What novels would you recommend for eighth graders?

Question

I teach eighth grade English and really enjoy it. Parents often ask me to make recommendations on novels for their kids. Part of the problem is that many novels I would like to recommend are more appropriate for high school students, but a lot of the novels appropriate for middle school kids are somewhat below their level of maturity. Does anyone have any specific novels that you could recommend for middle school students? (standard level through accelerated) I'd prefer names of novels rather than a link to a website if possible.

Answer 1

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle
(and its sequels, "A Wind in the Door", "A Swiftly Tilting Planet", "Many Waters" and "An Acceptable Time")

The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
(depending on your students maturity, "The Lord of the Rings" may also be appropriate)

The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton

Copper Sunrise - Brian Buchan

The Egypt Game - Zilpha Keatley Snyder
(also by the same author, "Below the Root" and "And All Between")

Dragonsong - Anne McCaffery
(and its seqels Dragonsinger and Dragondrums)

Eagle of the Ninth - Rosemary Sutcliff

The Time Machine - H.G. Wells

Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
(also, A Christmas Carol)

Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret - Judy Blume
(really depends on the maturity of your eighth graders - I read in grade six)

Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Patterson

Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush - Viriginia Hamilton

The Prince and the Pauper - Mark Twain

The Call of the Wild - Jack London

Julie of the Wolves - Jean Craighead George

Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott O'Dell
The Hawk that Dare Not Hunt by Day - Scott O'Dell

Johnny Tremaine - Esther Forbes

Go Ask Alice - Anonymous
(I read it in Grade Eight, but it may be a little dated now)

I Am David - Anne Holm and L. W. Kingsland

The Diary of Anne Frank

The Hero and the Crown - Robin McKinley
(and its sequel, "The Blue Sword")

The Pigman - Paul Zindel

The Pearl - John Steinbeck
(also The Red Pony)

Answer 2

Ursula LeGuin's Earth Sea Trilogy is lovely and appealing.
Some of her more recent ones are Gifts and Voices.

From a totally different perspective try: Feed.

The other author who has many books is Ann Rinaldi who writes excellent historical fiction usually told from the first person perspective. Teens find her books entertaining, while learning about the history of the time.

Rinaldi, Ann. A Break with Charity: A Story About the Salem Witch Trials. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1992.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Blue Door.New York: Scholastic, 1996.
Rinaldi, Ann. Broken Days.New York: Scholastic, 1995.
Rinaldi, Ann. But in the Fall I'm Leaving. New York: Holiday House, 1985.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Fifth of March: The Story of the Boston Massacre. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1993.
Rinaldi, Ann. Finishing Becca: A Story of Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1994.
Rinaldi, Ann. In My Father's House. New York: Scholastic, 1993.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Good Side of My Heart. New York: Holiday House, 1987.
Rinaldi, Ann. Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons: The Story of Phillis Wheatley. San Diego, CA: Harcourt, 1996.
Rinaldi, Ann. Keep Smiling Through. San Diego, CA: Harcourt, 1996.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Last Silk Dress. New York: Holiday House, 1988.
Rinaldi, Ann. Promises Are for Keeping. New York: Walker, 1982.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Second Bend in the River. New York: Scholastic, 1997.
Rinaldi, Ann. A Ride into Morning: The Story of Tempe Wick. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1991.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Secret of Sarah Revere. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1995.
Rinaldi, Ann. A Stitch in Time. New York: Scholastic, 1994.
Rinaldi, Ann. Term Paper, New York: Walker,1980.
Rinaldi, Ann. Time Enough for Drums. New York: Holiday House, 1986.
Rinaldi, Ann. Wolf by the Ears. New York: Scholastic, 1991.

Answer 3

You might have already heard of this...but there is a GREAT Yahoo Group called Middle School Lit that is for teachers, librarians, authors, publishers, etc. for that age group. You might find the discussions interesting and the databases useful. He's working on Middle School Hall of Fame of books of sorts. The 'must-read' titles as voted on by the group--each book I believe has to have 30 votes to make the list.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_school_lit/

Anyway, enough about that....
Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Shadow Children series by Margaret Peterson Haddix (really anything by Haddix would be great)
Sleeping Freshman Never Lie by David Lubar
Holes by Louis Sachar
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton
The Giver by Lois Lowry (and sequels)

Answer 4

Orson Scott Card's series "Ender's Game", "Ender's Shadow", "Shadow Puppets", etc. The children in this series are the heroes which is appealing to the middle school level reader and also requires a level of maturity and advanced thinking that makes them feel like they are reading at a higher level. Also, female characters in these novels are independent and strong-willed, making these novels appropriate for both boys and girls. My son introduced me to this author when he was 13 (and in honors classes) which I hope you consider a strong recommendation for your target age group and reading/maturity level.

Answer 5

in case you're having problem with pride and Prejudice, i does no longer advise that you commence on Crime and Punishment, Les Miserables or lengthy gone with the Wind. (in case you have become perplexed via the fashion of characters in Jane Austen's e book, merely wait till you study lengthy gone with the Wind!) i imagine, of the record you've presented, i'd commence with Wuthering Heights and then bypass to Jane Eyre and then possibly To Kill a Mockingbird. in case your record contains Northanger Abbey via Jane Austen, i'd also advise you study that. I study that one earlier any of the others and correctly earlier eighth grade, and that i loved it.

Answer 6

King Fortis the Brave!