All Things School for Middle-Graders and Tweens
- Laura Eckert
- Aug 26
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 11
Back-to-school time means new books about the school experience. Check out this list of books for middle-graders and tweens chosen by Jenna, one of our librarians.
Book Recommendations for Middle-Graders and Tweens
Twelve-year-old Dexter Foreman has lived at The Pines Retirement Village with his grandmother since he was 6 years old, homeschooled by the residents until he’s forced to attend middle school, where he sticks out like a sore thumb.
Twelve-year-old Ben's unexpected success outside the classroom causes the CIA to activate him for a mission to become friends with Jessica Shang, the daughter of a suspected Chinese crime boss.
Rafe Khatchadorian is finally cool when he becomes a guitarist in a rock band and gets a job at a coffee/yoga studio, but Rafe must get the band, led by the school bully, into shape before the competition.
Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed “Bat”) is starting fourth grade, and he and his best friend, Israel, want to convince the teacher to have a class pet in a story featuring an unforgettable boy on the autism spectrum.
During a game of hide-and-seek, Jim Panzee causes a real stink. Literally. He walks right into Polecat’s log to hide and instead gets covered in Polecat’s smelly spray. His friends remind Jim that if he’d paid attention in class, he’d have learned to identify animals by their footprints. So it’s back to school for Jim!
For twelve-year-old Lucy Carver, music isn’t just a way of life; it’s an escape from homework and home life with her alcoholic father. When Lucy starts seventh grade at Windley School of the Arts, with its high academic standards and even higher artistic expectations, it becomes much harder to keep everything in tune. As things spiral out of control with her parents and her schoolwork, Lucy grows desperate for a win and focuses all her energy on beating snobby Tolli Claybourne for first chair flute. But just when she thinks she’s hitting all the right notes, an accident leaves Lucy unable to play, and her mother threatens to withdraw her for poor grades. Now Lucy must choose: sabotage Tolli or give up on her dream.
Trent and Sawyer make their Besties series debut with a bang and a crash! These two friends never back down from a challenge, whether it presents itself at the skate park or in the school hallway, but will that determination get them in over their heads?
Makayla is bursting with ideas but doesn't know how to make them into a story. Howard loves to draw, but he struggles to come up with ideas, and his dad thinks comics are a waste of time. Lynda constantly draws in her sketchbook but keeps focusing on what she feels are mistakes, and Art simply loves being creative and is excited to try something new. They come together to form The Cartoonists Club, where kids can learn about making comics and use their creativity and imagination for their own storytelling adventures!
More Book Recommendations
Looking for more recommendations? Visit our catalog. Or sign up for our monthly emailed book recommendations. Or ask the staff during your next visit to the library. Recommending books is what we do!
