Eighth Grade Book List

The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. by David Levithan – J F LEV

Lucas’s brother Aidan disappeared for six days, and when he returns, the story he tells is implausible. Lucas is on his side and wants to believe him, but it’s getting harder and harder to do that as friends – and even their parents – insist that Aidan merely ran away. As Aidan becomes an outcast, Lucas has to decide what he believes.
The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman – TWEEN F BLA

Relocating to Leningrad in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster, neighbors Valentina and Oksana, who have been taught to hate each other because of religious differences, uncover painful family secrets while learning what it means to trust another person.
Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley – J F BRA

Sisters Della and Suki had always stuck together, even when they had to live with their mom’s terrible boyfriend. Now he’s headed to jail, but Suki’s still not okay.
King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender – TWEEN F CAL

In a small but turbulent Louisiana town, one boy’s grief takes him beyond the bayous of his backyard to learn that there is no right way to be yourself.
The Selection by Kiera Cass – YA F CAS

Sixteen-year-old America Singer is living in the caste-divided nation of Illea, which formed after the war that destroyed the United States. America is chosen to compete in the Selection, a contest to see which girl can win the heart of Illea’s prince, but all she really wants is a chance for a future with her secret love, Aspen, who is a caste below her.
Wink: Surviving Middle School With One Eye Open by Rob Harrell – J F HAR

It’s hard to blend in when you’re losing your hair, forced to wear a floppy cowboy hat, and get called “the cancer kid” behind your back. But when Ross Maloy becomes obsessed with learning the guitar, things go from awful to awesome.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Regan Barnhill – TWEEN F BAR

An epic fantasy about a young girl raised by a witch, a swamp monster, and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, and she must unlock the powerful magic buried deep inside her. An epic fantasy about a young girl raised by a witch, a swamp monster, and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, who must unlock the powerful magic buried deep inside her.
I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson – YA F NEL

A story of first love, family, loss, and betrayal told from different points in time, and in separate voices, by artists Jude and her twin brother Noah.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie – YA F ALE

Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – YA F THO

After witnessing her friend’s death at the hands of a police officer, Starr Carter’s life becomes complicated when the police and a local drug lord try to intimidate her as she learns what happened the night Kahlil died.
In Real Life by Cory Doctorow – GRAPHIC DOC

Immersing herself in an online fantasy game, Anda confronts a difficult choice when she befriends a disadvantaged Chinese child who illegally collects rare items in the game and sells them to other players.
The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang – GRAPHIC J WAN

When Prince Sebastian confides in his dressmaker friend Frances that he loves to masquerade at night as the fashionable Lady Crystallia, Frances must decide if Sebastian’s secret is worth a lifetime of living in the shadows.
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson – GRAPHIC STE

Lord Blackheart, a villain with a vendetta, and his sidekick, Nimona, an impulsive young shapeshifter, must prove to the kingdom that Sir Goldenloin and the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.
The Witch Boy by Molly Ostertag – GRAPHIC J OST

When a boy goes missing during a night of shapeshifting, thirteen-year-old Astor risks going against family tradition by using his magic to help locate him.
Spinning by Tillie Walden – GRAPHIC B WAL

A graphic memoir recounts the years Walden spent competitively figure skating before her developing love of art and first girlfriend causes her to question the insular world of figure skating.
Tommy: The Gun That Changed America by Karen Blumenthal – YA 683.4 BLU

Examines the origins of America’s debate over gun control sparked by a practical gun intended for military use that became a weapon of choice for outlaws before Congress attempted to remove it from the streets.
Dewey: A Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World by Vicki Myron – 636.809 MYR

This is the story of Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat. He was stuffed into the book return slot at the Spencer, Iowa, Public Library. Library director Vicki Myron found him the following day. Dewey won her heart and the hearts of the staff by pulling himself up and hobbling on frostbitten feet to nudge each of them in a gesture of thanks and love.
Fatal Fever: Tracking Down Typhoid Mary by Gail Jarrow – 614.5112 JAR

Chronicles the story of the early 1900s typhoid fever epidemic in New York, providing details on how its infamous carrier was ultimately tracked down and stopped.