#adventures in middle grade

[libraryleopard]

On a quest to read some middle grade books (especially fantasy, especially queer protagonists) as research for maybe writing one so I am going to keep a list of recent MG reads (I will also take recs if anyone has some they want to shout out)

Middle Grade books I have read

1. Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith

2. The Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody

3. Deephaven by Ethan M. Aldridge

4. The Devouring Wolf by Natalie C. Parker

5. The Spirit Glass by Roshani Chokshi

6. The Mossheart’s Promise by Rebecca Mix

7. The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln

8. Too Bright To See by Kyle Lukoff

9. Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfrid

10. The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues by Beth Lincoln

11. A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

12. The House That Whispers by Lin Thompson

13. Osmo Unknown and the Eightpenny Woods by Catherynne M. Valente

14. The House in Poplar Wood by K.E. Ormsbee

15. The Curse of Eelgrass Bog by Mary Averling

[lucybellwood]

Heads up for anyone who's been interested in following along with Seacritters updates: if a monthly Patreon pledge is beyond your means, you can now buy a standalone collection of development posts! These updates include behind-the-scenes character sketches, musings and mutterings about how I've been staying motivated on this massive project, and goofy GIFs.

[haveyoureadthispoll]

This winner of the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award features Stanley Yelnats, a kid who is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes five feet wide and five feet deep. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake: the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime, punishment, and redemption.

[fictionadventurer]

Lily Between Worlds is a bit of an odd duck when it comes to classification. I'd have a YA (or just above) protagonist, but this is not a YA story. That implies something between child and adult, but actually, I'd want to blend those two categories. I'd want it to have the level-headed maturity of a story for adults, but the wonder and whimsy of a middle-grade story. I think of it like a Pixar story--something that's equally suitable for every age level, like The Electrical Menagerie. I don't know, it's just something to keep in mind if I want to develop this further.

[bookshelf-in-progress]

Me, faced with a shiny new story idea: Save it for the Inklings Challenge, save it for the Inklings Challenge, please save it for the Inklings Challenge, I'm begging you please save it for the Inklings Challenge

[sprite-and-the-bunnydragons]

it! is! official!

JUST SIGNED WITH MY FIRST PUBLISHER!!!!!!! if you want to check them out, I’ll be with Bushel & Peck Books, they’re a really cool group just coming onto the middle grade scene

my book should be out in the next 2 years or so!

which means I can start ranting about it and my adventures in publishing bit by bit over the next 24 months

link to B&P’s website here (they give a book to a kid in need for every book people buy from them!)

[maxphotoarchive]

June 22, 2016

[feralboo-the-weirdo]

I think my favorite trope in middle grade books is how firmly the narrator manages to convince themselves they're going to have a "normal" anything. (vacation, walk, school year, etc)

Like it's definitely not healthy in any way, but I admire their total commitment to it. like, bud. did you see the cover of this book? the MC tries so hard to have the major plot point not happen so hard, and they never succeed.

feel free to add if you know of more books/MC's that do this, I made a list in the tags, but it's kinda short.

[emachinescat]

A Year in (Book) Review: My 2024 Reading Journey 📚

#54 - The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan

Fantasy / Percy Jackson and the Olympians #6 / 288 pages / published in 2023 / Finished Jul. 1 / Reread

One Sentence Review: Though the stakes are lower in this sixth Percy Jackson book, the characters are just as loveable, the humor is just as on point, and the gods are just as concieted as ever - if I had a complaint, it would be that I'd like to see more of traumatized Percy after the whole Gaia debacle, but honestly, the slice of life moments, the sweet Percabeth scenes, the intense cleansing river bit, and the touching message about growing up and growing old far outweigh my desire for a traumatized Percy (anyway, that's what fanfic is for).

Favorite Quotes

"Find someone who loves you the way my girlfriend pushes me off a cliff. Without hesitation. With full confidence in your abilities, with the rock-steady belief that your relationship can handle it, and with complete faith that when you come out of the water, assuming you survive, you will totally forgive them for the push. Almost certainly forgive them. Probably. Bonus points if you find someone with enough chutzpah to say Bon Voyage while they do it."

*

"I am a guy of limited talents. If I can't kill it with water, a sword, or sarcasm, I am basically defenseless."

*

"To his left was my buddy Hera, goddess of making Percy miserable."

*

"I come preloaded with sarcasm."

*

"I'd sworn off spaghetti, but pasta is like a best friend: you can't stay mad at it forever."

*

"...any future that had us in it was a future I wanted to live through."

My rating: 5/5

[libraryleopard]

Middle grade contemporary novel

Seventh-grader Hazel Hill is a bit of a loner, but she tells herself that's okay–she has stuff she needs to focus on besides friends, like beating her rival Ella Quinn at the annual speech competition

That is, until Hazel learns that supposed golden boy Tyler Harris has been harassing Ella and Hazel decides it's time that Tyler face consequences

Explores sexual harassment, finding your voice, and learning to stand up for what's right

Lesbian main character

[hathousehappenings]

88. Pie Noon.

All I can say is, thank HEAVENS for Gilbert Gottfried. He's a little ray of sunshine and brings a smile to my face every time in this episode. I kiss him, I hug him, I want to put him in my pocket.

This is a tricky episode to look at when you're trying to consider it advice for dealing with bullies. He tries to get support from his friends and they are all too scared to help. They tell Hare to go to an authority figure for help and she straight up tells him that it's his problem and he has to deal with it on his own. It's such a circumstantial problem that there's no way that this episode can work as an educational experience.

Also, I think it's weird that they go the whole episode talking about how Mike McNasty is bad because he throws pies, then in the end Queenie pies Willie! For no reason! Queenie! That's bully behavior!? What is this episode?!

It's a favorite but it also is just so ludicrous.

[haveyoureadthisbook-poll]

[rachel-sylvan-author]

"The River" by Gary Paulsen Book 2 of the Hatchet series

Thank you @kerryvaughan for the rec! ❤️

[whimseysthrone]

Squire and Lady Knight, by Tamora Pierce

I finished Lady Knight one day after finishing Squire. I absolutely inhaled that last book in the series. Tamora Pierce did well, as I’ve come to expect. The story of Lady Knight felt more satisfying in so many ways, but I don’t think it would have felt that good without Squire there to lay the foundation for it. If you’re recommending these books to kids, it’s worth noting that Lady Knight…

[jkags-doodles]

I read The Lost Prince and unfortunately the only character that I care about is Samantha, who literally never appeared on-page. This bossy horse girl has bewitched me heart and soul, I'm so sorry that you were relegated to someone for Ethan to feel guilty about and use to justify isolating himself. You deserved better <3

[sprite-and-the-bunnydragons]

delivered my final (for now) manuscript to my publisher today!!! on to the next stage! whatever that is (it’s probably more editing lololol T-T)