I generally cannot read Neil Gaiman, but The Graveyard Book is so very good.

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/13531021-splendors-and-glooms

This one completely captivated me. I've read other books by her that I've been less enamored by, but this one is great.

I started reading middle grade fiction when my kids were in their early grades, to build a library of books they might enjoy ahead of time. But I think I liked this book better than either of my kids did.

Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri. Best book I have read, ever.

Terry Pratchett, specifically the Tiffany Aching mini-series

I enjoyed the penderwicks

I saw an interview with the guy who wrote the Book Thief who said YA is a marketing term made up for the US— in other parts of the world these are just books.

Also saw that the BBC is turning the Dark is Rising into a radio play for December— I think that series is very underrated (maybe not as much as Lloyd Alexander).

Agree Kate diCamillo is a good writer— aside from Tale of Desperaux she’s written Because of Winn Dixie, Flora and Ulysses (and for new readers, Mercy Watson).

recommend reading YA books by Louis Lowry and Neil Gaiman.. loved them
all!

The woman who wrote tale of despereux is a really good writer. The Tuesday in the castle series is also a very good writer.
I think most of the middle grades and YA stuff is way too schlocky.

I worship Wonder. My kids liked the spinoffs, but I didn't.

For bubble gum pop, I like the To All the Boys I've Loved Before.

I read some John Green, some Laurie Halse Anderson. There are definitely outstanding YA writers. I don't love the dark witchy fantasy stuff that seems to be popular in YA at the moment.

I really like both the adult and the young adult books by Robin McKinley, especially The Blue Sword and The Hero And The Crown, and Deerskin — which has more adult themes.
E.L. Konigsburg, Virginia Hamilton are other favorite authors.

I typically read the same books as my daughters so we can discuss them.

Definitely read the other Auggie and Me stories after Wonder.

Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, Alone, Nevermoor, are other great books for that age.

I generally don’t enjoy children literature for myself, but YA author Laurie Halse Anderson is fabulous. One of the best contemporary writers.

When did this become a thing on DCUm????

I'm so effin' excited.

So, I have a confession. My husband and I are hoarders...book hoarders. During covid I started reading all the kid lit that was all over my house. I'm reading Wonder now. Yes, I saw the movie but, ffs, I can't read 25 pages without crying.

It's also really good and Laf-eye-ett doesn't seem to be a figure yet (about 100 pages in).

Did you read it? Love it?

Other kid lit recs?