Books to Help Your Kid Survive Middle School

Last updated: May 31, 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.

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Ways to Share Joy book cover: Smiling Black girl with brown skin and tight curls gathered in afro puff dressed in a yellow tee, denim skirt, green leggings and brown boots, holds a blue platter with two cupcakes

BOOK

Ways to Share Joy: A Ryan Hart Story, Book 3

age 7+

Girl grows through change in uplifting 3rd series entry.

Renée Watson Contemporary Fiction (2022)

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Babymouse Tales from the Locker: Lights, Camera, Middle School! Poster Image

BOOK

Babymouse Tales from the Locker: Lights, Camera, Middle School!

age 8+

Series moves to middle school, tackles fear with humor.

Jennifer L. Holm , Matthew Holm Contemporary Fiction (2017)

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The Vice Principle Problem book cover: Black and Native American girls stand next to each other under cityscape and trees

BOOK

Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem

age 8+

Cute, charming tale of friendship for middle grade.

Kekla Magoon , Cynthia Leitich Smith Graphic Novel (2024)

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Bree Boyd Is a Legend book cover: Black girl in cozy room floats above a rug, juggling books

BOOK

Bree Boyd Is a Legend

age 8+

Girl discovers her magic and herself in charming novel.

Leah Johnson Fantasy (2025)

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Title in red text above a green lizard in clothes standing beneath and being circled by a jet

BOOK

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody, Book 1

age 8+

Animal friends band together to comically defeat a bully.

Patrick Ness Humor (2024)

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Confessions of a So-Called Middle Child Poster Image

BOOK

Confessions of a So-Called Middle Child

age 8+

Charming, realistic take on middle school popularity race.

Maria T. Lennon Coming of Age (2013)

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Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson's Journal Poster Image

BOOK

Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson's Journal

age 8+

Greg is meaner to gullible BFF Rowley in Wimpy Kid spin-off.

Jeff Kinney Humor (2019)

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Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom: Frazzled, Book 1 Poster Image

BOOK

Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom: Frazzled, Book 1

age 8+

Girl conquers middle school worries in fun graphic novel.

Booki Vivat Emotions (2016)

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From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess Poster Image

BOOK

From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess

age 8+

Biracial heroine freshens up fun Princess Diaries spin-off.

Meg Cabot Family Life (2015)

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Fuzzy Poster Image

BOOK

Fuzzy

age 8+

Satire of school surveillance hits the mark.

Tom Angleberger , Paul Dellinger Science Fiction (2016)

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Gabby Garcia's Ultimate Playbook: Gabby Garcia, Book 1 Poster Image

BOOK

Gabby Garcia's Ultimate Playbook: Gabby Garcia, Book 1

age 8+

Goal-focused Latina scores big hit in series opener.

Iva-Marie Palmer School (2017)

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Honestly Elliot-TV Image

BOOK

Honestly Elliott

age 8+

Upbeat, tender, informative story about boy with ADHD.

Gillian McDunn Coming of Age (2022)

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Jake the Fake Keeps It Real: Jake the Fake, Book 1 Poster Image

BOOK

Jake the Fake Keeps It Real: Jake the Fake, Book 1

age 8+

Funny take on fitting in and self-discovery at art school.

Craig Robinson , Adam Mansbach Humor (2017)

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Black girl with big Afro decorated with a flower

BOOK

Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution

age 8+

Inspiring tale of girl chasing her dream to be a violinist.

Sherri Winston Arts (2022)

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Upset middle school child

BOOK

Middle School: It's a Zoo in Here: Middle School, Book 14

age 8+

Misfit is put in charge of animals in funny, warm adventure.

James Patterson Adventure (2022)

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Child in snow clothes looking through binoculars with polar bear behind him

BOOK

Middle School: Winter Blunderland: Middle School, Book 15

age 8+

Arctic research goes haywire in funny tween adventure.

James Patterson , Brian Sitts Adventure (2022)

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New Kid, Book 1 Poster Image

BOOK

New Kid, Book 1

age 8+

Funny, heartfelt middle school tale explores race, class.

Jerry Craft Graphic Novel (2019)

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Notorious Poster Image

BOOK

Notorious

age 8+

Wacky tale of middle schooler, '30s gangsters, murdered dog.

Gordon Korman Mystery (2020)

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Old School book cover: Drawing of a dodo bird sitting at old-fashioned school desk

BOOK

Old School

age 8+

Middle schoolers meet retirees in fun, history-packed romp.

Gordon Korman Friendship (2025)

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Picture Day Book Cover: A white-bordered picture frames a smiling girl with purple hair in a braid over one shoulder

BOOK

Picture Day: The Brinkley Yearbooks, Book 1

age 8+

Teen influencer goes overboard in affecting graphic novel.

Sarah Sax Graphic Novel (2023)

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