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Middle-grade books are published for children 9 to 11 years old and are generally 100-150 pages. Stories show a little more complexity, sub-plots, and a larger cast of characters (Kelms, 2009). Middle-grade fiction serves as a bridge between simple children’s stories and reading materials that are more emotionally or thematically advanced. Typically, middle-grade fiction focuses on a character’s personal development, from who they are, what their values should be, and how they should interact with others. The answers to these are often answered by their friends, family, and other people in their immediate world (Salao 2022).
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee
Katie the Catsitter: Secrets and Sidekicks by Colleen A.F. Venable
Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom by Sangu Mandanna
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan
The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu
The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton
The Plentiful Darkness by Heather Kassner
The Roman Mysteries: The Secrets of Vesuvius, Book 2 by Caroline Lawrence
The Roman Mysteries: The Pirates of Pompeii, Book 3 by Caroline Lawrence
The School for Whatnots by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo
The Star Thief by Lindsey Becker
The Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff
Two Degrees by Alan Gratz
The Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
Willowdeen by Katherine Applegate
Young adult books are geared for kids 12 years old and up. They are very complex, often dealing with mature themes and adolescent concerns. Word count ranges from 45,000 to 80,000 (a good number to aim for is 65,000) (Kelms, 2009). Young Adult books capture the common concepts and emotions that teens usually struggle with, including friendship, finding their identity, and forming romantic relationships. Most young adult stories focus on adolescents who are beginning their transition into adulthood. They discover hidden aspects of themselves, work through personal problems, and learn to take responsibility for their actions. As such, YA stories are also called coming-of-age stories (Salao 2022.
A Sitting in St. James by Rita Williams-Garcia
After the Shot Drops by Randy Ribay
All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
Angel Thieves by Kathi Appelt
Bruised by Tanya Boteju
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
Dear Medusa: (A Novel in Verse) by Olivia A. Cole
Dread Locks by Neal Shusterman
Emergency Contact by Mark H.K. Choi
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Furia by Yamile Saled Mendez
Goddess in the Machine by Lora Beth Johnson
Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal
Optimists Die First by Susin Nielsen
Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez
Pumpkin by Julie Murphy
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
Silver People: Voices from the Panama Canal by Margarita Engle
Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
The Getaway by Lamar Giles
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
The Seven Torments of Amy and Craig by Don Zolidis
There's Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon
The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson
New adult fiction is fiction that is marketed to readers aged 18 to 25—an age bracket that some people consider the “sweet spot” for young adults. Unlike young adult fiction, new adult fiction is all about the perspective of leaving your adolescence behind. Your world expands, offering you new opportunities and challenges. Your identity is forged anew as you consider the steps to becoming a full adult. As economic and social problems arise, many recent graduates and young professionals experience the social anxiety, identity crises, and mental health issues that NA regularly explores. They take solace in reading about characters who struggle with leaving home, establishing their careers, and cultivating relationships (Salao 2022).
Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Girl Who Was Taken by Charlie Donlea
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Nonfiction books reveal the world around by sharing facts and information about a variety of topics. These books are straightforward, but might also include the author's bias as developed through shared information, neglected information, and word choice (Kelms, 2009).
Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
The Boys Who Challenged Hitler by Phillip Hoose
I Will Always Write Back by Caitlin Alifirenka, Liz Welch, Martin Ganda, Chukwudi Iwuji
Race to the Moon: An Interactive History Adventure by Allison Lassieur
The Swayze Year by Colleen A.F. Venable and Meghan Daly
Zuriel Oduwole: Filmmaker and Campaigner for Girls' Education by Linda Barghoorn