Sob Stories

image adapted from You Cry Alone by gwenboul via Flickr

What is it about a heart rending story that draws middle school girls? For some of my students, handing them that first Lurlene McDaniel book leads to a three-year trawl through the abyss of anguish, the depths of despair, the mire of melancholy, the….you get the idea.  This is a challenge for me because this genre is one that I avoid reading whenever possible. Tell me that a book made you cry and it immediately drops to the bottom of my “must read” list.  It’s not that I am not an empathetic person,  I just prefer to read about action and adventures, especially fantasy.  This is probably why I have a lot of success with boys who are reluctant readers, and not as much with the girls who are. On the other hand, I have enjoyed and recommended new titles such as Wonder, Out of My Mind, See You at Harry’s and One for the Murphys.  Maybe I’m getting more sentimental as I get older.  

I am creating a list of “sob stories” for my girls who are addicted to this emotionally manipulative genre.  Below are titles that I have in my library that are suitable for middle grade (6th - 8th) students. Some have been around a very long time, but are still popular.

Any title by Lurlene McDaniel

Defiance, Valerie Hobbs

Each Little Bird that Sings, Deborah Wiles

Edward’s Eyes, Patricia MacLachlan

Everything is Fine, Ann Dee Ellis

Hard Hit, Ann Turner

I Heart You, You Haunt Me, Lisa Schroeder

In a Heartbeat, Loretta Ellsworth

Jumping the Scratch, by Sarah Weeks

Life on the Refrigerator Door, Alice Kuipers

Mockingbird (mok’ing-bûrd)

Olive’s Ocean, Kevin Henkes

One for the Murphys, Lynda Mullay Hunt

Out of My Mind, Sharon Draper

Phoenix Rising, Karen Hesse

Pieces of Georgia, Jennifer Bryant

See You at Harry’s,  Johanna Knowles

Silhouetted by the Blue, Traci L. Jones

So B It, by Sarah Weeks

Swear to Howdy, Wendelin Van Draanen

Tears of a Tiger, Sharon Draper

Tending to Grace, Kimberly Newton Fusco

The Truth About Forever, Sarah Dessen

Thirteen Reasons Why, Jay Asher

Wenny Has Wings, Janet Lee Carey

Wonder, R. J. Palacio

I’m sure I am missing some. What would you add to the list?


Addition to this post:  I set up the above display with tissue boxes.  The books flew off the shelf!  Kristen says add Ways to Live Forever to the list!