Let’s face it, middle school is hard! While it can be uncomfortable talking to your preteen about important issues like navigating social media, body insecurity, prejudice, or changing friendships, the below books all address critical topics like these in a helpful way.
The books featured here all contain likeable, authentic characters who struggle with complicated real-life issues. Reading books like these provide the perfect conversation starters to not only help grow compassion and understanding for others, but to also open an avenue of dialogue for the reader’s own struggles and how to handle them.
I highly recommend reading these stories WITH your preteens to prompt important conversations.
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NAVIGATING SOCIAL MEDIA
Finally Heard by Kelly Yang
(Ages 9 and up)
Synopsis
After her mother makes a viral video to help sell her homemade bath bombs, 5th grader Lina Gao gets a cell phone and works hard to help local small businesses in her community boost their business using social media. While she begins to use social media for a good cause, she quickly falls into many pitfalls that cause her to become extremely insecure and she makes several bad decisions. Throughout the book, Lina and her friends must learn to navigate social media and stay true to themselves.
*This is the sequel to the book Finally Seen by Kelly Yang. While it is the second book in the series, I think it is strong enough to read as a stand-alone story without reading the first book.
Why It is Important to Read
This book is the perfect conversation starter about the pros and cons of social media. While it demonstrates how social media helps small businesses reach new customers and form connections with people, it also highlights the dangers of the perceived reality of social media, the negative impact it can have on self-esteem, and how addicting it can be. Different forms of bullying occur as well as a cybersecurity risk that bring up important points on what to share and not to share on social media. In addition to the social media element of the book, the story also addresses Lina’s experience with puberty and how she faces racism and classism.
Confessions of a Class Clown by Arianne Costner
(Ages 10 and up)
Synopsis
Based on the fact that goofball seventh grader Jack Reynolds has thousands of MyTube channel followers, one may believe he is the most popular kid in school. However, in reality, he struggles with making and keeping friends. When he is desperate to find a partner in crime for a prank for his MyTube channel, he turns to a friendship speed dating program in his school with surprising results. I just love how authentic the characters in this book feel and how they grow and develop throughout the story.
Why It is Important to Read
This book is an important conversation starter on navigating social media and friendships. It brings up many important discussion points about social media including having a private account rather than a public account, cyber bullying, and the way it affects one’s self-esteem. The story is told from multiple points of view, which allows the reader an inside glimpse into what many of the characters are experiencing and feeling. Friendships shift and develop over the span of the story providing prompts of what it means to be a good friend, how to resolve conflict, and the importance of respecting others.
BODY POSITIVITY AND BULLYING
Starfish by Lisa Fipps
(Ages 10 and up)
Synopsis
This brilliant novel in verse follows Ellie, a funny and bright twelve-year-old girl, who is bullied about her weight. To cope with the negative attention from her classmates and the constant pressure she feels from her mother, Ellie develops her own “Fat Girl Rules” to live by and finds solace floating weightlessly in her pool. Between the support of her father, therapist, and new friend Catalina, Ellie’s self-confidence grows until she is ready to shed her shame and own her beautiful self.
Why It is Important to Read
Living in a weight-obsessed culture is hard! This book expertly demonstrates the hurt Ellie experiences from the harsh words and actions from not only her peers, but also her mother. It brings up important conversations about bullying, body image, self-acceptance, friendship, and standing up for yourself. Ellie’s courageous journey from victim to someone who learns to love themselves and demand the respect they deserve from others is truly beautiful.
The Prettiest by Brigit Young
When a list ranking the prettiest girls in the 8th grade is shared, shy Eve is stunned to find herself at Number 1 while popular Sophie is outraged to be Number 2. Meanwhile, theater star Nessa couldn’t care less about the rankings until she sees how much the list affects her best friend Eve. In an unlikely alliance, the three girls join forces to expose the creator of the list.
This powerful, unputdownable book skillfully tackles bullying, objectification, and sexism while celebrating friendship and self-acceptance in an engaging and empowering way.
Why It is important to read:
Middle school is often when social hierarchies, body image, and the pressure to fit in become especially intense. The Prettiest opens the door for important conversations about how ranking, judging, and objectifying others whether in school hallways or online can have real emotional consequences. By showing girls from different social groups learning to stand up for themselves and one another, the book encourages readers to question harmful standards, practice empathy, and recognize that true confidence and friendship come from valuing people for who they are, not how they look.
RACISM and CLASSISM
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
(Ages 10 and up)
Synopsis
Ten-year-old Mia Tang and her parents are Chinese immigrants struggling to make a living in California. While they initially think their opportunity to manage a small motel is a dream come true, they quickly find themselves in a nightmare. The owner, Mr. Yao, constantly cheats them out of their paychecks and makes outlandish requirements in order for them to keep their jobs. Full of kindness and spunk, Mia volunteers to run the front desk of the hotel to help her parents.
Why It is Important to Read
This book tackles many important topics and provides an opportunity for readers to gain a better understanding of the hardships many immigrants face when moving to the United States. With a likeable character such as Mia who bravely approaches each difficulty that arises with determination and hope, it is easy to develop empathy while reading this book. The author’s note reveals how this story is based on the author’s childhood and many situations that occur throughout the story actually happened in real life.
With heavy themes such as poverty and racism along with some shocking situations, it is especially helpful to have an adult read this book with kids to discuss the difficult situations that arise.
The New Kid by Jerry Craft
(Ages 10 and up)
Synopsis
While he would prefer to attend an art school, Jordan Banks is starting his seventh-grade year at a prestigious private school where he will be one of only a few students of color. Torn between his old friends and lifestyle in his Washington Heights neighborhood and his preppy new school filled with unfamiliar and often uncomfortable situations, Jordan must learn who he is and what he wants out of life.
Why It is Important to Read
This award-winning graphic novel covers many important themes including identity, racism, social classism, friendship, and family. There are several microaggressions toward the students of color that help readers realize what prejudice can look like on different levels and how hurtful and harmful it can be. Despite exploring weighty subjects, the graphic novel format and comedic elements render the book engaging and easy to connect with.
PEER PRESSURE AND BOUNDARIES
The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller
(Ages 10 and up)
The Moon Without Stars offers an honest and authentic look at the trials and tribulations of a seventh-grade girl navigating this complicated time. The story explores important topics like changing friendships, peer pressure, puberty, identity, and the powerful pull of popularity.
Luna is a quiet, kind, bookish girl who is perfectly content staying under the radar with her best friend, Scott. But when she witnesses a classmate being teased for her eczema, Luna writes a short story meant to build the girl’s confidence. The act of kindness unexpectedly pulls Luna into the popular crowd, and little by little, their influence begins to chip away at her better judgment. Soon she finds herself caring more about popularity than about her own self-worth and the values she knows to be right. When her friendships shift yet again, Luna is forced to reflect on who she truly is and who she wants to become.
Why It Matters for Middle School Readers:
Seventh grade is a time when friendships, confidence, and social pressures can feel especially overwhelming. The Moon Without Stars gives readers a relatable character who struggles with belonging and staying true to her values. Stories like this help middle schoolers reflect on their own choices, build empathy, and remember that popularity doesn’t define their worth.
Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee, 2019
(Ages 12 and up)
Seventh grader Mila is a cheerful girl who enjoys her friends, playing the trumpet, and spending time with her family—until the behavior of a few boys in her class begins to cross uncomfortable boundaries. What starts as a seemingly harmless birthday hug quickly turns into unwanted closeness, touches, and comments, leaving Mila unsure whether she is overreacting or if she should speak up. When a friend dismisses the behavior as harmless flirting, Mila’s confusion only deepens.
With an authentic voice and a highly plausible situation, this story thoughtfully explores the blurred lines between joking and inappropriate behavior. Mila’s journey toward recognizing her feelings and standing up for herself makes this an important and conversation-starting read about boundaries, respect, and self-advocacy.
Why It Matters for Middle School Readers:
Middle school is often when young people first begin navigating changing social dynamics and questions about personal boundaries. Books like this help readers recognize that uncomfortable behavior should not be dismissed or normalized. By showing Mila learning to trust her instincts and speak up, the story encourages students to think critically about respect, consent, and standing up for themselves and others.
What Happened to Rachel Riley by Claire Swinarski
(Ages 12 and up)
Synopsis
As the newest member of the East Middle School 8th grade class, Anna Hunt can’t help but wonder how nice, pretty Rachel Riley became the social outcast of the school. When she is challenged to create a social justice project for school, Anna takes it upon herself to uncover how the most popular girl in school became someone everyone ignores. The mystery unwinds through a series of emails, podcast scripts, text messages, etc. revealing clue after clue of what really happened to Rachel Riley. This is such a captivating story that brings up many important issues middle schoolers face today.
Why It is Important to Read (*contains spoiler)
This book brings up many important talking points on friendships, standing up for what you believe in, peer pressure, and sexual harassment. As the mystery unwinds, readers ultimately discover the boys have developed a game where they get points for smacking girls on their backsides. Later the boys move to a game where they snap girls’ bra straps. While many of the girls don’t like the boys’ behavior, they put up with it out of fear of things getting worse or becoming unpopular. Once the administration learns of the game, they hold a meeting where the kids can share their true feelings and work to develop a sexual harassment policy. I really appreciated how genuine the characters and their actions appear and the hopeful ending.
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