High/Low Books for Middle School and High School Kids

Hi-lo (high-interest, low readability) books are designed to engage struggling readers by exploring complex, age-appropriate themes at a lower reading level. They typically feature simple sentences, controlled vocabulary, lower page counts, and short chapters.

Updated November 6, 2024
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All that's left to say /
Lord, Emery.
Paper Book
A poignant and powerful story of a grieving girl willing to risk everything, perfect for fans of Robin Benway and Jandy Nelson. On prom night, Hannah MacLaren sits in the headmaster's office in her fanciest dress, soaked to the bone. She is in huge trouble after pulling the...
All the things we never said /
Rahman, Yasmin
Paper Book
Sixteen-year-old Mehreen is overwhelmed by her anxiety and depression, and she doesn't believe anyone in her life will understand if she tries to talk about it. She's been thinking about suicide for a while when she discovers a website called MementoMori.com. The site matches people with partners...
Chasing stars /
Gaertner, Meg
Paper Book
Growing up comes with growing pains no matter what, but for twelve-year-old Libby, the changes feel like more than she can bear. After an incident caused by his worsening dementia, Libby's grandfather comes to live with her family, a move that ripples out into other changes....
The coldest winter I ever spent /
Jacobus, Ann.
Paper Book
Eighteen-year-old Del is in a healthier place than she was a year and a half ago: She's sober, getting treatment for her depression and anxiety, and volunteering at a suicide-prevention hotline. Her own suicide attempt is in the past, and living in San Francisco with her beloved aunt has helped...
The collectors :
Paper Book
Winner of the 2024 Michael L. Printz Award A National Bestseller From Michael L. Printz Award winner A.S. King and an all-star team of contributors including Anna-Marie McLemoreand Jason Reynolds, an anthology of stories about remarkable people and their strange and...
Everything, everything /
Yoon, Nicola.
Paper Book
Risk everything for love with this #1 New York Times bestseller from Nicola Yoon * "Gorgeous and lyrical"--The New York Times Book Review What if you couldn't touch anything in the outside world? Never breathe in the fresh air, feel the sun warm your face . . . or...
Exposed /
Wain, Keith,
Paper Book
Elias and Ty have been best friends ever since they discovered a shared love of exploring abandoned places: Elias, for old treasures and artifacts, and Ty, for hauntings and other strange events he can film to build his popularity. So when rumors start spreading about a nearby vacant lot and the...
Eyes open /
Miller-Lachmann, Lyn,
Paper Book
Portugal, 1967. Sónia thinks she knows what her future holds. She'll become a poet, and together she and her artist boyfriend, Zé Miguel, will rise above the government restrictions that shape their lives. The restrictions on what Sónia can do and where she can go without a man's permission. The...
Gallows Hill /
Ruby, Lois,
Paper Book
Salem, Massachusetts - 1692 Thomas is marked as an outcast the moment he steps off the ship from England. As a Quaker, he's outnumbered and distrusted by Salem's Puritans. And as an orphan without any useful skills, he has nowhere to live and no way to earn his keep. In...
The hoop and the harm /
Pedican, Jawara,
Paper Book
Udoka Clendon is a first-year university student and a product of basketball systems that have produced professional players. From very young, he's been pushed relentlessly by his family on a troubling pursuit for an athletic scholarship. He is burdened by expectations and self-doubt....
Innocent blood /
Koehler, Susan,
Paper Book
Life has been tough since Rosa Vieja's dad went missing. On top of the rumors that her dad walked out, the sophomore is haunted by a strange voice coming from the mist. The voice becomes more persistent after a classmate--the football team's wide receiver and Rosa's not-so-secret crush-...
Lux : the new girl
Woodfolk, Ashley
Paper Book
Meet the Flyy Girls. The group of girls who seem like they can get away with anything. Veteran author Ashley Woodfolk pens a gorgeous and dynamic series of four Harlem highschoolers, each facing a crossroads of friendship, family, and love. Lux Lawson is on a spree. Ever since...
Pangu's shadow /
Bao, Karen,
Paper Book
There are no second chances in the Pangu Star System. Ver and Aryl, apprentices at the most prestigious biology lab among the system's moons, know this better than anyone. They've left behind difficult pasts and pinned their hopes for the future on Cal, their brilliant but demanding boss....
Superman smashes the Klan
Yang, Gene Luen.
Paper Book
Harvey Award winner for Best Children or Young Adult Book! The year is 1946. Teenagers Roberta and Tommy Lee just moved with their parents from Chinatown to the center of Metropolis, home to the famous hero, Superman. Tommy makes friends quickly, while Roberta pines for home....
Those Pink Mountain nights /
Ferguson, Jenny,
Paper Book
In her remarkable second novel following her Governor General's Award-winning debut, The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, Jen Ferguson writes about the hurt of a life stuck in past tense, the hum of connections that cannot be severed, and one week in a small, snowy town that changes...
Where I belong
Mickelson, Marcia Argueta
Paper Book
A Pura Belpré Honor Book An immigrant teen fights for her family, her future, and the place she calls home. In the spring of 2018, Guatemalan American high school senior Milagros "Millie" Vargas knows her life is about to change. She has lived in Corpus Christi, Texas, ever since...
Zevi takes the spotlight /
Matas, Carol,
Paper Book
Key Selling Points Thirteen-year-old Zevi uses his psychic powers to save the life of a famous actor during the filming of a movie. This story examines the effects of fame and the importance of choices, while exploring themes of responsibility, empathy and doing the right...

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