Last Thursday, I wrote a guest post for a wonderful site called Project Mayhem about the importance of “gray area” novels: upper middle grade books that appeal to sixth to eighth graders and that people in the publishing world have sometimes been wary of, because they’re a bit too old for traditional middle grade but a bit too young for young adult. This is a topic I’ve tackled here on this blog from a slightly different vantage point in the past, and it’s one I’ve been thinking about recently, ever since my new, upper MG novel sold to my wonderful editor at Abrams/Amulet. If you’d like, you can read my guest post and find out more about my new book, and a few other excellent upper middle grade novels, here!
Middle Grade Author
I read your guest post! So glad you wrote that. I wondered about one of Jenny Han’s books. I asked the question at your guest post.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting! I’m having trouble replying on the guest post, so I’ll reply here and say I do think SHUG is another great example! I haven’t read it in a few years but loved it when I did, and it definitely appeals to 6th and 7th graders in my experience. Jenny Han’s Lara Jean books are also great for older middle school readers, I think. They’re YA, but the voice is very young and accessible.