During the first couple months of 2020 — in that eons-ago time when my library was open — I was merrily reading and compiling a list of middle-grade reads that struck my fancy. I thought I’d post those titles today …
Tag: middle grade fiction
fiction faves…a variety pack
It’s time for another posting of fiction I’ve enjoyed recently. As I mentioned on Monday, today’s mix contains a mix of vintage and contemporary. There’s some fantasy, a bit of humor, and one graphic novel. Hope you find something grand! …
a jumble of fiction favorites
Today’s fiction list jumps all over the place: fantasy, sci fi, historical, contemporary and multicultural titles; graphic novels, imported novels, books in translation. Reading a variety of genres is refreshing and full of surprises. Some books usher me into the …
fancy some fantasy?
One of my goals for Orange Marmalade in 2019 is to delve a bit into fantasy — which sounds very dwarf-like, this delving. Partly in order to keep expanding my own reading menu; partly because I recognize that for many …
a Dickensian tale of golems and chimney sweeps
Presenting another piece of middle-grade fiction that I couldn’t put down 🙂 Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster, by Jonathan Auxier published in 2018 by Amulet Books 344 pages + Author’s and Historical Notes Masterful storyteller Jonathan …
an out-of-the-box fantasy!
Selznickian became an adjective of choice for me in 2007 when Brian Selznick created his genre-busting novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, weaving together word and image in a way that had not been done before. Since then, he has …
Louisiana’s journey…another gem from DiCamillo
If you could clothe goodness in a character, what what it look like? If you could depict human flourishing in one snapshot of one place, where would that be? If you could encapsulate abandonment and solace, dismay and hope, fragmentation …
seeking refuge…reads for kids and adults
I have been focusing my reading the past few months on middle-grade literature addressing the crisis of refugees and asylum seekers. It has been tough, frankly. Emotionally tough. My goal in doing so was to offer you an array of …
fiction favorites…Breakout
Breakout, by Kate Messner published in 2018 by Bloomsbury Children’s Books 448 pages I flew through Kate Messner’s most recent middle-grade novel last week, and loved it for so many reasons. It’s an excellent story starring a believable, flawed, likeable …
wishes, wartime, and music as real as jam
The Orphan Band of Springdale, written by Anne Nesbet published in 2018 by Candlewick Press 435 pages Gusta Neubronner, age 11, has just had the rug pulled out from under her slightly-blurry feet. It’s 1941. For some reason Gusta …
