3.88 avg rating — 349,275 ratings

"Middle grade. This is a survival story with a female protagonist anchored in an historical time and place. It starts with loss, centers friendship with a dog, has a timeless quality and is one I have read and revisited many times. I used it to anchor my teaching plans when creating TESOL lesson plans for my teaching degree but I read it as a child too"

4.26 avg rating — 58,797 ratings

"Middle grade. This is the first book of the Harper Hall trilogy and not the traditional way of entering the world of PERN. It's a great place for younger readers to begin though and I love this series so much it's the only one I packed all of when I moved to Spain. I read it aloud to my children during the pandemic (with a few strategic parental omissions because my sons were so young). As a kid I loved McCaffrey for speaking to the repressed Catholic girl in me; Passions are tied to dragons mating in books like Dragonflight. As an adult I appreciate her worldbuilding and the ways in which her scifi answered the misogynistic authors who were so popular at the time."

4.17 avg rating — 185,073 ratings

"Middle grade. My 3rd grade teacher read this aloud to us and it lived on in my imagination for a long time, especially wondering and worrying about who didn't survive the ending. There is a family at the center of the story. Intelligence, innovation and bravery are valued. When I read it aloud to my kids there were some portions I hadn't remembered which weren't great for pacing, but this is a core memory book for me. (Look for Rasco and the Rats of NIMH, a sequel by a different author if your young reader need to know what happens next.)"

4.22 avg rating — 4,216 ratings

"A blend of non-fiction, architecture with an explanation from a fictionalized time and place. The whole collection by this author is strong."

4.10 avg rating — 84,922 ratings

"Middle grade. I read this book about survival and independence as a kid. My sons have read and revisited this trilogy many times."

4.12 avg rating — 1,070 ratings

"Middle grade. I loved this author and read everything I could get from my library. This book, the first of the Greensky trilogy was one I tried to adapt into a one-woman play when I was in the 6th grade (!) I've resisted rereading everything by this author in fear that they don't stand up."

4.12 avg rating — 439 ratings

"Middle grade. My 5th grade teacher read this aloud to us and it was one of the first dystopian novels that I remember resonating with me. Unfortunately it is out of print and very expensive second hand."

4.10 avg rating — 278,369 ratings

"Middle grade. I didn't read this as a child, but in adulthood I really appreciated how real it felt and the gentle inclusion of an absent parent in the story."

4.16 avg rating — 1,410 ratings

"Middle grade. A favorite from my childhood. Currently out of print and I can't promise that it holds up (a journey to Mexico is likely problematic) but I loved the magic and friendship in it."

4.11 avg rating — 1,617 ratings

"Middle grade. I enjoyed reading this aloud to my sons. It's an adventure story with a female protagonist and enough shades of gray to be enduringly interesting."

4.11 avg rating — 4,514 ratings

"Middle grade. Set in India, this book addresses income inequality and water scarcity in a way that's accessible to younger readers. We own this one and my sons have chosen it more than once from a large collection."

4.12 avg rating — 61,671 ratings

"Middle grade. A graphic novel love story that gives its characters some time to grow up."

4.36 avg rating — 436 ratings

"YA. Lots to discuss here as the protagonist copes with her parents' divorce and how she's treated as a young woman in the world."

4.35 avg rating — 1,429 ratings

"Middle grade. My kids enjoyed this series and I read the first three also. Kind of an XMen meets Harry Potter mashup, but in a good way."

4.19 avg rating — 335 ratings

"Middle grade. One of the stronger picks from contemporary fictions that I chose and my 10yos liked too."

4.01 avg rating — 1,358,270 ratings

"Middle grade. My sons love this novel of fate and friendship and have read it many times as well as others by this author."

4.07 avg rating — 19,073 ratings

"Middle grade. Although by no means perfect, this contemporary novel set at school gives us a lot to talk about."

4.04 avg rating — 12,892 ratings

"Middle grade or YA. A shift in historical point of view, alternative to or counterpoint to Little House style pioneer books."

3.96 avg rating — 4,473 ratings

"Middle grade. This reads like a fable, has some adventure and calls out the power of language, the absurdity of adult behavior and the pitfalls of greed."

3.85 avg rating — 125,018 ratings

"Middle grade. This author has been a kid favorite for ages 9-10 (and potentially beyond). This one has its share of mischief at school but I'd say is still parent/teacher approved."

4.35 avg rating — 9,845,271 ratings

"Middle grade or YA (and yes, you're allowed to devour this book as an adult. I was already past 30 when I read it for the first time.)"

4.02 avg rating — 262,708 ratings

"Middle grade or YA. My favorite by this prolific fantasy author deals with reckoning with the past."

3.60 avg rating — 87,328 ratings

"YA. This dystopian novel explores survival, love and sacrifice, freedom vs. control and delves into rules and community with a religious flavor that spoke to me. I recommend the series."

4.12 avg rating — 2,793,398 ratings

"Middle grade or YA, a classic dystopian novel about the tension between individuality and conformity, memory vs. emotion, freedom vs. security. We've read and enjoyed several books by this author."

4.23 avg rating — 1,981 ratings

"YA. Divorce of parents, friendship, self-discovery, music, the complexity of a first same-sex crush."

4.48 avg rating — 46,945 ratings

"Middle grade. An historical novel set in the UK during WWII. My children really loved this book. Heads up that it includes a biological mother who keeps her child in out of shame about a physical defect. Found family is important in this one. "

4.27 avg rating — 2,676 ratings

"YA. A novel about animal rights, communication, resilience and complicated family dynamics."

4.17 avg rating — 2,020 ratings

"YA, sometimes shelved as middle grade, but it has some pretty creepy elements. I didn't love the ending, but the dystopian elements and struggle are strong."

4.63 avg rating — 13,829 ratings

"YA or adult. This book is actually pretty disturbing, including extreme trauma, the foster care experience and attempted suicide, but it's worth reading."

3.84 avg rating — 1,022,986 ratings

"YA. I read this book as an adult and don't consider my kids ready for it yet since it explores trauma, mental health struggles and suicide but I think the ways in which it does so makes it worth puting in reach."

4.33 avg rating — 33,620 ratings

"YA. Read and talk about this book."

3.83 avg rating — 16,694 ratings

"YA or adult. A quintessential Catalan novel exploring the impact of the Spanish Civil War on ordinary people, dominance in relationships and the complexities of motherhood."

4.05 avg rating — 314,674 ratings

"YA or adult. Set in Seattle, this novel centers the relationship between a Chinese-American boy and Japanese-American girl in the 1940s when racism and internment changed their lives."

3.83 avg rating — 45,786 ratings

"YA or adult, Set in 1906 in the mountains of New York, this novel that explores a woman's conflict between her desire to go to college and her sense of obligation to help her family in the way her mother asked of her."

3.89 avg rating — 249,741 ratings

"YA or adult, set in the mountains of North Carolina, the novel explores the impact of the American Civil War."

4.03 avg rating — 990,680 ratings

"YA or adult. Set during the dustbowl/ Great Depression, this novel explores poverty and the struggle against the dehumanizing aspects of capitalism."

3.97 avg rating — 165,830 ratings

"YA or adult. This novel explores Victorian-era contraints of gender roles, love and marriage, social class and pride. (Lead Hunger Games fans here for the origin of the name Everdeen/Everdene)"

3.93 avg rating — 779,204 ratings

"YA or adult, this novel is a fictional account of the creation of the artist Vermeer's painting from the point of view of the servng girl Griet."

4.01 avg rating — 359,219 ratings

"Middle grade or YA, A fantasy coming of age story about learning to accept 'the shadow' within us."

4.16 avg rating — 5,795 ratings

"YA or adult. A brilliant dystopian novel set in Wales after a nuclear disaster. Told by a mother an son who survive together."

4.19 avg rating — 260,022 ratings

"YA or adult. A dystopian classic and if it seems to 'mature' it's because it's so real."

4.32 avg rating — 409,723 ratings

"YA or adult end of the 'young reader' spectrum. Dystopian and brutal, but brilliant. I also enjoyed Unwind by this author, but it freaked my kids out around age 10."