8th Grade Reading List
Are you looking for reading material for your 8th grader? This 8th grade reading list has numerous books to choose from. There is also at least one free lesson for each book included on the list. These lessons vary from book to book. Some are comprehensive unit studies or novel guides, while others are simply a set of discussion questions.
All of the lessons below are free, but you will need to obtain the corresponding books. You can buy used books, borrow them from the library, or click/tap on a book’s cover to purchase it on Amazon.
How I Created the List
When creating this 8th grade reading list, I looked at what books several different sources recommend for each grade. Often, various curriculum providers and book lists will recommend a book for different grade levels. For this list, I used the average of the different recommended grade levels. Because of this, you’ll find that other sources may recommend some of the books on this list for another grade instead of 8th grade.
This 8th grade reading list does not include Shakespeare. Those resources can, instead, be found in the post Teaching Shakespeare With Free Resources.
Please note: As values, beliefs, and standards vary widely by family, I have not attempted to screen these books for appropriateness. I recommend reading several reviews before choosing books for your child. The post How to Choose Age Appropriate Books lists several resources you can use to help ensure the books you pick are suitable for your family.
8th Grade Reading List
The books below are listed in alphabetical order by title. For additional book options, also check out our reading lists for other grades.
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Abraham Lincoln by Wilbur Fisk Gordy
The Good and the Beautiful offers the book and corresponding book study as part of their 8th grade language arts download.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The book is now in the public domain, so your child can read it for free at the Internet Archive.
Your child can listen to the audiobook at LibriVox.
Rise to Reading has comprehension questions for each chapter.
NovelWise offers section worksheets, discussion questions, and activities.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
This novel study made available by Clearbrook-Gonvick School includes comprehension questions, discussion questions, vocabulary words, worksheets, and other activities.
NovelWise provides worksheets, graphic organizers, discussion questions, and activity ideas.
Oak National Academy offers video lessons, slide decks, worksheets, and quizzes for the book.
GetWorksheets.com offers worksheets covering many topics from the book.
Fish Tank Learning’s Abusing Power unit study covers Animal Farm and Joseph Stalin (A Wicked History). It includes writing prompts, discussion questions, supporting materials, an assessment, and more.
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
The book is now in the public domain, so your child can read it for free at the Internet Archive.
Your child can listen to the audiobook at LibriVox.
NovelWise provides section worksheets, discussion questions, and activities for the book.
American Literature has a study guide and discussion questions for the book.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
The book is now in the public domain, so your child can read it for free at the Internet Archive.
Your child can listen to the audiobook at LibriVox.
Bookey has discussion questions for each chapter of the book.
NovelWise provides section worksheets, discussion questions, and activities for the book.
Oak National Academy provides video lessons, slide decks, worksheets, and quizzes for the book.
The worksheets from GetWorksheets.com cover comprehension, characters, dialogue, event sequencing, symbolism study, and more.
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
This teacher’s guide from Penguin Random House includes background information, historical context, and questions to use for discussion or writing assignments.
SoftSchools has created an online, multiple-choice quiz for the book.
At AnneFrank.org, your child can take virtual tours of the Secret Annex and the Frank’s home they lived in before the Secret Annex. They can also read more about Anne Frank’s life and view pictures of the Frank family.
The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff
This study guide from Study the Great Books includes grammar, logic, rhetoric, and theological questions for each chapter of the book.
Macmillan Publishers made this teacher’s guide available. It includes discussion questions for several of Rosemary Sutcliff’s books.
Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Heidi is now in the public domain, so your child can read the book for free at the Internet Archive.
Your child can listen to the audiobook at LibriVox.
Rise to Reading provides comprehension questions and writing prompts.
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
LitLovers provides discussion questions for the book.
This curriculum from Holocaust Museum Huston covers the thematic analysis of the book, the historical context, and more.
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
Homeschool.com offers a printable workbook and unit study covering plot, characters, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and more.
Woo! Jr. Kids provides comprehension and vocabulary worksheets for the book.
This worksheet set from Teachers Pay Teachers has short answer and discussion questions for each chapter.
Jo’s Boys by Louisa May Alcott
Jo’s Boys is now in the public domain, so your child can read the book for free at the Internet Archive.
Students can listen to an audiobook of Jo’s Boys at Librivox.
Bookey provides discussion questions for each chapter of the book.
This literature guide from Mercy for Marthas includes questions for each chapter.
Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
Little Men is now in the public domain, so your child can read the book for free at the Internet Archive.
Students can listen to an audiobook of Little Men at Librivox.
Bookey has discussion questions for each chapter of the book.
This literature guide, created by Mercy for Marthas, includes questions for each chapter.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Little Women is now in the public domain, so your child can read the book for free at the Internet Archive.
Your child can listen to the audiobook at LibriVox.
Mercy for Marthas’ literature guide has comprehension questions for each chapter of the book.
Rise to Reading has comprehension questions, vocabulary words, and writing prompts for the book.
This quiz, found on Teachers Pay Teachers, has 40 questions about the book.
Night by Elie Wiesel
Bookey provides discussion questions for each chapter of the book.
Fish Tank Learning offers a unit study that includes writing prompts, discussion questions, supporting materials, an assessment, and more.
NovelWise provides worksheets, graphic organizers, discussion questions, and activity ideas.
Spring Tide by Mary Ray
Mercy for Marthas provides questions for each chapter in their literature guide.
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
The Good and the Beautiful offers the book and corresponding book study as part of their 8th grade language arts download.
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
The book is now in the public domain, so your child can read it for free at the Internet Archive.
Your child can listen to the audiobook at LibriVox.
Enotes provides multiple-choice quizzes for each chapter of the book.
Homeschool Helper Online offers activity suggestions for each chapter. They also have a printable unit study with worksheets for students to record their learning. To download this, you’ll need to sign up to get access to their free resource library.
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Treasure Island is now in the public domain, so your child can read it for free at the Internet Archive.
Your child can listen to the audiobook at LibriVox.
NovelWise offers worksheets, graphic organizers, discussion questions, and activity ideas.
Bookey provides discussion questions for each chapter of the book.
SparkNotes has multiple-choice quizzes for the book.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
This study guide from SparkNotes includes chapter summaries, information about the book’s characters and literary devices, quizzes, and suggested essay topics.
This Reading Group Guide includes discussion questions for the book.
Wild Like the Foxes by Anauta
The Good and the Beautiful offers the book and corresponding book study as part of their 8th grade language arts download.
The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
NovelWise offers chapter worksheets, discussion questions, and activity ideas.
This lapbook printable from Homeschool Share covers characters, setting, vocabulary, and more.
I hope your child enjoys reading these books!
High School Reading List
When your child is ready, we also have a high school reading list. Like our 8th grade reading list, it includes at least one free novel study or lesson for each book.
More Free Reading Curriculum & Resources
Free Vintage Readers for 8th Grade– Download vintage graded readers.
Free Book Guides– This page tells where to find book guides and novel studies for every grade.
Free Reading and Literature Curriculum– On this page, you’ll find many reading and literature curriculum options.
Free Ebooks– This post tells where to find free ebooks for the entire family.
Free Audiobooks– This post shares where to find free audiobooks for all ages.
Note: This post was originally published on August 27, 2022, and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
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