Recommended Books for Middle School Students (Grades 6–8)

This reading list includes age-appropriate books for students ages 11–14, with an emphasis on social-emotional learning (SEL), bullying prevention, friendship, identity, confidence, resilience, diversity, and mental health.

These recommendations are particularly useful for a middle school student book club, classroom library, or independent reading recommendations.

1. Social-Emotional Learning, Friendship & Bullying

1. Wonder — R. J. Palacio

• Grades 5–8 • Kindness, empathy, bullying

• A boy with facial differences enters school and learns about friendship, acceptance, and the power of kindness.

2. Restart — Gordon Korman

• Grades 5–8 • Accountability, second chances

• A former bully loses his memory and gets an opportunity to redefine who he is.

3. Fish in a Tree — Lynda Mullaly Hunt

• Grades 5–8 • Learning differences, self-esteem

• A student struggling with dyslexia discovers her strengths with encouragement from a supportive teacher.

4. The Misfits — James Howe

• Grades 6–8 • Bullying, belonging, identity

• Four students who feel like outsiders challenge hurtful labels and advocate for respect.

5. Front Desk — Kelly Yang

• Grades 5–8 • Empathy, courage, discrimination

• A young girl helping manage a motel navigates financial hardship, injustice, and friendships while finding her voice.

2. Identity, Diversity & Belonging

6. New Kid — Jerry Craft

• Grades 6–8 • Diversity, fitting in, friendship

• A seventh grader navigates being one of the few students of color at a prestigious private school.

7. The Crossover — Kwame Alexander

• Grades 6–8 • Family, basketball, emotions

• Twin brothers navigate basketball, family relationships, jealousy, and loss through a novel written in verse.

8. Amina's Voice — Hena Khan

• Grades 5–7 • Culture, identity, confidence

• A Pakistani American girl navigates middle school friendships while learning to embrace her identity.

9. Ghost — Jason Reynolds

• Grades 6–8 • Self-control, trauma, perseverance

• A talented young runner learns to manage his anger, confront his past, and develop discipline.

10. Other Words for Home — Jasmine Warga

• Grades 6–8 • Immigration, belonging, courage

• A Syrian girl adjusts to life in America while navigating language barriers, identity, and friendships.

3. Mental Health, Confidence & Resilience

11. The Science of Breakable Things — Tae Keller

• Grades 6–8 • Depression in families, hope

• A student uses a science competition as an opportunity to understand and help her mother, who is experiencing depression.

12. The Benefits of Being an Octopus — Ann Braden

• Grades 7–8 • Poverty, self-advocacy, family stress

• A seventh grader discovers her voice while navigating poverty, family responsibilities, and difficult relationships.

13. Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus — Dusti Bowling

• Grades 5–8 • Disability, confidence, friendship

• A girl born without arms builds friendships and learns to navigate a new school.

14. The Goldfish Boy — Lisa Thompson

• Grades 6–8 • Anxiety, OCD, courage

• A young boy managing obsessive-compulsive disorder finds himself involved in solving a neighborhood mystery.

15. El Deafo — Cece Bell

• Grades 5–7 • Disability awareness, friendship

• A graphic memoir about hearing loss, confidence, and finding genuine friendships.

4. Additional Recommended Titles

• 16. Harbor Me, by Jacqueline Woodson

  • • Trust, empathy, student voices

• 17. Save Me a Seat, by Sarah Weeks & Gita Varadarajan

  • • Bullying, friendship, cultural understanding

• 18. Hello, Universe, by Erin Entrada Kelly

  • • Courage, self-acceptance, friendship

• 19. The First Rule of Punk, by Celia C. Pérez

  • • Identity, individuality, belonging

• 20. Free Lunch, byRex Ogle

  • • Poverty, dignity, resilience

• 21. Real Friends, by Shannon Hale

  • • Peer relationships, exclusion, anxiety

• 22. Starfish, by Lisa Fipps

  • • Body image, bullying, self-acceptance

• 23. Posted, by John David Anderson

  • • Hurtful messages, social dynamics, accountability

• 24. The Stars Beneath Our Feet, by David Barclay Moore

  • • Grief, creativity, resilience

Best Books for a Middle School Counseling Book Club

For a grades 6–8 group, I would start with these five titles:

1. Wonder — Empathy and kindness

2. Restart — Bullying, accountability, and second chances

3. New Kid — Diversity, identity, and belonging

4. Ghost — Managing emotions and building resilience

5. Real Friends — Navigating friendships and social exclusion