Children who experience a parent’s death, the loss of a mother or father, feel overwhelming emotions. Reading well-written middle-grade books like these may help some kids cope with the loss of a parent with stories showing that other kids have experienced loss and grief also. Stories can also show the possibilities of dealing with grief. […]
Continue ReadingGood Books for Middle School
If you're looking for good chapter books and nonfiction books reviews, lists, and recommendations for kids in middle school, you've come to the right place.
Parents, teachers, and librarians, I hope to save you time by reading books that you don't have time to read, giving you reviews and recommendations, to help you build your classroom and home libraries. And for you to find the best books on any topic or theme.
In addition, you'll find some learning and literacy ideas, activities, games, and gift suggestions for middle school ages which span from tween to teen, 11 or 12 to 13.
Here are some quick links to get you started. And if you keep scrolling, you can read the most current blog posts.
Book Suggestions by Age:
Best Books for 11-Year Olds (6th Grade)
Best Books for 12-Year Olds (7th Grade)
Read Aloud Book Ideas for Middle School:
Read Aloud Books for 6th Grade
Read Aloud Books for 7th and 8th Grades
Mentor Texts to Teach Juicy Word Choice in Writing
When we teach children to use rich, wondrous words by filling them up with the sound of many wonderful words. We must read to them them authors who use astounding word choices. We must encourage them to read high quality mentor text picture and chapter books filled with precise, lyrical, sensory words. Katie Wood Ray, […]
Continue Reading25 Children’s Chapter Books on Kindle Unlimited (Ages 6 – 12)
Whether you’re looking for an easy chapter book or a middle grade chapter book, here’s what’s available on Kindle Unlimited for your kids ages 6 to 12 to read. A reader recently asked me to write this list for her kids who both were looking for good books on their Kindle apps with their Kindle […]
Continue ReadingInteractive Adventures: Read, Write, Draw Books for Kids
All readers, especially reluctant readers, need books that motivate them to read. Which is why I want to share these interactive adventure books that ask readers to fill-in, draw, and doodle to help the story move along. Talk about motivating and fun! Read, Write, Draw! Interactive Books for Kids Escape This Book Tombs of Egypt […]
Continue ReadingCompelling Hero’s Journey Chapter Books
What is the hero’s journey? It’s a story about an imperfect hero who goes on an adventure where he or she learns lessons through mistakes and triumphs, wins some sort of victory, and returns home a different person. Joseph Campbell famously wrote more about this concept in his book, The Hero With a Thousand Faces. […]
Continue Reading8 New Chapter Books, June 2020
Ready for a batch of new book to add to your library holds list? I have 8 new books for you to consider. New Chapter Books, June 2020 Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk HISTORICAL FICTION / GREAT DEPRESSION When Ellie’s family loses everything in the Great Depression, they move to a Maine mountain. She […]
Continue ReadingImpressive New Graphic Novels (June & July 2020)
Get your kids reading more with graphic novels. Here’s what’s new — and good. (I’ve starred books that will be on my “best of 2020” with a purple star.) Impressive New Graphic Novels When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson and Iman Geddy ages 8 – 12 REFUGEE […]
Continue ReadingEdge-of-Your-Seat Survival Chapter Books For Kids
If your reader likes survival chapter books that are fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat adventures, I’ve got 27 great recommendations. Because a parent recently told me that her tween daughter only likes survival stories, I wanted to share with you the best of the best. (Incidentally, I think her daughter is not alone; lots of tween kids ages […]
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