Gretchen CarlsonCurious about content and themes, I’ve been plowing through popular mainstream books that middle grade teachers are using or librarians are recommending. My focus here is not only on the characters or plot, but the quiet messages embedded in the book.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor.
This is a Newberry Award I’ll never forget. It also has an Amazon Teachers’ Pick ribbon. If I was still teaching, I would use it for middle grade. The plot unfolds racial injustices in the south during the Great Depression, but what I loved was the strong theme about the importance of individual character. It teaches responsibility and that choices have consequences. This book lends itself to wonderful discussions about the influence of friends, personal pride, and the importance of family. Middle grade – 5 stars
The Enemy Above by Michael P Spradlin
This has an Amazon Teachers’ Pick ribbon, and is based on true stories of Jewish families who lived in underground caves in the Ukraine during the Nazi oppression. I read this with my sixth grade grandson and it opened up many discussions about World War II, the current war in Ukraine, and anti-Semitic thoughts. Although Spradlin eliminates bloody details, there are scenes in which Nazis ruthlessly hunt down and shoot individuals. The reader admires twelve-year-old Anton who refuses to abandon his grandmother, but the book ends on a sad note. Middle grade – 4 stars
Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi
This 2003 Newberry has an Amazon Teachers’ Pick ribbon. Set in England in the 1300’s, Avi does an incredible job describing a peasant’s life under the feudal system. Thirteen-year-old Crispin doesn’t know his name until his mother dies, and as soon as she is buried he must flee for his life. Plot twists and turns make the pages fly, but there are occasional grizzly descriptions. Quiet themes of God and faith bubble up through the lens of fear in that era. When Crispin prays for God’s help, he is questioned by Bear, a sympathetic man who helps Crispin. Bear scoffs and views religion and the fear of hell has as means of keeping peasants subservient. Middle grade – 3 stars
Ferris by Kate DiCamillo
This is hot of the press as of March 2024 and because of DiCamillo’s huge following, libraries will showcase Ferris. Many of her books are on the Amazon Teachers’ Pick list. (Including Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux.) DiCamillo creates fun quirky characters and zany humor abounds as Ferris, a fifth grade girl, lives with her out-of-control younger sister, grandma who sees a ghost, raccoon-catching father, and her practical fact-loving mother. DiCamillo doesn’t drop readers into a pit of tears, but she weaves emotional threads of grief, fear, and jealousy into the book. It’s not one of my favorite books by this author, and I felt “empty” at the end because the characters only find hope in their relationships. Middle grade 3 stars
The Text by Julane Fisher
I loved how this dystopia book is an eerie reflection of today’s world. It stirs concern about how our lives can be controlled and the power of social media. Just as George Orwell’s classic book 1984 serves as a warning, Julane Fisher pens a fast-paced mystery that raises questions. Could this be the direction we are heading? The plot centers around sixteen-year-old Rami’s savvy computer coding skills as she navigates around powerful individuals within government agencies and social networks who destroy dissenters. Sidenote: This author has been one of our Storytellersquad authors who weaves faith into her novels. High school – 5 stars
Julane Fisher
Kristen Gwen