Just a few of the many great newer works of fiction on our library's shelves...

 

Selected Fiction for Middle Schoolers 
all titles available at your Highlander Way Library.

 Suggested Grade Level/Notes*.
PAP
K
Korman, Gordon
Swindle.
When a slimy collectibles dealer cheats Griffin Bing out of a baseball card worth millions of dollars, he puts together a team of his classmates to execute a daring plan to steal it back. I reviewed this book before it was published and enjoyed it so much that I passed the uncorrected proof on to a sixth grader, Ali, to see how she'd like it. She came back to the library beaming the next day. Here's what she told me: "Swindle is a really great thriller, the sort of book you can't put down. Everybody has to read this!" 


6
FIC
PAO
Paolini, Christopher
Eldest.
Eragon, introduced in the wildly successful fantasy novel of the same name, is introduced in this second novel of the trilogy to the Ingeitum clan and sent to continue his dragon training so he can help the Varden in their struggle against the empire. 

6-7-8
FIC
CAR
Carman, Patrick
The Dark Hills Divide.
Ever since the animated and entertaining author Patrick Carman visited our sixth graders in the fall of 2005, the Land of Elyon trilogy has been hot! Get in on the fantasy! Follow twelve-year-old Alexa in book #1 as she finds her way out of the walled city she's been raised in and join thirteen-year-old Alexa in book #2, Beyond the Valley of the Thorns, as her adventures continue.

6-7
FIC
BRO
Broach, Elise
Shakespeare's Secret.
A great reading choice for those who like an intriguing mystery, this novel tells the story of a sixth grade girl and a popular boy from her school who are brought together by their mutual interest in unraveling a mystery that may lead them to a million dollar diamond supposedly hidden somewhere in the girl's new house. Clues based on real-life Elizabethan history factor into this lively mystery and great characters keep the pages turning.

6
FIC
WIN
Winerip, Michael
Adam Canfield of 'The Slash.'
Adam has risen to become co-editor of his middle school/high school's paper, The Slash, by doing some hard-nosed investigative reporting. This time he almost gets in over his head when he uncovers a scandal in his very own school. A great story about the power of the pen that includes elements of mystery and suspense.

6-7
FIC
NAP
Napoli, Donna Jo
Bound.
Being a girl in ancient China was pretty rough, even under the best circumstances. Xing Xing, whose father has passed away, now lives with her mean stepmother and her half sister Wei Ping, whom she is forced slavishly to take care of. Read this vivid and intense "Cinderella Story," and you'll learn lots about life during the Ming Dynasty as you enjoy it.

6-7-8
FIC
KON
Konigsburg, E. L.
Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place.
Konigsburg, who already has two Newbery Awards under her belt, has scored another big hit. This one tells the story of twelve-year-old Margaret Rose Kane who is rescued from having to spend summer at an awful camp by her eccentric great-uncles. Instead of hanging out enjoying the rest of the season, Margaret becomes involved in saving her uncles' unique creation--three towers it has taken the pair over forty years to construct. Their neighbors want them removed! Like most of Konigsburg's novels, this blends in both humor and heart, and gives readers lots of issues to think about.

6-7-8
FIC
SHU
Shusterman, Neal.
The Schwa was here.
Eighth grader "Antsy" tells the story of how he came to be friends with "The Schwa," a "nearly invisible" classmate at school who has a knack for going completely unnoticed. When the two join forces to try and cash in on The Schwa's talent, they get in trouble and in serving their punishment they meet a third friend, a blind girl named Lexie. This is a very cool book about how people help one another through life and you'll love the way Antsy tells a story. A great choice for people who love authors Jerry Spinelli or E.L. Konigsburg.

6-7-8
FIC
BAL
Balliet, Blue, with illustrations by Brett Helquist
Chasing Vermeer.
Weeks after author Blue Balliett visited Highlander Way to talk to sixth graders about the release of Chasing Vermeer, Booklist named it among the top ten mysteries of the year. Why?  Well, curious kids just love figuring out what all the book's weird codes and clues mean as they read about Petra and Calder, two kids who are drawn into solving an international art theft. Read it and you too will feel like a super-sleuth.

6
FIC
MAR
Martin, Ann.
A corner of the universe.
12-year-old Hattie Owen's world is turned upside down when a mentally disabled uncle comes to live with her family. Ann Martin, probably best known for creating The Baby-sitter's club series, (remember those?)  used her own childhood memories to create a 1960’s small town setting for this touching story. When you read this one--and you really should--keep a box of tissues close by. 

6-7

FIC 
CAM
Cameron, Ann. 
Colibri. 
Kidnapped when she was very young by an unscrupulous man who has forced her to lie and beg to get money, a twelve-year-old Mayan girl endures an abusive life, always wishing she could return to the parents she can hardly remember. If you like suspense, but also like to be moved by meaningful characters, check this one out.

6-7
FIC
SEI
Seidler, Tor.
Brainboy and the Deathmaster.
Twelve-year-old Darryl is a genius at videogames and, because of that, is recruited, along with a group of other brainy orphans,  by technology tycoon Kenneth Masterly to work on his latest project. When Darryl realizes the project is, in fact, a big-scale, sinister plan, he must organize the group to try and stop it. A high-tech thriller that has great characters, too.

6-7
FIC
PHI
Philbrick, Rodman
The young man and the sea.
Up for some adventure?I  If so, this is a great choice-- a take-off on Hemingway's classic tale. The main character is a twelve-year-old boy named Skiff who has lost his mother. Skiff's father, once considered a respectable, hardworking commercial fisherman, is so depressed about the death, he lies around drinking in front of the TV all day, so it's up to Skiff to try and keep things together. When Skiff finds out how much money can be made catching a single, giant Bluefin Tuna, he decides he has to try and harpoon one himself. This story's destined to be a middle school classic. Read it before they make a movie out of it!

6-7
FIC
KLA
Klass, David.
You don't know me.
John's life at home and at school is pretty bad so he escapes by creating alternative realities in his mind. I chose this one for our collection--and the book below--after reading some testimonies from kids who chose it as "the book that changed my life."

8
FIC
SOT
Soto, Gary.
The Afterlife.
This book starts with the main character being senselessly stabbed to death in a restroom. You then get to follow along with him as he "haunts" the people and places of his former life and gradually makes the transition into being a full-fledged occupant of the spirit world. Sound intriguing? Check it out!

         8
FIC
COL
Colfer, Eoin. 
Artemis Fowl : the eternity code. 
After Artemis uses stolen fairy technology to create a powerful microcomputer and it is snatched by a dangerous American businessman, Artemis, Juliet, Mulch, and the fairies join forces to try to retrieve it. Artemis is like a wacky, preteen, James Bond, and Highlander Way boys in particular seem to enjoy all his weird n' wild antics. Other Artemis adventures are also available, so start reading now!

  6-7-8    
FIC
MCK
McKay, Hillary
Indigo's star
In this cool story of friendship, set in England, we find out that twelve-year-old Indigo has been very sick, missed a bunch of school and that he's not too happy to be back. He has to contend with bullies at school which means that a typical day could easily include getting a swirlie or two from a big, red-headed goon. That's no fun. Things change when Tom, this new kid from America, arrives at Indigo's school. Tom's different, obviously, and has a defiant, rock-n-roll attitude. Suddenly HE is the target of all the bullies. Find out what happens when Indigo and Tom become friends. 
Those of you who enjoyed Saffy's Angel will love revisiting the Casson household in this novel.


     6-7-8
FIC
FUN
Funke, Cornelia.
The Thief Lord. 
Two brothers, having run away from the aunt who plans to adopt the younger one, are sought by a detective she hired, but they've found shelter and protection with Venice's "Thief Lord." Lots of fans of the Harry Potter series are proclaiming this German author's book even better!  Could that be?! Find out for yourself.

6-7-8
FIC
FUN
Funke, Cornelia.
Inkheart
The Thief Lord, above, is being heavily circulated as word gets out about Cornelia Funke. It's a good thing we just picked up a translation of her newest book, "Inkheart," another great fantasy. This one's about a girl named Meggie whose father can magically read characters into life. Sounds like a pretty cool trick, right? Well, the problem's begin when one of these characters tries to control Meggie and her dad. 

6-7-8

FIC
AVI
Avi. 
Crispin : the cross of lead. 
Falsely accused of theft and murder, an orphaned peasant boy in fourteenth-century, medieval England flees his village and meets a larger-than-life juggler who holds a dangerous secret. Avi is an amazing author, cranking out excellent books on all sorts of topics. He scores big with this one, which is perfect for middle school. It has a young main character you'll be sure to want to cheer on and a medieval setting that'll remind you of your social studies class.

6-7-8
Newbery Winner.
FIC
HIA
Hiaasen, Carl.
Hoot. 
Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site. An involving ecological adventure.

7
FIC
TOL
Tolan, Stephanie S.
Surviving the Applewhites. 
Jake, a budding juvenile delinquent, is sent for home schooling to the arty and eccentric Applewhite family's Creative Academy, where he discovers talents and interests he never knew he had. If you like plenty of humor in your novels, you'll love this one.

6-7
FIC
ALE
Alexander, Lloyd.
The rope trick. 
Motivated by her quest to learn a legendary rope trick, the magician Princess Lidi and her troupe embark on a journey through Renaissance Italy that intertwines adventure, love and mystery. Lloyd Alexander is a master of fantasy and this is just his latest. The strong central character may make this one a good choice for girls who enjoy fantasy fiction.

7-8
FIC
KOR
Korman, Gordon.
Son of the mob.
 Vince Luca is a high school guy who, well, just wants to be a high school guy. Unfortunately, when you're born into a crime family, it's hard to be normal. While you might think being associated with the mob would have its perks, Vince doesn't always find it helpful, especially when it comes to having a girlfriend. This fast-paced novel is sure to make you laugh.

7-8
FIC
CRO
Crossley-Holland, Kevin. 
The seeing stone. 
 In late twelfth-century England, a thirteen-year-old boy named Arthur recounts how Merlin gives him a magical seeing stone which shows him images of the legendary King Arthur, the events of whose life seem to have many parallels to his own.  A great new pick for those who enjoy a good fantasy.

6-7-8
FIC
PEA
Pearsall, Shelley. 
Trouble don't last. 
 Samuel, an eleven-year-old Kentucky Slave, and Harrison, the elderly slave who helped raise him, attempt to escape to Canada via the Underground Railroad. Historical fiction with a very suspenseful and well crafted plot.

6-7-8
FIC
JEN
Jennings, Richard W. 
The great whale of Kansas.
While digging a hole in his back yard, an eleven-year-old Kansas boy finds the fossilized remains of a gigantic prehistoric animal, a discovery that brings both fame and controversy when he fights for ownership rights with a nearby museum. A good choice for unusually mature and gifted readers throughout middle school grades. If you like it, check out Jennings' My life of crime and Orwell's luck.

6-7-8
FIC
FLE
Fleischman, Paul.
Seek. 
 Rob becomes obsessed with searching the airwaves for his long-gone father, a radio announcer. If you're a better reader looking for a sophisticated and satisfying story, check this one out.

7-8
FIC
RIN
Rinaldi, Ann. 
Girl in blue. 
To escape an abusive father and an arranged marriage, fourteen-year-old Sarah, dressed as a boy, leaves her Michigan home to enlist in the Union Army and becomes a soldier on the battlefields of Virginia as well as a Union spy working in the house of Confederate sympathizer Rose O'Neal Greenhow. Rinaldi is known for her great historical fiction, and this very true-to-life tale of the American Civil War, is no exception.

6-7-8
FIC
PAR
Park, Linda Sue. 
A single shard. 
Tree-ear, a thirteen-year-old orphan in medieval Korea, lives under a bridge in a potters' village, and longs to learn how to throw the delicate celadon ceramics himself. Rich characters in a tale that celebrates courage, persistence, and wit, earned this one a Newbery Award.

6-7
Newbery Winner
FIC
BAU
Bauer, Joan. 
Hope was here. 
When sixteen-year-old Hope and the aunt who has raised her move from Brooklyn to Mulhoney, Wisconsin, to work as waitress and cook in the Welcome Stairways diner, they become involved with the diner owner's political campaign to oust the town's corrupt mayor. Bauer's characters are very down-to-earth and believable, and Hope is one of her best.

8
FIC
PET
Peters, Julie Anne.
Define "normal" : a novel. 
When she agrees to meet with Jasmine as a peer counselor at their middle school, Antonia never dreams that this girl with the black lipstick and pierced eyebrow will end up helping her deal with the serious problems she faces at home and become a good friend. One of those classic "prep meets punk" tales that make us think about the way we label others and ourselves.

7-8
FIC
FAR
Farmer, Nancy.
The House of the scorpion.
Set in sometime in a bleak, near-future, in a desert that lies near what used to be the U.S./Mexico border, Matt has been raised in isolation. He discovers that he is, in fact, the clone of a powerful drug lord who wants him to continue his longstanding control over his vast dope empire. While Matt may be the clone of a supreme evil-doer, he has ideas of his own in this wild, sci-fi adventure that has earned more medals than Colin Powell. 


7-8
Newbery Honor Book,
National Book Award, Printz Award.

 
FIC
BRA
Brashares, Ann.
The sisterhood of the traveling pants.
Carmen decides to discard an old pair of jeans, but Tibby, Lena, and Bridget think they are great and decide that whoever the pants fit best will get them. When the jeans fit everyone perfectly, a sisterhood and a memorable summer begin. This book is more fun than reading someone else's diary and the many Highlander Way fans of Meg Cabot and Louise Rennison will want to get their hands on this novel, too. If you enjoy it, grab the sequels, The second summer of the sisterhood, and Girls in pants-- we have those too.

7-8
FIC
HOL
Holt, Kimberly Willis,
Keeper of the night
Following her mom's suicide, thirteen-year-old Isabel winds up trying to keep her family together in the face of overwhelming pain and anger. This novel is written from Isabel's perspective and reads like a diary, so it really sucks you in.  While the subject is somber, this book is ultimately very uplifting.

6-7-8
FIC
ROT
Rottman, S. L.
 Stetson.
Seventeen-year-old Stetson meets the sister he never knew he had, and together they try to make sense of their pasts. If you're a more mature reader who likes books with gritty characters facing real-life kinds of personal problems, you might find this book satisfying.

8
FIC
BYN
Byng, Georgia. 
Molly Moon's incredible book of hypnotism.
Unlucky and unloved, Molly Moon, living in a dreary orphanage in a small English town, discovers a hidden talent for hypnotism and hypnotizes her way to stardom in New York City. All of the kids at Highlander Way who love The Series of unfortunate events or the wacky tales of Roald Dahl should also read this. Also look for Molly Moon stops the world and Molly Moon's hypnotic time travel adventure.

6
*You middle schoolers are a pretty diverse crowd, with no really "typical" reading or maturity levels, so the grade level recommendations I provide are meant to be just a general guideline. What you choose to read and not read is totally your own personal choice. 

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