Books for grade 7: This list of books for grade 7 has been put together for middle and high school students who are 12-13 years old. It includes books that are good to read. It's possible to find books that are both easy to read and hard to understand in the 7th grade. There are both easy and hard books. Lois Lowry, Markus Zusak, Kwame Alexander, and S.E. Hinton are some of the authors.

Books for Grade 7 – our recommendations

New Kid by Jerry Craft

Jordan is a big fan of drawing cartoons. His parents don't want him to go to art school, so he goes to a more expensive academic school away from his friends. It's up to Jordan to find a new way to get around and adapt to the new place. A graphic novel will be a hit with middle schoolers who aren't big fans of reading.

A Place to Belong by Cynthia Kadohata

An insightful chapter book that talks about a less well-known time in history. After World War II, a Japanese-American family that was held in internment is asked to give up their US citizenship and return to Japan. Hana, a young girl, is hurt and doesn't know who she is. She lives with her grandparents near Hiroshima. Hana learns about the realities of war when she is starved, sick, and unable to adapt to a culture she doesn't know.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

As Receiver of Memory, 12-year-old Jonas starts to find out and understand the hidden secrets that the people he lives with have kept from him for years. The first in a gripping set of four.

Watership Down by Richard Adams

Quest story: A group of rabbits flee from danger to danger in search of a peaceful and safe life. It turns out that when Fiver, Hazel, Bigwig, and their friends think they've found the perfect place, things turn out to be bad instead. An ideal 7th grade reading book for students who are already good at reading.

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

A beautiful story, set entirely in verse, about two brothers who compete against each other both in life and on the court. Gripping and good for people who don't like to read.

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

When Cole Mathews does something bad, the judge gives him an unusual choice: go to jail or go to a rehabilitation program on a remote Alaskan island in the middle of the Alaskan wild. He chooses the latter, and soon he has to fight for his life in a gripping story of survival and a strong will to stay alive. As a 7th grader, this would be a great book for your library.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

One of the best stories I've ever read. It's told from the point of view of death and set in Nazi Germany in 1939. Liesel, a girl who steals books, is the protagonist. She makes a new friend that allows her to read the huge library of a local dignitary. She sees the world in a whole new way. Hard and thought-provoking, this book would be good for a 7th grader's reading list.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

A middle-grade fantasy book about Xan, a girl who breaks a sacred rule and feeds a baby bound for sacrifice with moonlight. There is a good chance that the child will grow up to be very powerful and have dangerous magical abilities.

Snow White by Matt Phelan

The Snow White story is retold in a film noir-style graphic novel. This is a very interesting story. Samantha White has come home after a long time away, and she is being looked after by seven street urchins. This is set in 1930s New York. This book is great for seventh-graders who don't like to read because it has colorful pictures.

Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan

In New York City, Apollo is just a normal teen boy. His angry father Zeus threw him down from Mouth of Olympus. A normal teenager who doesn't have any superpowers. His father doesn't want him to come back to the gods.

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

In the end, Billy buys two dogs: Old Dan and Little Ann. Soon, he feels like he can do anything, and he and his hunting dogs are exploring the Ozarks. But danger is right around the corner. If you're in 7th grade, this book is a great easy read.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D Schmidt

A heart-wrenching story about family and giving up for what you love. When Joe was 12, his friend Joseph became a father. He hasn't seen his daughter, and he'll do anything to find her. It's a page-turner for older seventh-graders.

The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer

When Alex and Conner, who are identical twins, read from a strange and magical book, they end up having adventures in a fairy-tale world. In grade 7, there are a lot of people who aren't very interested in reading, but this set of books is sure to get them interested.

Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

There is a peaceful Saxon village in the year 793, and it isn't very noisy. 11-year-old Jack is kidnapped by Viking berserkers who emerge from the mist and take him. Olaf One-Brow, the leader of the group, joins them on an epic quest.

The Pigman by Paul Zindel

High school friends John and Lorraine didn't think their practical joke would turn out so bad, but it did. If they tell the story of Pigman, they might be able to get back to a good place again. A classic young adult book that is good for more advanced readers.

Brian’s Winter by Gary Paulsen

A sequel to Hatchet, Gary Paulsen asks, "What if Brian hadn't been saved?" Winter can be dangerous, but what if he had to live long enough to face them? Is he going to live? What will happen? Find out in this thrilling and exciting adventure.

The Girl with the Ghost Machine by Lauren DeStefano

It's a good book for kids in grade 7. He wants to build a ghost machine when Emmaline's mother dies quickly. Even though the machine is getting bigger, Emmaline decides to destroy it or make it work on her own. In class, this would be a great book to use when talking about loss or grief.

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

In the woods, Marty comes across a stray dog. Soon, the beagle is the most important thing in his life. It might be too much for Marty to handle when he finds out who the dog ran away from. A heartfelt story that is great for people who aren't very good at reading.

Tex by SE Hinton

In this book, Tex is a carefree young man who lives with his resentful older brother. The book is thought-provoking and shows how Tex and his brother live together. As soon as their often absent father shows up, Tex runs away and things get out of hand. A good book for 7th-grade book clubs.

---