I’ve ordered books here by grade level — but your students are may be totally different than any I’ve had, so take that with some grains of salt. I’ve also starred the ones that I think are the best for using as part of the curriculum. I’ve tried to pick books that are still in print.
Putting Up Roots, by Charles Sheffield
- 5th-7th grade, great for class discussions about bullying or disabilities
A Wind in the Door, by Madeleine L’Engle
- 6th-8th grade, excellent biology tie-in, sequel to ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ but can be read alone just fine
** Hidden Talents, by David Lubar
- 6th-8th grade, especially great for struggling or disengaged students
Invitation to the Game, by Monica Hughes
- 6th-9th grade, great material for class discussions, ecology tie-ins
** Eva, by Peter Dickinson
- 7th-9th grade, tie-ins with biology and ecology, can be great for class discussions about the ethics involved in scientific research
Obernewtyn, by Isobelle Carmody
- 8th-9th grade, can tie in with history, may be too dark for some readers
Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card
- 7th-9th grade, can tie in nicely with history and government
Declaration, by Gemma Malley
- 7th-9th grade, can prompt some great discussions about government, marginalized people, etc.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
- 7th-9th grade, a fun one for readers who are starting to understand different types of humor. I used this book a lot for advanced ELL/ESL students.
** Childhood’s End, by Arthur C. Clarke
- 8th-10th grade, and is already on high school reading lists across the country – with good reason. A lot of room for discussions and essays about sociology and group psychology, about government and control via withholding information.
** Beggars in Spain, by Nancy Kress
- 9th-12th grade, with a lot of great depth on issues like ethics in science, group solidarity vs wanting to help others, discrimination and its roots in fear, etc.