Middle School

Banner Image: "Beth Aleph" by Morris Louis, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

These reading lists, organized by grade level, represent recently published books that celebrate Jewish-American heritage, affirm identity, and promote cultural awareness. Sharing these books is one part of our effort to develop a diverse consciousness with and for our youth and ensure they know they are not alone, and that they can speak out to help stop the spread of bigotry.

Alma Presses Playby Tina Cane





A Ceiling Made of Eggshellsby Gail Carson Levine

The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtainby Eugene Yelchin





The Ghosts of Rose Hillby R.M. Romero

The Lost Ryuby Emi Watanabe Cohen


Lucky Broken Girlby Ruth Behar

No Vacancyby Tziporah Cohen

Not Your All-American Girlby Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang
The Summer of Lost Lettersby Hannah Reynolds


Turtle Boyby M. Evan Wolkenstein


The Way Backby Gavriel Savit

Welcome Back, Maple Mehta-Cohen

by Kate McGovern

How do I read these books?

Many of these books are available through Berkeley school libraries as a physical and/or ebook. For more information about any of these books, or to check one of them out, ask your school librarian.

For more information and instructions on accessing ebooks and audiobooks, visit our Digital Books page.

At a time when so many small businesses are struggling to keep their doors open, we also encourage folks to support our local bookstores: 

Ashay by the Bay, Bandung Books, Eastwind Books, Marcus Books, Moe’s Books, Mr. Mopps, Books Inc., Pegasus Books and Mrs. Dalloways.