If you are like me, you are always in search of the BEST novels to share with your classroom. Nurturing a love of reading is a passion of mine, but every school year brings a new mix of reading interests and appetites. One of the biggest challenges is finding books and novels that motivate my hard-to-reach students.
I’m a firm believer that my uninspired readers simply have not yet found a book they love. Offering the right choice of novels, ones with characters and settings that students can relate to—is the most effective way to engage hard-to-reach readers.
Novels with relatable themes are much easier for disengaged students to read and understand. Identifying concepts like character traits and the author’s purpose becomes more clear when the story matches a familiar background. Novels that help students grapple with their own experiences and empathize with characters have the ability to spark a lifelong love of reading.
The list below features 5 of my favorite books for hard-to-reach students. I’ve created novel study units for each one because I use them all regularly. Keep these titles in mind the next time you are looking for that special book to engage your middle school students, particularly those from challenging backgrounds.
Wonder by RJ Palacio
Wonder is a story about Auggie Pullman, who is a 10-year old born with a cleft palate and mandibular dysostosis. His mother had homeschooled him through elementary school due to all of his medical treatments, but the story picks up with him joining his classmates in the 5th grade. Auggie and five other narrators share the story of his start of the school year at Beecher Prep and the challenges faced because he doesn’t look “ordinary” like everyone else he encounters.
Novels like Wonder help students be more empathetic toward one another. Empathy is a skill that is difficult to teach but essential in helping middle school students relate more thoughtfully to one another. Check out my Wonder Novel Unit on TPT.
The Lottery Rose by Irene Hunt
Georgie is the main character in The Lottery Rose. Due to abuse from her boyfriend, he is forced to leave his mother’s home and gets placed in a boy’s home. The story covers the challenges of having to heal in order to move on in his life and survive. This novel will truly change you as a teacher and the mindsets of your students as they grapple with the idea that we often have no idea what another person might be experiencing in their personal life. Your students will learn how important it is to be empathetic and understanding as human beings. You can find my Lottery Rose Novel Unit on TPT.
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Maniac Magee is the story of a boy whose parents die in a fatal train accident. Shortly after, he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle, who do nothing but argue. This arguing forces him to run and not stop until he finds the best possible place to live. It is in an unlikely place, with a family that does not look like him, that he finds the love he needs to survive. Your students will love reading about how Jeffrey takes challenges head-on and, through struggling, finds what he is looking for. You can find my Maniac Magee Novel Unit on TPT.
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick is an amazing story about the power of friendship and how it can transform even the hardest life situations. Your middle school students will love reading about how Maxwell and Kevin go from being outcasts due to scenarios out of their control to the dynamic duo known as Freak the Mighty. It is a great back-to-school novel to teach about the theme of friendship and what it truly means to be a good friend. Check out my Freak The Mighty Novel Unit on TPT.
Missing May by Cynthia Rylant
Missing May is the story of a girl who is adopted/taken in by her Aunt May and Uncle Ob. Six years later, her Aunt May dies in the garden unexpectedly, leaving Summer and Ob alone and struggling to go on. This novel shares how sometimes we truly have to grieve the loss of someone in order to move on, and sometimes what we think we need isn’t meant to be. This novel is told from Summer’s perspective, which gives students the opportunity to take on a novel from a first-person narrative perspective. Check out my novel unit for Missing May on TPT.
While these novels all deal with some form of loss or personal obstacle, these are topics many of our youth are familiar with. Some have lost a parent, a grandparent, a close relative, or a friend, and there is peace in knowing they are not alone. They struggle to read novels that they can’t connect with, so this is where it is important for teachers to offer materials that are more relatable.
