Five Underrated Middle Grade Novels From My Childhood

Growing up as a religiously conservative homeschooler, I didn't read the same books as most elementary schoolers. Harry Potter was off-limits, as was Percy Jackson (at least until middle school). Instead, I read whatever I snatched from homeschool book fairs and freebie tables, along with whatever my grandma found at her local St. Vincent de Paul. Because of this, I rarely got my hands on a full book series; I didn't read the subsequent novels of any of these books until years after the first one.

Yet I can't be too mad at my parents, because these books shaped me into who I am, and I wouldn't trade them for anything more mainstream. Some of these books have garnered a wider readership since I read them, but regardless, I see little book chatter about them, so I'll go down the list from my least favorite to best.

1. Phantom Rider

The Phantom Rider trilogy by Janni Lee Simner follows twelve-year-old Callie (yes, she and I share a name!) as she moves to Arizona and finds a phantom horse in the night. From there, she joins the horse on its journey to reunite with its owner.

I haven't read this series since elementary school, but I was something of a "horse girl", so I remember being completely engrossed by it. That said, it was initially published in the 1990s and was never a hit, so if you're looking to buy it, your best bet will be either eBay or Thrift Books. 

2. The Curse of the Blue Figurine

This one is a bit of a cheat, as the Curse of the Blue Figurine by John Bellairs is less "underrated" than it is simply old. As my dad will tell you, in the 1980s the Johnny Dixon mysteries were all the rage. When I was little, my dad would tell me the all twelve of the Johnny Dixon stories from memory, but we only ever actually owned The Curse of the Blue Figurine, so it's the only one I've read. I suppose I could splurge on all twelve of the novels now, but my dad's iterations of the stories are some of my most treasured childhood memories, and I'd rather keep them clean.

Set in the 1950s, The Curse of the Blue Figurine follows Johnny and Professor Childermass as they uncover the mystery of the town church, where a priest named Father Baart is said to have killed two people while alive and now haunts the building as a mad ghost. It's creepy and fast-paced, a true Gothic mystery that I'm sure will deliver regardless of whether or not you have nostalgia like mine.

3. Wolves of the Beyond

If you grew up reading in the 2000s, I'm sure you've heard of Kathryn Lasky. Her debut series, Guardians of Ga'Hoole, was a bestseller adapted into a major animated film, but while I read the first three books in the legendary owl series, childhood me much preferred Lasky's less successful spin-off series, Wolves of the Beyond.

In Lone Wolf, the first installment, Faolen is born with a twisted leg. Due to this weakness, Faolen is abandoned by his pack. Instead of dying as a newborn, however, Faolan grows up to find love, lead a pack of his own, and change forever the Wolves of the Beyond. It's a wholesome tale of friendship and courage, and as my mom read the books along with me she even wept a few times (granted, my mom's a notorious book-weeper, but...).

4. May Bird

As I mentioned in this post's introduction, my family rarely went shopping while I was growing up, but on a surprise trip to Half Price Books in fifth grade, I scoured the Middle Grade bargain section and found May Bird and the Ever After, the first installment in the May Bird trilogy by Jodi Lynn Anderson. First released in 2005, the May Bird trilogy has since grown in popularity; its covers have been revamped a few times, but the tale of ten-year-old May Bird and her hairless cat Somber Kitty remains the same.

Uncomfortable around children her age, May Bird spends her time happily romping the woods of Briery Swamp...until she falls into the lake and emerges in the land of the dead. Pursued by evil Bo Cleevil, May, Somber Kitty, and their new undead friend Pumpkin strive to escape before they are caught, and Bo Cleevil turns May into nothing. Despite the frightening setting and high stakes, May Bird's story is heartwarming...and the first installment holds a special place in my heart, as its cover blurb instilled in me a blind faith in Kirkus Reviews that I stand by to this day. (Seriously, if one of my novels ever receives praise from Kirkus Reviews, I'm fairly certain I'll faint.)

5. 13 Treasures

Where did my undying love for all things faerie begin? Look no further than 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison. This trilogy is the reason I want to name my (adopted) child Rowan Fae, the reason my dream is to live in a dilapidated ivy-covered mansion... In sixth grade, the third book was the first novel I threw across the room...then forced my family to listen to as I read aloud the plot twist. In all, I must have read the second half of the third book half a dozen times. I shook my head while reading it. I gasped. I clenched the book in my fists and whispered savagely, "This is insane." Bottom line, 13 Treasures was the first time I encountered characters that have remained with me for the rest of my life.

The first installment follows twelve-year-old Tanya, who can see faeries. The faeries are always hiding Tanya's homework and dirtying her room, and because no one else can see them, eventually Tanya's mother forces her "unruly" daughter to spend the summer in her grandmother's secluded mansion, Elvesden Manor. Upon her arrival, however, Tanya finds herself pulled into the mystery of a young girl who vanished into the faerie realm fifty years ago. Surrounded by more meddling faeries than ever, Tanya must find the missing girl without  getting lost in the faerie realm herself. It's a haunting mystery bursting with faerie lore and friendship that, I can attest, holds up under adult readership.

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And there we have it, folks, the top five underrated books of my childhood. Have you read any of these? Are there any books I didn't include that you think ought to be talked about more? If so, let me know! I'm a sucker for Middle Grade, so even though it'll leave my TBR pile shaking its fists, I'd be happy to check them out.