I read a lot of middle grade fiction and am bummed out that the middle grade category was removed from the Goodreads Choice Awards this year.
What are your favorite middle grade reads of 2023? Some of mine include:
Finally Seen and Top Story by Kelly Yang (the former is a standalone while the latter is the latest entry in her terrific Front Desk series)
The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla (wonderful autistic representation, incredibly involving story about how the main character struggles to get her needs met when she is hiding a big secret about her mom and stepdad)
Maid for It by Jamie Sumner (vivid portrait of a girl who is on tenterhooks worrying about her mom, a recovering addict who has just had a car accident that has put her out of work)
The Very Unfortunate Wish of Melony Yoshimura by Waka T. Brown (contemporary fantasy about generational conflict between a girl and her Japanese immigrant parents)
Vivian Lantz’s Second Chances by Kathryn Ormsbee (a time loop novel about family dynamics and new friendship that felt so fun and never repetitive)
Only read two but both were great:
Just Gus by McCall Hoyle: companion novel to Stella, this one featuring the Great Pyrenees from that book, injured while guarding the sheep, recuperating off the farm with relatives and finding new purpose as an emotional support dog to a boy with anxiety.
Falling Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix: the over-25-years-in-the-making sequel to everyone’s favorite r/whatsthatbook request, Running Out of Time