Yesterday I posted my first list of favorite MG books of 2020. I had so many favorites, I decided to split the list into two posts. Here are the MG books that were most memorable to me from later in the year. In case you missed the first list, here it is.
2020 MEMORABLE MIDDLE GRADE BOOKS.
I hope you find some new favorites!
w
e dream of space
By Erin Entrada
This is a story about the days of January 1986 leading up to the flight of the Challenger. It’s a story about hope and a story about tragedy. It’s a story about a caring, enthusiastic teacher. It’s a story about three siblings, twins Fitch and Bird and their brother Cash. It’s a story about their dreams; their dreams of hope, of love, of belonging and of space. And finally it’s a story about how tragedy brought them together.
The three siblings are all in the seventh grade, because Cash was held back the previous year. They live with their mom and dad who are constantly fighting. Each one of the family lives in their own world, never eating together and rarely spending time with each other. Although, the children are provided for, there is very little love or support. Cash might fail again, Fitch’s focus is video games and dealing with his explosive anger and Bird is the responsible one. She is thoughtful, loves school, dreams of going to space and is determined to bring her family together.
This book takes you back to that month in 1986 when school children all over the country counted down the days until the Challenger would blast off into space; when they impatiently waited for Christa McAuliff, who was not only an astronaut, but also a teacher, to teach a lesson in space. You feel the excitement, but also remember the profound sadness. It took me back to my family room where I was playing Chutes and Ladders with my five year old as we watched the launch. It made me remember his words as he calmly explained to me they were okay, because teachers can’t die.
This is one of those books you don’t want to end. It’s one of those you want to tell every MG child you know, please read this book!
b
eginners welcome
By Cindy Baldwin
Eighty three days ago, Annie Lee’s daddy dropped dead on the church basketball court. And every morning since then, Annie Lee has awakened to her mama crying in the bathroom. The bathroom is in a cramped apartment in a new neighborhood they moved to, because no one had planned for her daddy to be gone. Her best friends are still in her old neighborhood and have pretty much forgotten about her, because what do you say to someone who suddenly loses her daddy? All of this means a new school, no friends, becoming a latchkey kid and feeling completely alone. The only protection from her heartbreak and loneliness is her magic cloak which makes her invisible to the world.
🎹
Part of Annie’s new life means coming straight home after school with the promise to never leave the apartment. However, Annie feels so alone and haunted by her daddy’s ghost (his prized record player begins playing his favorite song even when it’s not plugged in, his whiskers fill the bathroom sink every morning and the air is rich with the scent of his aftershave), she is compelled to take her skateboard out and explore the neighborhood. In her travels she discovers an intriguing urban mall built into two old red brick buildings connected by a fancy courtyard. And what she discovers in the courtyard changes her life. When she allows her cloak to slip a bit, she makes some new friends, finds the support she so badly needs and maybe even discovers a way to heal her broken heart. 🎹
I loved everything about this book. I flew finished it in a day (although after anxiously anticipating Cindy Baldwin’s latest book, I wanted to slow down and savor every word, but oops didn’t work😉) In fact it was so good, I read it again, even though my TBR pile was staring at me!
🎹
First of all, I loved Annie Lee’s name. Somehow, it seemed so perfect for this story set in Durham NC. Then I discovered the lovely language especially when describing the sparking lights of every color that appear above Ray’s head as Annie Lee listens to him play; and don’t miss the description of Queenie’s smile,(It couldn’t be more beautiful; I can only hope someone feels that way about my smile one day), also the memorable relationships, the gentle magic, the warm feelings of love among the characters, the friendships and finally the healing. The healing that only occurs because Annie Lee allowed her cloak to slip and ran the risk of being hurt, but instead found the much needed support and love she needed from her new friends. 🎹
brave like that
By Lindsey Stoddard
Cyrus doesn’t know who his birth parents are, but he certainly knows who his father is. He’s a hero! He’s not only the fire chief, but he’s also the football star the town has never forgotten. So it just makes sense that Cyrus is a hero too. The problem is Cyrus doesn’t feel heroic. He’s afraid of being tackled in football and has no interest in fighting fires. What he does have an interest in is music, but in order to admit to his dad his true feelings about it all he needs to be brave and he’s never been “brave like that”.🎼
This is such a great story. There are so many special characters!
♦️I especially loved Cyrus’s relationship with his grandma, whose voice has been silenced by a stroke. I loved the understanding they gave to one another, even though she couldn’t speak. I loved her feistiness and her determination to be independent, but most of all I loved her patience with Cyrus when she helped him read.
♦️Sam, the first female firefighter in Cyrus’s dad’s firehouse, was wonderful and provided a great role model for Cyrus when he needed to gather the courage to be true to his self.
♦️Cyrus’s dad who showed so much support and understanding.
♦️And finally Cyrus’s buddies at the animal shelter, who though they were two years older and girls, couldn’t have been kinder.
🎼I also loved how the story addressed accepting differences and finding the courage to do this, which is especially hard in middle school. And most of all, I loved the importance the “Classroom book a day” played in Cyrus’s classroom. When Mr. Hewett takes the time to share a picture book everyday, it leads to so much learning and so much classroom unity.
scritch scratch
By Lindsay Currie
WOW! I wanted to get lost in a story and get my mind off the craziness in our world and this ghost story certainly did the trick! I started reading and had trouble putting it down. I loved Lindsay’s first book, #thepeculiarincidentonshadystreet so I expected to like SCRITCH SCRATCH. Well, I might have loved it even more!
Clair, a seventh grader who is passionate about science, lives in an old house in Lincoln Park (a section of Chicago) with her older brother, mom and dad. Much to Clair’s dismay, her dad, who is so fascinated by Chicago history and ghosts that he wrote a book about it, now has a Ghost Tour Bus company! Clair, the scientist who doesn’t believe in ghosts, tries her best to distance herself from her dad’s business, so when he asks her to assist him one Saturday night, it’s the last thing she wants to do. She really shouldn’t be able to go with her dad. She should be spending the evening with her best friend like she always does, but lately she’s worried her friend has moved on without her. So reluctantly, Clair becomes her dad’s assistant for the evening tour. It’s fairly uneventful, although a bit spooky, until she sees something that changes her life. She sees a little boy staring at her from the back of the bus. He has a sad face, dark eyes and is wearing knickers. But when she looks for him at the end of the tour, he’s gone! Even though he seems so real, she convinces herself it was just her imagination UNTIL she is awakened by a scritch scratch sound in her wall! And the next morning her dresser is full of water! And so it goes, as her life spirals out of control!
I loved this spooky mystery, which is also very much a story about trust, friendship, empathy, courage and Chicago history. It would make a perfect read aloud in October or anytime. It will not only satisfy your kid’s thirst for spooky stories, but it will also give you SO MUCH to discuss about friendships, facing your fears and trusting one another.
c
lean getaway
By Nic Stone
In CLEAN GETAWAY William Lamar (or Scooby Doo, as Grandma fondly calls him) shares the story of the road trip through the south with his grandma in her Winnebago. It’s a story about the history of the the fight for Civil Rights and it’s a story about racial discrimination in the “60s and how it continues today. It’s a story about the importance of the GREEN BOOK. But it’s also a story about the love and support between a grandma and her grandson and how the black child and white grandma repeatedly face discrimination during their adventure. It’s a story with lots of heart and lots of laughs, too.
This is a story you’ll long remember. It’s a windows and mirrors book for all ages. I listened to the audio book and it was excellent. It’s one that’s perfect for a family road trip for all ages and is sure to prompt lots of questions and much discussion. Please make it a must read for your family!
a home for goddesses and dog 
By Leslie O’Connor
The author of one of my all time favorite MG books, THE TRUTH AS TOLD BY MASON BUTTLE, has once again created an unforgettable book that will touch your heart. It’s a story of a young girl who recently lost her mom after a long illness, and her rescue by a loving aunt, her aunt’s wife, a 95 year old landlord, a close knit mountain community and, perhaps most importantly, a very special dog.
I loved so many things about this book –
- Her new family who are a little bit quirky and are full of much love and respect for one another *How Lydia’s mom prepared her for her death and left her with a legacy of happy and loving memories, plus a love of art
- Lydia’s determination to always be helpful and kind in her new household, which included caring for and training their new dog, even in the midst of her grief
- The kindness and hospitality of the kids in Lydia’s school
- Lydia’s bravery when she accepted their friendship, even when she would have preferred curling up alone with her memories
- The camaraderie in her very small class
- Guffer, the big yellow “best, bad” dogThis story about finding home is for everyone and is a perfect choice for a family read aloud, too!
a
lone in the woodsBy Rebecca Behrens
After reading THE DISASTER DAYS, I knew I had to read Rebecca Behrens next book and I wasn’t disappointed! Jocelyn and Alex have been best friends forever. Even their families are close and always share a remote cabin in the woods for one week in the summer. This year is different though. Alex is changing and Jocelyn doesn’t understand why. Alex is hanging out with a different group of friends and suddenly cares more about the perfect bikini and a great manicure than all of their summer traditions. Jocelyn is hopeful all will be back to normal when they share a tube on their families rafting trip.
I’m not really an outdoors girl. I love hiking in the woods and being outside, but I still require all my little luxuries like comfy hiking shoes, bug spray, jackets to fight off the cold, lots of water bottles and especially the knowledge of always knowing where I am. In other words, I have a rather narrow comfort zone! So when I began to read about Jocelyn and Alex’s adventure in the isolated north woods of Wisconsin, I was both terrified and drawn to their story. The descriptions of the wilderness, the river rapids, the bugs and the wild animals were so vivid, I was right there! I felt the horrible itching of the ticks, the mosquito bites and the poison ivy. I felt the girls terror when the darkness and the unfamiliar sounds enveloped them. I felt their frustration and fear as they struggled to find a way out of the woods. I felt the cold when all they had to shield them from the elements was a flimsy coverup and a sweatshirt. And I felt their thirst and their hunger.
This story is about the wilderness, but it’s also about a middle school friendship: How friendships change in middle school, how kids evolve at that age and how kids make new friends. These new friends may be an addition to their friendship circle, or it may mean the friends begin to grow apart. ALONE IN THE WOODS offers comfort to those who are having similar experiences. It’s a book that will not only make the reader feel the fears of the wilderness, but also the fears of middle school friendships.
every missing piece
By Melanie Conklin
Maddy finds danger everywhere. In fact, she’s called the sheriff so many times, he’s quit believing her. It all began three years ago when her dad drowned while trying to save her from a surprise undertow. How could they be having a perfect family day at the beach and then suddenly he is gone? Since that time, she and her mom have learned to cope with the missing piece in their lives, but now things are changing. Her mom has remarried, and though Stan is kind and trying his best to become the missing piece, Maddy’s certain it won’t work.
Maddy’s sadness about missing her dad will tug at your heart, especially the texts she writes to him descriting her loneliness or her confusion about why her best friend is slipping away. But you’ll also love her resourcefulness and determination as she tries to find a missing boy and how she reluctantly accepts her stepfather’s help. And you’ll love the slowly emerging relationship between Maddy and her new stepfather, as he tries so hard to be the stepfather Maddy needs.
This is a story about grief, domestic abuse, middle school friendships and step families. But importantly, it’s also a story about friendship, compassion and love. It’s a story you won’t want to end, but at the same time you’ll be cheering Maddy on and hoping she finds the missing piece for her new life puzzle. It’s on my “best of 2020 MG list”!
m
y life in the fish tank
By Barbara Dee
Zinny is one of four children in a perfectly normal family who is living a perfectly normal life. Her brother Gabriel is 18 and about to begin college. Her sister Scarlett is 16, and then there’s her little brother Aiden who is in the third grade. Summer is ending, Gabriel is moving into his college dorm and the rest of her family is about to begin the new school year. Zinny and her two best friends (girls she’s been best friends with for years) walk to school together, talk about boys together and eat lunch together. So all is normal, until the night the phone call changes her family’s life to anything but normal. It’s the night they learn Gabriel wrecked his friend’s car and is in the hospital. It’s the night they learn he’s shouting crazy things in the ambulance and the emergency room. And it’s the night when, just maybe, he wrecked the car on purpose. And finally it’s the night Zinny’s family’s life became very, very different.
This MG book is a story of how a family member’s mental illness, in this case bipolar disease, can affect everyone in the family. Zinny shares her story of how their family changes, especially because her mother stresses this is a secret; it’s definitely not something to share with anyone whether it be teachers, friends or even the guidance counselor. So Zinny has to keep it all to herself. And she’s also the one who has to hold her family together. She’s the one who has to help her little brother with his homework and even does the shopping and the cooking when neither her mother or father can think of anything, but Gabriel.
I loved how the story shows us how someone diagnosed with a mental illness deserves the same help and support as anyone with any other disease; it’s not a diagnosis to be ashamed of or to be kept secret. And I loved how it gives us an inside look at the benefits of counseling and opening up to others, whether it be friends or professionals.
This book is such an important one that needs to be in every middle school library and on every counselor’s book shelf.
It’s a book that will offer comfort and understanding to kids who are experiencing a similar situation, whether they have been diagnosed with mental illness or know someone who has.
By Kelly Yang
Once again, Kelly Yang, author of FRONT DESK, has given us a glimpse into Mia’s world at the Calavista Motel. This time, however, she, her parents and several immigrant investors own the motel, thanks to Mia’s hard work, strength and kindness. Her story is at times heartbreaking and at times so hopeful. She is determined to be the best friend, the best daughter, the best writer and the best motel owner she can possibly be. However, it’s 1994 Los Angeles when proposition 187, which would prevent all undocumented immigrant children from attending school, is up for a vote. If it passes, her best friend and so many more classmates won’t be allowed to go to school.
I had a hard time putting this book down. Sadly, the events of the story are very similar to what’s happening in our country today, when undocumented immigrants are being deported and families torn apart. It shows us the descrimation and fear immigrants and people of color face everyday, when, despite their hard work, they are unfairly denied privileges citizens take for granted, as well as live with the fear they will be sent back to their native country at any time. Mia’s best friend Lupe expressed those feelings early in the story when Mia discovered she is undocumented. This awareness prompted Mia to ask her what it’s like to live with that worry everyday. Lupe responds “It’s like being a pencil when everyone else is a pen. You worry you can be erased anytime.” Her words say it all. (this quote is from an ARC, so is subject to change)
This book for grades 4+ is one for both children and adults and is available now. It’s one to read aloud to your children or to your class and to follow up with some deep conversations and insights. It’s one that will show kids how powerful they can be!
efore the ever afterBy Jacqueline Woodson
ZJ tells us all about his life. His best friends “The Fantastic Four” who all in their own way support ZJ as he moves from “Before the Ever After” to what happens next. He tells us about his loving, kind Daddy, the pro football hero who is worshiped by his neighborhood and by the world. He’s the daddy who picks ZJ and his friends up from school, who takes them for ice cream and plays football with them in the backyard. He’s the one who steps in to be a father figure when one of ZJ’s best friend’s father dies. He’s the one who struggles to pull himself out of bed every Monday, no matter how his aching body or his throbbing head feels, so he can be there for his family. But then ZJ’s daddy changes. He suddenly switches from being the hero to being the scary dad who yells at his friends and family. He’s the one who can’t play football, because he forgets the plays. And he’s the one who begins going from doctor to doctor in a quest to understand what’s happening to him.
The love and compassion in this story, which is shown by so many, will warm your heart, but at the same time you will need a box of tissues nearby. Your heart will break as ZJ struggles to understand what’s happening to his daddy. You will cheer the kindness and compassion shown by the Fantastic Four toward ZJ. You will question the wisdom of the national sport of football, but you will also understand the love for the sport that makes this impossible. Once again, Jacqueline Woodson has created a spectacular book which will be loved by all ages.
watch for my favorite
2020 picture books next week!
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Robert
May 25, 2023I completely agree with what you have written. I hope this post could reach more people as this was truly an interesting post.
Susan
May 26, 2023Thank you so much, Robert! I really appreciate your thoughts.
Susan