{"id":11719,"date":"2025-02-28T08:43:19","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T12:43:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/?p=11719"},"modified":"2025-04-09T03:57:33","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T07:57:33","slug":"books-for-eighth-graders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/books-for-eighth-graders\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Books to Hand to the 8th Graders in Your Life"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Eighth graders might still be in middle school, but their reading tastes are firmly between middle grade and young adult titles. They’re closer to high school than middle school at this point and are often interested in serious teen romances, grittier dystopian and fantasy fiction, on-the-edge mystery and thrillers, and historical fiction with more complex themes and characters. Thankfully, the books on this list match those criteria!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want more? Check out our brand new list of\u00a0books for 13 year olds<\/a> and this list for 8th grade boys<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udd0e If you’d like to learn more about the content of a book, you can read my full review or use one of the other three methods I recommend in this post about screening a book’s content<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Join our Patreon community<\/a> to get the printable version of this li<\/b>st<\/strong>! You’ll also get access to other kid lit resources and perks, like our seasonal guides, book tasting menus, and book discussion guides, to inspire you. You can also buy the standalone printable<\/a> from our shop<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

20 Excellent Books for Your 8th Grade Classroom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are my favorite books to recommend to 8th graders:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Historical Fiction<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Color of a Lie<\/h2><\/div>
By Kim Johnson
Published: June 11, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When Calvin and his parents move from Chicago to the Levittown suburbs in Pennsylvania, he\u2019s torn between leaving his culture and older brother behind in the black neighborhoods and assimilating into the all-white neighborhood. Meeting and falling for the new black girl in his town doesn\u2019t help as he finds himself caught up in organizing to get more Black teens into his school. But things quickly turn dangerous for him and his friends as loyalties are tested across the board. The Color of the Lie<\/em> is a propulsive YA coming-of-age historical fiction\/thriller that examines racial passing in the 1950s.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Enemies in the Orchard<\/h2><\/div>
By Dana VanderLugt
Published: September 12, 2023<\/strong> <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Set in the 1940s, this debut historical verse novel delves into the lesser-known history of (prisoner-of-war) German soldiers brought to work in the United States during WWII. Claire\u2019s brother Danny is off fighting the war while she\u2019s working in their family\u2019s Midwestern apple orchard, where her father has hired a bunch of POW soldiers, including one named Karl. Over time, Claire and Karl begin a tentative friendship, even as the presence of enemies in their orchard causes tensions in their community. Told from Karl and Claire\u2019s perspective, this story, the history behind it, and the important themes it highlights will appeal to older middle schoolers ages 11 and up<\/strong>.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Bletchley Riddle<\/h2><\/div>
By Ruta Sepetys & Steve Sheinkin
Published: October 8, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This historical mystery combines the literary prowess of author Ruta Sepetys with Steve Sheinkin\u2019s narrative skills as we follow two siblings during WWII in England trying to find their missing mother and help the British army defeat the Nazis. With two teenage protagonists, this one straddles the line between middle grade and YA, although the content is more middle grade than YA. It is gripping, hard to put down, and brilliantly plotted. Hand to fans of fast-paced mysteries, whether or not they love historical fiction. Ages 10+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Will\u2019s Race for Home<\/h2><\/div>
By Jewell Parker Rhodes
Published: January 14, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This powerhouse Western is about a boy who goes with his dad to secure land during the Oklahoma land rush in the 1880s. They run into a veteran who joins their company, and Will has to defend himself from dangers along the way. I learned so much from this moving historical account that helps readers understand that time period while touching on themes like father-son relationships, community, and bravery. Heads up for gun usage (it is a Western, after all). Ages 10+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Mysteries & Thrillers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What Happened to Rachel Riley?<\/h2><\/div>
By Claire Swinarski 
Published: January 10, 2023<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When Anna Hunt moves from Chicago to Wisconsin for her mother\u2019s new job, she soon realizes that something\u2019s off about her new eighth-grade class. One student, Rachel Riley, who was once popular is now treated as a social pariah. So when their English teacher assigns them an un-essay \u2014 which is an exploration of a topic in any other format besides an essay \u2014 Anna decides to investigate the question: What happened to Rachel Riley? This is a stellar middle grade mystery about sexual harassment, creativity, and standing up for something. This book truly shines for the author\u2019s creative yet accessible storytelling and characterization. Ages 10+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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BUY ON AMAZON<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The Agathas<\/h2><\/div>
By Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson
Published: May 3, 2022<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Rich kid Alice Ogilvie and her new tutor, Iris Adams, are forced to work together when one of Alice\u2019s former besties (who stole her boyfriend) is found murdered with Alice\u2019s ex-boyfriend as the prime suspect. As the two girls collaborate in this funny, cozy mystery, they end up finding a warm friendship with each other \u2014 and the shocking culprit. Ages 12+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Needy Little Things<\/h2><\/div>
By Channelle Desamours
Published: February 4, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I was hooked on this propulsive speculative fiction about a girl who can hear the needs of others. Sarriyah is thrown for a loop when her friend, Deja, goes missing just a few years after her best friend, Tess, went missing. This was a wild ride with lots of ups and downs and twists as Sarriyah, her best friend Malcolm, and her new love interest, Jude, try to get to the bottom of the mystery. I really enjoyed the journey of the story, even though I didn’t 100% LOVE the ending. The audiobook narrator is excellent, and this is a great pick for fans of realistic fiction with a touch of the speculative. It also tackles the epidemic of missing Black girls and the relatively less enthusiastic response they receive from the authorities. (Some language) Ages 13+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Six Truths and a Lie<\/h2><\/div>
By Ream Shukairy
Published: March 12, 2024 <\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This chilling mystery about six Muslim teens caught in the wrong place at the wrong time is perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying<\/em> and Promise Boys<\/em>. I listened to this audiobook in one sitting. Besides examining harmful Muslim stereotypes, it also delves into racism, the faulty justice system, and the struggles most teens face when trying to form lasting friendships. Highly recommended for ages 13+<\/strong> (some language). <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Sci-fi & Dystopia<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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All Better Now<\/h2><\/div>
By Neal Shusterman
Published: February 4, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Step aside, COVID-19. In Shusterman’s latest offering, a new kind of virus is spreading, one that is lethal in two ways: It either kills its victims or leaves recoverees feeling an usually high level of contentment, no longer willing to engage with capitalism. Three teens’ lives are caught in the balance as the virus upturns their lives in different ways. This book is no Scythe<\/em>, but it is so intriguing and propulsive like everything Shusterman writes. Ages 12+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Boy 2.0<\/h2><\/div>
By Tracey Baptiste
Published: October 1, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019m 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<\/em>), lots of male friendship banter, musings on the foster care system, and a heartwarming ode to Black history and culture. I can\u2019t wait for book two, and I expect young, hesitant readers to love this if they crack open the first couple of pages. Ages 11+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Dividing Sky<\/h2><\/div>
By Jill Tew
Published: October 8, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Set in the year 2460, this dystopian romance follows a memory merchant and the rookie police officer set on her tail in hyper-capitalist Boston. With phenomenal worldbuilding, swoony romance, and plenty to think about in terms of valuing community and presence over capitalism, this is a fantastic pick for your dystopia (and romance) fans ages 13 and up<\/strong>. (Some mild language.)<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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I Am Not Jessica Chan<\/h2><\/div>
By Ann Liang
Published: January 28, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Jenna Chen is tired of living in her perfect cousin Jessica\u2019s life and when Jessica gets into Havard and Jenna doesn\u2019t, Jenna wishes she could be Jessica. In an insane twist, she wakes up in Jessica\u2019s body. Worse still, Jenna\u2019s body has ceased to exist. As she begins anew in Jessica\u2019s body, Jenna quickly realizes that the grass isn\u2019t greener on the other side, but can she get her life back. This book is chilling, relatable, and thought-provoking. Heads up for infrequent language. Ages 12+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Romance<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Give Me A Sign<\/h2><\/div>
By Anna Sortino
Published: July 11, 2023<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In Give Me a Sign<\/em>, Lilah is a teen with hearing loss but who isn\u2019t profoundly deaf. So she has always felt caught in the middle \u2014 not deaf enough to be part of the Deaf community and not fully hearing to fit in completely there either. But when she becomes a counselor at a summer camp for deaf and blind kids, her experiences (and the boy she falls in love with) change the way the views her disability. Give Me a Sign <\/em>is a beautiful exploration of Deaf culture with a nostalgic summer camp setting and sweet first love. Ages 12+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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I Love You So Mochi<\/h2><\/div>
By Sarah Kuhn
Published: May 28, 2019<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Japanese-American, Kimi Nakamura is fashion-loving teen who spends her time designing and sewing bold, creative outfits. The only problem is that her mother \u2014 a graphic designer who always wanted to be an artist \u2014 expects Kimi to become a \u201creal artist.\u201d To her, Kimi\u2019s designs should remain a \u201chobby.\u201d Although Kimi has already been accepted to a reputable fine art college, she hasn\u2019t told her mother that she\u2019s dropped out of Advanced Fine Art and hasn\u2019t painted anything all semester. When her mother finds out and is sorely disappointed, Kimi takes advantage of her estranged grandparents\u2019 offer to visit Kyoto. I Love You So Mochi<\/em> is a delightful, delicious young adult novel, perfect for anyone desperate for a trip to Japan on a page. Ages 11+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Keeping Pace<\/h2><\/div>
By Laurie Morrison
Published: April 9, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Grace is an overachiever because she feels like being smart is all she has. She doesn\u2019t seem too good at social situations and can\u2019t figure out fashion and styling like her friends. So she holds on to book smarts and finds worth in her grades \u2014 and in competing with her former best friend, Jonah. Their friendship exploded after his dad\u2019s sudden illness and death. Now, it\u2019s the end of 8th grade, and Jonah\u2019s won the coveted top scholar spot, leaving Grace with no raison d\u2019etre. She decides to compete in a half marathon, for which she finds out Jonah is training, so she has one last chance to beat him. She ends up learning a lot about what really matters in life. Keeping Pace<\/em> is a swoony middle grade romance about battling perfectionism and overambition and balancing relationships with goals.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Selection<\/h2><\/div>
By Kiera Cass
Published: April 24, 2012<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In this dystopian romance series, 35 girls vie for the love of a prince in a process called the selection. One of the girls, America, is sure she doesn\u2019t want to be there because she\u2019s reeling from a recent breakup and so she decides to befriend the prince\u2026 until her feelings start to change. But a wrench is thrown into their budding relationship when her ex becomes a palace guard. This Hunger Games<\/em> meets The Bachelor<\/em> tale is perfect for romance fans who like a side of action and dystopia. No language in this one, but several kissing and makeout scenes <\/strong>\u2014 all PG13. Ages 12+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Sunrise Nights<\/h2><\/div>
By Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro
Published: July 9, 2024<\/strong><\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

annual camp and spend an entire night exploring together, they make a pack to return every year\u2013but there\u2019s a catch. They can\u2019t contact each other throughout the year until they meet again. Florence has a degenerative eye condition, and Jude\u2019s anxiety and his parents\u2019 divorce aren\u2019t letting him give his best to his art, but together, these two find their place in the world. This swoony, gorgeously written romance is written in dialogue and verse and is absolutely stunning on audio. One of my favorite YA books in 2024<\/a>! Ages 13+<\/strong> (some language).<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Graphic Novels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Brownstone<\/h2><\/div>
By Samuel Teer
Published: June 11, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When her mom has to take a sudden trip, 15-year-old Almudena is forced to spend the summer in New York with her Guatemalan father, who barely speaks any English. There, she gets thrown into a community with secrets, tension, humor, love, and Latino culture. This book has such a unique plot, and I loved the father-daughter relationship and the reason behind the brownstone\u2019s existence. The illustrations are beautiful, and this book provides plenty of discourse about cultural identity and parental separation. There is infrequent profanity, so this is good for ages 13+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Song of a Blackbird<\/h2><\/div>
By Maria Van Lieshout
Published: January 21, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When Annick’s grandmother falls ill with leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant, it’s the impetus she needs to start digging around to learn more about her grandmother’s history as an adopted Jewish girl in Amsterdam during the Nazi regime. Alternating between timelines, we follow a young woman and resistance fighter in 1930s Germany and her work to protect Jewish children. How do both lives intersect, and will Annick beat the clock to find living family members of her grandmother’s before it’s too late? This poignant, well-researched, text-heavy graphic novel has all the answers. It’s also an artistic masterpiece featuring illustrations juxtaposed on real photographs from the Nazi regime in the Netherlands and extensive backmatter about the real people who inspired the story. An absolute marvel. Ages 13+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Lunar New Year Love Story<\/h2><\/div>
By Gene Luen Yang (Author) LeUyen Pham (Illustrator)
Published: January 9, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The art in this book is phenomenal, and it is also a sweet YA romance featuring Val, a girl who feels like she\u2019s destined for constant heartbreak. I appreciated the plot, but it\u2019s on the longer side and has fantastical elements for which this author is well known. Readers who love romance and a touch of fantasy will adore this one. No sexual content and zero language. It also sensitively tackles several important themes (parental abandonment, identity, and alcoholism). Ages 11+<\/strong><\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The best books for eight graders (who are usually around age 13) are upper middle-grade and young YA titles! That’s what you find recommended on this list. Still, I tend to lean toward conservative choices, especially for kids who are still under age 16. So I’ve included books about crushes, body image, sexual harassment and consent, and identity. Many of these books are personal favorites that I would certainly hand to my favorite 13 year olds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":91650,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"book_review_cover_url":"","book_review_title":"","book_review_series":"","book_review_author":"","book_review_genre":"","book_review_isbn":"","book_review_setting":"","book_review_release_date":"","book_review_recommendation":"","book_review_pages":"","book_review_source":"","book_review_rating":"","book_review_summary":"","book_review_featuredin":"","book_review_kindle":"","book_review_reivew":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3907513,3907220],"tags":[3907564],"class_list":{"0":"post-11719","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-8th-grade-books","8":"category-by-grade","9":"tag-featured-posts","10":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\n20 Books 8th Graders Can't Stop Raving About<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Add these phenomenal middle grade and young adult books across genres -- from historical fiction to graphic novels -- to your library!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/books-for-eighth-graders\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"20 Books 8th Graders Can't Stop Raving About\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Add these phenomenal middle grade and young adult books across genres -- from historical fiction to graphic novels -- to your library!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/books-for-eighth-graders\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Reading Middle Grade\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/readingmiddlegrade\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"facebook.com\/readingmiddlegrade\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-28T12:43:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-09T07:57:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/books-for-8th-graders.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Afoma Umesi\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/readingmg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@readingmg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta 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