Class Acts
Relatable Reads for the New School Year
Backpack? Check. Calculator? Check. A great new novel? Check! Beat those first-day jitters and start the year off right with these back-to-school stories. Pair your reading with one of our curated vocabulary lists, and you’ll go straight to the head of the class!
Save Me a SeatTwo students who are struggling to fit in at school must contend with a bully.
New KidIn this graphic novel, an African-American seventh grader struggles to fit in at his new private school.
Keep It Together, Keiko CarterKeiko has always counted on her best friends, Audrey and Jenna — but the girls' friendship is tested as they navigate seventh grade.
Diary of a Wimpy KidIn the first book of Jeff Kinney's popular series, Greg Heffley deals with the trials and tribulations of middle school.
SchooledWhat happens when a homeschooled hippie suddenly has to navigate public middle school? Find out as you learn these words from Gordon Korman's funny and heartwarming novel.
With the Fire on HighEmoni Santiago pursues her dream of becoming a chef while finishing high school and raising her daughter.
The Next Great Paulie FinkAt her tiny new school, Caitlyn organizes a competition to see who can best fill the shoes of a legendary former student.
Watch Us RiseTold in alternating perspectives, this novel follows the ups and downs of Jasmine and Chelsea, two girls who start a club to give young women at their school a voice.
Merci Suárez Changes GearsFor Merci Suárez, sixth grade is a year of change. A scholarship student at the posh Seaward Pines Academy, Merci must juggle extra community service and family responsibilities, all while coping with a nasty classmate and her beloved grandfather's declining health.
All's Faire in Middle SchoolEleven-year-old Imogene loves working with her family at the Renaissance Faire, especially now that she is finally old enough to train as a squire. At the same time, she must face an unexpectedly difficult quest: surviving middle school.
The Miscalculations of Lightning GirlAfter she was struck by lightning at the age of eight, Lucy became a mathematical prodigy and developed obsessive compulsive disorder. Now, Lucy prefers to stay at home and solve equations, but her grandmother insists that Lucy tackle the most complex problem she's ever faced: middle school.
The Perks of Being a WallflowerIn letters addressed to an unnamed friend, Charlie describes his experiences as a high school freshman.
AwkwardMiddle school gets off to a rocky start for Peppi Torres after an awkward encounter with Jaime Thompson — and things only get worse when Peppi's art club begins feuding with the science club. Can Peppi save the day?
PatinaThe second book in the Track series focuses on Patty, a runner who struggles to fit in at her new school after she moves in with her aunt and uncle.
The First Rule of PunkTwelve-year-old Malú loves punk rock, but her mother and the strict principal at her new school definitely do not. With the help of her fellow "misfits," Malú fights to express who she truly is.
RulesTo help her younger brother make sense of life in Maine (and avoid embarrassment), twelve-year-old Catherine writes down a list of rules. The lists in this collection are based on the 2006 Scholastic Press edition.
Out of My MindBorn with cerebral palsy, Melody has difficulty communicating with others — but in spite of the obstacles she faces, Melody is determined to prove how smart she really is.
The Wednesday WarsWhile the Vietnam War roils America, seventh grader Holling Hoodhood contends with Shakespeare, a demanding father, a school bully, and more. Learn these words from Schmidt's funny and heartwarming coming-of-age story.
MatildaBrilliant Matilda Wormwood finds clever ways to get the best of her ignorant parents and the cruel headmistress of her school.
FlunkedFairy Tale Reform School, Book 1After she gets caught stealing, Gilly Cobbler is sent to a boarding school run by (supposedly) reformed fairy tale villains.
UngiftedAn administrative mistake lands troublemaker Donovan Kurtis at the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a prestigious school for gifted students.
Middle School: The Worst Years of My LifeRafe Khatchadorian and his friend Leonardo come up with a game in which they earn points for breaking middle school rules. But a school bully discovers their journal full of the game's details and threatens to turn them in.
Fish in a TreeIn this novel, a dedicated teacher and new friendships help Ally understand and come to terms with her dyslexia — and to realize that there's no shame in being different.
WonderIn this novel, a boy with facial anomalies tries to navigate the sometimes treacherous world of public school.
The Chocolate WarWhen Jerry refuses to sell chocolates for his school's annual fundraiser, his defiance is seen as a challenge to the school's powerful secret society.
Insignificant Events in the Life of a CactusWhen her parents take jobs at a western theme park in Arizona, Aven gets caught up in a local mystery — and tries to adjust to a new school.
Class ActIn this sequel to the award-winning graphic novel New Kid, eighth-graders Drew and Jordan grapple with identity, privilege, and fitting in.
And Both Were YoungIn the aftermath of World War II, Philippa Hunter is sent to a Swiss boarding school, where she meets a boy suffering from memory loss.
After the Shot DropsBunny and Nasir's friendship is tested after Bunny receives an athletic scholarship to a new school.
Only Mostly DevastatedWhen Ollie moves across the country, he discovers that he now attends the same school as his summer crush.
The School for Good and EvilSweet, angelic Sophie and moody Agatha are shocked when Agatha is sent to the School for Good and Sophie is sent to the School for Evil. Did the School Master make a mistake or does he know the two girls better than they know themselves?
Anne of AvonleaThis sequel to Anne of Green Gables focuses on Anne's life as a teacher in Avonlea. Read the full text here.
Felix Ever AfterTalented artist Felix Love strives to earn a scholarship to his dream college, while also trying to figure out the identity of the cruel bully who has been targeting him.
Charming as VerbIn this romantic comedy, Henri, a Haitian-American teenager who dreams of attending Columbia University, is coerced into helping one of his classmates change her image.
Ban This BookWhen Amy Anne's favorite book is banned from her school library, she decides to fight against censorship.
Spy SchoolMiddle schooler Ben Ripley trains to be a junior agent at a top-secret spy school.
Every Body LookingAs Ada begins college and looks toward the future, she also needs to come to terms with her past.
Omar RisingIn this companion novel to Amal Unbound, seventh grader Omar Ali, the first in his village to get into a prestigious boarding school in Pakistan, is determined to meet the academic and community service requirements to keep his scholarship.
Lotus Bloom and the Afro RevolutionLotus Bloom, a seventh-grade girl who loves the vintage style of the 1970s, learns to speak up and fight for the freedom of expression after facing a dress code violation at school.
A Good Kind of TroubleTwelve-year-old Shayla doesn't like to make waves—but as she navigates middle school and educates herself about prejudice in her community, she learns that sometimes it's good to cause a little trouble.
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