10 Things To Know About Middle Grade Literature

Lately, I've seen a lot of blog posts discussing middle grade literature as though it is a new, difficult-to-define category. I hope to clear up at least some of the misconceptions with this quick list of things to know. 

• “Middle grade” is not a new term. It’s been in use in publications like Booklist and The Horn Book since at least 1967, and is also sometimes used synonymously with juvenile fiction (as differentiated from picture books or young adult fiction).
• Middle grade refers, literally, to the middle grades of a child’s education, roughly grades 4 to 7, or ages 8 to 12. Education literature often uses the term “middle grade” to define a level of education, not just a level of reading ability. I have seen references to “middle grade math” and “middle grade science” as well as “middle grade fiction.”
• Books read by middle school students may or may not be middle grade. Most middle school libraries I have seen have a mix of middle grade and young adult books designed to suit the interests of a student body ranging in age from 10 to 14. Many middle school books are on the upper end of the middle grade reading spectrum, and might not be appropriate for kids on the lower end.
• Middle grade is not a genre. Middle grade books can fall into any number of genres - mystery, fantasy, realistic fiction, biography, self-help, how-to, etc.
• Middle grade novels do have chapters, but they are different from chapter books. A chapter book is a transitional book for kids who have mastered the basics of reading but are not quite ready for the complications of plot and character introduced in a children’s novel. Chapter books can be appropriate for kids ages 5-8, while middle grade books straddle the late elementary and early middle school years.
• Middle grade books will typically include stories of family, friendship, neighborhood happenings, school, bullying, fighting the forces of evil, overcoming hardship, and beginning puberty. Middle grade books will not include sex scenes, drug use, heavy violence, or other edgy, dark concepts. (Books for kids containing these subjects are young adult books.)
• A middle grade book does not have to be appropriate for the entire 8-12 age range to be classified as middle grade. Books that appeal only to 9-year-olds are middle grade, as are books that appeal only to 12-year-olds. The middle grade category is a spectrum, and it encompasses a continuum of reading levels.
• Authors of middle grade books sometimes write young adult fiction and vice versa. What determines whether the book is middle grade or YA is the subject matter and reading level, not the person who wrote the story. Though both are by Suzanne Collins, Gregor the Overlander is middle grade, and The Hunger Games is young adult.
• Middle grade is a concept understood by teachers, librarians, authors, and publishers, but most kids don’t know which category the books they read fit into. Teens might know to ask where the young adult section is, but a middle grade child is probably going to ask, “Where are the fifth grade books?” not “Where is the middle grade section?” Middle grade is a useful term to use among children’s literature professionals, but it’s jargon and not necessary to use with the general public.
• Categories are useful for organizing libraries and guessing at what a collective body of kids might be interested in reading, but terms like "middle grade" only matter insofar as they are helpful. The best way to determine whether a given book is appropriate for a given child is to gather facts about both and make an informed recommendation based on what you learn.

9 Father/Son Picture Books

Last week, I shared a list of Daddy/Daughter picture books in preparation for Father's Day. Here is a companion list, featuring books about fathers and sons. 

• Daddy Makes the Best Spaghetti
  by Anna Grossnickle Hines
  Corey and his dad get dinner ready while they wait for Mom to come home.
• Enemy Pie
  by Derek Munson & Tara Calahan King
  When a boy appeals to his dad looking for help dealing with an enemy in the neighborhood his father suggests making enemy pie to take care of him once and for all.
• Hush, Little Digger
  by Ellen Olson-Brown & Lee White
  A father sings a lullaby filled with construction vehicles to his young son.
• The Impossible Patriotism Project
  by Linda Skeers & Ard Hoyt
  Caleb find's inspiration for his class's patriotism project in his father, who is deployed.
• Mitchell’s License
  by Hallie Durand & Tony Fucile
  Mitchell's father gives him a license to drive him to bed each night, but he draws the line when Mitchell wants to fuel up at the cookie jar.
• Papa, Do You Love Me?
  by Barbara Joosse & Barbara Lavallee
  A Masai boy repeatedly asks if his father loves him, always receiving a reassuring response.
• Pete’s a Pizza
  by William Steig
  Pete and his dad play a fun game where Pete gets turned into a pizza.
• There, There
  by Sam McBratney
  A father bear helps his son when injuries and other problems disrupt their daily routine.
• Your Daddy Was Just Like You
  by Kelly Bennett & David L. Walker
  A grandmother informs her grandson of all the ways his father was just like him growing up.

Story Time Music: Extension Songs (and Rhymes)

Welcome back to my continuing series on story time music. All the previous posts in this series can be read here. Last week, my post was all about the opening sequence of story time. Today, I'll look at using songs and rhymes to extend the story time experience beyond the pages of a book.

Though it’s not always possible to find a song or rhyme to accompany every book I read at story time, I do like to find songs and rhymes that extend the reading experience whenever possible. If I read a book that introduces colors, I might then sing a song about a rainbow, or present a flannel board about coloring with different-colored crayons. If my book involves counting, I’ll follow it up with a song about “five little somethings” or a counting fingerplay. Not only does this help kids internalize the information they’ve heard in a given story; it also makes it easy for me to choose which of the many songs and rhymes in my archives I will use at a given session. While I think it’s great to repeat some songs at every story time, or at least regularly for a number of sessions, it’s also nice to have some variety and to match books with thematically related activities, even if the overall story time does not have a theme.

There are tons of extension songs and rhymes out there on the internet, and they can vary greatly in quality. The best ones seem to have the following:

• Natural-sounding rhythm and rhyme. Songs shouldn't attempt to squeeze too many syllables into a line and they shouldn't use particular words just because they rhyme. Each word should make sense and clearly belong to the song.
• Accurate and relevant information. Songs should reinforce correct information from the books, instead of making things up just to create a cute song. (Penguins don't fly for example, so a flying bird song doesn't work in a penguin theme.) 
• A catchy tune. Since audience participation is a key part of story time, it helps to find songs that have familiar tunes, or at least tunes that are easy to learn after just a few repetitions. Sometimes it might help to write your own piggyback songs based on the tunes your groups know best. (Check out my post on writing piggyback songs for more information!)
• Motions, sounds, or other ways to encourage interaction. Story time audiences stay engaged when their contribution matters! Find songs with simple motions for the kids to act out, and teach them how to make the movements. 
• Versatility. While it's great to find a perfect song that suits an obscure theme, it is much better to find a song that will suit a variety of themes so your groups can learn it once and sing it many times over. I like Chickadee, for example, because it works for multiple themes: birds, spring, flying, counting, and happiness.  

A long list of thematically organized extension activities that I have pulled from various sources can be found on my wiki.  Feel free to share your favorite resources for extension songs and rhymes in comments!

Next week, I'll be focusing on getting the wiggles out with movement songs and stretches.

LibraryAdventure.com: 7 Qualities of Awesome Children's Librarians

My latest post at The Library Adventure is dedicated to awesome children's librarians everywhere. Check it out - and give a shout-out to your favorite librarians in the comments!