Really, that title should read Best IN 2012, because the books on my own “best of” reading list were not necessarily published in 2012, that’s just when I happened to read them.
I case you feel hornswoggled by this, I have added some other reviewers “Best of 2012” Middle Grade fiction lists of books that actually were published this year.
My favourite MG book I read that DID come out this year was WONDER. I was afraid this book would be too “Hallmark” for me and it wasn’t. A three-hankie read, I appreciated the multiple POV storyline, which I had not been expecting. You can find my original review HERE.
My favourite Upper Middle Grade book this year was Scott Festerfeld’s GOLIATH (released late 2011), the conclusion to his Lethiathan series. Granted, I did like the first two books in the series slightly better than the third, but it was such a satisfying conclusion to the story, which I find rare. I literally closed the book and sighed with satisfaction. As I’m struggling on my own series right now, I find the way he managed his story particularly remarkable.
I posted about the whole series HERE.
A close second was Catherine Valente’s THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYWORLD IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING. If I could bottle her imagination and sell it, I’d make millions. I’ll just have to settle for reading her books. Review here.
And finally, my favourite MG book I read this year that came out not-even-close to 2012 was Adam Rex’s TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY. (published 2007) This is the only middle grade book that I have ever been in danger of peeing my pants from laughing. Original review HERE.
It goes without saying that I recommend any of these as holiday gifts for the young readers in your lift.
There are so many MG books I did not get around to reading this year, so here are some other Best of MG Reads from around the Interweb:
The Atlantic Wire’s: 2012 MG/YA Awards – More YA heavy than MG, this list has categories such as “Most Lyrical,” “Most Page Turning,” and “Best Reality Check.”
THIS LIST by School Library Journal that I conjured runs the reading age gamut, but the bulk appears to be Middle Grade books.
And the Top Ten MG books of 2012 according to Amazon is HERE
If you have any top 2012 MG book lists you’d like to share, please do. (not that my reading list needs any more books to be added to it).
And if you want to read more Middle Grade Monday reviews, check out that list on Shannon Messinger’s blog.