Books suitable for seventh graders are a bit of a dilemma.
Why’s that, you ask?
Well, you need to find books that are age-appropriate yet still advanced and exciting enough for a young adult’s mind. Accordingly, chapter books are your best bet when it comes to seventh graders.
That being so, we’ve scoured the world for the best books for seventh grade. From fantasy and adventure to historical fiction and simple biographies, here are the 57 best chapter books you could possibly hope to find.
1. The Maze Runner – James Dashner
This is among the best 7th-grade books you may hope to come across. It’s rife with mystery, suspense, and adventure, making it a fun read for any middle school student. Essentially, it follows Thomas and the other kids with him as they attempt to escape from the ever-changing maze that surrounds them, trying to survive all the while.
2. The Benefits Of Being An Octopus – Ann Braden
While rich kids her age worry about homework and crushes, seventh-grader Zoey has to think about taking care of her younger siblings. Not only that but she’s also forced to join the debate club, which further puts a wall between her and her peers. So, can she speak her mind, even if it means risking her peaceful life? You tell us.
3. Summerlost – Ally Condie
If you’re not that much into fantasy and sci-fi, then get lost in the pages of Summerlost. It depicts how our main character battles her grief after her father’s and brother’s death. Then, she makes a new friend in a small town and finds out that there may be more to her summer than she originally thought.
4. The Girl With The Ghost Machine – Lauren Destefano
Not only is this book thought-provoking, but it’s also heart-wrenching.
It tells the moving story of Emmaline, who watches her father obsessively trying to bring her mother from the dead. Thus, with the help of her two best friends, Emmaline decides to put a stop to his endeavors in hopes of getting him back.
5. The Girl Who Drank The Moon – Kelly Barnhill
What do you do when people fear you and keep offering their babies as sacrifices? Well, resume them, of course. At least, that’s what our protagonist, the kind witch Xan, does. However, when she makes a mistake with one of the children, things start taking an interesting turn, and her life, as well as that of the child, will be forever altered.
6. Restart – Gordon Korman
Looking for a book that’ll hook reluctant readers? Then Restart is your best bet. It tells the story of Chase, who’s trying to turn a new page and get a clean start after losing all his memories. However, he first has to puzzle out his messy and mysterious past before he can decide on whether he wants to change or not.
7. The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
I’ve never met a middle schooler that hasn’t enjoyed, or at least been taken in, by the first installment of The Hunger Games trilogy. Truly, this book has the perfect mix of underdog protagonist and dystopian future that’ll have middle school readers hungry for more. So, take a stab at this book and see what Katniss has to do to beat 23 people looking to kill her.
8. The Story That Cannot Be Told – J. Kasper Kramer
What do you do when you need to tell your story, but you know there’ll be hell to pay for it? Do you hold your tongue and favor your safety, or will you brave the worst? This is the decision that Illeana has to make as she goes about her life in the communist country of Romania.
9. The Ruins of Gorlan – John Flanagan
Both middle schools and high schoolers will mightily enjoy this book. It’s the first of the many adventures that the main characters will experience, and it’s not something that you’ll soon forget. From sinister enemies and exciting battles to wise, though highly sarcastic, mentors, this book is the perfect fantasy adventure story.
10. The Unwanteds – Lisa McMann
Another book to add to your 7th-grade reading list should be the Unwanteds. In a world where people are divided into Wanteds and Unwanteds, what can two brothers do when they’re separated and then pitted against each other? Honestly, this book will leave middle school readers at the edge of their seats, waiting for the worst and hoping for the best.
11. The Places We Sleep – Caroline Brooks Dubois
The best books for seventh graders are determined by how much a book touches your soul, and that’s definitely what this book does.
In it, Abbey’s world keeps changing. First, her father goes back on active duty; then, she gets her first period. As she copes with those life-altering changes, seventh-grade kids will also learn how to make sense of their ever-changing bodies and environments.
12. The Wednesday Wars – Gary D. Schmidt
Though set in the time of the Vietnam war, when it comes down to it, this is a story of a seventh-grade student who can’t seem to figure out his place in the world. More importantly, he can’t for the life of him understand his English teacher or why he has to read the works of Shakespeare, which, let’s be honest, some of us still don’t know the answer to.
13. York: The Shadow Cipher – Laura Ruby
The list of best books for 7th graders would have to include York: The Shadow Cipher. It’s basically one great, splendid puzzle whose pieces keep coming together with every new chapter. Accordingly, middle-grade readers who have a thing for mystery and secret would absolutely love this book.
14. Eragon – Christopher Paolini
Follow the story of a farm boy called Eragon who one day finds a dragon and decides to raise it himself. However, this decision comes at a cost that may be too hard to bear. A few pages into this magical world and all the teen readers will be hooked, making it perfect for both reluctant and advanced readers.
15. The Great And Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life Of Showman P. T. Barnum – Candace Fleming
Middle schoolers will greatly appreciate the true story of P.T. Barnum. While many people either think of him as good or evil, this book shows that things are more complicated than that, making younger readers more thoughtful of their thoughts and actions.
16. When Stars Are Shattered – Victoria Jamieson
If you’ve got yourself some seriously reluctant readers, then you may do better by choosing this book. Yes, it’s closer to a graphic novel than a chapter book, but it’s still well-suited to middle schoolers. In brief, it demonstrates what it was like for a Somali man who grew up in a refugee camp located in Kenya.
17. The Prettiest – Brigit Young
Joining our book list for the 7th grade is the Prettiest. It’s a breath of fresh air for young feminists and shows how it’s critical that young boys and girls fight against sexism and objectification.
18. Genesis Begins Again – Alicia D. Williams
Young Genesis has a long list of reasons concerning why she dislikes herself. However, she discovers that there are things that she likes about herself as well, and she eventually learns that her attitude towards herself is the first thing she should fix.
19. The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
When you’re living in Nazi Germany with death lurking in every corner, what better thing should a foster girl occupy her time with than steal some book? Find out what becomes of Leslie, and think about the true value of books while you’re at it.
20. Serena Says – Tanita S. Davis
Standing in someone’s shadow isn’t particularly pleasant, and Serena knows this quite well. So, after her friend gets a kidney transplant and things start changing, can Selena find her own voice and shine on her own, or will she forever be just a mirror reflecting her friend’s light?
21. The Midnight Zoo – Sonya Hartnett
7th-grade chapter books don’t get much better than The Midnight Zoo. In it, three siblings living during the time of Nazi Germany witnessed their friends and family being captured. While walking around searching for food, they encounter a zoo that has talking animals in dire need of help and hope.
22. The Science Of Breakable Things – Tae Keller
Ever think about entering an egg-drop competition to help your mother? Well, neither did Natalie, but that’s the situation she finds herself in. Fortunately, with the help of her friends, she discovers that there’s no shame in sharing her struggles, and she becomes a better person for it.
23. Freak The Mighty – Rodman Philbrick
Not everyone finds it easy to fit in. So, that’s exactly why two very different boys, one oversized and one tiny, decide to team up and find their way in the world. It goes without saying, this book is positively uplifting, and it’ll tackle some major issues that middle school students go through.
24. Planet Earth Is Blue – Nicole Panteleakos
Nova and her big sister, Bridget, have always been there for each other. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, Nova is placed with a new foster family, and she gets separated from her sister. Will the sisters make it back to each other, or will this story have a sad ending? Read and find out.
25. The Westing Game – Ellen Raskin
Even though Sam Westing is dead, he’s still maintaining his reputation as the eccentric millionaire. This is demonstrated when he gathers sixteen people, one of them a stranger, at his will reading for a chance to inherit his fortune. Why? Only he knows.
26. Last Gamer Standing – Katie Zhao
In this book, professional gamers are the top celebrities. Accordingly, kids start gaming from a young age in the hopes of joining a professional e-sports team. Reyna is one such kid. However, she keeps her identity hidden to avoid harassment. Still, what she fears comes to be, and she’s forced to confront the issue head-on, all while battling the biggest battle of her life.
27. Forget Me Not – Ellie Terry
Calliope has Tourette’s Syndrome, but she and her mother want nothing more in the world than to hide this little fact. That being so, she keeps moving around. So, when she finally settles down and makes a friend, will her friend stay by her side when the truth gets out, or will she be forced to move once again?
28. The Lightning Thief – Rick Riordan
Want a book that transports you away from real life? Then, this is the book for you. Honestly, Percy Jackson makes for the perfect character; brave, kind, and most importantly, sarcastic. And add to this some fast-paced adventures centered around Greek mythology; it’s no wonder this series has quite the following.
29. The Bridge Home – Padma Venkatraman
Can children with no parents or homes survive long enough on their own without the help of grown-ups? While it seemed possible at first for our four main characters, a new development makes their situation dire. Honestly, this book is a wonderful addition to any classroom library, and it would make for a wonderful class discussion about when it’s okay to ask for help.
30. Reckless – Cornelia Funke
Jacob Reckless certainly lives up to his name in this novel. He frequently leaves his real life for another magical world named Mirrorworld. However, when his younger brother gets entangled with this world, Jacob must find a way to save him, or else all will be gone.
31. How To Find What You’re Not Looking For – Veera Hiranandani
Another wonderful coming-of-age story is found in this book. It follows the life of twelve-year-old Ariel Goldberg, who feels as if her life is in shambles. From her parents’ financial troubles to her eloping sister, Ariel tries to cultivate the one constant in her life; her voice.
32. Everything Sad Is Untrue – Daniel Nayeri
Based on a true story, this book tells the story of a family fleeing Iran. While Khosrou may not be the most popular kid in his class, he sure knows how to tell a story, and his is one worth listening to. So, get ready to hear a riveting story, one that lives in the past and the present.
33. Hearts Unbroken – Cynthia Leitich Smith
When you’re caught between family obligations and your heart’s desires, which should you choose? Louise Wolfe is trying to find out that answer as she goes about her life, and many middle school students will definitely relate to her dilemma. That’s why this book is one of the absolute best books for 7th grade and a must-read for any young adult.
34. The Poet X – Elizabeth Acevedo
Since she started growing up, Xiomara Batista feels as if her family no longer hears her. However, she decides to take matters into her own hands and start saying what she wants. On a piece of paper, of course. However, when Xiomara is invited to join a slam poetry club, can she hide the fact from her parents, or will she be discovered? Read and see for yourself.
35. Ghost Boys – Jewell Parker Rhodes
In a devastating turn of events, little Jerome gets shot when a police officer thinks he’s holding a gun. Now, Jerome wanders the world as a ghost, watching his family and community deal with the aftermath until he meets another ghost that helps him through the ordeal.
36. Nightmares! – Jason Segel And Kirsten Miller
Charlie can’t sleep from all his nightmares. Still, the lack of sleep isn’t so bad when you come to realize that Charlie’s nightmares don’t just stay in his head. No, they start creeping onto the waking world and leaving a trail of chaos in their wake.
37. Wonder – R.J. Palacio
Auggie was born with some extensive physical deformities. However, he’s finally ready to leave home and go to a real school. As you can expect, Auggie doesn’t have an easy time at the school, where he’s constantly ogled at and bullied. You can’t help but cry and root for him, and when he finally finds his place, you’ll be practically cheering in your chair.
38. Counting By 7s – Holly Goldberg Sloan
When your parents are all you have, what do you do when you lose them? The brilliant Willow has to figure out the answer after she loses her parents in a car crash and works through her sorrow and grief.
39. Divergent – Veronica Roth
In a world where you’re meant to join just one faction, Tris has a world of trouble brewing if anyone ever finds out she can join any faction she wants. So, will our divergent hero be able to keep her secret and live her life peacefully, or will sinister forces start hunting her down?
40. The School For Good And Evil – Soman Chainani
Unsure readers would greatly appreciate this brilliant novel. Where fairy tales are real, and the only way out of one is to live through it, two children find themselves set on a new path, unlike anything they imagined for themselves.
41. The Menagerie – Tui Sutherland
Looking for an easy, fun read? The Menagerie is your book. It depicts what happens to Logan when he discovers a griffin under his bed, which leads to the bigger discovery of a menagerie meant for magical creatures. However, not all is well in the menagerie, so Logan and his friend must find out what’s causing the problem in order to protect the beautiful menagerie.
42. The Space Between Lost And Found – by Sandy Stark-Mcginnis
If you’re looking for some inspiring and heart-wrenching stories, then you’ve come to the right place.
Here, our protagonist Cassie has to deal with her mom losing her memories. Since then, Cassie’s life stopped making sense. She can no longer have a flash of inspiration or even talk to her best friend. However, she decides that she still has one trick up her sleeve, and she’s going to use it even at the risk of losing it all.
43. No Fixed Address – Susin Nielsen
Felix and his mom are down on their luck, having lost their home and moved into a van. However, Felix gets the brilliant idea of joining a junior edition of his favorite trivia show in the hopes of helping his mom get back on her feet. As you can imagine, things don’t turn out as planned. Still, that doesn’t mean all hope is lost, not by far.
44. Echo – Pam Munoz Ryan
Advanced readers of the world absolutely love this book. Not only is it very well written, but it also has a plot that was executed perfectly. Basically, it consists of three short stories, every one set in different time periods. However, these stories are all tied thanks to a magical harmonica, believe it or not.
45. The Case Of The Missing Moonstone – Jordan Stratford
History meets mystery meets fiction in this outstanding novel. Think of this novel as Sherlock Holmes, but with female tweens as the main characters. And it’s not just ant two girls; it’s the world’s first computer programmer and the author of Frankenstein. So, as you can imagine, they’ll make quite the team at solving mysteries.
46. The Girl With The Glass Bird – Esme Kerr
Edie has been forced to move to a strict boarding school, leaving her only known relative behind. This is so that she can protect the Russian prince’s daughter, Anastasia. However, things prove difficult when someone tries to mess with Anastasia’s mind, putting Edie in quite the pickle.
47. The Blackthorn Key – Kevin Sands
You’d do well to read a copy of The Blackthorn Key at any point in your life. It’s highly intriguing and set in a beautiful world, where Christopher and his friend try to discover who’s been murdering the apothecary owners.
48. Violet And The Pie Of Life – D. L. Green
Violet loves pie. She also loves math and relies on it quite a bit. She even tries to use it to fix her parents’ troubles. However, Violet will discover that there are always variables that you can’t expect, both in friendship and in love.
49. The Astonishing Color Of After – Emily X.R. Pan
Leigh Chen Sanders isn’t in the best headspace right now. Her mother just committed suicide, but Leigh is certain that her mother changed into a bird after she died. So, she travels to Taiwan to meet her grandparents and look for her mother. However, she does so much more than that, stuff that you wouldn’t believe possible, all the grieving for her mother and trying to heal.
50. Crown of Three – J. D. Rinehart
Three siblings were separated at birth but came together to fulfill a prophecy and bring peace to a magical land. However, they must first learn to work together and use their powers in order to fight the evil forces ravaging the land, and as you can imagine, that’s not exactly a walk in the park.
51. Seven Dead Pirates – Linda Bailey
Lewis’s life sure takes a turn for the exciting when he meets seven pirate ghosts in his room. They convince him to help them repossess their ship from a museum in the hopes of making it into a pirate utopia of sorts. However, the ghosts are far from easy to deal with, and Lewis is sure to have his hands full dealing with the rowdy ghosts.
52. The Absolute Value of Mike – Kathryn Erskine
Mike is trying to connect with his father. However, his father only speaks calculus, and Mike isn’t exactly the best at math. So, when his father sends him to Pennsylvania for an engineering project, Mike almost reels back when he discovers there’s another project going on, one that has nothing to do with math.
53. The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit is the prequel to the beloved Lord Of The Rings series. In it, Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf go on an epic adventure to the Lonely Mountain and have their share of close calls and splendid success.
54. Where The Red Fern Grows – Wilson Rawls
Billy has been saving for a long time. However, he’s now saved enough for two lovely pups. So, he takes off with them and goes exploring. However, danger awaits Billy and his pups, so he must do everything he can to protect himself and his canine friends.
55. Everywhere Blue – Joanne Rossmassler Fritz
Maddie’s older brother has vanished into thin air, and with this, Maddie’s world crumbles to the ground. So, she plans on finding her brother so that maybe, just maybe, her world will have a resemblance to normality once again.
56. The Fog Diver – Joel Ross
A fog covers the earth, and only humans who live on the highest mountaintops can survive. However, our heroes will need to brave the fog in order to save the closest thing they have o a mother, and well, it won’t exactly be an easy journey.
57. Hatchet – Gary Paulsen
Brian Robeson was traveling to visit his father when his plane crashed, leaving him stranded in the Canadian wilderness. So, can he survive with only a torn windbreaker, hatchet, and some clothes? You’ll be on the edge of your seat with this one.
Jump In: Add more engaging reading activities and exercises by providing your 7th-graders with comprehension activities that will challenge their deduction! Read my blog on selected practice activities for G7 students — 11 Fun 7th Grade Reading Comprehension Activities (& Games).
Conclusion
So, that’s it for our picks of the best books for the 7th grade they’d surely love.
Did you find a book with a genre you prefer? If so, be sure to enjoy it, and don’t be afraid to take a chance on a book you wouldn’t normally go for.
Last Updated on July 24, 2022 by Emily
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