I read and loved so many middle-grade books in 2022! While some of these are early middle-grade books (I’ve read four of them with my book club for ages nine and ten), others are for ages ten and above. When I review a book, I usually indicate what age-group I think it is suited to, but do remember that reading levels vary widely!
Secret Friends
Secret Friends is heartbreaking, and that’s the only reason I haven’t introduced it to my book club. I meet children just twice a week, and online at that, so it’s tough to see how affected a child is by a book. With my regulars, I know I can introduce a book like this as long as I include a trigger-warning. With newcomers, not really.
Secret Friends is about the need to fit in, and about how we are willing to go to any lengths to belong. The problem is – how far can a child go?
Nadya
Nadya was on my list of books to read for a long time, but I don’t often enjoy graphic novels, which is why I put off reading it. But when less is more, and the pictures do most of the talking, graphic novels are a treat! I love the way the illustrations portray bold emotions, and minimal text carries the story forward, showing us, piece by piece, Nadya’s not-so-perfect life.
Dungeon Tales II
Stories within a story within a story – the structure of Dungeon Tales II is what I loved first. And then, of course, the stories themselves are lovely. Feisty girls make traditional tales of slaying monsters their own. Elephants, tigers, witches and heroes come together in this wonderful collection of short stories brought to you by his Huge Horribleness, the Badmash Badshah.
Frindle
Technically, I’m cheating when I list Frindle as a 2022 read because I read it quite a bit earlier. But then, I never blogged about it, and I reread it in 2022, so that counts, right?
Frindle is a classic, full of mischief and possibility. For me, it also reaffirms how much the right teacher can do for any child!
Fish in a Tree
At a training session I conducted recently, one teacher came forward and began to talk about inclusivity. About how all kinds of children are just clubbed together in one classroom. And then she broke down as she spoke about her son, who is now a coach, who has brilliant social skills, but is dyslexic, and was punished time and time again when he was a child. “What can we do? What should we do?” she demanded.
And I know – reading a book is not the solution. Yet, we need books, literature, cinema about learning disabilities and so much more. And we need these stories to be sensitively told. Fish in a Tree is one of those – a beautiful, heartwarming story about being afraid to be different, and needing the right environment to grow.
Dear Mr. Henshaw
Dear Mr. Henshaw is another classic that my book clubbers loved as much as I did. Letter-writing is lovely. And no, I’m not romanticising it. When children start writing a letter, they often find it boring, a waste of time. But by the time they’re done with it, everything’s changed. And through Leigh Botts, the protagonist of Dear Mr. Henshaw, we rediscover just that. A letter may seem effortful at first, but in the end, it’s more rewarding than we could have imagined.
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
Sometimes, I think I no longer have the patience to read long, slow-paced books where nothing much happens. And then, I come across a gem like The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise, sob my heart out, and fall in love with the story. The bond between sisters is special, unlike any other. And a book that recognises that in some way? It’s bound to be special too.
Misfit Madhu
What I loved most about Misfit Madhu is the easy, engaging style. I was talking about the book to someone, and they said, “It sounds so cool. I don’t know any other stories about girl coders!” I’d never thought about the book in that way, and that’s what makes it even more pertinent. It’s a fun book about friendship, school, and doing what’s right.
A Conspiracy in Calcutta
In 2022, I read all four books from the Songs of Freedom series, and A Conspiracy in Calcutta was my favourite. Did the struggle for independence mean anything to the average child?
To Bithi, the protagonist of A Conspiracy in Calcutta, the answer is a resounding “yes”. But the question is – can she do something meaningful? If her determination is anything to go by, the answer is, again, yes!
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