mglit | Page 7 of 9 | Daddy Mojo

Frankie & Bug, well-crafted mglit that will divide readers or libraries

Middle school books sometimes exist in the middle of the Venn Diagram. That’s the spot where a myriad of kids could enjoy the book for any number of reasons. Overlaid on that diagram is the very black and white metric of ‘kids want to read it’ and ‘kids don’t want to read it’. To make things even more complex there’s a duo chromatic lens that asks the very simple question of ‘is the book good?’, with a yes/no slider that could help middle school readers find that book. Of course, this silly way of quantifying children’s literature doesn’t exist. However, when I read a book that’s aimed at middle school readers my imagination creates this matrix and tries to think like a kid. Frankie & Bug is mglit that hammers some of these categories home, while creating a whole new “yes, but…” category that will inspire some readers while frustrating others.

Frankie & Bug is well crafted and paced mglt that works as two halves, but might divide its target audience too.

A great book that aims wide, but has niche appeal

Once Upon A Camel is mglit (and younger) for the forever bookshelf

I love great books. Actually, it stands to reason that anybody who likes to read loves great books. It’s probably even more important for reluctant readers and younger readers to dig into those great books. If you have a third-grade reader then The One And Only Ivan is a great book. It’s a novel that feels big and gives those ages confidence that they’re able to read, understand and enjoy books that they thought were previously out of their range. It’s a modern classic that elementary school readers will still be reading in 100 years. In reading the press about Once Upon A Camel, it was often compared to that book, which I found a little insulting. Ivan is a book that gave our kid confidence and taught our youngest son. That book has memories. How dare something new and unproven be compared to the book that provided the literary bridge to our child, I thought. All of that was until I actually read Once Upon A Camel.

Here is a book that kids will be reading for generations

One Kid’s Trash is a real book, that’s really fun to read

“That’s life, welcome to fourth grade” is what I said in response to my class whining about the amount of work I was giving them. I consider that a precursor to what these students will experience in two years in middle school. The soft, forgiving way in which tests can be retaken again, and students are given a worst-case scenario of 70 are gone. They’ve been replaced with a still very generous, method of being able to re-take a test once, but the score you get is what you get. One Kid’s Trash is not as direct as my teaching methods, thankfully. This is a book for upper elementary and middle school students about life as the way they see it and live it. For those science-fiction or graphic novel readers, that’s not a bad thing.

Comfort reading for the good-book soul

Long Distance, a great summertime graphic novel for ages 9 and up

Sixth grade is a magical time. It’s when kids are getting old enough to do some of the really cool things in life, are discovering their own social circles, and are just clinging on to that ability to be utterly silly. On the surface, Long Distance by Whitney Gardner, feels like some other early middle school graphic novels that you’ve seen. There are some overlapping themes and it’s easy to compare Long Distance to Lumberjanes as a sister by another mother. But just one moment, do not get lulled into a sense of malaise or that you fully know what to expect with this graphic novel.

Long Distance is a perfect summertime graphic novel that has familiar elements, but abrupty sets them on a 180 course for the better.

Don’t judge a book by its cover, it’s more than a friendship/camp jam

Mission Multiverse, a great first entry into a mglit series for 9 and up

“This better not end in a cliffhanger”, I told my wife as I was finishing Mission Multiverse. It’s not that I don’t like cliffhanger endings, it’s just that sometimes when they end that way I feel cheated. Mission Multiverse is a great book. It sounds like I’m setting it up for some form of a backhanded compliment, but I’m not. It’s a very satisfying middle-grade book that exceeded my expectations. The reason that the words are coming out wonky is that it initially didn’t seem like it would be an entertaining book.

Mission Multiverse is a great first book in a science-fiction series that delivers for most mglit readers.

A great first entry into a series we hope continues its ascension

The Last Fallen Star delivers on its implied quality

It goes without saying that books should be entertaining. But, I just said it, so sometimes we need to be reminded of the fact that some books are better than others. The Last Fallen Star is an entertaining, complete book that also opens it up to a larger world. The book is in the Rick Riordan Presents imprint from Disney Books and rewards readers more thoroughly than some of its contemporaries.

It can also be said that there is no bad pizza. There is simply pizza that is better than other pizza. The Last Fallen Star is literary pizza that is better than others. The book is part of the Gifted Clans Novel series by Graci Kim. It’s important not to cringe when you see that the first book in a series is already part of a planned series, much less one that has Rick Riordan Presents, before the title. I am all for letting a series or franchise prove its worth, let the one book be successful, and then deliver more. However, I can also see from the creator’s perspective that a greater story roadmap needs to be laid out so that they, as well as the reader, can let their imagination wander about what could happen to the characters.

Rick Riordan Presents The Last Fallen Star builds a beautiful world with strength, great heels and a story that delivers.

Like the paper we used to get daily, this book delivers.

Unicorn Island, a mid-elementary action horned reader

I’m at the beach, reading a book for mid- elementary-aged and up students about unicorns. Shouldn’t I be putting my feet in the sand, walking, and looking for shells or something? Instead, I’m under an umbrella, willingly reading Unicorn Island, and enjoying it immensely. I could speed read it, but I’m taking my time reading the book, digging into the vivid descriptions and adventure that Sam is experiencing in Foggy Harbor.

A ‘unicorn’ book with adventure and intrigue

That Thing About Bollywood, growing pains for all, with an Indian twist

My knowledge of Bollywood is limited. I know that they’re very popular and loaded with catchy songs. You do not need to know anything about Bollywood or Indian culture to enjoy That Thing About Bollywood. The local college radio station we listen to has an Indian program on and we’ll listen to it as a palette cleanser. Similar to the book, you don’t need to know the songs or understand the language to tap your toes when you hear the music. Sonali is a typical 11-year-old girl whose family is going through challenging times. She’s a little shy and realizes that things are even more unusual when she starts singing and dancing during a school trip. Moreover, even the background colors are changing with colors that pop and contrast more than they do in real life.

MGLIT for kids going through changes