Riot Recommendation

18 of Your Favorite Middle Grade Books About Friendship!

Vanessa Diaz

Managing Editor

Book Riot Managing Editor Vanessa Diaz is a writer and former bookseller from San Diego, CA whose Spanish is even faster than her English. When not reading or writing, she enjoys dreaming up travel itineraries and drinking entirely too much tea. She is a regular co-host on the All the Books podcast who especially loves mysteries, gothic lit, mythology/folklore, and all things witchy. Vanessa can be found on Instagram at @BuenosDiazSD or taking pictures of pretty trees in Portland, OR, where she now resides.

This Riot Recommendation listing for your favorite middle grade books about friendship is sponsored by Best Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham with First Second Books.

Bestselling creators of Real Friends Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham are back with a true story about popularity, first crushes, and finding your own path. Sixth grade is supposed to be perfect. Shannon’s got a sure spot in the in-crowd and her best friend is their leader, the most popular girl in school. But the rules are always changing, and Shannon has to scramble to keep up.

Follow your heart. Find your people.


We all need somebody to lean on and books to get our read on. That’s why we’re sharing your favorite middle grade books about friendship! From the tried and true classics to newer reads, these are giving me all the feels. Because I care, I’m sharing those feels with you. Here are your favorite middle grade books about friendship!

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Wonder by R.J. Palacios

You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly

To Night Owl From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser

The Way to Bea by Kat Yeh

So Done by Paula Chase

Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker

Drumroll Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis

The Magnificent Mya Tibbs: Spirit Week Showdown by Crystal Allen

Just Jaime by Terri Libenson

Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel José Older

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee

Revenge of the Red Club by Kim Harrington

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez