Task 5: Read a Middle Grade Novel

[Martha]

Martha wrote: "I eventually want to read Pax. I've heard good things about it. I'm #11 on the waiting list at the library so it will be a while before I get to it."

I didn't wait for the library to read Pax. I bought it and finished it over two days. I loved it. It's about grief, the bond between a boy and a fox, war (although not a specific war) and the far-reaching consequences of war, and a journey. It had its sad moments, but none of them devastating.

[Bonnie G.]

I went with The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy, and it was absolutely charming. I smiled nearly all the way through this quick read.

[Lauren]

The Honest Truth was a great read, and I am glad I got to read it for this challenge - I wouldn't have happened upon it otherwise. It's a powerful and affected little novel, and I loved his dog, Beau, and the Mt. Rainier climbing dream.

[Kathy]

I've readFreak the Mighty because my 13 year old recommended it. It was a great story and then I read a Newberry award winner from the 80's that was also great The Hero and the Crown. Definitely would recommend both.

[Tam]

Completed Middle school book. It was a fun read. Highly recommend for middle schoolers and grown-ups. teaches teamwork, problem-solving and books can be more fun then video games and electronic devices.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a novel full of humor and suspense. It's a game in itself, in which readers can have fun solving clues and answering riddles while learning how to navigate the Dewey Decimal system.

[Viv]

I just finished reading The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making for this task. It was a really lovely read, and I would definitely recommend it to others.

[Carol]

Tam wrote: "
Completed Middle school book. It was a fun read. Highly recommend for middle schoolers and grown-ups. teaches teamwork, problem-solving and..."

I love this book too! I'm a Youth Services Librarian and at the end of March we're playing the Mr. Lemoncello's Great Library Escape game with a group of 6th graders who's teacher read the book to them. I can't wait!!!

[Kristine]

I read The Invention of Hugo Cabret. It was truly wonderful.

[Teresa]

I read From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler. I really liked it and don't know how I missed it as a child.

[Nina]

We have always loved the movie "Because of Winn Dixie", so I'm listening to it on an audio book (Audie winner) as a two-fer. The reader/performer is great.

[Bobby]

I finished reading Coraline, but won't be using it as my official choice in this category. I found out a friend of mine will be having two middle grade novels published this year, so Some Kind of Happiness and/or Foxheart by Claire Legrand will be my choice for this challenge.

[Anna]

I'm trying to read more LGBTQIA authors in general, so I think I'm going to slot George in here.

But I'm also realizing that I somehow missed both Harriet the Spy and Matilda as a kid, so I might double up on the category.

[Travis]

I'm going to use George for transgender too. I haven't started it but it seems to fit the bill. -- Later. Finished it. Not as great as Wonder (Unfortunately I now compare all books to whether or not they're as good as Wonder, and they just aren't.) but it was cool to find transgender in the juvenile section. And I loved the part with his brother: "Are you gay? Because that's OK now." "I'm not gay. I'm a girl." "Oh."

[Leigh]

Charlotte's Web It was sadder than I remember but I'm glad I revisited this children's classic!

[Jenni]

Carol wrote: "Tam wrote: "
Completed Middle school book. It was a fun read. Highly recommend for middle schoolers and grown-ups. teaches teamwork, problem..."

There's a new one out - Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics. It's just as wonderful as the first book. :)

[Morgan]

I picked up Brown Girl Dreaming for this task because of all the accolades it has received. I'm not a big poetry reader, but the audiobook is read by the author and I do like to listen to poetry. So far, it's an interesting book. I don't think I've read anything like it before.

[Britany]

Finished by Neil Gaiman-- 3 Stars

Wanted to love this one so much more than I did.

My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Bonnie G.]

Morgan wrote: "I picked up Brown Girl Dreaming for this task because of all the accolades it has received. I'm not a big poetry reader, but the audiobook is read by the author and I do like to lis..."

Oh I loved that book! Also not a poetry reader, but the story was so good, and so well told.

[Emily]

I just checked out Wonder for this challenge. Looking forward to it!

Edited to add: Just finished Wonder. Five stars! I highly recommend this wonder-ful (pardon the pun) book for anyone needing a suggestion for this task. A true feel-good book that is well-written -- good for ALL ages!

[Sarah]

Just finished The Other Side of Eve, which is an exceptional MG book. It's complex but has amazing characters including a 13 year old girl with anxiety.
Caution: the Kindle version is FULL of typos, which is hugely frustrating, but it's a really good read and something I would not have picked up otherwise.

[Michael]

Would anyone know if All Fall Down by Sally Nicholls counts as middle grade? I just don't know if the bubonic plague is exactly a middle grade theme.

Otherwise, I might try Dark Angels by Katherine Langrish or The Mostly True Adventures Of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick.

[Chessa]

My kids are the perfect age for middle grade read alouds, so this one is pretty easy at our house!

So far I've read The Fairy-Tale Detectives, and we're currently reading The Book of Three.

On my own, I also read the graphic novel Drama, which I really loved! Such a cute story, and loved the graphic novel format.

[Erin]

Caitlin wrote: "I got this book as a gift this year so I'm gonna start the year off with this category. I told everyone to get me their favorite book for Christmas and in the front write why its their favorite. So..."

Omg, that's such a cool idea! I can never think what to tell people when they ask me what I want for Christmas (no one ever seems happy with "book money" as answer)

[Sophia]

I read Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan. It was a great story, following 4 kids in different places and times, all connected by a single harmonica. The audiobook version was fantastic - it used a different narrator for each section and incorporated the musical pieces mentioned in the story.

[Carolyn]

I read the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio. It was very good. It is about a grade 5 student with a facial abnormality that is beginning school for the first time - he has been homeschooled due to his many surgeries and such. The book deals with bullying issues and tells the story from a variety of points of view.... including that of his sister and the bully. I would highly recommend it!

[Emily]

Carolyn wrote: "I read the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio. It was very good. It is about a grade 5 student with a facial abnormality that is beginning school for the first time - he has been homeschooled due to his m..."

I read this book for this task too and adored it!

[Diana]

My friends and I combined this with the trans category. We read (and loved) George by Alex Gino.

[Jolene]

I read "George" for my transgender book and thought it was a great read. I am reading "Echo"for this challenge and LOVE it. I was spellbound from the beginning. The audiobook, in particular, is superb.

[Hannah]

Middle Grade's 10-14 or there about, isn't it? (Help! I'm not American!) Would the School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani count in this category?

[Elizabeth]

I read Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, which I had never read before. I wish I had read it as a middle grader!

[Bonnie G.]

Elizabeth wrote: "I read Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, which I had never read before. I wish I had read it as a middle grader!"

I read it in 5th grade, and I had to get my mother's permission to take it our of the school library! It was my very favorite book ever at that time. Judy Blume is the best.

[Nikki]

Hallie wrote: "Middle Grade's 10-14 or there about, isn't it? (Help! I'm not American!) Would the School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani count in this category?"

Yes, The School for Good and Evil would definitely fit for a Middle Grade option. And you are spot on with the age range.

[Nadine in NY]

I just finished the third Percy Jackson book, The Titan's Curse - it was pretty good, it made me laugh a few times.

[Jessica]

I am very excited to be reading The Contract by Derek Jeter for this task! I just got it at a library sale for $1 last weekend!

[Luella]

Would Black Beauty count?

[Bonnie G.]

Luella wrote: "Would Black Beauty count?"

Definitely!

[Trudie]

I decided to read the childrens classic The Little Prince which I had never read or really even knew much about. Luckily, I had a fantastic pop-up version to read, even so I did find it a little odd but then I really never do that well with moral allegory. Here is my review

[Stina]

Would you say Wildcat Under Glass is a middle grades book? I find lots of references to it being a "children's book" about a "young girl," but nothing specifying the age range.

[Liz]

I recently read Maybe a Fox. It was amazing. Just be aware that if you read it, you'll probably cry.

[Rayne]

I managed to multi-task this with reading out loud to someone else and a book originally published in the decade you were born. I read Shoeshine Girl by Clyde Robert Bulla. I really enjoyed it.

[Erin]

I read The Overseer's Son, which was a fantastic book. A fun fantasy read.

[Kathy]

I read Greenglass House by Kate Milford. This was an enjoyable read and I think kids would like it very much. There are many characters, clues, and suspects, along with a family story.

[Nicole]

Would Bambi count as middle grade?

[Nadine in NY]

Nicole wrote: "Would Bambi count as middle grade?"

I think so. I never knew that Bambi was a book!!! It gets great reviews!

[Bea]

Per Amazon, it is for age range 8-12. That sounds like middle grade to me.

[Bonnie G.]

Bambi is intense. I read it in college. It is catagorized as middle grade, but it reads very grown up. Take the time to read the background for the book, it makes it a more interesting book.

[Doc.]

I read Charlotte's Web, since I somehow managed to go through life without ever having read it. I think that qualifies as middle grade.

[Katie]

I listened The Graveyard Book (also, it won an Audie Award!). I loved it, the characters were lovely and the story is something young and old alike will enjoy.

[Tina]

Katie wrote: "I listened The Graveyard Book (also, it won an Audie Award!). I loved it, the characters were lovely and the story is something young and old alike will enjoy."

I am reading now. Hopefully, I will finish it today. I am loving it so far. I cannot believe it was intended for kids!

[Nadine in NY]

Tina wrote: "Katie wrote: "I listened The Graveyard Book (also, it won an Audie Award!). I loved it, the characters were lovely and the story is something young and old alike will enjoy."

I am reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman now. Hopefully, I will finish it today. I am loving it so far. I cannot believe it was intended for kids! "

Yes! I started reading this out loud to my kids several years ago, and they told me to stop!! (so I've never actually finished it .... one of these days I'll get back to it. Maybe I'll get the audiobook for our next car trip! )