This is my second year as a Cybils Middle Grade Fiction round I panelist (this category is for realistic fiction, aimed at ages 8 – 12, or the “middle grades” of 3 – 6ish). That means that I am supposed to read as many as possible of the nominated books (We are over 100 and…
Category Archives: ages 9 – 12
The Grand Plan to Fix Everything
No one understands the melting pot more than this generation of kids. They are going to school side by side with kids who are of Indian, Mexican, Chinese descent — and yet also 100% American. The Grand Plan to Fix Everything shows us a girl who is just like that. Didi and Maddie, 11, are…
Wonderstruck
Brian Selznick broke all paradigms with The Invention of Hugo Cabret –a thick chunkster of a novel that is more than half pictures. A story for the older elementary reader (and up) that is filled with beautiful pictures that help tell the story? Unheard of. Wonderstruck follows this same pattern, and I loved it! I…
Breadcrumbs, a 5-Star Read with Giveaway
While I’ve been an avid reader my whole life, up until a few years ago, it had been a long, long time since I had experienced what’s known as “middle grade fiction.” Not since I was in the 9 to 12 age range had I read this genre, but it reentered my life a while…
The Underdogs
My nine-year-old son loves to read, but he gravitates to nonfiction more than fiction. He’ll read about sports for hours, but is picky when it comes to novels. I am constantly on the lookout for fiction titles that will grab his attention, and Mike Lupica’s books are winners every time. Mike Lupica’s newest story, The…
The Adventures of Everyday Geniuses
As parents, we realize that kids (and adults) don’t all learn in the same way. But for the kids who are struggling in school, it can be difficult to understand why things come easier to their peers. The Adventures of Everyday Geniuses series aims to break down the barriers and explain why it’s normal to…
Guys Read: Thriller
Guys Read: Thriller is the second in a series edited by Jon Scieszka (following after Funny Business, which I rated as a 5 Star Read). The goal is the same — to bring 10 stories in one genre from a veritable who’s who in children’s authors. The “thriller” genre is a little broader than the…
Wolf Storm
I first became aware of Dee Garretson when I read her first novel Wildfire Run (linked to my review) when it was nominated for a Middle Grade Fiction Cybils award***. After reading Wolf Storm, I’m happy to report that she’s 2 for 2 in creating easy-to-read, exciting stories that elementary and middle school kids will…
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Jennifer Donovan
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