10 Best Books For 8th-Graders

Eighth grade is some serious business.

Cliques form, claws come out, and it's a time that can be truly tough for adolescents. Thank goodness for books, though — they can be a great escape into a world of someone else's middle school drama!

From the classic favorites to the contemporary must-reads, here are 10 of the best books for 8th-graders.

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The Catcher in the Rye, $4.39
Give those 8th-graders an early dose of full teenage angst courtesy of Holden Caulfield! "The Catcher in the Rye" is chockfull of 16-year-old emotions and expressed in a way that teenagers past and present can understand.

Speak, $4.99
After Melissa calls the cops to bust up a high school party, she is completely shunned by her classmates. Eventually, she loses the ability to speak, but it isn't only because of the isolation. "Speak" is a captivating read that tackles sensitive topics in an age-appropriate manner.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, $9.03
Junior is a talented young artist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. He leaves behind the troubled school on the reservation in order to attend an all-white school in a nearby rural area. "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" is a poignant firsthand account of adolescence and the struggle of feeling like you need to fit in.

The Fault in Our Stars, $8.46
Hazel and Gus' love story might not be neatly packaged and tied up with a bow, but it's as good of a gift as you'll find. This young adult novel deals with romance, friendship and tragic circumstances, and although it will make you cry, it will also remind you of the strength of love and the human spirit.

If I Stay, $7.19
Seventeen-year-old Mia survives the horrific car accident that claimed the lives of her family. She is, however, in a coma — and she finds herself in an out-of-body situation where she's forced to evaluate whether she wants to live or die.

Lord of the Flies, $6.79
When a group of boys finds themselves stranded on an island without any supervision, they're forced to govern themselves. The results aren't pretty, but the savage story reveals a lot about survival and human nature. "Lord of the Flies" is as exciting of a read now as it was sixty years ago.

Fahrenheit 451, $9.70
Imagine a world where television reigns supreme and books aren't just obsolete — they're illegal. In "Fahrenheit 451," one of the book-burning firefighters begins to ask why — and soon, his life is in danger.

Just Fly Away, $11.66
Every family has their secrets, but 15-year-old Lucy Willows didn't realize how entrenched she would become in her family's until she went searching for the truth. In "Just Fly Away," Lucy escapes to Maine, where she really begins to get somewhere in her search to find out what happened.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, $6.70
This dark fantasy novel is the story of a boy named Jacob. After the tragic death of his father, he follows a series of clues left behind and finds his way to a crumbling children's orphanage on an island. What he discovers there is both shocking, but not surprising, and it starts him on his own strange but incredible journey.

Thirteen Reasons Why, $5.43
Clay Jensen received a package with several cassette tapes inside. The tapes were recorded by Hannah Baker — his classmate and crush — and contain the thirteen reasons why she tragically chose to take her own life. This book is a heavy but compelling and important read for 8th-graders and adults alike.

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