10 Middle Grade Novels Perfect for a Good Cry

One for the Murphys, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Twelve-year-old Carley Connors is an expert at keeping people out. When she suddenly finds herself thrust into foster care, Carley is ready with her sarcasm, her sullen moods, and her refusal to allow the Murphy family to get close. But it’s not easy. While the oldest boy, Daniel, isn’t happy about having a houseguest, the two younger boys draw Carley in with their playfulness. Mr. Murphy is the dad Carley’s never had, and a firefighting hero on top of that. And Mrs. Murphy meets every single one of Carley’s attempts to rebuff her affection with patience, calm, and more kindness. Just as Carley realizes she may have more to offer this family (and herself) than she thought—her mother wants her back. And Carley has to make the most difficult decision of her life. Does she stay, or does she go?

Nest, by Esther Ehrlich
Eleven-year-old Naomi (called ‘Chirp’ because of her fascination with birds) lives in an idyllic Cape Cod town in 1972. But life is anything but idyllic. Once a dancer, Chirp’s mother now suffers a twitching eye and dragging leg. The diagnosis when it comes, multiple sclerosis, sends Chirp’s mother into a depression tailspin that ultimately lands her in an institution. As Chirp’s sister, Rachel, sets out on her own path of smoking pot and listening to Bob Dylan, Chirp takes it upon herself to be the optimist, the positive one; the one that holds the whole family up. Until tragedy strikes and everything collapses, forcing Chirp to rebuild herself, and her family, from scratch.

See You at Harry’s, by Jo Knowles
Fern’s family is a mess. Her older sister Sara is taking a year off after graduation to “find herself.” Her older brother Holden is struggling to find happiness with his first boyfriend, despite the bullies who taunt him at school.  Her mother often disappears to meditate, and her father is constantly coming up with embarrassing schemes to promote the family’s ice cream parlor, Harry’s. And then there’s Fern’s three-year-old brother, Charlie, whom everyone agrees is adorable, but who was a surprise addition to the family that no one seems to know quite what to do with. He gets shuffled from family member to family member until, one day, an accident occurs that will force the entire family to slow down and look at each other for the first time in a long time.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo and Bagram Ibatoulline
You wouldn’t think that you’d get all verklempt about a rabbit. Especially not a rabbit that is, at first, as cold and unfeeling as the china he is made out of. But The Miraculous Journey of Edward Toulane will make you feel just that. Edward belongs to 10-year-old Abilene Toulane. But in a journey across the ocean, he falls overboard, spending the next 297 days under the sea. Upon being rescued by a fisherman’s net, Edward begins a journey that takes him from owner to owner, young and old, kind and cruel, happy and tragic. Along the way, Edward learns to recognize a whole spectrum of emotions, from fear to love. But love can also be painful, and at some point Edward has to decide: Is it worth it?

Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
Chances are, you already know this title. And if you do, you’re now remembering sobbing (or maybe, if you were in public, desperately sniffling) over its pages. It’s the tale of Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke, both with their own story to tell, who form an inseparable friendship and create the fantastical world of Terabithia together. It’s in Terabithia that the two can let their imaginations run wild, can solve their own problems through story, and can shut out the outside world. Until the day Jess leaves Leslie alone to attend a one-on-one field trip to an art museum with one of his favorite teachers. And when he returns, Jess discovers that that kind of Utopian perfection can’t last forever.

Wish Girl, by Nikki Loftin
If I tell you that the “wish” part of “Wish Girl” refers to Make-A-Wish, you’ll know why this book is included, right? Moving to Texas Hill Country after being bullied in his own school in San Antonio, Peter is ready for a fresh start. But not everything has changed. His dad wants him to “toughen up”, his frustrated, overworked mother doesn’t understand why he’s so quiet. And then he meets Annie, a girl his age, who is preparing to undergo a treatment to stop the spread of her leukemia. A treatment that may cause permanent brain damage and that, for Annie, is worse than the illness itself.  When once again confronted with bullies, Peter agrees to run away with Annie to avoid her treatment. This is a story of friendship, of heartbreaking reality, and of learning when to speak up.

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate
The true story of Ivan, the gorilla who lived for 27 years in a cage at a Tacoma, Washington shopping mall, is sure to pull at your heartstrings. At first, Ivan is perfectly happy in his cage. But when a new friend begins to open his eyes to the world beyond his box, he discovers a longing to see that world. Told in verse through Ivan’s eyes, this story was both a New York Times #1 Bestseller, and the 2013 Newbery Medal Winner. It has since also been recrafted into a picture book for younger readers.

Counting by 7s, by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Some books ease you into the tears. This one gets you right from the beginning. 12-year-old Willow doesn’t fit in wither her peers. She’s a genius, obsessed with medicine, nature, and counting by 7s. While school may be tough, she’s always able to find comfort in her adoptive parents. Until the day both her parents are killed in a car crash, and Holly finds herself completely alone. What happens next redefines the word “family”: a group of individuals, brought together, who start out with the focus of caring for Holly, but over time begin to care for each other and themselves. It’s a story of devastation, of grief, of acceptance, and of healing, with a little bit of spunk and quirk thrown in for good measure.

The Secret Hum of a Daisy, by Tracy Holczer
Grace’s mother has always been a wanderer, dragging her daughter with her from place to place, never really putting down roots. That’s fine for awhile, but by the time Grace turns twelve, she’s had enough. The next time her mother announces a move, Grace gathers up her courage and lets her mother know exactly what she thinks of that idea. Turns out, that’s the last conversation Grace and her mother will ever have. Now, she has to pack her belongings, along with her overwhelming guilt, and move in with a grandmother she’s never met. In the midst of her grief, Grace finds herself on a treasure hunt, just like the kind her mother used to create for her. It’s through that hunt that Grace learns more about her family history, about her grief, and about reconciliation.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963, by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Weird Watsons: Momma, Dad, 13-year-old Byron, 10-year-old Kenny, and little sister Joetta—are off on a road trip from their home in Flint, Michigan to Birmingham, Alabama. Byron is on his way to becoming an official juvenile delinquent, and Momma decides it’s time to take him to visit his Grandma, who will whip him into shape, as any good Southern Grandma would do. Moments of humor are mixed with the more serious tones of Birmingham in the 1960s, and, ultimately, the events at a small church on September 15, 1963. The climax is heart-stopping, but Curtis continues the story, reminding the reader that sometimes the aftermath of a tragedy is just as devastating.
Somebody pass the tissues, will you?