Books for Struggling Readers in Middle or High School

When twelve-year-old Ryan reluctantly agrees to join his experienced older brother Tanner on a camping trip, he could never have dreamed this would turn into the most frightening day of his life.

Life is not easy for twelve-year-old Erec Rex. His single mother can barely support her six adopted kids. And they’ve moved into an apartment so tiny that Erec sleeps with the washing machine. Worse, there is a strange force within Erec that is making him do odd things. His urge to obey these thoughts grows — until it becomes impossible to resist them.Then one morning, Erec’s mother is missing. The force inside Erec commands him to find her, leading him on an adventure that will change him forever. When he arrives in Alypium, a hidden world where old knowledge of magic is kept, Erec learns that his mother and the entire kingdom are in peril. And he might be the only one who can save them.

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The Underland Chronicles: Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

Lexile score = 630L

From School Library Journal: It’s the beginning of summer and everyone is going off to camp except Gregor, an 11-year-old boy from New York City. Since his father’s disappearance from their New York City home, he has been helping out with taking care of his little sisters, especially two-year-old Boots. Gregor sacrifices his chance to go to camp, letting his other sister go instead. While doing laundry in the basement of his apartment building, Boots disappears down an air chute and Gregor goes after her. At the bottom of this inner-city rabbit hole, the two find themselves in the Underland surrounded immediately by giant cockroaches, or crawlers. The story moves quickly as the two Overlanders are taken to the Queen of the Underlander humans, where Gregor learns of a prophecy which focuses on him and a quest to find his missing father. He travels with bats, crawlers, spinners (giant spiders), a rat, and two of the royal Underlanders. Gregor spends his time between protecting Boots, who doesn’t know she needs to be protected, and becoming the leader of the questors who must not only save his father, but also save the Underlanders’ kingdom.

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The Postcard by Tony Abbott

Lexile score = 630L

She died today. One phone call changes Jason’s summer vacation-and life!-forever.

When Jason’s grandmother dies, he’s sent down to her home in Florida to help his father clean out her things. At first he gripes about spending his summer miles away from his best friend, doing chores, and sweating in the Florida heat, but he soon discovers a mystery surrounding his grandmother’s murky past.

An old, yellowed postcard…a creepy phone call with a raspy voice at the other end asking, “So how smart are you?”…an entourage of freakish funeral goers….a bizarre magazine story. All contain clues that will send him on a thrilling journey to uncover family secrets.

Award-winning author Tony Abbott weaves an intriguing and entertaining mystery of adventure, friendship and family.

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Night Camp by L.C. Evans

I do not have a Lexile Score on this one but my son was able to read it when he was in 5th grade with few issues.

A spooky graveyard. A creepy basement. A pair of coffins.

Thirteen-year-old Shane Andrews hates summer camp. When his parents allow him to choose, Shane decides to pick the worst camp he can find. Night Camp must be terrible. For one thing, activities take place at night and campers sleep during the day. That can’t be good, Shane reasons. His parents will realize Night Camp is even worse than they thought and they’ll come back to get him. Then Shane’s plans for summer freedom fall apart. His cousin Brad, a boy with a huge collection of tabloid magazines, convinces Shane that two of the camp counselors are vampires. Shane enlists the help of Brad and a girl camper named Nicole. The three set out to save themselves and the other campers. Then Shane uncovers the secret of Night Camp…

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The Jacket by Andrew Clements

Lexile score = 640L

After wrongly accusing a boy–an African American boy—of stealing his brother’s jacket, Phil–a white boy–has some hard thinking to do. And a tough question for his mom: “How come you never told me I was prejudiced?” This seemingly small school incident turns into a painful, but ultimately satisfying, learning opportunity for the sixth grader, as he explores the myriad influences in his life and the way his thought patterns have formed… and finds a new friend in the process. The intellectual evolution Phil goes through may be somewhat facile for a child his age, but Andrew Clements’s message will undoubtedly hit home for many readers. This is exactly the kind of situation that arises every day in schools (and offices and buses) all over the world. Clements is the author of many highly acclaimed children’s books, including The Janitor’s Boy and Frindle.  –Emilie Coulter

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The Last Martin

Lexile score = HL470L

There’s always a Martin. One Martin. Martin Boyle already has plenty to worry about. His germaphobic mother keeps him home from school if she hears so much as a sneeze, and his father is always off somewhere reenacting old war battles. Julia, the most beautiful girl in school, won’t even speak to Martin, and the gym teacher is officially out to get him.
Which is why Martin really doesn’t need this curse hanging over his head. On a trip to the family cemetery, Martin wanders among the tombstones of his ancestors and discovers a disturbing pattern: when one Martin is born, the previous Martin dies. And—just his luck—Martin’s aunt is about to give birth to a baby boy, who will, according to tradition, be named Martin. Martin must find a way to break the curse, but every clue seems to lead to a dead end. And time is running out.

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Bad Deal

Lexile score = HL490L

This book is part of the Surviving Southside series. There appear to be six books and they all fall under 600L. Read the description carefully as these may be more suitable for older students.

It’s not going to hurt anyone. Fish hates having to take ADHD medication. It helps him concentrate, but it also makes him feel weird. So when his crush, Ella, needs a boost to study for tests, Fish offers her one of his pills. Soon more kids want pills, and Fish is enjoying the profits. To keep from running out, Fish finds a doctor who sells phony
prescriptions. But suddenly, the doctor is arrested. Fish realizes he needs to tell the truth. But will that cost him his friends?

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Sewer Rats

Lexile measure = HL530L

Jim and his friends are part of a league of paintballers who play in the town’s sewers. When a member of their team sabotages a match, her mates try to confront her. She runs into the tunnels when a rainstorm hits, and they must find her before the water rises.

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Need more? You can  CLICK HERE for a longer list of books.

You can also check out THIS POST regarding graphic novels for struggling readers and HERE for a list of high low books for high school aged kids.

Do you have a title to suggest? Please leave a note in the comment section.