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5 Middle Grade Books with Awesome Grandmas
We all have that image of the stereotypical granny with a gray-haired bun propped on her head and knitting needles in hand. But literary (and actual) grannies are always more than meets the eye. In celebration of Alison Cherry’s The Classy Crooks Club, in which a group of unsuspecting grandmas have actually formed their own heist ring, we’re bringing you some of the best grandmothers in middle grade. From lovable and wise storytellers to bold and brazen activists, these grandmas jump right from the page (some of them with Kung Fu moves.)
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The Classy Crooks Club, by Alison Cherry
Grandma Jo may seem all prim and proper in her fine home, with a cook and chauffeur, and a house full of untouchable antiques but, as her granddaughter AJ soon learns, she’s hiding a lot of secrets behind closed doors. When AJ discovers her grandmother’s “bridge group” is actually a heist club (whose members claim to steal for ethical reasons), she has way too much fun joining Grandma Jo and her cronies as they pick locks, organize break-ins, and take off in getaway vehicles. She also finds a hidden side to her grandmother, one that’s fearless, headstrong, and loyal to her friends and causes.
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Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech
It’s impossible to read this Newbery Award winning classic without falling in love with Salamanca Tree Hiddle’s amazing Gram. She’s as warm, quirky, and funny as the book itself, with a colorful way of talking, whip-smart advice, and a fierce love of her granddaughter and husband. As she listens to Sal tell her stories (and shares some of her own) she has a heartfelt, easy way of guiding Sal to the truth of things, even when life has thrown her some sharp curves.
Millicent Min, Girl Genius, by Lisa Yee
In this tender and funny novel, there’s a lot to love about Millicent Min, the girl genius trying to navigate a summer of awkward social interactions and new friendships. But, perhaps, most lovable is her best friend, her kooky grandmother Maddie, whose wisdom comes from Kung Fu movies (she also has some pretty awesome moves herself) and who rearranges her tea leaves until they show her what she wants to see. This beloved grandma encourages Millicent to break out and try new things at a time when she needs it most.
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A Long Way From Chicago, by Richard Peck
Small town Grandma Dowdel is larger than life in this Newbery Honor-winning book of stories about two kids who go from the windy city to their grandmother’s seemingly sleepy town between the years of 1929-1942. Grandma Dowdel is one tough cookie and she concocts one bizarre scheme after another to right the wrongs of her town. Whether she’s stealing the sheriff’s boat or planning a funeral for the unfortunately named Shotgun Cheatham, this bold and brazen grandma leads the charge in this hilarious book.
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The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, by Sonia Manzano
This upper middle grade novel from “Maria” of Sesame Street depicts a revolutionary Abuela who is a political activist in New York City in 1969. Anything but traditional, fourteen year old Evelyn’s Abuela is a bold storyteller, who speaks out to lead a movement of change with the Young Lords, a political activist group fighting for the rights of Puerto Ricans in her Spanish Harlem neighborhood.