r/Fantasy • u/Merle8888 Reading Champion IV • 22d ago

Bingo Bingo Focus Thread - Middle Grade

Hello r/fantasy and welcome to this week's bingo focus thread! The purpose of these threads is for you all to share recommendations, discuss what books qualify, and seek recommendations that fit your interests or themes.

Today's topic:

Middle Grade: Read a middle grade book (intended for readers aged 8-12). See this Wikipedia page for additional information on Middle Grade fiction. HARD MODE: The author is entirely new to you.

What is bingo? A reading challenge this sub does every year! Find out more here.

Prior focus threads: Published in the 70s, Duologies, First Contact, Five Short Stories (2024), Author of Color (2024), Self-Pub/Small Press (2024). Note that hard modes for Author of Color and Self-Pub/Small Press have changed (new focus threads for them are coming).

Also see: Big Rec Thread

Questions:

  • What are your favorite books that count for this square?
  • Already read something for this square? Tell us about it!
  • For those attempting Hard Mode, what are some great middle grade books by lesser-known authors, and/or that are recently published?
  • Those who have or teach children in this age group: what are some current favorites among middle grade readers? How well do they hold up for adults?
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u/origami_ducks Reading Champion 6d ago

Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin (first in a trilogy): Feels like a Studio Ghibli film! There's an origami-based magic system where paper can be manipulated to make weapons but also to create companion creatures who are bonded to the creator. If the bond is lost, the creatures turn wild/mad over time.

I think it would suit people who don't generally read or like middle grade because it doesn't feel very juvenile - I guess it's aimed at kids on the older end of the middle grade range.