Outstanding Middle School Non-Fiction
Discover outstanding middle school non-fiction books! Our curated list features top-rated reads perfect for young learners to explore and enjoy.
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The American Story: 100 True Tales from American History
by Jennifer Armstrong
American history comes alive in these 100 true stories that define our country. This magnificent treasury tells the story of America through 100 true tales. Some are tales of triumph—the midnight ride of Paul Revere, the Wright brothers taking to the air, Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon. Some are tales of tragedy—the fate of the Donner Party, the great fire in Chicago, the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. There are stories of inventors and athletes and abolitionists and artists. Stories about struggling for freedom—again and again, in so many ways. With full-color illustrations on nearly every page and short, exciting stories, this book is perfect for browsing by the entire family. Notes at the end of each story direct readers to related stories. And a guide to thematic story arcs offers readers (and teachers) an easy way to follow their particular interests throughout the book. A treasure trove of a book that belongs in every home! “This lively and engaging collection of stories recounting American history is a wonderful gift not only to the children of this country but also their parents. I can’t wait to share it with my grandchildren.” —Tom Brokaw
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An American Plague
by Jim Murphy
Recreates the devastation rendered to the city of Philadelphia in 1793 by an incurable disease known as yellow fever, detailing the major social and political events as well as the time's medical beliefs and practices.
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Black Potatoes
by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
The award-winning author pens a fascinating account of the potato blight thatstruck in Ireland, telling the story of the men, women, and children who madeevery attempt to survive and hang on to hope.
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Shutting Out the Sky
by Deborah Hopkinson
In her nonfiction debut, the award-winning author recounts the lives of five young immigrants to New York's Lower East Side through oral histories and engaging narrative.
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The Boys' War
by Jim Murphy
Includes diary entries, personal letters, and archival photographs to describe the experiences of boys, sixteen years old or younger, who fought in the Civil War.
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Now Is Your Time!
by Walter Dean Myers
History has made me an African American. It is an Africa that I have come from, and an America that I have helped to create. Since they were first brought as captives to Virginia, the people who would become African Americans have struggled for freedom. Thousands fought for the rights of all Americans during the Revolutionary War, and for their own rights during the Civil War. On the battlefield, through education, and through their creative genius, they have worked toward one goal: that the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness be denied no one. Fired by the legacy of men and women like Abd al Rahman Ibrahima, Ida B. Wells, and George Latimer, the struggle continues today. Here is African-American history, told through the stories of the people whose experiences have shaped and continue to shape the America in which we live.