I love middle grade books (for ages 8-12) since that's the main age I taught. I also love that the books are fairly short and don't include a lot of swearing or inappropriate content. Since I have two sons in this range (one as an independent reader, one as a listener), I often read with them or to preview a book to potentially recommend.
Here are my top six middle grade fiction books from 2021:
A Little Princess - I'm pretty sure I read this as a kid but didn't remember it much. This book was part of our homeschool curriculum, so I decided to read it parallel to my 9yo son so that I could discuss it better with him. There were some slow parts of the book, but overall, I loved Sara Crewe and her example of being content in vastly different circumstances. It reminded me of Paul writing in the book of Philippians -- "I know what it is to be in need, I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
The Green Ember - I had avoided this book, partially because of its length and partially because of the homeschool hype and partially because I usually don't go for animal novels or epic Lord-of-The-Rings-esque novels. The only reason we listened to it was because my 5th grade son has joined a reading club mid-year and their first book is book #2 of the series. With a few long car trips to Indiana and back for Christmas, we were able to knock it out. It took me awhile to get into, and I still can't keep all the characters straight. I'll probably have to go back and actually read it sometime since I tend to zone out occasionally when listening to audiobooks. The best part of the audio, though, was being able to hear the Mended Wood song by Joel Clarkson. I find myself singing the main line, "It will not be so in the mended wood." The parts that are parallel to Christianity and Jesus' new kingdom are awesome, although, of course, allegories always fall a bit short, and I'm curious how it will all come together in the rest of the series. All in all, though, the critical reviews that had me hesitant and negative at the beginning turned out to be not a problem at all for me, and I'm excited to read and/or listen to Book #2!
The Wild Robot - I had started and abandoned this book a few years ago when it was a Global Read Aloud selection. This time I tried it with my two oldest sons. We stalled out a couple times but got pulled into the ending and already want to read the sequel (after Carter complained the whole way through but now loves it).
Prairie Lotus - I LOVED this book! I grew up on Little House on the Prairie and have felt the tug as an adult between these books that are highly recommended from some in my circle and highly denounced by some in other circles. Prairie Lotus provides the prairie experience but also the diversity. This book was an eye-opener. I had never considered what it might be like on the prairie for a half-Chinese girl. She also dealt well with the Native perspective. I’d love to read more from this author!
The Christmas Pig - I ended up doing this as our family read aloud in December (while also listening to The Cinnamon Bear and The Green Ember, so we were on a bit of fantasy overload). Short chapters with frequent cliffhangers make for good read alouds! We were also able to have a lot of neat conversations at the end and have made other connections with the book, like when we lose something. We probably won't do it every year, but it will definitely be in the rotation!
Song for a Whale - LOVED this one! First book in awhile that I've read through the day in any spare moment. Compelling on many levels. I also enjoyed learning about Deaf culture. The references to Alaska were fun since I've been there.
Honorable Mention:
Unsettled - I'm a sucker for novels in verse and immigrant stories. This one was well done!
Annie's Life in Lists - Loved this story told entirely through lists! Creative and well-done. I loved Annie and loved getting to know her. My son and I read this as part of the Battle of the Books list, and this was one we enjoyed more than some of the others.
Here were some of my other lists from 2021:
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