Every year VOYA (The Voice of Youth Advocates) offers a list of the top books of that year for middle school readers.  Middle school can be particularly difficult to purchase for, since students in that age range are transitioning to full teen reads, yet not everything in the teen collection may be appropriate for them.  So here are the best books of 2012  for that age selected by VOYA:

  

Almost Home by Joan Bauer

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy

Buddy by M. H. Herlong

  

The Cheshire Cheese Cat by Carmen Agra Deedy

Child of the Mountains by Marilyn Sue Shank

Chomp by Carl Hiassen

  

Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact by A. J. Hartley

Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey

A Diamond in the Desert by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

  

Double by Jenny Valentine

Eva of the Farm by Dia Calhoun

Fighting for Dontae by Mike Castan

  

Jump into the Sky by Shelley Pearsall

Kepler’s Dream by Juliet Bell

Laugh with the Moon by Shana Burg

  

Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

  

Pip and the Wood Witch Curse by Chris Mould

Poison Most Vial by Benedict Carey

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen

  

Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus

Sway by Amber McRee Turner

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

  

Ungifted by Gordon Korman

Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

Wonder by R. J. Palacio