Here are some… usually anything written at a Lexile level of 1130-1440 is nonfiction, so that’s mostly what’s on this list. I tried to include only narrative
nonfiction that looked like it might be enjoyed by middle school kids. And the fiction is mostly historical. ~ Linda Williams
Fiction
Forest World
by Margarita Engle (Atheneum, 2017) Lexile: 1240
Sent to Cuba to visit the father he barely knows, Edver is surprised to meet a half-sister, Luza, whose plan to lure their cryptozoologist mother into coming
there, too, turns dangerous.
Jazz Owls: A Novel of the Zoot Suit Riots
by Margarita Engle (Simon & Schuster, 2018) Lexile: 1300
In early 1940s Los Angeles, Mexican Americans Marisela and Lorena work in canneries all day then jitterbug with sailors all night with their zoot suit wearing
younger brother, Ray, as escort until the night racial violence leads to murder. Includes historical note.
A School for Brides: A Story of Maidens, Mystery, and Matrimony
by Patrice Kindl (Viking, 2015) Lexile: 1140
In the early 1800s, in a remote corner of England with almost no eligible young men, the eight students at the Winthrop Hopkins Female Academy uncover a mystery
while learning all the skills necessary to become a good wife.
Drift & Dagger by
Kendal Kulper (Little, Brown, 2015) Lexile: 1130
As a boy in the late nineteenth century, Mal's only friend was Essie, daughter of the Roe witch, and it was she who discovered that he is a "blank," not affected
by magic, setting him on a career as a con artist, traveling the globe in search of a legendary magical dagger that can steal a witch's power.
Starcross, or, The coming of the Moobs!, or, Our Adventures in
the Fourth Dimension!: A Stirring Adventure of Spies, Time Travel And Curious Hats
by Philip Reeve (Bloomsbury, 2007) Lexile: 1150
Young Arthur Mumby, his sister Myrtle, and their mother accept an invitation to take a holiday at an up-and-coming resort in the asteroid belt, where they become
involved in a dastardly plot involving spies, time travel, and mind-altering clothing.
Anna and the Swallow Man
by Gavriel Savit (Knopf, 2016) Lexile: 1160
When her university professor father is sent by the Gestapo to a concentration camp, seven-year-old Anna travels the Polish countryside with the mysterious
Swallow Man during World War II.
Nonfiction
Breakthrough!: How Three People Saved "Blue Babies" and Changed
Medicine Forever by Jim Murphy (Clarion, 2015) Lexile: 1170
The story of the landmark 1944 surgical procedure that repaired the heart of a child with blue baby syndrome--lack of blood oxygen caused by a congenital defect.
The team that developed the procedure included a cardiologist and a surgeon, but most of the actual work was done by Vivien Thomas, an African American lab assistant who was frequently mistaken for a janitor
Chocolate: The Sweet Science and Dark Secrets of the World's Favorite
Treat by Kay Frydenborg (Houghton, 2015) Lexile: 1330
A fascinating account for teen readers that captures the history, science, and economic and cultural implications of the harvesting of cacao and creation of
chocolate. Readers of Chew On This and The Omnivore's Dilemma will savor this rich exposé.
Facing Frederick: The Life of Frederick Douglass, A Monumental
American Man by Tonya Bolden (Abrams, 2018) Lexile: 1140
Chronicles the life of the abolitionist and his many roles, from former slave and orator to newspaperman, women's rights activist, diplomat, and memoirist.
The Finest Hours: The True Story of a Heroic Sea Rescue
by Michael Tougias (Henry Holt, 2014) Lexile: 1140
Documents the 1952 Coast Guard mission to save the crews of two oil tankers that were torn in half by the force of one of New England's worst nor'easters.
The Griffin and the Dinosaur: How Adrienne Mayor Discovered a
Fascinating Link Between Myth and Science by Marc Aronson (Algonquin, 2014)
Lexile: 1140
Traces the research scientist co-author's explorations in Greece and the Gobi Desert for the origins of the mythical griffin, relating the story of the ancient
Scythians and the griffins that were said to have guarded their treasure.
Iron Rails, Iron Men, and the Race to Link the Nation: The Story
of the Transcontinental Railroad by Martin W. Sandler (Candlewick, 2015)
Lexile: 1230
Experience the race of rails to link the country--and meet the men behind this incredible feat--in a riveting story about the building of the transcontinental
railroad, brought to life with archival photos.
Mercy: The Incredible Story of Henry Bergh, Founder of the ASPCA
and Friend to Animals by Nancy Furstinger (Houghton, 2016) Lexile: 1140
Presents the life of the animal activist, describing his work in nineteenth-century New York to bring attention to the cruel treatment of animals, the initial
opposition that he faced, and his founding of the ASPCA in 1866.
Passenger on the Pearl: The True Story of Emily Edmonson's Flight
From Slavery by Winifred Conkling (Algonquin, 2015) Lexile: 1160
Documents the events of the 1848 escape attempt by Emily Edmonson on board the Pearl, discussing the contributions made by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Emily's subsequent
education, and her history-changing teaching career.
Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls
by Tonya Bolden (Abrams, 2017) Lexile: 1150
Profiles sixteen high-achieving African Americans, including magician Richard Potter, concert singer Sissieretta Jones, and architect Paul R. Williams.
Radioactive!: How Irene Curie & Lise Meitner Revolutionized Science
and Changed the World by Winifred Conkling (Algonquin, 2016) Lexile: 1160
Shares the story of how the daughter of Marie and Pierre Curie discovered artificial radioactivity and won a Nobel Prize in spite of being denied an advanced
education, inspiring physicist Lise Meitner to make a vital discovery about nuclear fission.
Sally Ride: Life on a Mission
by Sue Macy (Aladdin, 2014) Lexile: 1170
Details the lesser-known achievements of the first woman in space, from her national tennis rankings and work as a physicist to her Presidential Medal of Freedom
award and founding of a company for girls interested in science and math.
Ten Days a Madwoman: The Daring Life and Turbulent Times of the
Original "Girl" Reporter Nelly Bly by Deborah Noyes (Viking, 2016)
Lexile: 1210
A biography of Nellie Bly, the pioneering journalist whose showy but substantive stunts skyrocketed her to fame.
To the Moon!: The True Story of the American Heroes on the Apollo
8 Spaceship by Jeffrey Kluger (Philomel, 2018) Lexile: 1180
Recounts the first crewed spaceship to travel to the Moon, describing how the Cold War and the tragedy of Apollo 1 shaped the Apollo 8 mission and offering
facts about living in a spaceship.
Tricky Vic: The Impossibly True Story of the Man Who Sold the
Eiffel Tower by Greg Pizzoli (Viking, 2015) Lexile: 1230
Recounts the life of Victor Lustig, an international con man who had swindled thousands of people, including Al Capone, and was best known for "selling" the
Eiffel Tower.
The Virginia Giant: The True Story of Peter Francisco
by Sherry Norfolk (History Press, 2014) Lexile: 1180
Explore the thrilling story of Peter Francisco, known as the Virginia Giant, and his exploits as a hero of the American Revolution.
The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked, and Found
by Martin W. Sandler (Candlewick, 2017) Lexile: 1270
Describes what happened when a slave ship packed with plunder was captured by pirates in 1717 then sunk by a brutal storm. Tells the story of the 1984 expedition
to locate the wreck and what was uncovered.
Linda Williams |
She/Her/Hers
| Youth Services Consultant, Division of Library Development |
Linda.Williams@ct.gov | Office: (860) 704-2207
libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/dld/children
| 786 S. Main St., Middletown, CT 06457 | Phone: (860) 704-2200 | Fax : (860) 704-2228
From: CASL-L [mailto:casl-l-bounces@mylist.net]
On Behalf Of Musket, Kimberly
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2018 7:23 AM
To: casl-l@mylist.net
Subject: [CASL-L] 11th/12th grade reading level books
Good morning-
I'm looking for books that are written on a 11th or 12th grade reading level but are appropriate for middle school students. Can anyone recommend any or give me a suggestion of where
to find some titles?
I'm starting to think that there really isn't anything out there except for the classics.
Our district uses IRLA for reading levels. You can't just get a list of books at that level. You have to buy a basket of books without knowing what titles are in it.
Thank you
Kim
Kim Musket
School Librarian
Webmaster
James H. Moran Middle School