Anyone wanting to help a young person read--whether the former be a parent or a grandparent, a teacher or a librarian--must first know that reader interest is key. Getting a child/adolescent to enjoy reading first requires helping that reader find texts that are age appropriate, reading-level appropriate, and that contain engaging content (cultural-relevance). These criteria are critical to creating engaged readers who will, through continued engagement with texts, become stronger life-long readers (whereas forcing the wrong text on a young reader can undermine his/her development as a reader and the likelihood that she/he will see reading as an enjoyable pursuit).

While the genre of young adult literature (YAL) has received much attention over the past two decades, there is also a separate category that has expanded its offerings and that has played a major role in creating new generations of readers (but that has unfortunately received far less attention): middle grades literature.  Middle grades literature has qualities that distinguish it from YAL (aside from the intended audience). Most notable among these are:
 

• They contain no profanity or graphic violence.

• Romance is limited to crushes and first kisses.

• Protagonists are roughly between the ages of 10 and 13.

• Middle-grade novels are typically between 30,000 and 50,000 words long and voiced in the third person.

• Characters typically react to what happens to them within their immediate world with a focus on friends and family.

• The protagonist (and narrator) generally do not delve too much into self-reflection but instead focus on real-life situations.