8th grade books about Grief
13 books commonly assigned to 8th grade students explore grief— every title’s grade range covers 8th grade, so each is grade-appropriate by curriculum placement. Each links to its reading level, themes, and the curricula that cite it.
Reading difficulty: the typical 8th grade text-complexity band is 925–1185L (Common Core Appendix A). Of the 2 grief titles here with a Lexile score, 0 are grade-level, 2 are more accessible, and 0 are stretch texts. Match a book to your reader’s measured Lexile rather than to the grade alone.
What this list holds: All 13 titles are cited by at least one US curriculum or award list for 8th grade, first published between 1956 and 2025. The most widely cited at this grade is The Crossover by Kwame Alexander (12 lists). Themes these books most often share besides grief: family (9), courage (2), fathers and daughters (2), growing up (2).
13 8th grade books about grief
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The Crossover
Kwame AlexanderCited in 12 curricula across 10 states, taught from grade 5 to 8. Also covers family, brotherhood and basketball. At 750L it sits just under the 925–1185L band for this grade.
Mick Harte Was Here
Barbara ParkCited in 11 curricula across 10 states, taught from grade 5 to 8. Also covers family and safety.
Old Yeller
Fred GipsonCited in 4 curricula across 8 states, taught from grade 5 to 8. Also covers family, courage and survival.
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
Dan GemeinhartCited in 4 curricula across 3 states, taught from grade 5 to 8. Also covers family and journey.
Mid-Air
Alicia D. WilliamsCited in 3 curricula across 3 states, taught from grade 5 to 8. Also covers friendship and growing up.
Long Way Down
Jason ReynoldsCited in 3 curricula across 2 states, taught from grade 7 to 12. Also covers revenge, family and loss. At 720L it reads well below the 925–1185L band for this grade.
Duel
Jessixa BagleyCited in 2 curricula across 2 states, taught from grade 4 to 8. Also covers sisters and family.
Between Two Brothers
Crystal AllenCited in 1 curriculum, taught from grade 4 to 8. Also covers family, brothers and hope.
Perfect
Natasha FriendCited in 1 curriculum, taught from grade 6 to 9. Also covers death, bulimia, fathers and daughters.
Ruby Lost and Found
Christina LiCited in 1 curriculum, taught from grade 6 to 9. Also covers family and identity.
The Girl with the Ghost Machine
Lauren DeStefanoCited in 1 curriculum, taught from grade 3 to 8. Also covers fathers and daughters, ghost stories, inventions.
The Night Train
Lorelei SavarynCited in 1 curriculum, taught from grade 4 to 8. Also covers memory, courage and mystery.
Wildful
Kengo KurimotoCited in 1 curriculum, taught from grade 4 to 8. Also covers nature, family and healing.
Grief books at other grades
3rd grade · 4th grade · 5th grade · 6th grade · 7th grade · 9th grade · 10th grade · 11th grade
Other 8th grade themes
Family · Friendship · Identity · Courage · Survival · History · Mystery and Detective Stories · Schools
← Full 8th grade reading list · All griefbooks →
Frequently asked questions
What grief books are good for 8th grade students?
13 books exploring grief have a grade range that covers 8th grade and are assigned across US-school curricula — Common Core exemplars, AP, IB, Cambridge, and state ELA standards. Each title on this page links to its full curriculum citations and reading level.
Are these grief books grade-appropriate for 8th grade?
Every title's grade range covers 8th grade. The typical 8th grade text-complexity band is 925–1185L (Common Core Appendix A); of the 2 books here with a Lexile score, 0 are grade-level, 2 more accessible, and 0 a stretch. Match a book to your reader's measured Lexile rather than to the grade alone.
How many grief books are on the 8th grade list?
This page lists 13 8th grade titles about grief, ordered by how many US curricula cite each one for this grade (ties alphabetical). The list expands as more curriculum references are verified.
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