The evolution of my reading habits. {2}

Posted September 12, 2014 by Asheley in Uncategorized / 16 Comments

Image: Asheley @ Into the Hall of Books

Last time I discussed how my reading habits have changed, I talked about how I have started reading series books back-to-back and how my Series Finales Fear has lessened and maybe even disappeared. 
These things have changed my life and I kind of like it. 

YAY FOR ME!! 

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Here is another way my reading routine has changed lately:

Before: I have always read a little bit of everything, even though I’ve had my favorites. 
Now: I still read a little bit of everything, but I’m reading a ton of MIDDLE GRADE. 

This actually doesn’t bother me at all. I love Middle Grade books. I LOVE Newbery Medal winners and Newbery Honors books. I just cannot remember when I have read this many of them in such a short amount of time…except for when I was actually a middle-grader myself. 

The deal is this: I’m homeschooling this year. We’ve been a little on the slow-side to settling in around here, which is totally fine. But instead of throwing everyone 
(ages: 11, 11, and 8) into new schools with all that is going on around them – we’re just homeschooling this year. It is working out really well! 

I’ve more or less always been a “read what they read” kind of gal. I like to know what they’re reading, but REALLY I JUST LIKE TO DISCUSS THE BOOKS WITH THEM. I want to engage them and see what their young minds think. Also, you guys, I will discuss books with anyone that will listen to me…

…this includes tweaking a homeschool curriculum to make it heavy on the literature and then reading AMAZING Middle Grade books with my young people and THEN making them talk about it with me. 

It’s actually quite lovely. 

We’ve already read a few and loved them. 
Right now we’re all reading this: 


If you’ve read this, THEN YOU KNOW. 
(sobs * kleenex * sobs)
This is a re-read for me! Layla, Greta, and Jack are all reading for the first time. 
One finished this morning, tearfully. One is currently biting her nails, almost finished. 
The other is trying to figure out the ending and asking me if he is correct. 

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As I said, I’m still reading other books, but it is just taking me a little longer to get through them – especially if I do not have an audiobook version to listen to. But that’s okay! I had nearly forgotten how much I love some of these books that I read a bazillion years ago and I am ALWAYS up for middle grade and Newbery. I just didn’t expect it to be so much, right now.  

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What are your favorite middle grade books?



Asheley

About Asheley

Asheley is a Southern girl. She loves Carolina blue skies, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and NC craft beer. She loves all things history but prefers books over everything.

You can find her somewhere in North Carolina, daydreaming about the ocean.

Find Asheley on Litsy @intothehallofbooks!

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16 responses to “The evolution of my reading habits. {2}

  1. YAY Middle Grade! Asking me to choose a favorite is TOO HARD.

    But I want to plug Adventures Through Awkwardness and let you know that your kiddos can totally enter to win books and such too!

    YAY for happy new life changes, Ash!

    • It is TOO HARD to choose favorites! I love them all so much. It's been so awesome to reread them and read some new ones.

      I don't know about ATA but I will absolutely have to check it out. I've been out of the loop with blogging lately, YIKES!

      Life changes can be hard but also exciting. (:

  2. I really enjoy reading Middle Grade books too, and I'm looking forward to discussing them with my kids when they're also reading those books. The books that had the biggest impact on my life–To Kill A Mockingbird, for example–were the ones I read in 5th through 8th grade. It's a pivotal time.

    • The discussions are SO MUCH FUN. I love the different perspectives they have on pretty much everything. I LOVE To Kill A Mockingbird and can't wait until we can all read that one. I think my girls, especially, will love that one. Maybe we should read that one pretty soon. Thanks for reminding me about that one. So great.

  3. I remember reading Where the Red Fern Grows in 5th grade and trying not to cry in front of my classmates, haha!

    Off the top of my head I always though Bridge to Terebithia was a great MG book. And The Outsiders.

    • YES THE TEARS!

      The Outsiders is so fantastic but somehow I've never read Bridge to Terebithia, which I can't even believe! It's on my list to read with them SOON and I'm very excited about that!

    • I absolutely adore The Giver – the entire series, actually. I think my whole family will love it. I can't wait to reread it along with them. I'm a little scared of the movie – I've heard it isn't like the book!

  4. I can't tell you how excited I was when my kids got to the age where they read books that were interesting (to me!)
    Here are some off-the-top-of-my-head suggestions — the good thing about these is that they could be appreciated by and 8 year old and a tween:
    Harriet the Spy
    The Tale of Despereaux
    Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh
    A Wrinkle in Time (and read with When You Reach Me)
    Howl's Moving Castle
    Tuck Everlasting

  5. YAY MIDDLE GRADE!! You know I'm a massive middle grade fan, and I could never choose a favorite but here's a few: Tuesdays at the Castle, Howl's Moving Castle, The Hero's Guide series, Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls, Moon Over Manifest, Mighty Miss Malone, Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series (the last three + Tuesdays all awesome audio!)…I could go on but I'll stop! I'm still traumatized from Where the Red Fern Grows. I try to give it to kids, but it's so hard to be like 'this book broke me…and I loved it.'

    • This is a GREAT grouping of recommendations. Red Fern is definitely traumatizing but it is a great story nonetheless – mine said WHY DID YOU GIVE THIS TO US WHEN YOU KNEW WHAT HAPPENED?? Ha! We had great discussion though!

  6. awwI love middle grade!! I really liked the homework machine, even tho that's prob a lil more elementary I liked free thaddeous ,also lisi harrisons clique series and ally condie
    s gallaher girls =)

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