Wise and Handsome

“All that week Ramona stared at the owls above the blackboard. Cross-eyed owls, paste-waster’s owls with eyes that had skidded off in all directions, one-eyed owls made by those so anxious not to waste paste they had not used enough, and right in the center Susan’s wise and handsome owl copied from Ramona’s owl.” —RAMONA THE BRAVE by Beverly Cleary

Read Along!

Discover more Middle Grade books about birds during the month of September!

Browse this month’s #MGCarousel content

Book Spotting!

Do you recognize this Middle Grade book cover? Leave your guess in the comments!

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Birdsong

“Nashville’s mother had a voice like footsteps in new winter snow. Some say the birds in Goosepimple sang differently after they heard her. Some say they were never the same.” —BEYOND THE LAUGHING SKY by Michelle Cuevas

Read Along!

Discover more Middle Grade books about birds during the month of September!

Browse this month’s #MGCarousel content

GMGR – A to Z

Middle Grade Carousel is proud to be partnered with Great Middle Grade Reads, a group for readers of Middle Grade fiction to enjoy group discussion, book recommendations, reading challenges, and more.

Reading A to Z (brought to you by GMGR + MGCarousel). A: THE ART OF THE SWAP by Kristine Asselin & Jen Malone; B: THE BLACKBIRD GIRLS by Anne Blankman; C: A COMB OF WISHES by Lisa Stringfellow; and D: DOWN TO EARTH by Betty Culley.

Read by Letter!

A: The Art of the Swap by Kristine Asselin & Jen Malone
B: The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman
C: A Comb of Wishes by Lisa Stringfellow
D: Down to Earth by Betty Culley

Play Along!

Join Great Middle Grade Reads and check the rules for their annual A to Z reading challenge.
Download the A to Z reading challenge graphic template to track your progress.
Recommend your favorites or share what you plan on reading to complete your alphabet. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #MGCarousel or #GreatMGReads!
Check the Great Middle Grade Reads page for more info.

#amreading with the flock

Looking for books that fit our monthly reading challenge this September? Try one of the favorites from our home shelf!

Book spotlight for Middle Grade Carousel September 2023: The Early Bird Gets the Bookworm features the book TWITCH by M. G. Leonard.

Twitch loves birds. He keeps pigeons, and chickens, and swallows at home in his bedroom, and is an avid birdwatcher. From his secret hiding place, Twitch observes a police investigation in Aves Wood, and learns that foul play is afoot. Can a birdwatcher outwit an escaped convict?

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Check our #MGCarousel Challenges page for more info.

#MGCarousel Book Bingo – September & October 2023

Middle Grade Book Bingo card for September & October 2023 at Middle Grade Carousel. — click here to download the Bingo card for September & October 2023

#MGCarousel – September 2023

Our month-long Middle Grade reading challenge is designed so you can choose your own books and set a comfortable pace. All you need to play along are books which match the month’s featured theme.

Our challenge this September is…

The Early Bird Gets the Bookworm

Middle Grade books About Birds

Join us in reading Middle Grade books about birds during the month of September! We recommend watching for feathered front covers, characters with bird-related names, stories from a bird’s point of view, or flighty fantasy creatures.

Mix and Match

"For as long as Raffa could remember, he had possessed a keen instinct for apothecary. At times, combining botanicals felt to him like mixing colors, adding ingredients until the huses in his mind matched or complimented each other." —FOREST OF WONDERS by Linda Sue Park

Read Along!

Discover more Middle Grade books about pairings or opposites during the month of August!

Browse this month’s #MGCarousel content

Middle Grade Carousel + Great Middle Grade Reads

We’re pleased to announce that Middle Grade Carousel is now partnered with Great Middle Grade Reads! GMGR has been one of the longest-running Goodreads Groups for readers of Middle Grade, providing group discussion, book recommendations, and reading challenges to a thriving community.