17 Middle Grade Books Every Young Girl Should Read

Author Julie Murphy's name may sound familiar and that's because she wrote the book Dumplin', which was made into a movie on Netflix. Her fourth novel, Ramona Blue, is about a strong heroine, a girl living in the South, who likes girls — then falls for a boy named Freddie. She navigates her identity along with family issues in this almost five-star rated book.

Having read this book as a girl, it had a great impact, so we might be biased here, but it's worth adding to the list. It's about a girl named Margaret who is trying to find her way in the world the way that tween girls do. She faces body issues, questions her religious identity, and is overall "convinced she's not normal."

OK, this one from American Girl Library is another one that millennial moms will know a thing or two about. It's not a novel so much as it is a guide to all of those awkward puberty questions girls may be too shy to ask outright — or worse, hear wrong answers from friends. It covers everything from body image to hygiene and hair care. It's a multi-generation staple.

Little Women has been a classic book for generations, but the 2019 movie has repopularized it. It's the story of four sisters who navigate life in different ways during a time when being a girl wasn't the easiest. To be fair, it's not easy now, but it was even harder then. It will give girls confidence to make their own choices and follow their passions.

Speaking of writers who sound familiar, we have another Jenny Han book on this list. She is the author of the To All The Boys I Loved Before trilogy. Her book The Summer I Turned Pretty is about a special "wonderful and terrible" summer where main character Belly's brother's friends, who were just boys before, are no longer that. In fact, they become much more.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is an oldie but a goodie. According to publisher Penguin Random House, it tells "the remarkable story of Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, inventing for herself who and what she will become." It touches on a lot of middle school issues, from body image to crushes. Warning: The book discusses sexual assault.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler isn't so much a coming-of-age book as it is a book that middle school girls will relate to and not have to worry about crushes or societal pressures while doing it. It tells the story of a girl and her brother who run away to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and the tale of their adventures along the way.

Some middle schoolers love to read while others are more visual. If they're the latter, this graphic novel is a great middle ground. It follows a girl with allergies who feels left out of her family and wants to find a dog to be her buddy. But there's one big problem: She has terrible allergies. Can she make it work?

Main character Yumi Chung in Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim is someone that lots of girls can relate to. She's super shy in front of people, but inside, she's bursting with creativity and jokes. After one of her test prep classes, she stumbles upon a comedy camp, where the other kids think she's someone else: "Yumi must decide to stand up and reveal the truth or risk losing her dreams and disappointing everyone she cares about."

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell combines feminist heroism energy with an homage to nature. It follows a girl named Karana who is alone with her a dog as a companion and must work to fight for her survival. Over 18 years, she "forages for food, builds weapons to fight predators, clothes herself in a cormorant feathered skirt, and finds strength and peace in her seclusion."

Number the Stars by Louis Lowry is another book that might come up for school reading, but if not, it's definitely a must for middle schoolers. As Amazon describes it, the book is about "a ten-year-old Danish girl's bravery is tested when her best friend is threatened by Nazis in 1943."

Starfish by Lisa Fipps is one of the more modern books of the bunch, but it's just a fabulous read. It's about a girl named Ellie who dared to wear a bathing suit she loved at a birthday and was bullied for her weight. But it's in the pool, as a starfish, where she finds solace from the bullies and her own critical mom, and learns to love herself.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan is has a five-star rating on Amazon book, and is a No. 1 bestseller in its category. Esperanza was set to live a comfortable and privileged life in Mexico, until "a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp." The book is about her struggle to survive this new life.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is a book for a more mature middle schooler, or those who would be able to handle the topic of sexual assault, as that is a main event in the book. It follows a social outcast, Melinda, who still has to attend school with her rapist. According to Barnes & Noble, "Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication."

George by Alex Gino is a great book for middle schoolers learning about different types of identities, including their own. It tells the story of Melissa, who everyone things of as a boy named George. When her class puts on a school play, "Melissa really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can't even try out for the part... because she's a boy." So she and a friend devise a plan.

Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand is a book that tackles mental health issues through the eyes of a kid named Finley, who has depression and has a lot going on in her day-to-day life. Her one escape is a place called Everwood, "a forest kingdom that exists in the pages of her notebook." Everwood is in danger though.

Maybe He Just Likes You is a book that will hit home with all middle school girls trying to navigate what they should accept in terms of treatment and attention from boys. The description reads: "For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some boys giving her an unwanted hug on the school blacktop." It's the "story of a middle school girl standing up and finding her voice."