I’m back with my favorite middle grade (grades 5-8) novels of the year! I recommend these books for both classroom read-alouds and stocking stuffers for your middle grade readers at home! The list is long (far more than ten titles!) but they are all unforgettable stories and many will tug on your heartstrings! I have organized the books into different genres, so you are sure to find a book your middle grader will love! Realistic  Top Story – Kelly Yang This is the fifth installment in the Front Desk MG series. I can always count on Kelly Yang to provide uplifting stories of friendship, f ..read more

Well, it’s back to school and I have been getting LOTS of requests for novel recommendations. Those first read-alouds really set the stage for inspiring your students to LOVE books! No strategies, no response sheets, no homework – just you and the book and your students saying, “Just one more chapter, PLEASE!!” Many of these books can lead to engaging class discussions – great for building community and getting to know your students. Hoping you will find one book on this list that you feel excited about sharing with your new class! And, as always, please pre-read any book before sharing any bo ..read more

Welcome back to my Christmas Book Gifting blogs! Last week, I featured books to gift the younger readers in your life. You can check that list out HERE. This week, I’m excited to share some of my favorite middle grade novels and graphic novels perfect for gift giving to readers in grades 5-8! From the animal lover, to the Sci-Fi enthusiast, to the writers and actors in your life – there is a book on this list for everyone! I have divided the list – the first section are books recommended for Grades 4-6, followed by recommendations for Gr. 6-8. And yes, I had trouble counting to ten – AGAIN! RE ..read more

I have been a bit behind with my book blog posts this year as I have been busy writing my new Poetry book… but have been recently trying to catch up on my middle grade novels. So, I’m VERY excited to be sharing some of my favorite middle grade novels so far of 2021 with you! There are SO many amazing novels this year, so if you have a tween looking for a new book to get lost in this summer, or are a middle school teacher looking for a new book to share with your class – I’m hoping you will find one or two titles in this list. The books this year are rich in diversity and include many novels wr ..read more

Last week, I posted PART 1 of my Holiday Book Gifting ideas, focusing on books for your younger readers. You can read the post HERE. This week, I am excited to share my picks for gifting those tweens in your life! I’ve tried to include books for all interests and hoping one will be a perfect match for that reader in your family! For the Sci-Fi Fan Bloom by Kenneth Oppel Kids ages ten and up will get sucked into this unputdownable science-fiction novel about a strange rain that causes alien plants to sprout. The plants climb up buildings, destroy crops, and devour animals and people. Only thre ..read more

It’s August!  Eeeek!  Only one more month to catch up on our READING, so thought I’d post a list of favorite middle grade novels.   (You can read last summer’s post HERE) Whether you know a child,  tween, or teen who might be looking for some great summer reading, or you are on the look-out for a new book for next year’s read-aloud, there is something here for everyone. What trends have I noticed in MG novels this year?:  stories written from alternating points of view, relatable characters who stand up for injustices, and a good dose of spook!  Some very pow ..read more

“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” – Mason Cooley Well, since my last post, the world has kind of turned upside down.  Many are finding themselves at home looking for things to do so why not… READ!   I see this as a wonderful opportunity to connect with a great book!  We may not be able to hug our friends, but we can always hug a good book! Here is a list of my favorite new novels for your middle grade readers (grades 5-8) to get lost in.   Perfect for reading aloud, reading together, or escaping quietly in a favorite chair. Che ..read more

  Well… it’s been a while since I last blogged about books.  But I had a good excuse and that is – I was writing my new book!  But I’m happy to say, I just finished the first round of editing and now waiting typeset and then that’s a wrap!  Powerful Writing Structures will be available February 7th!  Yippee! So now I have a little more time to relax, enjoy the holidays, and get back to writing about and sharing great books!  I don’t know about you, but my book pile gets very big this time of year!  And if you are like me – you love gifting books as much as y ..read more

It’s summer!  Time to relax, re-charge, and….. READ!  At this time, I like to put out a list of favorite middle grade novels for summer reading.  I haven’t blogged about middle grade novels all year, but I’ve certainly been reading a lot of them!  Whether you know a child,  tween, or teen who might be looking for some great summer picks or you are on the look-out for a new book for next year’s read-aloud, there is something here for everyone: Sci-Fi, family, friendship, mystery, global issues, immigration, bees, wolves, foxes, and frogs!  What trends have I notice ..read more