
  Then theres Les Jeunes Etudiantes, the
  secretive girls French club. And what about
  that plot to take over the world?

Recommended for 6th and 7th Grade Mystery Lovers
13
Maximum Ride The Angel Experiment By James
Patterson
Warning
If you dare to read this story, you become part
of the Experiment. I know that sounds a little
mysterious-but its all I can say right now.

Max
Max Ride, a 14-year old girl is the result of
modern day science. She is 2 bird with giant
wings, raptor vision and amazing strength. Max
and other members of her flock were created in
a lab by scientists who were experimenting with
genetics. While at the lab the flock is kept in
cages and subjected to painful experiments.
Suddenly, one of the the white coats frees the
flock and takes them home to live with him.
After spending two years with Jeb he suddenly
disappears and the flock has been on their own
since then. When an Eraser (a creature like them,
but with wolf DNA) shows up and kidnaps Angel the
youngest member of the flock, Max realizes its up
to the flock save Angel. But in order to rescue
Angel they need to answer some questions Why
were they made, who is hunting them and why were
they designed to be superior to all other humans?
A must read! Fantastic Sci-Fi book for 8th
Graders
14
Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie By David Lubar
Meet Scott Hudson. Scott thinks that his high
school football team is so bad they should hide a
catapult behind the offensive line or wait until
the game is over and the other team to leave the
field in order to score a point. Writing this
down was bad. Having it accidentally published
in the school paper was worse. Scott is a boy
with a missionSurvive. Hes a freshmanso long
as the football team never catches him. Being in
high school is tough, and Scott is jotting down
his survival tips as he goes. But challenges
mount. Girls he knew all his life are suddenly
beautifuland unattainable.
In fact there is a especially beautiful young
lady named Julia. To win her attention, Scott
joins every extra curricular activity she is in.
By accident, he even joins some that she does not
belong to. Before long, Scott is desperateto
keep up his grades, to meet all his deadlines,
and most important of all, to find SLEEP!
Perhaps by running for class president, a post to
which Julia aspires, he can be around her and be
noticed. Noticed would be a good thing.
Actually winning the election would be bad. Very
bad. How does one cope with being a freshman.
Scott doesnt really know the answers either.
Discover how one insecure, bully dodging
teenager, attempts the impossibleto learn how to
survive high school.
Recommended for 8th Grade (soon to be freshmen)
15
Uglies
By Scott Westerfeld
Imagine a world where everyone is drop-dead
gorgeousincluding you! Tally Youngblood lives
in such a world. All it takes is a total
make-over round of surgery and even the most
plain guy or gal can become a Pretty. But just
before Tally gets her make-over, her best friend
Shay disappears. The authorities seem to think
that its very important for Shay to get her
make-overso
important that they give Tally a choice. Find
Shay, turn her in and become a Pretty or never
become a Pretty. Tally does not know why its so
important. She does know that she will remain an
Ugly until Shay is found. And one more
thingWhere IS Shay, anyway? Tally sets out to
find her friend. Along the way she discovers
that there is something sinister about about the
Pretties. They are different somehow . . . Who
wouldnt want to be breathtakingly beautiful!
Great Sci-Fi book. Recommended for 7th and 8th
Grades
16
Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie Jordan Sonnenblick

• Steven has problems-he constantly strikes
  out with Renee Albert, the hottest girl in the
  8th grade, and his four-year-old brother Jeffrey
  is always getting into his stuff. Steven often
  has to rescue his belongings from Jeffreys
  escapades, like the infamous dangerous pie that
  Jeffrey used Stevens prized drumsticks to
  concoct. But then Jeffrey gets diagnosed with
  leukemia, and Steven finds himself trying to hold
  everything together (school, music, girls)
  while his family deals with a critically ill
  family member. As he deals with his brothers
  illness, Steven must make a heartbreaking
  decision, while facing an uncertain future.

17
Crossing the Wire Will Hobbs

• At 15, Victor is the male head of his family,
  caring for his mother, four sisters, and younger
  brother. Life as a Mexican farmer is hard, but
  this year there is no money to be made at all in
  growing corn. Victors only choice is to flee to
  El Norte, the United States. Without money for
  coyotes to help him cross the border, Victors
  journey will be extremely dangerous, but he must
  succeed to support the family he is leaving
  behind.

18
Heat Mike Lupica

• Twelve-year-old Michael Arroyo has a talent
  for baseball, a talent that could lead him to the
  Little League World Series. However, now that
  his father had died, Michael and his brother
  Carlos are the only family each other had, and if
  he attracts too much attention, he may end up in
  Family Court and separated from Carlos forever.
  As a star pitcher for the Clippers, Michael must
  struggle to keep a low profile while trying to
  make his dream come true.

19
Gossamer Lois Lowry

• At eight years old, John has seen more than
  most kids his age-enough to land him in foster
  care and to leave him with an explosive temper
  that gets him kicked out of one home after
  another. John must begin to work through his
  anger, and he could find help in an old lady, her
  dog Toby, and some magical creatures that hover
  at the very edge of our dreams.

20
Archers Quest Linda Sue Parks

• Except for math, Kevin has never been a
  great student, and he sure doesnt care for
  homework, especially social studies. Thats why
  its such a shock when a real-life social studies
  project appears in his bedroom after school one
  day-Chu-mong Koh, a prince of an ancient Korean
  kingdom, shooting arrows and showing great
  displeasure at Kevins lack of respect for his
  elders. Kevin has a lot of learning to do, and
  as he discovers more about Chu-mong and his
  Korean heritage, Kevin must solve one big
  problem-now that Chu-mong is here, how does he
  get back to where he came from?

21
Crooked River Shelley Pearsall

• Life is hard enough for thirteen-year-old
  Rebecca Carver, living in the Ohio Territory
  wilderness in 1812 with her verbally abusive
  father and cooking with her sister everyday for
  three brothers. But, when Pa goes on a raid to
  take revenge on the killers of a white family, he
  brings home a prisoner-an Indian who will be
  tired and hanged for the murders. Now, Rebecca
  has to make some decisions for herself about the
  stranger being kept prisoner in her house-does
  Indian John deserve to die?

22
Revenge of the WitchThe Last Apprentice Joseph
Delany

• Tom Ward is the seventh son of a seventh
  son, so there are not jobs left for his father to
  get for him-except an apprenticeship to the Spook
  of the County. Because of his birth order, Tom
  has a special ability-he can see and talk with
  the dead, and now he will begin training for the
  job of keeping others safe from the dangers of
  the night.

23
Shakespeares SecretElise Broach

• Hero Netherfield is used to new schools-her
  family has moved around her whole life to follow
  her fathers Shakespeare career. But every town
  is the same-Hero never measures up to her
  beautiful, popular sister Beatrice. After a
  rough start to sixth grade, Hero finds comfort in
  visiting her new neighbor Mrs. Roth, who tells
  her about the mystery surrounding an ancient
  diamond supposedly hidden in Heros new home-with
  the help of the school bad boy Danny Cordova and
  some carefully hidden clues about the real
  William Shakespeare, Hero may be able to uncover
  the mystery of the diamond-and a little about
  herself, too.

24
Perfect Natasha Friend

• Thirteen-year-old Isabelle doesnt like anything
  about herself, and she ends up in group therapy
  when her little sister April, otherwise known as
  Ape Face, rats Isabelle out to their mother.
  Isabelle is shocked to find that the most popular
  girl in the eighth grade, Ashley Barnum, is also
  in Group. Can Isabelle find a friend in Ashley?
  Will she have the strength to overcome her
  illness?

25
Peak
By Roland Smith
14- year old Peak is a loner who knows how to
plan for all the risks he takes. And what risks!
He has already climbed five sky-scrapers in New
York Cityby scaling up the outside. But this
over confident young man is about to find out
that one cant plan for everything. Arrested for
his illegal climbing activities, Peak risks
losing 3 and a half years of his life to juvenile
detention, when he gets a break---move to live
with his mountaineer expedition organizer dad
hes never met.
When his father offers him the chance to be the
youngest person to summit Everest, Peak leaps at
the opportunity, despite knowing his father is
less than honest about his motive for Peaks
summit. Peak is on a journey. From NYC
sky-scrapers to the tallest mountain on Earth, he
will learn the lessons of character, friendship,
leadership, and responsibility. These things
that separate those who think they are grown up
and those who really are.
Recommended for 6th, 7th and 8th Grades