In my neighborhood, interfaith Jewish families are not unusual and yet there is a real scarcity of books on this topic. I searched online and then asked my local librarians when my original list wasn’t at my library to come up with this list. I hope you enjoy it as much I did. And I hope children of all faiths can read and discuss some of these books.
Category: Reading Lists: Middle Grade
Middle grade chapter books for kids ages 9 through 14 and including 3rd grade books, 4th grade books, 5th grade books, 6th grade books, and 7th grade books.
Support Your Child’s Passion (and The Dreamer)
Paul Neruda’s childhood is the focal point of Ryan’s fictionalized novel. With regard to passion, Paul’s interest and gift for words was not embraced by his domineering and controlling father. His brother’s gift for classical voice was also rejected by their father in an effort to steer his sons into careers in engineering or medicine.
Our Extraordinary Earth: Non Fiction for ages 6-12
This is what I learned from Planet Earth, Our Extraordinary World Up Close! by Matthew Murrie and Steve Murrie:
-The black ink the octopus sprays in the face of pursuers is believed to disrupt their sense of smell.
– One Dugong can devour a bed of seagrass the size of a soccer field in one day!
Groundhog Day + Pinky and Rex = 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass (ages 8-12)
11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass is an amusing read about the challenges of middle-school friendships with a “pay it forward” theme. As Amanda relives her 11th birthday with her best friend Leo, she gets the chance to learn about their shared family history, pursue the dreams she too scared to attempt, and help those around her. Maybe we all should get a Ground Hog day experience!
Chinese King Arthur: The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen (ages 8-14)
Lloyd Alexander’s The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen reminds me of Percy Jackson but the zen version or even a more swashbuckling version of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. For ages 8-14.
Japanese American Post Internment Story: Journey Home (ages 8-12)
Journey Home is an important Japanese American story about what happened after the Japanese Americans were released from internment camp and this is also Yoshiko Uchida’s own family story about overcoming barriers, perseverance, and ultimately, of forgiveness.
Girl Bullying: The Hundred Dresses by Estes (grades 3-5th)
This book was written in 1944 but it’s still so relevant today. The author’s daughter said that her mother, who grew up in West Haven, Connecticut where the story takes place was the girl (Maddie)who stood by while her friend (Peggy) led the girl bullying towards a girl who was Polish and claimed to have one hundred dresses in her closet while wearing just one shabby dress every day to school. Like the girl in the story (Wanda), this little girl moves to New York City, but the author never gets a chance to tell her how sorry she is. Instead, she writes this book.