{"id":84024,"date":"2025-03-25T19:46:24","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T23:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/?p=84024"},"modified":"2025-04-14T10:30:15","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T14:30:15","slug":"books-for-8th-grade-boys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readingmiddlegrade.com\/books-for-8th-grade-boys\/","title":{"rendered":"High-Interest Books I Recommend for 8th Grade Boys"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many educators and parents tell me that as their kids get older, they read less and less for fun — especially the boys. Today’s blog post highlights a variety of books I always recommend to boys in the 8th grade. You’ll find that they’re all high interest, very readable, and have a strong sense of plot. They also have a strong thread of action and good pacing to keep even super busy or reluctant readers flipping the pages. I’ve provided suggestions across several categories, including mystery, dystopia, and coming-of-age, so you can find some solid options for your readers.<\/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\n\n\n

If you’re curious about the content of the books on my list, you can get access to my Content Notes Database<\/a>, where I share information about what to expect from all the books on my lists.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If They Like Mysteries<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This Is Our Story<\/h2><\/div>
By Ashley Elston
Published: November 15, 2016<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Five private school teen boys go target shooting, and one of them ends up dead, shot by his own gun \u2014 with the fingerprints of all four friends on the gun. All the boys claim they don\u2019t know what happened. The story is told from two perspectives: that of the unknown killer and that of a schoolmate, Kate, in the new public school the boys attend. As things progress, it seems nothing is as it seems, both with Kate and with the boys in question, and Kate gets more involved as the stakes get higher in finding the killer. This Is Our Story<\/em> is a gripping mystery for fans of McManus\u2019s One of Us Is Lying<\/em> that tackles pressing contemporary issues.<\/p> <\/div>\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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When You Look Like Us<\/h2><\/div>
By Pamela N. Harris
Published: January 5, 2021<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Jay Murphy is just trying to do right by his grandmother, who\u2019s been raising him and his older sister Nic since his father\u2019s death and his mother\u2019s imprisonment for a drug-related offense. But then Nic, who\u2019s been hanging with the wrong crowd, goes missing. It\u2019s up to Jay to follow the clues, question the right people, and find law enforcement officers who will listen to a kid like him \u2014 all to find Nic. I was hooked from the first word, and I loved Jay\u2019s character, his friendship with Bowie, and the romance that blossomed between him and Alexis. (Some language.)<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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If Action\/Adventure Is Their Thing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Westfallen<\/h2><\/div>
By Ann Brashares & Ben Brashares
Published: September 17, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What if Nazi Germany won WWII? That\u2019s the chilling question this time-travel thriller explores. Two sets of a friendship trio \u2014 one in 2023 and the other in 1944 \u2014 discover that they can communicate over a radio device present in both timelines. As the two groups figure out the differences in their timelines while trying to avoid making any changes to history, they discover that they\u2019ve unwittingly made an enormously impactful change with shocking consequences. Westfallen<\/em> is a chilling exploration of a terrifying alternate reality for fans of high-action time travel fiction.<\/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 the 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. <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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If They Hate to Read<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ghost<\/h2><\/div>
By Jason Reynolds
Published: August 30, 2016<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Castle Cranshaw, aka Ghost, hasn\u2019t had an easy life, but when he stumbles upon some kids training on a race track on his way home from school, he doesn\u2019t know that his life is about to change. With a coach who demands better of him and new teammates who aren\u2019t as easy to win over, Ghost may just be one step closer to healing from his traumatic past. Ghost<\/em> is a fast-paced, voice-y sports story about determination and community that gets Reynolds\u2019 Track series off to an impeccable start.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Trouble with Heroes<\/h2><\/div>
By Kate Messner
Published: April 29, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This is an incredible (mostly) verse novel about a boy who vandalizes a gravestone of a 46er Adirondack woman and is tasked with hiking all 46 peaks as reparations. I read this one from start to finish in a single day, and I loved the multiple formats \u2014 written in posters, pictures, text messages, letters, recipes, and yes, verse. Finn is angry a lot, and the hike introduces him to people who knew his dad and a slobbery dog, Seymour. This one combines adventure, heart, mystery, suspense, and flashbacks beautifully. It\u2019s just really clever, has a strong kid appeal, and is full of emotional depth.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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One Wrong Step<\/h2><\/div>
By Jennifer A. Nielsen
Published: March 4, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

After 12-year-old Atlas\u2019s mother dies, he and his father throw themselves into mountain climbing as a way to manage their grief. When Atlas\u2019s father joins an expedition to conquer Mount Everest, Atlas sees it as his chance to prove himself. However, his father has other ideas. Left at base camp with a young American girl and an injured Sherpa, Atlas must navigate Everest\u2019s brutal elements to rescue the team after an avalanche strikes. A Nazi subplot turns this survival tale into a historical thriller, perfect for kids who want their history served alongside an incredible adventure. <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Kareem Between<\/h2><\/div>
By Shifa Saltagi Safadi
Published: September 10, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s 2016, and Kareem is a Syrian-American football fan who really wants to play on his middle school team but flunks his tryouts. The coach\u2019s son, Austin, then tells Kareem that he can help him get in with the team if he helps him with his homework and some schoolwork, too. Kareem also generally wants to stay on Austin\u2019s good side and so is afraid to stand up to him when Austin starts bullying a new Syrian immigrant whose family is friends with Kareem\u2019s. Then things go haywire when Kareem\u2019s mother has to go to Syria to get her parents to the US, and Trump\u2019s order bans flights from Syria and some other predominantly Muslim countries. Kareem Between<\/em> is a powerful coming-of-age story about standing up for what is right.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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If They Love Dystopian Fiction<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sunrise on the Reaping<\/h2><\/div>
By Suzanne Collins 
Published: March 18, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Whether or not they’ve read The Hunger Games<\/em> series, I can see so many 8th graders enjoying this prequel. It stands on its own, providing enough background information so that readers don’t need to have read the rest of the books to enjoy it. Sunrise on the Reaping<\/em> follows 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy, who is reaped on his birthday and has to fight to survive during the 50th Hunger Games. As with the rest of these books, it’s high suspense with impeccable character development, and if they haven’t read the other books, you’ve opened the door to a complete series!<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Snowglobe<\/h2><\/div>
By Soyoung Park 
Published: February 27, 2024<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This YA novel is set in a dystopian world where every part of the earth is living with frigid temperatures except for Snowglobe\u2013akin to The Capitol in the Hunger Games. While residents of all the other settlements work hard to generate resources for Snowglobe, its inhabitants live life under the camera lens, their lives fodder for reality TV and controlled by prestigious directors. When the star of one of the most popular shows dies, another girl outside Snowglobe who resembles her eerily is recruited to take her place, opening a can of worms about the unethical misuse of power in Snowglobe. Snowglobe<\/em> is a twisty dystopian thriller for fans of The Hunger Games<\/em> series that expertly combines elements of a thriller, dystopian fiction, and a mystery subplot while also meditating on privacy, ethics, and reality television. <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Scythe<\/h2><\/div>
By Neal Shusterman
Published: November 22, 2016<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This dystopian YA book is at once chilling, thought-provoking, and compulsively readable. Set in a world where humans have conquered sickness, death, and all threats to life but now have appointed scythes to manage the population by gleaning humans periodically, this book follows two unwilling teens selected as apprentice scythes and their journey to attaining the position \u2014 or will they? <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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For Fans of Coming-of-Age Stories<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Strongest Heart<\/h2><\/div>
By Saadia Faruqi
Published: March 4, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Incredibly emotive and authentic writing from Saadia Faruqi in this book about a teenage boy whose father is living with schizophrenia. Mo\u2019s mother is serving a UNESCO mission and has left Mo and his dad to move in with Mo\u2019s aunt and her son. Mo quickly bonds with Rayyan, his cousin, and becomes his defender against a bully, Frankie. But as Mo\u2019s father\u2019s 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\u2019ve followed Faruqi\u2019s 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\u2019 Ghost<\/a><\/em>, and the focus on mental illness is much-needed, so honest and utterly moving.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Beat I Drum<\/h2><\/div>
By Dusti Bowling
Published: April 1, 2025<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Some readers may know Connor as Aven Green’s bestie from the book Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus<\/em>, but he’s all grown up in this standalone novel. Connor is entering his first year of high school in a new town where he’s friendless. His dad, who was unkind to him in the past, is also trying to re-enter his life. With all the changes, Connor still has to manage his Tourette’s tics, while trying to find and keep new friends and handle a school bully. This story is tender, relatable, and mature in a way that will appeal to older middle grade readers and young high schoolers.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Fort<\/h2><\/div>
By Gordon Korman
Published: June 28, 2022<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Four eighth-grade buddies and a new tag-along (whom they\u2019re 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 \u2014 but maybe that\u2019s the only way they can stay safe? The Fort<\/em> is a realistic, suspense-filled, and heartwarming middle grade book about male friendships<\/a>, history, and domestic violence<\/a>.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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If They Like Graphic Novels\/Memoirs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Button Pusher<\/h2><\/div>
By Tyler Page
Published: April 12, 2022<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This is a FANTASTIC graphic memoir about Tyler Page\u2019s life with ADHD. Early on, his parents realized that Tyler couldn\u2019t seem to stay focused. He acts out in class, is impulsive, and often distracts his classmates. He can\u2019t finish his work in time, even though he\u2019s smart and creative. Most intriguing, he doesn\u2019t actually want to cause trouble but can\u2019t stop himself. Tyler is eventually diagnosed with ADHD and gets on medication for it. I loved seeing his depiction of the way ADHD affects his life and how the medication changes it. We also learn a lot about his family and how life as a teenager changes his relationship with his ADHD meds. The book also includes back matter at the end of every chapter, providing more information (in graphics still) about ADHD.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A First Time for Everything<\/h2><\/div>
By Dan Santat 
Published: February 28, 2023<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A First Time for Everything<\/em> is Dan Santat\u2019s new graphic memoir about his school trip to Europe at the end of middle school. Middle school Dan is shy and socially awkward. He spends most of his time helping his mom, who has Lupus, and gets made fun of a bit by some girls in his grade. Thankfully, his parents are determined that he sees the world, and they support his Europe trip. As they visit Germany, France, Switzerland, and England, Dan is swept up in many, many firsts, making for a life-changing trip. A First Time for Everything<\/em> is a stellar, relatable graphic novel about growing up, wading through the awkward tween years, and finding one\u2019s voice. <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Invisible<\/h2><\/div>
By Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Published: August 2, 2022<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Five different students have yet to complete their community service for a school offense and must explain why (as well as what they did) to their principal. Thus, these five seemingly socially invisible kids each share from their perspectives how they got in trouble \u2014 and readers are definitely in for a ride. There\u2019s George, the smart kid who is Latino but can\u2019t speak Spanish; Sara, the loner; Dayara, the tough kid, Miguel, the baseball player; and Nico, the rich kid. The story is told in Spanish and English. This is a powerful, heartwarming graphic novel about immigration<\/a>, homelessness, racism, and finding your tribe.<\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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For Sports Fans<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Crossover<\/h2><\/div>
By Kwame Alexander (Author), Dawud Anyabwile (Illustrator)
Published: March 18, 2014<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to their dad, Josh and his twin brother, Jordan, are kings on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood\u2014he\u2019s got mad beats, too, which help him find his rhythm when it\u2019s all on the line. As their winning season unfolds, things begin to change. When Jordan meets a girl, the twins\u2019 bond unravels. This is an utterly moving novel in verse. <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Dragon Hoops<\/h2><\/div>
By Gene Luen Yang
Published: March 17, 2020<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In this powerful, inspiring narrative about his high school\u2019s basketball team, graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang turns his pen to nonfiction. Yang, who is a high school teacher, becomes inspired by the meteoric, potentially historic run of the men\u2019s varsity basketball team. When he decides to interview them, he realizes that each player, as well as the team\u2019s history itself, has a fascinating personal story that might even be bigger than just one basketball season. <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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More Books for 8th Graders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n