Well, I can’t get around it: my heart belongs to the middle grade novel. I remember when I started writing, my dream (perhaps every writer’s dream?) was to write “The Great, American Novel”. I had about 50 pages written and it just wasn’t coming out the way I wanted when suddenly it clicked: this book wanted to be a middle grade novel. I love reading them and think they have so much worth and value (and too often dismissed as “just for kids”). So why did I think I should write anything else? (Sadly, that book has since been left unfinished, though I did write another middle grade novel earlier this year! More on that another day.)
Once I realized that I wanted to write middle grade novels (as well as picture books), I thought I should read the best of the best. This led me to the Newbery Award.
The great thing about these books is that you can safely recommend them to your preteen kids and know they are getting some clean and quality literature. So even though I am only commenting on a few of the books listed below, please know that any of these would be a great option for your kids! (And if you ever have questions about a middle grade book, I am happy to discuss it with you!)
The Newbery Award (or Honor) books I’ve read so far:
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
(a somewhat creepy sci-fi)
When you Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
(not my favorite)
New Kid by Jerry Craft
(already recommended here!)
Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly
The Girl who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
(one of my favorites! will probably purchase and recommend in a separate post)
(also, I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but look how pretty that cover is!)
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
(a picture book - unusual for the Newbery! - already recommended here!)
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
(I did not expect to love this one as much as I did, given it’s about basketball and completely written in verse, but I did and I highly recommend.)
Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
(a little boring, though I learned some interesting history)
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
(excellent story and a bit of a mystery)
Al Capone Does my Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
(another of my favorites. this is part of a series of which I intend to read more!)
The Watson’s Go to Birmingham: 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
(I would recommend this as a way to open up dialog about racial violence)
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