Great Middle Grade Reads discussion

I'm looking for some books with a good friendship theme. My daughter is going through some things with a certain girl who isn't being so great of a friend. We talk often but I also want to steer her toward some really good books about the subject of friends, maybe the struggles of being a tween, mean girls. Being yourself, not changing to fit in. Things like that.

Off the top of my head, because I just read & enjoyed it, try The Friendship Matchmaker. There's also A Year Without Autumn which is more of an adventure, less obviously bibliotherapy, but covers all sorts of friendships too.

My boys learned a lot about being good friends from reading the Percy Jackson stories. We read them together and I would ask questions, helping them see the deeper implications in the stories, but there is a lot in there. They realized Percy is kind of a crappy friend. They would rather be like Annabeth or Jason. Both made much better friends in their minds. But we talked about why Percy's friends were willing to put up with his always needing them and not always giving back, and they realized that Percy's friends were there for him because he goes through a lot of bad stuff. He appreciates their friendship, but can't always reciprocate because of all the bad stuff he goes through. It was great that we could relate that to a friend of theirs who's parents recently got divorced. He was going through a really hard time and wasn't always the best of friends. It was a great lesson for them to apply what they learned from reading to their own lives.

Cheryl wrote: "Off the top of my head, because I just read & enjoyed it, try The Friendship Matchmaker. There's also A Year Without Autumn which is more of an adventure, less obviou..."

The BOTM discussion of A Year without Autumn covered some of the friendship issues :)

I know I've read some that would fit this and might help, but the random access memory (i.e. my brain) doesn't seem to work...

Imaginary Fred fits the broad category, even though it might not be perfect for the OP. It's a picture-book, but not actually for little children.

The series about Ivy and Bean is for the younger end of MG. Mostly the girls are nice, but sometimes they are 'on the outs' with each other.

Very similar in many ways is the Bink & Gollie series.

Cheryl wrote: "Imaginary Fred fits the broad category, even though it might not be perfect for the OP. It's a picture-book, but not actually for little children.

The series about [book:Ivy and Be..."

She read Ivy and Bean when she was in first grade, she is in sixth now. These are way below her level. Thanks though.

Hopefully someone coming across this thread will be glad of the resource. :)

Hi, how about a book called Smile, that is for 5th-8th graders that deals with the dramas of being a tween. It was a #1 NY Times Bestseller as well as Eisner Award winner. Take a look at it on Amazon.com where you can read all about it.

Another possibility is Roller Girl, a book about friendship and the dramas of middle school. Amazon says "exploring the tensions which test the girls' relationship as they move from childhood to adolescence." Grades 4-8th

She has read Smile already and enjoyed it. Roller Girl sounds good, I will run it by her and see if she is interested.

I'd really recommend The School for Good and Evil. It's all about friendship, and things strong friendships could do. I had picked it up for light reading, but of course young readers would enjoy it as 'heavy' books.
(Please read the Goodreads description of the book first before the spoiler down below)
(view spoiler)[ A girl named Sophie dreams about having a perfect life, with a prince and a castle. She does as much good deeds as possible, to be the next Snow White. That's why she had friended the lonely, somewhat Goth girl Agatha. Agatha, on the other hand, only wants Sophie. No princes or castles for her. Unfortunately, what happens is Agatha gets a princess' life, while Sophie gets a witch's. Now Sophie is jealous of Agatha, and would do as much as kill her to get herself a happy ending. But in the end Agatha stops Sophie, and shows her true meaning of friends' love. I'd not give major spoilers, but it's very cute in the end. It would give loads of lessons to young ones of friendship, and it's an interesting read, specially for girls. (hide spoiler)]

My favorite series for boys and relationships is the Calvin Coconut series. Even better it comes with a multicultural cast and centers around a family headed by a single mom. Graham Salisbury deals out a feast of compassion for everyone in these books. And it takes place in Hawaii!

An old favorite:

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