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MG Book Gift Guide: 2019 Edition

It's been a couple of years since I've done a book gift guide. I enjoyed doing them, and wanted to again. I hope someone out there will find it useful. If you are looking for a book to buy a kid in your life, here is one place where you can get some recommendations. This is clearly not an exhaustive list and I hope others will add their own ideas, either by making their own posts or mentioning books in the comments. These are all book I have read, and I can't read everything. There's not enough time.

NOTE: In publishing the term Middle Grade (MG) refers to books marketed toward the 9ish-12ish range. This is not a reading level recommendation. Some kids can read them much younger, others enjoy reading MG well into adulthood. They're just good books. (I will do the Young Adult books for the 13 and over crowd later this week.)

These are mostly books published in the past three years or so, but I have added a "tried and true" option to every category. I've put the genre and year published after each.

Links are to my reviews.

For Those Looking for Fantasy Adventure

 Begone the Raggedy Witches by Celine Kiernan
Dragonfell by Sarah Prineas


 The Lighthouse Between Worlds by Melanie Crowder
Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin


The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis
The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephane Burgis

(The third book in this trilogy, The Princess Who Flew with Dragons releases November 5 if you want to get a whole set for someone. I haven't read it yet, but I'm sure it will hold up. Stephanie is a wonderfully consistent writer.)



The Lost Books by Sarah Prineas
The Wrong Side of Magic by Janette Rallison


Miss Ellicott's School for the Magically Minded by Sage Blackwood

Tried and True Rec:

For Those Looking For Realistic, Relatable Tales of Friendship and Family

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams


Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Patina by Jason Reynolds
(These are the first two books in a fabulous series. The series is finished, so it's great if you're looking to buy a whole set.)


The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall
(This is the perfect ending for a perfect series. Another opportunity to buy an entire set of books!)
Family Game Night and Other Catastrophes by Mary E. Lambert


Amina's Voice by Hena Khan
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya

Tried and True Rec:

For Those Who Enjoy Reading About Times Gone By


The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis
Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Reneé Watson

 
Midnight Without a Moon and A Sky Full of Stars by Linda Williams Jackson



Tried and True Rec:


For Those Looking For Fantasy with Shades of Realism 


 The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu
Angel and Bavar by Amy Wilson



York: The Shadow Cipher by Laura Ruby

Tried and True Rec:

Remember, this is just scratching the surface! Feel free to ask me questions or for other recs if there is something you're interested in. 

Here are Previous Guides (where the categories were more creative):

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Comments

Jenna @ Falling Letters said…
Handy list; thanks for sharing!
November 10, 2019 at 11:33 PM
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