6-8 Grade Books
6th Grade
Stella Diaz Has Something to Say by Angela Dominguez. Stella Diaz loves marine animals, especially her betta fish, Pancho. But Stella Diaz is not a betta fish. Betta fish like to be alone, while Stella loves spending time with her mom and brother and her best friend Jenny. Trouble is, Jenny is in another class this year, and Stella feels very lonely. Fiction.
Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes. A series of poems describes all the baffling changes at home and at school in twelve-year-old Joylin's transition from tomboy basketball player to not-quite-girly girl. Poetry.
Front Desk by Kelly Yang. The story of a young Chinese immigrant girl who struggles to acclimate to American culture and her role as a front desk manager at the motel she lives in. Fiction.
Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes. Paloma Marquez is traveling to Mexico City, birthplace of her deceased father, for the very first time. She's hoping that spending time in Mexico will help her unlock memories of the too-brief time they spent together. While in Mexico, Paloma meets Lizzie and Gael, who present her with an irresistible challenge: The siblings want her to help them find a valuable ring that once belonged to beloved Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Fiction.
Real Friends by Shannon Hale and illustrated by LeUyem Pham. The graphic memoir of Shannon Hale in which she reflects on her childhood friendships. Graphic Memoir.
The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste. Eleven-year-old Corinne must call on her courage and an ancient magic to stop an evil spirit and save her island home. Fiction. Series.
7th Grade
What Would She Do? 25 True Stories of Trailblazing Rebel Women by Kay Woodward. Profiles twenty-five female trailblazers who overcame huge obstacles, including Catherine the Great, Zaha Hadid, and Valentina Tereshkova. Nonfiction.
The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson. Twelve-year-old Candice Miller is spending the summer in Lambert, South Carolina, in the old house that belonged to her grandmother, who died after being dismissed as city manager for having the city tennis courts dug up looking for buried treasure--but when she finds the letter that sent her grandmother on the treasure hunt, she finds herself caught up in the mystery and, with the help of her new friend and fellow book-worm, Brandon, she sets out to find the inheritance, exonerate her grandmother, and expose an injustice once committed against an African American family in Lambert. Fiction.
Ghost by Jason Reynolds. Ghost, a naturally talented runner and troublemaker, is recruited for an elite middle school track team. He must stay on track, literally and figuratively, to reach his full potential. Fiction. Series.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. An epic fantasy about a young girl raised by a witch, a swamp monster, and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, who must unlock the powerful magic buried deep inside her. Fiction.
8th Grade
American Panda by Gloria Chao. A freshman at MIT, seventeen-year-old Mei Lu tries to live up to her Taiwanese parents' expectations, but no amount of tradition, obligation, or guilt prevent her from hiding several truths--that she is a germaphobe who cannot become a doctor, she prefers dancing to biology, she decides to reconnect with her estranged older brother, and she is dating a Japanese boy. Fiction.
Amina's Voice by Hena Khan. A Pakistani-American Muslim girl struggles to stay true to her family's vibrant culture while simultaneously blending in at school after tragedy strikes her community. Fiction.
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya. Tells the story of Arturo, who is looking forward to a relaxing summer until Carmen, a cute and funny girl moves into his apartment complex and while he deals with his stomach turning into a deep fryer over a girl, a smarmy land developer rolls into town and threatens to change it. Fiction.
One Last Word by Nikki Grimes. In this collection of poetry, Nikki Grimes looks afresh at the poets of the Harlem Renaissance -- including voices like Langston Hughes, Georgia Douglas Johnson, and many more writers of importance and resonance from this era -- by combining their work with her own original poetry. Fiction.