These 10 middle grade novels are great new additions to any realistic fiction classroom library. Each book provides windows and mirrors reflecting the diversity of our world. (Click the pink text to learn more about each book).
Middle Grade Realistic Fiction
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List of Things that Will Not Change
There are some authors who write a voice that feels like the main character is sitting next to you telling you a story. This is what I experience each time I read a book by Rebecca Stead. The List of Things that Will Not Change follows the life of Bea as she navigates her parents divorce and her dad’s planning for his wedding with a man named Jesse. Bea learns to navigate the love she feels for her family while dealing with the opinions of her dad’s relationship from those who support them to those that do not. A powerful book about accepting that we aren’t perfect, navigating a world where we don’t always agree, but understand that beneath is all there are wonderful things in our lives that will not change.
Isaiah Dunn is My Hero is amazing. I wish there were more pages! This is my favorite realistic fiction book of the year. Isaiah, Charlotte, Sneaky and A are characters that I fell in love with immediately. Maybe I love Isaiah because he is so real, maybe because I’ve seen him in my classroom and library, and maybe because Kelly J. Baptiste wrote this book so perfectly. It is a must have for any upper elementary or middle school classroom. This is a perfect book for a read aloud, book club, or reading group. I cannot wait to share this book with my readers.
Y’all this book. I loved Amina’s Voice so my hope for loving More to the Story was slim. However, in a few pages I was hooked, and this one may be even better. Hana Khan’s easy voice drew me into the character of Jameela. From the experience of a crush, to the annoyance of a sibling, it was so real. With the highs and lows of the life of Jameela, my heart kept wanting there to be “more to the story.” The love of family, the bond of sisters, the experience of being a girl. This is a must read!
| It took about 50 pages for me to really get into Wink, but once I got there I didn’t want to stop. Ross is in middle school and was diagnosed with a rare eye cancer. Wink takes readers through his journey of discovery of the tumor, surgery and radiation. All of this while he is navigating the world of middle school as the kid with the hat, the kid with the wink, and the kid who has cancer. I’ve never bounced back and forth between laughter and tears so quickly in a book. The characters (both major and minor) were amazing. And Denny (a minor character) may be on the list of my favorite book characters. A fabulous realistic fiction for anyone! |
| All the Impossible Things is a beautiful mix of heartbreak and joy. Red is headed to yet another foster care. She is counting the days until her mother gets out of jail so she can return home and be with her mother. The big question is, when that day comes, will her mother be ready? The parts with Tuck feel so real. I was transported into that barn. Red is a character you want to fight for, to love, and to be friends with. |
Genesis Begins Again is a beauty. The words sang from the pages. I will revisit this book again and again. Genesis finally brings her friends home to hang out only to find that once again her family has been evicted and all of her belongings are sitting out of the house. She is tired of the moving, she is tired of her father’s drinking, and tired of being as black as him. Her father promises things will be different and they move to a pretty little house in a suburban neighborhood. It doesn’t take long for the familiar notes to show up on the front door and her father’s drinking and absences are taking a toll. The difference this time is that Genesis is making really good friends, has a teacher who guides her to see her talent, and has peers who let her be herself. Will she stay or will she have to begin again?
| Santiago will forever live in my heart. One of the best characters I’ve read. Santiago’s Road Home followed the journey of Santiago as he leaves his abusive grandmother in Mexico and heads north to the United States. His journey takes readers through a search for a reliable coyote, a mother and daughter who take him in as a brother, and time in a detention center after almost dying of dehydration. His journey is one that will stay with you. Heartbreaking and heartwarming combined. A must-read realistic fiction novel! |
One of the most important books written. In Fighting Words Della and her sister have been placed in foster care with a lady that Della isn’t quite sure about. While the lady has strict rules, she seems steady and reliable – two qualities that Della isn’t used to in adults. Her mother has been in prison for years and her stepfather is emotionally and sexually abusive. The power of words, the power of numbers, the power of talking. Della will forever live in my heart. This is a book that every parent, every educator needs to read. Powerful!
On the Horizon is a beautiful novel in verse. From the entry of the US into World War II with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, to the atomic bomb dropping on Hiroshima Lois Lowry gives us insight into the lives that we lost, and the lives that were forever changed. Her personal connection to being a child living in Hawaii on that day that lives in infamy, to her years spent living on an army base in Tokyo years later gives her an insight few have of war. She challenges us to look at history so that we can change the future. This is a must read for any World War II unit. Use it as a literature study, a read aloud, or writing prompt.
The Only Black Girls in Town mixes in a mystery with, appreciating our differences in friendships. Alberta loves the beach. She was raised in a small beach town where she has been the only black girl in town. When Edie and her mother move in and take over the local inn Alberta is no longer the lone black girl. Discovery of letters left at the inn take the girls on a journey to the past. Brandy Colbert writes characters that we all know and challenges us to learn and grow. A fabulous realistic fiction novel that will be a hot item in any library.
Want to allow students to use choice in their next novel study unit? Try this Novel Notebook to guide them.
[…] Want more book suggestions check out this article. […]