Do you have a middle grader at home who loves animals? Maybe your child would like to learn about different animal records, marine lives, ancient sea monsters, or about how animals communicate. Or just fun animal stories!
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Table of contents
27 Middle Grade Animals Books
The below list of animals books for 6th, 7th, 8th graders covers as wide range of topics in nonfiction and fiction category. Animals of all kinds – from lands to sea to the high sky – all are included here.
Scroll down to check the list of middle school animal books.
Short on time? We absolutely love and recommend these four books here. Click on the image for details.
Nonfiction animal books
Check out these 19 fantastic nonfiction animal books for 6th, 7th, 8th graders from below.
How to Talk to a Tiger
How to Talk to a Tiger. This one is a thoroughly entertaining and informative book about how animals communicate. The communication mediums are as educative as fun – from fish that fart to alligators that dunk to fire-worms that flash.
Read about more than 100 animals- how they communicate amongst themselves. A fun read for middle schoolers.
Living With Wolves!
Living With Wolves!: True Stories of Adventures With Animals. How would it be to live with a pack of wolves? Find out along with wildlife documentarians Jim and Jamie Dutcher in this thrilling book.
Filled with spectacular photos, engaging facts, and thrilling tales, this is as close to one can get with the dreaded animals.
Marine Science for Kids
Marine Science for Kids: Exploring and Protecting Our Watery World. If Marine life interests your child, this is a must-read book. Dive deep into underwater with this colorful, fun, beautiful picturesque guide. And be awed by some of the coolest creatures – sharks, whales, dolphins, squids, octopuses, penguins and other seabirds, and more.
Your child would gain insight into the science of aquatic study, geology, along with real-world aquatic science practice. Learn from real-life marine scientists – about what inspires them and get insights into marine careers. There are also hands-on marine activities in each chapter, to make learning fun.
The Secrets of Ancient Sea Monsters
The Secrets of Ancient Sea Monsters. Read about the underwater monsters of the past. They have been extinct for millions of years. However, at one time, they had ruled the depth of the water.
Explore the bottom of underwater that was home to an array of creatures- some fascinating, some fearsome. And learn about the lives of all of them.
Atlas of Ocean Adventures
Atlas of Ocean Adventures. Learn about the vast oceans of the world, one at a time. Each section begins with an infographic map of the ocean it explores – Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Southern, and the Arctic. Read about the depth of the ocean and variety of life – seabirds, coral reefs, shoreline critters.
The full 2-page illustrations of each scene transport the reader to the ocean world. Along with fascinating facts and figures, this book is all one needs to learn about ocean life.
Animal Records
National Geographic Kids Animal Records. If your child likes to rattle out records, this is the perfect one. Which is the fastest animal on earth, which is the biggest, and which one is most poisonous? Read all about records breaking animals in this National Geographic Kids book.
There are also fun records as well. From tiniest, slowest, grossest to smelliest creatures, this one got all. The colorful real-life pictures are a visual feast. A book for kids to show off knowledge while learning something new.
Homecoming Tales
Homecoming Tales Read about true stories of how fifteen dogs found loving home, with one story in each chapter. Meet Mack- a Dog Bowl contestant, Marco – a scary tough dog, Shaq, Prince, and more, who have found a home through Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary.
The stories are spunky and hilarious. The chapters also contain more information about the breed of the dog featured, along with some recipes. A book for dog-loving kids who plan to adopt animals from a shelter.
Animal!
Animal! This book is a complete animal encyclopedia for kids. It provides excellent details about the entire animal kingdom – from tiny bacteria to giant dinosaurs. The information is categorized into animal kingdoms- starting with invertebrates and finishing with mammals. Each page is filled with pictures and scientific facts about the animals from the category along with their habitat, diet, etc.
The information is presented in a bite-sized format for a quick read and easy understanding. The glossary at the end helps learn new words. If you are selecting only one nonfiction animal book for your child, this should be the one!
Fun Cat Facts
Fun Cat Facts for Kids. This one is for your kittens and cat-loving child. Learn about some of the weirdest and oddest things wild cats and pet kittens and cats can do! Where did cats come from? How did cats cause an Egyptian general to lose the war? What power cat whisker provides the cats? What is very odd about Siamese kittens?
Read about these and more interesting facts in this book. The real colorful pictures of cats complement the book well. Gift this book to a cat owner kid or a child planning to get a cat.
Ink!: 100 Fun Facts About Octopuses, Squid, and More
Ink!: 100 Fun Facts About Octopuses, Squid, and More. Read about the cuttlefish that can camouflage or squid that goes deep underwater or how octopuses outsmart their predators.
Explore the incredible world of cephalopods – tiny to tremendous, and know about more than 100 cool fun facts. Along with spectacular national geographic pictures, this book is a visual delight.
All the Way Down: Amazon Rainforest
All the Way Down: Amazon Rainforest. Explore the world’s largest rainforest and read about all the animals living there. Birds, retitles, fishes – everything that calls the Amazon rainforest their home.
This book also discusses deforestation, pollution, climate change and raises awareness about conservation. A book to make your child aware of environmental issues and their impacts.
Fun Leopard Gecko and Bearded Dragon Facts
Fun Leopard Gecko and Bearded Dragon Facts. If your child has a pet lizard or planning to get one, this a helpful book. It shares fun facts about leopard geckos and bearded dragons.
Why do geckos lose their tail, or can a gecko change its color? Can lizards climb their tank glass walls and escape? Are they smelly? An intriguing book for a curious kid.
Everything Dolphins
Everything Dolphins. This book is for your Dolphin loving 10 to 12 years old. Read about these intelligent and much-loved creatures of the sea and learn about the different characteristics of dolphins, their habitats, daily lives, etc.
The Expert’s Corners features exciting real-life adventures of National Geographic explorers Flip and Linda Nicklin. It is a cool and interactive guide to the world of dolphins.
Sensational Butterflies
Sensational Butterflies. This book flutters into the world butterflies and provides exciting in-depth information.
From the lovely Monarch to the striking Blue Morpho, everything your child needs to know about butterflies and moths is present here. A book for butterfly lovers!
Animal Showdown
Animal Showdown. Hold on to your seat and enjoy this animal showdown book. Who amongst Scorpions and jellyfish is the winner of the most venom? Which is the most colorful – chameleons or cuttlefish? See the wolverines and weasels battle it out for the nastiest.
All are supported by fun facts and statistics about the characteristics of the featured animals. If your child loves this book, get the other two books from the same series.
WildLives: 50 Extraordinary Animals that Made History
WildLives: 50 Extraordinary Animals that Made History. Read about fifty true stories of braveries of the animal world in this heartwarming book. The stories are detailed and brightly illustrated. An inspiring book for any child.
How To Protect Endangered Animals
How To Protect Endangered Animals. Make your 10 -12 year old aware of the endangered animals of the world.
Read about where to find them and what can one do to save the species. The pictures support the story well. This one is a much-needed book for today’s kids.
The Magnificent Book of Birds
The Magnificent Book of Birds. Explore the world of birds in their natural habitat. Go to the forest, vast ocean, or high up in the air. Covering birds of all shapes and sizes, this a book for a true lover of the featured winged creatures.
The illustrations are stunning. Interesting facts like why flamingos have pink feathers, why scarlet macaw eats clay, and how the frigate bird can float like a kite are sure to keep the young readers engaged.
Science Comics: Polar Bears: Survival on the Ice
This graphic novel in the Science Comics series has everything your child would want to know about Polar bear. The story has two curious polar bear cubs learning to navigate life in the Arctic. Children can learn about a polar bear family, how they live, what they eat, how they hunt, and more.
It is quite a laugh riot. The beautiful illustrations do complete justice to the text. There is also information about the formation of ice, melting of the polar ice caps, global warming, and how we can stop it.
Dino Records
Dino Records. Who does not love dinosaurs! No children’s book list is ever complete without a book about these magnificent giants who once roamed the earth. Know all about the firsts of dinos – the first dinosaur fossils ever found, the first dinos in space, and more.
Meet the record-holders – biggest, smallest, smartest, weirdest, deadliest, most notorious, and most mysterious of all time. All of these and much more in this amazing dinosaurs book for middle school.
Animal Books – Fiction
Check out these fiction animal books.
Myth Match: A Fantastical Flipbook of Extraordinary Beasts
Have you heard bout unifin, the cross between a unicorn and the griffin? This fantastic flipbook is a work of art with vivid colors and detailed pictures. It has all the magical and mythical creatures from all over the world.
Your child even can mix and match their fronts and backs to create any imaginary beast from the over 1,000 possible creations! A great book for any creative middle grader.
Dog Diaries: A Middle School Story
This book is for all the dog-loving middle graders out there. Rafe has to train his mischievous dog at the obedience school and win the trophy. Otherwise, Mrs. Stricker will send the dog back to the pound.
So the story starts with all the mischiefs they are up to. This book is a laugh out loud funny, and the illustrations are right on point. Chapters are small enough to make this an easy read.
Smush For President
This book is for all the animal-loving middle graders. The story is about a rescue-kitty Smush, who dreams of being the next president.
With simple writings, this book delivers the message that everyone can make a difference in the world. It tells the children to do their bit and no act of kindness, however small, gets wasted. Amazing illustrations complement this heartwarming story.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Complete Series
The How to Train Your Dragon chronicles needs no introduction. This is the complete set of books that inspired the movies. In a gift format, this is a perfect gift for any middle grader.
Warriors Super Edition: Bluestar’s Prophecy
This book is a stand-alone adventure in Erin Hunter’s #1 nationwide bestseller Warriors series! In this Super Edition, Bluestar’s Prophecy, tells the story of Bluestar, a grey-blue cat that grows up to be one of the most powerful warriors in ThunderClan.
This one is perfect for new readers wanting to get introduced to the world of Warriors. A perfect addition to the library of your child.
The Wild Boy
This 74-page book is an inspiring story about a boy and his dog who brave an unknown and scary world. The boy Wilder meets a whimsical Woggledorf named Wimpelton. Wilder and his pup Winfrey join Wimpelton on an adventure to a mysterious land.
The book teaches children an important message – to love and care for the world around them. The breathtaking illustrations elevate the reading experience.
Wild Rescuers: Expedition on the Tundra
This book is 3rd in the New York Times bestselling series Wild Rescuers. The girl Stacy is raised by wolves. She leads her wolves to the north seeking the truth. But the harsh tundra biome pushes the pack to its limits.
Can they survive and discover the truth? An engaging read for the middle graders, this book is for all the Stacy fans!
Secrets According to Humphrey
This book is for the pet-loving middle graders. Humphrey is a classroom pet whose job is to help humans solve their problems. But all the secrets are making it hard. The author does a great job of explaining difference between good and bad secrets.
Humphrey is a lovable character, and the book moves at a nice pace, keeping the reader interested. This book is sure to be enjoyed by all children. A recommended read, it will definitely spark conversations around the house.
Wrap Up
Middle graders are a curious bunch. They have various interests and are not afraid to venture out of their comfort zone to learn new things. Hence, it is the right time to introduce kids to various topics to enhance their knowledge.
If your child is a reluctant reader, check out the animal books for 4th and 5th graders here.
