HomeFeaturesBook ListsBack-to-School Middle Grade Recommendations

Back-to-School Middle Grade Recommendations

Back to School Middle Grade Recommendations 2019

While I loved back to school shopping and supplies, the actual going back part? The social interaction and ever-changing confusing landscape of friendships?

Yeah, that part I was never good at.

It’s still a mystery to me today!

But here are some excellent middle grade reads that explore this challenging time: centring around school, back-to-school time, and the struggle that is middle grade social interaction, anxiety, and finding the definition of self.

1. Smile by Raina Telgemeier: 6th grader Raina endures a painful period of braces, headgear, surgery, fake teeth and a whole mess of embarrassment. Confusing emotions, boys, mean friends and general lack of control of the world beyond her … this is basically middle grade in one awkward, relatable package.

2. The Next Great Paulie Fink by Ali Benjamin: What I love here is the exploration of bullying from the bully point of view. In her misery to fit in Caitlyn is awfully cruel to another girl at her former school … does this define her? Can you change and how? A great novel for the preteen who is maybe acting in a way they aren’t proud of. Excellent quirky characters, finding friendship, finding your inner strength are all topics explored here.

3. The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu: Iris and Lark are about to embark into 5th grade and for the first time they won’t be in the same class, sending both into a tailspin. This novel provides an excellent exploration on anxiety in its many forms and is a fantastic read for a preteen looking for reflection in that shared experience.

4. Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez: What does a raw chicken, space-time continuum, 7th grade, and the first week of school have in common? This book! This own voices novel is rich with Cuban-American culture, food, school, social dynamics, bullying and laughter.

5. Real Friends by Shannon Hale: If you were a girl (or know one) who struggled with the ever-changing landscape of female friendship, popularity, bullying, and finding strength this will take you back to that roller-coaster.

6. Harry Potter and The Philosophers Stone: I had to include this. If you (or a middle grader in your life) is having a tough week, this is just a big slice of comfort pie.

Cheryl
Cherylhttps://www.aotales.com
Welcome to And other tales. The little corner of the interweb where we don’t count cups of coffee, believe cancelling plans to stay home & read is just good life advice, refuse to acknowledge the calories in baked goods and will never judge you on the number of marshmallows in your hot chocolate or the size of your TBR piles. Curl up, get comfy and click through for book reviews, life chats, playlists, vegan & gluten free baking recipes, gift guides and more.
RELATED ARTICLES

Newest Articles