Summer Reading Lists for Kids Aged 8-12

This summer, Patch is teaming up with ReadKiddoRead, the children's literacy foundation established by author James Patterson, to help bring parents a list of age-appropriate summer reading materials.

Here's the ReadKiddoRead summer reading picks for children ages 8-12. Parents, you can find reviews of these books and more in the Advanced Reads section of ReadKiddoRead.com.

For more summer reading lists, visit our Summer Reading topic page.

Dead End in Norvelt
by Jack Gantos
Two months of being grounded during summer vacation change Jack Gantos’ life forever. Especially since it involves the mysterious chore of typing obituaries for his intriguing neighbor.

Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading
by Tommy Greenwald
What happens when Charlie Joe Jackson, the most reluctant reader EVER has to actually read a book?

Big Nate in a Class by Himself (Big Nate series)
by Lincoln Peirce
Things don’t always go your way just because you’re awesome.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
by Tom Angleberger
Dwight is a clueless boy with a prescient Yoda hand-puppet. His classmate Tommy is mystified.

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life (Middle School series)
by James Patterson
Middle school student Rafe Khatchadorian decides to break every rule in the school’s Code of Conduct. But what happens when things don’t go as planned?

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Wimpy Kid series)
by Jeff Kinney
Read Greg Heffley’s diary detailing trials and tribulations from middle school.

Bud Not Buddy
by Christopher Paul Curtis
Bud, a motherless boy on the run, is armed with his suitcase of secret, important things, his book with instructions on having a fun life and being a better liar and clues to find his father. Nothing is going to come in Bud’s way—not hunger, fear or vampires.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret
by Brian Selznick
This book weaves prose and illustrations beautifully to tell the story of Parisian orphan, clock keeper and petty thief Hugo.

Maniac Magee
by Jerry Spinelli
Orphan Jeffrey Lionel “Maniac” Magee decides to run away from his unhappy aunt and uncle. And then he decides just to run.

Wonder
by R.J. Palacio
A facial deformity prevented August Pullman from going to a regular school. He craves an ordinary life when he joins Beecher Prep. as a fifth grader. But he soon learns that you can’t blend in when you were meant to stand out.

Eragon (Inheritance Cycle series)
by Christopher Paolini
Can farm boy turned dragon rider Eragon and blue stone turned dragon Saphira join forces to save the world?

Gregor The Overlander (Underland Chronicles series)
by Suzanne Collins
What happens when New Yorker Gregor falls through the grate in his apartments and enter the strange world of the Underland?

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter enters the world of magic and realizes his destiny.  
                                                                      
The Westing Game
by Ellen Raskin
This intricately plotted story has 16 people who could become millionaires if they can play the tricky and dangerous Westing game.

A Wrinkle in Time
by Madeline L’engle
Meg Murray, her little brother Charles Wallace and their friend Calvin travel through space and time to find Meg and Charles’ father.

Guinness: World Records 2012
by Guinness World Records
Read about extraordinary, interesting daredevils who want to push the limits and their record- breaking feats.

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2012
by National Geographic Kids
Learning about your world and everything in it was never so much fun!

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not: Special Edition 2012
by Ripley’s Inc.
Read about the bizarre, the hilarious and the incredible in this fun collection!

DOT SAYS:

"Middle schoolers will understand why the paranormal fiction The Graveyard Book by Gaiman won the coveted Newbury medal in 2009."

"I would add another Newbury winner to the list - The Giver by Lois Lowry. Winning in 1994, this science fiction can be interrupted and understood on different levels depending on the maturity of the reader."

Did your kids have fun reading the books on the list? What are you reading this summer? Are there other books that should make it to the list? Share your reading experiences with us and post a comment below!