An award-winning, New York Times bestselling modern classic about friendship and solving mysteries. The main character is Stanley Yelnats who has been sent to a boy’s detention center.
In Camp Green Lake, the boys are told to dig holes. It seems like a pointless task, until Stanley realizes that the warden is looking for something in particular. But can they boys work out what they are digging for?
This New York Times bestseller is a story about an ordinary boy who has an extraordinary face.
Now a major motion picture, this book also inspired a graphic novel called ‘White Bird’ It was also the inspiration behind the Choose Kind movement which has worked to reduce bullying in schools.
August Pullman has been homeschooled due to a facial difference, but as a 5th grader he is entering mainstream school for the first time.
How will he handle the bullying? Will he be able to find friendship? And will he find his courage?
This is the first book in a series of 5 called The Time Quintet Series. Meg, her mother, and her brother Charles are shocked by a visit from a stranger on a dark and stormy night.
He tells them of the tesseract, a wrinkle in time, which piques Meg’s interest. Little does she know that her father disappeared while working for the government on a secret project to solve the tesseract problem.
This mysterious stranger is the catalyst for the beginning of an adventure through time and space.
This is a timeless classic that has fascinated young readers for generations and has now been turned into a popular Netflix series.
Anne Shirley is an 11 year old who has spent her life living in various foster homes, never feeling settled.
The Cuthberts live on a farm, in a beautiful farmhouse called Green Gables. They asked for a sturdy boy to help them on the farm, but they sent Anne by mistake.
She is mischievous and precocious, but the Cuthberts can see something special in Anne.
This book has been a much loved classic for over 50 years and is a great book for 7th graders to read. It has also been turned into a wonderful movie which they can watch after they have finished the book.
Ponyboy is a ‘greaser’ with loyal brothers and close friends, but will they continue to stand by him when he becomes caught up in a rivalry with the Socs?
The Socs are a violent gang of rich children, and fighting with them is not entirely unexpected. But what happens when it goes too far?
Skeleton Creek is an award winning book from a New York Times bestselling author. Sarah and Ryan live in Skeleton Creek, Oregon.
When they discover a dark secret they realize that they are the only people in the town that didn’t know.
They are determined to find out why, but Ryan ends up unconscious and recovering from an injury in hospital. Sarah must continue to search for answers on her own.
When Ryan wakes up she communicates with him through videos on a secret website. Will they be able to figure out the mystery in time?
This award winning book is about bravery in the face of adversity, the struggle of loss, and the importance of friends and family.
Jack Phillips is allergic to sunshine, which forces him to live a life in the shadows. As the sun goes down he jumps from shadow to shadow, but if he steps into the light he will sustain life-threatening burns.
When Jack’s father, a scientist, goes missing and Jack’s condition worsens, he has nobody to turn to. He wants to find out the truth about his condition, and he needs the help of a new friend to do it.
11 year old Matt Bright seems to be in luck when he is rescued by Samantha Cooper.
But when she takes him to her home, Craven Manor, Matt realizes that something isn’t right. The house is creepy and her parents are nowhere to be found.
Samantha shares the manor with Mr Higgins, a sinister character, and her Great Aunt Dorothy who never seems to leave the top floor.
Matt has walked straight into a trap, but what does Samantha want with him? And will he be able to escape?
This book of short stories is perfect for 7th graders who are interested in sports.
The true stories will inspire young readers to pursue their interests, overcoming obstacles to reach their goal. Each story is about a famous athlete who succeeded in the face of adversity.
The book features quotes from the athletes themselves which will remain with you long after you have finished reading.
This is book 1 in the Crime-Solving Cousins Mysteries, an 8 part book series.
Sophie and Jessica are 12 years old and don’t seem to have much in common. Sophie loves hiking in the outdoors but Jessica prefers shopping in the big city.
When they are forced to spend the summer together they find a briefcase in a forest. They are about to investigate when they hear people approaching from behind them, so they take the suitcase and run.
This throws them into a mystery that they need to solve – the mystery of the feather chase.
Michael Morpurgo is a critically acclaimed author who has written some amazing books for young readers.
It is about Lizzie and Carl and how they ended up with an Elephant In The Garden. Their mother is a zookeeper, and she becomes attached to an orphaned elephant.
When the zoo is under threat from bombs falling, Marlene and some of the other animals are set to be euthanized to eliminate any risk to the public if the animals can no longer be contained.
The zookeeper manages to get permission to let Marlene live in her garden, but they are forced to flee the city when the bombs start to fall. How can they run away from danger with an elephant in their party?
4 teenagers are excited about their trip to an Escape Room. They choose their puzzle and get locked in the room for 60 minutes, solving the clues to unlock the doors.
But when the 60 minutes are up, the teens realize that the gamemaster is not going to let them go. Their fun day out has turned into a real hostage situation.
This famous book is an important read for 7th graders. It has been translated into 40 different languages and over 40 million copies have been sold worldwide.
The book was also turned into a movie starring Gregory Peck. It is a coming of age book set in the South, and teaches important lessons about prejudice.
A young girl watches her father defending a black man accused of a crime he didn’t commit, attempting the seemingly impossible task of getting the jury to look past their racial prejudice.
This gripping book is fast and exciting to read with mature themes. It is suitable for 7th graders who want to branch out into more challenging books. It is a New York Times bestseller, and for good reason.
A rich family is gathered on their private island for their annual holiday. A group of friends are reunited, but there is a growing tension that threatens to tear them apart – love, lies, and danger – it is summer that won’t be forgotten.
Thomas wakes up with only one memory left – his name. He is marooned with other boys who have also lost their memories.
Surrounded by stone walls, their only way of escape is through a deathly dangerous and ever-changing maze. Things start to change when the first girl arrives, and she has a message – remember, survive, run.
They start to believe that they can escape, but it won’t be easy. And what awaits them on the other side of the maze?
This book, first released in 1994, has become incredibly influential and has been turned into a movie. Jonas lives in a world that seems perfect, but it is void of color and individuality.
Once he receives his life assignment and becomes a Receiver of Memory, he starts to learn more about the fragilities of his community. There are dark secrets, and the truth is more complex than Jonas could ever have imagined.
This timeless fantasy novel has sold over 1 million copies worldwide. Xan is a witch who lives in the forest.
The people of the nearby village leave a baby for her every year as a sacrifice to stop her from terrorizing them, but they don’t realize that she is actually a friendly and kind witch.
Xan sees the abandoned babies and rescues them, uniting them with loving families on the other side of the forest.
She gives the babies starlight as they make their journey, but one day she accidentally gives one moonlight instead. The girl ends up with extraordinary magic, and Can decides to raise this magical girl herself.
Hatchet is book 1 of the 5 part series called Brian’s Saga. This award winning survival story is gripping and moving.
When 13 year old Brian is traveling to visit his father for the first time since his parents divorce, he becomes the sole survivor of a plane crash.
Alone in the wilderness of Canadia he has only his clothes and a Hatchet. He must quickly learn to survive, but how long will he have to manage before he is rescued? And will his life ever be the same?
This New York Times bestselling book is based on a true story about two Sudanese children. They must overcome danger and adversity to try and protect themselves and their family, and find a better life.
But these children are growing up in very different times – one in 1985 and one is 2008. Their stories are woven together, centered around the theme of finding water.
Books aren’t just an escape for 7th graders, they are also a way to learn important life skills.
This cookbook has over 100 recipes that are suitable for young teens to learn how to cook and get to grips with the basics of food preparation and working in a kitchen.
From snacks to sleepover treats, there is a great range of recipes. All of them have step by step instructions that are easy to follow, along with tips and techniques.
Little Women is a classic that is easy to read which makes it perfect for 7th graders. It is a coming of age story about 4 sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy – who are known as the MArch sisters.
Each of the sisters are very different, and the March family is loosely based on the author’s own family which gives it a sense of realism that makes it very enjoyable. The story is set in 1860s Massachusetts.
This New York Times bestseller is the first book in the three part series. David Charleston wants revenge on Steelheart for killing his father and destroying his city.
He will stop at nothing to get this revenge, but he needs some help. This is where the Reckoners come in, a rebel group who want justice.
This bestselling book has now been turned into a major motion picture. Stella and Will are two sick teens who fall in love, but due to medical complications they can’t get closer than six feet away from each other.
Stella is on the list for a lung transplant and can’t risk losing her spot on the list by getting an infection. Will is waiting to turn 18 so he can finally get out of hospital and see the world. As they fall for each other, staying six feet apart begins to feel impossible.
This classic novel has now been turned into a major motion picture starring Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates.
Margaret Simon is about to turn 12 and has just moved from New York City to New Jersey. She is keen to fit in with her new friends, and starts to feel a sense of belonging. She finally has someone to talk to about boys, periods, and wearing your first bra.
This is the second book from New York Times bestselling author Nocila Yoon. Natasha and Daniel are two teenagers in New York who fall in love.
Daniel is the son of Korean shop owners who is on his way to an interview at Yale University when he meets Natasha, the daughter of an illegal immigrant from Jamaica. She is about to meet with a lawyer to try and stop her family from being deported.
This is a horror story for 7th graders who enjoy a thrilling read. Charlie and her friends reunite on the anniversary of the brutal murders that took place at her father’s pizza restaurant 10 years ago.
The restaurant is locked up and abandoned, but they find a way inside. They find something unexpected – four giant animatronic mascots with a murderous agenda.
Watership Down is a classic book that was turned into an emotionally moving animated movie.
Fiver and Hazel are rabbits who can sense that there is danger coming. They convince the others that they need to leave their home immediately and find somewhere safe to live.
Fiver knows where they must go, but it is a perilous journey that will change them forever.
This is a young adult thriller from a bestselling author. When Ellery moves to a small town called Echo Ridge to live with her grandmother, she begins to realize that the locals are keeping secrets about the disappearance of her aunt years before.
When another girl goes missing, Ellery knows she has to find out the truth before anyone else is taken.
This is a companion book for the bestselling Divergent series which is made up of 4 books that take place before Divergent, and extra scenes that weren’t included in the original book. If you know a 7th grader that is a fan of Divergent then they will love this book.
This is an international bestselling book that has now been turned into a movie. Artemis Fowl is a 12 year old criminal mastermind. He discovers an underground world of High-tech fairies.
He takes one hostage intending to use the ransom to help restore his family’s fortune, but his actions trigger an inter-species war.
This award winning graphic novel is about a teenager struggling to fit in at a new school. Jordan’s parents hoped that the private school would help him to get the best education.
When Jordan realizes he is one of very few people of color in his grade he feels isolated – how will he manage to fit in whilst staying true to himself.
James Patterson is a successful novelist who has now started writing books for young adults. Ali Cross is the first book in a series following a teenager who wants to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a detective.
When her best friend goes missing she is desperate to find him, but things get more complicated when her father is framed for a crime he didn’t commit.
The 7th grade is the perfect time to start reading Sherlock Holmes novels, and the Hound Of The Baskervilles is a great place to begin. It is a fascinating mystery that is easy to read and has an excellent cast of characters.
A Disney approved book that delves into the life of the wicked queen from Snow White, giving some perspective on how she came to be so evil. This is part of a series that features all of your favorite Disney villains.
This is book one of a New York Times bestselling series follows Sophie, a 12 year old telepath that has to keep her ability a secret. She has never quite fit in, but then she meets Fitz who has the same powers as her.
Faced with a shocking truth, she must leave her family behind to go on a journey that will change her life.
This book is set in 1793 Philadelphia. A fever epidemic is sweeping through the city, turning Mattie Cook’s world upside down.
She leaves the coffee-shop run by her family to try and outrun the disease with her grandfather, but they soon realize that they must learn to live with the disease as they can’t escape from it.
This is a New York Times bestseller and a national award winner. It is a book of poems written by Woodson about growing up in South Carolina in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
As an African American woman becoming increasingly aware of the Civil Rights Movement, her reflective and emotionally honest poems are very interesting to read.
A New York Times bestselling book about a high school teen struggling to cope with her OCD and intrusive thoughts. This book will help 7th graders to learn more about mental health.
This story is based on a true story about a Jewish boy growing up in Nazi occupied Poland, being moved between concentration camps. This astonishing story is about never losing hope.
This is book one of John Flanagan’s bestselling series – The Ranger’s Apprentice. It is a prequel that sets the scene and was released after the other books in the series.
Jennifer Niven’s debut novel turned into a New York Times bestseller. It is a love story about Libby and Jack – two high school students who make an unlikely couple.
Serafina is an unusual girl who lives in a basement. She must keep herself, hidden, but when children begin to disappear she risks discovery to find the answers
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