Can you recommend some middle school science fiction short stories?

Sure. 'The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963' is a great one. It's about an African - American family's journey to the South during the Civil Rights era. Another is 'Number the Stars' which tells a story set during World War II, about a girl helping her Jewish friend.

Also, 'The Midwife's Apprentice' by Karen Cushman. It's set in medieval England. The story of a homeless girl who becomes a midwife's apprentice gives insights into the life and social structure of that time. It has a great character arc and is full of historical details that are interesting for middle school readers.

Sure. 'My Brother Sam Is Dead' is a notable one. It gives a vivid picture of the American Revolutionary War from a family's perspective. Then there's 'The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963' by Christopher Paul Curtis. While it's more of a blend of historical and family story, it's set during the Civil Rights Movement and is very engaging for middle schoolers. And 'Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry' by Mildred D. Taylor, which deals with racial discrimination in the South during the Great Depression era.

Well, 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' is an extremely funny and imaginative classic science fiction book for middle schoolers. It's full of absurd adventures in space. 'Brave New World' is another one. It presents a dystopian future society where people are genetically engineered and conditioned. And 'The War of the Worlds' by H.G. Wells, which is about a Martian invasion of Earth.

Well, dystopia is a common theme. Many middle school science fiction short stories show a future that is not so bright, like in 'Harrison Bergeron' where extreme equality leads to a lack of freedom. The relationship between humans and nature is another theme. In some stories, nature has been so damaged by human actions. And time is also a theme, such as in 'A Sound of Thunder' where time travel causes problems.

Sure. 'Flowers for Algernon' is a great one. It tells the story of a man with an intellectual disability who undergoes an experiment to increase his intelligence. Another is 'The Veldt' which explores the relationship between technology and family. And 'All Summer in a Day' is also wonderful, set on Venus where the sun only comes out once every seven years.

Sure. 'Divergent' by Veronica Roth is popular. It's set in a post - apocalyptic Chicago where society is divided into factions based on different virtues. The main character, Tris, discovers she doesn't fit neatly into one category, and her journey is full of thrills and self - discovery.

One famous middle school horror short story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a narrator who is haunted by the old man's vulture - like eye and eventually commits a terrible act. Another is 'The Landlady' where a young man checks into a bed - and - breakfast and discovers the landlady has some very strange and disturbing secrets.

Sure. 'The Westing Game' by Ellen Raskin is a great one. It has a complex mystery with a bunch of unique characters in a middle - school - like setting. Another is 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' by Lemony Snicket. The Baudelaire orphans face one mystery after another in a rather dark and mysterious world. Also, 'Chasing Vermeer' by Blue Balliett is an interesting mystery short story that involves art and secrets.

Sure. 'The Westing Game' is a great one. It has a complex mystery that keeps readers guessing as a group of heirs try to solve the puzzle of who will inherit Sam Westing's fortune.