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Top Books for Middle School Boys in 2026

Fast-paced, funny and big-hearted books for middle school boys in grades 6 to 8, from sports stories to graphic novels and adventures.

21 selected booksUpdated

About this list

Getting a middle schooler to choose a book on his own often comes down to finding the right one at the right moment. This list gathers books that boys in grades 6 through 8 tend to finish and pass along to friends: stories with momentum, humor that lands, and characters dealing with the things that fill their days, like friendships, family, school and sports.

You will find a mix of formats here, from Kwame Alexander's The Crossover, a basketball story told in verse, to Jerry Craft's New Kid, a graphic novel about a seventh grader starting over at a new school. Some picks are quick reads for a reluctant reader, and others are longer books for a kid who is ready to settle in. Each one offers the kind of reading experience that can turn a single good book into a lasting reading habit.

The complete collection

Books on this list

Each book opens to its awards, ages, details and where to find it.

We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never affects which books we recommend. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

  1. Buy on Amazon: The Crossover (opens in a new tab)
  2. Cover of New Kid by Jerry CraftNewbery

    New Kid

    Jerry Craft

    Newbery Medal Winner

    Buy on Amazon: New Kid (opens in a new tab)
  3. Cover of Holes by Louis SacharNewbery

    Holes

    Louis Sachar

    Newbery Medal Winner

    Buy on Amazon: Holes (opens in a new tab)
  4. Buy on Amazon: The Eyes and the Impossible (opens in a new tab)
  5. Cover of Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi SafadiNational Book Award

    Kareem Between

    Shifa Saltagi Safadi

    National Book Award Winner

    Buy on Amazon: Kareem Between (opens in a new tab)
  6. Buy on Amazon: A Single Shard (opens in a new tab)
  7. Buy on Amazon: Bud, Not Buddy (opens in a new tab)
  8. Buy on Amazon: Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir (opens in a new tab)
  9. Buy on Amazon: Dead End in Norvelt (opens in a new tab)
  10. Cover of Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul CurtisCoretta Scott King

    Elijah of Buxton

    Christopher Paul Curtis

    Coretta Scott King Book Awards Winner

    Buy on Amazon: Elijah of Buxton (opens in a new tab)
  11. Cover of Hatchet by Gary PaulsenNewbery

    Hatchet

    Gary Paulsen

    Newbery Medal Honor

    Buy on Amazon: Hatchet (opens in a new tab)
  12. Cover of Hoot by Carl HiaasenNewbery

    Hoot

    Carl Hiaasen

    Newbery Medal Honor

    Buy on Amazon: Hoot (opens in a new tab)
  13. Buy on Amazon: The Stars Beneath Our Feet (opens in a new tab)
  14. Buy on Amazon: Kwame Crashes the Underworld (opens in a new tab)
  15. Cover of As Brave as You by Jason ReynoldsSchneider Family

    As Brave as You

    Jason Reynolds

    Schneider Family Book Award Winner

    Buy on Amazon: As Brave as You (opens in a new tab)
  16. Buy on Amazon: Efrén Divided (opens in a new tab)
  17. Cover of Free Lunch by Rex OgleYALSA Nonfiction

    Free Lunch

    Rex Ogle

    YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Winner

    Buy on Amazon: Free Lunch (opens in a new tab)
  18. Cover of OCDaniel by Wesley KingEdgar

    OCDaniel

    Wesley King

    Edgar Awards Winner

    Buy on Amazon: OCDaniel (opens in a new tab)
  19. Buy on Amazon: Vanished! (opens in a new tab)
  20. Cover of Popcorn by Rob HarrellSchneider Family

    Popcorn

    Rob Harrell

    Schneider Family Book Award Winner

    Buy on Amazon: Popcorn (opens in a new tab)
  21. Cover of The Cartoonists Club by Raina TelgemeierEisner

    The Cartoonists Club

    Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud

    Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Winner

    Buy on Amazon: The Cartoonists Club (opens in a new tab)

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