Ayyyyyy, I'm back, peeps! So that hiatus I took was MUCH needed. I was drowning in schoolwork so that was the time I needed to finish most of it, so YAY FOR PRODUCTIVITY!! The downside is that I haven't done a lot of reading, so instead of doing a book review today, I'm giving you a very wonderful, very long list of middle-grade books.
wut.
YES YES YES! Middle-grade is fantastic and sadly underrated. I will proudly confess that I haunt the children's section of my library, posing as a volunteer and calling first dibs on any interesting MG book I shelve. But I'm a teenager. I read YA. I SHOULD BE READING EXCLUSIVELY YA, RIGHT?? So just exactly why are we discussing MG today and not YA?
Well...Young Adult books can get exhausting. Admit it. At least once in your life, you've felt really, really tired of all the (pick one)...
a) love triangles
b) rebellions
c) cussing
d) teen drama
e) lack of plot focus
d) cliche one-word titles
Honestly, some days I wish I could rewind my life so I could enjoy books I read before I started reading YA...except that's a lie. I ALREADY ENJOY THEM HAHAHAHAHA—because I still read them. Ouch. But before you run away groaning and yelling, "Ugh! So immature! Get a life!" here are five good reasons for teens to read MG.
1. It's really hard to find books with little to no cussing in them.
2. More plot focus!
MG tends to be less character focused and more plot/story focused. Occasionally, I love picking up a story where I don't have to worry much about complex or morally grey characters and just focus on the suspense and mystery.
3. Clean romance(ish)!
There tends to be less romance in middle grade, but there is a substantial amount to satisfy the craving for clean, adorable, plain cute romance without all the explicit stuff.
4. Younger characters!!
Most of the time we spend so much time reading about characters that are our own ages or older that we forget what it's like to be younger and care about different stuff. Middle-grade gives a refreshing, sometimes nostalgic, take on life through the lenses of younger characters.
5. Authors you love!
Love an author but can't find a clean book they've written? Many YA authors actually write middle-grade too. Because of the difference in target audience, you still get the same brilliant work written with all the other benefits.
Middle Grade versus Young Adult
Middle grade is commonly mistaken as "chapter book" stuff, and as a result many teens shun it and call it "little kids literature." THAT'S NOT TRUE! Chapter books are the short, easy reads with a target audience younger than 8 years old. Middle grade has a target audience of 8 to 12 years old, but many of the books are often written with the same level of writing as the younger division of YA, which targets 12 to 14 years. The only reasons they are separated are because YA has more language, the characters are usually older, and there might be some suggestive or explicit content. Think PG-13 movies at the least. Sadly, MG does not have its own section at libraries, but that doesn't mean that you should feel embarrassed hunting through the junior fiction section. The best treasures usually take some time to discover. So if you're interested in books with little language or just need a break from teen drama, maybe MG is for you after all. ;)
And with that spiel over, here is the list!! Huzzah!!
Note: all books on this list are shelved in the junior fiction section of my library, although shelf placements may vary at yours. ;)
1. Curiosity House
I've only been able to read the first book in the series, but I absolutely ADORED it! It's a murder mystery, so it has a dark, yet playful vibe which keeps the age target. It gave me the creeps, and I might have had a nightmare or two after finishing it, but I couldn't put it down. It was a work of GENIUS. Totally worth giving a try! Also, Lauren Oliver writes YA so bonus points to her. ;)
2. A Little Princess
I can't with the classics. XD This is one of my all time favorite books because it's so sweet and sad and just the story is beautiful. Sara is so pure and strong, and she's one of my favorite fictional role models. Miss Minchin will always be one of the worst villains ever, and Lavinia will always be her evil sidekick. XD
3. Keeper of the Lost Cities
Not all of the books are up there (just the first four), but in my opinion, these are the best. The plot is intricate and totally confuzzling, the characters are so deep and diverse, and the covers!! THE COVERS!! *dies* Not to mention, there's a pinch of very amusing romance which keeps us on our toes throughout the entire series. ;) Shannon Messenger also writes YA, so hurray! (I didn't like her YA but whatever.) This series is definitely worth giving a try!
4. The Secret Series
HAHAHA—if you're ready for a wild ride, this is your book. It's complex and so full of suspense. Your mind will be kept so busy between trying to decipher who the narrator is and who the villain is, you might actually miss all of the very plain details (like me). XD I felt a lot of Series of Unfortunate Events vibes from it, so if you enjoy Lemony Snicket's style, this might be your next quintet.
5. The Sisters Grimm
These books are different from so many other books in so many ways! For starters, this is not a collection of fairytale retellings. It tells the stories after happily-ever-after...with a perfect balance of dark and creepy. I've never read any other book with as much behind-the-scenes villainy and perfect mystery. I've been re-reading this series, and I don't know how I slept the first time around between all the sociopaths and psychopaths. XD Also, the characters?? They're definitely different from most others with A+ development from gross and disgusting to even more gross and disgusting. (I'm looking at you, Puck!)
6. The Time Quintet
I fell in love with A Wrinkle in Time from the very beginning, and while I'm still working on reading the rest of the series, each book is so different. The concepts are whimsical and occasionally mind-boggling. They definitely get my imagination working, plus I love L'engle's style! It is a little weird though, so if you're not huge on abstractions and time travel, you probably won't enjoy them as much as I did.
7. A Series of Unfortunate Events
We've all read it, or tried to as in my case. Villainy! Murder! Unfortunate Events! Which is an understatement—they're more like catastrophes. I absolutely adored the trio of siblings and loathed Count Olaf. Also, what happened to Quigley?? I unfortunately missed reading the seventh and eleventh books, but the others sucked me into a whirlpool of suspense and despair.
8. The Candy Shop War
Another author who writes YA! Brandon Mull's books are always amazing, but I have a soft spot for his Candy Shop War duology. I love the setting, the playfulness of it all, and the seemingly small problems that turn out to be bigger than the world. There's hints of history (!!) and superhuman powers (!!!). And Mrs. White may or may not be one of the scariest gingerbread witches ever, but at least she doesn't eat children...or does she? XD
9. Ella Enchanted/Fairest
I put these two up there, because they're the only ones I've ever read, but I'm sure that all of Gail Carson Levine's books are fabulous! I actually listened to the audio book for Ella Enchanted, which I would recommend. The voices and narration are adorable. I absorbed Fairest, which features older characters and darker plots and a horrible villainous witch. I loved the different take this had on the Snow White story! 10 out of 10 recommend these books!
10. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate and The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate
I think I've re-read Evolution twice? Maybe thrice? However many times I read it, it's one more book I adore. The style is so playful, yet still thoughtful and entertaining from Calpurnia's point of view. The story is lovely, focusing on growth in every aspect. The second book was adorable too, with more fun episodes with her brothers and relatives. *cough* Her very irritating relatives. *cough* These books are perfect for everyone!
So do you enjoy reading middle-grade books? What are your opinions on the MG v. YA controversy? Have you read any of these books? What are YOUR favorite MG (and YA!) books?
Smiles!
Nicole
SISTERS GRIMM!!! I LOVED THOSE BOOKS!!! I STILL HAVE THEM ON MY BOOKSHELF BECAUSE THEY ARE AMAZING!! They were so dark and creepy. How did I sleep after reading them? I pretty much judge all the fairy tale retellings on a scale of bad to Sisters Grimm. Not even the Lunar Chronicles has reached Sisters Grimm level, honestly.
ReplyDeleteAnd Puckabrina. *heart eyes*
Okay, you make a lot of great points. There are some books I've been wanting to read that are in the MG section that are technically also YA, but I've hust been a little unsure about going into that section of the library, but I might.
Great post! Glad you're back from hiatus.
<3
~Ivie| Ivie Writes
AHHH I NEED TO BUY THEM SOON!!! 😫 I can't see my shelf being complete without them. XD LOL, my thoughts exactly! Ahhhh, yes, The Lunar Chronicles was amazing, but yeah, I think I liked The Sisters Grimm better. XD
DeleteYES YES YES PUCKABRINA!!! I didn't realize how much I shipped them until I started the re-read, but UGH they're so stinkin CUTE!! 😂
Thank you! And yes, totally venture into the MG section! My sister reads a lot of the MG/YA crossover books, and she loves Dragon Slipper (those are so cute *dies*), Nest, and Counting by 7's. Those are sqeaky clean, except she said Nest has a couple of bad words. :)
Thanks for commenting!! It made my day. <3
I ADORE middle grade books!!! Thanks for the list, I need to check these out. :D
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome! I hope you enjoy reading them!! :)
DeletedUDE YES. SOMEONE SAID IT. you are a blessed human being to society, fren. because mg books are great?? and somehow peeps don't see that??? i mean, my parents were (and kinda still are) super stingy with what i read in the ya section, because you can honestly never know what's in those books without doing excessive digging through goodreads reviews and lol nope i didn't have that amount of dedication. so my prime result for a while was mg, and that wasn't bad at all. lotsa great ones. sUCH AS A WRINKLE IN TIME KOTLC, YASSS. princess academy is another good one (very light and fluffy, i love ittt) and chronicles of prydain and the city of ember and holes and the mysterious benedict society and peter & the starcatchers and the ranger's apprentice and AJSNDBJFBNF SOMEBODY STOP ME PLS *wrings hands because THERE'S JUST TOO MANY GOOD MG BOOKS THAT Y'ALL NEED TO HAVE SHOVED IN YOUR FACES*
ReplyDeletewhoops sorry 'bout that rant, heh. :') also yay!! i'm glad your break was restful, but i'm happy you're back. <33
- suzy | galactic daydreams
IT NEEDED TO BE SAID!! Aww, thanks, fren! My mom set guidelines for us on what content my siblings and I could read and trusts us to follow them, so she doesn't check our books except on occasion, but THE STRUGGLE IS REAL!! It's. so. freaking. hard. to find ANY clean YA books at all. :( I started Princess Academy and City of Ember a while ago, but I need to go back and finish them!! Princess Academy has been on my TBR for literally YEARS...I should probably finish it soon. XD *squeals because I NEED TO READ ALL THOSE BOOKS WHAT DID I MISS OUT ON IN MY CHILDHOOD* XD
DeleteFeel free to rant anytime! And thanks, I'm glad I'm back too. :)
Hey, Nicole!! I've been following your blog for a little while now and I have LOVED your posts so far, eeeeeep. This is just... I AGREE 100000%. And in fact, this has helped me realize that I'm starting to get just a LEETLE bit tired of YA. I'm thinking about having my own personal MG "marathon" sometime soon, where I gather a BUNCH of Middle Grade I've been meaning to read and sit down... and read them. I miss how light and fairly reliable content-wise books in that genre are. xD
ReplyDeleteSISTERS GRIMM, YESSSSS. Love that series soooooo much!!!! And A Series of Unfortunate Events too!! *screams*
Lila @ The Red-Hooded Writer
That's a fabulous idea, Lila!! I kind of did that one month, but I never actually finished my TBR of MG. XP I miss the reliability too, and it makes me really upset that publishers let slide the stuff that's in YA now. :( Which is why I'm resorting to indie books. XD
DeleteSisters Grimm, Unfortunate Events, I read them all!! And they were ah-mazin!! *screams with you*
Awww, and I'm so glad you've been liking my posts!! I've stoped by your blog sometimes, and it's absolutely adorable. :) Thanks for stopping by!!
OOH, this is an awesome post, Nicole!! There are so many underrated MG books that I absolutely love, and I totally agree with everything you said. Almost all of my favorite books are MG, and I don't think that's going to change anytime soon. XD A few awesome ones to check out are The Penderwicks, All The Wrong Questions, Echo, Coraline, Counting By 7s, The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Wonder, The Giver, Princess Academy, The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, The Unwanteds, and The Last Dragon. Oh, and both of Roald Dahl's autobiographies. *gasps for breath* Whew. XD
ReplyDeleteAgain, awesome post! I enjoyed reading it! :)
-Clara <3
Aww, thanks!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!! <3 I LOVED Counting by 7's and The Unwanteds!!! Counting by 7's was so strong and unique and innocent, plus Holly Goldberg Sloan's style is so philosophical and poetic it speaks to my soul. 😂😂 I've been meaning to re-read the Unwanteds recently—I love the story and the worldbuilding. And Aaron is to die for. XD I will definitley be adding the rest of these to my TBR!! I seirously missed out on sooooo much in the literary world when I was a tween, and now I'm catching up on all of it.
DeleteThanks for stopping by! :D
Hey there! I just nominated you for an award/tag over at my blog! (And sorry, this was copied and pasted… so… Yeah. XD) https://goldenfeatherssilverclouds.wordpress.com/2018/03/23/a-bunch-of-tags-and-awards/
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks, Chloë! I'll definitely check it out. :)
DeleteLOLOLOLOL I loved that list of tiring YA cliches especially "cliche one word titles" HAHA. ;D
ReplyDeleteLOL, thanks! 😂😜 I think I was running out of ideas, or whatever, but SERIOUSLY IT'S A HUGE ISSUE AND SO IRRITATING which is ironic because literally all of my project titles are one word. 😂😂
DeleteAH, I love middlegrade books! Ella Enchanted is so good. Ooh get ready, I have a lot of favorite middlegrade books. Fish in a Tree, Tuesdays at the Castle, The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Castle, The True Meaning of Smekday, Counting by 7s, The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Howl's Moving Castle, Booked, The Goose Girl, Princess Academy, The Swap, The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet, and Ungifted. Oh my, wow, thank you for asking that question. Haha, I didn't even realize how many amazing middlegrade books I've read.
ReplyDeleteYeeeeeees MG is the best! XD Those all sound amazing. I haven't read many of them, but I ADORED Counting by 7's. Basically, I adore many of Holly Goldberg Sloan's books. XD I started Princess Academy, but, um *coughs* didn't get past the first chapter. *cough* I'm definitely going to pick it back up again sometime!! :D
DeleteI KNOW, Counting by 7's is so good. I think the only other one of her books I've read is Short, which was great too but I didn't love it as much. Which books of hers is your favorite? Oh no, did you not like it?
DeleteShort was good, but I was a little bit concerned for the Mc's character arc at the end. I felt like for some reason she just got arrogant? I have mized emotions about her. XD Oh, I tried to read it when I was in fifth grade, but I didn't have the endurance to sit down with a book for that long. My little ten-year-old brain just got tired. :P I plan on giving it another go in the near future, though, now that I probably will understand it better now.
DeleteI know this is a super late comment, but I recently discovered Keeper of the Lost Cities and absolutely LOVE it! So excited to hear that you enjoyed it too <3
ReplyDeleteAHH YES I love KotLC!! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!! Welcome to the fanclub! XD
DeleteWowwww I've never seen a post from this POV before! It's very interesting and makes me want to read more MG (which I do... but not much). I've wanted to read Lemony Snicket books for months now but I just haven't had the chance to, so hopefully someday? maybe the next time I go to the library? Thanks for sharing! :D
ReplyDeleteLilian - greenteawithbooks.wordpress.com
I’m so glad you enjoyed reading! Yes, Lemony Snicket books are really good! I actually didn’t start reading A Series of Unfortunate Events until maybe seventh grade, and then I didn’t finish them until the end of eighth...but taking your time to read a book is never a bad idea. :)
DeleteThese book ideas are wonderful! I don't read a ton of mainstream YA because of all the reasons you mentioned, so I'm always looking for middle grade with more complex plots and high-level writing. Also, I love Wrinkle In Time and A Little Princess. Thanks so much for sharing! I'll have to add a few of these to my TBR!
ReplyDelete