As a writer — who’s been writing since she was a child — I love middle grade books about kid writers and news reporters. The kids in these books love to write. Some of them are budding poets, others write fiction, one is a comic book writer, another is a food critic, and some of them are in their school’s newspaper club.
60 Best Middle-Grade Books About Friendship
Middle-grade books about friendship are always in high demand because what’s more pressing to a middle-schooler than friendship drama? These middle-grade books about friendship highlight the struggles of forming friendships, the challenges of maintaining a friendship, and of course, the joys of true friendships.
Review | The Swag Is in the Socks
The Swag Is in the Socks is Kelly J. Baptist’s newest middle grade offering. It stars young Xavier Moon whose parents are both incarcerated. Xavier is not the steal-the-spotlight kind of guy. He’s often in his room playing video games or watching stuff happen from his bedroom window. He also has a stutter that he’s working on — and he has braces. But the one thing Xavier really want to be a part of is the Scepter League, the elite after-school club that only accepts confident, exemplary tween boys. His father, great uncle, and grandfather are all alumni. But when Xavier doesn’t get in, he’s determined to prove to the club leaders that he can be a League boy. Fortunately, the cool socks that his great uncle Frankie Bell keeps sending him seem to be winning him popularity votes.
Edith Cohn on Birdie’s Billions (+ Giveaway!)
Edith Cohn’s new middle grade book Birdie’s Billions is about a girl who finds half a million dollars (cash!) in an abandoned house and has to decide whether or not to keep it. Birdie’s dilemma is tougher because her single…
25 Adorable Chapter Books About Animals
The best chapter books about animals (for kids ages 6-10) are also some of the cutest stories you’ll ever read! These books often feature pet-loving kids, animal detectives or superheroes, or animals figuring life out — just like kids are. For this list, I’ve rounded up some of the best animal-centered chapter books aimed at kids in K-5 grades. Many of these will work for beginning readers and others for stronger readers. If you’re looking for animal stories for middle schoolers, check out my list of middle grade dog books, middle grade horse books, and middle grade animal books!
Review | As If on Cue
In As If on Cue, sworn frenemies Natalie and Reid are forced to work together on a musical to save their school’s art programs after a prank by Natalie goes wrong. Reid is a band kid while Natalie is a scriptwriter, who used to play the clarinet (even before Reid). Natalie prefers to do the arts as a “fun hobby” — or so she tells herself — whereas Reid is serious about his music and wants to become a composer. The two are close family friends, their tween sisters are best friends, and Natalie’s dad teaches Reid how to play the clarinet. But as they work as co-directors, Natalie’s years-long resentment of Reid and his bond with her dad continues to rear it’s ugly head. Will their musical see the light of day?
