When it comes to genre, I try to read pretty widely, and that includes books for younger readers, specifically middle grade. There are couple of reasons for this.
The first one is that books for kids are often charming and fun, which can be delightful in a world full of heavy grown-up topics. Sometimes you just want a guaranteed happy ending and not too much heartache along the way.
Another reason that applies to many but not all readers is so that you can recommend books to the young reader in your life and discuss them together. I have a 7 year old and a 9 year old, and it’s important to me that we are able to connect over books since reading is something all three of us enjoy.
And for those reasons, I am participating in Middle Grade March, a yearly challenge that encourages adults to dip into the middle grade genre. Middle grade books are geared towards kids aged 8-12, not to be confused with YA which are for teen/young adult readers. I read through a middle grade list in 2020 and really, really enjoyed it, and then I couldn’t get my act together last year and it fell by the wayside. But this year I am ready to go and have five books that I’m planning to read in March that I’m really excited about.
All the books listed below are rated for ages 8-12 and the back cover descriptions are included to help you decide if there are any books here that you might want to read too!
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Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
When Kyle Keeley learns that the world’s world’s most famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, has designed the town’s new library and is having an invitation-only lock-in on opening night, Kyle is determined to be there! But the tricky part isn’t getting into the library—it’s getting out. Because when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must catch every clue and solve every puzzle to find the hidden escape route!
Paris has just moved in with the Lincoln family, and she isn’t thrilled to be in yet another foster home. She has a tough time trusting people, and she misses her brother, who’s been sent to a boys’ home. Over time, the Lincolns grow on Paris. But no matter how hard she tries to fit in, she can’t ignore the feeling that she never will, especially in a town that’s mostly white while she is half black. It isn’t long before Paris has a big decision to make about where she truly belongs.
Pax and Peter have been inseparable ever since Peter rescued him as a kit. But one day, the unimaginable happens: Peter’s dad enlists in the military and makes him return the fox to the wild.
At his grandfather’s house, three hundred miles away from home, Peter knows he isn’t where he should be—with Pax. He strikes out on his own despite the encroaching war, spurred by love, loyalty, and grief, to be reunited with his fox. Meanwhile Pax, steadfastly waiting for his boy, embarks on adventures and discoveries of his own. . . .
The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to dim. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she’s sure it holds a secret that will save the city. Now, she and her friend Doon must race to figure out the clues to keep the lights on. If they succeed, they will have to convince everyone to follow them into danger. But if they fail? The lights will burn out and the darkness will close in forever.
Iggy Risner is your typical wise-cracking twelve-year-old. When his younger brother, Oz, wakes him in the middle of the night claiming he heard a monster in the attic, Iggy takes him upstairs to prove him wrong. But instead of a flesh-eating beast, they discover hundreds of their plastic toy dinosaurs that have mysteriously come to life.
When the dinos escape the attic and start terrorizing young kids in the neighborhood and trampling flower beds, somehow Iggy, Oz, and their friends must catch the plastic dinos of doom before the damage escalates. But what do you do when your parents doubt your story, and a group of clueless neighborhood bullies stand in the way? For Iggy and Oz, catching the little beasts may prove to be easier said than done.
Bonus Pick:
I would also love to read this book, but I’m not sure I’ll get to it because the only copy my library has is on audio and I’ve heard that the illustrations are a big part of the enjoyment so I’d like to read a paper copy.
Twelve-year-old Silas is awoken in the dead of night by three menacing horsemen who take his father away. Silas is left shaken, scared, and alone, except for the presence of his companion, Mittenwool . . . who happens to be a ghost. When a pony shows up at his door, Silas makes the courageous decision to leave his home and embark on a perilous journey to find his father. Along the way, he will face his fears to unlock the secrets of his past and explore the unfathomable mysteries of the world around him.
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