Middle School Friendship

Charlotte Andrews is perfectly fine being quiet - in fact, she prefers it. When she doesn't speak, people can't make fun of her stutter. But when she witnesses bullying on the school bus and doesn't say anything, her silence comes between her and her best friend. As if that wasn't bad enough, her parents signed her up for musical theater. Charlotte doesn't want to speak onstage, but at least she doesn't stutter when she sings. Then, just as she starts to find her voice, the arts program is cut. Charlotte can't stay silent anymore.

Painfully shy Grace dreads starting fifth grade, now that her best friend has moved away. Jada hopes she'll stop feeling so alone if she finds the mother who left years ago. And Malia fears the arrival of her new baby sister will forever change the family she loves. When the girls each find a mysterious treasure box in their library and begin to fill the box with their own precious things, they start to feel less alone. But it's up to Grace, Jada, and Malia to take the treasures and turn them into something more: true friendship.

Thirteen-year-old Coral Robertson is a popular eighth-grader at Bay Vista Middle School. Her classmate, Shay O'Brien, is a loner who lives in the shadows. The two girls have nothing in common until they become finalists in a speech contest. What begins as a friendly competition escalates into manipulation and bullying. As Coral struggles with pleasing people and Shay teeters on the edge, their worlds start to unravel. This story is about those moments in life that define who we are. Will Coral and Shay find the courage to face their fears? What is holding them back? Who wins the grand prize?

Here are 33 stories about bullies and the ups and downs of friendship for younger teens, including "True Friends and New Friends", "Mean Girls... and Boys", "Embarrassing Moments" and "Bully Payback".

Twelve-year-old thieves Arthur and Wally are determined to steal their way up the ranks of the notorious Black Feathers gang. With loan sharks chasing after Arthur’s father and Wally’s brother’s hospital bill due, they’re in need of serious cash. Fast. When Arthur spots some wealthy strangers exiting a seemingly deserted mansion, he smells an opportunity for a big score. Little do the boys realize, they’ve stumbled upon Weirdwood Manor, the headquarters of a magical order who protect the Balance between the Real and Imaginary worlds.

The Quest for the Enchanted Ingredients Join Isla Thornheart—whimsical witch-in-training—and her sassy, talking cat Midnight in a potion-packed adventure bursting with laughter, mischief, and magical mayhem! When a mysterious letter invites Isla to the prestigious Annual Potion Making Competition, she’s thrilled—until she learns the real challenge: collecting three legendary ingredients scattered across the magical world. No pressure, right? With her trusty wand, a sauce-stained potion book, and a band of quirky companions—including a mischievous Snackaroo and the ever-...

Christmas is almost here, and Alice-Miranda and her closest friends are celebrating early at Highton Hall. But it's not all gingerbread, parties and present shopping. There are mysteries to be solved! Why are Christmas decorations disappearing and local stores empty of festive treats? What long-kept family secret does Alice-Miranda discover? More importantly, what will she do about it?

There’s something strange going on at school. The Breakfast Club Investigators haven't managed to solve a mystery in months – and, even worse, Marcus is worried that the group is going to break up! So when Gbenga, the captain of the school basketball team, comes to ask for their help Marcus knows this might just be the Investigator's last chance to prove themselves. The basketball team have had a streak of bad luck, and Marcus and his mates are sure there's more going on than meets the eye.

Eleven-year-old Anthoni Gillis is not the kind of kid who believes in fairies, unicorns, or even the word maybe. She's more of a comic-book girl. So when her mom brings her to Thunder Lake for a summer at the Showboat Resort, she doesn't believe the local rumors about the Boulay Mermaid. Anthoni has bigger fish to fry. She's always wanted a true-blue friend. But it's been hard to find one, since for the past five years she's been bouncing from town to town, helping her mother sell Beauty & the Bee cosmetic products to keep them both afloat. This summer will be different, though.

From a new coach's flagrant racism to a teammate's endless sabotage, best friends Andi Carillo and Jeff Michaels start basketball season mired in controversy. To make matters worse, the local media smells more than one juicy story. Will Andi and Jeff be able to help each other power through and find a way to put both their teams back on track?

Some wishes should never come true. Back home from the Alliance Initiative, Maia is restless. She wants the Initiative to resume, she wishes to visit the energy summit poised to transform Tansi, she is desperate to break free of her stifling existence and join in the making of Tansi's future. When fate rips Maia's life apart in one cruel swoop and forces her to run for cover, Maia realizes her secret is out and her life is on the line. Thrust into her enemy's cross-hairs, there's no place left to hide. How long will Maia survive, if at all? Maia and the Regency Protocol is the third book of...

Marie Lane has always been the girl with a wild imagination, but when the annual school talent show is announced, her daydreams take a turn for the nerve-wracking. With everyone buzzing about their acts, Marie can’t shake the feeling of stage fright creeping up on her. She loves making people laugh and has the perfect idea for a quirky act with her mischievous dog, Max—but the thought of standing in front of a sea of expectant faces makes her stomach twist into knots. As her friends eagerly prepare for their performances, Marie finds herself torn between her fear of failing and her ...

Set in Zimbabwe, The Music Box is a heartwarming story about the power of friendship, kindness, and standing up to bullies. Eleven-year-old Busi dreads going to her school in Zimbabwe. Her classmates single her out because she was once considered the teacher’s pet, and the school bully, Doreen, continues to harass her. Together with Thabisa, the new girl in school, Busi proposes a Cinderella play as a way to raise funds for a class trip and is ecstatic when she lands the lead role. But Doreen is cast as the wicked stepmother—a role that would allow her to put Busi down. In an attempt to...

Matt is the new kid—again. His attempt to blend in at school quickly unravels when a cafeteria scuffle with two bullies lands him in hot water. Making new friends is never easy, but he soon finds allies in Gina, his photography classmate with a knack for uncovering surprising tidbits, and Rob, who shares Matt's fascination with snakes. Rob’s half-finished swimming pool promises cool summer fun. The discovery of valuable historical artifacts on Rob's property seems like a stroke of luck at first. These centuries-old tools, once used in the construction of nearby Fort Hawkins, become the ...

Enter the world of Ajay, Karan, and Sanjay, also known as AKS - the child prodigies and detectives of Great Mountain International School! Awarded by the Chief Minister of Karnataka for their thrilling adventures and maze-like case solving, these inseparable friends thrive on challenges. In "The Sivamudra Ghost Dance," the trio embarks on a seemingly ordinary school excursion to a power station near the small town of Sivamudra. But Sivamudra holds secrets, and what starts as a simple trip soon plunges AKS into a perplexing mystery. Whispers of ghosts and strange incidents surrounding the ...

Even though it’s nice being back with her friends at Meadow Wood, Vic still can’t forget about the secret reason her mom wanted her and her brother out of the house - or how much her family is going to change. When her home life is blowing up, it can be hard to focus on campfires and canoeing.

The countdown to extinction has begun! After Maia narrowly escapes from yet another execution attempt, she finds her life upended once again. As specters from her past reappear and friendships she had always counted on swiftly collapse around her, Maia is left struggling with her inner demons. All the while, the R’armimon Empire’s mighty Execution Fleet draws closer to Tansi, and everyone braces for annihilation. Maia races to find a way to stop the R’armimon and rediscover the true meaning of friendship, forgiveness, and courage. Will she be on time or is it already too late? Maia ...

Secrets always find their way out. Thirteen-year-old Maia thinks she has seen it all. She has survived a soul-extraction attempt, been threatened with death, and faced off with saboteurs trying to bring down her nation. She lets nothing get to her anymore—not even the memories of her dead mother's terrifying communique. All Maia wants is for the Alliance Initiative to resume. She longs to visit the under-ocean civilization of the Jjord, ride the underwater transport lines, and to learn about the Jjordic energy farms that could save her ruined planet. Most of all, she wants to goof off ...

After defeating the necromancers and bringing alchemy back to the Alexandria Academy, Shad Hadid is ready for an exciting second term at school. It doesn’t hurt that he’s being called a hero, but the new lessons are harder than he expected and his mentor, Kahem, is nowhere to be found. When Shad intercepts a letter from an informant with a possible clue for thwarting the necromancers’ evil plans once and for all, he's determined to help. Joined by his friends, Shad embarks on a perilous journey across Lebanon to track down this secretive stranger.

What if you had the power to destroy the universe? An unimaginable power has awakened within Maia. As much as she wants to resume a regular life at ThulaSu, she realizes normalcy is an impossible quest. She has changed . . . forever. So has the world around her. As fifteen-year-old Maia battles a swiftly-strengthening storm of evil and struggles to regain her friends' trust, she understands the meaning of true strength. That real power is not about blasting everything that stands in her way just because she can, unless it serves the greater good. And sometimes, the greater good can demand ...