From: Kiera P <lea11k_at_gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:20:45 -0400

My apologies if I've posted this already- the listserv kept bouncing it back to me...

I agree with Angela, although I tend to think the range is a bit narrower- say, 4th through 6th grade. (But that may be a product of my own library experience and how collections/services are divided between children's and teen services. We consider 7th and 8th graders in the YA realm.)

I tend to think of middle grade fiction as the kind of books that help children begin to define themselves- who they are, what kind of stories they like. They begin reading stories in which character development, setting, and theme play more of a factor than in chapter books or transitional books where plot is paramount. For many children, finding great middle grade fiction can be that magic "ah-ha!" moment when they identify strongly with a character or situation.

*Great* middle grade fiction doesn't underestimate children- either what they are capable of doing or understanding. Whether it's issues of friendship and bullying, great moral quandaries, or a quest to save all of mankind, the characters in middle grade fiction get to do something that many modern kids do not: solve their own problems. Often these characters are thrust into some pretty intense situations. And they have to figure their way out of a problem. That's an amazingly powerful and empowering message for the child reader.

Some recent titles I've enjoyed are: Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate Wonder by R.J. Palacio May B. by by Caroline Rose Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Kiera

Kiera Parrott Head of Children's Services Darien Library Darien, CT darienlibrary.org _at_libraryvoice
Received on Thu 05 Jul 2012 02:20:45 PM CDT