middle grade fiction

> Tag: middle grade fiction

“Don’t be an enemy to you. Love you. Be your friend.”

Enemies by Svetlana Chmakova

October 16, 2022 by GentleRain Leave a Comment

CBR14Bingo: Font (I always really like Chmakova’s handwritten font.) Enemies is the fourth in Svetlana Chmakova’s Berrybrook Middle School series, which I love. I’ve been waiting a few years for the most recent installment and this lived up to my hopes. Felicity lives in the shadow of her little sister Letty, who is always winning science fairs and getting recognition for her academic achievement. In the beginning of the book, Letty teases Felicity that she never finishes anything, and so Felicity sets out to win […]

Two books that I think would be great for young readers but I have personal mixed feelings about

Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley

Apple Crush by Lucy Knisley

June 13, 2022 by GentleRain Leave a Comment

Stepping Stones and Apple Crush are middle-grade graphic novels that follow Jen, a city girl whose parents have gotten divorced. Stepping Stones covers the immediate aftermath of Jen’s mom moving them to a farm in the country with her new boyfriend Walter. Jen has to learn how to get along with her new step-sisters, especially Andy, who is bossy and a know-it-all. The conflict between Jen, who is struggling with math, and Jen, who is using her good grades to try to be perfect for her dad, […]

There’s Always Room in My Life For Middle Grade Mysteries

The Bell, The Book, and the Spellbinder by Brad Strickland

The Chessmen of Doom by John Bellairs

June 7, 2022 by GentleRain Leave a Comment

I got these books by mistake since I confused them with John Bellairs’ other middle grade gothic horror/magic series starring a boy being raised by his grandparents. I cut myself some slack for this one, especially since I also read this Johnny Dixon series as a child and the titles were familiar. I do still want to do a re-read of the Lewis Barnavelt series, so I’ll have to get my hands on those soon. My idea in getting these was to read the series from […]

A middle-grade mystery inspired by Zora Neale Hurston

Zora and Me by Victoria Bond and T. R. Simon

December 25, 2020 by teresaelectro 1 Comment

Victoria Bond and T. R. Simon took Zora Neale Hurston’s life as literary inspiration for their joint debut novel, Zora and Me. Framed as a middle-grade mystery, we follow the adventures of a fictionalized Zora through the eyes of her best friend, Carrie. The two curious girls and their friend Teddy are given mostly free rein to explore their small town of Eatonville, Florida. They play in the woods and are often given candy from the owner of the general store, Joe. When an alligator […]

The only thing missing from this Wonder Woman story was Jumpa, her pet kangaroo

Diana: Princess of the Amazons by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, Victoria Ying

January 5, 2020 by J 1 Comment

Honestly, if you wanted to find an author who could tell a story of Diana of Themyscira’s youthful adventures, you could hardly do better than Shannon Hale. Hale’s Princess in Black series, the charming adventures of a young princess who leads a secret life as a superhero, was one of the first chapter books we shared with our daughter. We absolutely loved them. DC chose well. Hale’s take on Diana shows us the lonely life of an only child in a society of adults. Everyone […]

Lyrical historical coming of age fiction

Red Dove, Listen to the Wind by Sonia Antaki

October 27, 2019 by J Leave a Comment

Thirteen year old Red Dove lives in interesting times for the Lakota people. Shortly after the Battle of the Greasy Grass (Battle of Little Big Horn), her people have fallen on hard times. Food has become scarce, and the Lakota have learned that they cannot trust the people who have settled on their lands to live peacefully. In a moment of weakness, Red Dove’s mother agrees to send her children to a local Catholic school, hoping that the children will at least find regular meals […]

MsWas on I was right to kidnap this book.That is a hilarious and inventive way to give that book. I will have to keep that in mind.
Emmalita on I was right to kidnap this book.Ok, but your gift giving game is excellent!
Emmalita on OK, I Need to Talk About These BooksThere are some books that are addictive even when they make us feel bad about ourselves after reading them. I can see how these books...
Malin on “One doesn’t need magic if one knows enough stories.”I really want to read this, I'm just worried that it being set in a fictional version of Norway is going to push some peeve...
Michellers66 on I was right to kidnap this book.I am not familiar with Benjamin Stevenson and delighted to try one of his books, think I will start with Either Side of Midnight per...

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