Top Books of 2019
The 25 Classics Most Assigned by Middle School Teachers
Here’s our annual rundown of the books on Vocabulary.com that were assigned most often last year by teachers. Which of these are you reading?
For more, check out the Top 25 Middle Grade Contemporary Titles, as well as the Top 25 High School Classics and the Top 25 High School Contemporary Titles.
The OutsidersIn the 1960s, tensions between two rival gangs separated along economic lines reach a violent breaking point.
The GiverTwelve-year-old Jonas lives in a regimented community that is free from pain and suffering — but also free from joy, independence, and even color. When he is appointed the community's Receiver of Memory, Jonas begins to question everything he has been taught.
HatchetThe sole survivor of a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness, thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson will need resourcefulness, courage, and strength in order to stay alive.
The Watsons Go to Birmingham1963When the Watson family pays Grandma a visit in Alabama, they find themselves caught up in the battle for civil rights.
The Diary of Anne FrankThis dramatic adaptation of the diary of a young Jewish girl hiding from the Nazis won both a Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize.
Bud, Not BuddyDuring the Great Depression, a ten-year-old boy hits the road in search of the father he has never known.
To Kill a MockingbirdIn this classic coming-of-age story, Scout Finch recounts her childhood in Maycomb, Alabama. When Scout's father is appointed to defend a black man in a high-profile trial, racial tensions in the small town come to a head.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My CrySet in Mississippi during the Great Depression, this classic novel follows Cassie Logan and her family as they face prejudice and economic hardship.
Number the StarsDuring World War II, ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her family take part in a courageous effort to protect the Jewish citizens of Denmark from the Nazis.
Tuck EverlastingAfter meeting the Tucks, a family that is able to live forever after drinking from a magical spring, Winnie Foster questions whether immortality is a blessing or a curse.
Lord of the FliesWhen they are marooned on a deserted island, a group of schoolboys attempts to form a new society.
Animal FarmWhat would happen if the Russian Revolution of 1917 took place on a small English farm? This provocative novella blends fable, satire, and allegory while grappling with some of the twentieth-century's most consequential political ideas.
The Call of the WildIn this action-packed adventure story, a domesticated dog must shed his civilized ways to become a proper sled dog during the Yukon Gold Rush.
A Wrinkle in TimeMadeleine L'Engle's classic novel details the adventures of the precocious Murry children as they travel across space and time to track down their missing father.
NightIn this unflinching memoir, Elie Wiesel describes his experience as a young man imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust. 2006 Hill and Wang edition.
A Midsummer Night's DreamIn this comedy, two Athenian couples and a troupe of actors become unwitting pawns in a squabble between a fairy king and queen.
A Christmas CarolOn Christmas Eve, cruel penny-pincher Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three spirits who show him visions of his past, present, and future.
The HobbitIn this prequel to The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins enjoys a quiet life until a group of dwarves and a wizard named Gandalf enlist him in their quest for a dragon's treasure.
The Phantom TollboothIn this novel filled with wordplay, the eternally bored Milo travels to the Lands Beyond and embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason. Learn these words from Norton Juster's beloved classic.
Flowers for AlgernonCharlie Gordon goes through an experimental treatment to increase his intelligence, with unexpected and ultimately tragic results.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassWritten by the influential abolitionist, Douglass's autobiography bears witness to the horrors of slavery.
The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeWhile exploring an unfamiliar house, four siblings discover a portal to the mystical kingdom of Narnia, a perpetually frozen land under the control of a powerful witch.
The Adventures of Tom SawyerGood-hearted but mischievous, Tom Sawyer can't keep himself out of trouble as he grows up in a small town on the Mississippi River.
The PearlIn this novella based on a Mexican folk tale, a poor diver rejoices when he finds an enormous pearl — but the treasure may not be the blessing it seems to be.
Bridge to TerabithiaJess and Leslie spend their free time playing in the fantasy land of Terabithia; but when tragedy strikes, one of them will have to learn to cope with loss in the real world.
Sign up now (it’s free!)
Whether you’re a teacher or a learner,
Vocabulary.com can put you or your class
on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.