Based on a request from a 7th Sisters to our other 7th Sisters: Reading that middle schoolers actually like (based on middle schoolers’ suggestions).
Reading that Middle Schoolers Actually Like (Based on Middle Schoolers’ Suggestions)
The other day, one of our 7th Sisters on our 7SistersHomeschool Facebook Group (join us please, if you haven’t yet). She asked about good reading for middle schoolers and ideas for what kinds of interactions they should have with their literature. It was such a good discussion that we decided to turn it into a post.
First, let’s talk about what kinds of interactions middle schoolers should have with their books.
Let me start with the reminder that there’s not ONE right way to homeschool middle school. That’s because all our tweens are different! We are homeschooling so that we can do what is best for each student. So, with that in mind, here are some ways for homeschool middle schoolers to interact with books:
- For struggling or reluctant readers
- For more confident readers or for high school preparation reading
For struggling or reluctant readers
Relax and concentrate on building a good (or, at least, better) relationship with reading, through:
- Audiobooks
- Family read alouds
- If you would like a light-hearted, no-busywork Literature Study Guide that you can adapt for the whole family, download 7Sisters Anne of Green Gables FREEBIE
- Simple reading
- Reading books that are at their level, whether that level is grade level or not
- Remedial books in workbook form
- We like (but are not affiliates of) Edcon’s Classics series
- Edcon’s book levels refer to their own process, not grade level. Their Level 1 is not Grade 1.
- We like (but are not affiliates of) Edcon’s Classics series
- Abridged classics
- My struggling readers liked (but we are not affiliates of) Great Illustrated Classics
For struggling or reluctant readers, we suggest (but you know your tweens) that you do not put tons of effort into analysis.
- Concentrate on the fun or impact of the story.
- Discuss what they like or do not like in the books.
- Perhaps do a project about the book:
- An illustration,
- An activity like one done in the book
- If your homeschool middle schooler is ready, have them write a brief summary or report about the book.
For more confident readers or to help prepare for homeschooling high school
Remembering there’s not ONE right way to homeschool middle school, there are some good things you can do to build your tween’s literary strengths:
- Do any of the above activities we suggested for struggling readers, because they are fun and inspiring ways to learn.
- Have your middle schooler do one or two literature study guides as an introduction to the concept.
- Start with a no-busywork freebie from 7Sisters: Misty of Chincoteague
- Or an all-time favorite: Snow Treasure (Click here for an excerpt to our popular literature study guide for Snow Treasure.)
- Read more about our Misty of Chincoteague study guide.
- Click here for an excerpt for Misty of Chincoteague Study Guide.
- Fill out a worksheet for a book summary or character analysis.
- You will probably need to coach them on this process, so these might be best done with read-alouds or books that you have read.
- Have them write a five-paragraph essay on a topic of their (or your) choice.
- If they have not started on essay writing, download 7Sisters Middle School Essay Writing Guide.
Now that we have that cleared up, here are some favorite books that were suggested by middle schoolers and their moms or homeschool graduates who fondly remember their middle school reading.
In no particular order and without authors’ names (since these are recommendations from others, we did not vet this list):
Biographies
- Especially the Heroes Then and Now series by Geoff and Janet Benge. My kids loved these. (We are not affiliates, btw.)
- Rosa Parks, My Story
Culturally-Aware Books
- The Watsons Go to Birmingham- 1963
- Other Words for Home
- New Kid (Jerry Craft)
- Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom
- All American Boys (Jason Reynolds)
- also check
Newbery Award Winners (These are some that middle schoolers recommended)
- The Tale of Despereux
- Crispin: The Cross of Lead
- Walk Two Moons
- The Giver
- Shiloh
- Number the Stars
- The View from Saturday
- The Whipping Boy
- Sarah, Plan and Tall (Download 7Sisters Literature Study Guide)
- Click here for an excerpt from 7Sisters Literature Study Guide for Sarah, Plain and Tall.
More Newbery Award Winners
- The Westing Game
- Bridge to Terebithia
- Julie of the Wolves
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
- Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Download 7Sisters Literature Study Guide)
More Newbery Award Winners
- From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
- A Wrinkle in Time
- The Witch of Blackbird Pond
- Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
- The Wheel on the School
- Amos Fortune, Free Man
- The Golden Goblet
- The Door in the Wall
- King of the Wind
- The Twenty-One Balloons
- Johnny Tremain
- Caddie Woodlawn
- The Trumpeter of Krakow
Historical Novels
- Anne of Green Gables (We have a freebie study guide)
- Little Britches
- The Ramsey Scallop
- Hattie Big Sky
- Streams to the River, River to the Sea
- My Side of the Mountain
- Old Yeller
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Vinegar Boy
- Tuck Everlasting
- Hatchet
- Uncle Tom’s Cabin
- Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn and other Mark Twain books (here’s a post discussing ways to handle some of the tough discussions that need to happen when reading these books)
- The Yearling
- Fever, 1793
Myth/Fantasy/Futuristic
- The Chronicles of Narnia
- The Wilderking Trilogy
- Harry Potter series
- Percy Jackson series
- Hunger Games
- Warrior Cats series
- Redwall series
- The Dark is Rising sequence
- The Hobbit (7Sisters has a study guide, but it is high school level)
- The Lord of the Rings
- Ready Player One
- The Land of Stories
- Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
- Wingfeather Saga
- Beyond the Tower
- The Green Ember series
Dystopian novels
- Divergent
- Animal Farm (lots of metaphor, so make sure your middle schooler is ready for this)
- 1984 (some material may not be appropriate for all middle schoolers)
Mysteries
- The Hardy Boys
- Nancy Drew
Fun/Silly
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Classics
- Charlotte Bronte novels
- George MacDonald novels like The Princess and Curdie
- Patricia St. John novels
- Louisa May Alcott novels
- Black Beauty
- Heidi
- Howard Pyle books
- Treasure Island and other Robert Louis Stevenson books
- Mary Poppins
- Pollyanna
- The Secret Garden
Other
- Meanwhile, Back at the Castle
- Alan Gratz books
- The Outsiders
What would you add to this list? What books have your middle schoolers loved?
For more encouragement on how to homeschool middle school, check out these posts:
- Homeschooling Marvelous Middle School
- Top 10 Goals for Middle School
- Tips from Moms Who’ve Been There: How to Homeschool Middle School
- Help for Reluctant Reader Teens (video with advice from 7Sister, Kym)
- Teaching an average middle schooler? Encouragement for mom.
- Literature, Writing and the Middle School Boy Conundrum (from our friend, Misty at Year Round Homeschooling)
- How to record high school courses on the transcript that your middle schooler completed
- DON’T miss this one: Our friend, Ticia, at Adventures in Mommydom, has lots of ideas to use around middle school books.
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