Guest Post +GIVEAWAY - Cecelia: Why I Read MG

I'm so very excited today to welcome Cecelia from The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia.  

She is a fantastic blogger that has been doing a lot with MG this month also. 

Look at her schedule of things!!!

MGMM Posts at Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia:

3/1 - Calendar of Events

3/2 - Review - THE HUMMING ROOM by Ellen Potter

3/5 - Review - DAUGHTER OF THE CENTAURS by Kate Klimo

3/7 - Waiting on Wednesday - KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES by Sharon Messenger

3/9 - Retro Friday Review - HEIR APPARENT by Vivian Vande Velde

3/12 - Review - LIESL & PO by Lauren Oliver

3/14 - Waiting on Wednesday - THE HERO'S GUIDE TO SAVING YOUR KINGDOM by Christopher Healy

3/14 - Review - SCARY SCHOOL by Derek the Ghost

3/15 - Author Guest Post & Giveaway by Derek the Ghost, SCARY SCHOOL

3/19 - Review - THE PENDERWICKS by Jeanne Birdsall

3/23 - Review - THE WEDNESDAYS by Julie Bourbeau

3/26 - Review - THE WINTERLING by Sarah Prineas

3/29 - Review - THE PRINCE WHO FELL FROM THE SKY by John Claude Bemis

3/31 - Wrap-Up Post, end of MGMM

You must check out her blog!!!!!

Now Cecelia is here today to share why she reads MG.  

Welcome Cecelia!!!

Why I read middle grade (+ giveaway)

When publishers, bloggers and booksellers say ‘middle grade,’ they’re usually talking about books aimed at a specific target group.  They expect the readers in that group to be anywhere from 8 to 12 years old.  When I was between the ages of 8 and 12, I read EVERYTHING.  And when I say it in all caps like that, you should pay attention. 

I read C.S. Lewis’ Narnia books.  I read Harding’s Tess of the D’Urbevilles.  I read Dickens, Shakespeare, the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew… and every Ann Rinaldi and American Girl book published up to that date.  I read picture books to my little brothers, and I picked random mysteries off the shelf at my grandmother’s lake house.  I read it all, whether it was age appropriate or no.  And I think most ‘readers’ aged 8-12 do the same thing.

Now that I am older (ancient, really darling!) I look back with fondness at the books I discovered during that time.  I was hungry for words, for stories, for adventures in history and those set in strange, new worlds.  Some of the best books I found in my ‘middle grade’ years were the ones that featured girls my age (or maybe a smidge older) doing things.  These are the books that I read over and over again –even now.  They are fantastic.

The best thing?  Books are still being published today with the same quality, wonderful worlds, history, adventures – targeted at that same group of kids (the 8 to 12 year olds), with girl heroines doing things.  It turns out that I didn’t outgrow that kind of story.  There’s something deep inside that understands and appreciates middle grade books.  So I will keep looking for them and celebrating them, even though I am nowhere near 8 to 12 years old.

The Giveaway

On the theme of celebration, I’m offering a giveaway!  Two entrants will each win one middle grade book of their choice (up to US $25 value).  To enter, simply fill out the FORM.  The giveaway is open internationally – books will ship from the Book Depository.  Giveaway will end March 31, 2012 at 11:59pm EST.  Giveaway winners will be notified via email.  Good luck!

Thank you so much Cecelia for all you're doing to help promote MG books and sharing your thoughts on them.  I get completely what you mean about those MG books being the ones I read over and over.