Best Books for 7th Grade

This page is for parents and educators of seventh graders, who are usually 12 to 13 years old. Readers at this stage often move between upper middle-grade novels and early young adult books, looking for stories with higher stakes, complex characters and honest treatment of real-world issues, as well as gripping fantasy and history.

Browse award-winning picks first, then subject collections, then every book in this grade range. Our grade ranges are suggestions based on editorial judgment. Readers mature at different rates, so check the notes for parents on each book page when choosing.