Using Middle School Novel Mentor Texts and Mentor Sentences for Middle School Grammar

Mentor texts are are an incredible way to teach writing and grammar in middle school. Use each of these mentor texts with the mentor sentences for middle school grammar bundle. Each quarter (nine weeks) comes with sentences based off high engagement, mentor texts to use with your students. Here is a list of the incredible texts used in the bundle. Use the sentences as motivation not only for writing but also to have your students check out these fascinating independent reads!

First Nine Weeks

Call of the Wild

by Jack London

Jack London draws on his personal experience of the 1890 Klondike Gold Rush to share this unique story about a sled dog named buck. London’s writing style gives imagery-laden sentences with multiple sentence structures.

Freak the Mighty

by Rodman Philbrick

Every middle schooler should read this anti-bullying novel not just for the message but to use as a mentor text. The first sentence, “I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for awhile, and that’s the truth, the whole truth.” is a perfect example of how Philbrick uses punctuated sentences to tell a story. Reviewing punctuation skills is one of the elements of the mentor sentences for middle school grammar bundle.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

by J.K. Rowling

Book One of the Harry Potter series is the perfect choice for a mentor text to teach sentences and grammar. Since many students are familiar with at least the pop culture icon, the books and excerpts are engaging and interesting at this age level.

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan

Whether your students have seen the movies or demolished the books based on Greek mythology, they will love the sentences used from the hero Percy’s first book in the series.

The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by Sherman Alexie

This novel starts with a simple sentence, but the beautifully written text about a young Native American man uses various sentence structures and manipulates grammar rules in a stylistic way. This allows your students to really think through the sentences during the mentor sentence lessons, a strong emphasis in the mentor sentences for middle school grammar bundle.

The Fault in our Stars

by John Green

The first sentence in Green’s story narrated by a cancer patient is more than 50 words long. Using A Fault in Our Stars as a mentor text to teach different types of sentences starts at the beginning. You’ll love how you can share perfectly punctuated sentences of varying lengths.

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

The first paragraph of The Hunger Games introduces readers to what is now well-known as “the reaping”. Complex, compound, and simple sentences are introduced early in the story in this well-written modern masterpiece, perfect for teaching mentor sentences.

The Maze Runner

by James Dashner

Using mentor sentences to teach figurative language is a huge part of the mentor sentences for middle school grammar bundle, and Dashner uses a lot of personification, something that is part of the first nine weeks of the bundle.

The Outsiders

by S.E. Hinton

One reason I love using Hinton’s classic to teach grammar and sentence structure is because of the emphasis on dialogue. This is another part of the first nine weeks in the mentor sentences for middle school grammar bundle. The Outsiders is commonly taught in middle school, so it’s a great connection to reading curriculum.

Second Nine Weeks

A Separate Peace

by John Knowles

Knowles’ story of World War II is a great way to reflect on author tone and voice! This is an integral part of the second quarter grammar lessons.

All American Boys

by Jason Reynolds

The variety of sentence structure is only one reason that Reynold’s novel is a must-have for your classroom. This powerful novel is so poignant in today’s world as it focuses on issues of race and class.

Divergent

by Veronica Roth

My middle school students love series books. This trilogy has gone to the big screen, and students love to see the engaging, well-written mentor sentences in their lessons.

Noggin

by John Corey Whaley

Travis has come back to life in this amazingly written YA novel. Share it with your students to teach voice and focus on pronouns!

The Bad Beginning

by Lemony Snicket

The Netflix series has brought Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events to life again. Share the first book with your students for the second quarter mentor sentence lessons.

The Giver

by Lois Lowry

The first book in The Giver quartet makes students wonder if it’s a dystopian or utopian world that Jonas, the protagonist, lives in. The novel focuses on the concept of language, which means its sentences are great ways of teaching how to express words in a precise way.

The Hate U Give

by Angie Thomas

This novel turned movie uses powerful similes and metaphors to express ideas. Share this story of race relations with your middle schoolers through mentor sentences.

To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

One of the most taught novels of the last 50 years, TKAM stands the test of time with its well-written prose, perfect for teaching grammar and sentence structures.

White Fang

by Jack London

The first sentence of White Fang begins with a personification. Language is such a powerful tool in conveying the story of a young wolf cub.

Third Nine Weeks

A Wrinkle in Time

by Madeleine L’Engle

Abstract and concrete nouns can be difficult concepts to teach, but with texts like A Wrinkle in Time, your students will love practicing these parts of speech!

Everything, Everything

by Nicola Yoon

One of the most popular YAL books of the last few years is a great way to teach subjects and predicates through the eyes of Maddy, a girl trying to face (and survive) the world.

Matched

by Ally Condie

Dystopian romance? Sounds like a perfect novel to teach verb tenses! Share this engaging first novel in the series with your students.

Me, Earl and the Dying Girl

by Jesse Andrews

Don’t skip the author’s note in this book. Andrews starts by talking about his struggle to write the right sentences in the novel. What a treat to use this story to teach grammar and sentence structure!

Middle School- The Worst Years of My Life

by James Patterson

Why not use a hybrid comic/novel to teach grammar and sentence structure? Learn how to use commas, apostrophes, and more with this fun text that reflects common (and silly) middle school problems!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

by Ransom Riggs

Teasing series books through mentor texts and sentences will help your students get excited about reading! This mystery about an abandoned orphanage will do just that.

Schooled

by Gordon Korman

If you haven’t used a Gordon Korman text in your middle school class yet, now is the time. Gordon uses verbs to paint a vivid picture with simple yet engaging stories.

The Hobbit

by J.R.R Tolkien

Compound subjects and predicates abound in this incredible, modern classic. Every child should read The Hobbit! Chances are, you have memories of this special novel from your elementary or middle school days. Share them with your students.

Thirteen Reasons Why

by Jay Asher

This novel deals with adult themes of suicide and depression. The text is popular with middle school to high school students and is an excellent way to introduce grammar and sentence structure concepts. Encourage students who are having suicidal thoughts to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Follow your school policy and make sure to report any concerns to your counseling department to get your students the support they need.

Fourth Nine Weeks

Booked

by Kwame Alexander

Littered with description, this verse novel is a unique way to teach sentence structure and adjectives.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine makes an appearance again in the last quarter of novels to teach grammar and sentence structure.

Orbiting Jupiter

by Gary Schmidt

This incredible story of a young (middle school) father is a great way to teach antonyms and synonyms in context. Enjoy this award-winning novel that is a middle school favorite. The powerful characters in this novel will help your students model dialogue and description in their own writing.

Red Queen

by Victoria Aveyard

The first book in the trilogy is a science fiction triumph that is perfect for teaching irony and types of verbs.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

by Becky Albertalli

Another tale wrapped with irony, this positive LGBTQ love story is a great way to bring inclusivity into your grammar and writing curriculum.

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak

This historical fiction book set in Nazi Germany includes allusion and brilliantly written sentences to share with your students.

The Crossover

by Kwame Alexander

The second verse novel by Kwame Alexander on this list is a testament to incredible adjectives through expertly written poetry.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky

Another LGBTQ novel gives a voice to a marginalized population through powerful allusions and idioms. The full novel is more appropriate for older middle school to high school readers.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

by Grace Lin

From differences between who and whom to types of verbs, this Chinese folk story meets fantasy has it all. Use it in your writing and grammar instruction.

These mentor texts to teach writing are some of the most popular, well-written texts you can share with your middle school students. Besides using them as standalone texts, try the mentor sentences in the strong>mentor sentences for middle school grammar bundle to help your learners use strong text as models for their own writing.