Middle School Books for Reluctant Readers
Looking for books for your Reluctant Middle School Reader? As kids get older, screen and phone use seem to skyrocket, and fewer kids are picking up a book.
If you are here, you know the benefits of a great read – and reading, in general. And you want more of that for your kid.
I have had the privilege and advantage of not only being a teacher for 25 years, but raising two boys with ADHD who both struggled with independent reading.
Getting the right book in front of a reluctant reader can make such a huge difference.
My viral post – The Best Books for Reluctant Boy Readers – has inspired me to write this post that focuses on the Middle School Years. You will see some overlap – and that just means those are especially awesome books for getting reluctant boys to want to read – and really enjoy the process.
Wait! How do I get them to even pick up a book?
Kids have to see reading as an enjoyable activity before they are going to willingly pick up a book. There are a few tricks of the trade to help encourage them to pick up a book.
- Listen to the audio book, first. Kids can play with legos or doodle while listening to an audio story. You can begin a book with audio, get them into the story. Then they will be more likely to pick up the book, on their own, to see what happens.
- Read the book aloud to them. This is just another way to get them interested in the story, so they will want to finish the book on their own, Plus, it is a wonderful shared experience.
- Choose a book a bit below their reading level. Let your reluctant reader choose a book that they feel comfortable reading. You don’t want them to get caught up in the decoding process.
- Consider a wide variety of print material. Check out magazines, video game manuals, vintage books, how-to books, cookbooks, and more — you do not have to go the traditional chapter book route.
- Get them into a book series. If kids like one book by an author, they will be much more likely to pick up the second one in the series.
Check out this list below or head directly to Amazon to read what others have to say about them.
Book Series for Middle school reluctant Readers
Eragon Series by Christopher Paolini
Eragon was gifted to my kids from my nephews, who just LOVED this series. My kids followed suit – with millions of other kids, world-wide.
The Inheritance Series is a 5 book collection that follows a 15 year old boy on a quest after finding a polished blue stone that turns out to be a dragon egg. Christopher Paolini was a mere 15 years old himself when he started writing the series – so you can see why it appeals to young readers.
The maze runner series by James Dashner
The post apocalyptic world, along with the group of young boys who serve as main characters, make The Maze Runner very appealing to the middle school crowd. In book 1, we meet Thomas, a young boy, forced to navigate a maze, but whose memory has been erased.
If your kids liked watching -or reading! – The Hunger Games Series, then they will definitely enjoy The Maze Runner Series, too. High excitement and adventure make this series hard to put down. And you can always watch the movie, when you are done reading. Find the whole, 5 book series, here.
Anything by Roald Dahl
If your kids have gotten to middle school and have not been introduced to Roald Dahl – head straight to the library and check one out!!
Roald Dahl, is hands down, THE author who can transform most kids into readers. His books are funny and very child centered – the adults are usually horrible and the kids always prevail. And….there are so many movie adaptations!! These are super fun read alouds to get the whole family involved and connected.
Your kids will tear thru the 16 book set, trust me!!!
13 Story Treehouse
This series by Andy Griffiths is about as fool proof as books get. The tales are so imaginative, kids can’t get enough – the treehouse has a a giant catapult, a secret underground laboratory, a tank of man-eating sharks and a marshmallow machine that follows you around and shoots marshmallows and more!
These are easy to read, because there are so many fun illustrations and kids are not overwhelmed by full pages of text.
There are now 13 books in the series, plenty of material for your reluctant middle school reader!
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales
This 12 book graphic novel series will have your kids learning lots about history and they won’t even realize it. All of these books are high-action, very exciting books that will keep your kids reading.
Nathan Hale focuses on big events in American History, like the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, WW1 and WW2. They certainly both informative and entertaining. Be careful, your kid might just become a history buff after reading these.
Spy School
Spy School is just one of the popular series by author, Stuart Gibbs. Also great are FunJungle and Charlie Thorne Series.
Spy School features Ben Ripley, a middle school student who dreams of being a CIA spy. He is not the “spy type”, as he is a very awkward and is constantly getting into mishaps. This book has you rooting for the underdog and realizing he is pretty cool – and capable – afterall.
This series is really great for kids who may not always fit in socially. They can identify with the main character and realize they have lots to offer the world – or at least their middle school!
Choose Your Own Adventure Books
Choose your own adventure books are great for reluctant readers because they have so much control over what they are reading. And the same book can morph into 10 or more different stories, depending on what they choose.
This series is all about high action and weird science fiction story lines. A four pack should keep your kiddo busy for awhile. Choose from the high adventure series, the magic series, or the creature feature series.
Hank the Cowdog Series
I have the loveliest memories of these books from when my kids were just gobbling them up. Hank the Cowdog is a funny ranch dog who gets into lots of trouble and always gets himself out of it, one way or the other.
There are 60 books in the series, so there are so many to choose from. John Erickson, the author, worked on a ranch and began selling books out of the back of his truck. His fans quickly grew and he was just a firehose full of witty stories that kids – and adults – just love.
The Warriors Series
The Warrior Series has been known to give many a kid – both boys and girls – the reading bug!! This bestselling series tells of the four Clans of wild cats who have shared the forest according to the laws laid set by their ancestors.
But now ThunderClan is in grave danger. Rival ShadowClan is growing stronger, a traitor may be hiding in their midst, and rising tensions threaten every cat in the forest. Your kids will be hooked by both the classic and new, graphic novel series.
Goosebumps by R.L. Stine
The classic horror series that has been making readers out of kids for years! If your kids can handle a bit of scary, these will absolutely captivate them.
There are 55 books to keep your reluctant reader busy for a long time! Start with four in a convenient boxed set.
Middle School Non-fiction for reluctant Readers
Non-Fiction in your child’s area of interest
Kids are likely to take a look at books about topics of their interests. What is your kiddo interested in?
Take a trip to the library and peruse the non-fiction section. Second hand bookstores and magazine shops are also great for finding interesting, non-fiction reading material.
Welcome to the Museum Series
This series of 9 books is a feast for the eyes. Each book, with topics ranging from trees to fungi to space, is like a mini museum. Rich illustrations fill each page with topics that will engage your reluctant reader. Illustrations are accompanied by easy to read charts and facts.
Kids who are reluctant to read will love the art work and find themselves reading bits of copy to find out about what they are looking at. Check out Dinosaurium, Oceanarium, and Planetarium.
Stephen Biesty’s Cross-Sections
Stephen Biesty’s Cross Sections are so amazing for the curious kiddo. Lots to look at and explore – see the insides of big ships, buildings, and factories. The amount of detail is incredible and has kids spending lots of time looking and reading bits of text.
All the choices are fantastic: Incredible Cross-Sections, Man O’War, Incredible Body or get the whole 6 book set.
Video game Guides
The perfect thing for gamers!!! Just about every video game has a game guide to go along with it. Video game lovers will dive right in to get tips and tricks for playing their favorite game.
Troll Ebay for vintage guides or your local book store for more current versions.
Search on Amazon for video game guide to find the ones that fit for your kiddo.
