2015 Best Books – Middle School

Here are my picks for the best middle school level books of the last five years.

Key
🏰Fantasy

📆Historical

🌍Realistic

👻Spooky

😅Funny

🌟Award Winner

❤️My Fave

Middle School (6-8) – Independent readers.

They no longer need illustrations to keep their attention or draw them in, and they are less likely to share what they are reading with you. Their reading vocabulary has expanded enormously and their comprehension no longer relies on questions. Stories should move quickly to keep their interest and they will become easily frustrated with main characters they can’t see themselves in. They are unlikely to be interested in literary or thematic experimentation, but they will enjoy more serious themes and situations.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. Catherynne M. Valente. 2011.

September hitches a ride on the wind out her kitchen window and into a new world.

🏰❤️

The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place. (featured image) Julie Berry. 2014.

Sure, the girls could report the mysterious murders, but that wouldn’t be as fun, would it?

📆👻

Brown Girl Dreaming. Jacqueline Woodson. 2014.

Jackie tells the story of how she became who she wanted to be despite all the odds.

📆🌍🌟

Museum of Thieves. Lian Tanner. 2010.

Goldie runs away and discovers her seemingly perfect city has a dark side hidden in a museum.

🏰

Ranger’s Apprentice series. John Flanagan. Book 12 released 2013.

The story of Will’s training to become a Royal Ranger, protector of the kingdom and its people.

🏰

The Kane Chronicles Book 1: The Red Pyramid. Rick Riordan. 2010.

Sadie and Carter face down angry Egyptian gods in a battle to save the world.

🏰

W.A.R.P. Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin. Eoin Colfer. 2013.

It’s not Riley’s fault he’s an assassin, but he’s in real trouble when he accidentally time travels.

🏰📆

Monstrous. MarcyKate Connolley. 2015.

Kym’s father created her from human and animal parts to save Bryre, but is she just a monster?

🏰👻❤️

All The Wrong Questions series. Lemony Snicket. 2012.

For anyone who didn’t want SOUE to end, Snicket himself recounts his childhood in the VFD.

🌍😅

The Menagerie. Tui Sutherland. 2013.

Logan discovers a refuge for mythical creatures that aren’t so mythical after all and must protect them.

🏰

N.E.R.D.S. Book 1: National Rescue, Espionage, and Defense Society. Michael Buckley. Book 5 released 2013.

They might look like outcasts, but they’re actually inside agents, running a spy network in school.

🌍😅

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. Chris Grabenstein. 2013.

In a competition for the prize of a lifetime, Kyle must battle his way out of the new library.

🌍

The Crossover. Kwame Alexander. 2015.

Josh and Jordan are both basketball stars, but they aren’t so good at being brothers.

🌍🌟

The Cabinet of Curiosities: 36 Tales Brief & Sinister. Collection. 2014.

A collection of short stories from twisted minds that are sure to leave you shivering.

🏰👻