Don’t let your middle school students fall
victim to the summer brain drain. They can lose up to a fifth of the reading
gains they made over the last year if they don’t read through the summer. The
best way to motivate them is to find books that they love. Don’t be afraid to
start with anime, magazines, manga or comic books—if it gets them reading
they’re improving their vocabulary and communication skills too. Here are some
great reads for middle school students. This list has something for everyone
(even the reluctant readers).
Indi comic sensation Gene Luen Yang really
knocks it out of the park with this white-knuckle thriller that will have you
guessing until the very end. Three apparently unrelated stories come together
in an exploration of Chinese culture and the difficulties of being different.
It’s a riot!
Stanley Yelnats (a fun palindrome name)
blames his grandfather for his bad luck. Legend has it that Stanley’s
grandfather stole a pig from a gypsy who put a curse of all the Yelnats for
generations to come. Stanley is fat, kids make fun of him and now he is accused
of a crime he didn’t commit. A great read for kids who enjoy a good laugh.
Even if you’ve watched the movies, these
books are a gripping summer read. The empowering tale of a young girl, Katniss
Everdene, who takes on the oppressive government powers in a profound portrayal
of bravery. This book does have mature themes of violence and death.
If your middle school student is crazy
about soccer and can’t wait for the World Cup to start, they will love this
touching tale about Bones who is working to help his soccer team win while
dealing with a crush on his best friend’s girlfriend.
Twelve-year old Catherine has a lot on her
plate; living with an autistic brother makes her life very complicated. Just to
make things even more difficult, she strikes up a friendship with a paraplegic.
This is a touching and sweet exploration of what it means to be the sibling of
a special needs child.
Age-appropriate anime about an alien prince
who crashes his ship on earth where he befriends a high school student. This
book is short enough for students to get into and focuses on humor. Level E can
be bought in a comic book series, as two animated art books or you can watch it
on DVD.
A marvelous comic about the trials and
tribulations of middle school. This anthology features some of the industry’s
best artists and story tellers. Beautifully illustrated, at times poignant, but
mostly hysterical portrayal of life in middle school.
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