Great Middle Grade Reads discussion

Tell us about the books that have kept you up reading into the middle of the night last month!

My boys and I started reading The Animporphs series, and they hate for me to stop reading. We finished up the last book in The Castleton Series, End of Time and they cannot wait for the fourth book to come out December 15th. It was gonna be a Christmas present, but I don't know if we can wait that long!!

Read The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton with my 6th grade reading class. I thought it was good - unusual storyline. My students loved the creepy ghost mystery, and I liked the tie in to the Underground Railroad. Lots of teachable moments in this novel.

I re-read Richard Peck's Here Lies the Librarian. So many great laugh-out-loud moments -- it's historical fiction at its best, set in the early 1900s when autos were just coming on the scene. A wonderful coming of age story for anyone who has a fondness for either car repair or the card catalog.

I only read one, thanks to this group, Gregor the Overlander. It was perfect!

I read Hero on a Bicycle and LOVED it. Of course, I'm a huge fan of WWII historical fiction and Florence is my favorite Italian city. Still, I read it cover to cover 'cause the story was impelling. Hero on a Bicycle

Londa wrote: "I only read one, thanks to this group, Gregor the Overlander. It was perfect!"

Thanks Londa, it was a good story!

M.G. wrote: "I re-read Richard Peck's Here Lies the Librarian. So many great laugh-out-loud moments -- it's historical fiction at its best, set in the early 1900s when autos were just coming on the..."
Oh, I *love* Richard Peck! I only "found" him a couple of years ago. I saw him at a book signing in October! He's funny in person too. (I did a blog entry on the design of his book, The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail.)

Londa wrote: "I only read one, thanks to this group, Gregor the Overlander. It was perfect!" I read that years ago. I remember that the first two pages reveal something like a dozen different attributes of Gregor. Very impressive writing!

I read The Dragonet Prophecy, which was recommended to me by a fourth grader. I don't know when was the last time I stayed up late trying to finish a book, but this one made me do it! :-)

Here's my review of it: http://www.vkfinnish.com/archives/2522

I re-read The Best Christmas Pageant ever (hilarious), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I am in a Christmas Mood!
Who can suggest Middle Grade Christmas book for me (hopefully one I haven't read)??

Evelyn wrote: "I re-read The Best Christmas Pageant ever (hilarious), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I am in a Christmas Mood!
Who can suggest Middle Grade ..."

Check out our nominations for the December book of the month! There's almost a dozen good recommendations there. I'm still hoping to get to Kringle, although the month is flying by!

Evelyn wrote: "I re-read The Best Christmas Pageant ever (hilarious), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I am in a Christmas Mood!
Who can suggest Middle Grade ..."

Hi Evelyn,
We've been doing an 'advent calendar' of festive kids books on our Book Walrus facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/thebookwalrus) so you might get some ideas. Running out of them myself to be honest - I'm adding 'A Season of Gifts' today after seeing it in the December books of the month chat - so all suggestions welcome!

Rachel x