Short stories are a perfect teaching tool for middle schoolers. They’re quick, fast-paced, and pack a punch with lots of action and drama. And because they require less time to read, they’re an easy way to expose your students to new authors and genres.

Before you bring these short stories for middle schoolers to your classroom, make sure the material (and whatever twist ending is in store) is previewed and appropriate.

You can get free printable copies of many of these short stories by simply filling out the form on this page.

1. Recitatif by Toni Morrison

“The minute I walked in and the Big Bozo introduced us, I got sick to my stomach. It was one thing to be taken out of your own bed early in the morning—it was something else to be stuck in a strange place with a girl from a whole other race.”

Summary: First, we meet two young girls at a home for children whose families are struggling to care for them. Then, the story skips ahead to their chance encounter at a diner, then the market, and finally at a civil rights demonstration. We learn so much about them, but there is so much for students to discuss.

Why we love it: Morrison’s stated goal in this short story, which begins in an orphanage, was to remove “all racial codes from a narrative about two characters of different races for whom racial identity is crucial.” Also, it’s perfect for studying style and spurring conversation.

2. Stone Animals by Kelly Link

“Carleton was serious about how he played. Tilly sat on the landing, reading a book, legs poking out through the railings. Whenever Carleton ran past, he thumped her on the head, but Tilly never said a word. Carleton would be sorry later, and never even know why.”

Summary: A family moves to a new house away from the city. Just as something seems to be drawing the father back to his old life, something else seems to be pulling them toward this strange new house. 

Why we love it: It’s a longer short story that is rich with stylistic and narrative elements and can serve as a novella. So, save time to teach this short story over a few weeks.

3. Hearts and Hands by O. Henry

“Among the newcomers were two young men, one of handsome presence with a bold, frank countenance and manner; the other a ruffled, glum-faced person, heavily built and roughly dressed. The two were handcuffed together.”

Summary: A young woman on a train happens to find herself sitting across from an old suitor, who happens to be handcuffed to a glum and roughly dressed man. After catching up and a bit of flirting, the men move to another car for a smoke, and the young woman is left to wonder about what might have been.

Why we love it: Middle school readers are often ready for the classics, and even though O. Henry’s language can be tough for kids today, “Hearts and Hands” is quick and clear and hits exactly as you want his stories to hit.

4. The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Andersen

“And the Wind kissed the Tree, and the Dew wept tears over him; but the Fir understood it not.”

Summary: A small fir tree surrounded by taller, stronger trees wishes for more from its life. Seasons and years pass, and the tree can’t stop thinking about what its future might hold, envious of what becomes of other, luckier trees. In the end, Christmastime arrives and lessons are learned.

Why we love it: It’s a poetic fairy tale, and it’s great for teaching theme. Use this story to teach literary elements and figurative language.

5. The Diamond Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

“The sight of the little Breton peasant who did her humble housework aroused in her despairing regrets and bewildering dreams.”

Summary: Madame Loisel is obsessed with the finer things. When she’s invited to a fancy social event, she borrows a friend’s diamond necklace and transforms into the woman she’s always wanted to be, only to arrive home to discover she’s lost the precious jewelry. What happens next will test both her courage and resolve, for all the wrong reasons.

Why we love it: “The Diamond Necklace” is a great story to use to teach character development. Scaffold this older text for students by providing supports for background knowledge and vocabulary.

6. The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

“Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.”

Summary: Upon hearing of her husband’s death, Louise becomes overwhelmed with emotion and then clarity. But how many surprises can her fragile heart handle in one day?

Why we love it: It’s a perfect anchor text for a discussion assignment.

7. The Library of Babel Jorge Luis Borges

“Like all men of the Library, I have traveled in my youth; I have wandered in search of a book, perhaps the catalogue of catalogues; now that my eyes can hardly decipher what I write, I am preparing to die just a few leagues from the hexagon in which I was born.”

Summary: The narrator tells the very detailed and impossible story of an impossible library that contains an infinite variety of books, both masterpieces and nonsense. Over time, travelers to the library search for meaning and truth in the endless volumes, only to discover that having every bit of information available to us might not be that different from having none.

Why we love it: Welcome to Borges’ world of magical realism. Read this story as an example of magical realism, or as part of a unit about authors whose work bends reality in all kinds of ways.

8. The Circuit by Francisco Jiménez

“Mr. Lema, the sixth grade teacher, greeted me and assigned me a desk. He then introduced me to the class. I was so nervous and scared at that moment when everyone’s eyes were on me that I wished I were with Papá and Roberto picking cotton.”

Summary: Panchito is used to moving every summer. His family moves from one farming region to another, and he spends most of his time laboring in fields. He’s not excited about starting 6th grade in November, but Panchito soon meets a teacher who makes him excited about learning. The story’s title refers to the seasonal paths of migrant workers in America, and what happens next is all too common.

Why we love it: We enjoy doing this as a read-aloud to lead into reflective writing or discussion.

9. Daedalus and Icarus by Ferdinand Schmidt

“Daedalus of Athens was a son of Metion, grandson of Erectheus. He was the most skillful man of his time—an architect, sculptor, and stone worker. … But skillful, zealous, and active as he was in his work, he had vices which brought him into trouble.”

Summary: Daedalus, a skilled engineer and inventor, becomes jealous of a talented student and murders him. What unfolds next is a story of exile, freedom, and tragedy, as Daedalus is forced to witness the death of his son.

Why we love it: “Daedalus and Icarus” is a great way to introduce middle schoolers to mythology. It’s a simple enough story but has enough complexity to strengthen students’ ability to focus. They’ll read line by line to fully grasp the story about the dangers of being overconfident.

10. The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu

“I didn’t know this at the time, but Mom’s breath was special. She breathed into her paper animals so that they shared her breath, and thus moved with her life. This was her magic.”

Summary: Jack’s mom has a gift: She can make magical origami animals. As a child, Jack adores his collection of living paper companions, especially his treasured best friend, a tiger made of wrapping paper named Laohu. How Laohu and his mom’s last story to her son help Jack recover his heritage can only be described as magic.

Why we love it: Liu writes a subtle story, which makes it exciting for students to uncover elements of craft. Use this story as a practice in close reading, and assign students to small groups to read aloud and talk about how the story unfolds.

11. The Boastful Bamboo from Japanese Folk Stories and Fairy Tales

“Beneath the gleaming snows of Fuji lay a great forest. There many giant trees grew, the fir, the pine, the graceful bamboo, and the camellia trees. The balmy azaleas and the crinkled iris bloomed in the shade. The blue heavens were fleecy with snowy clouds, and gentle zephyrs caressed the blossoms and made them bow like worshipers before a shrine.”

Summary: One tree is tall and sturdy, another slender and slight. One enjoys strong breezes and the other loves when children play beneath her branches. This flora fable follows both trees as they wrestle with their respective fates, and offers a lesson in humility.

Why we love it: This story injects Japanese folktales into the curriculum so students can learn more about Japan. They’ll see how storytelling and fairy-tale elements are similar and different across cultures. 

12. The Open Window by Saki (H.H. Munro)

“Framton shivered slightly and turned towards the niece with a look intended to convey sympathetic comprehension. The child was staring out through the open window with dazed horror in her eyes.”

Summary: Framton Nuttel is in an unfamiliar house with unfamiliar people. The teenager who introduces him to her aunt, who owns the home, explains that that particular window is kept open so her aunt can keep watch for her family members who were killed in a hunting tragedy years before. There’s also a ghost dog in the story … or is there?

Why we love it: It’s a story that’s great to read anytime for setting, theme, and characterization or a wonderful themed story for a Halloween read-aloud.

13. The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe

“When the eyes of the Prince Prospero fell upon this spectral image (which, with a slow and solemn movement, as if more fully to sustain its role, stalked to and fro among the waltzers), he was seen to be convulsed.”

Summary: Prospero, always with a flair for the dramatic, throws a party and goes a little overboard with the custom decorating. He’s overjoyed to share the evening with all of his guests, except for the one who arrives last.

Why we love it: Poe should be on every middle school reading list. In this story, Death is a character, and Poe creates a fantastic personification of Death with his descriptive writing.

Learn more: 25 Edgar Allan Poe Poems

14. The Ransom of Red Chief by O. Henry

“We chose for our victim the only child of an influential citizen named Ebenezer Dorset. … The kid was a boy of ten, with bas-relief freckles, and hair the colour of the cover of the magazine you buy at the new-stand. … Bill and me figured that Ebenezer would melt down for a ransom of two thousand dollars to a cent. But wait till I tell you.”

Summary: Boy is kidnapped by clumsy villains. Boy terrorizes villains, who are forced to reconsider their life of crime. Boy is returned safely and very ironically.

Why we love it: This story is Home Alone but set in the Old West and written by O. Henry. Help students appreciate how even older stories can be hilarious.

15. An Old Acquaintance by Leo Tolstoy

“The infantry picket, stationed on the knoll at the left, stood in perfect silhouette against the light of the sunset; no less distinct were the stacks of muskets, the form of the sentry, the groups of soldiers, and the smoke of the smouldering camp-fire.”

Summary: Prince Nekhlidudof finds an old friend while on a military adventure, and conversations about class and destiny unfold in surprising ways.

Why we love it: This story is a great chance to talk about how authors bring their own experiences (in this case, historical events) into their work. 

16. Fixed Income by Sherman Alexie

“There’s an elderly black man who works here. His reflexes are too slow to safely use any of the cooking equipment, so he greets people at the door and clears and cleans tables. But he’s still got a sharp mind. I like what he has to say. He fought in two wars. We take our breaks together. Wearing coats to cover our McDonald’s polo shirts, we walk a block, step into an alley, and smoke.”

Summary: An unlikely friendship between an elderly widower and a teenage coworker at McDonald’s makes them each see things a little differently.

Why we love it: Filled with Alexie’s trademark style, this story is a quick look at the generation gap and perfect for a read-aloud or studying characterization. Like his other story on this list, the text we chose is edited to be more school-appropriate.

17. The Wife’s Story by Ursula K. Le Guin

“It was the moon, that’s what they say. It’s the moon’s fault, and the blood. It was in his father’s blood. I never knew his father, and now I wonder what became of him.”

Summary: The narrator’s story about her husband begins with their early days of falling in love and singing with friends. But then he begins disappearing at night, and his explanations don’t make sense. What happens next may or may not come as a surprise to young readers, but it definitely came as a surprise to her husband.

Why we love it: Students savor the slow realization that the people in the story might not be exactly what they seem.

18. First-Day Fly by Jason Reynolds

“How were you supposed to know geometry is apparently more important than your drip? How were you supposed to hear anything Mrs. Montgomery had to say about triangles and diameters and whatever a hypotenuse is when your sneakers are practically bleeding to death?”

Summary: He’s got his brother’s jeans, a new white shirt, and clear memories of what happens when you don’t pay attention to your fit on the first day of school. He won’t show up looking foolish. He knows what matters.

Why we love it: In this story, the narrator reflects on his younger self as he prepares to go to school. It’s an adventurous reflection, rich with details and style, just what you’d expect from Jason Reynolds.

19. On the Sidewalk Bleeding by Evan Hunter

“He lay on the sidewalk, bleeding, and he thought only: That was a fierce rumble. They got me good that time, but he did not know he was dying.”

Summary: Andy, the title character, doesn’t do much in this story. But as he’s lying on the sidewalk bleeding to death, he meets a series of people who either try or don’t try to help, revealing both his background and his fate. Once you know what’s happening, you can’t stop reading.

Why we love it: We learn how it ends right in the beginning. This piques students’ curiosity so they continue to read to find out how the character got here. A good example of an intriguing story structure.

20. The Bet by Anton Chekhov

“Execution kills instantly, life-imprisonment kills by degrees. Who is the more humane executioner, one who kills you in a few seconds or one who draws the life out of you incessantly, for years?”

Summary: The story begins with a banker pacing his study and thinking of a party he threw many years ago. He’d gotten into a debate with a lawyer about capital punishment, which (long story short) results in the lawyer being imprisoned at the banker’s estate for 15 long years. Philosophical and open-ended, nothing captures the complexity of life like a good Russian text.

Why we love it: You can’t read short stories without including Chekhov. “The Bet” raises ethical questions for the reader in the way that all great Russian literature does.

21. My Favorite Chaperone by Jean Davies Okimoto

“It’s like that in America. It’s a place where things can change for people, and many people always seem to have hope. At least that’s how it seems to me. Maybe I was beginning to think this way, too, although my hope was very small.”

Summary: Maya and her family are forced to immigrate to the United States, and they find themselves very quickly on their own in a place that is often confusing and dangerous. She does her best to manage friendships at school while trying to protect her family. As she strives for social acceptance and a sense of peace, her family grows closer.

Why we love it: This story about immigration is long enough for a mini-unit, and it’s great for teaching the basics of storytelling and style. It’s also a great story for helping students think about the immigration experience.

22. The Treasure of Lemon Brown by Walter Dean Myers

“His pants were bagged to the knee, where they were met with rags that went down to the old shoes. The rags were held on with strings, and there was a rope around his middle. Greg relaxed. He had seen the man before, picking through the trash on the corner and pulling clothes out of a Salvation Army box.”

Summary: Greg’s mind is on his strict father and the basketball team he wants to try out for. Then he wanders into an abandoned tenement building in Harlem and meets an old blues legend with nothing to his name but a harmonica and a bunch of news clippings from better days.

Why we love it: Walter Dean Myers’ universe is immediately accessible for many middle school kids, and this story gives us a chance to expand the unit into a study of the blues and all the musical genres it inspired. The project possibilities are endless!

23. The House and the Brain by E. Bulwer Lytton

“A friend of mine, who is a man of letters and a philosopher, said to me one day, as if between jest and earnest, ‘Fancy! Since we last met I have discovered a haunted house in the midst of London.’”

Summary: The narrator is intrigued by stories of a haunted house in London, so he approaches the owner and asks to spend the night. The ghosts arrive in due time, first taking out the narrator’s assistant and then disposing of the dog. Determined to find an answer, he eventually finds the room where it all began.

Why we love it: The first line of this story brings us to a haunted house, and students are hooked! 

24. Seventh Grade by Gary Soto

“On the way to his homeroom, Victor tried a scowl. He felt foolish, until out of the corner of his eye he saw a girl looking at him. Umm, he thought, maybe it does work. He scowled with greater conviction.”

Summary: Victor’s first day of school is full of possibilities. He’s trying a new language, day-dreaming of distant travels, and already enamored with Teresa, a girl he’s liked for some time. Will he manage the confusion and chaos of 7th grade without embarrassing himself on the first day?

Why we love it: This story captures the middle school experience so well, and Soto always does such a great job integrating diverse voices into his work.

25. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

“Then I said if I had my glases I coud see better I usally only ware my glases in the movies or TV but I said they are in the closit in the hall. I got them. Then I said let me see that card agen I bet Ill find it now.”

Summary: Charlie is a janitor who agrees to an experimental surgery that promises to give him remarkable intelligence and insight, which it does. Narrated in a way that allows the reader to see his transformation as it happens, along with his thoughts and feelings about it, Charlie’s story has something to teach each of us about what “normal” means.

Why we love it: The story of an intellectually disabled man who is temporarily able to blend into “normal” society brings out great questions, even for today’s students.

26. The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe

“During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary tract of country; and at length found myself, as the shades of the evening drew on, within view of the melancholy House of Usher.”

Summary: Roderick Usher has invited an old friend to his estate. Upon arrival, the friend notices only the decay and darkness surrounding the property. When he meets Roderick inside, it becomes clear that more than just the property is falling apart.

Why we love it: No one paints a dreary, spooky picture like Poe. Read this story to analyze how Poe creates mood one dreary word at a time.

27. Everyday Use by Alice Walker

“In real life I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands. In the winter I wear flannel nightgowns to bed and overalls during the day. I can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man.”

Summary: Mama and Maggie, her younger daughter, begin the story by preparing their home for the return of the eldest, Dee, who seems to have shunned the family in favor of an education and a bigger world. Dee arrives and seems to be enjoying the memories of her youth, along with other markers of her childhood culture such as the food and a cherished butter churn. But she never should have demanded to bring home her mother’s quilts.

Why we love it: Walker’s story is a great model about how authors create descriptive characterizations.

28. Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl

“The room was warm and clean, the curtains drawn, the two table lamps alight—hers and the one by the empty chair opposite. On the sideboard behind her, two tall glasses, soda water, whiskey. … Mary Maloney was waiting for her husband to come home from work.”

Summary: Mary has dinner plans and drinks prepared for her husband’s return home from work. But he has some news to break to her, which she doesn’t take well. So the dinner turns into a murder weapon and Mary spends the rest of the story trying to get away with murdering her policeman husband (did I not mention he’s a cop?).

Why we love it: Students already know Dahl from his whimsical (if slightly dark) novels like Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but this short story will show students another side of the author. Talk about the story and how versatile an author can be.

29. One Friday Morning by Langston Hughes

“Miss Dietrich was the kind of teacher who brought out the best in her students—but their own best, not anybody else’s copied best. For anybody else’s best, great though it might be, even Michelangelo’s, wasn’t enough to please Miss Dietrich, dealing with the creative impulses of young men and women living in an American city in the Middle West, and being American.”

Summary: High schooler Nancy Lee is a gifted artist. One of the teachers at her school notices and cultivates her talent, and Nancy Lee is even told she’s won an award for her work. As she’s preparing her speech and how to take advantage of the accompanying scholarship, she’s forced to deal with the sudden intrusion of narrow-minded civic leaders who take away the award because Nancy Lee is Black.

Why we love it: Hughes tackles race and discrimination in a story about a community that reverses a decision to award a local teen a scholarship when they learn that she is Black. It’s a compelling and troubling story that ends with a note of inspiration and is rich for discussion.

30. A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings by Gabriel García Márquez

“The light was so weak at noon that when Pelayo was coming back to the house after throwing away the crabs, it was hard for him to see what it was that was moving and groaning in the rear of the courtyard. He had to go very close to see that it was an old man, a very old man, lying face down in the mud, who, in spite of his tremendous efforts, couldn’t get up, impeded by his enormous wings.”

Summary: An old man with wings somehow ends up in Pelayo’s backyard. Is he an angel come to take Pelayo’s sick son away, or perhaps just a circus freak? Pelayo and his wife, Elisenda, decide to do their best to care for the old man, and eventually they learn his truth.

Why we love it: Exploring Márquez’s magical realism is an exciting, eye-opening experience for students.

31. Charles by Shirley Jackson

“‘Why did Charles hit the teacher?’ I asked quickly. ‘Because she tried to make him color with red crayons,’ Laurie said. ‘Charles wanted to color with green crayons so he hit the teacher and she spanked him and said nobody play with Charles but everybody did.’”

Summary: Laurie’s first day of kindergarten ends up with him coming home unable to talk about anything from school except for Charles, who simply will not stop causing problems. Every day there’s a new story—something Charles said or did that simply shocks Laurie’s parents and makes them worry about their son’s experience in school. They just can’t wait to get to the first PTA meeting so they can find out what the deal is with this Charles kid.

Why we love it: Jackson’s must-read story validates the experience of students who don’t play by the rules, and it’s still got the perfect twist ending. Students will remember this story long after you’ve finished teaching it.

32. Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving

“Every change of season, every change of weather, indeed, every hour of the day, produces some change in the magical hues and shapes of these mountains, and they are regarded by all the good wives, far and near, as perfect barometers.”

Summary: Rip is a playful, unambitious man whose wife never lets him forget that he’s not really good for much. He makes a habit of getting away from the house when he can, and one day he finds a strange crew of mountain people bowling in the woods. And then he drank their beer. Twenty years later …

Why we love it: It’s important for students to know the reference behind Rip Van Winkle. They can discuss how references from literature make it into everyday language. Plus, this is an imaginative story with great descriptions. 

33. Click Clack the Rattlebag by Neil Gaiman

“We walked along the upper corridor in the shadows, walking from patch of moonlight to patch of moonlight. It really was a big house. I wished I had a flashlight.”

Summary: First, his girlfriend’s kid brother just asked for a bedtime story. Then he wanted to make sure the story wouldn’t be too scary. Finally, he asked the young man, who happened to be a writer of scary stories himself, if he knew any stories about the Click-Clack Monsters.

Why we love it: Students simply love this story. Period. Gaiman knows how to write for today’s kids, and this story never fails to hold their attention from the drop.

34. Names/Nombres by Julia Alvarez

“At the hotel my mother was Missus Alburest, and I was little girl, as in, ‘Hey, little girl, stop riding the elevator up and down. It’s not a toy.’”

Summary: Julia and her family begin changing their names as soon as they arrive in the United States. Some of these names come from others, and some are their own modifications, made to avoid standing out in sometimes unfriendly places. When he graduates, she finds a new perspective on how her name relates to her own language and heritage.

Why we love it: This is less a short story than an anecdotal essay about the words we use to identify one another, especially our loved ones. It’s one of those short stories for middle schoolers that’s perfect for starting the school year.

35. To Build a Fire by Jack London

“The man flung a look back along the way he had come. The Yukon lay a mile wide and hidden under three feet of ice. On top of this ice were as many feet of snow. It was all pure white, rolling in gentle undulations where the ice-jams of the freeze-up had formed.”

Summary: A dog is brought into the Yukon wilderness by a man who has never been there before, and the dog is forced to watch the man make mistake after mistake as the cold and dark bear down on the pair. Will the dog’s instincts be able to save the man, or will his inexperience be the death of him?

Why we love it: London’s stories remain engaging. In this story, the pace is perfect for studying plot, and the style is a fun model for narratives.

36. The Fly by Katherine Mansfield

“The door shut, the firm heavy steps recrossed the bright carpet, the fat body plumped down in the spring chair, and leaning forward, the boss covered his face with his hands. He wanted, he intended, he had arranged to weep …”

Summary: It started with a visit—Mr. Woodifield had seen better days, but “the boss” was determined to cheer him and warm his soul with some whiskey. Given this new strength, Woodifield broaches a sensitive topic that sends the boss into a fit of something like cruelty.

Why we love it: “The Fly” is a riddle wrapped in a short story. It’s fun for students to untangle the story and meaning.

37. Geraldo No Last Name by Sandra Cisneros

“She met him at a dance. Pretty too, and young. Said he worked in a restaurant, but she can’t remember which one. Geraldo.”

Summary: Marin met Geraldo at a dance. She loved going to dances but barely knew Geraldo, who left his home in another country for reasons she’d never learn. Even at the hospital, she couldn’t even give them his last name.

Why we love it: This story is a great model to show students how authors use words effectively and economically.

38. Rules of the Game by Amy Tan

“I was six when my mother taught me the art of invisible strength. It was a strategy for winning arguments, respect from others, and eventually, though neither of us knew it at the time, chess games.”

Summary: Meimei gets all the best advice about life from her mom. But she learns how to play chess on her own, which gives her a kind of strength her mother wasn’t expecting.

Why we love it: Tan uses the game of chess as the game of life. The themes of passion, dedication, and respect for family and tradition are built into this story, as in much of Tan’s work.

39. Liars Don’t Qualify by Junius Edwards

“Will Harris sat on the bench in the waiting room for another hour. His pride was not the only thing that hurt. He wanted them to call him in and get him registered so he could get out of there.”

Summary: Will Harris intends to register to vote—no small task in the Jim Crow South. He runs into Charlie and Sam, who interrogate and harass Will in an effort to get in his way.

Why we love it: It’s a small story about a very big issue, and it’s driven by compelling dialogue.

40. The Sniper by Liam O’Flaherty

“On a rooftop near O’Connell Bridge, a Republican sniper lay watching. Beside him lay his rifle and over his shoulders was slung a pair of field glasses. His face was the face of a student, thin and ascetic, but his eyes had the cold gleam of the fanatic.”

Summary: A loan sniper on a rooftop in Dublin during the Irish Civil War watches quietly for the enemy. He’s hungry but focused, and when danger arrives, he responds the way he’s trained to respond. He even takes out an enemy sniper who had nearly killed him moments before. But enemies aren’t always who we expect them to be.

Why we love it: The video game generation connects quickly to the setting, and the moral questions are worth talking about.

41. Civil Peace by Chinua Achebe

“Jonathan soon transferred the money to his left hand and pocket so as to leave his right free for shaking hands should the need arise, though by fixing his gaze at such an elevation as to miss all approaching human faces he made sure that the need did not arise, until he got home.”

Summary: Jonathan begins the story with his family intact and his treasured bicycle by his side. In the midst of the Nigerian Civil War, they all do what they can to manage day by day. When danger arrives, Jonathan knows where to find strength.

Why we love it: This modern Nigerian story is a great way to introduce students to African literature, modern events, and point of view and theme.

42. The Friday Everything Changed by Anne Hart

“Tradition. In Miss Ralston’s class the boys have always carried the water bucket. Until one day, the girls decide it’s time to challenge the rule.”

Summary: The boys always perform the important task of filling the water bucket, and they’re very proud of it. One day, Alma asks her teacher why that’s the case, which is only the beginning.

Why we love it: What better way to empower young world-changers than a short story for middle schoolers about gender roles?

43. The Scholarship Jacket by Marta Salinas

“The next day when the principal called me into his office I knew what it would be about. He looked uncomfortable and unhappy. I decided I wasn’t going to make it any easier for him, so I looked him straight in the eye. He looked away and fidgeted with the papers on his desk.”

Summary: Just like her older sister, Martha hopes to receive her school’s Scholarship Jacket, given to the student with the highest grade. A new policy will challenge her confidence in her teachers as well as her grandfather’s faith in the school Martha attends, but Martha, like many young women, persists.

Why we love it The limited first-person perspective of the young narrator provides an interesting window on racial and social politics.

44. Amigo Brothers by Piri Thomas

“While some youngsters were into street negatives, Antonio and Felix slept, ate, rapped, and dreamt positive. Between them, they had a collection of Fight magazines second to none, plus a scrapbook filled with torn tickets to every boxing match they had ever attended, and some clippings of their own.”

Summary: Antonio and Felix are best friends and boxers. They depend on each other like family. But in order to compete for the Golden Gloves, they must face each other in the ring. How they navigate this challenge may define the rest of their boxing careers, not to mention their relationship.

Why we love it: It works as a great extension text if you’re examining sports fiction, friendship stories, ethical questions, or characterization.

45. And of Clay Are We Created by Isabel Allende

“In that vast cemetery where the odor of death was already attracting vultures from far away, and where the weeping of orphans and wails of the injured filled the air, the little girl obstinately clinging to life became the symbol of the tragedy.”

Summary: A natural disaster has partly buried young Azucena in mud. She can’t move the lower half of her body, which is surrounded by the bodies of her family members who didn’t survive the avalanche. Carlé is a stoic journalist tasked with interviewing Azucena, but his attitude changes when he remembers his own story of survival.

Why we love it: Allende does historical fiction like no one else. Introduce students to her style, including her bold imagery and vivid voice, with this story about the aftermath of a fictional volcano eruption (based on the 1985 volcano eruption in Colombia).

46. Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

“It was very hot and the express from Barcelona would come in forty minutes. It stopped at this junction for two minutes and went on to Madrid.”

Summary: A man and a woman waiting for their train to Madrid order drinks, comment on the weather, and sort of discuss an operation that he would like her to have.

Why we love it: Students can analyze craft, bias, and character development all in one story.

47. The Veldt by Ray Bradbury

“They walked down the hall of their HappyLife Home, which had cost them thirty thousand dollars installed. This house which clothed and fed and rocked them to sleep and played and sang and was good to them.”

Summary: The nursery in George and Lydia’s futuristic home can create alternate realities for their children, Peter and Wendy. This latest version of an African grassland has them concerned.

Why we love it: Read and analyze this story about a child who gets revenge on their parents.

48. The Fun They Had by Isaac Asimov

“‘Gee,’ said Tommy, ‘what a waste. When you’re through with the book, you just throw it away, I guess. Our television screen must have had a million books on it and it’s good for plenty more. I wouldn’t throw it away.’”

Summary: Real books are so rare that when Tommy finds one, he and Margie cannot stop talking about it. They discover some of the secrets of how the world was before they learned everything from robots.

Why we love it: This science-fiction story works wonderfully as a compare-and-contrast text or as a model for students’ own speculative narratives. It’s also a great way to bring what may be a new genre into the classroom.

49. Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

“George and Hazel were watching television. There were tears on Hazel’s cheeks, but she’d forgotten for the moment what they were about. On the television screen were ballerinas.”

Summary: April was the month the authorities came to take Harrison away from his parents because he was too talented and intelligent to be left to his own devices. Kids like Harrison need to be handicapped so this “advanced” society can ensure equality. Hazel and George, Harrison’s parents, barely notice when they took him. How will they react when he finally tries to fight back?

Why we love it: The subversive genius of Kurt Vonnegut always provides essential lessons in style and critical thinking.

50. A Good Man Is Hard To Find by Flannery O’Connor

“All at once they would be on a hill, looking down over the blue tops of trees for miles around, then the next minute, they would be in a red depression with the dust-coated trees looking down on them.”

Summary: As the family packs for their road trip to Florida, the grandmother keeps a close eye on everything going on. She’s got something to say about where they’re going, first of all, and makes sure everyone knows what the speed limit is. She also lets them know that there’s a prison escapee on the loose. She knows a lot of things, for sure.

Why we love it: It really freaks out the kids when the grandmother meets her match in a twist that we see coming just in time to really feel the horror. If you’re looking for short stories that are engaging and rich for character study, this is the one for middle schoolers.

51. Eleven by Sandra Cisneros

“You open your eyes and everything’s just like yesterday, only it’s today. And you don’t feel eleven at all. You feel like you’re still ten. And you are—underneath the year that makes you eleven.”

Summary: Rachel is 11 now. She knows that a lot of what we say and do has to do with how old we are, and she’s expecting changes on her 11th birthday. But kids who talk over her and a stubborn red sweater are there to remind her that she’s still learning and figuring things out.

Why we love it: Middle schoolers will appreciate the way Cisneros handles the theme of growing up, and the premise of a child being embarrassed is all too relatable.

52. Thank You, Ma’am by Langston Hughes

“It was about eleven o’clock at night, and she was walking alone, when a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse. The strap broke with the single tug the boy gave it from behind.”

Summary: When young Roger has the nerve to try to steal Mrs. Jones’ purse, she doesn’t hesitate to put him in his place, quite literally. She also makes sure he remembers the lesson she’s about to teach him, with kindness and compassion.

Why we love it: It’s an example of an important lesson taught with firm grace and compassion. The beautiful characterization makes it a great text to study for technique.

53. Valediction by Sherman Alexie

“The next morning, we met up before school, and vowed to never do it again. One time was kind of innocent, but more than that would be criminal. But after practice that night, we did it again. Then again the day after that. We shoplifted for a week.”

Summary: John and Peter have a tradition after football practice of buying snacks at the store before deciding on the best house to eat dinner at. One day, they decide to take more soda than they pay for, which creates a moral question that both boys respond to differently, changing their relationship forever.

Why we love it: Few writers do coming-of-age stories these days better than Sherman Alexie. And this is a great coming-of-age story with a solid lesson at the end.

54. Girl by Jamaica Kincaid

“Wash the white clothes on Monday and put them on the stone heap; wash the color clothes on Tuesday and put them on the clothesline to dry; don’t walk bare-head in the hot sun; cook pumpkin fritters in very hot sweet oil …”

Summary: Make sure you wash correctly, cook correctly, walk correctly, and entertain people correctly. This is what you must do if you want to be a girl.

Why we love it: This story is unconventional and accessible at the same time. I love exposing students to different types of narratives because it really helps them extend their creative ideas.

55. When I Lay My Burden Down by Maya Angelou

“I remember never believing that whites were really real.”

Summary: Momma makes sure her kids know the right way to live, from keeping clean to speaking right. Her kids have barely even seen a white person and are shocked to discover how they treat Momma with such disrespect. But Momma knows what she’s doing, and soon her kids do too.

Why we love it: Maya Angelou is a must-read for students. In this narrative, she takes the American perspective and turns it on its head, challenging students to really think.

56. All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury

“It was the color of flaming bronze and it was very large. And the sky around it was a blazing blue tile color. And the jungle burned with sunlight as the children, released from their spell, rushed out, yelling into the springtime.”

Summary: Even though not all the students believe it will happen, most are excited to find out if this will indeed be the one day in seven years that the sun comes out in their world. Margot is from another world, where the sun shines almost all the time. She waits quietly for the sun to come out while her classmates mock and bully her, just as the rain finally begins to stop.

Why we love it: Teaching this story in the 21st century means you can align it with historical events and help students imagine their own versions of what will happen in the future.

57. The Medicine Bag by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve

“I watched the group as it slowly came closer and saw that in the center of the strange procession was a man wearing a tall black hat. He’d pause now and then to peer at something in his hand and then at the houses on either side of the street. I felt cold and hot at the same time as I recognized the man. ‘Oh, no!’ I whispered. ‘It’s Grandpa!’”

Summary: Martin brags about his Sioux grandfather to his classmates, but when his grandfather actually comes to visit, Martin is ashamed and more worried about what his friends will think than anything else. Grandfather is frail and tired, but he’s brought memories and gifts from his heritage that will change Martin forever.

Why we love it: Short stories for middle schoolers that highlight the wisdom and experience of elders are always welcome in my classroom. This one teaches students about having pride in their cultural heritage.

58. St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell

“We’d arrived at St. Lucy’s this morning, part of a pack fifteen-strong. We were accompanied by a mousy, nervous-smelling social worker, the baby-faced deacon, Bartholomew the blue wolfhound, and four burly woodsmen.”

Summary: Claudette and her sisters are part werewolf, but they’ve been sent to this school to learn how to be more like real humans. When they first arrive, the group of children are clearly near feral and spend more time digging and howling than anything else. The nuns have a plan though.

Why we love it: Werewolves. Great literature. What’s not to like?

59. Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston

“Delia’s habitual meekness seemed to slip from her shoulders like a blown scarf. She was on her feet; her poor little body, her bare knuckly hands bravely defying the strapping hulk before her.”

Summary: Delia is good at her job, which is to wash clothes for white people. Her husband, Sykes, resents her work and knows very well that she’s afraid of snakes, which makes her even more frustrated when she finds his bullwhip laying around her clothes. Sykes has a plan to rid himself of Delia, but she’s got her own ideas about what freedom looks like.

Why we love it: While the dialect and culturally sensitive topics in this story are for more advanced readers, it’s also a wonderful way to engage students who are ready to tackle more complex text.

60. Mother and Daughter by Gary Soto

“Yollie’s mother, Mrs. Moreno, was a large woman who wore a muu-muu and butterfly-shaped glasses. She liked to water her lawn in the evening and wave at low-riders, who would stare at her behind their smoky sunglasses and laugh.”

Summary: Yollie’s mom is a little different, but they have fun together. When her mom leaves her to fall asleep on the couch during a movie, Yollie retaliates by putting a glass of water next to her alarm clock and then making sure to burn her toast. Her mom’s unique way of doing things might cause Yollie problems when it’s time to get a dress for the big dance, but they’ll get through it.

Why we love it: In this story, the relationship between a mother and daughter is tested after a wardrobe malfunction at a dance. The story has themes of family and of what happens when we act thoughtlessly.

61. The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

“If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body. The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence. First of all I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.”

Summary: A kindly old man takes in a boarder who stalks and murders him in the middle of the night. When the police arrive, the boarder is somehow suddenly overcome with both guilt and denial at the same time. Hilarity ensues. Lesson: If you can’t keep both eyes on the weird guy who wants to live in your house, don’t let him!

Why we love it: This is a ghost story with an unreliable narrator, terrifying action, and (spoiler alert) no ghost. it’s a great start or end to a unit on short stories.

62. The Hitchhiker by Lucille Fletcher

“Adams: Of course I will. Now don’t you worry. There isn’t anything going to happen. It’s just eight days of perfectly simple driving on smooth, decent, civilized roads, with a hotdog or a hamburger stand every ten miles …”

Summary: Ronald leaves for a road trip in the middle of a storm and has to swerve to avoid a hitchhiker on the Brooklyn Bridge. Before long, Ronald realizes that no matter how far west he gets, the same hitchhiker keeps appearing along the side of the road. A phone call home makes things even more confusing for poor Ronald, who probably should have waited for the rain to stop before heading out in the first place.

Why we love it: This is a short story in script form that’s fun to perform in class. Also, you can pair this with the Twilight Zone version to analyze craft and perspective.

63. The Landlady by Roald Dahl

“He walked briskly down the street. He was trying to do everything briskly these days. Briskness, he had decided, was the one common characteristic of all successful businessmen.”

Summary: The porter at the train station told Billy he should stay at the Bell and Dragon while he’s in London, but Billy is quite taken by the sign of a bed-and-breakfast he passes on the way. The landlady seems quite taken with him as well. Billy becomes concerned when he notices the scarcity of names in the guest book, especially after realizing that the dog hasn’t moved at all.

Why we love it: When the narrator, Billy, arrives in Bath, and it becomes problematic when he meets the landlady, even Billy seems to understand his predicament. I get the chills just thinking about this story. Students love that too.

64. The Smallest Dragonboy by Anne McCaffrey

“Dragonriders, even if they were still only hopeful candidates for the glowing eggs which were hardening on the hot sands of the Hatching Ground cavern, were expected to be punctual and prepared.”

Summary: Keevan is constantly reminded of how small he is, but that doesn’t keep him from wanting to prove himself as a dragonrider.

Why we love it: It’s simply a beautiful story with science-fiction and fantasy motifs.

65. The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst

“It was I who renamed him. When he crawled, he crawled backwards, as if he were in reverse and couldn’t change gears. If you called him, he’d turn around as if he were going in the other direction, then he’d back right up to you to be picked up. Crawling backward made him look like a doodlebug, so I began to call him Doodle.”

Summary: Doodle is a small, fragile child who wasn’t expected to live very long. But soon he learns to crawl, then talk, and even walk, especially with the help of his older brother. Shortly before school is scheduled to begin, a red bird perches in a tree in their yard, foretelling a tragic end that will take Brother’s breath away.

Why we love it: It’s one of those short stories for middle schoolers that’s straight-up heartbreaking, so be prepared for that, but it’s also rich with symbolism and character development.

66. My First Free Summer by Julia Alvarez

“I never had summer—I had summer school. First grade, summer school. Second grade, summer school. Thirdgradesummerschoolfourthgradesummerschool. In fifth grade, I vowed I would get interested in fractions, the presidents of the United States, Mesopotamia; I would learn my English.”

Summary: Julia was always stuck in summer school when she lived in the Dominican Republic because she wasn’t learning English fast enough. All she wants is a summer free of responsibilities, which she only gets when her family is finally able to take advantage of all those English classes and move to the United States.

Why we love it: It’s Julia Alvarez, which means the kids will be so wrapped up in the story they won’t realize they’re reading. In fact, they’re just experiencing her engaging point of view.

67. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

“The lottery was conducted—as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program—by Mr. Summers, who had time and energy to devote to civic activities. He was a round-faced, jovial man and he ran the coal business, and people were sorry for him because he had no children and his wife was a scold.”

Summary: The annual ritual is obediently attended by everyone in town. A locked box contains the names of every family in the town, and once a family is drawn, the lottery will continue until one person’s name is chosen. Everyone must obey.

Why we love it: No short story list would be complete without “The Lottery.” It’s a wonderful story with interesting plot twists that forces students to pay attention and give it a close read.

68. The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

“She started to try to cover the sad marks of what she had done. Love and large-hearted giving, when added together, can leave deep marks.”

Summary: Christmas is coming and this young couple knows two things: what the other person would love the most and how to get it for them. Unfortunately, what they need to know is how to communicate a little better.

Why we love it: It’s a classic story about a couple who gives up their greatest treasures to buy gifts for each other. Students can discuss the themes of sacrifice and love and rewrite the story with their own updates.

69. The Gold Cadillac by Mildred Taylor

“‘We got us a Cadillac! We got us a Cadillac!’ Wilma and I proclaimed in unison.”

Summary: Lois and Wilma are playing in the yard when their father rolls up in a brand-new car. Mom even refuses to ride in the car, but the girls don’t understand why. After driving the car through town for a while, Daddy decides to drive alone to Mississippi, which Mom will not allow, so the family embarks on a trip that will stay with Lois and Wilma for a long time.

Why we love it: The story, and the idea of cars as a status symbol, is timeless.

70. Fish Cheeks by Amy Tan

“When I found out that my parents had invited the minister’s family over for Christmas Eve dinner, I cried. What would Robert think of our shabby Chinese Christmas? What would he think of our noisy Chinese relatives who lacked proper American manners?”

Summary: Amy has a crush on the minister’s son and ought to be more excited about his family coming over for Christmas dinner. But she is horrified when her mother serves traditional Chinese food to this very American family.

Why we love it: Use this story to analyze how the author develops a narrator’s point of view.

71. The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell

“An abrupt sound startled him. Off to the right he heard it, and his ears, expert in such matters, could not be mistaken. Again he heard the sound, and again. Somewhere, off in the blackness, someone had fired a gun three times.”

Summary: A big-game hunter named Rainsford falls off his yacht and ends up on a mysterious island designed by a certain General Zaroff as an arena for hunting humans. At first, the two commiserate over their shared love of the hunt, but Zaroff insists that Rainsford either hunt with him or be hunted by him. Rainsford becomes the prey but has ideas of his own.

Why we love it: This story builds suspense and tension and provides space for students to discuss whether it is meant to be read literally or allegorically.

72. Sol Painting, Inc. by Meg Medina

“Papi and I have a long-term business plan. I’m going to take over his company one day and turn it into an empire. Home Depot will eat my dust. I’ve already designed my business cards. They’ve got a sun rising and fancy gold letters: MERCI SUAREZ, CEO, SOL PAINTING, INC.”

Summary: Another summer of painting with her family is coming to an end for Merci, but she has a lifetime of running her dad’s business to look forward to, and she loves that work. School is something else, and Merci’s worlds collide when Papi figures out the best way to pay for her tuition.

Why we love it: Medina’s writing appeals to many students who have trouble connecting with content, starting with the narrator’s compelling voice.

73. Main Street by Jacqueline Woodson

“I had never known anyone brown, and Celeste had never lived in a place where brown people didn’t.”

Summary: Two girls meet for a short time in a small New Hampshire town. One has lost her mother to cancer and the other has come from New York City with her mother, who has recently separated from her father. Amid colorful leaves, colorful language, and the regular commentary from townspeople, Treetop and Celeste form a friendship that transcends time.

Why we love it: This is a story about grief and loss, with a main character who recently lost her mother to cancer. Despite the sober premise, it’s a wonderful story to use for close reading.

74. Raymond’s Run by Toni Cade Bambara

“I don’t have much work to do around the house like some girls. My mother does that. And I don’t have to earn my pocket money by hustling; George runs errands for the big boys and sells Christmas cards. And anything else that’s got to get done, my father does. All I have to do in life is mind my brother Raymond, which is enough.”

Summary: Squeaky is good at running and at taking care of her brother, who needs looking after. With the big May Day race coming up, she’s got her mind on beating her rival and not taking any crap from anybody. But it’s not how she runs in the race that changes everything.

Why we love it: Middle school students know what it means to stand by your family, and this story leads to great conversations about theme.

75. The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula Le Guin

“Do you believe? Do you accept the festival, the city, the joy? No? Then let me describe one more thing.”

Summary: The Festival of Summer is in full swing! Bells, tambourines, dancing, and horses all feature in the grand parade. If you cast your eyes in any direction in Omelas, you’re sure to be amazed by the joy and happiness in the town. But this is all brought to you by a terrible secret living in the dark, unseen and barely considered, except by those who eventually walk away from Omelas.

Why we love it: It’s more of a proposition than a story. As a result, students can explore meaning and consider the ethical questions Le Guin raises.

76. What’s the Worst That Could Happen? by Bruce Coville

“If thirteen is supposed to be an unlucky number, what does it mean that we are forced to go through an entire year with that as our age? I mean, you would think a civilized society could just come up with a way for us to skip it.”

Summary: If Murphy Murphy is the unluckiest name one could have, 13 is definitely the unluckiest age one could be. For these reasons, Murphy is not thrilled that he has a crush on someone, but he’s even less excited about the prospect of yet another school play for him to mess up.

Why we love it: This story explores what it’s like to be 13, and whether your middle schoolers are heading into 13 or coming out of it, they will love reading one perspective on the awkward teen years.

77. The Monkey’s Paw by William Wymark Jacobs

“A perfect fusillade of knocks reverberated through the house, and he heard the scraping of a chair as his wife put it down in the passage against the door.”

Summary: Mr. White and his son, Herbert, are playing chess when we meet them. A guest arrives and eventually reveals a mummified monkey’s paw from his travels, and explains how it can grant wishes but only at a great cost. Unable to avoid temptation, the Whites begin making wishes, and then more wishes, before trying to give it all back before they lose everything.

Why we love it: The story is written in a dialogue-driven way, and the plot builds to an important lesson.

78. The Boo Hag by Veronica Byrd

“But Emmet had his eyes set on a beautifully mysterious young woman who lived alone in a small cabin deep in the marsh. She was incredibly beautiful, with long dark hair, smooth skin and piercing green eyes. But word around town was that she was a little strange, and it was best to stay away from her.”

Summary: Emmet was a hardworking young man who couldn’t take his eyes off a mysterious woman who lives nearby. He manufactures an excuse to ask her for help, and she invites him into her house for dinner. Before long, the two are married, and the only problem for Emmet is that his new bride seems to have a habit of slipping out of the house in the middle of the night.

Why we love it: This story connects with the tradition of oral storytelling. Read it aloud to students or assign them the challenge of making this story come to life through read-aloud.

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If you like these short stories for middle schoolers, don’t miss our list of favorite middle school poems too.

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