Book Reviews Middle Grade Fiction
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Nine-year-old Peter Hatcher has a massive problem in his life, and his name is Farley Drexel Hatcher. To the rest of the world, Peter's two-year-old brother is just an adorable, sweet little toddler known as Fudge. But Peter knows the dark truth: Fudge is a walking, talking disaster zone who ruins absolutely everything he touches.
Whether he is throwing massive, screaming temper tantrums in the middle of a shoe store, scribbling all over Peter's hard-earned homework, or smearing mashed potatoes on the dining room walls, Fudge always finds a way to cause absolute chaos. Worse yet, Peter feels like his parents only ever pay attention to his troublemaking little brother. Now, Peter spends most of his time just trying to protect his most prized possession—a tiny pet green turtle named Dribble—from Fudge's destructive little hands.
Living with Fudge requires a mountain of patience, and Peter is quickly running out of it. Get ready to laugh out loud at this hilarious, classic story about the wild ups and downs of surviving life with an impossible younger sibling.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
144 Pages
4.0
/5
3 Reviews
1 Recs
Ally is a master of disguise in the classroom. Every time she lands in a new school, she manages to hide her inability to read by creating clever, disruptive distractions. She is terrified to ask for help, fully convinced that she is just not smart enough to succeed. However, her newest teacher, Mr. Daniels, sees right through her troublemaking act and recognizes the bright, incredibly creative kid hiding underneath.
With his patient guidance, Ally begins to understand that her dyslexia is simply a different way of learning, not something to be ashamed of. As you follow her journey, you will watch her confidence slowly take root and blossom. She stops being so hard on herself and finally feels free to be exactly who she is, discovering a world suddenly full of bright possibilities.
You will realize alongside Ally that there is so much more to a person than the labels others give them. This uplifting, emotionally charged story proves that great minds do not always think alike, and sometimes the bravest thing you can do is ask for a little help.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
320 Pages
4.2
/5
30 Reviews
25 Recs
Have you ever wondered about the incredible journey a tiny seed takes to become a magnificent giant of the forest? Meet a small, brave seed who feels lost and completely unsure of its purpose in a vast, unpredictable world.
When danger strikes, this little seed is sent on an epic adventure through time and nature. Along the way, it must learn about life, growth, and the amazing, invisible connections that link every living thing on Earth together. Surviving dinosaur stomps, meteor showers, and the challenges of the natural world requires an enormous amount of bravery.
This beautifully illustrated adventure invites you to discover the wonders of nature and the quiet strength hiding inside even the smallest creations. From its humble beginnings to its destiny as a towering giant, this tale celebrates resilience, hope, and the power of finding your true place in the universe. Get ready for a captivating story that will change the way you look at the trees outside your window forever!
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
5.0
/5
1 Reviews
1 Recs
Milo thinks everything is entirely too boring. But his dull afternoon takes a sharp turn when a mysterious tollbooth suddenly appears in his bedroom. With nothing better to do, he drives his toy car right through it and leaves his ordinary life behind for the extraordinary Lands Beyond. Suddenly, you are navigating a world where words and numbers literally come alive. Milo travels to the Island of Conclusions, teams up with a ticking watchdog named Tock, and meets a cast of wonderfully bizarre characters. Soon, he finds himself on a grand quest to rescue the princesses Rhyme and Reason and restore order to a deeply muddled kingdom. Along the way, Milo realizes that the world is actually full of endless fascination and excitement. This beloved classic chapter book takes you on a clever, puzzle-filled journey that celebrates the magic of language, mathematics, and boundless imagination.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
288 Pages
3.7
/5
10 Reviews
6 Recs
By
E. B. White and Joseph Robinette
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Pictures by
Garth Williams
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Collected by
Sam Sloan
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With
Kate DiCamillo
Fern Arable knows there is something incredibly special about the runt of the litter. By saving a tiny piglet named Wilbur from an early demise, she gives him a chance to experience the wonders of the Arable farm. But as Wilbur grows, a new, terrifying reality sets in: he is destined for the dinner table. Lonely and frightened, Wilbur desperately needs a miracle. He finds one high up in the rafters of the barn. Charlotte A. Cavatica is a brilliant, gray spider with a heart as big as her vocabulary. Seeing her friend in danger, Charlotte devises a magnificent plan to prove to the world that Wilbur is no ordinary pig. With the reluctant assistance of a gluttonous rat named Templeton, Charlotte begins spinning words into her web, sparking a phenomenon that will change the farm forever. This timeless chapter book explores the profound beauty of loyalty, the cycle of life, and the quiet miracles that happen when we choose to care for one another.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
192 Pages
4.2
/5
30 Reviews
25 Recs
Snatched from her orphanage bed in the dead of night, Sophie expects the absolute worst. After all, she has just been kidnapped by a towering giant. But luckily for her, she has been captured by the Big Friendly Giant, the only giant in Giant Country who refuses to eat little kids. Instead of munching on humans, the BFG spends his time catching dreams and blowing them into children's bedrooms. But the other giants are not nearly as nice. The massive, bone-crunching Bloodbottler and the terrifying Fleshlumpeater are planning a horrific trip to England to gobble up innocent people, and Sophie knows she has to stop them. Together, this brave young girl and her gigantic new friend must come up with a brilliant, daring plan to save the day. Get ready for a hilarious, heart-pounding adventure filled with weird words, magical dreams, and the bravest little hero you will ever meet.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
208 Pages
4.2
/5
30 Reviews
25 Recs
Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni just moved to the quiet town of Naomi, Florida, and she is feeling incredibly lonely. But everything changes on an ordinary summer day when her father sends her to the local supermarket for some groceries. Instead of coming home with tomatoes and macaroni, Opal returns with a giant, scruffy, and remarkably happy stray dog. She names him Winn-Dixie, after the store where she found him, and her life is never the same again. Winn-Dixie is no ordinary pet. He has a magical way of smiling with his teeth and a special talent for making friends with everyone he meets. Because of this lovable dog, Opal begins to connect with the quirky, isolated people in her new town—from a librarian who fought off a bear to a nearly blind woman who sees with her heart. Most importantly, Winn-Dixie gives Opal the courage to finally ask her father about the mother who left them years ago. This beloved, award-winning classic is a heartwarming tribute to the healing power of dogs and the unexpected miracles of friendship.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
192 Pages
4.2
/5
30 Reviews
25 Recs
Meet Ivan, an easygoing silverback gorilla who has spent the last twenty-seven years living in a glass enclosure at a shopping mall. He rarely thinks about his past life in the wild. Instead, Ivan spends his days watching television, chatting with his best friends Stella the wise elephant and Bob the stray dog, and creating beautiful paintings that the mall owner sells to visitors. But everything changes the day a tiny, frightened baby elephant named Ruby arrives. Ruby has just been taken from her family, and her fear and confusion force Ivan to see his glass-walled home in a completely different light. Realizing he can no longer just sit back and watch the world go by, Ivan knows he must take action. Using his clever mind and his passion for art, he begins to craft a courageous plan to protect his new friend and give her the life she deserves. This beautifully told, award-winning story will capture your heart as it explores the deep bonds of friendship, the importance of keeping promises, and the power of finding your own voice.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
320 Pages
4.3
/5
30 Reviews
25 Recs
Nick Allen is known for having plenty of great ideas, especially when it comes to livening up a boring school day. But when his strict fifth-grade language arts teacher, Mrs. Granger, assigns a massive project on the dictionary, Nick decides to test the true power of words. Who says a pen has to be called a pen? Why not invent a brand new word and call it a frindle? What starts as a simple classroom joke quickly spirals into a massive, unstoppable movement. Soon, the entire town is using his new word, and Nick becomes a local legend. But as the frindle craze spreads across the country, Nick realizes his clever invention no longer belongs to him. Dive into this hilarious and thought-provoking story about the incredible impact of a single creative idea.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
105 Pages
4.2
/5
30 Reviews
24 Recs
