Five Middle-Grade Series That Have Shaped Who I Am

There is a long list of middle-grade books that live rent free in my head. I’ve always been drawn to this genre and that has made me wonder: why? It’s about more than the whimsical settings, the creative plots and the high stakes. The thing that constantly draws me in is the characters themselves, and their journey to finding family, community, and a place of belonging. It’s the stories of normal people with big fears, going through life and discovering greatness in themselves. Middle grade is fascinating because it perfectly portrays what someone believing in you can do to transform your life.

I find many middle grade books so uplifting because they show what life can be like when you receive a task bigger than yourself and with the help of others you go for it. They show what life is like when you discover what is special about you and use it to save the world. They show how family can shape you, how love can transform you, and how adventure can teach you more about yourself. Today, I’m sharing a list of a few of my favorite middle-grade books.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

This comes as no surprise at this point, but Narnia is one of my favorite series ever. In The Chronicles of Narnia, the main characters are always children who have a destiny far bigger than they can imagine. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy were destined to be Kings and Queens, ruling all of Narnia. Caspian is destined to be the savior and restorer of Narnia after the Telmarines have conquered the country and oppressed the people. Eustace and Jill are sent on a quest to save a prince and restore a kingdom.

All of these characters were drawn into a story greater than themselves. How like this is our life with Jesus? He calls us to something greater than we could ever imagine. On our own it would be impossible. And yet, He equips us, leads us, and sends us help to successfully fulfill the destines He’s given us. Just like Aslan was with all these characters, the real Lion is with us leading us on to fulfill our purpose.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

In The Mysterious Benedict Society, four kids with extraordinary gifts are recruited by Nicolas Benedict to help defeat a great evil releasing chaos, fear, and panic into the world. Reynie Muldoon joins the society by becoming the first child to ever have a perfect score in Nicolas Benedict’s tests. After successfully passing the test, he meets the rest of the unlikely team: an acrobatic and tall girl, a boy with perfect memory, and a little grumpy girl with a fondness for napping and the uncanny ability to read minds.

All these children come together because of their gifts, and using them, they are able to defeat Dr. Curtain’s biggest weapon, the Whisperer. They defeated evil using their talents, learning to work as a team, and embracing who they are.

This is much like the kingdom, where we use our God-given gifts to bring about light and dissipate darkness. God has given us gifts, talents, and unique personalities, all which are indispensable to our mission: defeating the enemy and helping set people free from his power. God has called us to be part of His family and His team, bringing about freedom for others through the use of the gifts and personality He gives us.

The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

In The Wingfeather Saga, three children discover that they are the long-lost royals and the Jewels of Anniera. Now, working with their family and friends, they must find a way to stay alive and restore a legendary kingdom across the sea. Throughout the journey, they discover that they each have unique talents and roles. Janner is the Throne Warden, and as the oldest must protect the king at all costs. Kalmar is the King, and must learn to act selflessly. Leeli is the Song Maiden, and can use her music to fight evil and defend her family.

The Wingfeathers learn what it means to love selflessly, to sacrifice for family, and to serve others above themselves. As the story progresses, they learn not only that they are royalty, but they learn how royalty is supposed to live and what distinguishes them from the rest.

This echoes one of my favorite things we learn throughout the Bible. Each of us is called to learn to live like royalty. We all have been given an identity as sons and daughters of God, and through our lives we must learn how to behave as such, selflessly giving and serving just like our older brother, Christ, did. We are all important in the Kingdom of God, and we’ve all been called to live like royalty.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Anne is an orphan girl who is finally adopted, only to arrive home and realize that her family wanted a boy in her place. With her unique imagination, fiery temper, and way of seizing life with both hands, Anne soon wins the hearts of Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. The series follows her life as she makes friends, navigates love, and builds a family of her own.

One of the things I love about this series is the overall sense of community that blossoms throughout the books. Anne not only steals the hearts of Matthew and Marilla, but she goes on to win the hearts of those around her. She does all this by being her imaginative, wild self. And as she grows up, she learns to be valued for who she truly is. Anne learns that imagination and expectations are all fun and games, but it is the embracing of the life and people before her that makes everything meaningful.

Anne has always reminded me of what home and family look like. Much like her, we were all orphans at some point in our lives before we were adopted by God and came into his family. And it is within God’s family that we discover who we really are and grow into the person He has created us to be. Much like Anne needed her new family and community to grow into the woman she became, we all need our Father and our Church family to help mold us and grow us into the people God intends us to be.

Mandie by Lois Gladys Leppard

The Mandie books are a long series of mysteries following the life of a young girl who runs away from home after her father’s death to live with her uncle. The plan seems foolproof until she arrives only to find her uncle missing and many people trying to claim his inheritance. Mandie makes new friends, delves into her past, and discovers a new family which leads her on a merry chase of one mystery after another.

Through every adventure, Mandie’s lifeline is a famous verse in the book of Psalms: “What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in thee.” This becomes her mantra as she chases bandits, explores grand mansions, goes to boarding school, and visits her Cherokee family.

The one thing that always stood out to me in this series (besides the fun mysteries in each book) was how Mandie’s lifeline was always reaching out to God even when things turned bleak. Growing up, if I ever found myself in a fearful place I would remember the verse Mandie would always quote. There is something powerful about learning to lean on God each and every moment of our lives and encouraging those around us to do the same.

These series are full of fun, adventure, family, friendship, whimsy and courage. If you’ve never picked up a middle grade book, I encourage you to give it a shot! These books weren’t written just for young audiences, but for people who love adventure and enjoy seeing life through different lenses. They inspire a love for life, an appreciation for family, and a desire to live a little bolder and be a little braver.

Happy reading! If you know any young people in your life who might enjoy these book recs, feel free to share this article with them.

Anna

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