Middle Grade Books About Male Friendships

14-year-old Ahmed, forced to flee his home in Syria, is all alone in Brussels. He sneaks into the home of an expatriate family, where he finds shelter in their basement, feeding off their scraps and leftovers — until their son Max, who is around the same age, discovers him. Max and Ahmed form a heartwarming friendship, but keeping Ahmed safe without hiding him forever proves to be a suspense-filled endeavor. I couldn’t stop listening to this audiobook! Ages 10+

Ming’s Thai mother and Chinese father moved to the US for a better life and struggle financially trying to raise him. Bullied at school and trying to get in with the cool crowd, Ming makes a few poor changes that do not keep him out of trouble. A funny, realistic graphic novel that explores male friendships, immigrant life, and coming-of-age. Ages 9+

In Dough Boys, we reunite with the kids of Pirates Cove, this time through the eyes of Rollie and Simp. The boys work as lookout boys for Coach Tez’s crew of drug dealers, but both feel differently about the gig. Rollie is getting more interested in music and his love for drumming and is less enthusiastic about working for a drug lord. Simp, on the other hand, is working to rise in rank. The disconnect between the boys’ desires eventually begins to wear on their friendship. This is an emotion-charged middle-grade novel about two boys navigating their changing friendship while caught up in a local drug ring. Ages 10+

After his father dies by suicide, Drew tries to move forward with life by volunteering at the library where his mom works. But this summer, three years after his father’s death, a new girl, Audrey, starts volunteering at the library too. She’s good with computers, and he’s worried she’ll steal his shine — and that’s not even the worst part of his summer. A new man, Phil, seems to have ridden into his mother’s life, and Drew isn’t sure what’s up between them. Somehow, he begins to think that Phil might be his father. This is a thoughtful, realistic, and heartwarming (oh, so heartwarming) book about dealing with a parent’s suicide and changing friendships. Ages 9+

Yusuf Azeem is not a hero like his dad, who talked down a gunman in their small-town A-Z Dollar Store. But his dad’s heroism doesn’t prevent him from getting worsening hateful notes in his locker telling him to “Go Home.” Yusuf and his friend Danial had expected that this would be their year — their entry into middle school and a chance to compete in a robotics contest. However, when some of the townspeople, including a group called the Patriot Sons try to stop the construction of their town’s mosque and begin to target Yusuf and other Muslims in the community, they are forced to take a stand. Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero is a poignant look at the impact of 9/11 on Muslim communities in America. Ages 10+

Alex Manalo and his father have moved from Silicon Valley to Sacramento, where his dad is taking over his Lolo and Lola’s grocery store. Alex is struggling to adjust a new place and also feeling burdened by his father’s expectations of him — that he cut his hair short, play more sports, and make less slime. At school, Alex is quickly befriended by Logan, a boy who thinks he should sell his slime. Unfortunately, a girl named Meadow has a monopoly over the school’s slime market and is not pleased about Alex joining. So they decide to have a contest to determine the champion, once and for all. This is a fun, heartwarming story about identity, family, Filipino culture, soccer, and entrepreneurship. Ages 9+

Incredibly emotive and authentic writing from Saadia Faruqi in this book about a teenage boy whose father is living with schizophrenia. Mo’s mother is serving a UNESCO mission and has left Mo and his dad to move in with Mo’s aunt and her son. Mo quickly bonds with Rayyan, his cousin, and becomes his defender against a bully, Frankie. But as Mo’s father’s episodes worsen, he realizes the need to rely on others, allow his heart to be vulnerable, and find a way to love his father, even though he seems monstrous at times. This book is just phenomenal. I’ve followed Faruqi’s writing over the years, and this is her best work yet. Mo is realistically drawn with a distinct voice. He is angsty and tries so hard to seem tough, but readers will easily see through that tough exterior. The voice reminds me a lot of Jason Reynolds’ Ghost, and the focus on mental illness is much-needed, so honest and utterly moving. Ages 10+

One Kid’s Trash is about a boy who’s always been small for his age, thanks to being born premature. Hugo’s family has moved from Denver to a smaller skiing town in Colorado after his father quit his job as a computer engineer to become a ski instructor. For Hugo, this is a terrible development as he’s only just found his people in his former city and now has to start from scratch. Thankfully, his cousin Vijay is somewhat popular and brings Hugo into his friend group — the kids who run the school newsletter. But when the kids in his school realize that Hugo can tell a lot about a person from their trash, Hugo finds new popularity that threatens to upturn his new friendships. This is a funny, poignant, and engaging story about adjusting to new circumstances and finding and appreciating your people. Ages 8+

SAVE ME A SEAT is the story of two seemingly different boys – one Indian, one American. When Ravi’s family moves to America, he is shocked at how different things are. The things he liked about himself seem to neither impress nor be appreciated by his American classmates and teachers. Joe is a quiet, sensitive American who is regularly bullied by his classmates. The story follows both boys as they find a way to a solid friendship despite their differences. With a major focus on bullying, culture, food and respecting differences, SAVE ME A SEAT is delightful, funny, and inspiring.  Ages 8+

When two new 5th graders determined to “be themselves” get mistaken for class clown and brainiac (the opposite of what they each are), they band together to help each other succeed in the vein of Cisneros’s Falling Short, but in graphic novel format with animal characters a la Mr. Wolf’s Class. This is a clever (sometimes a teeny bit didactic) story that is funny and relatable about friendship, being yourself, and staying open to possibilities. Fans of quirky graphic novels with a dash of humor will enjoy this. Ages 9+

Friends and army brats Frank and Stanley live in Pearl Harbor, where they deal with the usual challenges of bullying and creating comic books. Until December 7th, 1941, when everything changes during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Will the boys survive the attack? How will the war change them and their friendship? Master of middle grade historical fiction, Alan Gratz, explores these in his latest novel. Heroes by Alan Gratz is an action-packed historical account about friendship and what it means to be a hero. Ages 10+

In this story, a young teacher is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. However, her illness isn’t the focus of the story. The author turns the focus on three of her students — Brand, Topher, and Steve. Each of these boys’ lives has been touched by Ms. Bixby in one way or another. The story alternates between past and present as the boys share their stories of their favorite teacher, Ms. Bixby. But, besides that, they also share stories about their unlikely friendship, their families, and life in middle school. The most action in this story, however, results from the adventure all three boys take to say goodbye to their teacher. I loved, loved, loved, and would highly recommend Ms. Bixby’s Last Day. Ages 9+

Miles is devastated to be moving from his town to another one called Yawnee Valley. He loved his town, had good friends, and, most importantly, was well-known as the best prankster around. When he arrives in Yawnee Valley, he immediately discovers that there’s already a superb prankster there — with a secret identity no less. When Miles gets out-pranked by the Yawnee Valley prankster, it starts a prank war between both kids until they decide to join forces. The Terrible Two is a riotous, animated middle grade book about pranks, unlikely friendships, and cows. Ages 8+

When Caleb and his older brother meet a 16-year-old wise-cracking, smart-mouthed Styx Malone in their small town, they are enthralled with the young man and begin to look up to him. Even when Styx’s actions are questionable including lying, swindling, and petty theft, verging on illegal, Caleb and Bobby Gene continue to follow him, much to their parents’ concerns. As their summer adventure to raise enough money to buy a fancy motorcycle takes a turn, all three boys are surprised by how much they come to care for each other. The Season of Styx Malone is a funny, insightful summer story about male friendships, stranger danger, and foster care. Ages 9+

Isaiah’s father has died, leaving behind Isaiah, his mom, and his younger sister, Charlie. Isaiah’s mom is so depressed that she’s lost her job and started drinking too many bottles of wine. Isaiah realizes that they need money if they’re ever going to move out of the motel where they’ve had to live since they’re unable to pay for their home. Thankfully, Isaiah has his father’s books of poems (even if his own words won’t come anymore), his best friend Sneaky, who sells candy at school (and lets Isaiah be his business partner), and the kind people who look out for him once they realize he’s in need. In the end, will Isaiah be the hero of his story? This is a moving, realistic portrayal of the poverty and housing insecurity that can impact a family after the death of a parent. Ages 9+

Grant Falloon is a super fast track runner, so it’s a no-brainer when he gets the chance to sign up for the million-dollar race organized by Babblemoney. The mega-rich sneaker company wants to give back a million dollars to the winning kids from their international contest. Unfortunately, Grant runs into a couple of snags. Soon, the kids also realize that there is more to the million dollar race than meets the eye. This is a unique middle grade book about male friendships, sports, unconventional families, and identity. Ages 10+

14-year-old David is a quintessential middle child. His sister Bridgette is in college and is the family’s academic success story. Mal, his younger brother, is on the autism spectrum, although his family prefers not to use the autism label. David has always had a large appetite and an interest in competitive eating, but after he accidentally leaves a $2000 bill on his mother’s credit card, he’s forced to join a pizza-eating contest to win the grand prize of $5000. In between finding his place in the family and trying not to ruin his internal organs by overeating, David also has to navigate the fact that his two oldest friends, Cyn and HeyMan, might be dating each other. This is an engaging, funny, true-to-life story about competitive eating, navigating friendship dilemmas, understanding an autistic sibling, and finding one’s place in their family. Ages 10+

I was skeptical (as I am of all superhero stories) of this book, especially because I thought it was more supernatural than sci-fi. But I’m happy to report that I was hooked from the very first chapter of its audiobook. Coal is a foster kid taken in by the boisterous McKay family when his foster parent has a mental breakdown. Not long after, he realizes that his skin has camouflaging abilities, essentially making him invisible. This is more than a superhero origin story with plenty of family humor (for fans of The Vanderbeekers), lots of male friendship banter, musings on the foster care system, and a heartwarming ode to Black history and culture. I can’t wait for book two, and I expect young, hesitant readers to love this if they crack open the first couple of pages. Ages 11+

Before the Ever After is Woodson’s latest Coretta Scott King award winner — and a well-deserved win too. ZJ’s dad is a popular pro American footballer. He has a awesome crew of male friends who feel like family. Life seems pretty good until his dad comes home early from a game with an awful headache. The headache is joined by disturbing symptoms like forgetfulness, aggression, spacing out, and general confusion. ZJ’s mom is worried because she knows a few other football friends of his dad who have had the same symptoms. As ZJ tries to get through each day, not knowing whether it’ll be a good day for his dad or a bad one, he finds comfort in family, comfort, and community. Before the Ever After is a brilliant, true-to-life portrayal of a child coping with his famous father’s deterioration due to CTE. Ages 10+

In Falling Short, we meet Marco and Isaac. They’ve been besties for as long as they can remember, and now they share one pain in common: both their dads aren’t in their lives as they’d like. Isaac’s dad is attentive but currently struggling with alcoholism. Marco’s dad wishes Marco were more athletic, instead of nerdy. At the start of middle school, both boys decide to help each other reach their goals. For Isaac, it’s getting better at more than just basketball — getting better grades and being more responsible. And for Marco, it’s learning a sport: basketball. Can they reach their goals? And will their friendship survive it? I loved this look at a warm friendship bond between boys. Ages 9+

Golden Maroni is having a tough year. First, he really wants to get bigger and become the captain of his middle school soccer team. As a dedicated Messi fan, he’s working on putting in ten thousand hours of soccer practice so that he can become as good as Messi. His former-soccer-star father has been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). His best friend, Lucy Littlehouse is also moving away from her home next door to Golden’s. Despite his dad’s obvious deterioration, Golden stubbornly believes that his dad will get better. How will he cope with everything on his plate — and the heartbreaking challenges ahead of his family? Ten Thousand Tries is a moving, heartwarming story about family, friendship, community, soccer, and the love of a father. Ages 9+

Wei and Hung are two former best friends, now rivals, who both share a love for lion dancing. After a two-year hiatus and failure to find any other team sport where he belongs, Wei stumbles upon a lion dancing team, only to discover that Hung is a member. The two boys bicker even as Wei improves over time. Hung doesn’t want to be Wei’s tail anymore and instead wants to compete to be a lion head despite being better suited for the tail position. But over time, the boys come to figure out why Wei left and how to be better team members. There’s an air of mystery as we discover what happened with Wei’s dad, Wei stopping lion dancing, and who the team captain is. This is quite reminiscent of Duel, with plenty of information about how lion dancing works and and what it means to be part of a team. Unique, beautiful graphics. Ages 10+

Rylan agrees to work as a farm hand in France in order to reconnect with his used-to-be best friend, Wilder. Both their moms are friends and Wilder’s wealthier mom is happy to pay Rylan’s way. Wilder and Rylan’s friendship has been shaky since Wilder has been ditching Rylan for the cool kids. And the trip is about to get more complicated when Rylan’s mom tells him that his estranged father lives in France and wants to reconnect with him. When they arrive in France, Wilder quickly joins a different group of kids on the farm, which deflates Rylan’s hopes of reconnecting. Rylan has to find his way and decide whether or not to meet his dad. Will his French escape be worth it? This is a funny, emotional, and adventure-filled book about changing friendships, cultivating self-worth, and learning the value of hard work. Ages 9+

Four eighth-grade buddies and a new tag-along (whom they’re reluctant to include) discover a posh underground bunker in the wake of a hurricane in their small town. CJ, Evan, Jason, Mitchell, and Ricky quickly begin to hang out at the fort for different reasons. One of the boys is escaping an abusive step-parent, another is dodging his big brother and his bully of a friend, yet another loves to study there, while one just wants to stop hiding the hideout from his new girlfriend. When things get intense for the boys, their safe space becomes at risk of exposure — but maybe that’s the only way they can stay safe? The Fort is a realistic, suspense-filled, and heartwarming middle grade book about male friendships, history, and domestic violence. Ages 10+

In A Perfect Mistake, Max and his community are reeling from a night out gone wrong. Max and his friends Joey and Will went out with two older boys, but Will ended up unconscious and in a coma, and Joey won’t speak to Max anymore. Max also has ADHD and is over six feet tall at 11, which means he stands out in his class. Frustrated that he can’t figure out what happened to Will, Max teams up with an inquisitive classmate, but the truths he unravels aren’t pretty. Can Max get to the bottom of this mystery? A Perfect Mistake is a pitch-perfect middle grade mystery about honesty, peer pressure, and standing up for what’s right. Ages 10+