My Favorite Children and Middle-Grade Stories and Books of All Time

I didn't become super interested in reading until I was in sixth grade. There were only a few books I loved. I actually became enthralled in the Lucky series by Dean Hughes when I was in elementary school and devoured all 10 within a couple weeks. But I had a hard time letting books keep my attention. I'd rather do other things.

When I got to sixth grade, a friend started introducing me to the books she read and I became hooked. I started my own journey of book discovery, which has been one of my greatest life adventures. Oh the journeys I've been on. I wouldn't give them up, for they have taught me about myself and how to see the world with clearer vision.

I think Berkley is very similar to me. She would rather do other things--play, watch TV, be with friends, go to the playground--than sit through a book. She's too distracted. And that's okay. One day she'll find a book that interests her and then I hope she'll be hooked.

Thinking about that someday, I decided to put together a list of children and middle-grade stories and books that I love and still find myself drawn to today. Let me know what you think of these and if you have any books to add to this list.

My Favorite Children and Middle-Grade Stories and Books

Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie

I have one other copy from the 1940s I forgot to add this this photo.

Link to book

Peter Pan will forever be my favorite story. I fell in love with the idea of Peter Pan when watching the play on TV when I was super young. And later I fell in love with the Robin Williams version Hook. I have read the story over and over and over. The story haunts my dreams. Maybe it's the idea of flying. Maybe it's the adventures. Maybe it's the idea of visiting a fairytale land. I'm not sure. But I am in love with this story.

Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

Link to series

It took me until my senior year of high school to finally pick up this book, just before the first movie came out. This is another favorite that I have read over and over and over. There's a reason this book series became so popular. The telling was done so well because it made me feel for the characters in a way that made them part of my life.

Lucky Series by Dean Hughes

Fun fact: The first book in my series is a sample book given to book stores. My parents owned a book store when I was young.

Link to first book

This is a series that I don't think a lot of people would be familiar with. It's about a boy who travels the country with his dad who is an insurance agent following natural disasters to help affected people make claims. Lucky meets a lot of different people and makes friends with kids who need it the most. He has big heart and has a lot to overcome as he tries to show love to others.

The False Prince and the Ascendance Series by Jennifer A. Nielsen

I'm missing a few books because they were damaged in some water--ceiling leak.

Link to series

This is a newer series and I did not read it as a kid but as an adult. But it's another series that I have read multiple times. There's great mystery in each book. The first is about a boy named Sage who has been selected to act as the long lost prince in order to secure the crown for a man named Conner. The story is full of emotion, discovery, and twists.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

Link to series

This includes The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I read these books to my little sister when we were younger before we fell asleep at night. One of the things I love the most about these books is all the Christian symbolism. And, of course, I love the characters and the world that C. S. Lewis created. Its so imaginative. The movies are great, but the books are so much better.

Beauty by Robin McKinley

Link to book

This is one of those books I read in sixth grade that really got my attention. I remember staying up at night to read just a little bit more of this book. (That's probably when my bad habit of reading through mid-night started.) This book is a beautiful retelling of Beauty and the Beast, my favorite retelling. My copy of the book is hammered because I have read it so much.

The Giver Series by Lois Lowry

Link to series

Did you know this is a series? There are four books. What a fascinating story. It's the book that nudged my interests toward sci-fi books, especially about futuristic dystopian worlds. The first book is about a boy who lives in a world without color, feelings, or changes in seasons. Everything is carefully controlled. Jonas is chosen to be the Receiver of Memories to carry the burden of everything his world does not want to experience. The subsequent books are about worlds outside of his, also experiencing their own forms of dystopia.

There you have it. My favorite middle-grade stories and books. What are your favorite middle-grade books? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading!