60 Exceptional Books for 6th Graders

Astrid and Nicole are best friends who do nearly everything together. Until Astrid’s mom takes them to watch roller derby. While Astrid can’t get enough of the cool girls and all the derby action, Nicole is immediately put off. So when Astrid signs up for junior derby, Nicole chooses a ballet elective instead. However, Astrid never tells her mom that she’s derby rolling instead of doing ballet with Nicole. Things get more difficult when Astrid realizes that roller derby is no joke — physically, mentally, and emotionally. Will she make it? Roller Girl is an action-packed exploration of roller derby, the thrill of finding a passion, and the power of perseverance.

A girl named Coyote, a dad named Rodeo, a boy, a cat, and several other eclectic characters with stories deeper than the surface make up the cast of this heartwarming road trip story. This book is incredible. With one of the most remarkable (no pun intended) protagonists I’ve read in a while, TRJOCS handles dying, grief, and family excellently. It’s one of those books that brings your heart joy even while it’s breaking it.

Macy Weaver has trouble keeping friendships, and as readers quickly discover, most of this is her fault. Whenever she meets someone she likes and wants to be accepted by, she starts to copy them — their style, preferences, and even mannerisms — and sometimes pretends to be someone she isn’t to impress them. This usually puts off her new friends. Unfortunately, when her family moves from South Carolina to Maryland, Macy continues this behavior. At school, Macy weaves a tale of her mom being a fashion photographer and is roped into keeping up appearances to impress Brynn, a girl at her school. But Brynn already has a best friend, Grace, who is unconvinced by Macy’s antics, and wants to get to the bottom of things. This is an engaging, realistic, and creative middle grade novel about identity, fashion, and friendships.

Golden Macaroni is having a tough year. First, he really wants to get bigger and become the captain of his middle school soccer team. As a dedicated Messi fan, he’s putting in ten thousand hours of soccer practice to become as good as Messi. His former soccer star father has been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). His best friend, Lucy Littlehouse, is also moving away from her home next door to Golden’s. Despite his dad’s obvious deterioration, Golden stubbornly believes his dad will improve. How will he cope with everything on his plate — and the heartbreaking challenges ahead of his family? Ten Thousand Tries is a moving, heartwarming story about family, friendship, community, soccer, and the love of a father.

Lina is finally moving to the US to reunite with her parents after five years apart. She’d been living with her grandmother in China, but now her grandmother is ill, and her parents want her to come to North Carolina with them and her little sister Millie. But when she arrives, nothing about their life is as her parents have told her. They live in an apartment, not a house like her mom said, and her parents owe a ton of back rent after the pandemic. Her dad is an organic farmer, and her mom is trying hard to launch a bath bomb business with little capital. Things aren’t any easier at school with Lina’s poor English. When she finally finds a graphic novel she loves, and her teacher wants the class to read it, influential parents at her school are determined to stop it from being read. Will Lina use her voice? Finally Seen is a moving, inspiring, and insightful middle grade book about immigration, family, and sisterhood.

Avery has SIX siblings and is feeling squished at home, so she’s crushed when her older brother Theo gets the first chance to room alone. She has to share a room with her younger siblings, Pearl and Max. On top of that, she often babysits the youngest three siblings. Her dad is a teacher, and her mom is studying to become a programmer, so things can be hectic at home. Avery decides to get a job so she can earn money and set up a basement bedroom. But just when she’s finding her groove, it appears that the family will have to move to another city — away from the friends and neighborhood Avery has come to love. Squished is a heartwarming, relatable middle grade book about being part of a large family, navigating sibling relationships, and adjusting to change.

Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself? This middle grade graphic novel is an excellent choice for tween readers who love the graphic format and are looking for more Black middle grade books.

Real Friends is Shannon Hale’s graphic memoir of her middle school experience with real friends — and girls who weren’t quite friends. Shannon and Adrienne have been best friends since Shannon came out of her shell in early elementary school. She had earlier been the shy middle child who never felt like she quite fit in anywhere. But with Adrienne, it was like she could finally exhale. But when Adrienne starts hanging out with the popular girl, Jen, Shannon suddenly doesn’t know where she fits in anymore. Shannon Hale’s Real Friends is a realistic, moving depiction of the roller coaster that middle school friendships can be, and how affirming it can be to find true friends.

Maddy Gaines is an anxious girl still coping with the grief of her father’s death — and also adjusting to her new stepfather. One day, Maddy sees on the news that a boy named Billy Holcomb has gone missing. Then several weeks after, she runs into another boy who looks a lot like Billy, except his hair is different and he’s taller than Billy was, and oh — his name is Eric. Maddy would love to report her hunch to the sheriff, but she’s practically known as the girl who cried wolf. So she decides to watch and wait. While she’s waiting, she and Eric become friends. Will Maddy get to the bottom of the Eric/Billy situation? And will she find a way to open her heart despite her worries? Every Missing Piece is a sensitive, moving, and heartwarming middle grade book about managing anxiety and adjusting to a new step-parent.

Young Jude is uprooted from her life in Syria in the midst of the civil unrest. She and her mother (who is pregnant) move temporarily to Cincinnati to live with her uncle and his family. Jude is sad to leave behind her country, best friend Fatima, father, and brother who’s involved in various protests in Syria. In America, Jude — who used to be the best English student in Syria — has to join an ESL class and deal with questions about her hijab. She’s also trying to build a relationship with her cousin who feels culturally adrift, unable to speak Arabic and knowing little to nothing about Syria. Still, Jude finds good things in America and learns how brave she can be. Good for anyone looking for stories set in Syria, fans of Hena Khan’s Amina’s Voice, and anyone searching for a story with a brave female protagonist.

Magic Pointdexter is her family’s “ugly duckling.” Her father is an ex-NBA player, her sister a famous cheerleader, and her late grandmother was also a ceiling-shattering cheerleader. Magic is awkward, chubbier than your typical cheerleader, and loves sweets more than anything else. But she’s decided: she’s going to cheer camp to try her hand out at becoming a Honeybee. Magic is struggling with getting fit and flexible enough, learning stunts, dealing with the breakup of a lifelong friendship, and trying to figure out who she wants to be. Can she survive Planet Pom Poms? Squad Goals is a feel-good summer camp story perfect for fans of friendship stories, summer camp tales, and coming-of-age books.

The Best Worst Summer follows two sets of kids three decades apart. In the present, Peyton and her family have just moved from Minneapolis to a small town named Lake Springs, leaving her best friend and their summer soccer camp tradition behind. But her summer gains new life when she discovers a box of secrets: a cryptic note to a friend, half of a “best friends” necklace, a playlist and several other items. Meanwhile, in 1989, best friends Jessica and Melissa plan to bury a time capsule. Jessica is an adopted Korean girl — one of the only Asians in her small town — and Melissa’s mom is hiding some deep secrets about their family. When the secret unravels, the girls’ lives are forever changed. That is until Peyton finds their time capsule in the present. As we read Melissa and Peyton’s perspectives, the story alternates between past and present. This is a charming, engaging middle grade novel that manages to blend historical and contemporary fiction.

Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now. Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.

This is a middle grade Afro-futuristic sci-fi novel co-written by Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel Makonnen. Yared Heywat lives in Addis Prime, a rundown reimagined Ethiopian city. Yared is a frequent competitor in an augmented reality game set in the city, sometimes ditching school. But just when he seems to be getting the upper hand, the game rules change and Yared has to sign in using his real name. Halfway through the game Yared is suddenly being pursued by real-life law enforcement simply for being Yared. Forced to join forces with his rival, a girl called the Ibis, Yared and his pet bionic lioness have to get to the bottom of the attack and in the process learn some shocking information about Yared’s identity. Last gate of the Emperor is a propulsive sci-fi adventure set in an Afrofuturistic city, perfect for fans of The Black Panther‘s Wakanda.

Nolie feels like the odd person out amid changes. Her sister Linden, who’s only 14 months older seems to have grown up overnight, ditching the seashell necklace their grandmother gave them. And now her best friend, Jessa thinks Nolie’s nickname is too babyish and she should really go by her full name, Magnolia instead. She also wants to include a new cooler friend in their duo and give Nolie a complete makeover. To top it off, Nolie doesn’t seem to have a “thing” that she’s good at or particularly passionate about. With all those emotions brewing, Nolie makes a poor choice to start stealing things from several people. Can she find her way? Where You’ve Got to Be is an engaging, immersive, and relatable middle grade book about dealing with changing circumstances.

Sunny Lewin has been packed off to Florida to live with her grandfather for the summer. At first she thought Florida might be fun — it is the home of Disney World, after all. But the place where Gramps lives is no amusement park. It’s full of . . . old people. Really old people.Luckily, Sunny isn’t the only kid around. She meets Buzz, a boy who is completely obsessed with comic books, and soon they’re having adventures of their own: facing off against golfball-eating alligators, runaway cats, and mysteriously disappearing neighbors. But the question remains — why is Sunny down in Florida in the first place? The answer lies in a family secret that won’t be secret to Sunny much longer.

Big Apple Diaries is Alyssa Bermudez’s graphic memoir detailing her life experiences in New York City between the 7th and 8th grades. Her middle school years also coincide with the attack on 9/11 and the book documents the impact on her and her circle. Prior to that, though, Alyssa is an average tween who attends a Catholic co-ed school, likes doodling, and has a crush on a schoolmate named Alejandro. Her parents are also divorced, so she spends time between each of their apartments in New York. Big Apple Diaries is a relatable and enjoyable coming-of-age graphic memoir.

Adnan loves table tennis, his family, and the aviation alphabet. He’s color blind, left-handed and has a big sister and little brother, with another sibling on the way. When his family take a summer trip so he can compete in a tennis tournament, an unbelievable tragedy occurs, shattering their life as they know it. I don’t like sad stories. Life is hard enough, but the author drew me into this story and I couldn’t stop reading. The verse format is enjoyable and provides a wide enough window into the plot and characters. Most importantly, this story is very hopeful, despite the tragedy. If you love verse novels and don’t mind a tearjerker, this is a perfect summer story for you. Heads up for sibling loss and child drowning.

12-year-old June, her younger sister Mabel, and her mother are forced to move into Huey House, a homeless shelter in New York City. June’s mother has become non-verbal since their father died a few months ago, so June has to care for Mabel on her own. At Huey House, June meets Tyrell and the two form a friendship on the back of their shared love for music. June also starts getting viola lessons from a next-door neighbor. But just when she’s finding her footing at Huey House, she finds out through Tyrell that the government is trying to get people out of the home before they’re ready and sending them to unsafe neighborhoods. Can June and Tyrell make a difference? A Duet for Home is a warm, realistic, and inspiring middle grade book about homelessness, grief, and a love of music.

“Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?” Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children–two boys and two girls–succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they’ll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you’re gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help.

In Duet, we meet a young goldfinch, Mirabelle. Mirabelle lives with her mother and brothers in a nest next to a piano teacher’s house. Mr. Starek, the piano teacher, is now aged but has received a new student, Jin, who does not seem pleased to be taking lessons from Mr. Starek. After weeks of reluctance, Jin starts to play, and surprisingly, Mirabelle joins in, forcing Jin to notice her. Soon, the two begin to create duets together during Jin’s practice sessions. When Jin and Mirabelle find out that Mr. Starek’s late sister might have a special piano in her foreclosed home, they band together in a new way to investigate and solve a decades-old mystery about Frederick Chopin’s piano. Duet by Elise Broach is an enrapturing, unique story about music, friendship, history, and birds — especially goldfinches.

Isabella is mixed race, figuring out her identity, and is now also caught between both parents as she alternates between her divorced parents’ houses. This is a great story with many important themes — being biracial, coping with parental divorce and remarriage, being black in America, classical music, family — and I would recommend this book to anyone interested in those themes. Heads up that this book features a racially-motivated shooting. Also, please pass on the audio — the narration is pretty subpar.

When Ross is diagnosed with a rare lacrimal gland cancer (in his eye), it’s like a new trial for his seventh-grade existence. Add to that the fact that his mom died from cancer years before, he’s going blind in one eye, his best friend is moving away soon, and mean kids at school are making terrible memes about his illness, and you have a dumpster fire of a year waiting to happen. Or is it? Wink by Rob Harrell is a brilliant, funny, and thoughtful middle grade book about navigating a cancer diagnosis in 7th grade.

In Out of Range, sisters Abby, Emma, and Ollie can’t seem to get it together. After months of squabbling, their parents ship them off to summer camp together to figure out their issues. The girls succeed in ignoring each other most of the time, but a hike gone wrong on their last day forces them to work together against hunger, near-drownings, and bear attacks. The story alternates between the past and the present so readers can see what went wrong with the sisters and watch them make their way back. Out of Range is a heartfelt survival middle grade book about sisterhood, tween angst, and identity.

RWhat if all you wanted for the summer was to go to camp with your best friends and draw comics in peace — BUT your parents thought it was better to go to Honduras, where they’re from, instead? That’s Sue’s dilemma in Miss Quinces. And then, on top of that, she finds out that her family is throwing her a surprise Quincenera against her wish. Will Sue survive the summer? Miss Quinces is an engaging, immersive graphic novel about identity, Latin-American culture, a love for art, and family.

Amina has never been comfortable in the spotlight. She is happy just hanging out with her best friend, Soojin. Except now that she’s in middle school everything feels different. Soojin is suddenly hanging out with Emily, one of the “cool” girls in the class, and even talking about changing her name to something more “American.” Does Amina need to start changing too? Or hiding who she is to fit in? While Amina grapples with these questions, she is devastated when her local mosque is vandalized.

Squad Goals (Hearts & Crafts #1) is the first in a new middle grade series about Mackenzie Miller, a new seventh-grader who calls herself a “maker.” Mackenzie loves projects especially when they involve crafting artsy things or planning things. After her parents’ divorce and her father’s remarriage, it’s just Kenzie and her mom and Kenzie wants her mom to find a boyfriend. Last year, her BFFs also dumped her and Kenzie is convinced she can try to win them back this year while working hard to make new friends. In the spirit of making, she quickly finds herself embroiled in a fundraiser to help get some of the Band kids in her school (she’s also in Band) new instruments. But can Mackenzie balance it all? Squad Goals (Hearts & Crafts #1) is a relatable, enjoyable middle grade book about crafting, friendships, and letting others help you.

In Miosotis Flores Never Forgets, young Miosotis biggest problem is getting her dad to let her get a dog. Papa insists that Miosotis score higher in Math and Science, even though she’s more of a B student. Soon, though, Miosotis’s woes begin to compound when she discovers that her sister Amarillis may be hiding something from their family. Can Miosotis save her sister? Miosotis Flores Never Forgets is a realistic middle grade book about the impact of domestic violence, identity, and culture.

The Supervillain’s Guide to Being a Fat Kid follows new sixth grader, Max. Max is fat and on his first day of school becomes a target for school bully and eighth-grader Johnny “Pro.” Max’s mom is a single mother and his only friend Luca is poor and wears worn hand-me-downs. When Max gets fed up with being bullied, he decides to write to imprisoned supervillain, Master Plan for advice and help. Master Plan comes up with a step-by-step guide to stop Max from being bullied and elevate his social status — maybe even helping him get closer to the girl he likes. But when Max’s fortune starts to change, it threatens his friendship with Luca. Worse still, he realizes that supervillains rarely offer help without needing something in exchange. This is a refreshing, action-packed middle grade novel about body positivity, friendships, and bullying. 

New seventh-grader Maggie Diaz is not the most organized person. But she’s trying to become her best self this school year so she can win her parents’ trust and get a new phone by the end of the year. She soon finds out that getting on honor roll is not that easy. Worse still, Maggie’s dealing with so many changes. Her best friends have joined after-school clubs to pursue their interests and have little or no time for Maggie (who can’t seem to find her interests). Since her Abuelo died, her Abuela has become her roommate and Maggie just wants some alone time! Will Maggie find her place and “join the club”? This is a lively, engaging debut (with illustrations!) about finding your place and passions when everyone else seems to be miles ahead in the game.

Twins Luisa and Fernando find their paths diverging as they enter sixth grade. Luisa will attend middle school in the US just across the border from Fernando’s school in Mexico. There, they face different but equally pressing challenges that threaten to tear them apart. win Cities is a fascinating look into Mexican culture, life as a twin, and finding your own identity. 

Claire is on vacation with both her parents in Maine, observing the widened rift between both of them as they go solo on activities, sometimes dragging her with either of them. Finally, her mom confesses to her that she’s planning on leaving her dad — exactly two seconds before she collapses due to a ruptured brain aneurysm. When Claire’s mom comes to, she doesn’t remember her last conversation with Claire and is forever changed emotionally and mentally. Now, Claire must cope with these changes while moving forward with the burden of her mom’s secret. This is a lovely verse novel with a book-loving protagonist who learns a lot about aneurysms after her mother’s experience. It will be invaluable to kids whose parents have experienced medical emergencies. There’s also a blossoming friendship with a boy, although it never progresses past platonic. Despite the age of its protagonists, this felt firmly middle grade to me.

Orthodox Jew Shaindy lives in a tight-knit Jewish community but feels invisible and socially inept. No one at school particularly dislikes her, but no one tries to befriend her or return her friendliness either. She envies her next-door neighbor Gayil who is beloved and excels academically, but she also wants to befriend and be Gayil. So when Gayil invites her to set up pranks on several students and teachers at their school, Shaindy is just happy to be in the inner circle. Unfortunately, the mischief quickly turns into something malicious as Shaindy realizes that Gayil’s pranks are designed to hurt her targets, and Shaindy is on the list of targets. This is an intricately plotted, strongly character-driven story about the inner lives of tween girls and the human emotions of envy. Although at times bogged down by detailed portrayals of Jewish tradition, this book is exceptionally engaging and truly unique.

Juniper and her family live off the grid, and she loves it. Her mom has warned her that life in “society” is stressful, but Juniper’s older sister still wants to try living there. Unfortunately, regardless of the family’s desires, they all have to move to the nearest town when their youngest family member becomes seriously ill. Juniper’s dad even has to work to pay the hospital bills while the girls live with their uncle and his daughters, with surprising outcomes for Juniper and her family. This is a heartwarming story that delivers spot-on observations about acceptance, belonging, and social shape-shifting.

It’s 1998 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. In the middle of the Sri Lankan Civil War, Kavi is dealing with her own personal upheavals. Her mother has remarried her father’s best friend after his death and is expecting a new baby. Meanwhile, Kavi is getting sent to the city on a scholarship to an elite private school. There, she starts telling lies about a life of wealth and grandeur– small at first, then bigger and bigger — to fit in with the rich kids until she begins to lose herself. I Am Kavi is a touching verse novel about a young girl adapting to changes in her world and finding her voice amidst the Sri Lankan civil war.

This stunning graphic novel follows Cinzia, an Avvisi’s/newswriter’s apprentice living in sunny Sianerra. Cinzia and her mestra write news stories/pamphlets to the city, but not everyone likes it when they tell the truth. After an edition exposing the ruling family for extortion, Cinzia and her Mestra are arrested at night, and she has to join forces with the princess to fight back against censorship. Ink Girls is a beautiful graphic novel about activism, speaking the truth, and speaking up despite censorship.

Alex loves soccer and playing for her city’s Rec League. Her coach is nice, and she has many good friends on the team. But during one of the games, a coach from an elite league spots Alex and convinces her mom to let Alex play for his team. Her dad isn’t the picture, and their family finances are tight, so Alex wants a soccer scholarship shot for college in the future and accepts the offer. But when she starts playing for the team, she notices disturbing things like her coach verbally abusing the players, talking down to the girls because of their gender, and punishingly working them out when don’t perform to his standards. Her mom is too busy trying to please her boyfriend to notice. Can Alex and the team stand up to Coach Austin? This is a sporty, enjoyable, and inspiring middle grade book about sports spirit and standing up for oneself.

After years of dealing with opioid addiction, Franny’s mom is finally sober and on the right track with a cleaning job and a cozy apartment upstairs from a laundromat. But then she gets in an accident and has to be prescribed opioids again, sending Franny into a frenzy. Franny starts doing her mom’s cleaning jobs behind her back — even blackmailing a school rival into working with her — to ensure they don’t run out of money. But she soon learns that worrying about adult problems isn’t her job. Maid for It is an informative, gripping, and accessible middle grade book about living with a parent recovering from addiction.

When a dead body is found in Coop’s small town, he and his best friends Justice and Liberty are intrigued and want to help solve the mystery. But the stakes get even higher when Coop’s grandfather is accused of murdering the victim (who turned out to be Coop’s missing grandma!). Can Coop get the scoop on this mystery and save his grandfather before it’s too late? Coop Knows the Scoop is a thrilling middle grade mystery with a rollercoaster of a narrative and seriously high stakes.