Make ‘Em Laugh: 13 Classic Comedies for Middle Graders

by Iva-Marie Palmer

Photography by Seana Williamson

Have you noticed that kids’ books have gotten awfully heavy lately? Thankfully, across the middle-grade landscape there’s still plenty of light-heartedness to be had. Some of these comic novels were my faves growing up and they’re each a solid dose of good medicine — not only in a big-picture kind of way but also as a remedy for reluctant readers.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2022.