Reading Update #2: Middle Grade March Madness
After 31 days of only reading middle grade...I can't wait to read grown up books again.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, from which I earn a small commission of any purchases made. I also discuss several books for which I received free review copies from Netgalley and all opinions I express are honest and my own.
I need to start this newsletter off with a disclaimer: I love middle grade. It’s one of my favorite genres to read, to write, and to uplift. That said, reading nothing but middle grade for thirty-one days straight was a challenge and a meditative experience.
Part of this is because I have so many young adult and adult books I am dying to read. I hope that abstaining in favor of enjoying this event in order to fully appreciate the breadth of storytelling in middle grade will make my experience of these YA and adult books that much sweeter.
I also made the plunge this month to get back on NetGalley, reviewing books. I am a migraine sufferer, and I have concerns about how reading more e-books will affect them…but since I am reading and writing more, I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to read and uplift more books. This might be a topic for a future newsletter, but strategies I’ve implemented so far to prevent migraines are wearing my blue lights while reading on my phone and resurrecting my big iPad for reading. I’m also going to try Olivia’s Kindle Paperwhite and see if that helps too!
In this reading update, I will take you through the 24 books I read for Middle Grade March, give you an update on my current reading stats, and give y’all a sneak peek at what I’m reading next. Let’s jump in!
Middle Grade March Madness
When I first found out about Middle Grade March, I was thrilled! And this experience really did help me reconnect with the genre. I’m eagerly awaiting details on their new monthly book club, and hope that might be a way to continue busting through my ever-growing middle grade TBR.
This month I read 24 middle grade books (6 as print, 3 as digital and 15 as audio). Amongst these were three graphic novels, two Newbery Medal winners, five novels-in-verse in addition to books from a variety of genres and representing a variety of voices. Ultimately, I wish I read more queer middle grade this month, but I was proud of the range of books I ultimately read.
I read lighthearted books of tween friendship and love. I read beautifully written novels-in-verse about characters who put everything on the line to feel seen and heard. A common through-line in so much of my reading was the necessity of friends, family, and a community to feel seen, loved, understood, and accepted. I also read a ton of books about kids and tweens tackling very grown-up and adult challenges and problems to help their families (and in two books’ cases, all of humankind). Grief for friends and family members was also a big theme across the board, but especially for grandparents.
I am so glad that kids today have such a broad range of books to help them understand their own experiences and develop compassion and empathy for others. My reading this month made it so clear that making sure kids have access to books like these—diverse, rich storytelling by authors who care deeply about the emotions of their young readership—is absolutely essential. I am honored to be a reader and writer in this community, and hope to continue uplifting middle grade voices all year long.
In terms of the official Middle Grade March challenges (note: I picked my favorite/best three for each one when applicable):
Read An Award-Winning Book, Other Than Newbery
Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee (won the Newbery, also an Asian/Pacific American Award for Youth Literature winner!)
In the Key of Us by Mariama J. Lockington (Stonewall Honor Book)
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera (won the Newbery, but also received the Pura Belpré Award)
Sci-Fi/Dystopian/Apocalyptic
Izzy at the End of the World by K.A. Reynolds
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
Sky or Sea on the Cover
Aniana del Mar Jumps In by Jasminne Mendez
A Terrible Tide by Suzanne Meade
Land of Broken Promises by Jane Kuo (out 6/6/23)
Neurodiverse Character
Izzy at the End of the World by K.A. Reynolds (autism)
New From Here by Kelly Yang (ADHD)
The Brave by James Bird (OCD, but note, perhaps not the best rep)
Published in the Last Year
Nikhil Out Loud by Maulik Pancholy
No Matter the Distance by Cindy Baldwin
Chester Keene Cracks the Code by Kekla Magoon
Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee
Aniana del Mar Jumps In by Jasminne Mendez
Jennifer Chan is Not Alone by Tae Keller
Finally Seen by Kelly Yang
Eb & Flow by Kelly J. Baptiste
Izzy at the End of the World by K.A. Reynolds
Anne by Kathleen Gros
A Terrible Tide by Suzanne Meade
New From Here by Kelly Yang
A Green Velvet Secret by Vicki Grant
In the Key of Us by Mariama J. Lockington
Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff
I gave six of the books I read this month 5 stars:
Nikhil Out Loud by Maulik Pancholy - I adored this laugh out loud but tender and poignant story about a child voice actor growing up and facing changes from a cross-country move to the vocal shifts of puberty.
Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee - Of all the books I read in March, this one made me cry like an absolute baby. A beautiful book about community, food, and learning about your history.
Finally Seen by Kelly Yang - Middle Grade March turned me into a Kelly Yang stan. I adored this book about a tween adjusting to the United States after being separated from her family for five years in China and learning what it takes to succeed and feel seen in her new home.
New From Here by Kelly Yang - Like I said, total Kelly Yang stan. I never thought I would be ready to read a book about the early days of COVID, but Yang handles the fear, uncertainty, and bright spots of compassion of that time with so much empathy and poise.
No Matter the Distance by Cindy Baldwin - Love love love the first ever book about a tween with cystic fibrosis by an author with cystic fibrosis. This book taught me so much about a disease that is a story of medical miracles and absolute triumph, and so is every poem and page of Penny Rooney’s story. But, at its heart, this is a book about a girl and a dolphin who both love their families.
Aniana del Mar Jumps In by Jasminne Mendez - This stunning novel in verse about a young swimmer with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis was a stunner in terms of voice. I adored the really complex relationship that Aniana had with every member of her family and learning more about a condition I have heard about in passing, but did not know much about.
Last but not least, a special shoutout to The Takeout by Tracy Badua (out May 9, thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the e-arc!). This fierce, funny middle grade about a tween who takes down a duo of recipe-stealing reality TV restauranteur’s to save her family’s food truck is a must-read for your spring. This book has a little of everything: a special bond between sisters, Filipino folk magic, a clever rat named Whirligig, and a focus on family and community. Just a warning: it’s going to make you so hungry for lumpia and a Mila special!
I will miss absolutely tearing through as much middle grade as possible in thirty-one days, but alas, I’m also excited for the backlog of YA and adult books that have been building up on my bedside!
Reading Stats Update
Middle Grade March made my stats weird, so it’s going to take a month or two for them to bounce back to almost normal…
Emotional, reflective, lighthearted, funny and hopeful are still my top categries on StoryGraph (making up 75% of my reading still)
Nonfiction is currently only 23% of my reading (lolsob). Ideally, I want it to be about 40% of my reading and I have some I’ve been itching to get to!
The biggest, and most obvious shakeup, is that middle grade is now my most-read genre according to StoryGraph. I will be working on getting LGBTQ+ back in the lead where it belongs!
Digital is now 7% of my reading! But what I most want to change is my ratio of print to audio. Right now, audio is 59% of my reading. This will likely change with the coming of summer and beach reading!
57.4% of my reads so far have been by authors of color, 26.2% by queer authors, and 23% with disability rep. I want to keep holding myself accountable to read more diversely, as expanding the perspectives in what I read has only made my love of stories stronger.
Tay’s April TBR
These are the ten books I would love to finish by the end of April:
You Only Live Once, David Bravo by Mark Oshiro: I adored The Insiders, and have been meaning to get to Mark’s latest middle grade for forever!
The Quiet & the Loud by Helena Fox - I’m a huge How It Feels to Float fan, so it’s no surprise I’ve already dove into this one (it’s amazing so far!).
Enter the Body by Joy McCullough - Shakespearean girls? In Joy McCullough’s gorgeous voice? Say no more!
Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl by Briana R. Shrum and Sara Waxelbaum - One girl’s autistic and needs to learn how to be gay. The other is a swimmer who needs to bring up her history grade. Maybe they can help each other out. I’m 10% into this one already and am OBSESSED with the snarky, cringy humor of this one.
The Secret Summer Promise by Keah Brown - I can’t wait to read this sunshine-filled YA by the creator of #disabledandcute!
Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa - This cover is gorgeous and I can’t wait to soak in this YA in audiobook form!
Firebird by Sunmi - I’m a huge fan of gay graphic novels, so of course I’m excited for this upcoming queer YA romance.
Happy Place by Emily Henry - New Emily Henry just dropped with Julia Whelan narrating? I got an ALC and am starting this one today!
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin - I saw a TikTok about this one and am here for the messy lesbian book about beehives and therapy.
Unprotected by Billy Porter - As a huge Pose and Kinky Boots fan, this is a celebrity memoir I can’t wait to finally listen to!
What have you been reading lately? Do you have anything amazing on your April TBR? Tell me about it below!
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