Beautiful Books for Middle Grade Readers

In a past life I was a book seller, specialising in children's to young adult books. I was then, have always been and still am an avid reader. I have decided to share some of my all time favourite books with you all.

These first two are ones I was looking forward to sharing with my own daughters, unfortunately neither were all that interested in books, much to my everlasting consternation.

EIGHT KEYS

Elise is eleven and has just started middle school and as far as she is concerned it’s horrible. She doesn’t want to be there. She has been assigned a locker-buddy who is mean, teases her, laughs at her and squashes her lunch every day. Her best friend Franklin is only making things worse, he doesn’t see the need to change to fit in he, doesn't see that now they are in middle school things are different.

Then one day, while out in her Uncle's barn, she finds a key with her name on it. She sets out to find what the key opens. She doesn’t know what she is hoping for, perhaps some clues to her past or even some help for the future. What she does find is a room and a note. Opening that door is the first step on a remarkable journey of self discovery. As more keys miraculously appear, Elise discovers that her Father left behind some words of wisdom he really wanted to share with her, perhaps hoping they would be of some comfort and assistance when she most needed them.

Eight Keys is an incredibly wonderful story of growing up, discovering who you are and where you came from. Elise lives in a loving family but both her parents are gone, she lives with her Aunt and Uncle, people who love her deeply. She has a best friend and enjoys life, that is until she starts middle school and starts to feel pressure to leave the childish things of her past behind and grow up. How do you grow up though when you don't know how to fit, and when you don't even know where you come from?

Elise is a wonderfully and carefully written character. She doesn’t always do the right or nice thing, but learning that and setting her wrongs right, is all part of the journey she goes on as she learns about her parents, and where she came from. In this learning she begins to understand and apply the lessons her father left for her.

LaFleur has crafted a beautifully moving story about growing up and choosing your life, it is a story to touch your heart. You feel with Elise as she experiences these things and like her you can take away something from the notes her Father left behind. Every one can take away something from the eight keys: Question; Believe; Choose to live, choose to love; Know what you come from; Seek to learn; Understand those you love; Treasure your life; Decide for yourself.

LOVE, AUBREY

Something heartbreaking has happened to 11 year old Aubrey. She is on her own. Nobody knows it and Aubrey is determined to look after herself so her mother won’t get into trouble. Being 11 though and looking after yourself is more difficult than she thought it would be. Then unexpectedly her Grandmother turns up and Aubrey’s life goes through yet another upheaval. She has to adjust to living in another town, in another person's house, and even if that person is her Grandmother, it's still not her home. All the while having to do new chores, and go to a new school, Aubrey is wondering why her mother abandoned her.

It is hard for her to face the truth and it is hard for her when others know the truth. The love of her grandmother, the letters she writes, and a growing new friendship with the girl next door, slowly help Aubrey to see that even though it looks like she has lost everything, not everything is lost.

This is a stunning, beautiful book. Aubrey will touch your heart. She is a tough young girl who finds herself in the hardest of situations, [Spoiler Alert] she lost her father and younger sister in an accident, and one morning her mother just gets in the car and leaves. She literally is left alone. Then she is taken out of her familiar environment and transplanted to her grandmother’s house.

La Fleur has woven an incredibly heartbreaking story and filled it with hope. She deftly and delicately handles such a difficult topic. It is never morose and never unflinching in it’s honesty. This is a wonderfully written story. Great for readers who like real stories that are well crafted. It may be helpful for a reader who has lost someone, with all the stages of grief that Aubrey goes through, but then it also could be too close to home. Discretion is advised, however it is an amazing read.