Stop Missing Out: Why Middle Grade Books Deserve a Read
- Eliza
- Sep 20, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 3, 2019
Sometimes, YA can be too much for me. Don’t get me wrong, I still love it. There’s nothing like Roshani Chokshi’s rich descriptions, Leigh Bardugo’s lovable antiheroes, Melissa Albert’s twisted fairy tale retellings, or Angie Thomas’ deep cutting narratives. But there are times where I don’t want to deal with the romance, or the world always being on the verge of collapsing and all the seventeen-year-olds grimly tasked with saving it. That’s when I turn to middle grade writing as a way to cleanse my palate, while still getting a good story.
There are many things I’ve come to love about middle grade in the past year or two, but the greatest thing about it is the writing. Middle grade authors have such a unique writing style. Their plots are shorter and more to the point, which gives them time to take a look at the world around their characters. They describe their settings in such a poetic and rich way that I aspire to do as a writer, and really draws you into their character’s world.
Another thing I love about middle grade writings are the relationships between the characters. Every once in a while it’s nice to see a plot without romance, one that simply focuses on a pure friendship. There are often very strong relationships between parents and children, which makes me happy to see, and if they aren’t strong, fixing those can be a big plot point. Often getting to see a new friendship blossom is a subplot of middle grade books and it’s always sweet getting to re-experience the excitement of making a new friend as a little kid.
If you’re looking for a strong mystery or horror book that is a bit more lighthearted and easy to read, middle grade is for you. I have found several high quality mysteries that kept me hooked until the end but weren’t so suspenseful I had to put it aside. I think a stigma around middle grade is that, because it’s written for a younger audience, it won’t have the elements teens and adults are looking for in a book. I don’t believe that’s the case. Below, I’m listing some of my favorite middle grade books that I’ve found, along with a brief description, to help you get started on what I believe will be a very rewarding and exciting journey into middle grade fiction.
- City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
- The World’s Greatest Detective by Caroline Carlson
- The Secret Keepers by Tenton Lee Stewart
- Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
- Greenglass House by Kate Mitford
- Chasing Veremeer by Blue Balliett
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