It’s that time of year where most parts of the country are saying goodbye to winter and hello to spring. The weather is warming, the days are brighter, and flowers are starting to pop up. Spring is here, and with it a whole new batch of middle grade stories.
Team Players, by Mike Lupica
The fourth and final book in the Home Team series features softballer Cassie Bennett. Cassie is one of those people who always knows what to do, whether it’s on or off the ball field. Athletic, well-liked, and confident, Cassie is up for any challenge. When Sarah joins the softball team, bringing with her an amazing athletic talent of her own, Cassie is sure she can help her fit in. But Sarah’s Asperger’s means being accepted by her peers can be a challenge and soon the team is pulling away from both Sarah and Cassie. The more Cassie tries to improve the situation, the worse things get. This could turn out to be the worst summer of Cassie’s life. Has Cassie finally met a challenge she can’t take on?
Running Through Sprinklers, by Michelle Kim
Nadine and Sara have been best friends forever. They are more like sisters than friends, living as much at the other’s house as they do at their own. As the end of summer approaches, and they prepare to go back to school, Nadine drops a bomb: she’s skipping a grade and heading to high school without Sara. Not only that, but it’s a secret she’s kept since the end of the last school year. Despite promises that nothing will change, things do, and Sara watches their friendship slip away. In its place, Sara discovers a new version of herself, a process that anyone who has survived the loss of a friendship knows is as painful as it is wonderful.
Charlie & Frog, by Karen Kane
Dumped at his grandparents’ house while his parents are off on yet another exotic adventure, Charlie Tickler is bored and lonely. That is, until a frightened old woman gives Charlie a frantic message…and then disappears. Charlie is determined to solve the mystery. The first problem? The message was delivered in sign language. Enter Francine Castle, better known as Frog. Frog, a member of the Deaf community, works at a cafe, but she’d much rather be solving mysteries. When Charlie and Frog team up, it seems like the perfect match. But there’s not a lot of time for this fast-thinking duo to crack the case.
The Battle of Junk Mountain, by Lauren Abbey Greenberg
Summer is for making memories, and 12-year-old Shayne Whittaker has made many of them, spending the summers on the Maine coast with her grandmother Bea, and her best friend Poppy. This summer, though, all Poppy wants to do is talk about boys. And Bea’s flea market hobby has turned into hoarding. The only one paying any attention to Shayne at all is the boy next door, Linc, who has an obsession with the Civil War, and a secret of his own. It’s a summer of battles and change, and a different kind of memory-making that only comes with growing up.
Lou Lou and Pea and the Bicentennial Bonanza, by Jill Diamond and Lesley Vamos
This is the second book in a series for younger middle-grade readers. Best friends Lou Lou and Pea are busy getting ready to celebrate their town’s 200th anniversary. Pea is crafting hats, and Lou Lou is growing honeysuckle bushes. There’s a baking contest, a talent show, and the unveiling of a new gazebo, all planned for their little town of El Corazón. When the Vice-Mayor announces the festivities actually belong to the neighboring town of Verde Valley, Lou Lou and Pea are suspicious. It’s a race to uncover the town’s secrets, before all the town’s party-planning goes to waste!
Marc’s Mission: Way of the Warrior Kid, by Jocko Willink and Jon Bozak
Marc’s fifth grade year was the worst of his life. Then last summer, his Uncle Jake, a Navy SEAL, came to visit. Over the course of that summer, Uncle Jake turned Marc from wimp to warrior, teaching him how to not only be physically stronger, but also mentally stronger. Sixth grade has been great. Marc’s grades have been good, he’s practicing his jiu-jitsu, and eating healthy. Everything goes well until the last day of school, when he gets into a fight with bully Nathan James. Even worse, Marc has to see Nathan every day at summer camp. It’s a good thing Uncle Jake is back in town, because Marc is going to need all the help he can get.
What books are on your spring reading list?
The post A Softball Star, a Friendship Slipping Away, and a Small Town with a Secret: 6 Fun New Coming-of-Age Middle Grade Stories appeared first on The B&N Kids Blog.