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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!
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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!
