Middle grade fiction can save the world! A Guest Post by Laura Anne Bird
I’m on maternity leave! During this time, a few of my favorite authors offered to step up and write guest posts so that this blog would remain active while I adjust to my new role as a mother. I may also be a bit slower to respond. Thanks for understanding and for being so supportive of me, my family, and my blog. Want to donate a few dollars to keep this blog running or perhaps contribute to my diaper fund? You can do so on Venmo or Paypal.
Middle grade fiction can save the world! Ten novels for building empathy in children and grown-ups: A Guest Post by Laura Anne Bird
If you haven’t picked up a middle grade novel lately, I urge you to give one a try. Yes, yes, I understand that you’re an adult and everything, but middle grade fiction is the breath of fresh air you didn’t know you needed.
Middle grade novels get to the heart of a tender, pivotal time, when young people are figuring out who, what, and how they want to be. They long for independence, but they still want the comfort and reassurance of family. They want to stand out from the crowd, but they still want to fit in. Often, these competing values collide like furious little atoms (which is rough in real life but fabulous for plotlines).
Middle grade novels are geared toward kids ages 8-12, but their themes are universal and eternal—like what it means to belong, why it’s crucial to speak up against injustice, and how to become our own best cheerleaders.
Middle grade novels encourage tolerance, acceptance, and compassion. They remind us that everybody struggles in different ways, so it’s good to be kind—always.
I can think of lots of grown-ups who would benefit from hearing this message.
A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
Albus’ delightful debut kicks off in London during the early days of WWII, when three orphaned siblings—William, Edmund, and Anna—devise a plan to secure a “forever family” after fleeing to the British countryside during Operation Pied Piper. Albus examines the concept of altruism and how it can morph into fierce, genuine, protective love. She writes beautifully about the ties that connect us—and how simple gestures of human kindness make all the difference in the world.
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
Red, a monoecious oak tree, narrates this luminous and gorgeously illustrated novel. Red is two hundred and sixteen rings old and happily provides shelter for opossums, raccoons, owls, skunks, and a crow named Bongo. Together, Red and the animals concoct a plan to help Samar, a Muslim girl who has just moved into the neighborhood and is struggling to make friends. In return, Samar ensures safety for Red. Wishtree celebrates inclusion, the natural world, and the importance of loving our neighbors, especially when they are different than us.
Golden Girl by Reem Faruqi
Structured in lighthearted free-verse, Golden Girl introduces readers to seventh grader Aafiya Qamar. Aafiya lives in Atlanta, wears a hearing aid, and loves pretty things so much that she occasionally “borrows” them from other people. When her grandfather falls ill with cancer and her dad is falsely accused of a crime, Aafiya pledges to stop stealing, but it’s harder than she anticipates. Faruqi’s lovely coming-of-age story shines a light on matters of empathy, forgiveness, and mental health.
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
Talk about an unconventional lifestyle! Twelve-year-old Coyote Sunrise lives in a souped-up old school bus with her father (Rodeo) and cat (Ivan). They’ve fled their hometown for a cross-country adventure, but why? We learn that Coyote’s mother and two sisters died in a car accident when she was little, and that Rodeo refuses to return home. Can Coyote lure him back when something important comes up? Gemeinhart’s heartrending and buoyant novel shows us that grief can take many forms, and that it's our job to look out for each other.
The Deepest Breath by Meg Grehan
The Deepest Breath introduces readers to 11-year-old Stevie, who has developed a crush on her classmate Chloe. Should she tell her mom about these fizzy new feelings? What implications do they have on her identity? Stevie is thoughtful and brainy, and her story of bravery and self-acceptance is inspiring. Written in free-verse, Grehan’s novel is perfect for kids struggling to figure out who they are—and for adults who need a reminder of how excruciating and wondrous it is to be a tween.
Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh
Marsh’s gripping and relevant novel centers on fourteen-year-old Syrian refugee Ahmed, who ends up in a cellar in Brussels after a perilous journey. In a clever plot twist, Ahmed meets and befriends Max, a thirteen-year-old American whose family is living in Belgium for the year. Although cultural and language barriers exist between the two boys, Max does everything he can to help Ahmed. Their unforgettable union is one of kindness, decency, and basic human rights.
As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds
Reynolds’ story of 11-year-old Genie and his older brother, Ernie, is both tender and gritty. The Brooklyn-born boys spend a month at their grandparents’ house in rural Virginia, where they grapple with stereotypes, family secrets, and the cataract-induced blindness that afflicts their grandfather. As Brave as You is a terrific exploration about making mistakes—and having the mettle to make amends.
The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
It’s ironic that 12-year-old Sodsai Mudawan is traveling aboard a ship named Prosperity when she’s spent her entire childhood in squalor. With a world-class pickpocket for a father, Sai strives to overcome the prejudice and lack of opportunities that confront her daily. When she assumes the role of assistant to esteemed mapmaker Paiyoon Wongyai, Sai embarks on the voyage of a lifetime, crossing the stormy seas to the Sunderlands, where dragons may or may not reside. Soontornvat’s rousing story examines class, friendship, and the importance of having a caring mentor.
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk
Twelve-year-old Crow lives with Osh, a solitary painter, on one of the tiny windswept Elizabeth Islands off the coast of Woods Hole, Massachusetts, circa 1925. Crow loves lobstering, collecting mussels, and caring for her neighbor’s barnyard animals, but deep down, she’s sad. She doesn’t know anything about her origins, because as an infant, she was put on a skiff and pushed into the ocean, later discovered by Osh. Beyond the Bright Sea is a moving examination of family and the ways we care for each other, whether we’re biologically connected or not.
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Warm, quirky, and loosely inspired by Yang’s own childhood, this middle-grade favorite is worthy of all the praise. Ten-year-old Mia Tang lives in the Calivista Motel (just a stone’s throw from Disneyland), where she welcomes guests at the front desk while her immigrant parents clean the rooms. Mia faces cruelty and racism, but she fights back with courage and ingenuity. Front Desk reminds us that we are all worthy and good, regardless of language, birthplace, or socioeconomic status.
