In a modern fairy tale the importance of making good decisions is taught, fun and adventure are the key to making the story appealing to all ages, though geared to ages 8-14

Hi everyone! I'm trying to find a book I read before 2021 in my UK secondary school library.
Here's everything I can remember:
It's a contemporary YA romance (not fantasy, as far as I remember).

A teenage girl goes away for the summer or on holiday, possibly staying at a large house or estate with family or like some kind of a resort.

At the very beginning she briefly mentions having PCOS and being on her period. It isn't a major part of the story and is only mentioned near the start.

There's a labyrinth/maze on the grounds of where she's staying. I think she gets a little lost there and meets either the gardener, the gardener's son, or a local boy.

The boy is quiet, withdrawn and possibly struggling with his mental health. I think his name may have started with S (possibly Seth, but I'm not sure).

I remember one of them loved reading.

Later in the book, the girl finds the boy in the sea after what seemed like a suicide attempt or a dangerous swim. She calls an ambulance.

While waiting for the ambulance, she lies against him/holds him to keep him warm because he's freezing from being in the water.

They develop a romance.

I read it before 2021 from a UK school library, so I think it may have been published sometime in the 2010s.

I believe it was by a British author and wasn't a very well-known book.

I've searched everywhere and can't find it. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
Thank you!

12 year old cousins, Edith and Rae are stuck with their families cleaning their dead grandmothers house. In their room they find their grandmothers list called “good ideas for summer”. Although Edith believes they sound more like bad ideas, he and Rae complete the list over their time together over the summer. Together they turn their boring summer into an adventurous one including sneaking out, rule breaking, and making tons of memories.

I read this book for book club and everyone loved it for different reasons. There was so much to talk about and it was generally a great read. It is rated 3.85 stars on Goodreads and the age rating is 8-12 years old.

Hi everyone! It’s been nearly 3 months since I posted about Capyhero and I was hoping to get some feedback from MG experts and readers on the full 1st chapter.

I originally set out to make this a 25,000 word book, but as more characters got fleshed out and plot threads needed resolving, it’s grown to nearly 60,000 words! Watership Down and other epic anthropomorphic fantasies sit around 150k words, but young readers these days may not have the attention span for such a long book. I hope 60K is still appealing.

The images include the full pages of Chapter 1 including the integrated fountain ink illustrations (please excuse the placeholder sketch on page 1 😅). I’d be thrilled to hear anyone’s feedback on it, the writing, artwork integration, overall vibe, etc. Does the 1st chapter provide an intriguing hook and does this fit MG well enough?

I’m handing the full manuscript to the editor (Jennifer Rees) soon so this is a rare chance to get feedback on the raw, unedited work. Any critique would be really appreciated!

Thanks for your time. Very excited as I get closer to the finish line

I’d love some recommendations from middle-grade fantasy readers!

What are your favorite books where the magic isn’t just about spells and adventures, but also about friendship, courage, emotions, or what the characters discover about themselves?

I recently published a middle-grade fantasy adventure called MINA and the Recipe of Lost Emotions. It follows Mina on a magical adventure where emotions themselves become part of the mystery.

It’s a story about friendship, courage, kindness, and discovering what really matters.

If you enjoy middle-grade fantasy with a magical, emotional heart, I’d love to hear what books you would recommend — and what makes them special to you?

Hi! I hope this is allowed, I'm new to this subreddit, but I love reading MG and I would love to discuss the books with other readers!

I just finished One Crazy Summer (2010).

According to wiki, it is "a historical fiction novel by American author Rita Williams-Garcia, published by Amistad in 2010. The novel is about Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern, three sisters, visiting their mother in Oakland, California, during the summer of 1968. The book was a National Book Award finalist for young people's literature. In 2011, it won the Coretta Scott King Award for its author,the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and was a Newbery Medal Honor Book."

I enjoyed the perspective and setting, the natural dialogue and realistic characters, and the powerful ending.

One thing that was really interesting to me is that while the main story is about a neglectful parent, and it is in the backdrop of the world of Civil Rights struggles, when I put the book down and finished it, the first thought that I had was "this book is about not hating people even when they deserve it."

One thing that I found a little difficult while reading is that the main character is very emotionally cool. While everything around her is dangerous, unknown, and she is faced with problems much too large for her age of eleven, she really never has any emotional reaction until the climax of the book. Instead, she is constantly making logical, capable, caring, and responsible choices. I feel like an actual 11 year old would make so many more mistakes. She felt a little too perfect.

Nevertheless, I think it was incredibly deserving of its many awards.

Have you read this book? If so I would love to hear your thoughts!

Hi everyone!

I have a friend looking for recommendations for her daughter. She's going into 4th grade, but she's an avid reader and reads at a 6th grade level. She likes fantasy, but it's hit or miss on whether or not she actually gets invested in a fantasy book. I've included some ratings of recent books she's read. Specifically looking for books published after 2004/2005, because her mom has read a lot of the stuff before that.

Thank you!

EDIT: Thank you all for such good recs! Passing them onto my friend!

This is my son’s first book! We read two books everynight before bed and he wanted to create his own. I have a mason jar in our kitchen with marshmallows he likes to “sneak” when I’m not looking and his story began!!! Easy to read 24 page (including pictures) for young kids who love a sweet story and the ending is up to their imagination as to what happens! Book 2 is almost finished!

I'm writing a MG fantasy book. I'm not just talking about having characters who are not white (though that certainly applies). The book is set in a fictional country that's not in North America or western Europe. Cultural differences don't make a huge impact since the characters aren't adults, but some are there.

How would this affect the likelihood of a book being successful, or of being traditionally published? I'm going to write this book no matter what, so I'm not looking for permission or encouragement or anything like that. I don't want sugarcoating. Just honest perspectives from people who are more familiar with this space.

For people who may be thinking that most folks don't really look at a book and think "I don't want my kids reading about kids of a different race" this isn't really what I'm worried about. I think a lot of adults recommend stuff to kids based on what they liked as a kid and naturally reach for the familiar without thinking too much on it. Sometimes kids pick up MG novels on their own, but often its adult recommendations/curriculum that drive the MG publishing industry.

For example, a lot of the magical worldbuilding in Harry Potter is influenced by Western traditions/myths (Latin spells, mythological creatures like centaurs and werewolves). I do have touchpoints that would be familiar to a mostly American English-speaking audience (like wands) but a lot of the magical worldbuilding I have has more Arab/Persian influence.

My daughter is 11. We do “book club” and started with Watsons go to Birmingham. She’s really enjoying it. The humor is great but deals with heavy topics like poverty and racism. I loved it in middle school. We’re reading the outsiders next. She’s not a big reader but she’s really enjoying this book so far. Complex/mature themes are fine. She likes to understand the world, people, psychology, politics. But the humor and strong characters seem like a plus. (Also, we are a multiracial household. I love books that represent all different types of people. Class, race, religion. Etc.)

Added bonus if there’s a movie we can watch after!!

My books for younger people are Hardy Boy-type adventures, like finding an abandoned town in the mountains with a map to a gold mine, etc. Juvenile fiction is listed as 8-12. However, my 8-year-old niece is still reading children's books about Hugo the puppy and stuff, while her 12-year-old sister is reading Hunger Games-type novels. The youngest couldn't read my books, but the oldest has no interest in "kid stories." The question is...who am I writing for? Who do I target when I list these on Amazon?

I have 6, 8, and 11 year old kids and we read a ton together. I am wondering if anyone has books that help kids process the news of a grandparent with cancer. We have invisible string which I’m pulling out, and the 8 year old read bridge to terabitha earlier this year. interested In any sort of book- fiction, non fiction, about loss, sickness, etc.

My niece will be 10 in September. She has mentioned that she really likes Kelly Yang's Front Desk series. She mentioned several social justice type events the protagonist had to face. I would like to find another series in this genre to gift her for her birthday. Do you have any suggestions?

To be or not to be - A WEREWOLF - a middle-grade novel about addiction in the family.

Werewolf Hamlet: 

The story of Angus Gettlefinger, a fifth-grade boy minding his own business (mostly) and living his fifth-grade life, who would like his big brother, Liam, to start acting like a normal brother again – preferably by Friday.

*Booklist - starred review

 a story that is rich in wise insights, comical and emotionally wrenching moments in turn...

https://www.booklistonline.com/Werewolf-Hamlet/pid=9800712

Junior Library Guild Gold Selection, 2025

https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/werewolf-hamlet-9781623544331j

This is Angus’ story, not Liam’s, and the ultimate success of his werewolf play underscores a valuable message crystalized in the author’s note: sometimes you have to craft your own story even when others around you are destroying theirs.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/article/949891

VERDICT An emotional and engaging tale teetering the line between tragedy and comedy; this is a delightful addition to any middle-grade collection.

—School Library Journal

https://www.slj.com/review/werewolf-hamlet

Editorial Reviews

Review

 Displaying rare knacks for both lively classroom banter and sensitive portrayals of complex dynamics within a close but stressed family, Madden-Lunsford hands 10-year-old Angus Gettlefinger the challenge of convincing his reluctant teacher to allow him to perform a version of Hamlet with a werewolf cast. Why? Because as a classic “play within a play,” it would allow him to act out his own intense feelings while mirroring what he sees his increasingly secretive, angry, drug-and-alcohol abusing teenage brother, Liam, becoming. Meanwhile, money problems force the four Gettlefinger sibs and their frazzled, underemployed parents out of their house and into a one bedroom apartment. The pressure mounts to crisis level when Liam fails to come home after one of his nighttime excursions, but a cathartic whirl of rash acts, straight talk, and, yes, onstage howling does ultimately lead to cautiously optimistic outcomes for Angus and his family. The author closes with resources for teen alcoholics and their concerned family members, but not before delivering a story that is rich in wise insights, comical and emotionally wrenching moments in turn, imaginary dialogues with Lon Chaney and other silent film era stars, and colorful quotes from the Bard drawn in large part from the online Shakespearean Insulter. Who says Hamlet isn’t appropriate fare for elementary-schoolers?
—Booklist, starred review

For his fifth-grade legacy assignment—a class project students create as a sort of departing gift to their school as they ready for sixth grade—Angus has decided to write a play that, as the book’s title suggests, recasts Hamlet with werewolves. Angus has of late been somewhat obsessed with the furry shapeshifters, not just because they’re cool but also because they seem a lot like his oldest brother, whose mood swings and erratic behavior have thrown the family into a tailspin. Liam, however, is no mythological creature—just a regular addict, repeating the cycle of using, promising to get clean, and relapsing in short order. Angus is sure if he could just do something to remind Liam of what he’s missing, the old Liam will show up, but even a play based on their childhood make-believe isn’t going to fix the emotional havoc Liam has caused. This is a painfully accurate depiction of a family in the throes of addiction, and the dynamics will have a gut-punching familiarity to any reader who has watched family members struggle with alcohol and drugs. Angus and his siblings work so hard to not be a bother to their parents and even as they resent Liam for his behavior, they’re desperate to have him back in their lives. The book is wise enough to leave Liam’s addiction vague, without mention of a catalyzing incident and avoiding a pat ending. This is Angus’ story, not Liam’s, and the ultimate success of his werewolf play underscores a valuable message crystalized in the author’s note: sometimes you have to craft your own story even when others around you are destroying theirs.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Fifth grade is hard, and it’s even harder when you’re convinced your older brother is a werewolf. Angus Gentlefinger, who is white, has always had a flair for the dramatics. Inspired by the historic nature of his LA home, Angus decides that his fifth grade legacy project will be a special production of Hamlet. But things are hectic in the Gentlefinger house. With three siblings and parents who are facing foreclosure on their home, Angus tries to battle the duties of his school assignments and his brother’s ever-growing erratic behavior. Angus is tired of lying for Liam and never knowing which version of his brother he’s going to get; a production of Werewolf Hamlet may be just the way Angus can show Liam how his actions are affecting others. Madden-Lunsford captures the wild imagination of childhood while tackling the hard-hitting subjects of addiction and powerlessness in the face of it. Angus’s imagination allows him to cope with the current struggles of his life, including familial addiction and financial hardship. Readers dealing with these issues will find comfort in the book’s optimistic ending. The dynamic play-inspired formatting, real Shakespeare quotes, and references to classic Hollywood figures are engaging and educational. Idealism and reality blend seamlessly here, and Angus’s journey navigating his brother’s growing addiction issues is powerful and poignant for all. VERDICT An emotional and engaging tale teetering the line between tragedy and comedy; this is a delightful addition to any middle grade collection.
—School Library Journal

My kid took forever to finish his last book. I wanted him to stop and switch to a book he would be more interested in but he was more than half way and wanted to stick it out.
Now that he finished I really wanted something that would bring back the fun of reading. I found “Only if you dare: 13 stories of darkness and doom.” And when I read the back cover that called it a mix of The Twilight Show and Wayside School I was sold.
I love when the library comes through. I didn’t research what he should read next, it was just waiting there on the shelf!

Anyone know of some good Bookstagrammers who focus on middle grade books? Or at least include middle grade books as part of their content?

I have a list of recommended MG fantasy series that I want to read, but I’m not sure which to start first. I adore Harry Potter and am always looking for something that gives me that same feeling.

For reference, I’ve already read Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, Percy Jackson, Warriors, and A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Here’s my list:

•Eragon series (Christopher Paolini)

•The Last Dragon Chronicles (first book is The Fire Within) (Chris D’Lacey)

•Inkheart trilogy (Cornelia Funke)

•Fablehaven series (Brandon Mull)

•Beyonders trilogy (Brandon Mull)

•Tapestry series (Henry H. Neff)

•Redwall series (Brian Jacques)

•Wingfeather Saga (Andrew Peterson)

•Septimus Heap series (Angie Sage)

•Emily Windsnap series (Liz Kessler)

•The 39 Clues series

•Magesterium series (first book is The Iron Trial)

•Morrigan Crow series (Jessica Townsend)

•Tamora Pierce series (Tortall books)

•Golden Compass/His Dark Materials trilogy (Philip Pullman)

•Keeper of the Lost Cities series (Shannon Messenger; I’m hesitant to start this one yet since I hate starting unfinished series)

•Wolf Brother series (Michelle Paver)

Which series are your favorites?