5 Middle Grade Reads for Cold Winter Days

Breaking Stalin’s Nose, by Eugene Yelchin
Sasha has anxiously waited for the day when he could proudly join the Young Pioneers, the Communist youth party. Now that that day has finally arrived, everything seems to be falling apart. His father, a devoted follower of Stalin and member of the the secret police, is arrested. Confused, Sasha sets out to find answers, but over the next 24 hours instead discovers how flawed his vision of the Communist Party really is. Sasha’s internal struggle between what he has been told and what he experiences for himself is the focus of this novel that provides middle grade readers a glimpse of the same dilemma faced by many behind the Iron Curtain.

Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu
This books blends the best of both traditional and modern storytelling, with a setting that seems both fantastical and believable all at once. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen,” this story of friendship and magic also has just the right amount of good ol’ fashioned eerieness to make it the perfect winter read. When Hazel’s best friend Jack disappears into the woods with a woman made of ice, she doesn’t hesitate to go after him. Never mind that Jack has barely spoken to her lately. Best friends look out for each other. Quickly, Hazel discovers that this adventure will be nothing like what she expected, plunging her into a dark world created of bits of fairytales, sinister magic, and lurking creatures. And somewhere in that world is Jack.

Winterfrost, by Michelle Houts
Bettina’s grandfather always spoke of the nisse, elflike creatures he said guarded the family. Every Christmas, he left a bowl of  Christmas pudding for their own personal nisse, Klakke. On the first Christmas Eve after her grandfather’s death, Bettina’s parents are suddenly called away, leaving her in charge of the homestead and her baby sister, Pia.  It is, as you can imagine, quite a lot for one 12-year-old to handle, which is how it happens that Bettina forgets to leave out the traditional Christmas pudding for the Klakke. Besides, she’s not sure the nisse are real, anyway.  Unfortunately, the mischievous (and hungry) Klakke kidnaps Pia as payback, and Bettina finds herself on a magical adventure to rescue her little sister.

The Contest, by Gordon Korman
13-year-old Dominic Alexis is thrilled to win the opportunity to compete with 19 other teen climbers for the chance to be a part of SummitQuest Everest Expedition. For Dominic, it’s a chance (perhaps his only one) to fulfill a dream.  But only four teens will go and Dominic has some tough competition. Under conditions that are both physically and emotionally grueling, tension climbs among the competitors, as the number of candidates is whittled down. When an accident occurs, the teens learn that teamwork is also an integral part of tackling one of the world’s most famous mountains. This is the first book in Korman’s Everest series, which also includes The Climb and The Summit. 

May B., by Caroline Starr Rose 
May is sent to help out on a neighbor’s homestead through a long Minnesota prairie winter. While the 15 mile distance may seem trivial by our modern-day standards, for May it means separation from her family until the spring thaw. Things go from bad to worse when May is abandoned. Alone on the homestead, May battles not only the physical dangers of wintering alone, but also her own past doubts and insecurities. Fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder will enjoy this brave, resourceful heroine.