It is difficult at times to find books that are appropriate for junior high students since adult themes are introduced earlier and earlier. Here are some titles that I have read that are “good stories” and I think your student(s) will enjoy. There are also senior high titles listed below them.

** JH  junior high  SH senior high

My Side of the Mountain, Jean Craighead George  JH A story of a young man living by himself in the wilderness and the adventures he has while there.

Artemis Fowl, Eion Colfer  JH Artemis is a boy genius who is spoiled and doesn’t always do the right thing. It is fantasy with fairies, but I thought it was a good adventure book for my early teen sons and led to many discussions concerning consequences and honesty. There are several in this series, all of which we enjoyed.

Redwall, Brain Jacques JH A great tale of good versus evil, with good triumphing. Junior high students will enjoy reading them on their own. If you can find this on CD, listen to it to get the full effect of the text. I love how the author narrates his own book and has other actors as well. They are well done and make the book come alive. If you like this book you will be pleased to know there are many more titles to choose from as Mr. Jacques was a prolific writer. There is also an animated series you can purchase based upon the books.

The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis JH, SH  This is a seven book series of the adventures of children who were sent away to the country during World War II.  I am recommending these for junior and senior high because of the symbolism that is in each of these books.

The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien SH  This is the first book in the series, Lord of the Rings, and my favorite one of the epic struggle between good and evil. This is wonderful on CD and the whole family will enjoy it.

Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle SH I never tire of reading about Sherlock Holmes. His power of observations and deduction have made these stories a favorite since they were first written in the 19th century. If you own a kindle, any of the books can be downloaded for free.

A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens SH  John 15: 13 states, “Greater man has no man, than he lay his life down for a friend” is true in this story set during the French Revolution. I have read this book a half-dozen times and it never fails to move me to tears, it is that powerful. This is another book that is free for your kindle.

The Robe, Lloyd C. Douglas SH A fictionalized account of the Roman guard who won Jesus’ robe. This book was made into a movie so you can have your student write a comparison/contrast paper between the book and movie.

Happy Reading! 🙂