Middle-Grade Novels
The Twenty-One Balloons
by William Pene du Bois
On his attempt to fly across the Pacific, Professor Sherman gets stranded on the unbelievable island of Krakatoa. While there, he meets some amazing creatures who have taken up several unusual habits in order to survive.
This one is a silly sci-fi/fantasy that still ranks as one of our family's most treasured read alouds of all time.
The Mysterious Howling
by Maryrose Wood
Recently graduated from the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope Lumley is excited to begin her new life as a governess for the adopted children of Lord and Lady Ashton. Little does she know that her three charges are no ordinary children. After living alone in the woods for most of their lives, they are quite uncivilized. Can she teach them how to behave in polite society? What's more, can she protect them from whomever or whatever continues to sabotage their efforts of reform?
Please note: It's implied that Lady Ashton becomes tipsy after drinking too much champagne at a party near the end of the book. There is also a mention of a hunting accident where the "body was never found."
This is the first of a 6-part series called The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. For the most part, the entire series is quite clean with one mention of a gypsy who foretells the future in Book 2. Each book builds upon the next, so they must be read in order. While the covers sometimes make the books appear fiendish or scary, they are not. The idea that all lives have value is a theme that runs throughout the entire series.
Always, Clementine
by Carlie Sorosiak
Clementine isn't an ordinary house mouse. She was born and raised in a lab and is, by all accounts, a genius. In an attempt to save her from any future experiments, one lab employee steals her and deposits her in the mailbox of a former chess champion. He and his grandson, along with a whole motley crew of characters, teach Clementine to play chess, proving to the world that she deserves more than a pathetic existence behind the bars of a cage.
This is an epistolary novel, written as a series of letters from the mouse to a chimpanzee named Rosie--her best friend and fellow test subject. Please note, at times, the book does have a mild "save every animal at all costs" tenor.
A Night Divided
by Jennifer Nielsen
On August 13, 1961, twelve-year-old Gerta wakes up to find that a giant wall of barbed wire and concrete has been erected in the middle of Berlin, dividing not just the town, but the people. Sadly, her father and her brother Dominic had traveled to the west side the day before in search of work. And now, she, her eldest brother Fritz, and their mother face a life of communism alone. Should they risk their lives and make a run for the West? But what of the friends and extended family they'd be leaving behind?
This historical fiction details the postwar years of East Germany. While it is absolutely free from language and sexual agenda, it does contain scenes of communistic cruelty that could be troubling to some young readers. Please be aware that the publisher has pegged it for 10-12-year-olds, which is on the upper end of the middle-grade ranking.
Parents, Be Aware
The House That Wasn't There
by Elana K. Arnold
Alder has always lived in his house--the one right next to a stately walnut tree. Oak, on the other hand, just moved in on the other side of that tree. Much to her disdain, she was uprooted from the only home she'd ever known because her parents wanted to move to Southern California. When her mother decides to cut down the walnut tree because technically it is on their new property, the two tweens become instant enemies. But when they end up accidentally adopting sibling kittens and are assigned to be partners for a project at school, they begin to notice some rather strange similarities between their lives.
Things to know: The book has a very slow start and often takes winding, and perhaps, unnecessary trails. The author, has, however, crafted a story with timeless themes of forgiveness and human connectedness and has concluded it all with an unexpected ending.
Oak is very disrespectful to her mother throughout most of the book. Her mom, in turn, is rather uncaring and rude until the last few chapters. There are quite a few mentions of magical realism and whole chapters dedicated to the idea of cat teleportation. Overall, the book has a "kids know best" tone.
Just for you, Mom
No One Ever Asked
by Katie Ganshert
When an affluent school is forced to open its doors to kids in an impoverished neighborhood, tensions begin to rise all over town. Three very different women, all struggling with their own personal heartaches, are forced to come face to face with their false assumptions of others.
This was one of the best contemporary Christian fiction books I've read in a long time. It had believable characters, a compelling plot, and unlike many Christian fictions, did not sound contrived and unnecessarily preachy. It not only unpacked the very real struggle of racial tension in this country but also revealed the darker side of adoption that no one ever wants to talk about.