7th Grade Summer Reading List (Ages 12 – 13)

I think the hardest age for summer reading is in middle school, don’t you? Try these good books for 7th graders (age 12 – 13) and see if entice your middle schoolers to read throughout the dog days of summer.

I’m wondering if your 7th graders are reading on a device? My daughter does. At least most of the time. And I like that she’s reading so I don’t care if she reads on a Kindle, an iPad, a paper book, or phone. Just that she’s reading is good. Without too much nagging . . .

Also see:

All book recommendations & reviews for 12-year-olds

All summer reading lists by grade level

6th Grade Reading List (age 11 – 12)

8th Grade Reading List (age 13 and up / teen)

7th Grade Summer Reading List (Ages 12 – 13)

Fantasy/Sci-Fi

If you like fantasy & sci-fi books, you’ll love:

• Eragon by Christopher Paolini
• The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
• Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly
• The Maze Runner by James Dashner
• The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
• Renegades by Marissa Meyer
• Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• Minrs by Kevin Sylvester
• City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Realistic

If you like realistic books, you’ll love:

• The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
• Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh
• Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
• The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty
• Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams
• A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
• Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead
• Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
• I, Funny by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
• Restart by Gordon Korman

Adventure

If you like adventure, try these books:

• Lockwood & Co The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
• Michael Vey by Richard Paul Evans
• Raft by S.A. Bodeen
• Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
• House of Scorpions by Nancy Farmer
• Stranded  by Jeff Probst and Chris Tebbetts
• I Am the Weapon by Allen Zadoff
• Ranger’s Apprentice series by John A. Flanagan
• Loot by Jude Watson

Historical Fiction

Love historical fiction? Try a book of this list:

• Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart
• Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Refugee by Alan Gratz
• Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan
• Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation adapted by Ari Folman, illustrated by David Polonsky
• Touch the Sun by Emily Conolan

Nonfiction

Try a nonfiction book! Here are incredible choices you won’t be able to put down:

• An Invisible Thread: A Young Readers Edition by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski
• Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend by Karen Blumenthal
• It’s Up to You, Abe Lincoln: How I Made the Biggest Decisions of My Life by Tom & Leila Hirschfeld
• Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist by Sylvia Acevedo
• Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
• Hidden Figures (Young Readers’ Edition) by Margot Lee Shetterly