There’s A Book for That…

A variety of topics flew through my mind when writing this blog post, but I settled on one that I felt could be interesting and helpful to kids during the unprecedented time we find ourselves in. In this post, I will explore a handful of middle grade books that take us away from the uncertainty of our current situation and bring us into new or different places, worlds, or times.

With our reality being turned upside-down, seemingly overnight, I felt overwhelmed almost instantly. My routine and all senses of “normal” had basically vanished. I no longer was going to work or seeing friends and my kids were not going to school or participating in any of their activities. I always turn to a book to sort out my feelings or learn how to handle new experiences. I want to connect with a character who knows what I am going through or who can provide me with a way to escape my current reality and let me see the world through his/her eyes.

I know that adults have been dealing with a lot of new challenges during this time of “social distancing,” but kids have too, and I think that sometimes goes unnoticed. I’m hoping this list of audio and eBooks can help kids take a trip in their minds, out of their bedrooms or living rooms, and be entertained and relax for a little while.

Other Places

Follow Martin Rattler and his friend Barney O’Flannagan as they head to South America after accidently boarding the ship, The Firefly. Trouble never seems to be far from these friends as they escape pirates and survive a shipwreck to explore the Brazilian jungle.
Midnight in the Piazza by Tiffany Parks (eBook on hoopla)
Beatrice, a history lover, moves to Rome when her father gets a job at the American Academy. While exploring the new city that is her home, Beatrice hears whispers of an unsolved mystery involving the turtle fountain outside her window. Suddenly, the fountain is stolen before Beatrice can fully investigate the legend. Beatrice knows it’s up to her, and her new friend Marco, to stop another work of art from being stolen.
The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia Nobel (hoopla audiobook)
Just before heading off to boarding school in England, Emmy finds a box of medallions in her attic. Medallions that belonged to her father, who disappeared years ago. Once at her new school, Emmy notices the symbols from the medallions everywhere – etched into walls and written in books. This leads her to a secret society – The Order of Black Hollow Lane. Did they have something to do with her dad’s disappearance? Is there more to her boarding school than meets the eye?

Other Times

Flashback Four: The Lincoln Project by Dan Gutman (eBook on hoopla)
Four kids, selected by a billionaire, travel through time to record and photograph history’s most important moments. In the first book of the series, the kids have to photograph President Lincoln giving his Gettysburg Address. They have to get in, get the photos, and get out…. without getting caught! Can these 21st century kids make it in the 19th century?
I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 by Lauren Tarshis (hoopla audiobook)
Be transported back in time and follow the story of Nathaniel Knox. Knox is on the way to New York City to find his father when he is caught up in a battle between the British and American troops. What started out as a fight for America’s freedom ends up as a terrible struggle for the rag-tag American troops. Nathaniel just wants to find his father….and escape the battle!
The Secret of the Scarab Beetle by William Meyer (eBook on hoopla)
Horace J. Edwards begins 6th grade in a new town in Michigan only to end up in the ancient Egyptian city of Amarna after receiving a mysterious scarab beetle as a birthday gift.






Other Worlds

Albrek’s Tomb by M.L. Forman (hoopla eBook)
A dwarf named Albrek set off looking for mines in the land of Thraxon hoping to become rich. Two-thousand years after his disappearance, the dwarves must find Albrek’s magical Ring of Searching before their own mines run dry. Alex Taylor joins a group of adventurers looking for the ring and Albrek’s tomb; but a lost ring may be the least of their problems as they journey through deserted villages and deal with mysterious creatures of the undead.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (eBook on hoopla)
Townspeople leave a baby for Xan, the witch in the forest, every year as an offering. They don’t know that Xan is kind and brings the babies to families on the other side of the forest, while feeding them starlight along the way. One year, Xan accidently feeds a baby moonlight instead and fills the girl with magic. As Luna grows, her magic begins to appear with dangerous consequences.
The Serpent’s Secret by Sayatani Dasgupta (Audio Book on hoopla)
On her twelfth birthday, Kiranmala’s life in New Jersey gets turned upside-down when her parents mysteriously vanish, and it’s revealed that she is a Princess from another dimension. Can she solve riddles, banish demons, and save New Jersey and her parents?



For more information on our Virtual Branch offerings, please visit https://mcl.org/virtual or visit our YouTube channel (link for YouTube) for “how to” videos

- Liz H., Hightsotwn

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