Getting middle school students to read nonfiction books can be a very challenging experience. It is extremely important to add a variety of nonfiction books to your list, so students will have a wide range from which to choose. E
Exposing middle schoolers to a wide variety of nonfiction subjects will allow them to find what interests them. Once they have these experiences, they will enjoy nonfiction much more.
To make things easier for you, we have developed a list of 30 nonfiction books for you to add to your classroom collection.
1. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
In May 1943, an American military plane suddenly crashed into the Pacific Ocean, and it quickly disappeared below the water. Louis Zamperini, a young lieutenant, miraculously survived the crash, but will he survive sharks, starvation, and thirst?
Learn more: Amazon
2. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson, a young lawyer, founded the Equal Justice Initiative, which defends the most desperate and wrongly condemned. One of his first cases is the incredible story involving a young man who was sentenced to death for a murder he swears he did not commit. This case throws Bryan into a tangled web of conspiracy and completely transformed his comprehension of justice and mercy.
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3. Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
Gene, the main character, understands stories, especially comic books. He does not enjoy sports at all. He is now a high school teacher, and all everyone talks about is basketball. He soon learns that the young players and their journey to the championship are as intriguing as comic book pages. Soon, the Dragon's lives are about to change and so is his.
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4. Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings by Margarita Engle
Margarita is from two worlds. The majority of her time is spent living in Los Angeles, but her heart lies in Cuba, her mother’s country. A revolution starts in Cuba, and she fears for her Cuban family. Soon, hostility between the United States and Cuba begins, and both of her worlds collide. Why do her two countries have to hate one another? Will she ever be able to visit Cuba again?
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5. Night by Elie Wiesel
This true story is a true masterpiece. Elie Wiesel tells about how he survived the Nazi death camps while he was a mere teenager. Elie's personal stories help readers understand what the Holocaust truly was as well as the legacy it leaves behind.
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6. The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
In December of 2000, the Baltimore Sun contained two separate articles about two men named Wes Moore. One was a student who had received a scholarship, and one was wanted for murdering a police officer. Wes Moore, the student, wrote a letter to the convicted murderer, and they developed a lasting friendship. Enjoy this amazing story!
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7. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
In April 1992, Christopher Johnson McCandless, a young man from a prominent family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked into the wilderness alone north of Mt. McKinley. He had given away all of his belongings to begin a new life. Unfortunately, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter four months later. How did he die in the wild?
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8. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
This book is a memoir of Frank McCourt. He was born during the Depression, and his mother, Angela, had little money to feed her children. This fascinating story tells of Frank's survival as he endured starvation, poverty, and cruelty.
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9. How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg
Perfect for reluctant readers, this nonfiction book is a collection of remarkable deaths. It includes King Tut's autopsy and Albert Einstein's amazing brain escape. Boys will especially love the gory details of the deaths of nineteen famous people.
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10. Chunky by Yehudi Mercado
This is one of the best middle-grade nonfiction graphic novels. Hudi struggles with his weight, and his parents push him to play sports which he does not want to do. He meets his imaginary friend and mascot, Chunky, and they try baseball.
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11. Free Lunch by Rex Ogle
Rex is a poor child in a prominent school district, and his mom signed him up for free lunch at school. He is embarrassed by this. He is hungry and wears second-hand clothing. He even misses the bus so the other students won't see his home.
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12. Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Fleming
Amelia Earhart, the world's most famous female pilot, set out on May 21, 1937, to circumnavigate the globe. She disappeared six weeks later over the Pacific Ocean, and her plane has never been found.
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13. Flesh and Blood so Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy by Albert Marrin
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, located in New York City, burst into flames on March 25, 1911. It was very crowded, and its doors were locked so the workers would stay inside. Unfortunately, 146 people, mostly women, perished in the fire, which was one of the most lethal fires in the workplace in American history.
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14. Trapped by Marc Aronson
This is the incredible story of 33 miners trapped 2,000 feet below the surface in Chile. In August 2010, a mine collapsed leaving the miners trapped for 69 days, and they lived on insufficient resources and poor air quality. Enjoy this amazing survival story.
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15. Bonnie and Clyde by Karen Blumenthal
This is the true and fascinating story of Bonnie and Clyde, the most famous outlaw couple that America has ever known. How did Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, two very poor Texan teens, turn into vicious outlaws?
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16. Rising Water: The Story of the Thai Cave Rescue by Marc Aronson
This book tells the compelling story of the rescue of twelve young male soccer players that found themselves trapped along with their coach in a flooded Thailand cave. It took eight days for them to be found by British divers, and the rescue itself took three days.
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17. Four Perfect Pebbles: The True Story of the Holocaust by Lila Perl and Marion Blumenthal Lazan
This book tells the true story of Marion Blumenthal Lazan's life as a refugee trapped in Nazi Germany during Hitler’s reign of terror. She, her brother, and her parents were forced to live in prison, refugee, and transit camps for six years before they made it safely to the U.S.
Learn more: Amazon
18. We Should Hang Out Sometime by Josh Sundquist
This is one of middle schoolers' favorite nonfiction books. It is a humorous memoir that explains the dating journey of a cancer survivor that is also an amputee. A YouTube star and Paralympic ski racer go on a girlfriend search to which many teens can relate.
Learn more: Amazon
19. No Ordinary Dog: My Partner from the SEAL Teams to the Bin Laden Raid by Will Chesney and Joe Layden
There is no love like that between a man and his dog. This miraculous story is about a U.S. Navy SEAL Operator, Will Chesney, and his military dog, Cairo. Cairo saved Will's life when they eliminated Osama bin Laden in his compound in May of 2011.
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20. Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson by Katherine Johnson
This is the inspiring autobiography of Katherine Johnson's successful life as a NASA mathematician who contributed to the launch of Apollo 11. This autobiography allows Katherine to tell her own story and hopefully inspire many young readers today.
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21. The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery by Steve Sheinkin
In this biography, Steve Sheinkin teaches us a lesson in history and tells us of the life of Benedict Arnold who is known as America's first traitor. He was also one of America's heroes in the Revolutionary War.
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22. Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge: George and Martha Washington's Courageous Slave Who Dared to Run Away by Erica Armstrong Dunbar
In this phenomenal narrative, Erica Armstrong Dunbar shares the story of Ona Judge, one of George and Martha Washington's slaves, who escaped and fled to the north. She was extremely brave to escape powerful people like the Washingtons.
Learn more: Amazon
23. Steve Jobs: Insanely Great by Jessie Hartland
This graphic novel tells about the life of Steve Jobs, the Apple innovator who brought the world Apple computers, iPhones, iPods, Macs, Pixar, and more. Learn about his successes and setbacks.
Learn more: Amazon
24. Laughing at my Nightmare by Shane Burcaw
Shane Burcaw describes the many challenges he has faced in life as he has battled spinal muscular atrophy. He handles various situations with humor, and he has a "you-only-live-once" attitude about life.
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25. Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina & New Orleans by Don Brown
August 29, 2005, was the day New Orleans encountered Hurricane Katrina, and its horrific winds and rushing water. Over $100 billion in damages were done, and 1,833 people tragically lost their lives. Learn how the people persevered through this tragedy.
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26. The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
This true story for teens is about race, crime, class, gender, and punishment. Learn about an agender teenager who was horrifically set on fire by another teenager while riding a bus home from school in Oakland, California. Sasha and Richard's lives were forever changed by this horrific act of violence.
Learn more: Amazon
27. The Finest Hours by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman
This book tells the true story of a shipwreck involving two oil tankers as well as the Coast Guard rescue which included only four brave men in a small lifeboat that was able to overcome insurmountable odds and save more than 30 sailors.
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28. No Summit Out of Sight by Jordan Romero and Linda LeBlanc
This young adult memoir tells how Jordan Romero, an American teenager, climbed Mount Everest when he was only 13 years old. He became the youngest person to climb Mount Everest.
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29. Surviving Middle School: Navigating the Halls, Riding the Social Roller Coaster, and Unmasking the Real You by Luke Reynolds
Luke Reynolds, a veteran teacher, provides humor and real-life examples in this nonfiction book as he guides kids on how to survive and thrive during middle school. Readers will be able to find their place in the world with the advice that Reynolds provides.
Learn more: Amazon
30. Rising Above: How 11 Athletes Overcame Challenges in Their Youth to Become Stars by Gregory Zuckerman
Enjoy these inspirational true stories of famous athletes such as LeBron James, Tim Howard, Stephen Curry, and many more! Learn about how they overcame challenges, worked hard, and rose above their circumstances to achieve success.
Learn more: Amazon
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