Great Middle Grade Reads discussion

I'm sorry to have to relay that Jennifer, who had taken on the Book of the Month portion of the group, passed away suddenly in April. After some discussion with the other mods behind the scenes, changes will be coming to how we handle monthly book talks & reading recommendations.

Unless there's much upheaval and protest (with new folks volunteering to maintain the status quo), beginning in July 2023, I'll be dovetailing GMGR's challenges & discussions with the ongoing events on the middle grade book blog I'm already running with my daughter Elza: Middle Grade Carousel (elymnifoquent.com). Expect monthly themes and bingo boards alongside GMGR's ongoing A to Z Reading Challenge.

Since I'm a full-time writer, I'll have Elza come on here as a mod so we can coordinate our efforts, but it'd be great if our active members can be neighborly on the threads & help with welcoming and directing newcomers, answering questions, etc. Let's keep GMGR a friendly place & a valuable resource for those who enjoy reading middle grade books. ~CJ

I'm so sorry to hear about Jennifer's passing. I'll be praying for you all and her family. Thank you for the update :)

Oh my. What a shock. Yes, of course we’ll support and help keep this going. Thank you, moderators, for your work behind the scenes.

I am also sorry to hear of Jennifer's passing, and send prayers to her family and friends.

So sorry to hear this! Thank you for finding a manageable way to maintain the book clubs. I'm not as active as I'd like to be, but I always appreciate everything that is done for the group.

So shocked and saddened to hear about Jennifer. Thank you to you and Elza for picking up the torch.

I'm so sorry to learn of Jennifer's passing. I always enjoyed her meaningful comments and suggestions. And thanks to C.J. and Elza for volunteering.