This was such a fun middle-grade read. It takes an irreverent look at some very dark subject matter - it felt like what I imagine A Series of Unfortunate Events would sound like without all of the breaking of the fourth wall.
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Category: Children’s Fiction
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
When ROZZUM unit 7134 is activated on the island, she has no way of knowing that she does not belong there. She's been programmed to learn, so she immediately begins to learn. She learns to find shelter and how to survive in the wild. But none of the things living on the island, Roz included, expected her to thrive in the wild.
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Ally's been able to fool a lot of smart people. She's made it all the way to 5th grade without anyone (her mother, her brother, her teachers, her classmates) figuring out that she can't read. But Ally has a new teacher, and Mr. Daniels not only sees that Ally doesn't know how to read, but he just might know how to help her.
The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver
I really wanted to like this story, and I'm sorry to say that I was sorely disappointed. The summary of this book sounds wonderful. It's an adventure story, Liza is the only one who can save her brother, she gets to explore a dangerous, fantastical world that she's only heard of from her babysitter. Everything about this book sounds like it should be so good. Which is why it made me so sad that it just wasn't a compelling story.
What We Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the World by Henry Clark
"The sofa wasn't there on Monday but it was there on Tuesday." River, Freak, and Fiona discover a rare zucchini-coloured crayon in the sofa that mysteriously appeared at their bus-stop, and it quickly puts them in the centre of a dastardly plot to take over the world. Because of course it does.
A Friendly Town That’s Almost Always By The Ocean! by Kir Fox and M. Shelley Coates
I absolutely love bizarre middle grade novels. Most of the time they do such a fantastic job of capturing the wild imagination of a ten-year old child. And A Friendly Town definitely checks off all of the bizarre boxes.
Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
All superheroes have an origin story, and Ulysses is no different. The poor squirrel never saw the vacuum coming. Fortunately for him, Flora Belle Buckman is well versed in superhero lore, and is the perfect person to save him and assist him as he is born anew.
Delightful Secrets of the Nutcracker by Julian Adair
You may be familiar with the traditional story of The Nutcracker, but I doubt you've heard how the Nutcracker Prince got trapped in his wooden form. Read the legend of "The Hard Nut" and experience this story like you haven't before.
Jelly Bean Summer by Joyce Magnin
Joyce's family is driving her crazy - especially considering she has to share a room with her sister who thinks she sees UFOs and loves her guinea pig more than she loves Joyce. Or anything, for that matter. But it's ok because Joyce has come up with the perfect solution: she's moving to the roof.
Middle Grade Hidden Gems
Every Tuesday the lovely people over at The Broke and the Bookish post a different bookish theme. This week, they want us to reveal our favourite hidden gems. I thought I'd share some middle grade stories that don't get enough hype! I feel like middle grade books in general don't get enough hype - probably …
