Here is the third chapter of The Best Middle Grade Books (here’s Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.) Yes, there are that many great stories for kids this age and their new found love of reading chapter books can be ravenous. We asked our favorite librarians, kids, and generally cool-ass moms for their picks and here are the results. There is so much great reading in your big kids’ future.
The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler
For as long as she can remember, twelve-year-old Emily Windsnap has lived on a boat. And, oddly enough, for just as long, her mother has seemed anxious to keep Emily away from the water. But when Mom finally agrees to let her take swimming lessons, Emily makes a startling discovery — about her own identity, the mysterious father she’s never met, and the thrilling possibilities and perils shimmering deep below the water’s surface.
The Marvels by Brian Selznick
In this magnificent reimagining of the form Brian Selznick originated, two stand-alone stories–the first in nearly 400 pages of continuous pictures, the second in prose–create a beguiling narrative puzzle. The journey begins at sea in 1766, with a boy named Billy Marvel. After surviving a shipwreck, he finds work in a London theatre. There, his family flourishes for generations as brilliant actors until 1900, when young Leontes Marvel is banished from the stage. Nearly a century later, runaway Joseph Jervis seeks refuge with an uncle in London. Albert Nightingale’s strange, beautiful house, with its mysterious portraits and ghostly presences, captivates Joseph and leads him on a search for clues about the house, his family, and the past. (more…)
Oh Mexico. Let us all close our eyes and place ourselves on a beautiful beach in Mexico for a moment. I feel like I blinked a few weeks ago and I was there and then gone.
When I close my eyes, I picture so many perfect places to rest my head.
If you need some quiet time with someone you love, try to make your way to Tulum (take a flight into Cancun and a two hour drive to Tulum), then settle in for some uncommon peaceful beauty, like this…
I wrote recently about 
There is nothing we love more than elotes, which is a Mexican street corn treat, where grilled corn is slathered in spices, herbs, and cheese. For a party, it’s a little hard to bring a tray of elotes so I made a salad in the same flavor spirit. I won’t go so far as to call it esquites, because I don’t serve it warm, but it’s fairly close.
This may look like just a boring old bowl of corn, but when these flavors come together, some sort of magic happens. This corn salad disappeared as quickly as the queso at my last party, and that is saying something.
