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Smiling Shelves

Recent Middle Grade Highlights

6/14/2018

3 Comments

 
I'm participating in Becky's Book Reviews' Middle Grade Reading Challenge this year, but I hadn't actually updated my progress at all this year. Last week, I sat down with the list of middle grade books I had read so far, and was surprised to see that I had read 27! I knew I loved middle grade books, but I didn't expect that they would account for over a third of my reading so far this year. I decided to share some of the awesome books I've read in hopes that someone else might be inspired to try some of these great middle grade titles!

Best Newbery Read

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Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
This is one of this year's Newbery Honor books. It is incredibly powerful.

Best Bookish Adventure

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Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
​This was just pure bookish, problem-solving, code-breaking fun!

Best Book Published in 2018

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Rebound by Kwame Alexander
​Okay, I haven't read that many books published this year, but I needed some category to get this book on my list, because it is awesome.

Best Start to a Series

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The Door in the Alley by Adrienne Kress
I've read seven books this year that are the first book in a series. Many of them were good, but this one definitely has me hooked.

Most Heart-Warming

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The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
​This book was just delightful. Can the Vanderbeekers adopt me, please?
3 Comments
Christine link
6/14/2018 10:34:06 am

I’ve read 3 of these 5 and loved them too! I want to look at my list for highlights now too :) I’ve read a ton of middle grade so far too and am making swifter progress than I expected in the challenge.

I’m glad to see Long Way Down on your list because I’ve been a little torn on books that skew a little higher or lower than your typical 8-12 age range while still falling somewhere within that range also. I think I was over thinking it and should make sure I check off a few more categories! :) :)

Reply
Jenna @ Falling Letters link
6/16/2018 10:59:34 pm

Hooray for middle grade! All of the titles in this post I've been wavering about reading, but I think I will for sure read Long Way Down. That middle grade challenge looks really interesting; I might like to give it a go.

Reply
Jade @ Reading with Jade link
6/17/2018 10:37:32 am

These are all new to me MG books (YES!! hehe), as I tend to read a lot of UK based middle grade authors. Thanks for sharing, I'll definitely be looking more into a few of these. It also sounds like you're making great progress with the challenge - 27 MG books. Go you!

Reply



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    My name is Julie, and I own a lot of books. As in, they are stacked on the floor because I've run out of room on the shelves. And those shelves? There are so many books on them that they smile -- not sag; smile. This blog will cover book reviews and all manner of other bookish things.

    You can contact me at julie@smilingshelves.com.

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