Middle grade books that feature strong male protagonists are a big draw for all genders. 

These characters grapple with intense challenges while discovering their place in the world. 

The The Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings features Brady confronting a moral dilemma. 

In The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko readers meet Hank, who is considering which adults to trust after being abandoned. 

Similarly, Kabir learns quickly that some people can be friends while others cannot, in Born Behind Bars by Padma Venkatraman. 

And in The Fort by Gordon Korman, the boys consider when and to whom they should divulge their secrets. 

All of these novels offer an opportunity for readers to develop empathy while sitting with the slightly uncomfortable feelings intense novel often bring.