My favourite Middle Grade/ Younger Reader Books of 2014

I promised this post a couple of weeks ago, but as usual time ran away from me.

So as many of you know, I love to read Middle Grade and Younger Reader books just as much as I love Young Adult books, so I thought I should showcase my favourite from last year.

1) One Wish by Michelle Harrison – published by Simon and Schuster

I love Michelle Harrison’s books. I loved the 13 series and I was so excited to find out that Michelle was writing a prequel to it. Michelle’s writing always reminds me of a more modern Enid Blyton. This book should definitely be on your TBR list.

2) The Boy Called Hope by Lara Williamson – Published by Usborne.

Lara Williamson is one of those authors to watch. She quietly slipped into the limelight, but quickly established herself as a favourite within the Middle Grade market. Look out for her second book out soon.  I love the way she writes. She has a mixture of humour and sadness within her prose that has you completely gripped until the end.

3) The Baking Life of Amelie Day by Vanessa Curtis – published by Curious Fox

I adored this book. A beautiful blend of humour and sadness. One of those books that you want to start all over again, once you’ve finished.

4) A Tiger Tale by Holly Webb – published by Scholastic

This is one of two books by Holly on this list. She is definitely my favourite author for 7 to 9 year olds. This book deals with grief and it actually made me cry…a lot!

5) The Case of the Exploding Loo by Rachel Hamilton – published by Simon and Schuster

Be careful not to explode with laughter when reading this book, because it is blooming hilarious.  A side splitting mystery from a debut author.

6) The Royal Babysitters by Clementine Beauvais – published by Bloomsbury.

Another hilarious, side splitting book that kids will love. Aimed at 7 to 9 year olds, it will keep them entertained as they follow this babysitting escapade.

7) Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? by Liz Kessler - published by Orion Children's Books.
I am and will always be a fan of Liz Kessler! A completely different type of book from Liz Kessler but really enjoyable. I really liked the science bits. If only gem stones had such power. *sighs*

8) Tiger Moth by Suzi Moore – published by Simon and Schuster

I can’t help it, but I truly love the way Suzi Moore writes. She has such a warmth to her voice it draws you in, hands you a blanket and allows you to dream of your childhood.

8) The Winter Wolf by Holly Webb – published by Stripes

The run up to Christmas wouldn’t be the same, if I didn’t have a wintery Holly Webb book to read. Reminiscent of The Little House on the Prairie, you feel like you are reading something really precious with this book.

So these are my favourite books for Middle Grade and Young Readers. I hope I haven’t added too many books to your overflowing TBR pile. Let me know what your favourite reads were from last year for this age range.