Characters with ADHD

Click HERE to listen to this episode

Welcome to another episode of Happy Reading, a podcast that spotlights and celebrates fabulous middle grade stories. I’m Sarah Threlkeld, a former 6th grade reading teacher and elementary librarian with a Master’s degree in Children’s Literature. I’m mildly obsessed with children’s books and love recommending them to readers of all ages. I’m that person who eavesdrops on families in libraries and bookstores and then offers unsolicited advice on which books to take home. 

For those of you joining me for the first time, each episode is formatted the same way. I summarize a handful of books that fit a theme and read a short excerpt from each one so you get a sense of the author’s writing style, the characters’ voices and the storyline. While I truly believe middle grade books can be enjoyed by people of all ages, they are generally thought of as a good fit for 8- to 12-year-old readers, although some books do skew younger, while others are classified as older middle grade because of mature themes. Not every book on this podcast will be appropriate for every reader, and occasionally I may recommend chapter books or young adult books that fit the episode’s theme. Now that you know what you’ve gotten yourself into, let’s get started!

Transition Music

When I was a kid in the 80’s, ADHD wasn’t understood by or even spoken about in the general public. Some kids, mostly boys, were designated as hyperactive, and were often treated like a joke. I get the impression the adults in these kids’ lives were frustrated, exhausted, and didn’t have the resources to help these young people successfully navigate their worlds. During my 16 years as an educator, I witnessed how much attitudes about ADHD have changed and I am so thankful readers now have access to books that  authentically and compassionately portray characters with ADHD. In this episode, I am spotlighting four wonderful middle grade books that explore what it can be like for a young person to get diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, to overcome the stigma often associated with a diagnosis, and to eventually make peace with or even take pride in their fabulous, neurodivergent brain. Considering ADHD can present differently in girls and that girls often go undiagnosed, I am especially tickled to recommend two books with female protagonists. 

Focused by Alyson Gerber

Published by Scholastic Press in 2019, Alyson Gerber’s Focused is one of the first books I remember reading that portrays ADHD as complex and nuanced. Here’s the Amazon summary:

"Clea can't control her thoughts. She knows she has to do her homework . . . but she gets distracted. She knows she can't just say whatever thought comes into her head . . . but sometimes she can't help herself. She know she needs to focus . . . but how can she do that when the people around her are always chewing gum loudly or making other annoying noises?

It's starting to be a problem-not just in school, but when Clea's playing chess or just hanging out with her best friend. Other kids are starting to notice. When Clea fails one too many tests, her parents take her to be tested, and she finds out that she has ADHD, which means her attention is all over the place instead of where it needs to be.

Clea knows life can't continue the way it's been going. She's just not sure how you can fix a problem that's all in your head. But that's what she's going to have to do, to find a way to focus."

I’m going to share an excerpt from chapter one where Clea arrives at school, already stressed out about not finishing her math homework, only to deal with a frustrated best friend and a teacher who won’t give her a break. (p 4-10)

A Perfect Mistake by Melanie Conklin

Released in 2022 by Hachette, A Perfect Mistake by Melanie Conklin is a thrilling mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. The book’s Amazon summary reads:

"Max wishes he could go back in time to before he was diagnosed with ADHD, before he grew to be the tallest kid in his class, and before he and his best friends went into the woods in the middle of the night. Max doesn’t remember what happened after he left his friends Will and Joey and the older kids who took them there. He’s not sure if he wants to remember. Knowing isn’t going to make Joey talk to him again, or bring Will out of his coma. 

When the local authorities run out of leads, Max realizes that without his help, they may never know what really happened to Will. Charged by the idea that he may be the key to uncovering the truth, Max pairs up with classmate and aspiring journalist Sam to investigate what really happened that night. But not everyone in the community wants that night to be remembered."

Here’s chapter one. (p 1-5)

Each Tiny Spark by Pablo Cartaya

Each Tiny Spark, written by Pablo Cartaya and published by Kokila in 2019, centers around Emilia, a spunky, multiracial middle schooler who lives with her mom and grandmother, both of whom have interesting ideas about why Emilia struggles to concentrate. When Emilia’s dad returns home from military deployment, Emilia senses something is wrong, but she has no idea how to fix it. Here’s the summary from Amazon:

"Emilia Torres has a wandering mind. It's hard for her to follow along at school, and sometimes she forgets to do what her mom or abuela asks. But she remembers what matters: a time when her family was whole and home made sense. When Dad returns from deployment, Emilia expects that her life will get back to normal. Instead, it unravels.

Dad shuts himself in the back stall of their family's auto shop to work on an old car. Emilia peeks in on him daily, mesmerized by his welder. One day, Dad calls Emilia over. Then, he teaches her how to weld. And over time, flickers of her old dad reappear. But as Emilia finds a way to repair the relationship with her father at home, her community ruptures with some of her classmates, like her best friend, Gus, at the center of the conflict."

I’m going to jump into the middle of chapter one, where Emilia is getting ready for school. Apologies for any Spanish mispronunciations. Sadly, six years of Spanish class does not mean I speak fluently. (p 11-19)

Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn

Our last book, Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn, was released in 2022 by Bloomsbury. Despite the book’s exploration of a lot of tough topics, like divorce, new stepsiblings, academic struggles, and navigating unexpected friendships, it is also full of humor and charming characters. Plus, there’s baking, which always makes me happy. The Amazon summary reads:

"Elliott isn't sure where he fits in. Ever since his best friend moved away and his dad and stepmom announced the arrival of their new baby, he's been feeling invisible. Plus his dad just doesn't seem to understand what having ADHD really feels like, or why cooking is the one activity where Elliott's mind clicks into place.

When he's paired with the super smart and popular Maribel for a school project, Elliott worries she'll be just another person who underestimates him. But Maribel is also looking for a new way to show others her true self and this project could be the chance they've both been waiting for. Sometimes the least likely friends help you see a new side to things . . . and sometimes you have to make a few mistakes before you figure out what's right."

I’m going to share the first half of chapter one because it does an excellent job of giving readers a peek into Elliott’s brain. (p 3-8)

Outro

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Happy Reading podcast. I hope you discovered some new books that you are excited to read or that you were reminded of some that have been hanging out on your TBR stack. If you know of other wonderful middle grade books that fit this episode’s theme, I’d love to hear about them. You can find me on X as Wordnerd153 and on Instagram as Kidlit_Lover. You can also message me through the Happy Reading website at happyrdng.blogspot.com. If you enjoy this podcast and want to help other people discover it, please take a moment to rate and review it on Apple Podcasts. Thanks again for spending some time with me. Until next time, happy reading!

A Few Faves from 2023

Click HERE to listen to this episode

Welcome to another episode of Happy Reading, a podcast that spotlights and celebrates fabulous middle grade stories. I’m Sarah Threlkeld, a former 6th grade reading teacher and elementary librarian who recently earned a Master’s degree in Children’s Literature from Simmons University in Boston, MA. I have been obsessed with children’s books since I was a kid and absolutely love recommending them to readers of all ages. I’m that person who eavesdrops on families in libraries and bookstores and then offers unsolicited advice on which books to take home. Although sometimes, as happened recently, I must show great restraint by remaining silent and not slapping a book out of someone’s hands when it is clearly a terrible gift or fit for a young reader.

For those of you joining me for the first time, each episode is formatted the same way. I summarize a handful of books that fit a theme and read a short excerpt from each one so you get a sense of the author’s writing style, the characters’ voices and the storyline. While I truly believe middle grade books can be enjoyed by people of all ages, they are generally thought of as a good fit for 8- to 12-year-old readers, although some books do skew younger, while others are classified as older middle grade because of mature themes. Not every book on this podcast will be appropriate for every reader, and occasionally I may recommend chapter books or young adult books that fit the episode’s theme. Now that you know what you’ve gotten yourself into, let’s get started!

Music

As of this recording I have read 655 books this year, 80 of which were middle grade, so I thought it’d be fun for me to review those titles and pluck some favorites from the bunch to share with you. This is also a sneaky way to be loosey goosey with this episode’s theme and spotlight books that might not have anything in common other than wonderful storytelling, endearing characters, and a riveting plot. By no means are these the only spectacular middle grade books I read this year—in fact, several of my favorites will show up in future episodes—but we’d easily be here for over an hour if I highlighted every book I read in 2023 that made me a better human. So, without further ado, let’s get to it!

The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt

Gary D. Schmidt is one of those authors who leaves me in awe of his genius every time I read one of his books. His most recent middle grade story, The Labors of Hercules Beal, published by Clarion Books in 2023, has received a lot of Newbery buzz and I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment. Schmidt strikes the perfect balance of humor and drama, packs the book with endearing, flawed characters, and transports readers to Cape Cod through detailed scene descriptions. I finished reading The Labors of Hercules Beal over a month ago and I am still thinking about it, which doesn’t happen very often. Here’s the flap summary:


Because the chapters are fairly long, I’m going to read the first part of chapter two where Hercules starts middle school. Apologies if I mispronounce any of the places on the Cape. Even after living in Massachusetts for almost three years, I can’t wrap my head around local pronunciations.

The International House of Dereliction by Jacqueline Davies

Our second book is perfect for middle grade readers who appreciate ghost stories, but have no desire to be wide awake long after their bedtime. The International House of Dereliction, written by Jacqueline Davies and published by Clarion in 2023, may take place predominantly in a haunted house, but the ghosts are fairly friendly and the story itself has more to do with the power of love, kindness, and found family than with scaring the pants off of readers. I was lucky enough to hear Jacqueline Davies talk about and read from The International House of Dereliction at this year’s Boston Book Festival, which endeared the book to me even more. The flap summary reads:


Like Hercules Beal, the chapters in Davies’ book are longish, so I’m going to read a short excerpt from chapter three to give you a sense of Alice’s unique perspective on the world and the quirky humor that infuses her story.

The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson

I have been mildly obsessed with sleepaway camp since I was a kid, despite only attending two sessions of Girl Scout camp in elementary school. I love books about camp, movies about camp (shout out to anyone listening who has seen Camp Cucamonga or Poison Ivy), and always wanted to be a camp counselor. That might explain why I became a teacher. Morgan Matson’s The Firefly Summer, published by Simon and Schuster in 2023, is everything I want in a summer camp story, even though it doesn’t actually take place during a typical camp session. Here’s the book’s summary:

So, you have all of the fun camp activities, quirky and loveable characters, and a treasure map mystery? Sign me up!

I’m going to drop you into the middle of chapter three where Ryanna has just accidentally spilled an Icee all over a girl she bumped into at the PocoMart before arriving at Camp Van Camp.

The Way I Say It by Nancy Tandon

The Way I Say It, written by Nancy Tandon and published by Charlesbridge in 2022, caught me off guard in the best possible way. I was expecting a thoughtful story about a middle schooler struggling with typical tween issues and, while it is definitely that, the book is also packed with authentic, flawed characters, explores complex problems that don’t have easy, obvious solutions, and fosters empathy in its readers. This book will resonate with a lot of young middle grade readers and challenge their thinking, which is one of the best things about children’s literature, in my opinion. Here’s the flap summary:

We’re going to start at the very beginning (a very good place to start) with chapter one, titled “Hello, My Name Is…”

Leeva at Last by Sara Pennypacker

Leeva at Last, written by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Matthew Cordell, and published by Balzer and Bray in 2023, is one of those books I love so much that I run my finger over the cover every time I see it in a bookstore or library. I sigh a little, remembering how happy I was reading about Leeva and all of the interesting characters in the book, and I wish I could read it all over again. The story feels like a modern take on Matilda, minus the telekinetic powers, so if that’s your vibe, you will adore Leeva at Last. As delightful as the book is, thinking about it is also bittersweet because Sara Pennypacker graciously signed my copy at the Boston Book Festival and then, in a moment of absent-mindedness, I left it behind at the downtown public library. So if you are ever in Boston and come across a copy of Leeva at Last that is signed to Sarah and Henson, please reach out. Here’s more info from the summary:

As a librarian, I am obligated to share chapter five, where Leeva visits a public library for the first time in her entire life.

Outro

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Happy Reading podcast. I hope you discovered some new books that you are excited to read or that you were reminded of some that have been hanging out on your TBR stack. While I was working on this episode I read a few more books that blew me away–such is the life of a book nerd–and, although I didn’t have time to spotlight them, I do want to put them on your radar. They are The Mona Lisa Vanishes, a riveting, informative and entertaining nonfiction book by Nicholas Day, with illustrations by Brett Helquist, and The Eyes and the Impossible, a powerful, thought-provoking and funny story by Dave Eggers that’s perfect for fans of middle grade animal stories. I also want to give a shout out to Karina Yan Glaser for breaking my heart with the last book in the Vanderbeekers series and helping me say farewell to this incredible family of characters that I have loved since 2017.

If you’d like to get in touch with me, you can find me on X as Wordnerd153 and on Instagram as Kidlit_Lover. You can also message me through the Happy Reading website at happyrdng.blogspot.com. If you enjoy this podcast and want to help other people discover it, please take a moment to rate and review it on Apple Podcasts. Thanks again for spending some time with me. Until next time, happy reading!

I wanna' see you sweat!

Listen to the episode HERE

 I hated organized sports as a kid and had no interest in participating in the activities my parents insisted on signing me up for, like soccer and T-ball. As you can probably guess, I was more interested in reading and playing “school” with my Cabbage Patch Kids. It wasn’t until I started running about nineteen years ago that I finally saw myself as an athlete. I’m still not a fan of team sports–participating in them or watching them–but I do enjoy reading stories about kids who are passionate about sports, especially when those sports are a bit offbeat. In this episode I spotlight five middle grade books featuring table tennis, synchronized swimming, roller derby, fencing, and baton twirling. Yep, you heard that right. Baton twirling. Whether you are an athlete or not, I hope these stories inspire you to try something new. Who knows? Maybe you’d dominate at ultimate Frisbee or competitive ballroom dance if you just gave it a chance.

Call Me Adnan by Reem Faruqi

Reem Faruqi’s novel in verse, Call Me Adnan, is a story about table tennis, family bonds, sibling relationships, unexpected loss, and the different ways grief impacts our lives. Published by Harper in 2023, this book ripped my heart out, while managing to leave me feeling hopeful.

Barely Floating by Lilliam Rivera

I listened to the audiobook of Barely Floating by Lilliam Rivera and it had me wishing for warm summer days splashing around the local pool instead of cold mornings walking around my neighborhood. Published in 2023 by Kokila, Barely Floating explores the world of synchronized swimming, while also examining complex topics like gender norms, fat politics, social activism, generational trauma, and morality.

The Derby Daredevils: Kenzie Kickstarts a Team by Kit Rosewater
It’s time to strap on your skates and think of your best punny nicknames! As a child of the 80s I fondly remember watching roller derby on TV, so I was pretty excited when the sport had a revival in the early 2000s. I love that roller derby is one of a few sports dominated by women and that it celebrates and encourages aggression, strength, speed and camaraderie, which isn’t always the case for female identifying athletes. The Derby Daredevils, a series written by Kit Rosewater and illustrated by Sophie Escabasse, delves into the world of roller derby as seen through the eyes of an unlikely team of fifth graders. The series consists of three titles, all published by Amulet Books, with each one centering around a different member of the team.

Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Much like Barely Floating, Jewell Parker Rhodes’ Black Brother, Black Brother examines social injustice through the lens of competitive sports. Published by Little, Brown and Company in 2020, Black Brother, Black Brother centers around a middle schooler who becomes interested in fencing as a way to get revenge on a classmate who bullies him.

Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo

In my eyes, Kate DiCamillo can do no wrong. I absolutely adore her Mercy Watson books, laughed out loud while reading Flora and Ulysses, cried while reading Edward Toulane, and fell in love with the spunky, endearing young women in the Three Rancheros series. Raymie Nightingale, the first book in that series, was published by Candlewick press in 2016, and features a lot of baton twirling, which might be the most offbeat of all the sports featured on this episode.

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Happy Reading podcast. I hope you discovered some new books that you are excited to read or that you were reminded of some that have been hanging out on your TBR stack. If you know of other wonderful middle grade books that fit this episode’s theme, I’d love to hear about them. A few that I wanted to include in this episode but didn’t have time for are One Last Shot by John David Anderson, which centers around miniature golf, In Your Shoes by Donna Gephart, a book that takes place partly at a bowling alley, and Jayla Jumps In, Joy Jones’ story about double dutch jump roping. I continue to patiently wait for a middle grade book about the world of competitive croquet.

Short and Sweet

Listen to this episode HERE

You can also listen on Apple Podcast

Welcome to another episode of Happy Reading, a podcast that spotlights and celebrates fabulous middle grade stories. I’m Sarah Threlkeld, a former 6th grade reading teacher and elementary librarian who recently earned a Master’s degree in Children’s Literature from Simmons University in Boston, MA. I have been obsessed with children’s books since I was a kid and absolutely love recommending them to readers of all ages. I’m that person who eavesdrops on families in libraries and bookstores and then offers unsolicited advice on which books to take home. 

For those of you joining me for the first time, each episode is formatted the same way. I summarize a handful of books that fit a theme and read a short excerpt from each one so you get a sense of the characters’ voices and storyline. While I truly believe middle grade books can be enjoyed by people of all ages, they are generally thought of as a good fit for 8- to 12-year-old readers, although some books do skew younger, while others are classified as older middle grade because of mature themes. Not every book on this podcast will be appropriate for every reader, and occasionally I may recommend chapter books or young adult books that fit the episode’s theme. Now that you know what you’ve gotten yourself into, let’s get started!

Music

Shakespeare wrote “brevity is the soul of wit,” and while not every book featured in this episode is witty, per se, they are all short. When I was a school librarian I often had students who were only interested in checking out the thickest books on the shelves, whether they planned to read them or not. I think they saw these books as status symbols, as proof that they were strong readers. Just as many kids, however, were intimidated by the books that clocked in at over 300 pages and needed access to shorter novels that still packed an emotional punch, explored complex issues, or opened their minds to new ways of seeing the world. Whether you prefer longish books or shorter ones–or like me, you just want to get sucked into a riveting story no matter how many pages it covers–I hope you enjoy hearing excerpts from five middle grade books, all of which run less than 200 pages. 

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

The first time I read Newbery medal winner When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, I sat on my couch in awe, only pausing to read when I needed to go to the bathroom. Luckily for me the book is only 197 pages! I read it again years later for a creative writing class and was just as enamored with the book the second time around. Published in 2009 by Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, When You Reach Me dips its toes into historical fiction, science fiction and realistic fiction, and will have readers questioning what they know about the universe. The flap summary reads:

The chapter I’m sharing is around 16 pages in and is titled “Things That Kick.”

Thirst by Varsha Bajaj

Thirst, written by Varsha Bajaj and released in 2022 by Nancy Paulsen Books, features a strong-willed, ambitious, and curious girl who lives in the slums of Mumbai and dreams of a better life for her family. It explores the water crisis affecting many people around the globe, presenting it as a complex problem without a simple solution. Clocking in at 179 pages with fairly short chapters, readers will zip through this suspenseful middle grade story. Here’s the summary:

I’ve chosen to share the first chapter because it sets the scene so well and gives readers a strong sense of Minni’s character.

Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech

Who doesn’t want to read a story about a spunky donkey and the boy who saves his life? Saving Winslow, a 165-page novel by Sharon Creech that was released by HarperCollins in 2018, tugged at my heart and had me giving serious thought to adopting a donkey. It’s the perfect book for animal lovers, fans of unusual friendship stories, and readers who like to cheer for the underdog…or should I say underdonkey? The summary reads:

Here’s chapter three of Winslow.

Legends of Lotus Island: The Guardian Test by Christina Soontorvat

Is there nothing Christina Soontornvat can’t do? From picture books to young adult nonfiction and every format in between, she manages to write one engaging book after another and her latest is no exception. Published in 2023 by Scholastic, The Guardian Test is the first book in the Legends of Lotus Island series, which centers around a group of kids learning how to tap into their magical powers and transform into animals who help protect the planet so everyone thrives. At 147 pages, with short chapters and occasional illustrations, readers will fly through The Guardian Test and immediately ask for the sequel Into the Shadow Mist, which came out in July. Here’s the flap summary:

I’m going to read chapter two.

Two Truths and a Lie by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson

I don’t think I have ever spotlighted nonfiction on the podcast before, so I’m excited to share an excerpt from Two Truths and a Lie: It’s Alive! by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson, who happens to live in my hometown. It was published in 2017 by Walden Pond Press. As you may have guessed from the title, each chapter presents readers with three short articles, two of which are true, while the other is fabricated. The first book focuses on the living world and the second book in the series delves into historical mysteries. Not counting the back matter, It’s Alive! runs 135 pages and doesn’t need to be read straight through, making it great for readers who like to bounce around or who are short on time. I’m going to read the three articles from chapter 5, which focuses on medium-sized animals. Can you figure out which one is the fake?

Well, dear listeners, which of those is a hoax? You’ll have to check the book out from your local library or grab a copy from your favorite indie bookstore to find out! Maniacal laugh, maniacal laugh, maniacal laugh!

Outro music

In the spirit of this episode’s topic, I’m going to end here, but I am happy to report there are many more wonderful middle grade books under 200 pages that are worth checking out. Some other titles I considered for this episode are The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry, Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson, Hands by Torrey Maldonado, Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott, Stuck by Jennifer Swender, and The One Thing You’d Save by Linda Sue Park, an illustrated novel in verse that accomplishes a lot in just over 60 pages.

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Happy Reading podcast. I hope you discovered some new books that you are excited to read or that you were reminded of some that have been hanging out on your TBR stack. If you know of other wonderful middle grade books that fit this episode’s theme, I’d love to hear about them. You can find me on X as Wordnerd153 and on Instagram as Kidlit_Lover. You can also message me through the Happy Reading website at happyrdng.blogspot.com. If you enjoy this podcast and want to help other people discover it, please take a moment to rate and review it on Apple Podcasts. Thanks again for spending some time with me. Until next time, happy reading!

The Eagle has landed! Check out these middle grade spy books.

Listen to the podcast here: LINK 

Show intro

Welcome to another episode of Happy Reading, a podcast that spotlights and celebrates fabulous middle grade stories. I’m Sarah Threlkeld, a former 6th grade reading teacher and elementary librarian who just earned my Master’s degree in Children’s Literature from Simmons University in Boston, MA. I have been obsessed with children’s books since I was a kid and absolutely love recommending them to readers of all ages. I’m that person who eavesdrops on families in libraries and bookstores and then offers unsolicited advice on which books to take home. 

For those of you joining me for the first time, each episode is formatted the same way. I summarize a handful of books that fit a theme and read a short excerpt from each one so you get a sense of the characters’ voices and storyline. While I truly believe middle grade books can be enjoyed by people of all ages, they are generally thought of as a good fit for 8- to 12-year-old readers, although some books do skew younger, while others are classified as older middle grade because of mature themes. Not every book on this podcast will be appropriate for every reader, and occasionally I may recommend chapter books or young adult books that fit the episode’s theme. Now that you know what you’ve gotten yourself into, let’s get started!

Music

(Mission Impossible theme song vocalization) Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to listen to excerpts from four middle grade novels about young spies. This podcast will not self-destruct at any point, so do not panic. 

Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire: A Recipe for Trouble

A Recipe for Trouble, the first book in Sarah Todd Taylor’s Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire series, was published by Nosy Crow in 2022. I picked it up on a recent trip to Dublin, Ireland, so  it might not be easy to track down in the states. The summary on the back reads:

You can see why I had to smuggle this baking-centric book back into Boston. I mean, how could I resist a line like “Armed with her whisk”? I’m going to read ch. 3 where Alice has just been challenged by her uncle, a spy for the British government, to help him complete a mission on the Sapphire Express, an opulent train that caters to wealthy clientele.

City Spies

Once in a while a series comes along where each book is just as captivating as the first. The characters continue to evolve authentically, the plotlines don’t feel stale or convoluted, and it’s obvious that the author has a stake in each story. Such is the case with James Ponti’s City Spies series. The first title in the series was released in 2020 by Aladdin and since then three more books in the series have been published, with each one narrated by a different young MI6 agent. Here’s the summary from City Spies, the first book in the series:

I’m going to share part of ch. 2, jumping in where Sara decides to trust Mother during her court appearance.

N.E.R.D.S.

Our next book is one I used to read aloud when I taught 6th grade and it was always a big hit with my students. N.E.R.D.S., which stands for National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society is the first book in a series by Michael Buckley. It came out in 2009 from Amulet Books, which makes me feel very old. Similar to City Spies, N.E.R.D.S. relies on the premise that kids make excellent spies because adults constantly underestimate and ignore them. Packed with quirky, endearing characters and tons of humor, N.E.R.D.S. is great for readers who enjoy their action with a large side of comedy. Here’s the flap summary:

You probably noticed the narrator speaks right to the reader, which is another fun aspect of this book. I’m going to read the intro, which sets up the story, and then read the prologue, which will definitely pique your interest and have you dying to know what happened with Greenland.

Undercover Latina

Our last book is Undercover Latina, written by Aya De León and published by Candlewick Press in 2022. This upper middle grade book was on display at one of my local libraries last year and I am so happy a librarian decided to highlight it because I might not have discovered it otherwise. I  absolutely loved the narrator’s voice, the concept of a spy family, and the commentary on racism in the United States. The summary reads: 

Oh my gosh, this book is so good! Since the first chapter is fairly long, I’m going to start us at a natural break where Andréa fills the reader in on how she got into the family business.

Read pp. 10-15

Show outro

Well, there you have it. Four middle grade stories about spies that will have you on the edge of your seat and digging out your secret decoder ring and binoculars so you can check on your neighbor’s suspicious behavior. 

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Happy Reading podcast. I hope you discovered some new books that you are excited to read or that you were reminded of some that have been hanging out on your TBR stack. If you know of other wonderful middle grade books that fit this episode’s theme, I’d love to hear about them. You can find me on Twitter as Wordnerd153 and on Instagram as Kidlit_Lover. You can also message me through the Happy Reading website at happyrdng.blogspot.com. If you enjoy this podcast and want to help other people discover it, please take a moment to rate and review it on Apple Podcasts. Thanks again for spending some time with me. Until next time, happy reading!