Great Middle Grade Reads discussion

I work in a 3-5 grade elementary school library. Our town is promoting a "growth mindset" and we (the school libraries) were asked to display books that would promote discussion about a growth mindset. Books about perseverance seem to be what "they" are looking for. I'm hoping someone would have some good suggestions of books that fulfill this request?

The Redwall series is an example of a mouse who discovers his greater destiny. This may be too much reading for elementary, though.

Charlotte's Web is a classic that carries some serious growing & perseverance themes (and also some life and death and bacon issues)

Two of my favorites at that age were The Magician's Nephew and The Hobbit. These would also fall under your category.

On the older end...Peak is a great book! We used it for a 5th grade early morning book club. During that group we had a Skype with Jordan Romero, a teen who climbed Mt. Everest. He was great with the kids. He has a whole bit with kids about how they need to "find their Everest." I also think Redwall is good for older elementary, especially those that like reading or the Warriors books.

An old classic, The Cay by Theodore Taylor is about a boy stranded on an island with an old black slave. They must learn to trust one another, and find the strength and courage to survive. This was my FAVORITE book when I was in elementary school; I highly recommend it!

I haven't read these but don't Matt Christopher and Tim Green have a series of sports books that include perseverance?

I've just finished Scott O'Dell's Island of the Blue Dolphins which would fit the perseverance theme. I'll be reviewing it on my blog 10th April since it's part of my A to Z Blog Challenge.
I'd recommend it to both boys and girls but the protaganist is a girl.

I will second "Island of the Blue Dolphins" . . . I love that book!

Recently I read - a children's fantasy book about a girl living in a town of story weavers, who needs to learn how to tell stories. She showed plenty of perseverance in the face of some odd difficulties.

The Midwife's Apprentice. Frindle, Because of Winn Dixie, and Hatchet are some of my favs that would fit that description.

Coraline and, if your students are still into Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Big Nate Goes for Broke.

That second one may seem 'too anti-school' to some, but the series does have good heart.

Cool theme! I’ll give it some thought!

I just finished reading Peacekeeper's Passage by Wayne Meyers and, while not really focused on, perseverance is certainly a theme of the book. As a content warning for some readers, there is a reference to domestic violence early in the book, as well as bullying throughout the book, some of which is violent. It is largely in dealing with the bullying that we see the perseverance and resolution from the protagonist, though.

I would suggest Lily Unleashed who doesn't plan on becoming an advocate but does so as she struggles to rehab her puppy mill survivor. Along the way, she deals with mild bullying and self-doubt but perseveres to eventually restore broken friendships and the best outcome for the dog she loves.

Quoite a number of Frances Hardgine's stories involve protagonist who perseveres. Though they are usually considered YA, my daughter read a number of them between the ages of 9 and 12.