Many of the titles on this list of my favourite early middle grade books from 2024 are book club reads. Some, the children enjoyed thoroughly; others, I enjoyed more than the children did! On the whole, I recommend these books for ages nine and up. In no particular order, here are my top ten early middle grade reads from 2024. No Talking Even though I don't usually like books that follow a boys vs girls sort of dynamic, I thoroughly enjoyed No Talking by Andrew Clements! For me, his books are particularly useful because there's just so much I can do with them at a book club. With easy, readable text that is humorous and engaging, they are perfect for all kinds of readers; plus, my book clubbers love them. No Talking was no different! Book activities Kushti Kid So many books by Vibha Batra have featured on my lists of … [Read more...]
The Mystery of the Silk Umbrella
The Mystery of the Silk Umbrella is the sixth book by Asha Nehemiah that we'll be reading at my book club! And it promises to be just as much fun as the others.Like any good mystery story, The Mystery of the Silk Umbrella keeps you reading. Who is the mysterious intruder at the beginning of the book? What could Shantha athai, who really has no valuables to speak of, be hiding that is so precious? Who wants what she has, and how does the silk umbrella fit into all this?With so many chapters ending in cliff-hangers, the book compels you to read on, intriguing and humorous at the same time. Gutsy heroes, nefarious villains and a range of colourful side characters make this a fun read, which I'm looking forward to introducing to my book club! Precious Objects The silk umbrella is special to T. Satyavan for secret reasons. There are memories … [Read more...]