Book Lists!

Memorial Day roots were grown in the aftermath of the Civil War, in the late 1860’s. As the war claimed more lives than any other conflict in American history, it was necessary to establish national cemeteries. Many communities began honoring our fallen soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers on May 30. Decoration Day grew into Memorial Day, celebrated on the fourth Monday of May. In recognition of this history, I thought it appropriate to share a handful of titles about the Civil War for middle-grade readers. Bull Run written by Paul Fleischman Winner of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction * ALA Best Book for Young Adults * ALA Notable Children’s Book In this brilliant fictional tour de force, which the New York Times called “a deft, poignant novel,” Newbery Medal-winning author Paul Fleischman re-creates the first great battle of the Civil War from the points of view of sixteen participants. Northern and Southern, male and female, white and black....

Summer is a magical time. As the weather warms up and the days grow longer, there’s nothing quite like diving into a great book that captures the good vibes of summer. Whether it’s the thrill of swimming, the magic of summer friendships, or the adventure of summer camp, middle grade...

In commemoration of Jewish American Heritage Month–and recognizing the importance of diversity in middle-grade literature–please enjoy this carefully curated collection of 26 middle-grade books that feature Jewish themes and characters, including contemporary and historical fiction, fantasy and magic realism, graphic novels, and anthologies. Plus… A GIVEAWAY! Don’t miss a chance...

Hope you’re feeling lucky this St. Patrick’s Day week. In case you’re looking for good fortune, check out some of these middle-grade books with the work “luck” in the title. Hard Luck Written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney Book #8 in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series Greg Heffley’s...

My friend Nicole—a fellow only child—recently sent me an article from The Atlantic entitled, “Why Are People Weird About Only Children?” Not surprisingly, the piece included the usual tropes associated with onlies: We’re spoiled, selfish, maladjusted weirdos who can’t get along with others or share our toys. We’re also bad...

Last fall was a particularly hectic time for me. I had deadlines for both a novel and a picture book. I missed a few diverse titles that I think are very worthy of attention. Those are the first three titles in this post.  But first of all I’m going to...

The new year is all about looking forward but in case you missed it, 2023 was loaded with middle grade books that inspired, challenged and delighted young readers. Today, let’s take a look at a few that won prestigious awards for their contributions to children’s literature. Newbery Medal: Freewater, by...