Back to the 2020 Holiday Gift Guide
A beautiful older-middle-grade read that addresses themes of grief, race, and sexuality, King and the Dragonflies will make you cry and give you hope. --Talia
My favorite middle grade of the year. An utterly compelling tale of haves and have-nots set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world. An adventure yarn for sure but it's also full of sophisticated observations on leadership, power, resources and greed that couldn't be more timely. My at-the-time 11-year-old loved it as well -- in fact, he's who told me I had to read it. And now I'm telling you. --Elese
Matilda Woods’ clever folktale-inspired stories are just waiting to be discovered by a wider audience. In her latest a young boy named Otto finds himself in Hodeldorf, a peculiarly cold village, where he quickly becomes separated from his mother, then his coat, before things take an even sharper turn for the worse. Delightfully littered with magical elements throughout, this is a read-aloud that equally captivated both my 12- and 8-year-old boys alike. What a treat. --Elese
My boys and I passed the early stay-at-home days of the pandemic in the world of 1880s LaForge, Dakota Territory, as seen through the eyes of Hanna. It's a Little House on the Prairie take that de-centers the white experience; Hanna's late mother is Chinese & Korean and her father is white. While navigating the pervasive racism of this up-and-coming railroad town, Hanna pursues her dream of becoming a dressmaker, with all of the gloriously detailed sewing descriptions one could hope for -- bolts of calico fabric, button boxes and Godey's Lady's Book fashions. --Elese
Well, we haven't been high-fiving as much as we would have expected in 2020 ... but still, did you know that the high-five was invented by MLB player Glenn Burke in the 1970s?! Burke is a hero to Silas, a kid obsessed with baseball, Sandlot and making his teammates laugh. And there's another thing about Glenn Burke - he was gay. So is Silas. Silas channels Burke's spirit as he navigates speaking his truth to the friends, family and teammates in his life. A book full of hijinks and heart perfect for any sports fan. --Elese
Legitimately spooky and filled with some of my new favorite characters, Hide and Seeker is one of the best middle-grade horror novels I have ever read. Hermon balances her scares with some great moments of humor, so the novel never feels too dark, even as it maintains a constant atmosphere of creepiness. --Zach
An early chapter book best for ages 6-9. Iggy is the kind of kid who can't seem to help himself from getting into trouble. It's mostly small potatoes -- well, there was that one incident on the roof -- until it isn't. But he's so darn lovable you can't help but root for him. Kids will laugh out loud, adults will appreciate how Iggy models for young readers that it's OK to make mistakes; it's about how you pick yourself back up and learn to make amends from your heart. -Elese