Middle Grade books have always held a special place in my heart. As a kid, I read everything I could get my hands on from Sweet Valley Twins (and High), to Babysitter's Club, to Narnia, to Ramona. Those books were everything.
They told me I wasn't alone (Ramona, I knew just how you felt when you squeezed that whole tube of toothpaste into the sink). They gave me motivation to try new things (like that babysitting business I was "inspired" with for my Business Fair project). And they reminded me that even perfect twins with perfect everything still struggled sometimes (And Liz, I have no idea how you put up with Jessica!).
But back in the day (yup, I totally just used that phrase), there was not nearly the selection we have now. Today, readers have an amazing selection of Middle Grade books that deal with topics from homelessness, to bullying, to LGBTQ+ struggles, to racism, to drugs, to you name it. And while I may have grown up in the golden days of the 80's, I still wish I could have had access to the books middle graders have now.
So today, in no particular order, I present you with 3 books I wish I'd had when I was a kid.
1. Amina's Voice by Hena Khan
Amina has never been comfortable in the spotlight. She is happy just hanging out with her best friend, Soojin. Except now that she’s in middle school everything feels different. Soojin is suddenly hanging out with Emily, one of the “cool” girls in the class, and even talking about changing her name to something more “American.” Does Amina need to start changing too? Or hiding who she is to fit in? While Amina grapples with these questions, she is devastated when her local mosque is vandalized.
In fourth grade, I was shocked when the teacher stood up to scold our class over a lack of tolerance for other's beliefs and other's religions. I can distinctly remember thinking, "Not everyone here is the same religion?" I grew up in a very homogenous community. I never considered all the many cultures outside of mine. And this moment is perhaps one of the reasons I love learning about other cultures and experiences so much. I wish I'd had a book like Amina's Voice to teach me about the beautiful diversity that exists in this world. To see how those who attend Muslim Mosques are just like me. And maybe I would have found my voice a little sooner, just as Amina does.
2. Real Friends by Shannon Hale and illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Shannon and Adrienne have been best friends ever since they were little. But one day, Adrienne starts hanging out with Jen, the most popular girl in class and the leader of a circle of friends called The Group. Everyone in The Group wants to be Jen's #1, and some girls would do anything to stay on top . . . even if it means bullying others.
Now every day is like a roller coaster for Shannon. Will she and Adrienne stay friends? Can she stand up for herself? And is she in The Group—or out?
In 5th grade, I threw a party and invited all the most popular girls. My mom sent three of them home for sneaking out, and I became an outcast. The leader of the group was the meanest, but I spent a good three years trying to figure out how to navigate past that. Sports, it turned out, was the answer for me, but not everyone has that. I wish I'd had this book to know I wasn't alone in trying to figure things out.
3. The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner
When Charlie Brennan goes ice fishing on her town's frozen lake, she's hoping the fish she reels in will help pay for her dream: a fancy Irish dancing dress for her upcoming competition. But when Charlie's first catch of the day happens to be a talking fish offering her a wish in exchange for its freedom, her world quickly turns upside down, as her wishes go terribly and hilariously wrong.
Just as Charlie is finally getting the hang of communicating with a magical wishing fish, a family crisis with her older sister brings reality into sharp focus. Charlie quickly learns that the real world doesn't always keep fairy-tale promises and life's toughest challenges can't be fixed by a simple wish . . .
In sixth grade, just like Charlie, I had some awesome dreams, too. In fact, I had just landed a lead role in our grade's Christmas Production. And just like Charlie, a crisis with my older brother changed the focus of everything. Yes, the very same crisis. A drug addiction. After an accident landed him in the hospital and rehab program, I had to drop my role so I could attend family counseling. I made so many wishes that year. And I felt so alone. I wish I'd had The Seventh Wish to help me see a way through.
There are so many other books I wish I had time to talk about . . .
The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat
Just South of Home by Karen Strong
The Copycat by Wendy McLeod MacKnigh
. . . middle grade books help readers find solutions in a world that doesn't always seem to have any. It helps readers learn empathy for those around them going through similar and very different experiences. For kids who feel they have no one to talk to, these books can be life savers. We need these books, and our kids especially need these books.
Yay for Middle Grade! And may authors continue to seek out and write these ever important stories.
