Book challenges and awards
America's Battle of the Books Medium 20 list for grades 7-8, 2026-27 (used by Kern County, California junior highs)
A 20-book middle school list from Kern County, California, new for 2026-27 in the Medium 20 format. It leans toward historical fiction and survival, with some graphic and nonfiction picks.
Copied from America's Battle of the Books (battleofthebooks.org) 'Medium 20 Book List 7-8 Grades 2026-27', the official list page. Kern County, California's 2026-27 letter assigns this list to its Junior High (6th-8th grade) battle, 15 of 20 titles. It is ABB's 7-8 list, not a 6-8 list. Oct 2026. Checked 2026-10-25. Nobody paid to be here. The buy links are plain search links, not affiliate links, so Peabody earns nothing from them.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
John Boyne · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
Watch for: Holocaust setting; the ending is upsetting. Often read from age 12 or older.
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New Kid
Jerry Craft · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Enchanted Air
Margarita Engle · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
Dan Gemeinhart · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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On the Far Side of the Mountain
Jean Craighead George · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Mona Lisa Vanishes
Nicholas Gray · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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The Last Cuentista
Donna Barba Higuera · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Scary Stories for Young Foxes
Christian McKay Heidicker · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
Watch for: Horror; frightening scenes for sensitive readers.
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House Arrest
K.A. Holt · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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A Single Shard
Linda Sue Park · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life
James Patterson · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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The Amazing Generation
Catherine Price and Jonathan Haidt · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Lost in the River of Grass
Ginny Rorby · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Counting by 7s
Holly Sloan · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
Watch for: A parent's death and a child left alone.
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Elephant Run
Roland Smith · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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The Egypt Game
Zilpha Keatley Snyder · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Chasing Lincoln's Killer
James L. Swanson · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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Surviving the Applewhites
Stephanie S. Tolan · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
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The Running Dream
Wendelin Van Draanen · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon
Harbor Me
Jacqueline Woodson · Ages 11-14
On the 2026-27 list for this grade band; books are chosen for Battle of the Books questions.
Buy: Bookshop.org · Amazon
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