I loved this post. Since she likes Kelly Yang, Ada might also like Measuring Up by Lily Lamotte if she likes graphic novels or Stand Up, Yumi Chung by Jessica Kim!
Someone recommended the keeper of the lost cities series to us - my daughter is also a rising 4th grader (😭 how!?) and currently only enjoys reading graphic novels. Of this series, only the first book has been turned into a graphic novel, but my daughter loved it!! I think the second is coming this fall… and if Ada doesn’t mind text only books, there are I think 9 in this series!
I was coming to recommend the same! My rising 3rd grader is completely obsessed with this series, to the point that she is currently finishing Book 9 after having started the series just 5 months ago. And these are some hefty books, like 600+ pages! Puts me to shame. And it has effectively left the HP series in the dust (praise!).
My 8.5 year old also devours books, and the most recent batch she read and enjoyed was the Vanderbeekers series by Karina Yan Glaser. Oh, and she read my old childhood copies of the Guests of War trilogy by Kit Pearson and was obsessed. I was equally into them at her age!
I’m screenshotting all these excellent suggestions from commenters, definitely will need a massive pile of books to get through summer break.
I'm a fan of Grace Lin's series that starts with Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. The Wild Robot series, Stuart Gibbs books (esp. The Last Musketeer and Space Case trilogies), and the first few books in Baum's Oz series were big here for a while, including the Oz graphic novels. Oh and they still love reading all of the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales.
We’ve loved the Kelly Barnhill books “The Girl Who Drank The Moon” and “The Ogress and The Orphans.” We’ve also read (and loved) everything Kate Milford has written (but start with Greenglass House.) As a family we also loved reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy aloud during the pandemic (now-12 yo was then 9 and totally into it). Most recently we’ve been on a kick of family inheritance-themed books starting with the relatively new Janet Sumner Johnson Book The Winterton Deception: Final Word (first in a series, the second of which is forthcoming), followed by The Westing Game and currently The Inheritance Games (a bit more romance than we prefer but all PG). We felt pretty good about the Morrigan Crow books and enjoyed the Winterhouse Trilogy (although not so much #3).
Great thoughts! I'm at the very beginning on my parenting journey (my son is 10 months old) and I feel like I already see comparison easily creep up - who is eating more, who babbles, who crawls or even walks, etc. My son gets frustrated easily and is very vocal about his frustrations, so it's easy for me to look at other moms and think "wow their babies are so calm." I feel like I need to reframe my comaprison, and expectations that come with comparison, to not fall in the trap!
Once again, I feel seen. I've got a 6 year old, so we are fully on the birthday party circuit, where I bear witness to him and 20+ of his peers doing their respective things. Seeing so many personalities, proclivities and skill sets all unfolding in a 2 hour window can be jarring. I can't count the number of times I've given the "wow - x is so polite / athletic / kind / focused" compliment to another parent as I wonder why my little is less so... Gah. I appreciate the reminder to just let him be.
My fourth grader just enjoyed Rick Riordan Presents: Sal and Gabi Break the Universe-A Sal and Gabi Novel, Book 1 by Carlos Hernandez. (He listened to the audiobook version.)
Also- I had gotten this recommendation from Melissa LaSalle's instagram account @https://www.instagram.com/thebookmommy/ But I think you might already know about her since you referenced her in your Dog Man post :) I especially appreciate her middle grade book recs!
I’ve been guilty of the enviable traits game too many times to count. Really appreciate this inspection and reframing 💛 And yes I am one of the 40yo moms devouring All Fours right now!!
I love reading this newsletter, Youngna. Just wanted to say so!
Percy Jackson and all the spin offs have been totally brilliant here with my myth obsessed 6yr old and magic loving 10 yr old
Also I hear great things about the Wild Robot series, she’ll read that next
I loved this post. Since she likes Kelly Yang, Ada might also like Measuring Up by Lily Lamotte if she likes graphic novels or Stand Up, Yumi Chung by Jessica Kim!
literally came here to recommend Afoma's incredible site + curated lists! Always my go-to for MG recs. :)
Thank you so much, Joy! 🤩 You’ve made my day 🥰
Someone recommended the keeper of the lost cities series to us - my daughter is also a rising 4th grader (😭 how!?) and currently only enjoys reading graphic novels. Of this series, only the first book has been turned into a graphic novel, but my daughter loved it!! I think the second is coming this fall… and if Ada doesn’t mind text only books, there are I think 9 in this series!
I was coming to recommend the same! My rising 3rd grader is completely obsessed with this series, to the point that she is currently finishing Book 9 after having started the series just 5 months ago. And these are some hefty books, like 600+ pages! Puts me to shame. And it has effectively left the HP series in the dust (praise!).
My 8.5 year old also devours books, and the most recent batch she read and enjoyed was the Vanderbeekers series by Karina Yan Glaser. Oh, and she read my old childhood copies of the Guests of War trilogy by Kit Pearson and was obsessed. I was equally into them at her age!
I’m screenshotting all these excellent suggestions from commenters, definitely will need a massive pile of books to get through summer break.
I'm a fan of Grace Lin's series that starts with Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. The Wild Robot series, Stuart Gibbs books (esp. The Last Musketeer and Space Case trilogies), and the first few books in Baum's Oz series were big here for a while, including the Oz graphic novels. Oh and they still love reading all of the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales.
Adding The City of Ember!
We’ve loved the Kelly Barnhill books “The Girl Who Drank The Moon” and “The Ogress and The Orphans.” We’ve also read (and loved) everything Kate Milford has written (but start with Greenglass House.) As a family we also loved reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy aloud during the pandemic (now-12 yo was then 9 and totally into it). Most recently we’ve been on a kick of family inheritance-themed books starting with the relatively new Janet Sumner Johnson Book The Winterton Deception: Final Word (first in a series, the second of which is forthcoming), followed by The Westing Game and currently The Inheritance Games (a bit more romance than we prefer but all PG). We felt pretty good about the Morrigan Crow books and enjoyed the Winterhouse Trilogy (although not so much #3).
My HP-loving 4th grader loved the Sisters 8 series & reads them again & again
My 4th grader went from Harry potter to Percy Jackson and read all the Keeper of the Lost cities and lived all of them! Highly recommend
Thanks for such an interesting perspective!
Great thoughts! I'm at the very beginning on my parenting journey (my son is 10 months old) and I feel like I already see comparison easily creep up - who is eating more, who babbles, who crawls or even walks, etc. My son gets frustrated easily and is very vocal about his frustrations, so it's easy for me to look at other moms and think "wow their babies are so calm." I feel like I need to reframe my comaprison, and expectations that come with comparison, to not fall in the trap!
Once again, I feel seen. I've got a 6 year old, so we are fully on the birthday party circuit, where I bear witness to him and 20+ of his peers doing their respective things. Seeing so many personalities, proclivities and skill sets all unfolding in a 2 hour window can be jarring. I can't count the number of times I've given the "wow - x is so polite / athletic / kind / focused" compliment to another parent as I wonder why my little is less so... Gah. I appreciate the reminder to just let him be.
My fourth grader just enjoyed Rick Riordan Presents: Sal and Gabi Break the Universe-A Sal and Gabi Novel, Book 1 by Carlos Hernandez. (He listened to the audiobook version.)
Also- I had gotten this recommendation from Melissa LaSalle's instagram account @https://www.instagram.com/thebookmommy/ But I think you might already know about her since you referenced her in your Dog Man post :) I especially appreciate her middle grade book recs!
I’ve been guilty of the enviable traits game too many times to count. Really appreciate this inspection and reframing 💛 And yes I am one of the 40yo moms devouring All Fours right now!!
The Artemis Fowl books have been a huge hit with my Harry Potter devotee.