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)

  • obsessivefandoms@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I don’t have any middle grade reads that were published in 2023 (though I have been enjoying going back and finding recently published ones and re-reading ones from my childhood). I have now added all of your recommendations to my TBR and library holds. These all sound incredible!

    ​

    I hate that the Goodreads Choice Awards removed categories. I know it is all a popularity contest, but it really stinks that they removed some very good categories.

    • jenh6@alien.topBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      I agree with you! I love that they have romantasy and wish they still had an urban fantasy/paranormal romance category, but please bring back MG! I also dislike how they got rid of poetry and graphic novels. It’s like saying only full books are acceptable reading material. There should be a short story/anthology category too.

  • okay_but_what@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    The actor John Cho wrote a middle grade book this year called Troublemaker about the Rodney King trial aftermath from the perspective of a young boy in LA koreatown and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

    Edit: I think it actually may have come out in 2022 but still worth the read

  • jenh6@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I saw books with Lala shared a post on her story either yesterday or the day before with a bunch of MG suggestions.

  • clockworkdance@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    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