Middle Grade Madness! discussion

A month-long, team-based reading challenge involving ONLY middle-grade books.
(Sign up link below)

Our 5th year! What a milestone!
And we're changing things up this year, starting with hosting this in September instead of August.

Read below to see the rest of the changes...

The Rules:
- Each team has 1 month to try and complete as many tasks as possible.
- 1 book read can fulfil 1 task ONLY.
- 1 task is worth 1 point.
- There are 100 tasks with each 5 tasks grouped into 20 different thematic categories.
- Tasks and categories can be completed in ANY order you as a team decide on.
- There are 5 bonus points for each category completed.
- Page points are also awarded depending on how many pages the book read is. Every 100 pages is equal to 1 page point. (Half points are not awarded so all the page numbers are rounded down to the nearest 100)
- 17 categories will be revealed at the start of the month. Each team chooses 1 category which will be a special category and 1 of those special categories will be revealed at the start of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th week. The special category revealed in week 2 will be worth double points, so each task in that special category will be worth 2 points, the special category revealed in week 3 will be worth triple points, so each task in that special category will be worth 3 points, etc.
- The team with the most points at the end of the month wins!

Golden Task Points:
There are 5 golden task points up for grabs for the 5th task of every category!
In order to do so, the book you read must belong to one of the following 5 options:
- The number of pages has a number 5 in it. (Example: 105 pages, 250 pages, 503 pages, etc)
- The title of the book starts with the letter F (Example: Frizzy… The words like A, An, The DO COUNT)
- The author’s first name starts with the letter V (Example: Veronica Roth)
- The book is the 5th in a series (Example: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)
- The protagonist has the letters F, I, V, & E in their name (can be their full name)

An example of tasks from the category “Holiday”
1. Read a book with the word “Summer” in the title.
2. Read a book where the protagonist gets lost.
3. Read a book with the sun on the cover

WHAT COUNTS AS A MIDDLE GRADE BOOK:
- Must be more than 100 pages long.
*For audio books*: The print edition must be more than 100 pages long.
*For graphic novels*: must be more than 150 pages long.
- Must be categorised as MG+ or MG on this website: https://www.arbookfind.com/
If it says LG or UG on the website it DOESN’T COUNT.
OR
Must be categorised as MY+ or MY on this website: https://www.arbookfind.co.uk/
If it says LY or UY on the website it DOESN’T COUNT.
- Only books started on/after 1st September count!

The Teams:
- Each team has 5 or 6 team members (subject to change depending on number of sign ups)
- Each team will have 1 Captain responsible for the tracking of the team.
- Each member must create a GR shelf called “mg challenge 2024” or “middle-grade challenge 2024” or some other variation and place all books they read for the challenge in that shelf. This is to help you and your Captain keep track of what you've read for the challenge.
- Teams are allocated not chosen and depends on the amount of time people have to read.
- Please make sure you all communicate and have fun!
- If you have any questions please ask your Captain who can then put the question to me on the Captain’s Chat.

Captain's responsibilities:
- Captains are in charge of editing and maintaining their team's spreadsheet.
- Captains are in charge of organising which book is applied to which task within their team.
- Captains should make sure that the info their members give them is correct, i.e. checking their members' GR challenge shelves to see when they started and finished the book, and checking the book counts as MG.
- Captains will be in charge of relaying info regarding questions between the moderator (me) and their team members.
- It's not a dictatorship! Remember to have fun with it and discuss with your team members as their ideas on what book should be applied to what task can be helpful.

*A word of advice:*
There are tons of tasks to complete. At first it will be easy to read whatever MG book you like and then apply it to a task that it fulfils.
After a while, when there are less tasks it will be harder, so it may be smarter to pick a book that can specifically fulfil one task.
This is just an idea... it's up to every team and their Captain to decide their strategy.

If you have any questions please ask below!! You should all receive a message by 21st August to announce the team allocations. Please make sure you check in with your team Captain before 27th August otherwise you may be replaced or removed.

SIGN UP!

Sign ups are open!🎉 Sign up here:
https://forms.gle/uUi71HAfDbk7QRJc7

Teams will be announced on 21st August
Sign ups close on 24th August
Last day to check in with your team is 27th August

Hey everyone! Super happy to see the first few sign ups come through!

Anyone got some books they've been saving to read in the challenge?

I'm hoping to read Small Medium at Large at long last and Liar & Spy

And Then, Boom!
The Language of Seabirds
The Other Side of Perfect
A Sky Full of Song
Warrior on the Mound
Thirst
What Happened to Rachel Riley?

- Loved the first book in this series.
- Loved the first in this series also.
- Another 2nd book in a series.
- I wish the TV series had spent more time on the first book.

oh cool i've reappeared in time :D

So so so excited

Ms. B wrote: "And Then, Boom!
The Language of Seabirds
[bookcover:The Other Side of Perfect|1249..."

The Language of Seabirds is good.

I almost missed the sign ups O.O

So excited for this!

was planning to read it and the other 2 books in the series since the movie is coming. But books 2 and 3 will be put on hold for this challenge.

Excited for this! I love challenges. This is at the top of my TBR:

I think the sign-up form is a link attached to the image in Kadi’s comment above, but my app isn’t cooperating. Could I have a URL please?

Also, I have a bunch of audiobooks on hold on my library app that I’m waiting to borrow when September is closer. I’ll be putting more on hold in the coming days to make sure I have lots of options. Excited! 😊

Abigael wrote: "I think the sign-up form is a link attached to the image in Kadi’s comment above, but my app isn’t cooperating. Could I have a URL please?

Also, I have a bunch of audiobooks on hold on my library..."

https://forms.gle/uUi71HAfDbk7QRJc7

Kadi please open the sign ups again. I would hate for Abigael to have to have to miss out from not having access to the link.

Lynn wrote: " - Loved the first book in this series.
- Loved the first in this series also.
- Anothe..."

I’m surprised you’ve never read Lockwood & Co! I think you’ll enjoy it, it’s really good. The show was different and the plot was rushed, but they definitely captured the essence of the characters well. It’s a shame it was cancelled after only 1 season because people had been clamouring for the show for ages and it did have fans. I think it would’ve done better by not rushing the plot though. And the girl who played Lucy was not a great actor so she sort of made it cringy.

jessica wrote: "oh cool i've reappeared in time :D"

I’m glad you did and glad to see you’ve signed up!

AurorainBookland wrote: "Kadi please open the sign ups again. I would hate for Abigael to have to have to miss out from not having access to the link."

@Aurora the sign ups are still open until 24th August so about another week left. Although we already have enough people for 3 teams of 6! Very happy with the turn out this year, it’s really great to see so many people returning!

@Abigael please feel to sign up when you can here:
https://forms.gle/uUi71HAfDbk7QRJc7
If it wasn’t working before it was probably because my Google Drive said the storage is full so it wouldn’t let me edit documents and probably wouldn’t let the form be completed. I’ve deleted stuff for my storage to go down so hopefully the form should work for you now😊

Kadi wrote: "AurorainBookland wrote: "Kadi please open the sign ups again. I would hate for Abigael to have to have to miss out from not having access to the link."

@Aurora the sign ups are still open until 24..."

Cool! The link when I clicked it said sign ups were closed but I read your message to Abigael too and saw the Google doc thing was full so that's probably why.

Done! Can hardly wait!

Abigael wrote: "Done! Can hardly wait!"

:)

I have read the first one - , and I really liked it but never continued on with the series. I would like to go on with it now and this would be a good opportunity. Yes, the TV series seemed very rushed. The Screaming Staircase never really screamed, which was a disappointment.

I absolutely love the Lockwood series! I enjoyed the TV show, too, and wished it would've continued, but ... somebody should've asked me!

AurorainBookland wrote: "So excited for this!

was planning to read it and the other 2 books in the series since the movie is coming. But books 2 and 3 will be put on hold for this chall..."

The Wild Robot is so good. It is a favorite that I have read twice but should read more often.

I read the 1st book a year or so ago its so good and so far from the trailer it looks like the movie adaption will be true to the book. but some adaptions include stuff from at least the 2nd book.

Georgann wrote: "I absolutely love the Lockwood series! I enjoyed the TV show, too, and wished it would've continued, but ... somebody should've asked me!"

I would have liked more too, but I'm happy to see that better productions are being made from YA books lately.

Middle grade too.

Officially signed up! I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t been checking my Goodreads notifications! I’m very excited!! I have so many books I want to read including finishing a lot of middle grade series that I started. I also want to finish Lockwood and Co. I read the second one in 2022 and I want to continue on. I also want to read the rest of The Gilda Joyce series and I also love the tradition I made where I read one Dork Diaries book each year. Honestly I have so many, I might make a TBR shelf. I also want to get some middle grade graphic novels as well!

I feel like we actually read the first Lockwood and Co book on the group… I might be remembering that wrong though.

@Ilsen glad to have you for another round of the MG Challenge! I also want to read the Gilda Joyce books, thanks for reminding me, I’ll add that onto my pile of potential challenge books

And for graphic novels, I’ve read a couple for the challenge in the past. Amulet was really good, so I want to continue that series and I also have This Was Our Pact which I planned to read for the last challenge but never ended up doing so

Ilsen wrote: "Officially signed up! I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t been checking my Goodreads notifications! I’m very excited!! I have so many books I want to read including finishing a lot of middle..."
I also have a good many series started I'd like to finish for this challenge. But if it goes like it has in the past, I'll end up starting more and adding to my TBR pile! Haha

Kadi, I wonder if you were planning to put out a group wide invitation for the event?

Kadi wrote: "And for graphic novels, I’ve read a couple for the challenge in the past. Amulet was really good, so I want to continue that series and I also have This Was Our Pact which I planned to read for the..."

I've been wanting to read Amulet too.

Kadi wrote: "I feel like we actually read the first Lockwood and Co book on the group… I might be remembering that wrong though.

@Ilsen glad to have you for another round of the MG Challenge! I also want to re..."

Oh we absolutely did. But I took too long to get it so you guys all read it as a series and I never caught up. But I remember it because I told my friend about it and she was actually reading it around that time and she LOVED IT!

Side note: I find it really funny (but also kinda sad) that you thought Lucy was really cringe. Considering that the actress literally gave up being one of the main siblings in the Bridgerton show for the Lockwood and Co. I thought she looked very similar to how I imagine Lucy but maybe in my head she was very rough around the edges. I never watched the show because my friend was too scared to watch it since she loved it so much. Maybe they will get another chance…

I have a stack of random books left over from last year. I have no idea what they are anymore.

Audrey wrote: "I have a stack of random books left over from last year. I have no idea what they are anymore."

I'm with Audrey, only mine have been stacking up for the past 2 years. I've completely filled a literal crate. XD Now let's hope at least SOME of them will score some points!

I've been saving all my middle grade books for this challenge. 😅

Hey guys! If there’s anyone who hasn’t signed up yet and is still considering it, I’m looking for 1 more person to even out the number of people in each team. So far it’s looking like two teams of 8 and one team of 7…

Is anybody else having trouble accessing books on Goodreads?

Update: Problem fixed.

Kadi wrote: "Hey guys! If there’s anyone who hasn’t signed up yet and is still considering it, I’m looking for 1 more person to even out the number of people in each team. So far it’s looking like two teams of ..."

Hi! I'm late to the party. I just sent in my sign up form. Can I fill that open spot?

Gale wrote: "Kadi wrote: "Hey guys! If there’s anyone who hasn’t signed up yet and is still considering it, I’m looking for 1 more person to even out the number of people in each team. So far it’s looking like ..."

Hi Gale, yes you absolutely can! I've seen your sign up details and put you in a team. Now we've got a lovely round number of 8 people in each team yay

Ms. B wrote: "I've been wanting to read Amulet too."

It was quite good! A lot more emotional than I thought it would be so that was nice

Georgann wrote: "Kadi, I wonder if you were planning to put out a group wide invitation for the event?"

Hi sorry Georgann I've just seen this and I did send a group wide invite out! Can't remember what day it was but it was the same day that the sign up form opened.

I'll be sending a group wide invitation out soon to announce the teams

8 people on a team seems like so many! Don’t we usually have 5 or 6 in each group? What’s your strategy, Kadi?

9 days!!

Yes, but people usually drop out.

It does seem big doesn’t it Abigael! But we actually had 3 teams of 8 people each last year as well. It was the year before when we had teams of 5/6 people and that was a bit of a disaster because teams struggled to complete tasks when people went AWOL.

The strategy this year is similar to last year. Bigger teams are more fun and there is a good mix of light readers and heavy readers in each team so like Chara said if people drop out or go a bit quiet or read more slowly then there are still people in the team reading more.
I don’t think many will disappear this year like last year though because most people who have signed up have taken part in a previous year so they know the level of commitment needed.

Also this year it’s slightly different because we still start off with 17 categories and then 1 category will be revealed each week so by week 4 all 20 categories are out. So it’s impossible for a team to finish all tasks by like mid month because not all tasks are revealed by then.

Made a shelf for possible reads and went through my tbr on Goodreads and what books I own / should be fairly easy to get through the library so I have options hopefully some of those will work.

Kadi wrote: "Georgann wrote: "Kadi, I wonder if you were planning to put out a group wide invitation for the event?"

Hi sorry Georgann I've just seen this and I did send a group wide invite out! Can't remember..."
Thanks Kadi, I did get it! I just didn't see a notification, I guess. Thanks for all your work putting this together for us.