Needs some Raina Telgemeier readalikes?

Smile, Sisters, and Guts by Raina Telgemeier are megahits in the graphic novel world. Earlier, I suggested a roundup of realistic fiction graphic novels. This selection of readalikes is a bit wider ranging, including graphic novels and prose novels. 

If You Like Raina Telgemeier ... 

Smile, Sisters, and Guts by Raina Telgemeier (series)

Twins by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright

Stargazing by Jen Wang

Roll with It by Jaime Sumner

First Rule of Punk by Celia Perez

When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed, and Iman Geddy

The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell

Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgel

What are your favorite graphic novels?

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Babysitter's Club readalikes

My 5th graders love realistic fiction and graphic novels, so what could be better than realistic graphic novels? This #FirstChapterFriday collection is pretty much always checked out from the classroom library, but it's fun to booktalk them anyway so readers can plan ahead about books they'd like.

You can always tell the savvy readers who skip the queue at school and order books from the public library - smart!

If You Liked the Babysitter's Club Graphic Novels

TThe Babysitter's Club Graphic Novels (series)

Sunny Side Up (series)

Merci Suarez Changes Gears (series - not graphic novel)

Real Friends (series)

Just Jaime (series)

Go with the Flow

All's Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson

El Deafo by Cece Bell

New Kid (Class Act is the second, School Trip is the third in the series)

There are so, so many more graphic novels I could include (and you'll notice graphic novels pop up in a lot of my other book-recommendation categories too). What are your favorite realistic fiction graphic novels?

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Best Middle Grade Survival Stories

Survival stories are always a big hit with kids. I still have falling-apart copies of Hatchet well loved across several generations of students and readers, but there are so many amazing new survival stories in the last few years. 

Be prepared if sharing survival stories for #FirstChapterFriday - your students will NEVER want you to stop reading! 

Survival Stories

I Survived books (series) by Laura Tarshis (series)

Alone by Megan Freeman

The Canyon's Edge by Dusti Bowling

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

Hatchet (series) by Gary Paulsen

Stella By Starlight by Sharon Draper

Controlled Burn by Erin Soderberg Downing

The Disaster Days by Rebecca Behrens

Alone in the Woods by Rebecca Behrens

I was obsessed with survival stories as a kid (and definitely planned my own tree-based dwelling ala My Side of the Mountain). What's your favorite survival story?

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Looking for Humorous Middle Grade Books?

So many students want humorous books. Instead of falling back on old standards, how about some of these titles? This topic was a HUGE hit with my 5th graders for #FirstChapterFriday. 

Humorous Middle Grade Books

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid (series)
• Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key (series)
• The Strange Case of Origami Yoda (series)
• Spy School (series)
• NERDS (series)
• Stuntboy (series)
• Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales (series)
• 13-Story Treehouse (series)
• The Last Kids on Earth (series)

What are your most in-demand humorous books? 

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Diversify your Magic and Magical Schools Books

Every Friday I share one or more books with my students as part of #FirstChapterFriday. It's an amazing way to build your reading community and get kids excited about books

This week was one of my highest-demand categories...

Diverse Magic and Magical School Books

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

Lia Park and the Missing Jewel by Jenna Yoon (book two is out now!)

Nic Blake and the Remarkables: the Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas

Lei and the Fire Goddess by Malia Maunakea

Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria by George Jreije

The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton (book two is out now!)

The Witchlings by Claribel Ortega (book two is out now!)

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston (book two is out now!)

Which have you read? I'm 4 for 8 and might have to request the rest from the public library, because these are going to be going hand-to-hand in my classroom for the rest of the year! 

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First Chapter Friday: new in 2022 #iLoveMG

Last month for #FirstChapterFriday I put together a list of books that are debuted in 2022. I was fortunate enough to receive copies of these books through a giveaway on Twitter hosted by 

Check out #iLoveMG for more books that my fifth graders recommend. (Please note that my fifth graders read a wide variety of books across a wide variety of genres, levels, and topics. Do not think that these books are "only" for fifth graders.) Or check out #3rdfor3rd for recommendations from when I taught third grade.

New 2022 Middle Grade

(Whenever possible, I like to include author photos along with book covers when sharing books with kids. It helps reinforce the idea that authors are real people!)

• Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence by Sonja Thomas
• The Way I Say It by Nancy Tandon
• Lia Park and the Missing Jewel by Jenna Yoon

Click here for all of our #iLoveMG posts. What are your favorite middle grade books this year?

Scary Middle Grade Stories #iLoveMG

This year I've been doing #FirstChapterFriday a little differently. Rather than read a single chapter from a book, I've been sharing more sets of books, united with a common theme. Some have been series or books by the same author, while others are more topical. In honor of Halloween, I put together this round up of spooky stories that are pitch-perfect for middle grade readers. 

Check out #iLoveMG for more books that my fifth graders recommend. (Please note that my fifth graders read a wide variety of books across a wide variety of genres, levels, and topics. Do not think that these books are "only" for fifth graders.) Or check out #3rdfor3rd for recommendations from when I taught third grade.

Spooky Stories for Middle Grade

(Whenever possible, I like to include author photos along with book covers when sharing books with kids. It helps reinforce the idea that authors are real people!)

• The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf
• Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega
• Comb of Wishes by Lisa Stringfellow
• The Clackity by Lora Senf

• Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian Heidicker (and the sequel Scary Stories for Young Foxes: the City)
• The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie
• Scritch Scratch by Lindsay Currie
• The Ghost of Spruce Point by Nancy Tandon
• The Jumbies (series) by Tracey Baptiste

Click here for all of our #iLoveMG posts. What are your favorite spooky stories for middle grade readers?