Middle-Grade Roundup: May 2018
- By Mary Daisey Shockley
- May 18, 2018
Four suggestions for your not-too-young, not-too-old reader!
Dear World: A Syrian Girl's Story of War and Plea for Peace (Simon & Schuster)
By Bana Alabed
Recommended for ages 12+
You may know Bana Alabed by her tweets for peace in her home of war-torn Syria. In this autobiography, she gives day-to-day details of what it’s like to be a child living amid constant fighting. Woven throughout the book are letters written by Bana’s mother, Fatemah.
Ghost Boys (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
By Jewell Parker Rhodes
Recommended for ages 9-12
After 12-year-old Jerome is shot dead by a police officer who believes Jerome’s toy gun is real, the boy becomes a ghost on a mission. With encouragement from other “ghost boys,” he begins to encourage the living to be the change that’s needed in the world.
Positively Izzy (Balzer + Bray)
By Terri Libenson
Recommended for ages 8-12
Izzy’s head is always in the clouds, and Bri’s is always in a book. What happens when the two very different girls meet in the middle-school talent show? Find out in this winning graphic novel!
They Didn’t Teach THIS in Worm School! (Candlewick)
By Simone Lia
Recommended for ages 7-9
Marcus the worm is just trying to avoid getting eaten by Laurence the bird when he agrees to help Laurence fly to Lake Nakuru in Kenya. The duo find themselves in silly situations throughout the entire adventure.
Mary Daisey Shockley is an avid reader who spends her free time with her family on the coast of Delaware. You can find more of her thoughts on books here.
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