Happy Reading

2024 was a great year for middle grade books, so it was challenging to choose just a handful to spotlight during this episode. I finally landed on FERRIS by Kate DiCamillo, THE FIRST STATE OF BEING by Erin Entrada Kelly, CARTER AVERY'S TRICKY FOURTH-GRADE YEAR by Rob Buyea, UNSINKABLE CAYENNE by Jessica Vitalis, and WESTFALLEN by Ann & Ben Brashares. Enjoy! Instagram: kidlit_lover Transcript available at Happy Reading website [https://happyrdng.blogspot.com/2025/01/five-favorites-from-2024.html]

This episode spotlights four middle grade novels in verse: Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Shari Green, Odder by Katherine Applegate, The Road to After by Rebekah Lowell, and Alone by Megan E. Freeman. Instagram: Kidlit_Lover Transcript available at happyrdng.blogspot.com [https://happyrdng.blogspot.com/2024/05/novels-in-verse.html]

This episode spotlights four middle grade novels featuring main characters with ADHD:  Focused by Alyson Gerber, A Perfect Mistake by Melanie Conklin, Each Tiny Spark by Pablo Cartaya, and Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn. Twitter: @WordNerd153 IG: @Kidlit_Lover.  transcript available at happyrdng.blogspot.com [https://happyrdng.blogspot.com/2024/03/characters-with-adhd.html]

As of this recording I have read 655 books this year, 80 of which were middle grade, so I thought it’d be fun for me to review those titles and pluck some favorites from the bunch to share with you. This is also a sneaky way to be loosey goosey with this episode’s theme and spotlight books that might not have anything in common other than wonderful storytelling, endearing characters, and a riveting plot. By no means are these the only spectacular middle grade books I read this year—in fact, several of my favorites will show up in future episodes—but we’d easily be here for over an hour if I highlighted every book I read in 2023 that made me a better human.  Books included in this episode: The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt, The International House of Dereliction by Jacqueline Davies, The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson, The Way I Say It by Nancy Tandon, and Leeva at Last by Sara Pennypacker. Shout outs also given to The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day, The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers, and the Vanderbeekers series by Karina Yan Glaser.  Blog post for this episode https://happyrdng.blogspot.com/2023/12/a-few-faves-from-2023.html [https://happyrdng.blogspot.com/2023/12/a-few-faves-from-2023.html]

In this episode I share excerpts from five middle grade books that center around sports that generally aren't consdiered to be mainstream: Call Me Adnan by Reem Faruqi (table tennis), Barely Floating by Lilliam Rivera (synchronized swimming), Kenzie Kickstarts a Team by Kit Rosewater and Sophie Escabasse (roller derby), Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes (fencing), and Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo (baton twirling).  A modified version of the transcript can be found here: https://happyrdng.blogspot.com/2023/11/i-wanna-see-you-sweat.html