Books to Help Your Kid Survive Middle School

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Everything seems to change once you hit middle school. Friendships seem to get more complicated. Romantic feelings go beyond grade-school crushes. And ethical decisions as well as homework assignments get tougher. Books that deal with these new complexities have become so popular, they're almost an entire genre in themselves. Check out our list to find a range of stories, from laugh-out-loud funny to gritty coming-of-age, to help tweens and teens survive their middle school years. And for more great picks, check out our list of the Best Book-Report Books for Middle Schoolers and the Best Book Series for Tweens.