6 Books to Read for Middle Grade March

“A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.” — C. S. Lewis

I can’t help but agree with that quote on every level. In terms of genre, I try not to limit myself as a reader. I read everything from historical romance to sci-fi — the only thing I don’t read is horror (because I like to sleep at night). One genre that I enjoy but that seems to often be overlooked by adults is middle grade fiction.

Middle grade books are loosely defined as books that are aimed towards children in the 8 to 12 age range. There is sometimes a bit of confusion around the difference between middle grade and young adult (YA) literature, and this article gives a really good in-depth explanation of how they compare.

But the short description of middle grade books is that they feature more complex story lines than picture books, but don’t contain the mature content that you might find in the YA genre. They are usually full of action, mishaps, and adventure and introduce young readers to simplified versions of many of the tropes that we see in YA or adult literature.

Why should you read middle grade fiction? I’ll tell you why I read it. Books geared for older children are such a refreshing change of pace. The problems the characters face are generally not as high stakes as those you encounter in adult fiction, though you have to recognize that they feel serious to the characters and the young readers these books are written for.

The writing is simpler than in adult books, but not so simple as to be boring. They tend to be more plot-driven than character-driven, which makes for some really fun adventures, and the characters are often quirky and likable.

Middle grade books are a great choice for when you need something relaxing to read, something that will give your brain a break from all the decisions and stressful situations you encounter all day. Sound good? I think so too, which is why I am participating in Middle Grade March, which is simply using the month of March to intentionally seek out books from this genre.

To fulfill this goal I went to my local library and picked out 6 middle grade books that I’ve heard touted on various podcasts, bookstagram accounts, and all across the web. I bypassed classics this time, even though I do love me some Boxcar Children and Secret Garden, in favor of more recently published titles. My goal here is to catch up on some books that I’ve heard much about but haven’t made time for before now.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I might make some extra coffee money at no extra expense to you if you buy something through one of my links. Read more about that here.

6 Books I’m Reading for Middle Grade March:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Eventown

Brown Girl Dreaming

The Wild Robot

Artemis Fowl

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

These are all books that I’ve heard great things about but haven’t read yet. Some of them are several years old (Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl) and I’m excited to pick them up after years of hearing the hype. A couple of bonus picks for you that I have already read in this genre somewhat recently are Ms. Mulligan and the Enchanted Ice Cream, Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire and Wonder, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next two Arlo Finch books as soon as they become available through Libby.

What did I miss? Give me all your best middle grade recommendations and tell me what you are reading in March, whether it’s middle grade or not!