Middle-Grade Novels
by J. Scott Savage
Neither Celia nor Tyrus are looking forward to starting a new school. They each struggle to make friends. Celia's profound dyslexia has always made her feel stupid while Tyrus' love for books makes him appear "too smart". When the pair stumble upon Lewis Carroll's lost diaries, they are transported into the fantastical world of Wonderland where nothing seems as it should be. Wonderland is slowly being destroyed by one of its very own.
Believing her to be Alice, the citizens of this other world turn to Celia to save them. But can she find the villain and stop him or her before it is too late? Or will she and Tyrus be trapped there forever?
This is a modern twist on the beloved classic. Readers will not only appreciate a few unexpected twists to the plot but will enjoy learning the backstory of some of Carroll's most beloved characters.
Please note: Toward the end of the book when all seems lost, Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) tells the children that they can stay and be destroyed by the enemy of Wonderland or jump off a cliff to avoid being captured. One could infer that he was suggesting suicide, but the text never uses that word. His comment could also be seen as another fantastical suggestion by the sensational characters of Carroll's world.
This is the first of a two-book series. I have only read Book 1.
The Friendship War
by Andrew Clements
Grace and Ellie have been friends since second grade. But as they enter 6th grade, Grace begins to feel that the relationship is one-sided. Ellie loves to be the center of attention and often disregards Grace’s opinions. When Grace brings a bag of buttons to school—a collection of vintage treasures she found while visiting her widowed grandfather for the summer—she unintentionally starts a school-wide fad. Buttons become an underground currency. Kids start collecting them, trading them, and creating games out of them. This sudden turn in Grace’s social standing doesn’t sit well with Ellie and forms a rift in their relationship. At first, Grace is determined to go to war and win, but she soon regrets her decision. She misses her friend and is desperate to find a way to repair what seems broken.
While Grace responds to Ellie’s poor behavior in a very mean-spirited way, she eventually realizes an important life lesson: You can not control how others treat you. You can only control how you respond. Andrew Clements candidly shows how relationships can sour over simple misunderstandings, but also reveals how they can be restored when one person decides to do the hard work of forgiveness and restoration.
I'm often asked if I have any recommendations for older tweens who struggle to read or struggle to like reading--books that have more mature characters but that are not as long as the average middle-grade novel. The Friendship War is such a book!
Please note: Two of the characters deliver snarky comments to their siblings. For the most part, however, the remarks are said in a teasing tone.
Additionally, when remembering her recently deceased grandmother, Grace asks her mother some questions about what happens after a person dies. Mom explains that while the body ceases to live, it’s her opinion that a person’s soul continues to live on forever. She’s just not sure how or where.
Near the end of the book, Grace has an opportunity to make public amends for her behavior. She attempts to do it while keeping her parents in the dark. She enlists the help of her grandfather and swears him to secrecy. In the end, however, she comes clean with her mom and dad, realizing that deception would only add more trouble to her situation. This would make for an excellent read-aloud as it would bring up many opportunities to talk about some universal struggles that plague nearly every friendship at one time or another.
The Mysterious Benedict Society
by Trenton Lee Stewart
"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" This is the message that Reynie Muldoon and his tutor discover on a flyer one day. While Reynie doesn't consider himself to be exceptionally gifted, he is up for an adventure. So he heads to the address listed on the pamphlet. Once there, he is given a series of odd tests to determine if he has what it takes.
"What it takes for what?" he wonders.
Little does he know that he is one of four orphans being assembled for a top-secret mission by the mysterious Mr. Benedict. As children with unique and under-appreciated skills, they alone can infiltrate the lair of the sinister Mr. Curtain and stop him from brainwashing the world.
This is the first of a fantastic four-book series.
A Bear Called Paddington
by Michael Bond
Once upon a time, there was a bear. He was found at Paddington Train Station in London having just arrived from the darkest corners of Peru and is taken in by the Brown family.
He's not a naughty bear, but somehow things just sort of happen to him. While in London, he learns to write with real ink, gets to eat as much orange marmalade as he wants, and even wins a painting competition...sort of.
Older fans of Winnie the Pooh and Peter Rabbit will be delighted to join this jovial bear in one misadventure after another. This is the first in a 15-book series. I have only read Book 1.
Parents, Be Aware
by Nick Courage
Puerto Rico: At first, Valerie appears to be a run-of-the-mill hurricane. Although most of the tourists have abandoned the resorts along the coastline, the locals aren't afraid of a little rain. But when Valerie is upgraded to a Mega Storm, young Alejo begins to get nervous. Steeling a weather crew's van, he heads home in search of his uncle only to find his entire neighborhood deserted and the floodwaters beginning to rise.
New Orleans: Emily is certain she can get to the park, take a few photos on the other side of the island, and bring them back to show her now cancer-free older brother Elliot before their mom notices. Once there, her cell phone dies, leaving Emily no way of knowing that her family needs to evacuate immediately.
Somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico: Emily's dad is stuck on an oil rig with a slim chance of making it back to his family before the largest storm of the century destroys everything in its path.
This high-stakes natural disaster adventure is told with multiple POVs and will appeal to both boys and girls.
Things to know: Most of the first few chapters take place at a resort and casino. Guests are served mixed drinks to calm their nerves.
Elliot's illness has captured all of his mom's attention. Consequently, Emily roams the neighborhood alone and is nearly forgotten. She stumbles upon a group of teenagers smoking in the park.
There is one mention of the Spirits of the Sea and one use of God's name in vain.
Just for you, Mom
by Sarah McCoy
This fan fiction flashes back in time to fill in the gaps of Marilla Cuthbert's childhood: how her mother's untimely death shaped her character and how the budding romance between her and John Blythe that L.M. Montgomery alluded to in her classic Anne of Green Gables ended abruptly. The author does a great job of weaving together the characters of the original series as well as a few key historical events like the abolition of slavery and the clash of rival Canadian political groups.