Middle grade books are books intended for young readers who are not yet ready to dive into the more adult themes of the young adult genre, but have grown out of simpler picture books for new readers. Generally, “middle grade” refers to children between eight and 12, or in the third through sixth grades.
Books for middle grade children revolve around settings and themes that are relevant to the lives of the readers, including school, family, friendship, and growing up. Children learn valuable lessons from these books as well as strengthening their reading and comprehension skills.
Middle grade books can be fiction, nonfiction, or even graphic novels!
Some classic examples of middle grade literature include E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting, and E.L. Konigsburg’s From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
Middle grade books are the perfect books for a child who is ready to step up their reading and start getting into longer and more complex chapter books. Look below for the best books to get your middle grader ready and reading!
Middle grade books are books intended for children roughly between the ages of eight and 12, frequently centering around themes of family, friendship, school, and growing up. Middle grade books are designed to fill the gap between books for young readers and more mature young adult books.
Middle grade books are generally aimed at children between the ages of eight and 12, or between third grade and sixth grade. However, each reader is different and some might not be ready for middle grade books at eight, while others may be ready to move to YA books before age 12.
The first three books of the Harry Potter series are generally considered to be middle grade literature, while the later books, where Harry is older and encounters more mature experiences fall under young adult.
The Lemony Snicket series falls right into the range of middle grade books and is a great choice for readers in this age group!
