Reading Middle Grade

If you read historical fiction, you likely have a specific time period or two that personally appeal to you. For me, it's the Great Depression and WWII. As depressing (pun intended!) as it may be, I love reading stories of people who found a way to survive such bleak times in times past. Today's list features some of my favorite (and classic) middle grade books set during the...

In Just Right Jillian, Jillian is a shy fifth grader put to the test when her teacher suggests she join the Mind Bender quiz competition. Her class is also learning about chick development and incubating a few too! As Jillian works to improve her mindset and use her voice, she also has to deal with the grief of losing her grandmother, her mom’s lupus flares, and helping out a...

I like finding books for 5th graders because, at this point, kids are starting to really love reading middle grade books. For these kids who are around age 10 or so, it's good to find engaging, relatable stories. Many of them may also enjoy funny books or even sprawling fantasies. Depending on their reading levels, they may find illustrated or graphic novels more enjoyable th...

This story follows two girls, one living in present day Paris and another in 1940s Paris. Penny, our modern day narrator is a the child of new expats whose mother works in the art industry while Marie is a girl scrapping to get by with her older sister during the Nazi invasion of France. When Penny and her mom stumble upon a piece of art hidden in a wall, Penny squirrels away...

Minerva the shrew detective loves her life in the woods close to all her favorite things. Her cozy home is wallpapered with dictionary pages and she has more than enough food to keep herself warm and satisfied throughout the seasons. But when her cousin Tenacity brings news of recently stolen pearls and the exterminators who've been recruited to get rid of all the rodents liv...