Middle School Realistic Fiction

A boy. A storm. A knife—and a secret buried by the river. When thirteen-year-old Noah Ridge sets out on a summer rafting trip through the rugged canyon country, he expects adventure—not disaster. But when a flash flood tears through camp, Noah is swept miles downstream and left alone in the wilderness with nothing but his backpack… and the knife his dad gave him the day before. Struggling to survive storms, hunger, and a broken ankle, Noah stumbles upon a half-buried truck with a skeleton inside—and a mystery that’s been hidden by the river for decades. Now, every decision could ...

A glitter explosion. A ruined poster. A mystery sandwich. Welcome to Marie Lane’s messiest week ever. Twelve-year-old Marie Lane has big plans to win her school’s kindness poster contest—until a spilled paint cup, a very sparkly dog, and a bad case of Tuesday ruin everything. But just when things feel hopeless, Marie turns her glittery disaster into a message from the heart: “Kindness isn’t always neat. But it always matters.” What follows is a week full of awkward apologies, anonymous acts of kindness, and one sandwich that just might change everything. With humor, heart, and a...

What do you bring with you when you leave everything behind? Two teenage refugees, Leila from Ethiopia and Kofi from Ghana arrive in America as strangers in a strange land. Their stories collide in the unfamiliar hallways of a Memphis middle school, where survival means staying invisible, and speaking up often comes with a price. But when Leila’s poetry and Kofi’s hidden gift for soccer are discovered, everything changes. Suddenly, they are no longer just “the new kids”—they are voices in a conversation they never chose to enter. Together, they must navigate cultural tension, peer...

Calvin thinks heroes wear capes. His mom sometimes does. But when a winter of near-misses, power flickers, and neighborhood mysteries hits Maplewood, Calvin learns the real superpower isn’t flying—it’s making space for people. With a pocket notebook, a best friend who carries towels, and a librarian who believes in buttons, Calvin turns everyday moments into easy, repeatable plans: Heads Up at crosswalks, the Corner Code (Pause • Wave • Go), a Quiet Siren path for EMTs, and Please-Lines for crowded doors. Funny, high-energy, and fiercely family-focused, this chapter book ...

What do mismatched socks, banana bread, a blue marker, and a surprise ministerial visit have in common? One unforgettable afternoon. In this laugh-out-loud middle-grade adventure, chaos meets charm when Tommy Johnson finds out the town’s most unpredictable guest—Reverend Greene—is coming for tea. Between dodging chores, half-finishing a welcome sign, and navigating sibling rivalry, Tommy’s plans to relax vanish into a whirlwind of vacuum cleaners, tea preparations, and life lessons. But as the family races to impress their unexpected guest, what unfolds is not just an afternoon of ...

After being awarded the Biggest Loser badges by the popular vote, Adam, Diego, and Jai are officially at the top of the Wall of Shame in their school, but does that mean they're going to sit around and whine about it? Well... maybe a bit, but not for long! The three friends are assigned an impossible mission by the school principal to convince their classmates to start eating healthy foods served in the cafeteria. Everybody knows fruits, veggies, and greens may be good for your body, but are disastrous for your image, and most teenagers would rather be caught dead than eating steamed ...

Londyn and her friends have practiced several lockdown drills at their school to prepare them in the event of an emergency. But they never imagine they'd experience a real active threat and hostage situation on their campus, changing their lives and the lives of their classmates forever...

Grab a backstage pass and join Mac Lowell on a tour with her favorite boy band in this exciting adventure. Mackenzie "Mac" Lowell is living a dream come true on tour with her favorite boy band. Spending time on the road with Perfect Storm hasn't been what Mac expected, though—it's even BETTER!...

Fearless Paths: Inspirational Sports Stories of Self-Discovery for Teens to Build Courage, Resilience, Friendship, and Unity is a heartwarming and empowering collection of short stories crafted especially for boys. Each story dives into the real emotions, challenges, and triumphs that come with growing up and discovering who you really are. Whether it’s stepping up for a teammate, conquering stage fright, surviving a weekend without screens, or learning to forgive, the characters in Fearless Paths show that true strength often comes from the most unexpected places. These realistic, ...

Twelve-year-old Mackenzie "Mac" Lowell's dreams are about to come true. Thanks to her mom scoring the coolest job EVER, Mac is going from boy band fanatic to official tour member of her favorite group, Perfect Storm. Thankfully she's brought along her journal so she can record every moment...

*A middle-schooler in a new country. A broken promise. A quest to save his dog before it’s too late.* Life in middle school can be rough, but it’s even worse if your family moves to a different continent where I don’t know the language, the culture, and how I’ll ever fit in with the other kids. Navigating a new town is one thing but trying to learn the lay of the land in a new school is another. First, there are the obvious barriers. Then there are the bullies. I miss living in America. I miss my friends. And now our trip home for a visit is cancelled. If I don’t find a ...

In a world ruled by gangs and survival, one boy's art might be his only way out. Sergio Torres, better known as Seeker, is a talented young graffiti artist navigating the brutal world of middle school gangs, broken families, and harsh realities. Torn between his loyalty to his friends in the Little Killerz and his passion for art, Seeker finds himself walking a dangerous line. When his best friend and gang leader Hector plots revenge against a teacher, Seeker must make a choice: stay loyal to the crew or risk everything to follow a different path. Told with raw honesty and emotional depth, ...