8th grade homework

Free Worksheets for Eighth Grade

First, start with our printables page , where you'll find lots of worksheets organized by topic. Take a look at Eighth-Grade Math, Science, Language Arts and Social Studies (scroll down to find eighth grade).

Try our quiz: What Your Eighth-Grader Should Know

Be sure to visit our homeschool page , where you'll find great articles and other free resources on homeschooling.

Also, we have Subject Toolkits for Homeschoolers in reading, math, and history!

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Reading Worksheets, Spelling, Grammar, Comprehension, Lesson Plans

8th Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets

The reading comprehension passages below include 8th grade appropriate reading passages and related questions. Please use any of the printable worksheets (you may duplicate them) in your classroom or at home. Just click on the worksheet title to view details about the PDF and print or download to your computer.

Be sure to check out all of our reading comprehension worksheets .

Analyzing O! Pioneers

A passage from the classic novel “O! Pioneers” is the focus of this worksheet on citing text examples.

Character Development in The Tell-Tale Heart

This worksheet uses Poe’s classic, “The Tell-Tale Heart” to help the student analyze aspects of a character.

Evaluating Text: My Life

In this worksheet, your student will assess a premise in Helen Keller’s autobiography, My Life.

Finding Text Evidence: Frederick Douglass

Your student will look for textual evidence in Frederick Douglass’ autobiography in this worksheet.

How Do I Love Thee? Supporting Ideas

Citing text examples is the focus of this poetry worksheet of Browning’s “How Do I Love Thee?”

Literature About Chicago: Prose vs. Poetry

It’s prose vs. poetry in this worksheet on literature about Chicago.

Shakespeare’s Language: What’s the Meaning?

Your student will determine the meaning of some of the words and phrases from a soliloquy from Shakespeare’s As You Like It.

Summarize It: President Theodore Roosevelt’s Message

In this worksheet, your student will summarize part of President Theodore Roosevelt’s message to Congress about conservation.

The Ransom of Red Chief

Your student will examine the use of irony in this classic humorous short story.

What’s the Purpose? FDR’s Pearl Harbor Speech

Your student will explore the purpose of President Franklin Roosevelt’s speech on the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Chess (Gr. 1-4)
TV (Gr. 1-4)
Metal Detectors (Gr. 2-6)
Tetris (Gr. 2-6)
Seat Belts (Gr. 2-6)
The Coliseum (Gr. 2-6)
The Pony Express (Gr. 2-6)
Wintertime (Gr. 2-6)
Reading (Gr. 3-7)
Black Friday (Gr. 3-7)
Hummingbirds (Gr. 3-7)
Worst Game Ever? (Gr. 4-8)
Carnivorous Plants (Gr. 4-8)
Google (Gr. 4-8)
Honey Badgers (Gr. 4-8)
Hyperinflation (Gr. 4-8)
Koko (Gr. 4-8)
Mongooses (Gr. 5-9)
Trampolines (Gr. 5-9)
Garbage (Gr. 5-9)
Maginot Line (Gr. 5-9)
Asian Carp (Gr. 5-9)
Tale of Two Countries (Gr. 6-10)
Kevlar (Gr. 7-10)
Tigers (Gr. 7-11)
Statue of Liberty (Gr. 8-10)
Submarines (Gr. 8-12)
Castles (Gr. 9-13)
Gutenberg (Gr. 9-13)
Author's Purpose Practice 1
Author's Purpose Practice 2
Author's Purpose Practice 3
Fact and Opinion Practice 1
Fact and Opinion Practice 2
Fact and Opinion Practice 3
Idioms Practice Test 1
Idioms Practice Test 2
Figurative Language Practice 1
Figurative Language Practice 2
Figurative Language Practice 3
Figurative Language Practice 4
Figurative Language Practice 5
Figurative Language Practice 6
Figurative Language Practice 7
Figurative Language Practice 8
Figurative Language Practice 9
Figurative Language of Edgar Allan Poe
Figurative Language of O. Henry
Figurative Language of Shakespeare
Genre Practice 1
Genre Practice 2
Genre Practice 3
Genre Practice 4
Genre Practice 5
Genre Practice 6
Genre Practice 7
Genre Practice 8
Genre Practice 9
Genre Practice 10
Irony Practice 1
Irony Practice 2
Irony Practice 3
Making Inferences Practice 1
Making Inferences Practice 2
Making Inferences Practice 3
Making Inferences Practice 4
Making Inferences Practice 5
Main Idea Practice 1
Main Idea Practice 2
Point of View Practice 1
Point of View Practice 2
Text Structure Practice 1
Text Structure Practice 2
Text Structure Practice 3
Text Structure Practice 4
Text Structure Practice 5
Story Structure Practice 1
Story Structure Practice 2
Story Structure Practice 3
Author's Purpose
Characterizations
Context Clues
Fact and Opinion
Figurative Language
Grammar and Language Arts
Poetic Devices
Point of View
Predictions
Reading Comprehension
Story Structure

Summarizing

Text structure.

Character Traits
Common Core Aligned Unit Plans
Teacher Point of View
Teaching Theme
Patterns of Organization
Project Ideas
Reading Activities
How to Write Narrative Essays
How to Write Persuasive Essays
Narrative Essay Assignments
Narrative Essay Topics
Persuasive Essay Topics
Research Paper Topics
Rubrics for Writing Assignments
Learn About Sentence Structure
Grammar Worksheets
Noun Worksheets
Parts of Speech Worksheets
Punctuation Worksheets
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Verbs and Gerunds
Examples of Allitertion
Examples of Hyperbole
Examples of Onomatopoeia
Examples of Metaphor
Examples of Personification
Examples of Simile
Figurative Language Activities
Figurative Language Examples
Figurative Language Poems
Figurative Language Worksheets
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Idiom Worksheets
Online Figurative Language Tests
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Free reading worksheets, activities, and lesson plans., site navigation.

Learn About Author’s Purpose
Author’s Purpose Quizzes
Character Types Worksheets and Lessons
List of Character Traits
Differentiated Reading Instruction Worksheets and Activities
Fact and Opinion Worksheets
Irony Worksheets
Animal Farm Worksheets
Literary Conflicts Lesson and Review
New Home Page Test
Lord of the Flies Chapter 2 Worksheet
Lord of the Flies Chapter 5 Worksheet
Lord of the Flies Chapter 6 Worksheet
Lord of the Flies Chapter 10 Worksheet
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Sister Carrie
The Count of Monte Cristo
The Odyssey
The War of the Worlds
The Wizard of Oz
Mood Worksheets
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Nonfiction Passages and Functional Texts
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Short Stories with Questions
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Story Structure Worksheets
Tone Worksheets
Types of Conflict Worksheets
Reading Games
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Simile and Metaphor Worksheets
Simile Worksheets
Hyperbole Examples
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Alliteration Examples
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Genre Worksheets
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Double Negative Worksheets
Homophones & Word Choice Worksheets
‘Was’ or ‘Were’
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End Mark Worksheets
Noun Worksheets, Lessons, and Tests
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8th Grade Reading Worksheets

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8th grade students are a special bunch. They often behave as though they are too cool for school, yet they keep coming back. Ha ha. We love them. This page has all of my reading worksheets that were written at or around the 8th grade level. I've used this website to determine the reading scores, but you'll want to read and approve each of these worksheets before giving them to your students. I've worked hard to produce the following materials and make them available to you. I hope that these resources help your students reach your learning goals.

Reading Comprehension Worksheets

“The Hydrophobic Skunk” | By Irvin S. Cobb - Cobb takes readers on a snipe hunt in this short, witty tale. Students should appreciate the humorous plot movements so much, that they may not even get hung up on the bits of dialect. View my readibility scores . “The Hydrophobic Skunk” | By Irvin S. Cobb | RTF “The Hydrophobic Skunk” | By Irvin S. Cobb | PDF “The Hydrophobic Skunk” | By Irvin S. Cobb | Preview “The Hydrophobic Skunk” | By Irvin S. Cobb | Answers “The Hydrophobic Skunk” | By Irvin S. Cobb | Ereading Worksheet

Context Clues 2.5 - This worksheet has another 12 context clues problems. Students determine the meanings of the bolded words based on the context, and then explain their answers. View my readibility scores . Context Clues 2.5 | RTF Context Clues 2.5 | PDF Context Clues 2.5 | Preview Context Clues 2.5 | Answers

Context Clues 3.1 - This worksheet will help students sharpen their vocabulary skills with 12 challenging practice problems. Determine the meaning of challenging vocabulary words based on contextual clues and explain your answer. View my readibility scores . Context Clues 3.1 | RTF Context Clues 3.1 | PDF Context Clues 3.1 | Preview Context Clues 3.1 | Answers

Context Clues 3.2 - This worksheet will give students practice with challenging vocabulary words. They will figure out what the words mean based on how they are used and then explain their answers. View my readibility scores . Context Clues 3.2 | RTF Context Clues 3.2 | PDF Context Clues 3.2 | Preview Context Clues 3.2 | Answers

Context Clues 3.3 - This worksheet will give students even more practice with context clues. Students will determine the meanings of 12 more challenging vocabulary words and explain their answers. View my readibility scores . Context Clues 3.3 | RTF Context Clues 3.3 | PDF Context Clues 3.3 | Preview Context Clues 3.3 | Answers

Context Clues 3.4 - This worksheet features another 12 tricky vocabulary words used in context-rich sentences. Students determine the meanings of the words and explain their answers. View my readibility scores . Context Clues 3.4 | RTF Context Clues 3.4 | PDF Context Clues 3.4 | Preview Context Clues 3.4 | Answers

Figurative Language Poem | "The Grave" - This wry Robert Blair poems contains some great examples of personification and metaphor. Students read the poem and answer questions about figurative language and poetic techniques used in the poem. View my readibility scores . Figurative Language Poem | "The Grave" | RTF Figurative Language Poem | "The Grave" | PDF Figurative Language Poem | "The Grave" | Preview Figurative Language Poem | "The Grave" | Answers

Figurative Language Poem | "X" and "XXI" - This figurative language worksheet focuses on two short poem excerpts from Emily Dickinson. These are great poems that promote literacy and also have a bunch of metaphors. Students read the poems and answer questions about figurative language and poetic techniques. View my readibility scores . Figurative Language Poem | "X" and "XXI" | RTF Figurative Language Poem | "X" and "XXI" | PDF Figurative Language Poem | "X" and "XXI" | Preview Figurative Language Poem | "X" and "XXI" | Answers

Figurative Language Poem | "A Lady" - Amy Lowell's interesting poem focuses on an interaction between a young woman and an old woman. It contains metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and simile. Students read the poem and answer questions about figurative language techniques and poetic devices. View my readibility scores . Figurative Language Poem | "A Lady" | RTF Figurative Language Poem | "A Lady" | PDF Figurative Language Poem | "A Lady" | Preview Figurative Language Poem | "A Lady" | Answers

Figurative Language Worksheet | Shakespeare - If you've never heard of William Shakespeare, he wrote sonnets and plays. Ha ha. Just joking. Of course you've heard of William Shakespeare. This four page worksheet has 23 figurative language examples taken from some of the master's texts. Students read each example, determine the technique being used, and explain their answers. View my readibility scores . Figurative Language Worksheet | Shakespeare | RTF Figurative Language Worksheet | Shakespeare | PDF Figurative Language Worksheet | Shakespeare | Preview Figurative Language Worksheet | Shakespeare | Answers Figurative Language Worksheet | Shakespeare | Ereading Worksheet

Personification Worksheet 6 - This worksheet features another 10 examples of personification from classic poems. Students find the object or idea that is being personified in each example and then explain the quality or trait that is given. View my readibility scores . Personification Worksheet 6 | RTF Personification Worksheet 6 | PDF Personification Worksheet 6 | Preview Personification Worksheet 6 | Answers

Personification Worksheet 7 - This worksheet features 10 more poetic examples of personification. Students identify what is being personified and then explain the human quality or trait that is given. View my readibility scores . Personification Worksheet 7 | RTF Personification Worksheet 7 | PDF Personification Worksheet 7 | Preview Personification Worksheet 7 | Answers

Genre Worksheet 3 - This worksheet contains another 8 problems that will help students master genre. Based on short descriptions of texts, students must determine the genre and subgenre of a variety of works. They also must explain their answers. View my readibility scores . Genre Worksheet 3 | RTF Genre Worksheet 3 | PDF Genre Worksheet 3 | Preview Genre Worksheet 3 | Answers Genre Worksheet 3 | Ereading Worksheet

Genre Worksheet 4 - This worksheet has 9 problems to help students become genre experts. Students read short descriptions of texts and determine the genre and subgenre based on textual details. Then they explain their answers. View my readibility scores . Genre Worksheet 4 | RTF Genre Worksheet 4 | PDF Genre Worksheet 4 | Preview Genre Worksheet 4 | Answers Genre Worksheet 4 | Ereading Worksheet

Genre Worksheet 6 - This worksheet has 8 short descriptions of texts. Students read these descriptions and determine the genre and subgenre of each text. Then they explain their answers. View my readibility scores . Genre Worksheet 6 | RTF Genre Worksheet 6 | PDF Genre Worksheet 6 | Preview Genre Worksheet 6 | Answers Genre Worksheet 6 | Ereading Worksheet

Genre Worksheet 9 - This worksheet has 9 more descriptions of texts. Students read each description and determine the genre and subgenre of the text. Then they explain their answers. View my readibility scores . Genre Worksheet 9 | RTF Genre Worksheet 9 | PDF Genre Worksheet 9 | Preview Genre Worksheet 9 | Answers Genre Worksheet 9 | Ereading Worksheet

Main Idea, Text Structure, and Valentine's Day - This worksheet has six passages related to Valentine's Day. Students read the passages, interpret the main ideas, express the main ideas as a title, and represent the text structures using graphic organizers. View my readibility scores . Main Idea, Text Structure, and Valentine's Day | RTF Main Idea, Text Structure, and Valentine's Day | PDF Main Idea, Text Structure, and Valentine's Day | Preview Main Idea, Text Structure, and Valentine's Day | Answers

Main Idea and Text Structure Worksheet | Robots - Students read six paragraphs about robots and identify and express the main idea of each. Then they write a title for the passage that expresses the main idea of the text, and create a graphic organizer that represents the structure of text. View my readibility scores . Main Idea and Text Structure Worksheet | Robots | RTF Main Idea and Text Structure Worksheet | Robots | PDF Main Idea and Text Structure Worksheet | Robots | Preview Main Idea and Text Structure Worksheet | Robots | Answers

Main Idea and Text Structure Worksheet | Bicycles - Students will have a "wheelie" good time completing this 6 question text structure and main idea worksheet. Students read each passage, identify and explain the main idea, create a title related to the main idea, and draw and use an appropriate graphic organizer to contain information from the text. View my readibility scores . Main Idea and Text Structure Worksheet | Bicycles | RTF Main Idea and Text Structure Worksheet | Bicycles | PDF Main Idea and Text Structure Worksheet | Bicycles | Preview Main Idea and Text Structure Worksheet | Bicycles | Answers

Point of View Worksheet 4 - This worksheet has 9 passages taken from short stories. Students read the passages, determine the narrator's view point, and explain their answers. View my readibility scores . Point of View Worksheet 4 | RTF Point of View Worksheet 4 | PDF Point of View Worksheet 4 | Preview Point of View Worksheet 4 | Answers Point of View Worksheet 4 | Ereading Worksheet

Story Structure Worksheet | "The Way of the World" - Students read a short story about an old-school businessman who must learn to adapt to the new world. Then they analyze the story structure and answer questions related to the plot. View my readibility scores . Story Structure Worksheet | "The Way of the World" | RTF Story Structure Worksheet | "The Way of the World" | PDF Story Structure Worksheet | "The Way of the World" | Preview Story Structure Worksheet | "The Way of the World" | Answers

Summary and Main Idea with Trains - Students read four short passages related to trains. Then they summarize each passage and come up with a title related to the main idea of the passage. View my readibility scores . Summary and Main Idea with Trains | RTF Summary and Main Idea with Trains | PDF Summary and Main Idea with Trains | Preview Summary and Main Idea with Trains | Answers

Text Structure Worksheet 1 - This worksheet contains six passages, each structured using a different pattern of organization. Students read each passage, determine how it is structured, and add information from the passage into the appropriate graphic organizer. View my readibility scores . Text Structure Worksheet 1 | RTF Text Structure Worksheet 1 | PDF Text Structure Worksheet 1 | Preview Text Structure Worksheet 1 | Answers Text Structure Worksheet 1 | Ereading Worksheet

Text Structure Worksheet | Natural Disasters - This worksheet has 11 passages about tornados, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. Students determine the structure of each text and put information from the passage into the appropriate graphic organizer. View my readibility scores . Text Structure Worksheet | Natural Disasters | RTF Text Structure Worksheet | Natural Disasters | PDF Text Structure Worksheet | Natural Disasters | Preview Text Structure Worksheet | Natural Disasters | Answers Text Structure Worksheet | Natural Disasters | Ereading Worksheet

Text Structure Worksheet | Fireworks - Students will have an explosive time completing this text structure worksheet. They read 11 passages about fireworks, determine the structure of each, and create a graphic organizer that contains important information from the passage. View my readibility scores . Text Structure Worksheet | Fireworks | RTF Text Structure Worksheet | Fireworks | PDF Text Structure Worksheet | Fireworks | Preview Text Structure Worksheet | Fireworks | Answers

Tone Worksheet 2 - This worksheet has another four emotive poems. Students identify the speaker's tone and support their answers by referring to the text. View my readibility scores . Tone Worksheet 2 | RTF Tone Worksheet 2 | PDF Tone Worksheet 2 | Preview Tone Worksheet 2 | Answers

8th grade students are remarkable. What would the future of our world look like without them? It'd be a lot less bright. I hope this collection of worksheets and activities written at or around the 8th grade level will help you to better serve your students. I appreciate all comments, corrections, feedback, and suggestions. The easiest way to contact me is just to leave a comment below. Thanks for visiting!

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All Reading Worksheets and Activities Author's Purpose Worksheets and Activities Characterization Worksheets and Activities Character Types Worksheets and Lessons Context Clues Worksheets Conflict Types Worksheets Differentiated Reading Instruction Worksheets and Activities Fact and Opinion Worksheets and Activities Functional and Nonfiction Comprehension Worksheets Activities Genre Activities Genre Worksheets Inferences Worksheets and Activities Irony Worksheets and Activities Literature Units Main Idea Worksheets and Activities Making Predictions Worksheets Point of View Activities Point of View Worksheets Reading Comprehension Worksheets Summary Worksheets and Activities Story Structure Worksheets Story Structure Activities Text Structure Activities Text Structure Worksheets Theme Worksheets and Activities

Online Reading Activities: Complete on phones, tablets, or computers. Print, save, or email results as a PDF.

Chess | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 1-4) TV | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 1-4) Metal Detectors | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 2-6) Tetris | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 2-6) Seat Belts | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 2-6) The Coliseum | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 2-6) The Pony Express | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 2-6) Wintertime | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 2-6) Reading | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 3-7) Black Friday | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 3-7) Hummingbirds | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 3-7) Worst Game Ever? | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 4-8) Carnivorous Plants | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 4-8) Google | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 4-8) Honey Badgers | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 4-8) Hyperinflation | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 4-8) Koko | Nonfiction Reading Test Ereading Worksheet (Gr. 4-8) Mongooses | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 5-9) Trampolines | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 5-9) Garbage | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 5-9) Maginot Line | Nonfiction Reading Test Ereading Worksheet (Gr. 5-9) Asian Carp | Nonfiction Reading Test Ereading Worksheet (Gr. 5-9) A Tale of Two Countries | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 6-10) Kevlar | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 7-10) Tigers | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 7-11) Statue of Liberty | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 8-10) Submarines | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 8-12) Castles | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 9-13) Gutenberg | Nonfiction Reading Test (Gr. 9-13) Author's Purpose Practice 1 Author's Purpose Practice 2 Author's Purpose Practice 3 Author's Purpose Practice 4 Author's Purpose Practice 5 Author's Purpose Practice 6 Fact and Opinion Practice 1 Fact and Opinion Practice 2 Fact and Opinion Practice 3 Idioms Practice Test 1 With Long Responses Idioms Practice Test 2 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 1 Figurative Language Practice 1 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 2 Figurative Language Practice 2 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 3 Figurative Language Practice 3 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 4 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 5 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 6 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 7 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 8 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice 9 With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice | Edgar Allan Poe Figurative Language Practice | Edgar Allan Poe With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice | O. Henry Figurative Language Practice | O. Henry With Long Responses Figurative Language Practice | Shakespeare Genre and Subgenre Practice 1 Genre and Subgenre Practice 2 Genre and Subgenre Practice 3 Genre and Subgenre Practice 4 View More Genre and Subgenre Practice Tests Irony Practice 1 Irony Practice 2 Irony Practice 3 Making Inferences Practice 2 Main Idea Practice 1 Main Idea Practice 2 Point of View Practice 1 | Multiple Choice Only Point of View Practice 1 | With Long Responses Point of View Practice 2 | Multiple Choice Only Point of View Practice 2 | With Long Responses Text Structure Practice 1 Text Structure Practice 2 Text Structure Practice 3 Text Structure Practice 4 Text Structure Practice 5 Story Structure Practice 1

Examples of Alliteration Examples of Figurative Language Examples of Hyperbole Examples of Metaphor Examples of Onomatopoeia Examples of Personification Examples of Simile Figurative Language Activities Figurative Language Poems With Questions Figurative Language Worksheets Idiom Worksheets Onomatopoeia Worksheets and Activities Personification Worksheets Poetic Devices Activities Poetic Devices Worksheets

Adverbs and Adjectives Worksheets and Activities Capitalization Worksheets and Activities Comma Worksheets and Activities Contractions Worksheets and Activities End Mark Worksheets Grammar Worksheets Homograph, Homonym, and Homophone Worksheets and Activities Noun Worksheets Parts of Speech Activities Parts of Speech Worksheets Prepositions Worksheets and Activities Pronoun Worksheets and Activities Punctuation Worksheets and Activities Semicolon Worksheets Sentence Structure Activities Sentence Structure Worksheets Verb Tense Activities Verb Tense Worksheets Verb Worksheets and Activities Was and Were Worksheets and Activities

Essay Writing Rubrics Narrative Essay Assignments Narrative Essay Topics and Story Ideas How to Write Narrative Essays and Short Stories Persuasive Essay and Speech Topics Persuasive Essay Worksheets Research Paper Topics Writing Persuasive Essays

Author's Purpose Figurative Language How to Identify Figurative Language Techniques Ideas for Projects List of Character Traits Literary Genres and Subgenres Poetic Devices Point of View Sentence Structure Story Structure Teaching Point of View Teaching Theme Text Structure Text Structure | Patterns of Organization Understanding Common Core State Standards Units and Lesson Plans Aligned With Common Core State Standards

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57 Comments

Josephine amos.

This website has been so helpful for many of my students and I am so thankful. The resources have helped in vocabulary, creative writing and comprehension! Thank you so much!

Rouena M. Bonilla

Thank you so much for the reading materials I accessed from your website. This could be a great help for my learners struggling in reading comprehension.

Nice for students

Just found this site, and I, too, am amazed at the quality and generosity. Thank you!!!

Marissa C. Cabanela

This site is a useful source for my reading activities for students. I have to share this with my colleagues.

Miss, I am a new teacher starlight out of senior high teaching grades 7-9 reading. It would be of great help to me if you could please post the answers to these question so I can use them for guidance. I am working with a bunch of slow-learners but I want them to be better.

Dina Beydoun

This is wonderfully organised! Great job!

The answer key for the reading comprehension worksheet named “A Respectable Woman” is wrong for Problem 1. I think the correct answer should be A instead of C.

An excellent job

This is the best educational website ever for all EFL students around the world.

Thank you so much!

Ina Mitchell

my grand daughter needs reading material for the 8th grade reading test to get her driving permit

Honduranteacher

Hello from Honduras. Just wanted to thank you for the provided activities and useful reading material. I am the Language Arts teacher in a bilingual school in Honduras and this material has been really useful. Thank you once again. Cheers

I’m a student in Asia and my teacher uses those materials in our class.I think all the English learners around the world can use it.It’s really a great website!

Awesome activities especially to challenge my Year 8 with a high level of reading comp. Highly recommended.

Marie Fircz

I admire your organized, informed, and thorough approach. I am also awed by your exceptional generosity. Thank you many times over! Marie Fircz, SSMS, RVC, NY

I Really like this website thanks for making this website

This website is a very good website.I like this website because I learn a lot of knowledge from it thanks for making this website for all of us

Rama Alzamel

hey, Ia Rama I want to read a story for 8th grade can you send me a story that i can read thanks

Hello. Are all these stories Fair Use? Do we have to worry about Copyright?

You may use them in classrooms, homes, and other educational settings. If you are a publisher or other commercial entity: contact me .

I cant find the long reponse answer :()

Yeah, those vary and should be evaluated more openly.

We can talk about any of them though, if you have a question or want to bounce your ideas off someone.

april siose

Thank you so much… You made my preparation so easy… 🙂

Bill Bryant

Wow! I have been searching all over the internet for something like this. I am doing a jumpstart class for struggling students prior to the beginning of the school year and this is exactly what they need. Thank you.

Where can i get a solution to these worksheets

I think this site is fantastic and it’s easy to use 🙂 It’s nice that for the reading comprehension worksheets there are multiple choice and long response questions, as students need practice answering harder questions.

Hey +Georgia , did you get a solution to these?

Check the links that say “Answers”

These are AMAZING!!! Thank you so much!!! A long-term substitute who has been struggling.

Hi I really need a story about friendship as a reading comprehension for my grade 8 learners Thanks in advance

can i have a worksheet of seat belts?please?

Where is the comprehension. Which. I can practice

This is a pretty good section for that: http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/free-reading-worksheets/reading-comprehension-worksheets/

How can I even begin to say THANK YOU for this incredible resource that you have created. It is much appreciated.

Norma Hernandez

Need some worksheets on Connotation/Denotation

Courtney Meger

Very helpful for me and my friends to learn more about language arts

Lori Reaves

I teach a nursing assistant course. I came across your very helpful site while looking for a way to determine incoming students’ reading comprehension level. What grade would they have to score to be considered competent at that grade level? Thanks!

These worksheets shouldn’t really be used to evaluate a student’s reading level. Rather, they should be used with students whose reading levels are known. If you know that a student is reading at a 6th-10th grade level, these 8th grade worksheets are probably appropriate for him or her. I’m sorry that I currently have no diagnostic test available. Perhaps I will devise one someday. Best wishes!

Thank you Made it very easy to find anwsers to my work

Yeah, this is an interesting situation.

I’ve thought about putting up a 99 cent annual paywall over the answer keys to prevent students from accessing them, but decided that it was a bad idea.

Mainly because motivated students use the site too, as well as cheaters, and shouldn’t motivated students be able to check their work?

Not to mention that a resourceful student can always use the Internet to find the answers to their homework and “workaround” the learning experience, so to speak.

I’m all for making it harder for cheaters, but not to the point where it cripples the learning experiences of those with sincere intentions.

Any one else have any thoughts on this?

I just have to echo all the comments here. This is THE most helpful site I have ever found for teaching reading comprehension at a variety of levels. These are not boring and are not so extensive as to intimidate reluctant readers. You are an absolute life saver!!! Thank you!

I appreciate your echoes. Thank you for visiting and I hope that I can continue to an asset to you in the coming years.

AWESOME stuff here!!! I am excited to be able to use this material for my low level 9th graders. Interesting passages with appropriate questions. Hoping they will have interest in improving their reading scores. Older new teacher here – thanks for all of your hard work and dedication.

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You have one of the best English language tutorial website. My compliments to you Sir, and my heartfelt gratitude!! Any student of English will be able to improvise and develop his language to another level with your worksheets. Amazing and painstaking work done!!

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I agree, thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting together such an amazing site. I teach a free GED program to low-income students ages & your site allows me to access wonderful resource materials for them.

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Thank you for creating this website. I teach ESL students and the woksheets are very helpful.

What can I say? Thank you and you are AWESOME! This is the most helpful site that I have found for teaching middle school ELA.

Thank you very much for your time and effort in putting up this great site. I find it really useful and my students learn a lot! Thanks again.

Thank you for the wonderful work you have done to provide such awesome resources. This makes my job much easier, as well as makes me more effective in teaching my students what they are expected to learn. I appreciate your efforts!!

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This is the best English site I have found! Love all the different reading levels and variety of passages!!!

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8th Grade Math Worksheets

First things first, prioritize major topics with our printable compilation of 8th grade math worksheets with answer keys. Pursue conceptual understanding of topics like number systems, expressions and equations, work with radicals and exponents, solve linear equations and inequalities, evaluate and compare functions, understand similarity and congruence, know and apply the Pythagorean Theorem, find volume and surface area, develop an understanding of statistics and probability and much more. Our free math worksheets for grade 8 students make sure they start right!

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Converting Fractions to Decimal

Convert each fraction with a multiple of 10 as its denominator into a decimal number by placing the decimal point at the right spot.

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Finding the Square Roots of Perfect Squares

Apply prime factorization and determine the square roots of the first fifty perfect squares offered as positive integers.

Slope of a Line passing through Two Points

Use the formula, m = (y 2 - y 1 ) / (x 1 - x 1 ) to find the slope(m) of a line passing through two points: (x 1 ,y 1 ) and (x 2 ,y 2 ).

Solving Multi-Step Equations

Follow the order of operations, rearrange to make the unknown variable the subject, and solve for its integer value.

Identifying Functions from Ordered Pairs

Observe each set of ordered pairs given in Part A, figure out ordered pairs from graphs in Part B, and state if they represent a function.

Translation on Graphs | Writing Coordinates

Slide each figure in the said direction: up or down, left or right. Write the coordinates of the shifted image.

Congruence | Congruent Parts

Complete the congruence statement for each pair of triangles by writing the corresponding side or corresponding angle.

Finding the Interior Angle

Find the measure of the indicated interior angle by subtracting the sum of the known angles from 180.

Interior Angles - Finding the Unknown

Observe whether the interior angles lie on the same side or opposite sides of the transversal and find the unknown angle.

Identifying Right Triangles

Square the adjacent and opposite sides of the triangle; take the root of their sum; if you arrive at the hypotenuse, then it's a right triangle.

Volume of Cones

Plug the given radius(r) and height(h) in the formula V = 1/3πr 2 h and find the volume of the cone.

Mean, Median, Mode, and Range

Read each word problem with a real-life scenario and find the mean, median, mode, and range for each data set.

Converting Fractions to Percent

Switch each fraction to percent by multiplying the numerator by 100, dividing the product by the denominator, and adding the % symbol.

Finding the Square of Square Roots

The square of a square root is the radicand. So, simply multiply the radicand with the square of the number outside the root.

Convert to the Standard Form

Isolate the x and y-terms to one side and the constant to the other side of the equation and rewrite it in the form: ax + by = c.

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8th Grade Online Math Worksheets

According to the Common Core Standards, in Grade 8, instructional time should focus on three critical areas: (1) formulating and reasoning about expressions and equations, including modeling an association in bivariate data with a linear equation, and solving linear equations and systems of linear equations; (2) grasping the concept of a function and using functions to describe quantitative relationships; (3) analyzing two- and three-dimensional space and figures using distance, angle, similarity, and congruence, and understanding and applying the Pythagorean Theorem.

8th Grade Domains

If you know a particular Common Core Domain that you'd like to practice, you can drill down to it here.

Know that there are numbers that are not rational, and approximate them by rational numbers.
Work with radicals and integer exponents.
Understand the connections between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations.
Analyze and solve linear equations and pairs of simultaneous linear equations.
Define, evaluate, and compare functions.
Use functions to model relationships between quantities.
Understand congruence and similarity using physical models, transparencies, or geometry software.
Understand and apply the Pythagorean Theorem.
Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving volume of cylinders, cones and spheres.
Investigate patterns of association in bivariate data.

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The Guide to 8th Grade: Reading and Writing

Review reading and writing curricula for 8th grade, including what to expect and resources to support learning..

In their last year of middle school, 8th graders immerse themselves in preparation for high school by practicing and strengthening skills they learned in earlier years of middle school while also learning new (and often more complex) skills.

In many ways, 8th grade is a year of transition, as students are expected to have mastered the ways of middle school and begin becoming “high-schoolers.” Specifically, 8th graders are expected to be independent thinkers and workers analyzing and explaining what they learn in both their writing and verbally.

8th Grade Reading

In 8th grade, students continue to practice many of the skills they learned in earlier grades, specifically paying attention to details like text evidence, language, and cross-text comparisons in different genres of text. However, 8th graders push their analyses of texts further as they examine the details and writing structure and assess how those elements affect the text.

In order to build reading skills, your 8th grader :

Evaluates the evidence in texts to determine the strongest supports of an idea and analysis.
Determines the main idea or theme of a text using evidence from the text to support it.
Provides an objective summary of a text.
Understands, summarizes, and tracks the progress of the main idea of a text, using evidence from the text.
Analyzes how elements such as specific dialogue, events, or word usage impact the characters, the decisions they make, and other events and actions in the text.
Understands the use of language in a text, including figurative language, analogies, and allusions to other texts.
Compares and contrasts the different structures of texts including the structures of paragraphs and sentences.
Analyzes the difference between characters’ points of view and how these differences affect the text.
Analyzes the pros and cons of using different forms of text and media to present a topic or idea.
Compares a text to a film or play version of a text, paying specific attention to the way in which the film or play veers from the text.
Analyzes texts that include conflicting information on the same topic and decipher when those are due to conflicting facts or interpretations.

8th Grade Writing

In 8th grade, students continue to practice and refine many of the writing skills they learned in 7th grade while also learning some additional complex writing skills. Given that refining one’s writing can take time and practice, students are not expected to cover a great deal of new skills. However, they do learn some new techniques and skills that enhance their writing and enable them to become better writers.

In order to build writing skills, your 8th grader :

Introductions
Acknowledgements of opposing claims
Logical and orderly presentation of reasons and evidence
Graphics, special formatting, and multimedia, when appropriate
Support of the claims through the use of evidence from credible sources
A concluding sentence or paragraph that supports the argument made
A formal tone and style
Use supporting claims and evidence based on credible texts and resources
Provide an introduction that includes an explanation of what follows
Develop topics through the use of facts, details, quotations, examples, and subject-specific terms and definitions
Include transitions that connect concepts, events, and paragraphs
Include a conclusion that supports the presented idea(s)
Maintain a formal “essay type” style
Integrate other forms of media and formats such as graphs, charts, headings, audio, or video when appropriate
A narrator, characters, and a point of view
Descriptive detail and sensory language to describe characters, settings, and experiences
Dialogue, pacing, reflection, and details and descriptions of characters, setting, and experiences
Thought-out word choice
A clear structure with a logical order and flow, as shown through the use of transition words and phrases and a logical sequence
A conclusion that is connected to and builds on the narrative
Plans, revises, and edits writing, specifically with guidance from teachers and peers, focusing specifically on trying new approaches and making sure the writing has a purpose and appeals to its audience.
Uses technology and the Internet to produce and publish writing, work with others, and cite sources.
Works on multiple short research projects that answer specific questions and cite multiple sources, while gathering additional questions for later research.
Uses both print and digital resources to conduct research, focusing on using appropriate search terms and reliable sources.
Uses quotes and a standard format for citation.
Uses research to analyze and make inferences.

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Your Eighth Grade Book Checklist

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7th Grade ELA Homework , 8th Grade ELA Homework

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Reading Bell Ringers for Middle School ELA /ESL for 7th and 8th Grade Quarter 1

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8th Grade ELA Workbook (196 pages eBook + video explanations)

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Books for Kids and Grown Ups

60 of the Best Books for 8th Graders

The best books for eight graders (who are usually around age 13) are upper middle-grade and young YA titles! That’s what you find recommended on this list. Still, I tend to lean toward conservative choices, especially for kids who are still under the age of 16. So I’ve included books about crushes, body image, sexual harassment and consent, and identity. Many of these books are personal favorites that I would certainly hand to my favorite 13 year olds.

For newer books for 8th graders, check out our brand new list of books for 13 year olds .

Click on the graphics to head over to the book’s Amazon page.

Disclaimer: I use affiliate links for Amazon and will make a cent or two if you buy using these links. It’s a great way to support a blog(ger) you love.

Get a printable of this list to take to your library. Just pop your email in the box below and it’ll come right to you!

books for 8th graders - give me a sign, maybe he just likes you, keep it together keiko carter

Mary Underwater

Published: April 7, 2020

Mary Murphy feels like she’s drowning. Her violent father is home from prison, and the social worker is suspicious of her new bruises. An aunt she’s never met keeps calling. And if she can’t get a good grade on her science project, she’ll fail her favorite class.

But Mary doesn’t want to be a victim anymore. She has a plan: build a real submarine, like the model she’s been making with Kip Dwyer, the secretly sweet class clown. Gaining courage from her heroine, Joan of Arc, Mary vows to pilot a sub across the Chesapeake Bay, risking her life in a modern crusade to save herself.

Published: May 11, 2021

Mary O’Malley is tired of keeping secrets. Secrets like her older brother, Jonny’s, drug use. Starting seventh grade is tough enough without the upheaval her brother is bringing to their family.

It seems the only person who might understand is Griffen Connolly, whose older sister runs with Jonny in the wrong crowd. Mary thought Griff was too cool, too popular for her. But now he wants to hang out with her, and listen.

When two girls Mary thought were her friends decide to slam another girl online, Mary tries to look the other way. Then the girls turn on Mary, and suddenly, she doesn’t have a safety zone. Her brother is out of control, her family’s energies are all spent on him. There is only one person she can turn to. But can she trust Griff? Or is he one of the bullies?

13 and Counting

Published: August 6, 2019

With winter break almost over and seventh grade spinning beyond their control, best friends Kaylan and Ari write a new list of 13 resolutions to make the New Year, middle school, and their friendship even more amazing before they go to separate camps next summer.

But what happens when their bestie bucket list reveals issues in their friend group? Can they want totally different things and still be BFFs?

Told in the alternating POVs of Ari and Kaylan—and with goals inspired by suggestions from readers—this contemporary coming-of-age story is bound to be the most heartbreaking and hilarious Friendship List yet.

Taking Up Space

Published: May 18, 2021

Sarah loves basketball more than anything. Crushing it on the court makes her feel like she matters. And it’s the only thing that helps her ignore how much it hurts when her mom forgets to feed her.

But lately Sarah can’t even play basketball right. She’s slower now and missing shots she should be able to make. Her body doesn’t feel like it’s her own anymore. She’s worried that changing herself back to how she used to be is the only way she can take control over what’s happening.

When Sarah’s crush asks her to be partners in a cooking competition, she feels pulled in a million directions. She’ll have to dig deep to stand up for what she needs at home, be honest with her best friends, and accept that she doesn’t need to change to feel good about herself.

Related : Alyson Gerber on Taking Up Space

Published: July 25, 2017

JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world . . .

ISABEL is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety in America . . .

MAHMOUD is a Syrian boy in 2015. With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long trek toward Europe . . .

All three kids go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers — from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But there is always the hope of tomorrow . And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, shocking connections will tie their stories together in the end.

This action-packed novel tackles topics both timely and timeless: courage, survival, and the quest for home.

Give Me a Sign

Published: July 11, 2023

Lilah is a teen with hearing loss but who isn’t profoundly deaf. So she has always felt caught in the middle — not deaf enough to be part of the Deaf community and not fully hearing to fit in completely there either. But when she becomes a counselor at a summer camp for deaf and blind kids, her experiences (and the boy she falls in love with) change the way the views her disability.

I loved this beautiful exploration of Deaf culture with a nostalgic summer camp setting and sweet first love. This book is a great addition to the slim pickings of YA books about disability . I’d recommend this for readers ages 13+ who want to learn more about deafness and Deaf culture + are looking for a summer camp romance.

Cuba in My Pocket

Published: September 21, 2021

When the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 solidifies Castro’s power in Cuba, twelve-year-old Cumba’s family makes the difficult decision to send him to Florida alone. Faced with the prospect of living in another country by himself, Cumba tries to remember the sound of his father’s clarinet, the smell of his mother’s lavender perfume.

Life in the United States presents a whole new set of challenges. Lost in a sea of English speakers, Cumba has to navigate a new city, a new school, and new freedom all on his own. With each day, Cumba feels more confident in his new surroundings, but he continues to wonder: Will his family ever be whole again? Or will they remain just out of reach, ninety miles across the sea?

Red, White, and Whole

Published: February 2, 2021

The year is 1983 and 13-year-old Reha is caught between two cultures: her Indian family and community at home; and the all-American experience at school and with her white “school best friend.” But it’s not all rosy. Her mother doesn’t approve of Reha acting more American than Indian. She makes all of Reha’s clothes herself and is upset when Reha says she would like to go to the school dance.

Reha is understandably frustrated at her mother’s lack of understanding, but she’s about to have more problems. Her mom is diagnosed with leukemia and Reha’s life is turned upside down. Between school, family issues, and navigating her affection for a boy in her neighborhood, Reha has her plate full.

This is a heartwarming and heartbreaking verse novel about mothers and daughters, the eighties, and straddling two cultures. This moving middle-grade novel with a protagonist coming of age in the midst of a traumatic life experience will appeal both to younger and older readers between ages 10-14

Related : Rajani LaRocca on Red, White and Whole, Family and the 80’s

Carry Me Home

Published: August 24, 2021

Twelve-year-old Lulu and her younger sister, Serena, have a secret. As Daddy always says, “it’s best if we keep it to ourselves,” and so they have. But hiding your past is one thing. Hiding where you live—and that your Daddy has gone missing—is harder.

At first Lulu isn’t worried. Daddy has gone away once before and he came back. But as the days add up, with no sign of Daddy, Lulu struggles to take care of all the responsibilities they used to manage as a family.

Lulu knows that all it takes is one slip-up for their secret to come spilling out, for Lulu and Serena to be separated, and for all the good things that have been happening in school to be lost.

But family is all around us, and Lulu must learn to trust her new friends and community to save those she loves and to finally find her true home.

I Love You So Mochi

Published: May 28, 2019

Japanese-American, Kimi Nakamura is fashion-loving teen who spends her time designing and sewing bold, creative outfits. The only problem is that her mother — a graphic designer who always wanted to be an artist — expects Kimi to become a “real artist.” To her, Kimi’s designs should remain a “hobby.”

Although Kimi has already been accepted to a reputable fine art college, she hasn’t told her mother that she’s dropped out of Advanced Fine Art and hasn’t painted anything all semester. When her mother finds out and is sorely disappointed, Kimi takes advantage of her estranged grandparents’ offer to visit Kyoto.

This is a delightful, delicious young adult novel, perfect for anyone desperate for a trip to Japan on a page. Yet, it isn’t all fluff. It features a determined, artistic heroine and sheds light on all the ways parental pressures can change a person’s path in life. I would highly recommend this novel to fans of American Panda , fashion aficionados, and anyone whose dreams have run contrary to parental wishes.

Related: 72 Asian YA novels to Read ASAP

Big Apple Diaries

Published: August 17, 2021

Big Apple Diaries is Alyssa Bermudez’s graphic memoir detailing her life experiences in New York City between the 7th and 8th grades. Her middle school years also coincide with the attack on 9/11 and the book documents the impact on her and her circle.

I enjoyed this relatable and enjoyable coming-of-age graphic memoir . Managing crushes, schoolwork, and a living in two homes after her parents divorce , young Alyssa is also actively doodling/journaling — a skill she will continue to use. This is a much-needed personal account of 9/11 that will appeal to a younger audience. I would recommend this one to kids ages 11 and up.

The Love Report

Published: June 13, 2023

Grace and Lola are BFFs who decide to do a project to study love. Their research (if you can call it that) opens their eyes to how fickle romantic love can be (especially among infatuated teens), the negative effects of stereotypes (a goth has more to her personality than the way she dresses, an assumed “bimbo” is more than just a pretty face). But it also forces them to examine their own friendship and how well they show up for each other.

I loved the illustration style in this book and I liked the way the story connects to both girls’ families and the depiction of toxic masculinity and its impact on young boys. This book covers many themes, from parental separation to sexual harassment, but I think what it does best is extolling the value of female friendships through the ups and downs of life. I’d hand this to older kids ages 11+

Published: September 12, 2017

14-year-old David is a quintessential middle child. His sister Bridgette is in college and the family’s academic success story. Mal, his younger brother is on the autism spectrum, although his family prefers not to use the autism label. Mal is almost non-verbal and only says the word “okay.” David has always has a large appetite and an interest in competitive eating, but after he accidentally leaves a $2000 bill on his mother’s credit card, he’s forced to join a pizza-eating contest to win the grand prize of $5000.

This is an engaging, funny, true-to-life story about competitive eating, navigating friendship dilemmas , understanding an autistic sibling , and finding one’s place in their family. David is easy to love and the family dynamics in this story are truly heartwarming. I would totally hand this to anyone looking to read more “boy books.”

Breathing Underwater

Published: March 30, 2021

Thirteen-year-old Olivia is excited about going on a road trip back to California with her sister and their uncle and aunt. Their family moved to Tennessee from California three years ago, and the girls had buried a time capsule before their move. Olivia’s big sister Ruth is now 16 and clinically depressed. She has good and bad days and is on medication to manage her depression.

Olivia feels responsible for Ruth’s happiness and has a plan to recover their time capsule, while doing a photo project during their trip to remind Ruth of good times and make her just a little happier. But she soon finds out that with mental illness, it’s not always so simple.

This a beautifully written, moving middle grade novel about sisterhood, art, and loving a sibling with a mental illness. This book portrays depression realistically, showing the highs and lows while reminding loved ones that sometimes loving people the way you know how to is the best you can do. Fans of books about road trips, family stories, or emotional stories will love this quiet middle grade novel.

The Next Great Jane

Published: May 19, 2020

Jane Brannen wants nothing more than to become a famous author like Jane Austen–she just needs to figure out the key to literary success! Her chance to uncover the secret arrives when bestselling author J. E. Fairfax visits her tiny town of Whickett Harbor. Unfortunately, a hurricane rolls in and Jane gets stuck with the author’s snobbish son, Devon, instead.

But when the skies clear, Jane realizes the wind has blown in something worse than annoying boys: Her mother, Susan, and Susan’s new fiancé, Erik, have flown all the way from Hollywood to file for custody and bring Jane back to California. Now she needs to find a mate for her marine biologist father and figure out what’s truly important about Whickett Harbor, so she can prove to her mother that this is where she’s meant to stay.

Gabe in the After

Published: June 28, 2022

Two years after a global pandemic, twenty survivors (most of them children) have relocated from their coastal Maine island full of sad memories to a mansion on a small, neighboring island where they have school and farm chores. When Gabe and his dog, Mud, find Relle Douglas alone in the woods on the mainland, they take the strange new girl across the channel to live with them.

Relle changes the island with her hopeful attitude. She tells big stories and makes plans for activities like talent shows. Despite a growing crush, Gabe doesn’t quite understand the point of it all; why have a talent show at the end of the world? But when tragedy strikes, Gabe sets out on a dangerous journey to try and find other survivors where the world might be normal. Like Before.

Nikki on the Line

Published: March 5, 2019

13-year-old Nikki Doyle feels one step closer to her pro basketball player dreams when she gets signed on to an elite-level club team. But her mother doesn’t have enough to pay for the club, and so Nikki offers to watch her little brother after school so they can save on daycare money. Unfortunately, playing for the club isn’t nearly as easy as Nikki expects.

Shorter than her teammates and suddenly no longer point guard on the new team, she feels out of place. What’s more, her new busy schedule means she can’t hang out with the team as much as she’d like. On top of that, a new genetics project at school reminds Nikki that her biological father was a sperm donor. Between juggling all her responsibilities and proving herself a valuable member of the team, it feels like everything is on the line for Nikki.

Rhythm and Muse

Published: May 30, 2023

High school junior Darren Johnson lives in his head. There, he can pine for his crush—total dream girl, Delia Dawson—in peace, away from the unsolicited opinions of his talkative family and showboat friends. When Delia announces a theme song contest for her popular podcast, Dillie D in the Place to Be, Darren’s friends—convinced he’ll never make a move—submit one of his secret side projects for consideration.

This was very sweet! I loved the message of putting yourself out there instead of living in your head. I also liked that while we’re in Darren’s head, we learn enough about his love interest that she’s not just a manic-pixie dream girl. This young YA features lovely teen-parent relationships and main characters who attend church without it being a preachy book. I thought it was really fun and perfect for younger teens 12+ with nearly no language!

Published: August 28, 2018

It all starts when six kids have to meet for a weekly chat–by themselves, with no adults to listen in. There, in the room they soon dub the ARTT Room (short for “A Room to Talk”), they discover it’s safe to talk about what’s bothering them–everything from Esteban’s father’s deportation and Haley’s father’s incarceration to Amari’s fears of racial profiling and Ashton’s adjustment to his changing family fortunes.

When the six are together, they can express the feelings and fears they have to hide from the rest of the world. And together, they can grow braver and more ready for the rest of their lives.

Good Enough

Published: February 19, 2019

12-year-old Riley has an eating disorder and now she can’t do the things she used to love doing — like art and running. Her parents check her into a treatment facility with other girls who have eating disorders.

I liked this book about a girl in treatment for anorexia. The author does a fantastic job depicting the experience of struggling with an eating disorder and how non-linear the healing process can be. The story feels authentic and is highly insightful about the therapy process. I also liked the diary-style format .

Abby, Tried and True

Published: March 9, 2021

When Abby Braverman’s best friend, Cat, moves to Israel, she’s sure it’s the worst thing that could happen. But then her older brother, Paul, is diagnosed with cancer, and life upends again. Now it’s up to Abby to find a way to navigate seventh grade without her best friend, help keep her brother’s spirits up during difficult treatments, and figure out her surprising new feelings for the boy next door.

Turning Point

Published: September 15, 2020

This book focuses on Monique (Mo) and Rasheeda (Sheeda)’s friendship and how it changes over a summer when both girls are drawn into different pursuits. Mo is off at a ballet intensive with Mila, while Sheeda is stuck at church (with her church “friends”) feeling like she has no life.

At the ballet intensive, Mo comes face to face with her competitive attitude which is fueled by feelings of not “fitting in” with the mostly white, skinny ballet dancers. Even though she makes a couple of friends (who basically lovingly force her to befriend them), she’s insecure at times, afraid to be vulnerable because everything feels so different. On the other hand, Sheeda is desperate for something new. Unfortunately, she falls into a risky situation with Mo’s brother whom she happens to have a crush on.

This is a compulsively readable upper middle-grade book for kids ages 11+ that explores a horde of important themes–everything from female friendships , body image , sexual harassment, religion, racial prejudice, to ballet. If you’re looking for a middle-grade book about ballet, I’d highly recommend this one.

Related : 23 Best Middle-Grade Books About Body Image and Body Positivit

Nowhere Boy

Published: August 7, 2018

Fourteen-year-old Ahmed is stuck in a city that wants nothing to do with him. Newly arrived in Brussels, Belgium, Ahmed fled a life of uncertainty and suffering in Aleppo, Syria, only to lose his father on the perilous journey to the shores of Europe. Now Ahmed’s struggling to get by on his own, but with no one left to trust and nowhere to go, he’s starting to lose hope.

Then he meets Max, a thirteen-year-old American boy from Washington, D.C. Lonely and homesick, Max is struggling at his new school and just can’t seem to do anything right. But with one startling discovery, Max and Ahmed’s lives collide and a friendship begins to grow. Together, Max and Ahmed will defy the odds, learning from each other what it means to be brave and how hope can change your destiny.

When the Vibe Is Right

Tess Crawford wants to be a Carnival costume designer, but she won’t be able to do that if her uncle’s designing business closes. Business has been slow, and they need a social media presence to compete with newer designers. Enter the funny Brandon, social media expert extraordinaire, whom Tess can’t stand.

This was certainly enjoyable, with lots of information and love for the Trini carnival and a nice approach to grief, vulnerability, and pursuing dreams. I iked the male protagonist’s sunshine to mellow out Tess’s grumpiness. Overall, really fun and wonderful on audio. Great for teens ages 13+

Beverly, Right Here

Published: September 24, 2019

It’s the summer of 1979. 14-year-old Beverly Tapinski leaves home and arrives at the Seahorse Court RV community in Florida. She’s grieving the death of her (and the Three Rancheros’ dog, Buddy) and has left her friend Raymie without even saying goodbye. Beverly’s alcoholic mother, Rhonda doesn’t care much about what happens to her.

All alone and away from home, Beverly meets an older, eccentric woman named Iola. Iola takes Beverly in and the two begin to build a friendship despite Beverly’s initial resistance. She also gets a job as a busgirl at a fish place, even though she hates fish. Then she meets 16-year-old Elmer, who wants to study engineering at Dartmouth.

The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora

Published: May 16, 2017

For Arturo, summertime in Miami means playing basketball until dark, sipping mango smoothies, and keeping cool under banyan trees. And maybe a few shifts as junior lunchtime dishwasher at Abuela’s restaurant. Maybe. But this summer also includes Carmen, a poetry enthusiast who moves into Arturo’s apartment complex and turns his stomach into a deep fryer. He almost doesn’t notice the smarmy land developer who rolls into town and threatens to change it.

Arturo refuses to let his family and community go down without a fight, and as he schemes with Carmen, Arturo discovers the power of poetry and protest through untold family stories and the work of José Martí.

Keep It Together, Keiko Carter

Published: May 5, 2020

Keiko is thrilled that her two BFFs, Jenna and Audrey, are reuniting with her after their first ever summer apart. But when Jenna returns from Texas, she doesn’t seem to fit back in seamlessly anymore — probably because they stopped texting each other after a while. It doesn’t help that Audrey seems boy-crazy and has never really gotten on too well with Jenna anyway.

As Jenna and Audrey’s friendship deteriorates over the fall, Keiko feels torn between both girls. She also rekindles some old friendships that threaten her relationship with Audrey. As a result, confrontation-averse, peace-making Keiko is forced to decide whether or not she will stand up for herself in her friendship with Audrey.

On top of everything else, Keiko’s family seems to be changing: her mom is working later and later, and seems to be avoiding coming home — and her little sister seems to keeping a secret. Will Keiko keep it all together?

Violets Are Blue

Published: October 12, 2021

12-year-old Wren lives with her mom after her parents’ divorce. Her dad has moved to New York City and married his lover (with whom he was unfaithful to her mother), who is now expecting twins. Wren is also a special effects makeup aficionado. Caught up in a new school, navigating new friendships, and balancing her relationships with her parents — whose relationship with each other is strained — Wren notices her mom has begun behaving strangely.

I loved this engaging middle grade book with a relatable, creative protagonist dealing with parental substance abuse. It also spotlights the reality of coping with parental divorce after infidelity and thereafter adjusting to a new blended family. Fans of stories with kids who love arts and crafts, as well as musical theater, will also enjoy this book.

Summer at Meadow Wood

Vic and her little brother have been sent off to summer camp for eight weeks. Although summer at Meadow Wood seems to be a regular occurrence, Vic is convinced that the reason they’ve been “shipped off” this time is different. Besides, things are going poorly between her parents. As a result, she’s not excited to be there. Still, she tries to make it work, reconnecting with her friends in Yarrow camp while trying to be a good camp sister to a younger camper, Vera.

When her mom says she doesn’t have money to pay for canteen for Vic and her brother, Vic starts working at the farm with one of the camp owners, Earl. She also goes with him to the market — which she gets paid for. Eventually, Vic learns more about the state of her parents’ relationship and forms closer bonds with everyone at camp and even a certain boy at the market.

Maid for It

Published: September 5, 2023

Franny and her mom are finally bouncing back from her mother’s battle with opioid addiction when her mom gets in an accident and is prescribed opioids for the pain. Now her mom can’t do her cleaning jobs and the bills are piling up. The last time that happened, her mother relapsed. So Franny decides she’ll keep doing her mom’s jobs behind her back to keep them afloat and keep her mom out of rehab.

Like everything Sumner writes, this was impossible to put down. It has just about everything middle grade readers love in a good book: the struggle to find good friends, family drama, a strong-willed protagonist, secrets, and suspense. There’s also plenty of info about addiction, which is why this is better for kids ages 10+

All Summer Long

Published: May 1, 2018

Thirteen-year-old Bina has a long summer ahead of her. She and her best friend, Austin, usually do everything together, but he’s off to soccer camp for a month, and he’s been acting kind of weird lately anyway. So it’s up to Bina to see how much fun she can have on her own.

At first it’s a lot of guitar playing, boredom, and bad TV, but things look up when she finds an unlikely companion in Austin’s older sister, who enjoys music just as much as Bina. But then Austin comes home from camp, and he’s acting even weirder than when he left. How Bina and Austin rise above their growing pains and reestablish their friendship and respect for their differences makes for a touching and funny coming-of-age story.

Published: March 28, 2017

Rachel Brooks has finally scored a spot as a forward on her soccer team. She just needs one more doctor’s visit to check on her scoliosis — one she hopes will be the last.

Unfortunately, the doctor has bad news for her: the curve has worsened and she’ll have to wear a back brace. Worse still, she needs to be in a back brace for twenty-three hours a day. How will she still play soccer? What will her friends think? And what about Tate, the boy she’s crushing on?

This is an important, realistic story of a girl dealing with scoliosis in middle school. With an immersive, charged plot, this story touches multiple themes from scoliosis, to soccer, family , the death of a parent , and even the emotions of welcoming a new sibling.

The Many Meanings of Meilan

Meilan Hua’s world is made up of a few key ingredients: her family’s beloved matriarch, Nai Nai; the bakery her parents, aunts, and uncles own and run in Boston’s Chinatown; and her favorite Chinese fairy tales.

After Nai Nai passes, the family has a falling-out that sends Meilan, her parents, and her grieving grandfather on the road in search of a new home. They take a winding path across the country before landing in Redbud, Ohio. Everything in Redbud is the opposite of Chinatown, and Meilan’s not quite sure who she is–being renamed at school only makes it worse.

She decides she is many Meilans, each inspired by a different Chinese character with the same pronunciation as her name. Sometimes she is Mist, cooling and invisible; other times, she’s Basket, carrying her parents’ hopes and dreams and her guilt of not living up to them; and occasionally she is bright Blue, the way she feels around her new friend Logan. Meilan keeps her facets separate until an injustice at school shows her the power of bringing her many selves together.

Almost American Girl

Published: January 28, 2020

Robin is 14 when she and her mother leave for one of their regular visits to the US. Except, this time it’s not Hawaii or any other vacation hotspot — it’s Alabama. Robin’s mother has been encouraging her to learn English like she has been doing, but Robin is uninterested, preferring to enjoy her Korean comics and spending time with her friends buying stationery and Korean street food.

When they arrive in Huntsville, Robin realizes that her mother is there to visit a man she has been corresponding with. His family welcomes them, but Robin feels out of place since she can neither speak nor understand English. She dreams of returning to Korea when the vacation is over. However, Robin is in for a shocker as her mom announces that she’s marrying this man, and she and Robin are staying put in America. Her whole life changes forever, as she struggles to assimilate, while handling the ups and downs in her mother’s relationship.

What About Will

Published: September 14, 2021

Twelve-year-old Trace Reynolds has always looked up to his brother, mostly because Will, who’s five years older, has never looked down on him. It was Will who taught Trace to ride a bike, would watch sports on TV with him, and cheer him on at Little League. But when Will was knocked out cold during a football game, resulting in a brain injury–everything changed.

Now, seventeen months later, their family is still living under the weight of “the incident,” that left Will with a facial tic, depression, and an anger he cannot always control, culminating in their parents’ divorce. Afraid of further fracturing his family, Trace begins to cover for Will who, struggling with addiction to pain medication, becomes someone Trace doesn’t recognize. But when the brother he loves so much becomes more and more withdrawn, and escalates to stealing money and ditching school, Trace realizes some secrets cannot be kept if we ever hope to heal.

Something More

Published: June 6, 2023

Fifteen-year-old Jessie, a quirky loner obsessed with the nineties, is diagnosed as autistic just weeks before starting high school. Determined to make a fresh start and keep her diagnosis a secret, Jessie creates a list of goals that range from acquiring two distinct eyebrows to getting a magical first kiss and landing a spot in the school play. Within the halls of Holy Trinity High, she finds a world where things are no longer black and white and quickly learns that living in color is much more fun. But Jessie gets more than she bargained for when two very different boys steal her heart, forcing her to go off-script.

Truly Madly Royally

Published: July 30, 2019

Zora Emerson is not here to play. She’s enrolled in a prestigious summer program, and is ready to use what she’s learning to change the world (or at least her corner of New Jersey, for now). Zora’s not expecting to vibe with any of her super-privileged classmates. So she’s shocked to find she’s got chemistry with Owen Whittelsey, who is charming, funny, undeniably cute…and turns out to literally be a prince. As in, his parents are the king and queen of a small European country. What?

This is a charming young adult novel featuring a positive representation of Black teens. There are also strong undercurrents of community outreach, strong female friendships , and being true to oneself. If you’re a sucker for royal romances, this one will steal your heart. Perfect for readers ages 12+

Related : 65 Black Young Adult Novels to Add to Your TBR

Muddle School

Published: September 7, 2021

For every adolescent who’s ever believed they’re all alone in their misery, here’s a hilarious graphic novel about a new kid awkwardly trying to navigate the social pressures of making friends, dealing with crushes, avoiding bullies — a.k.a. middle school! Dave doesn’t have high hopes for himself on his first day at a new school in a new town called Muddle. But he has no idea just how bad things are going to be.

Getting knocked into a mud puddle by a trio of bullies. Having his secret crush revealed to the entire math class. And then that snot bubble … No, Dave is totally not killing it at Muddle School. He may just have to resign himself to dorkdom, content with drawing in his sketchbook to deal with life. But then Dave begins working on a time machine for the science fair and he gets a brilliant idea. What if he goes back in time to that first day of school?

What if he has a redo, and avoids doing all the dumb and embarrassing stuff he did? Could that turn everything around for him? Could Dave actually become … cool?

Related : 90 Best Middle Grade Books Releasing in Fall 2021

Piecing Me Together

Published: February 14, 2017

Jade believes she must get out of her poor neighborhood if she’s ever going to succeed. Her mother tells her to take advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. And Jade has: every day she rides the bus away from her friends and to the private school where she feels like an outsider, but where she has plenty of opportunities. But some opportunities she doesn’t really welcome, like an invitation to join Women to Women, a mentorship program for “at-risk” girls. Just because her mentor is black and graduated from the same high school doesn’t mean she understands where Jade is coming from. She’s tired of being singled out as someone who needs help, someone people want to fix. Jade wants to speak, to create, to express her joys and sorrows, her pain and her hope. Maybe there are some things she could show other women about understanding the world and finding ways to be real, to make a difference.

Published: January 1, 2017

Blade never asked for a life of the rich and famous. In fact, he’d give anything not to be the son of Rutherford Morrison, a washed-up rock star and drug addict with delusions of a comeback. Or to no longer be part of a family known most for lost potential, failure, and tragedy, including the loss of his mother. The one true light is his girlfriend, Chapel, but her parents have forbidden their relationship, assuming Blade will become just like his father.

In reality, the only thing Blade and Rutherford have in common is the music that lives inside them. And songwriting is all Blade has left after Rutherford, while drunk, crashes his high school graduation speech and effectively rips Chapel away forever. But when a long-held family secret comes to light, the music disappears. In its place is a letter, one that could bring Blade the freedom and love he’s been searching for, or leave him feeling even more adrift.

The Queens of New York

Best friends Jia Lee, Ariel Kim, and Everett Hoang are inseparable. But this summer, they won’t be together.

Everett, aspiring Broadway star, hopes to nab the lead role in an Ohio theater production, but soon realizes that talent and drive can only get her so far. Brainy Ariel is flying to San Francisco for a prestigious STEM scholarship, even though her heart is in South Korea, where her sister died last year. And stable, solid Jia will be home in Flushing, juggling her parents’ Chinatown restaurant, a cute new neighbor, and dreams for an uncertain future.

As the girls navigate heartbreaking surprises and shocking self-discoveries, they find that even though they’re physically apart, they are still mighty together.

Dress Coded

Published: July 7, 2020

Molly Frost is FED UP…

Because Olivia was yelled at for wearing a tank top.

Because Liza got dress coded and Molly didn’t, even though they were wearing the exact same outfit.

Because when Jessica was pulled over by the principal and missed a math quiz, her teacher gave her an F.

Because it’s impossible to find shorts that are longer than her fingertips.

Because girls’ bodies are not a distraction.

Because middle school is hard enough.

And so Molly starts a podcast where girls can tell their stories, and before long, her small rebellion swells into a revolution. Because now the girls are standing up for what’s right, and they’re not backing down.

How to Be a Girl in the World

Published: August 11, 2020

Lydia hasn’t felt comfortable in her own skin since the boys at her school started commenting on the way she looks in her uniform. Her cousin and friends think she should be flattered, but the boys—and sometimes her mom’s boyfriend, Jeremy—make Lydia uncomfortable and confused. Even more confusing is when Jeremy hovers too close and hugs a little too long.

Then her mom surprises her by buying a dilapidated house in their neighborhood. Lydia hopes to find a little bit of magic in their new home. But just like the adults in her life, and God, and her friends, the magic Lydia deeply believes in eventually loses its power to keep her safe.

And as seventh grade begins, Lydia wonders: Is there a secret to figuring out how to be a girl in the world?

Maybe He Just Likes You

Published: October 1, 2019

For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some boys giving her an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. A few days later, at recess, one of the boys (and fellow trumpet player) Callum tells Mila it’s his birthday, and asks her for a “birthday hug.” He’s just being friendly, isn’t he? And how can she say no? But Callum’s hug lasts a few seconds too long, and feels…weird. According to her friend, Zara, Mila is being immature and overreacting. Doesn’t she know what flirting looks like?

But the boys don’t leave Mila alone. On the bus. In the halls. During band practice—the one place Mila could always escape.

It doesn’t feel like flirting—so what is it? Thanks to a chance meeting, Mila begins to find solace in a new place: karate class. Slowly, with the help of a fellow classmate, Mila learns how to stand her ground and how to respect others—and herself.

The Truth According to Blue

Published: May 12, 2020

Thirteen-year-old Blue Broen is on the hunt for a legendary ship of gold, lost centuries ago when her ancestors sailed to New York. Blue knows her overprotective parents won’t approve of her mission to find their family’s long-lost fortune, so she keeps it a secret from everyone except her constant companion, Otis, an 80-pound diabetic alert dog. But it’s hard to keep things quiet with rival treasure hunters on the loose, and with Blue’s reputation as the local poster child for a type 1 diabetes fundraiser.

Blue’s quest gets even harder when she’s forced to befriend Jules, the brainy but bratty daughter of a vacationing movie star who arrives on the scene and won’t leave Blue alone. While Blue initially resents getting stuck with this spoiled seventh grade stranger, Jules soon proves Blue’s not the only one who knows about secrets — and adventure.

Will Blue unravel a three hundred year-old family mystery, learn to stand up for herself, and find the missing treasure? Or is she destined to be nothing more than “diabetes girl” forever?

Goodbye Stranger

Published: August 4, 2015

Long ago, best friends Bridge, Emily, and Tab made a pact: no fighting. But it’s the start of seventh grade, and everything is changing. Emily’s new curves are attracting attention, and Tab is suddenly a member of the Human Rights Club. And then there’s Bridge. She’s started wearing cat ears and is the only one who’s still tempted to draw funny cartoons on her homework. It’s also the beginning of seventh grade for Sherm Russo. He wonders: what does it mean to fall for a girl—as a friend? By the time Valentine’s Day approaches, the girls have begun to question the bonds—and the limits—of friendship. Can they grow up without growing apart?

Published: April 18, 2023

When Jarrett J. Krosoczka was in high school, he was part of a program that sent students to be counselors at a camp for seriously ill kids and their families. Going into it, Jarrett was worried: Wouldn’t it be depressing, to be around kids facing such a serious struggle? Wouldn’t it be grim?

But instead of the shadow of death, Jarrett found something else at Camp Sunshine: the hope and determination that gets people through the most troubled of times. Not only was he subject to some of the usual rituals that come with being a camp counselor (wilderness challenges, spooky campfire stories, an extremely stinky mascot costume), but he also got a chance to meet some extraordinary kids facing extraordinary circumstances. He learned about the captivity of illness, for sure but he also learned about the freedom a safe space can bring.

Closer to Nowhere

Published: October 6, 2020

For the most part, Hannah’s life is just how she wants it. She has two supportive parents, she’s popular at school, and she’s been killing it at gymnastics. But when her cousin Cal moves in with her family, everything changes. Cal tells half-truths and tall tales, pranks Hannah constantly, and seems to be the reason her parents are fighting more and more. Nothing is how it used to be. She knows that Cal went through a lot after his mom died and she is trying to be patient, but most days Hannah just wishes Cal never moved in.

For his part, Cal is trying his hardest to fit in, but not everyone is as appreciative of his unique sense of humor and storytelling gifts as he is. Humor and stories might be his defense mechanism, but if Cal doesn’t let his walls down soon, he might push away the very people who are trying their best to love him.

Told in verse from the alternating perspectives of Hannah and Cal, this is a story of two cousins who are more alike than they realize and the family they both want to save.

Published: August 31, 2021

Four girls from different backgrounds are selected to become “The Flyers” for Spread Your Wings Magazine . Elena is a shy Latina who lives in her best friend’s shadow and is uncomfortable about the pubescent changes in her body. Harlow is a Japanese-American wannabe journalist, Cailin, a young influencer, and Whitney, a Black fashionista who secretly has panic attacks. The girls spend a week in New York City together than bonds them as friends and gives them the courage to find their voices.

Friends Forever

Shannon is in eighth grade, and life is more complicated than ever. Everything keeps changing, her classmates are starting to date each other (but nobody wants to date her!), and no matter how hard she tries, Shannon can never seem to just be happy .

As she works through her insecurities and undiagnosed depression, she worries about disappointing all the people who care about her. Is something wrong with her? Can she be the person everyone expects her to be? And who does she actually want to be?

With their signature humor, warmth, and insight, Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham have crafted another incredible love letter to their younger selves and to readers everywhere, a reminder to us all that we are enough.

Sorry for Your Loss

Evie Walman is not obsessed with death. She does think about it a lot, though, but only because her family runs a Jewish funeral home. At twelve, Evie already knows she’s going to be a funeral director when she grows up. So what if the kids at school call her “corpse girl” and say she smells like death? They’re just mean and don’t get how important it is to have someone take care of things when your world is falling apart. Evie loves dusting caskets, polishing pews, and vacuuming the chapel―and on funeral days, she dresses up and hands out tissues and offers her condolences to mourners. She doesn’t normally help her parents with the grieving families directly, until one day when they ask her to help with Oren, a boy who was in a horrific car accident that killed both his parents. Oren refuses to speak and Evie, who is nursing her own private grief, is determined to find a way to help him deal with his loss.

Keeping It Real

Published: October 19, 2021

Keeping It Real is Paula Chase’s latest upper middle grade offering. It follows Marigold Johnson, daughter of the media moguls who own Flexx Unlimited. Marigold’s friend and crush, Justice hates their private school where both kids are part of the token number of Black kids. Marigold on the other hand tries to conform to white expectations and fit in with the kids and both she and Justice quarrel about this regularly.

When Justice gets into Flexx Unlimited’s fashion program for teens, Marigold wants to get in as well to avoid summer boredom and spend time with Justice — despite warnings from both parents that she may not fit in with the other kids who are from lower income families. But when her parents get her into the program, one girl in particular, Kara can’t seem to stand Marigold. Add that to the tension between Marigold and Justice and Mari’s summer internship seems more stressful than inspiring.

The Unofficial Lola Bay Club

Sixth graders Iris and her best friend Leeza love singer Lola Bay. But after some mean girls take over their plan to start an official Lola Bay fan club, the girls befriend eighth-grader Dana, who says she’s starting an “unofficial” fan club. Leeza quickly gets bored and finds other interests, while Iris is delighted to be friends with an older girl. But soon, Dana’s actions start to worry Iris. She keeps hacking into websites, then she uses Iris’s parents’ credit card to buy tour tickets! Can Iris find help before it’s too late?

Published: January 12, 2021

Alone is Megan E. Freeman’s debut survival middle-grade novel in verse. It follows 12-year-old Maddie who gets abandoned by some twist of fate when her entire town is mysteriously evacuated. Left alone with no human in sight, she bonds with a Rottweiler named George who is one of many abandoned pets. Soon after, they lose power and then water and Maddie has to fend for herself using a variety of ingenious means and the town resources at her disposal, including an empty library, grocery store, neighbors’ homes — you get the picture.

Maddie is alone for months and has to safeguard herself from wild animals, terrible weather, and dangerous intruders, on top of the fear and loneliness of being all by herself.

I Know Your Secret

Published: December 7, 2021

The email arrives Sunday night: Do exactly what I say, when I say it, or I will reveal your secret.

On Monday morning, seventh graders Owen, Gemma, Ally, and Todd, who have nothing in common and barely know each other, must work together and follow the instructions of an anonymous blackmailer. None of them want to go along with the blackmailer’s instructions, but each of them have a secret they must protect at all costs.

Set during a single day of school, the students race against the clock to complete a disquieting set of tasks, with fast-paced chapters detailing each moment of the day interspersed with a later interview-style recording made by the quartet.

Where We Used to Roam

Published: March 23, 2021

Where We Used to Roam is Jenn Bishop’s fourth middle grade book! I had read two of her books before this one, and loved both! In this story, we meet Emma whose ordinary life is upended when her beloved older brother Austin develops an addiction to opioids. In the midst of her brother’s health issue, Emma is also dealing with a strained friendship with her BFF, Becca from whom she seems to be growing apart. So she is half-relieved when her parents send her off to Wyoming to be with family friends while they get Austin to a rehab facility.

In Wyoming, Emma becomes interested in bisons and makes a new friend with whom she shares more than she knows. She deals with her emotions about Austin’s addiction and her issues with Becca until an unexpected event cuts her trip short.

Related: Jenn Bishop on Where We Used to Roam

The Shape of Thunder

The Shape of Thunder follows two former best friends Quinn and Cora whose lives have been altered by a tragic event. Quinn’s brother Parker killed Cora’s sister in a school shooting. Understandably, this created a rift between both girls, even though they still deeply care for each other and have been friends since kindergarten. As they approach the first anniversary of the shooting, Quinn thinks she’s found a way to undo what happened and reaches out to Cora to work with her.

The story is told from alternating points of view (Quinn and Cora) as both girls try to figure out time travel, while processing the grief and trauma they both hold.

Related : Jasmine Warga on The Shape of Thunder (+ Giveaway!)

This Time It’s Real

Published: February 7, 2023

When seventeen-year-old Eliza Lin’s essay about meeting the love of her life unexpectedly goes viral, her entire life changes overnight. Now she has the approval of her classmates at her new international school in Beijing, a career-launching internship opportunity at her favorite magazine…and a massive secret to keep.

Eliza made her essay up. She’s never been in a relationship before, let alone in love. All good writing is lying, right?

Desperate to hide the truth, Eliza strikes a deal with the famous actor in her class, the charming but aloof Caz Song. She’ll help him write his college applications if he poses as her boyfriend. Caz is a dream boyfriend — he passes handwritten notes to her in class, makes her little sister laugh, and takes her out on motorcycle rides to the best snack stalls around the city.

But when her relationship with Caz starts feeling a little too convincing, all of Eliza’s carefully laid plans are threatened. Can she still follow her dreams if it means breaking her own heart?

There they are: 60 of the best books for eighth graders! Yes, a few of these books are yet to be released, but they tackle serious issues like parental addiction and parental abuse. I’m getting through my ARCs of these books and I can tell you, they’re worth pre-ordering!

Have you read any of these books? Which of them would you recommend for your eighth graders? And which awesome books for eighth-graders would you add to this list?

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About Afoma Umesi

Afoma Umesi is the founder and editor of Reading Middle Grade where she curates book lists and writes book reviews for kids of all ages. Her favorite genre to read is contemporary realistic fiction and she'll never say no to a graphic novel.

Afoma Umesi

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December 29, 2020 at 3:56 pm

Next Great Jane is wonderful! And you know how I adore Refugee! 🙌

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Unit 3: Linear equations and functions

About this unit.

When distances, prices, or any other quantity in our world changes at a constant rate, we can use linear functions to model them. Let's learn how different representations, including graphs and equations, of these useful functions reveal characteristics of the situation.

Graphing proportional relationships

Rates & proportional relationships example (Opens a modal)
Rates & proportional relationships: gas mileage (Opens a modal)
Graphing proportional relationships: unit rate (Opens a modal)
Graphing proportional relationships from a table (Opens a modal)
Graphing proportional relationships from an equation (Opens a modal)
Rates & proportional relationships Get 5 of 7 questions to level up!
Graphing proportional relationships Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!

Solutions to linear equations

Intro to the coordinate plane (Opens a modal)
Solutions to 2-variable equations (Opens a modal)
Worked example: solutions to 2-variable equations (Opens a modal)
Completing solutions to 2-variable equations (Opens a modal)
Solutions to 2-variable equations Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Complete solutions to 2-variable equations Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Intro to intercepts (Opens a modal)
x-intercept of a line (Opens a modal)
Intercepts from an equation (Opens a modal)
Intercepts from a table (Opens a modal)
Worked example: intercepts from an equation (Opens a modal)
Intercepts of lines review (x-intercepts and y-intercepts) (Opens a modal)
Intercepts from a graph Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Intercepts from an equation Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Intro to slope (Opens a modal)
Slope formula (Opens a modal)
Slope & direction of a line (Opens a modal)
Positive & negative slope (Opens a modal)
Worked example: slope from graph (Opens a modal)
Slope of a line: negative slope (Opens a modal)
Worked example: slope from two points (Opens a modal)
Slope from equation (Opens a modal)
Converting to slope-intercept form (Opens a modal)
Slope of a horizontal line (Opens a modal)
Slope review (Opens a modal)
Slope from graph Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Slope from two points Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Slope from equation Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!

Intro to slope-intercept form

Intro to slope-intercept form (Opens a modal)
Worked examples: slope-intercept intro (Opens a modal)
Slope-intercept intro Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!

Graphing slope-intercept form

Graph from slope-intercept equation (Opens a modal)
Graphing slope-intercept form (Opens a modal)
Graphing lines from slope-intercept form review (Opens a modal)
Graph from slope-intercept form Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!

Writing slope-intercept equations

Slope-intercept equation from graph (Opens a modal)
Writing slope-intercept equations (Opens a modal)
Slope-intercept equation from slope & point (Opens a modal)
Slope-intercept equation from two points (Opens a modal)
Slope-intercept form problems (Opens a modal)
Slope-intercept form from a table (Opens a modal)
Slope-intercept form review (Opens a modal)
Slope-intercept equation from graph Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Slope-intercept from two points Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
What is a function? (Opens a modal)
Worked example: Evaluating functions from equation (Opens a modal)
Function notation example (Opens a modal)
Worked example: Evaluating functions from graph (Opens a modal)
Equations vs. functions (Opens a modal)
Manipulating formulas: temperature (Opens a modal)
Obtaining a function from an equation (Opens a modal)
Evaluate functions Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Evaluate functions from their graph Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Function rules from equations Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!

Linear models

Linear graphs word problems (Opens a modal)
Modeling with tables, equations, and graphs (Opens a modal)
Linear graphs word problem: cats (Opens a modal)
Linear equations word problems: volcano (Opens a modal)
Linear equations word problems: earnings (Opens a modal)
Modeling with linear equations: snow (Opens a modal)
Linear function example: spending money (Opens a modal)
Fitting a line to data (Opens a modal)
Linear equations word problems: graphs Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Linear equations word problems Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Linear models word problems Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!

Comparing linear functions

Comparing linear functions: equation vs. graph (Opens a modal)
Comparing linear functions: same rate of change (Opens a modal)
Comparing linear functions: faster rate of change (Opens a modal)
Comparing linear functions word problem: climb (Opens a modal)
Comparing linear functions word problem: walk (Opens a modal)
Comparing linear functions word problem: work (Opens a modal)
Compare linear functions Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Comparing linear functions word problems Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!

Constructing linear models for real-world relationships

Linear functions word problem: fuel (Opens a modal)
Linear functions word problem: pool (Opens a modal)
Modeling with linear equations: gym membership & lemonade (Opens a modal)
Linear functions word problem: iceberg (Opens a modal)
Linear functions word problem: paint (Opens a modal)
Graphing linear relationships word problems Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Writing linear functions word problems Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!

Recognizing functions

Testing if a relationship is a function (Opens a modal)
Relations and functions (Opens a modal)
Recognizing functions from graph (Opens a modal)
Checking if a table represents a function (Opens a modal)
Recognizing functions from table (Opens a modal)
Checking if an equation represents a function (Opens a modal)
Does a vertical line represent a function? (Opens a modal)
Recognizing functions from verbal description (Opens a modal)
Recognizing functions from verbal description word problem (Opens a modal)
Recognize functions from tables Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!
Recognize functions from graphs Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!

Linear and nonlinear functions

Recognizing linear functions (Opens a modal)
Linear & nonlinear functions: table (Opens a modal)
Linear & nonlinear functions: word problem (Opens a modal)
Linear & nonlinear functions: missing value (Opens a modal)
Interpreting a graph example (Opens a modal)
Linear equations and functions: FAQ (Opens a modal)
Linear & nonlinear functions Get 5 of 7 questions to level up!
Interpreting graphs of functions Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!

8th-Grade Reading List: Homeschool Literature Books for Middle School

collage image of 8th-grade reading list. A comprehensive 8th-grade reading list of the most intriguing and inspiring literature books for middle schoolers!

Table of Contents

8th Grade Reading List Homeschoolers love

You’re looking to homeschool your 8th-grader? I bet you’re looking for books to bring in the best of literature for your rising high schooler’s young mind. Then you don’t want to miss this. It’s a comprehensive 8th-grade reading list of the most intriguing and inspiring literature books for middle schoolers!

From classic literature to more modern pieces, you’ll find the perfect books to make your 8th-grader’s homeschool days both enjoyable and educational.

Classic Literature

When it comes to preparing a reading list for homeschooled 8th graders, classic literature should definitely make the cut. From picture books to full-length novels, classic literature can introduce young readers to stories that have been enjoyed by many generations before them. Such books can expand their thinking and offer deeper insight into culture and history.

Charlotte Mason, an educator in England during the 19th century, popularized a “great book” approach to education. This approach encourages students to read works from master authors like Robert Frost and Mark Twain. Examples of great books that have been enjoyed by 8th graders are Secret Garden, Gulliver’s Travels, Summer of the Swans, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, and Treasure Island. The Little House books are particularly recommended for this age group given their historical context and focus on the inspiring adventures of a young girl growing up in nature’s beauty in rural America during the 1800s.

Classic Lit. study guides & books

Enjoy the books as a read-aloud or for independent learning . Below are resources for books and study guides as well as online courses.

Robert Frost – Poems make great read-aloud to add to your morning routine.
Huckleberry Finn , a literature study guide of a Mark Twain favorite.
Secret Garden , is such a great book. Add a literature guide to help your family get the most out of this classic story.
Gulliver’s Travels – choose a literature guide to pair with this classic adventure novel
Summer of the Swans , – Perfect for summer! Pair with this pdf literature guide .
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer – Pick your favorite literature guide to get the most out of this classic middle school favorite.
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde , – A literature study guide for this Robert Louis Stevenson classic.
Treasure Island – an adventure classic to enjoy with your choice of e xcellent literature guides here.
The Little House on The Prarie books – Little House in the Big Woods Online Book Club

Newbery Award books also feature some great stories that can be read by 8th-grade students. Not only do these provide wonderful tales with interesting characters but they also help children learn how writers use figurative language as well as other literary techniques such as alliteration or similes when telling enchanting stories or creating entertaining poems or songs for recitation.

Any eighth grader will definitely benefit from exploring classic literature during their studies; such timeless works offer important life lessons while opening up new perspectives on literature and world culture in general!

image of Literary Adventures for Kids Online book clubs to pair with 8th-grade reading list for middle schoolers. available at www.captivatingcompass.com

American History in Literature

Incorporating online courses into any eighth-grade homeschool book list is an excellent way to provide an education in American history. Reading a historical fiction novel such as “Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry” can give a child a realistic understanding of the difficulties faced by African Americans in the South during segregation. Introducing a classic novel like “The Call of the Wild ” can be fun and engaging, while also providing insight into U.S. history with its descriptions of the Klondike gold rush period.

Reading books from different American time periods is a great way to introduce students to historical events that happened across different eras. Classic novels like Little Women will give your student an appreciation for 19th-century life, whereas something such as “The Witch of Blackbird Pond” will bring students into Colonial America and introduce them to why settlers fled from Europe to begin their lives in the New World. For those with animal lovers in their classroom, “Old Yeller” or ‘ The Red Fern Grows ’ provide insight into life on the ranch during 19th century.

For those looking for a field trip without leaving the house, these books are an excellent addition to any 8th-grade homeschool book list and can give children an understanding of literature while at the same time immersing them in American history. With an incredible range of books on lists, finding one that is sure to capture your student’s imagination should not be difficult.

Dystopian Literature

When it comes to understanding dystopian literature, it is important for 8th-grade homeschool literature courses to introduce the correct book to their students. High school students can certainly enjoy the complexity of books like The Hunger Games, but for younger middle schoolers, those stories may be over their grade level.

For 8th-grade homeschoolers, the right book selection will help ensure they have an age-appropriate experience while deepening their understanding of dystopian literature. Suggested titles include The Giver by Lois Lowry, The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and 1984 by George Orwell. Older students who are looking for a more mature reading list can explore works like Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury or Station 11 by Emily St John Mandel.

Search for your favorite version of these Dystopian literature books on Amazon.com.

Reading these diverse books helps students foster an understanding of dystopian literature and its impact on society as well as themes such as rebellion, using technology responsibly, and identifying effective leadership styles. With engaging stories and characters that connect with young readers’ lives and experiences, these titles are sure to make your 8th-grade homeschool literature study a hit!

8th-grade reading list: check your library

No matter what your 8th grader might be interested in reading, this literature list features some amazing titles perfect for their age group! Be sure to check out your local library for these fantastic stories or find them online through vendors like Amazon or Barnes & Noble — and get ready for some great reads!

World History in Literature

Incorporating world history in literature is a great way for 8th-grade homeschool students to learn about the past and its impact on the present. A good place to start is The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, which is a true story of heroism and faith set during World War II. Another modern classic is The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank which offers an inspiring perspective on hope in the midst of intense wartime conditions.

One well-known work from French author Alexandre Dumas is The Count of Monte Cristo, which touches upon themes such as vengeance and justice in revolutionary France. It’s an exciting adventure story that offers insight into the era’s political climate. Another classic novel set during this period is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley – while it isn’t strictly historical, its gothic elements explore how literary works so often reflect on their historical context.

Novels like these bring together history and literature to provide 8th-grade homeschool students with a fascinating look at times gone by. Working your way through this reading list with your child will help them take important lessons away from each piece that they can apply to both their studies and life in general.

8th-Grade Reading List: Homeschool Literature Guides

Finding suitable 8th-grade online literature guides can be challenging, especially if you are homeschooling your child. When selecting reading material for an 8th-grade student, it is important to assess their reading level before making a selection. You may also want to consider whether or not Common Sense Media suggests the student should read a book at their current grade level.

Select books that are appropriate for your 8th-grade student’s maturity level and comprehension.

When choosing literature books, be sure to look for books that emphasize real-world issues and situations, as well as those that contain positive moral lessons. Additionally, you may want to consult other parents who have dealt with similar topics when selecting reading material for your child.

Lastly, remember to track both the progress of your child in terms of reading level and the number of book choices they make throughout the school year. Doing so will provide an indication of their overall mastery of literature while providing insight into which types of literature they prefer most. With this information in hand, you will have all the resources necessary to create tailored instruction that fits the needs of your 8th grader in order to successfully complete their study of literature within a homeschool setting!

Parents, please check out Common Sense Media , or ask your homeschool friends for insight. It’s up to you to decide if these books are a good fit for your family.

Eighth grade reading list: middle school favorites.

A great book deserves an excellent literature guide for you and your middle schooler. Find them here!

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien: A classic fantasy novel about a hobbit who goes on an adventure to reclaim his lost home.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: A dystopian novel about a girl who is forced to fight to the death in an annual televised event.
Night by Elie Wiesel: A memoir about the author’s experiences as a teenager in Auschwitz.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury: A dystopian novel about a society where books are banned and burned.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: A classic American novel about a young girl who witnesses the trial of a black man accused of rape.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor: A historical novel about a black family living in Mississippi during the Great Depression.
Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan: An allegorical novel about a man’s journey to heaven.

And of course, search for your favorite version of these books on Amazon.com.

These books are all challenging and thought-provoking, and they will help your child to develop a love of reading. Check common sense Media Reviews here .

8th-grade Reading List: Download

Combine your 8th-Grade Reading List literature with exciting history

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50 Must-Read Books for Eighth Graders

by AuthorAmy

Welcome to Amy’s Bookshelf! Here, teachers will find carefully curated book lists for each grade level from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Moving forward, new lists filled with book recommendations will be published weekly. Sometimes, these lists will be organized around a specific theme, like a holiday or seasonal event. Other times, they will feature rockstar books – books practically guaranteed to get your students reading.

Before jumping into reading recommendations, a few words about how books are selected.

First, it is so important that teachers prioritize reading interest over reading level. Students will often choose to read well above or below their reading level if they are particularly interested in a book or topic. Teachers only hurt students by limiting them to a specific selection of titles grouped according to an arbitrary number or level. Think of the books on these lists as starting places for you and your students, but if a student wants to read up (or down), that is a-ok.

Also, please note that these lists lean heavily toward modern selections as opposed to the classics many teachers are familiar with. A true renaissance is happening in children’s literature today, and the books coming out are truly exciting. One of the factors that makes this such an exciting time for kid lit is how diverse the selections are in terms of genre, characters and subject matter. These lists will feature fiction and nonfiction selection as well as graphic novels, novels written in verse, and more.

Any book list or classroom library worth its salt includes books featuring LGBTQIA+ characters, racially diverse characters, characters with disabilities, characters in the foster care system, characters from a wide variety of socioeconomic and religious backgrounds, and so on. Importantly, the diversity of the characters doesn’t always need to be the focus of the literature – in other words, a book featuring a black character or gay character doesn’t need to be about those individuals exploring their blackness or their gayness; those characters can have kid problems that apply to all children regardless of their race or sexual orientation. Similarly, students should be encouraged to read stories featuring people of diversity all year long – not just during a month set aside to celebrate a specific heritage.

One final note: today’s children’s literature does not shy away from frank discussions of gender, race, sex, sexuality, abuse, mental illness, and more – nor should it. I will not censor books from these lists based on these controversial areas. What books you recommend will depend on the specific district you work in and your clientele. I encourage you and your students to read widely without fear.

Eighth Grade

Eighth grade students are on the cusp of high school, so the books on this list are reflective of their level of increasing maturity. Many of the books on this list are appropriate for middle school and high school students.

Just so you know, Bored Teachers may get a small share of the sales made through the Amazon affiliate links on this page.

by Alan Gratz

Refugee is one of those “everyone must read this book” books. It span ages and is equally powerful as a middle school or high school text. This is the journey of three children, all refugees, fleeing from a terror regime. Josef lives in Germany and flees from the Nazis with his family; Isabel tries to escape Cuba for American shores, and Mahmoud is a modern-day Syrian refugee. Though they are from different times in history, their stories intersect in surprising ways.

2. Ready Player One

by Ernest Cline

In a dystopian world where the economy has crashed, people around the world log into the Oasis, a virtual reality platform. The creator of the Oasis, an eccentric billionaire, has died and left his fortune buried somewhere within the game. This story follows teenager Wade as he gets closer and closer to the treasure, a dangerous game when so many want what he is close to having.

3. Journey by Aaron Becker

This is a wordless picture book that is about a girl who, using a magic marker, draws herself an escape from the ordinary into the extraordinary. It’s sort of a Harold’s Purple Crayon for adolescents and adults, with a more nuanced story and theme.

4. Peter and the Starcatchers

by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Humor authors Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson imagine an origin story for Peter Pan. How did Peter end up in Neverland and what happened to his parents? Why is Hook afraid of crocodiles? Where did Tinkerbell come from, and who are the lost boys? All these questions and more are answered, and this book is both a page-turner and laugh-out-loud funny.

5. Keeper of the Night

by Kimberley Willis Holt

Keeper of the Night takes place in Guam, and the story is richly populated with details enough to make the reader feel like they’ve stepped into Isabel’s world. Isabel’s mother has died, leaving her family reeling. Isabel wants to piece her family back together, and this is the story of how she does so.

6. The Graveyard Book

by Neil Gaiman

Nobody Owens, or Bod, is a toddler who inadvertently escapes from Jack, who murders his family. Bod winds up in the local graveyard and is raised by ghosts. When Bod reaches adolscence, however, he wants to stretch his legs and explore away from his ghost family, a proposition that could prove very dangerous to him, indeed.

7. Science Verse

by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith

Science is delivered here in raucous poetic form. The author and illustrator combine to create an inna t e dance through science, from the food chain to the creation of a black hole.

8. Moonshot

by Brian Floca

Moonshot is Brian Floca’s retelling of the Apollo 11 moon landing in picture book form. Floca is well-known for creating picture books about the machines that humans take journeys in, and as with his other works, this one is marvelous.

9. Al Capone Does My Shirts

by Gennifer Choldenko

Moose Flanagan lives on Alcatraz in the 1930s, when the prison housed the likes of Al Capone. Moose is one of 23 children living on the island because their parents work as prison guards or cooks or doctors. The kids get into all sorts of trouble on the small island, and this is a highly engaging story about those anctics. There are three other Alcatraz books after this one.

10. Flying Lessons and Other Stories

edited by Ellen Oh

This short story collection is a compendium of stories from today’s top teen authors, and there’s something for everyone, including a short story in verse.

11. Touching Spirit Bear

by Ben Mikaelsen

Instead of going to juvey, Cole Matthews is sent to the remote, Alaskan Circle Justice, a rehabilitation program for juvenile offenders like himself. Cole is attacked by a white bear, what is sometimes called a spirit bear, and left for dead. The attack changes Cole’s outlook and this is ultimately a story of redemption.

12. Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White

by Melissa Sweet

American icon E.B. White is perhaps best known for Charlotte’s Web, but he was a prolific writer who wrote essays, contributed to the New Yorker, and published many other children’s books, too. This book is a lengthier picture book biography of White that includes many letters and other family artifacts that give readers an insight into this iconic American writer.

13. Calling All Minds: How to Think and Create Like an Inventor

by Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin, the renowned spokesperson for autism, shares her insight into the various ways a person can solve a problem. The message of this book is that there is more than one way to look at the world, to think about things, to use your imagination and to arrive at a new idea. Grandin does this by looking at inventions and the thought process behind them.

14. The Night Diary

by Veera Hiranandani

Nisha watches her home country of India divide into India and Pakistan in 1947, and suddenly, Muslims and Hindus are being killed crossing the new border. Nisha’s family decides they, too, must cross, and she fears for her life during the long journey.

15. Zen Shorts

by Jon J. Muth

A giant panda moves into the neighborhood and begins telling children ancient Zen tales in this picture book. Author/illustrator Jon Muth followed up the popular Zen Shorts with a number of other Zen tales (including Zen Ghosts and Zen Ties ) which are all worth reading.

16. Bound by Ice

by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace

The ship Jeannette sets sail for the Arctic from San Francisco, looking for a route to the North Pole. The ship becomes locked inside Arctic ice and sinks after two years adrift. The crew escape on lifeboats and make a harrowing journey back to civilization that not all survice.

17. Super Women: Six Scientists Who Changed the World

by Laurie Lawlor

Six mini biographies are included in this book. Each paints a portrait of a lesser-known woman scientist who relentlessly pursued her studies despite obstacles in her path, many of which were gender-based. The biographies are accompanied by photographs, and the whole package is an engaging read.

18. Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets

by Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley, and Marjory Wentworth

Three of today’s well-known poets, Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, write poems in honor of their favorite poets.

19. Stormy Seas: Stories of young boat refugees

by Mary Beth Leatherdale and Eleanor Shakespeare

Contrasted with Refugee , at the start of this list, this book is a collection of five true stories about refugees who boarded a boat in search of a better life. Many infographics are included alongside the stories with more historical informatin.

20. Strong Inside

(Young Readers Edition) by Andrew Maraniss

Perry Wallace was the first black man to play college basketball in the Southeastern Conference. He accepted an offer to play ball at Vanderbilt and crossed into a world where hatred and racism were deeply entrenched. This is his story.

21. The Magician and the Spirits: Harry Houdini

by Deborah Noyes

Harry Houdini, in addition to being a magician and stage performer, had a fascination for the occult. He spent much time investigating whether or not accounts of contact with “the other side” were real or just stage illusions like his own.

22. Ender’s Game

by Orson Scott Card

Set in the near future, the earth has been attacked by aliens called buggers. The earth must mount a resistance force before the aliens come back, and the military turns to elite child genuises. Andrew “Ender” Wiggin is the best of the best and he is taken from his family and trained to be the military general that will lead the fight against the aliens.

23. The Hobbit

by J.R.R. Tolkien

A band of dwarves plus the unlikely companion of hobbit Bilbo Baggins set out to steal back treasure from the dangerous dragon Smaug. This classic novel is a prequel to the longer Lord of the Rings trilogy.

24. Better Nate Than Ever

by Tim Federle

Nate Foster wants to star in a broadway show more than he wants anything else in life, but he knows he will never get close if he remains in his homestate of Pennslyvania. He learns that there is an open casting call for a musical and makes a daring trip to New York City to be there for it.

25. Not your Sidekick by C.B. Lee

Jessica’s parents are superheroes, but Jessica is not. She just wants to get an internship to help her get into a good college. The internship she ends up getting is in the employ of her parents’ arch enemies but allows Jessica to work alongside Abby, who she has a secret crush on.

26. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

by Jacqueline Kelly

Calpurnia’s grandfather is a naturalist, and the two of them bond when she asks him some scientific questions about grasshoppers. Their relationship grows, as does Calpurnia’s interest in science.

27. The House of the Scorpion

by Nancy Farmer

Matt is a clone of El Patrón, who divided his cells in a test tube and then placed his developing embroyo in the uterus of a cow. The world sees Matt as an abomination but Matt didn’t ask to be created, and now that he’s here, he’s grappling with his identity and navigating the dangerous world occupied by El Patrón.

28. Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir

by Margarita Engle

Margarita lives in Los Angeles, except when she lives in Cuba during the summer with her mother. Margarita loves Cuba and lives for those summer months. But the United States is trapped in the Cold War, and when Cuba becomes a central part of the conflict, Margarita’s two sides are suddenly at war.

29. Forget Me Not

by Ellie Terry

Calliope has never felt like she fits in, which is perhaps why she turns to the night skies. She loves astronomy, and the stars do not judge her for having Tourettes like the kids at school do. It’s only when Calliope’s mom moves her to another new school that she finally starts to make friends.

30. The Outsiders

by S.E. Hinton

It’s the Socs versus the Greasers in this iconic novel about Ponyboy and his buddies. The boys live on the outskirts of society and sometimes scuffles break out between the two groups. One night, things go too far.

31. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

by Carolyn Mackler

Virginia is a plus-sized teenager, which makes everything about being a teenager harder. She feels pathetic next to her perfect family, especially her perfect brother. But then a serious accusation is levied against her brother, and the family’s world is rocked to its core.

32. Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Steve Harmon is 16 and is being tried for murder after he was the lookout in the shooting of a drugstore owner. Steve, prior to the murder trial, was an amateur filmmaker so he transcribes his experiences, and Monster is the result.

33. Lucky Broken Girl

by Ruth Behar

Ruthie Mizrahi’s family has moved to the United States from Cuba. Here, she suffers a horrific accident that leaves her in a full body cast for an entire year. Because Ruthie can’t move, the book is mostly her inner monologue, which grows over the bedridden year.

34. The First Rule of Punk

by Celia C. Perez

Malú learns the first rule of punk from her dad, and it’s “be yourself.” Which is all fine until Malú colossally messes up her first day of school. She decides to try her dad’s advice and assembles a punk band of misfits, finding herself along the way.

35. Breakout

by Kate Messner

Nora’s summer vacation plans are majorly messed up when the nearby prison experiences a high-profile prison break. Suddenly, the neighborhood is on house arrest. This is a multi-genre novel told in many formats including comics, poems, and letters.

36. Flowers for Algernon

by Daniel Keyes

Algernon is a lab mouse who has undergone surgery to increase his IQ, and soon this surgery is applied to Charlie Gordon. The operation successfully increases Charlie’s intelligence, but only temporarily, and he is forced to watch himself regress. It’s a book both heartbreaking and important.

37. The Alchemist: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel

by Michael Scott

This is the first in a six-book fantasy series. This particular installment is about Nicholas Flamel, the famed alychemist. Legend has it, he did not die in 1418, as his tomb states, but that he lives on today making the elixir that keeps him immortal. But when a modern day villian sets out to steal Flamel’s magic book, two kids step in to stop him.

38. The Westing Game

by Ellen Raskin

Millionaire Samuel W. Westing dies at the beginning of the book and the tenants in his building are named as heirs in his will. The tenants are paired off and told the first team to solve the puzzle contained in the will will inherit Westing’s entire fortune.

39. A Monster Calls

by Patrick Ness

At the beginning of the book, protagonist Conor is fighting a number of monsters – bullies at school, a monster in his nightmares, and the grief associated with an ill family member. Then a real monster shows up and Conor is forced to face some truths within himself.

40. Fallen Angels

by Walter Dean Myers

Perry volunteers for the Vietnam War, and he is sent to the front lines where he must face the horrors of war.

41. When You Reach Me

by Rebecca Stead

Miranda receives mysterious notes that predict the future. So, when the notes instruct her to write a letter, she feels she must do as she is told. There is a nice mystery woven in, and some time travel to boot.

42. Mortal Engines

by Philip Reeve

In this fascinating and creative futuristic world, cities have been turned into rolling behemoths that hunt down and tear apart other cities. This is the first book in a four-part series. There is lots of world-building and some excellent character development.

43. The Book of Boy

by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

A protagonist known as Boy is bullied for his hump and so spends his time along in the woods communing with the animals. He is found by a man named Secondus who hires Boy as a servant. Secondus has a mission, which involves thieving ancient relics with Boy’s help.

44. Willa of the Wood

by Robert Beatty

Willa is a night spirit, and she hates humans for the havoc the wreak on nature. She steals from humans as revenge, but one day winds up hurt, leaving her vulnerable during daylight hours.

45. Grenade

Grenade is the story of two young men. Hideki, who is in the Japanese army during WWII, and Ray, an American soldier in Japan. The two collide with orders to kill each other and they each must make a choice.

46. Olivia Twist

by Lorie Langdon

In this spin on Oliver Twist, Olivia is raised among Long street thieves until her uncle takes her into high society after a thieving episode goes wrong. But even though she is allowed to live a life of comfort, she cannot forget the London orphans and so sneaks away to offer her help.

47. The Seventh Most Important Thing

by Shelley Pearsall

Arthur finds himself facing a judge after he threw a brick at a garbage truck and hit the Junk Man in the arm. The Junk Man offers to let Arthur do community service with him, who sets Arthur to combing through trash searching for a list of seven important things.

48. The Thing About Jellyfish

by Ali Benjamin

Suzy’s best friend dies in a drowning accident, but Suzy is convinced the accident was caused by a jellyfish sting. In her grief, she retreats into her imagination and comes up with a plan to prove her theory correct.

49. Summer of the Gypsy Moths

by Sara Pennypacker

Aunt Louise has taken in her niece Stella, and Stella loves living with her aunt. Until that is, Louise opens her home to another foster child, Angel, who Stella does not get along with. Aunt Louise dies and the two girls decide not to tell anyone.

50. Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart

Lily and Dunkin are both dealing with heavy situations. Lily was born a boy but knows she’s a girl, whereas Dunkin has bipolar disorder. The two become friends and help each other cope.

Other book lists from Amy’s bookshelf you’ll love:

50 Must-Read Books for Kindergarteners
50 Must-Read Books For First Graders
50 Must-Read Books for Second Graders
50 Must-Read Books For Third Graders
50 Must-Read Books for Fourth Graders
50 Must-Read Books For Fifth Graders
50 Must-Read Books For Sixth Graders
50 Must-Read Books for Seventh Graders

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Intervention

The Surprising State of Middle School Literacy—And What School Leaders Can Do About It

Sixty-nine percent of eighth grade students are “non-proficient” readers. Uncover the causes behind this adolescent literacy crisis. Discover practical strategies to improve middle school reading through evidence-based instruction and teacher training and determine how to fund it.

The Shocking Statistics on Adolescent Literacy

Data from the most recent 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) , a widely respected and comprehensive assessment of student performance in the United States, revealed 69% of eighth grade students are “non-proficient” readers . This leaves a meager 31% of eighth grade students at or above the NAEP proficient achievement level.

For school and district leaders, these numbers are cause for concern. Reading proficiency is the bedrock for all academic learning. Students who cannot read well will inevitably struggle across all core subject areas:

Science (comprehending texts and lab instructions)
Math (analyzing word problems)
Social Studies (understanding context from primary source documents)

And the shortfalls extend beyond academics. Adolescents with poor literacy skills face staggering statistics :

85% of youth involved in the juvenile court system are classified as having reading skills below the level required to function in our society.
Limited literacy can decrease one's ability to access health services, understand and complete necessary forms, and comprehend vital written communications.
Low literacy levels directly correlate with unemployment . One in five adults struggles to complete basic job applications. Reading basic sentences and filling out necessary forms for employment are barriers to their success.

It's a pressing issue that demands immediate attention. The reading outcomes for adolescent learners in our nation's middle and high schools need to improve urgently.

The Root Causes Behind the Literacy Gap

It's tempting to view this literacy crisis as solely an artifact of the COVID-19 pandemic's disruptions to classroom learning. While the pandemic was undoubtedly a significant factor, the reading challenges have been building for decades. Several systemic issues created this perfect storm:

Ineffective Elementary Reading Instructional Approaches

For years, the instructional philosophy of " Balanced Literacy " dominated many elementary schools. This well-intentioned approach emphasized exposing young students to high-quality children's literature.

However, Balanced Literacy de-emphasized the explicit, systematic teaching of phonics, phonemic awareness, and other foundational decoding skills. As a result, too many students reach adolescence without fully mastering these crucial reading abilities.

The science of reading , the gold-standard body of decades of reading research, has since revealed how critical it is for instructors to use Structured Literacy , an instructional approach based on the science of reading practices. These evidence-based methods explicitly teach students strategies for:

Mapping sounds to letters (phonics and phonemic awareness)
Reading accurately and fluently
Comprehending texts
Building vocabulary through word study

Changing deeply entrenched reading instructional methods requires an investment in properly training teachers in these practices.

Limited Focus on Literacy by Content-Area Teachers

While it's commonly assumed that only English/Language Arts (ELA) teachers should concentrate on students' literacy development, that's a myth. Reading proficiency underpins learning across all subjects.

From analyzing primary source texts in social studies to comprehending word problems in math, adolescent learners depend on solid literacy skills in every class. Science students need to understand the technical vocabulary in texts and lab instructions. In fact, 85% of public school curriculum is delivered through written text.

Yet one of the systemic shortfalls is that non-ELA teachers need more training in incorporating reading skill development into their classrooms. Thus, with no fault of their own, an entire field of educators is ill-equipped to intervene when students demonstrate reading struggles.

Why don't content-area teachers get this vital literacy training? Much of it stems from the outdated assumptions that:

Literacy instruction is solely an ELA responsibility
By middle and high school, students have already mastered reading
There is little room in subject-specific courses for reading remediation

The result is a lack of emphasis on adolescent reading abilities—to the detriment of students across all subjects.

The Compounding Problems of the COVID-19 Pandemic

While the literacy crisis was steadily brewing, the COVID-19 pandemic threw gasoline on the fire. Disruptions to classroom learning caused by remote instruction, quarantines, and other factors created widespread “learning loss,” a term used to describe the significant regression in academic skills and knowledge students experienced during the pandemic.

Learners who already needed to improve their reading skills fell even further behind. Adolescents on the verge of reading proficiency lost crucial development time.

Noted in a North West Evaluation Associates study , the effects have been staggering:

The pandemic hit younger students harder, especially those in elementary grades. These students, who are now in middle school , experienced significant reading achievement declines compared to their older peers.
In high-poverty elementary schools, the reading test score decline was 2.5 times larger than in low-poverty elementary schools.
The shift to remote learning during the pandemic had a detrimental effect on reading outcomes, with students experiencing worse results than in-person learning.
High-poverty schools were more likely to remain remote for longer, potentially exacerbating the learning loss .
Younger students struggled more with remote learning, experiencing greater difficulty navigating online classes and remaining focused. These students are now in middle school .

What Schools Can Do to Improve Adolescent Literacy

While the data paints a grim picture of the literacy crisis in America's middle schools, it's important to remember this problem has solutions . Practical strategies are available to steer adolescent reading development back on track.

You have a crucial role to play in addressing the reading crisis. Your proactive steps and support for building-level administrators and teachers being asked to fill these critical gaps can make a significant difference.

Let's explore some key actions you can take:

1. Help ELA Teachers Restructure Reading Instruction

Understanding and implementing science of reading-based Structured Literacy practices requires additional professional learning for many ELA teachers. While literacy experts, these teachers are often more well-versed in literature analysis rather than systematic phonics and decoding instruction.

Districts need to provide high-quality literacy training for ELA teachers that covers methods like:

Implementing explicit, multisensory literacy lessons
Incorporating fluency practice into instruction
Layering comprehension strategies over decoding skills
Embedding literacy skill instruction across the curriculum

With more profound knowledge grounded in the science of reading, ELA teachers can restructure their practices and ensure adolescent students receive appropriate intensive reading instruction.

2. Develop Content-Area Teachers' Literacy Instruction

Literacy skill development can no longer be siloed within the ELA sphere. Schools must empower all teachers as literacy instructors to give adolescent learners every opportunity to improve their reading proficiency.

Robust professional learning grounded in the science of reading should provide instructors across subjects like math , social studies , science , and others with practical strategies to seamlessly embed adolescent literacy skill development into their content-area instruction. This approach would enable teachers to boost literacy without sacrificing valuable instructional time dedicated to their specific subjects.

This training should cover key competencies like:

Analyzing texts in the content area for challenges like complex syntax
Explicitly teaching technical vocabulary and word roots
Modeling comprehension strategies for informational texts
Using literacy best practices like repeated readings and annotating texts

Practical training starts by helping content-area teachers understand how vital literacy skills are for their students' success. Then, it provides proven methods for integrating literacy skill development into their daily lessons.

3. Invest in High-Quality, Evidence-Based Literacy Professional Development

Having recognized the gaps in professional learning opportunities for literacy instruction—across ELA and other subjects—district leaders must prioritize selecting high-quality professional development resources.

Look for literacy training solutions that:

Are developed using evidence-based practices from the science of reading
Provide explicit models for Structured Literacy methods
Include adolescent-appropriate, content-area-specific examples
Offer flexible learning modules that fit teachers' busy schedules
Come with implementation resources like lesson plan templates to save teachers time
Acknowledge an educator's efforts by rewarding them CEUs and college credits

One solution explicitly designed to improve literacy instruction for grades 4–8 students is Lexia Aspire® Professional Learning . This online professional development resource provides robust, evidence-aligned literacy training for teachers to address adolescent reading gaps.

4. Leverage Available Funding Sources for Literacy Professional Development

Of course, providing high-quality professional learning requires an investment —something that concerns many schools and districts facing persistent budget pressures. The good news is there are federal, state, and private funding avenues districts may be able to tap into:

Federal Funding Sources

Several major federal funding streams can directly support literacy professional development:

Title I : Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Title I funds are specifically earmarked for supporting disadvantaged students. This can include high-quality professional development that benefits Title I student populations.
Title II : Another ESEA funding bucket (Title II-A) focuses on preparing, training, and recruiting high-quality teachers and principals. Developing teachers' literacy instructional prowess aligns with this funding resource.
IDEA : The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides grant funding for students receiving special education services. This funding can support professional development to better serve children with special needs, including reading disabilities and dyslexia .
SEED : The federal Supportive, Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant program aims to increase teachers' abilities to meet student academic achievement requirements.

State Funding Opportunities

Many states offer grant programs and other funding opportunities for high-quality professional learning initiatives.

For example:

California's Educator Effectiveness Block Grant provides funds for professional learning addressing state priorities, including literacy.
The Colorado Early Literacy Grant Annual Professional Development Program supports professional development focused on evidence-based instruction and addressing learning gaps.
Illinois permits the use of state Professional Development funds for training that is aligned with its K–12 Literacy Framework.
The Texas COVID Learning Acceleration Support Program funds professional development to help accelerate student learning.

District leaders should check what professional development grant programs or funds exist in their state and locality. Initiatives focused on improving adolescent literacy instruction may qualify.

Alternative Funding Sources

Beyond government channels, grant opportunities from nonprofits, corporations, and private foundations can also support literacy professional development:

The National Education Association (NEA) Foundation offers grants for professional development projects related to literacy and reading.
The Annenberg Foundation provides grants for teacher training and professional development programs.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is specifically committed to supporting education and ensuring all children have the opportunity to thrive.
Local corporations, community foundations, and charitable organizations often seek impactful educational investments to support.

Crowdfunding through online platforms like DonorsChoose can also help teachers access professional development, books, and classroom instructional materials.

The pursuit of literacy grant funding requires dedicated time and planning. However, these opportunities enable budget-limited schools to invest meaningfully in evidence-based training that can improve adolescents' reading achievement.

A Wise Investment for the Future

Improving adolescent literacy rates is one of a school leader’s most important investments. The longstanding challenges have been starkly revealed, and the needs are precise.

By prioritizing evidence-based literacy professional development for teachers across all subjects and grades, school leaders can:

Help struggling adolescent readers get back on track
Ensure content-area literacy learning is accessible
Increase engagement and reduce behavioral issues
Empower students for future success

With thoughtful planning, commitment to applying the science of reading, and leveraging of available funding sources, this essential professional development can become a reality for middle schools across the country.

The path will require continued dedication from teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, families, and communities. Transforming adolescent lives through achieving literacy is achievable. Every student deserves a fair chance to become a skilled, confident reader—it's up to school leaders to equip teachers with the training to make it happen.

Interested in learning more about Aspire ?

Katie Leonard, acting assistant superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Hartford Public Schools, had this to say about the program:

“I love that Lexia Aspire is based on the science of reading and is specifically designed for educators working with adolescent students. The training has helped my educators weave in literacy skills in their classrooms and equipped them with the right skills to fill in the learning gaps that students had.”

Lexia Aspire ™ Professional Learning

Science of Reading-Based Professional Learning for All Educators Grades 4–8

How Lexia Aspire Fills the Need for Professional Learning in Reading Instruction Among Teachers of Adolescent Students

Many middle school students experience difficulty understanding complex texts due to gaps in foundational reading skills. And their content teachers don’t usually learn how to teach reading to adolescents. However, there are specific instructional strategies teachers can use to improve students’ literacy skills.

Lexia Aspire Overview

Discover Lexia Aspire™ Professional Learning. Improving outcomes in every subject through literacy.

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Not Lost in a Book

Why the “decline by 9” in kids pleasure reading is getting more pronounced, year after year..

Those of us who believe in the power of books worry all the time that reading, as a pursuit, is collapsing, eclipsed by (depending on the era) streaming video, the internet, the television, or the hula hoop. Yet, somehow, reading persists; more books are sold today than were sold before the pandemic. Though print book sales were down 2.6 percent in 2023, they were still 10 percent greater than in 2019 , and some genres—adult fiction, memoirs—rose in sales last year.

But right now, there’s one sector of publishing that is in free fall. At least among one audience, books are dying. Alarmingly, it’s the exact audience whose departure from reading might actually presage a catastrophe for the publishing industry—and for the entire concept of pleasure reading as a common pursuit.

Ask anyone who works with elementary-school children about the state of reading among their kids and you’ll get some dire reports. Sales of “middle-grade” books—the classification covering ages 8 through 12—were down 10 percent in the first three quarters of 2023 , after falling 16 percent in 2022 . It’s the only sector of the industry that’s underperforming compared to 2019. There hasn’t been a middle-grade phenomenon since Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants spinoff Dog Man hit the scene in 2016. New middle-grade titles are vanishing from Barnes and Noble shelves, agents and publishers say, due to a new corporate policy focusing on books the company can guarantee will be bestsellers.

Most alarmingly, kids in third and fourth grade are beginning to stop reading for fun. It’s called the “Decline by 9, ” and it’s reaching a crisis point for publishers and educators. According to research by the children’s publishers Scholastic, at age 8, 57 percent of kids say they read books for fun most days; at age 9, only 35 percent do . This trend started before the pandemic, experts say, but the pandemic accelerated things. “I don’t think it’s possible to overstate how disruptive the pandemic was on middle grade readers,” one industry analyst told Publishers Weekly . And everyone I talked to agreed that the sudden drop-off in reading for fun is happening at a crucial age—the very age when, according to publishing lore, lifetime readers are made. “If you can keep them interested in books at that age, it will foster an interest in books the rest of their life,” said Brenna Connor, an industry analyst at Circana, the market research company that runs Bookscan. “If you don’t, they don’t want to read books as an adult.”

What’s causing the Decline by 9? It might be screens, but it’s not only screens. It’s not like kids are suddenly getting their own phones at age 9; recent survey data from Common Sense Media reveals that phone ownership holds steady, at around 30 percent, among kids aged 8 and 9. (It isn’t until they reach 11 or 12 that the majority of American kids have their own phone.) Indeed, several people I spoke to mentioned that middle-graders’ lack of phones created a marketing problem in an era when no one at any publishing house has any idea how to make a book a bestseller other than to hope it blows up on TikTok. “BookTok is imperfect,” said Karen Jensen, a youth librarian and a blogger for School Library Journal, “but in teen publishing it’s generating huge bestsellers, bringing back things from the backlist. There’s not anything like that right now for the middle-grade age group.”

“It’s not like we want these kids to have phones, that’s not the solution,” one executive in children’s books told me ruefully. “But without phones, we’re really struggling to market to them.”

Traditionally, middle-grade book discovery happens via parents, librarians, and—most crucially—peers. At recess, your best friend tells you that you have got to read the Baby-Sitters Club , and boom, you’re hooked. That avenue for discovery evaporated during the pandemic, and it hasn’t come back. “The lag in peer-to-peer recommendations seems to be lingering,” said Joanne O’Sullivan, a children’s book author and PW reporter. “Kids are back in school, so why aren’t they sharing recommendations with each other? Why aren’t they as enthusiastic about books as they were prepandemic?”

Experts I spoke to pointed to any number of causes for middle-graders’ lost love of reading. Yes, screen time is an issue: “We know that screen time increased for many kids during that initial phase of the pandemic,” said Circana’s Connor. “Some of that increased screen time still remains, even though the pandemic is mostly behind us.” Or, as O’Sullivan asked, “Is this generation just iPad babies?”

But others also pointed to the way reading is being taught to young children in an educational environment that gets more and more test-focused all the time. “I do not blame teachers for this,” said O’Sullivan, but the transformation of the reading curriculum means “there’s not a lot of time for discovery and enjoyment in reading.” She noted a change I, too, had noticed: Reading in the classroom has moved away from encouraging students to dive into a whole book and moved toward students reading excerpts and responding to them. “Even in elementary school, you read, you take a quiz, you get the points. You do a reading log, and you have to read so many minutes a day. It’s really taking a lot of the joy out of reading.”

Of course, even many teachers and librarians who buck the curricular pressure—who dream of fostering a love of aimless, testless reading in their young charges—are finding that substantially more difficult in 2024. “Libraries are getting defunded,” said O’Sullivan. “Librarians are being let go. In some states, teachers can’t even keep a classroom library because they have to protect themselves from book bans.” As Jensen wrote in a recent blog post , it sure doesn’t help the children’s book industry when “chat rooms and library board meetings fill up with a small handful of people calling librarians Marxist communist groomers.”

It all adds up to an environment where kids are less passionate about reading and, even if they somehow do get excited, they’re less likely to discover the book that will keep them excited. What are publishers trying to do about it? They’re doubling down on the kinds of books that have been hits for middle-grade readers over the past few years: graphic novels and illustrated novels. Graphic novels, comics published in trade-book form, are a sales bright spot; last year they made up a quarter of all middle-grade sales. And “illustrated novels” have only become more and more popular since the birth of Jeff Kinney’s Wimpy Kid in 2007. Pilkey’s Captain Underpants and Dog Man books live somewhere in that graphic novel/illustrated-book mode—blocks of simple text followed by pages of drawings—and more and more, publishers are looking for light, funny stories-with-pictures that can help uncertain readers make the leap from picture books to big-kid books.

It’s great that the kids who love these books—or Spider-Man comics, or manga, or for that matter off-putting kid-lit “histories” about tragedies that happened in my lifetime —are reading something . For sure! Yet I can’t help but be worried that the kinds of books that changed my life between ages 8 and 12 are falling by the wayside. Is there room for the thoughtful, serious, beautiful young-person’s novel in 2024? Can you publish Bridge to Terabithia in the age of Captain Underpants?

It does seem to be just a little harder to sell that kind of novel these days. “Editors are looking for highly illustrated projects, shorter word counts, a bit more humor and adventure,” said Chelsea Eberly, director of the children’s book agency Greenhouse Literary . Connor was more blunt: “Maybe you think a book about a school shooting is really important,” she said, “but kids want to read a fun book. That’s what kids want today—they want to have fun.”

“If you’re an established author and you have an established reputation” for serious, heartfelt books, said O’Sullivan, you’ll be fine. But if you’re a new author who’s written a quiet, issue-oriented debut, “you might have to think about adapting, in a way.” A publisher might, for example, suggest bringing an illustrator aboard.

One side effect: Those established authors with established reputations tend to be white. The younger, newer authors who are being dissuaded by the market from writing unillustrated non-comedies? They’re increasingly people of color, thanks to the industry’s notably successful attempts at diversification over the past five to 10 years. The result may be a two-tiered system of awards-worthy book publishing, as older, whiter writers continue to publish moving, sensitive novels, while younger, Blacker authors are shut out of that particular market. “When you make it harder for new writers to break through, you’re perpetuating the problems that children’s publishing has been trying to address,” said Jensen.

For her part, Eberly, the book agent, doesn’t think the supply of serious, “award-winning” books will dry up. “Knowing the editors that I sell to, those are the types of books they want to shepherd into the world.” The danger, she says, isn’t that publishers will stop publishing such books; it’s that children won’t be able to find them due to book bans and pressure on librarians and teachers. Which books face the most challenges from book banners? Books by Black and queer authors.

What nearly everyone I spoke to in children’s publishing agrees would solve the problem in a snap is a new blockbuster, the kind of Harry Potter –style success that raises all boats. The industry can’t depend on Captain Underpants forever, even though, as Connor noted, “The devil works hard, but Dav Pilkey works harder.” While more than one person I spoke to expressed an existential fear—what if that next blockbuster never comes? What if we’re in the post-children’s-blockbuster era?—Eberly was more sanguine. “I don’t worry that we’re not going to have another blockbuster,” she said. “I’m hoping that the tent expands. I’ve always kind of hated it when there’s only one tentpole, like Harry Potter or whatever. I want there to be more tentpoles with room for more people underneath.”

US House passes controversial bill that expands definition of anti-Semitism

Rights groups warn that the definition could further chill freedom of speech as protests continue on college campuses.

Students and pro-Palestinian supporters occupy a plaza at the City College of New York campus

The United States House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed a bill that would expand the federal definition of anti-Semitism, despite opposition from civil liberties groups.

The bill passed the House on Wednesday by a margin of 320 to 91, and it is largely seen as a reaction to the ongoing antiwar protests unfolding on US university campuses. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Keep reading

The take: university protests spread across the us, at least 200 arrested at may day clashes in turkey, university gaza protests rage on with columbia arrests and violence at ucla.

If the bill were to become law, it would codify a definition of anti-Semitism created by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

That is a federal anti-discrimination law that bars discrimination based on shared ancestry, ethnic characteristics or national origin. Adding IHRA’s definition to the law would allow the federal Department of Education to restrict funding and other resources to campuses perceived as tolerating anti-Semitism.

But critics warn IHRA’s definition could be used to stifle campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, which has claimed the lives of 34,568 Palestinians so far.

What is the definition?

IHRA’s working definition of anti-Semitism is “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities”.

According to the IHRA, that definition also encompasses the “targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity”.

The group also includes certain examples in its definition to illustrate anti-Semitism. Saying, for instance, that “the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor” would be deemed anti-Semitic under its terms. The definition also bars any comparison between “contemporary Israeli policy” and “that of the Nazis”.

However, IHRA does specify that “criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as anti-Semitic”.

Bipartisan criticism

Rights groups, however, have raised concerns the definition nevertheless conflates criticism of the state of Israel and Zionism with anti-Semitism.

In a letter sent to lawmakers on Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) urged House members to vote against the legislation, saying federal law already prohibits anti-Semitic discrimination and harassment.

The bill is “therefore not needed to protect against anti-Semitic discrimination”, the letter said.

“Instead, it would likely chill free speech of students on college campuses by incorrectly equating criticism of the Israeli government with anti-Semitism.”

Those fears were echoed within the House of Representatives itself. During a hearing on Tuesday, Representative Jerry Nadler, a Democrat, said the scope of the definition was too broad.

“By encompassing purely political speech about Israel into Title VI’s ambit, the bill sweeps too broadly,” he said.

Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican, also criticised the bill in a post on the social media platform X, noting that it only referred to the IHRA definition, without providing the exact language or stating clearly which parts would be enshrined into law.

“To find the legally adopted definition of anti-Semitism, one must go to [the IHRA website],” he wrote.

“Not only is the definition listed there, but one also finds specific examples of anti-Semitic speech. Are those examples made part of the law as well?”

Concerns on campus

The IHRA adopted its current definition of anti-Semitism in 2016, and its framing has been embraced by the US State Department under President Joe Biden and his two predecessors.

The vote on Wednesday comes as renewed protests have swept across college campuses in opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza. April has seen the spread of encampments on university lawns, as students call for university leaders to divest from Israel and for government officials to call for a ceasefire.

The Biden administration and other top Washington officials have pledged steadfast support for Israel, despite mounting humanitarian concerns over its military campaign.

US lawmakers also have upped the pressure on university administrators to quash the protests, which they have portrayed as inherently anti-Semitic.

Protest leaders across the country, however, have rejected that characterisation. Instead, they accuse administrators and local officials of conflating support for Palestinians with anti-Semitism.

They also have said their rights are being trampled by administrators who seek to appease lawmakers, prompting at times violent police crackdowns on the encampments.

On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that several House committees would be tasked with a probe into alleged campus anti-Semitism. But critics fear the investigation could ultimately threaten to withhold federal research grants and other government support from the universities where the protests are occurring.

Want to see how Tennessee measures third grade reading? Try a TCAP practice test

The standardized Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program tests, also known as TNReady or TCAPs, kick off this week statewide.

Last year's rollout of a controversial third grade reading and retention law placed the TCAP under intense scrutiny. As the law took effect in 2023, the sole measurement of reading proficiency was each third grader's score on the English language arts section of the TCAP. But experts, teachers and education leaders argue it's not a reading proficiency test but rather a test of reading comprehension.

State lawmakers added a provision to the reading law to allow universal reading screening assessments to be considered in decisions on holding children back or not.

So what exactly does the English language arts section of the TCAP entail for third graders? A practice test, available online through the Tennessee Department of Education offers some insight.

Want to try your hand at one? Here's a look at what was on the spring 2023 English language arts section of the TCAP for third graders.

(Quick note: We've adapted the format of the practice test so it fits better here. None of the reading materials, questions or multiple choice answers have been changed.)

Part 1: Rory's funny story

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

"Rory's Funny Story" by Janice Graham

1 Everybody in Rory’s class had a Funny-but-True story to tell. The teacher, Mrs. Evans, had the best Funny-but- True stories of all. On Monday she told about her cat playing the piano. On Tuesday she told how she found a nibbled-on piece of bologna in the toe of her red high-heeled shoe. On Wednesday she told about a mysterious truck dumping a mountain of rocks in her driveway. The neighborhood kids climbed and played on it until the truck came back to move the mountain to the right address.

2 Mrs. Evans had a million funny stories. But Rory couldn’t think of even one to tell.

3 “It’s time again for our Funny-but-True stories,” announced Mrs. Evans on Thursday. “Who has one today?”

4 Rory slumped in his chair.

5 “I have a Funny-but-True!” cried Dana, waving wildly. “My big sister lost her new diamond engagement ring. She was really worried. My mom looked in all the places my sister had been. And there it was in a basket of laundry, sparkling in the dirty socks!”

6 The class smiled, and some people chuckled. Rory leaned forward and plopped his chin on his desk. Nothing funny ever happened to him.

7 Friday’s Funny-but-True was the best one yet. Tad told how his sister had found a hairy black tarantula the size of her hand in the bathroom medicine chest. After she was through screaming her head off, she decided to keep the spider for a pet. Rory sighed. The class would laugh about that one all through lunch recess. Somewhere in his life there had to be one Funny-but-True story. But Rory knew his weekend would be just the same old boring thing.

8 Rory’s dad promised they would try out the new dome tent in the backyard Friday night. “Just my luck,” thought Rory when a lightning storm blew up. He shuffled into the house to find his dad had turned it into a campground. The new tent filled up the living room like a big blue elephant. “What next?” thought Rory.

9 On Saturday, Rory’s four-year-old sister decided to see if her baby bunny could swim. Just in time Rory saved the soggy bunny from a bucket of water. While Mom gently blow-dried the little rabbit, he explained to his sister that bunnies can’t swim. “Silly kid,” thought Rory.

10 On Sunday Rory and his family piled into the car and headed for Grandma’s house. Passing drivers stared and pointed. When they got there, Rory discovered that their cat, Tiger, had ridden to Grandma’s on the roof of the car. “Dumb cat,” thought Rory.

11 “Time for Funny-but-Trues!” said Mrs. Evans on Monday. Rory looked around the room. He was sure Dana or Tad had another great story, but nobody spoke up.

12 “Rory, how about you?” asked Mrs. Evans.

13 Rory shook his head. “Nothing funny ever happens to me.”

14 “Oh, I bet funny things happen all the time,” said Mrs. Evans.

15 “Tell us about your weekend.”

16 Rory told about sleeping in a tent in the living room. The class looked surprised. He saw a few smiles. Next he told about the bunny’s swimming lessons. A few people giggled. When he told about Tiger riding on the roof of the car all the way to Grandma’s house, the class broke into roars of laughter.

17 Rory tried, but he couldn’t stop laughing either.

The following item has two parts. Answer Part A and then answer Part B.

Part 2: Tatenda teaches his town

"Tatenda Teaches His Town" by Cecil Dzwowa

1 Like many families in Sanyati, a small countryside town in western Zimbabwe¹, Tatenda’s family does not have a television. One day after school, Tatenda arrived home tired and decided to rest on the sofa. But just before he sat down, he noticed something unusual in the house. “At first, I thought Dad had bought a television set, but when my mother said it was a computer, I was disappointed.”

2 It’s not that Tatenda didn’t like computers; he just didn’t know how to use them.

3 For almost two weeks, the gift lay idle in the house. Tatenda and his father didn’t even know how to turn it on. “Nobody in our neighborhood knew how to operate a computer,” Tatenda said.

4 But things changed when Amina, a young family friend, came from Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, to visit. Amina knew all about computers and was a good teacher, too.

¹Zimbabwe: a country in Africa

Pressing the Wrong Buttons

5 At first, Tatenda and Amina were frustrated as Tatenda struggled to learn. “I was always pressing the wrong buttons,” Tatenda remembered. “But I kept on going because I was eager to learn.” Amina realized then that she could not keep Tatenda away from the computer. After three weeks, Tatenda mastered some computer basics, such as opening and closing files. But he was taking a long time to learn.

6 Tatenda kept on practicing after Amina left. His speed slowly improved. By the time Amina returned, Tatenda felt comfortable with the computer.

7 Meanwhile, Tatenda’s friends wondered what had happened to him. Tatenda had not told them about his new gadget. He no longer played soccer after school like he used to. “Even if he came, he did not spend much time with us. He always had an excuse for going back home,” his friend Saidi said.

8 Tatenda’s friends worried. Were Tatenda’s parents preventing him from playing with them? Did one of them do something wrong? Did Tatenda have new friends?

9 One day, Saidi, along with two other friends, Themba and Solomon, surprised Tatenda at home. When they arrived, Tatenda was so busy on the computer that he did not hear them. His mother opened the door and let his friends inside. They couldn’t believe what they saw — a computer and Tatenda operating it.

10 “It was too late,” Tatenda recalled. “My secret was out.”

Master of the Keys

11 But it was a new beginning for the three friends. After that surprise visit, they came to see Tatenda work on the computer. Then Tatenda let them press a button or two and shake the mouse for fun. Slowly, he taught them how to use the computer. Saidi took about three months to learn the basics; Themba, about four months; and Solomon, a year.

12 It wasn’t long before the neighborhood kids wanted to learn, too! “There were so many kids coming to see him that we had to move the computer out of his room into a bigger room,” his mother said.

13 And even more kids came. Tatenda worried. The computer began to experience problems because the kids were pressing too many buttons. So he came up with a plan. He began charging for lessons. But this did not stop more kids from coming. Those whose parents did not have money paid with chickens or goats.

14 Tatenda has taught computer skills to 30 students from his local school, and the number continues to grow. There are 600 students there and no computer. Two of the teachers at his school are also his students. “He is a bright kid and a good teacher,” said Mrs. Magumise, one of Tatenda’s schoolteachers.

15 With the money earned from teaching, Tatenda has bought a television and radio for his family. And he plans to buy a new computer. He also plans to keep on teaching. The people of Sanyati couldn’t be more pleased. Tatenda has single-handedly introduced computers to his town and is simply known there as “Teacher.”

This item has two parts. Answer Part A and then answer Part B.

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Printable 8th Grade Worksheets
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