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Audiobook Recommendations, Book Lists · May 31, 2023

The Best Full Cast Audiobooks

If you’ve been around here for a minute, you would know that I love audiobooks. My favorite kinds of audiobooks are full-cast audiobooks. Technically, a full-cast audiobook is one where each narrating character’s perspective is read by a different narrator. Full-cast audiobooks are perfect for books with multiple narrators or perspectives. They’re also commonly used for graphic novel narrations (which can be a lot of fun). For this list, I’ve curated the best full-cast audiobooks for kids (of all ages) and adults. If you’re new to audiobooks, these are great to start with because they’re fun — almost like an audio drama!

Books for 6 year olds

Book Lists, Books by Age, Chapter Book Lists · May 29, 2023

Books for 6 Year Olds

Good books for 6-year-olds fall into two major categories: books you read aloud to them and books most 6 year olds can read on their own. This list is the latter. When you read to kids or play audiobooks, they can often read and enjoy more advanced texts like those on this list for 7 year olds and this list for 8 year olds. Independent readaloud books are a little more limited and some of them can be super boring. For this list, I’ve included actually fun(ny) stories that your 6 year old can read on their own. You’ll find a few picture books, heavily illustrated chapter books, and several graphic novels.

Book Reviews, Middle-Grade · May 26, 2023

Review | Miracle by Karen Chow

After a long battle with pancreatic cancer, Amie’s Ba-ba (with whom she had a close relationship) dies, leaving her with the mother she feels disconnected from. After his death, Amie can’t seem to find her way back to playing the violin — something that connected her with her dad. The book chronicles her path through grief and finding her way back to music, and building a new connection with her mom.

collage showing three asian middle grade books

Book Lists, Middle Grade Book Lists · May 25, 2023

100+ Best Asian Middle-Grade Books

I’m a huge fan of books by authors of Asian descent — Asian middle-grade books are no exception. For this list, I’ve curated a wide range of stories written and about people of Asian descent — including South Asia and the Middle East. I have so many favorites on this list and try to update it yearly with new books!

Book Reviews, Chapter Book Reviews · May 24, 2023

Review | Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun

Ten-year-old Zara has been crowned Queen of the Neighborhood by a loving neighbor. Zara makes fair rules for all the games she and her brother Zayd play with the other kids and Zara likes things just like that. But when her neighbor, Mr. Chapman moves out, a new family moves in. Their daughter Naomi has other ideas for playing and the other kids seem to like many of her ideas too. To win back her crown, Zara decides she’ll try to break a World Guiness Record. But as time goes on, she realizes that it may just be better to share her crown instead.

a collage of three middle grade books with incarcerated parents

Book Lists, Middle Grade Book Lists · May 23, 2023

Middle Grade Books with Incarcerated Parents

Since I started reading middle grade books five years ago, I’ve been seeing more and more middle grade books with incarcerated parents, and I’m glad the kids who need them will have them. Having a parent in prison is tough, regardless of whether the parent was a positive or negative influence in a child’s life. It also comes with a fair bit of stigma and can be challenging for the entire family for various reasons. This list features a variety middle grade books with parents in prison. If you’ve been looking for more books on the subject, this is for you.

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Afoma
✨growing up is full of bumps on the way✨ 🤓 ✨growing up is full of bumps on the way✨

🤓 Sixth grade is off to a rocky start for Rex. His district moved most of his elementary school to another middle school, his best friend ditches him for the popular crew, and his blurry vision means he has to get clunky new glasses–the only kind his family can afford. 

❤️ This sweet graphic novel for fans of Telgemeier is an ode to middle school, family, and finding your people.

#graphicnovel #middleschoolbooks #kidlit
Do you like to hop on the “buzz train”? I find Do you like to hop on the “buzz train”? I find that buzzy books are often worth the hype. Even the few people who dislike them tend to have STRONG feelings about them 👀 which to me is a sign that the story got to you somehow. Of course, not every book is for every reader — hype or not. I share my tip for finding a hyped book that matches your reading tastes.

Which hyped books did you love? And which ones missed the mark for you?

#reader #bookstagram #unpopularopinions
✨a different kind of sunshine✨ I loved this g ✨a different kind of sunshine✨

I loved this graphic memoir about the author’s time as a counselor at a camp for kids with cancer. It was my first time reading anything by this author and I totally get the appeal.

This one didn’t end up being as sad as I thought it would be but it was very moving, especially because Krosoczka shares newspaper clippings and pictures of one the families with whom he forged a particularly close relationship even until his college years.

If you’re looking for an engaging graphic memoir for older kids ages 11+ this is a great choice.

#graphicnovel #kidlit #yareader
✨a devastating debut✨ This book! Brilliantly ✨a devastating debut✨

This book! Brilliantly written, impressive characterization, and a plot so unexpected. It left me physically shaken (it's not feel-good), but it feels so necessary, so timely. A solid debut about the search for the great American Dream, familial sacrifices, and confronting our ugly inner selves -- all in less than 300 pages. 

You'll like this if you like:

Multiple perspectives (3 perspectives, 3rd person POV)
Character-driven stories
Time-jumping plots
Devastating endings

If you prefer straightforward, plot-rich, fast-paced stories, you might struggle a bit with this one at the start. But it's worth it!

#bookstagram #amreading #fiction
☀️ Meet the Bookstagrammer ☀️ Hi, new fol ☀️ Meet the Bookstagrammer ☀️

Hi, new followers! It’s such a pleasure to have a few new faces around. I love finding new readers to follow on the gram. 

My name is Afoma and I run a book blog called Reading Middle Grade. I also run a Facebook Group and newsletter related to my blog. In my day job, I’m a freelance writer and editor, with a degree in medicine.

I’ve lived in three continents (born in Nigeria, med school in Ukraine and the Caribbean). I live in Nigeria now with my husband and many, many books 🤭 I love to cook and travel and run. This year, one of my goals is to become a better runner. I’m currently able to run 2K without stopping. 

Even though we don’t have traditional four seasons in Nigeria, the summer months are my favorite. From childhood, they were the one time when my overachieving, perfectionistic self could RELAX. And do nothing! And even now, I try to take time off in the summer to do nothing.

Some of favorite books this year have been LASAGNA MEANS I LOVE YOU, THE LOST YEAR (I lived in Ukraine for 3 years, so this resonated with me!), and MAAME. 

Thank you so much for following my reading journey! Tell me something about yourself — hobbies, favorite books, anything! ❤️
✨finding your voice✨ Sunny Park is a socially ✨finding your voice✨

Sunny Park is a socially anxious girl obsessed with her favorite K-Pop band, Supreme Beat. She has one friend, Bailey and tries to be there as much as possible (to a fault) for her—even when it means quitting ballet which she loved.

But when Bailey drags her to audition for her school’s dance team, Sunny gets in and Bailey doesn’t. Sunny’s mom insists that Sunny continues on the team, to Bailey’s dismay. As Sunny makes new friends, she starts to realize that maybe Bailey isn’t such a great one.

This was a fun, relatable (at times frustrating) story about standing up for oneself, dance, fandom, and finding true friends. It’s out this August!

#bookstagram #amreading #mglit
✨6 great books on the summer reading guide✨ H ✨6 great books on the summer reading guide✨

Have you checked out my middle school summer reading guide yet? If not, here’s another preview for you! (It’s linked in my profile.)

Also, I just wanted to share this picture because I’ve always wanted to make one of these IRL collage style book pictures 🤪

🏀 HOOPS - basketball and equality in the 70s, graphic novel
👓 FOUR EYES - coming of age, getting new glasses, bullying, graphic novel
✈️ YOU ARE HERE - anthology with interconnected stories about the Asian American experience 
👦🏽👦🏾LINK + HUD - graphic novel + prose about two funny brothers with overactive imaginations
💔 THE LOST WAR - historical fiction about the Ukrainian famine, better on audio!
🥘 LASAGNA MEANS I LOVE YOU - heartwarming book about food and family, written in epistolary format

Have you read any of these books? Which one did you love? Which one is on your TBR?

#bookstagram #kidlit #mglit
Summer reading is officially in full swing! Here a Summer reading is officially in full swing! Here are a few books on my personal TBR list this summer. Which of these books have you read and loved? I’d love to know! 🥳

#summerreading #bookstack #bookstagram
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