Middle-Grade Novels
by Barbara O'Connor
Ever since his older brother Tank's death, Walter Tipple has struggled to find his way. Unlike Tank, who went off to join the military without saying goodbye, Walter doesn't have many friends. Then, one day, he meets Posey, a girl from next door. She's brash and loud, adventurous and stubborn. Together, they stumble upon a man passed out near the creek. He's a balloonist named Banjo who hopes to win the grand prize of a hot air race. Unfortunately, his balloon has crashed. The kids agree to help him repair the damage and get him flying again. The trio form an unlikely friendship that helps Walter grieve the past and look expectantly to the future.
This is a beautiful, coming-of-age story about friendship, bravery, and healing after great loss.
Please note: A cliffhanger sentence at the end of one chapter leads the reader to believe that the kids find a dead man lying in the marsh. The next chapter quickly reveals that the mystery man is Banjo who has only passed out after his balloon crash.
To help Banjo recover the downed balloon, underage Walter sneaks out and drives his older brother's truck.
Some of the characters speak in a colorful southern dialect. The following words are used three or four times each: "heck," "bull," and "dang." Additionally, one sentence mentions Banjo spent an evening gambling and drinking beer. Later, the text says he utters "a string of cuss words" in frustration.
by Astrid Lindgren
Most nine-year-old girls don't own a pet monkey or a pet horse, and they most certainly do not live alone in a topsy-turvy house. Then again, Pippi Långstrump is not your average girl. Red-headed, adventurous, and orphaned, fiery Pippi seeks to bring fun and whimsy to her small Swedish village. When she befriends siblings Tommy and Annika, who tell her all about the "holidays" they experience while in school, Pippi determines to enroll to earn her fair share of breaks. But, the class is not quite prepared for the antics of a girl who has never been to school.
Fans of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle will love this first book in a beloved Scandinavian series that has delighted children for decades.
by Jeff Probst
Before boarding the boat, the four step-siblings were not getting along. Their parents had only recently married, blending their two families into one. Now, they find themselves exploring the waters of the South Pacific with their uncle while the newlyweds enjoy a kid-free Hawaiian honeymoon.
A huge squall comes out of nowhere, capsizing the boat and sending all the passengers scrambling. The children wash up on a deserted island and must work together, using their unique gifts, to get home.
First in a three-part series, this book ends on a cliffhanger. Readers must follow up with the sequel to learn whether the stranded kids survive.
Please note: There are one or two uses of the word "heck" in the text.
by A.A. Milne
Pooh is a lovable bear with a penchant for mishaps and misadventures. With the help of his pal Christopher Robin, Pooh and a curious cast of characters search for a lost tail, get stuck in a doorway after eating far too much honey, encounter the frightening Woozles and Heffalumps, and learn what it means to be a friend.
Though Disney's version of The Hundred Acre Woods has been marketed to preschoolers, A.A. Milne's 2-book series about Pooh and his friends is filled with the kind of satirical comedy and poignant life lessons more appropriate for middle-grade readers.
Parents, Be Aware
by Christopher Paul Curtis
With a shabby suitcase in hand, ten-year-old Bud Caldwell sneaks away from his foster family's home in Flint, Michigan, in search of Herman E. Calloway, lead band member of the Dusky Devastators of the Depression. Though not entirely sure, Bud believes the musician to be his biological father. Why else would his recently deceased Mama have kept all the flyers with the band's picture on them?
When he finally finds the nightclub where the Dusky Devastators play, the orphaned boy is disappointed to find that Calloway is old-- too old to be his dad.
But if he's not Bud's father, then who is the grizzled man, and why is he so mean?
Things to know: Subsections entitled "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself" are sprinkled throughout the story. Though Bud eventually realizes that lying isn't always the answer, he spends most of the story using deception to protect himself and get his way.
The abuse Bud endures at the hands of his foster parents, along with the daydreams the boy has of shooting them in retaliation, could be troubling to some sensitive readers.
Bud has conversations with another boy about vampires.
Just for you, Mom
by Jennifer Ryan
Two years into WWII, the women of England find themselves limping along in the kitchen. Food shortages are making it harder and harder to put dinner on the table. To bolster their resolve and encourage housewives to use the meager offerings in creative ways, the BBC announces a four-month-long cooking contest. Each month, contestants will be given a challenge. The woman who cooks the best food and earns the most points at the end of the contest will be named co-host of the popular radio program The Kitchen Front.
In the end, it comes down to four women. Audrey, a war widow and mother, needs to win to support her fatherless boys. Her sister, Gwendoline, wife to wealthy Sir Strickland, ought to win because of her superior rank. Professionally trained Zelda should win to secure her standing as a female chef in the male-dominated restaurant world. And Nell, orphaned kitchen maid, must win to escape the doom of the downstairs life.
In a not-so-friendly competition, four unlikely friendships will be formed.
Please note: This book is based on a real contest hosted by the BBC to encourage women to use their wartime food rations creatively. There is some mild swearing. After being abused by her husband for several years, one of the married characters kisses another man, but the would-be relationship ends immediately after, along with the marriage. Another character is found to be pregnant out of wedlock.