My Favorite Books of the Year (A Very Accidental Middle-Grade Reading Year)

Every December I love looking back at the books that stayed with me, the ones I kept thinking about while folding laundry, stirring soup, or staring off into space while my kids play at a park.

This year surprised me.

Somehow, the books that touched me the most weren’t the big new adult releases… they were the books I pre-read for my third grade daughter to make sure they were appropriate. Apparently, I had a highly emotional, deeply rich, middle-grade reading year. Completely by accident.

It was delightful. Kid lit is tender and bold in a way I think adult fiction sometimes forgets to be. And the grown-up books I DID read? They were warm, immersive, and exactly what I needed.

So here they are, my favorite books of the year: a mix of wholesome middle-grade, heartfelt contemporary, enchanting fantasy, and one or two grown-up books that made me gasp, cry, or sit very still processing my emotions.

Middle-Grade Books I Read “For My Daughter”… and Then Loved More Than She Did

**• Wish by Barbara O’Connor**

Oh my heart. This book is gentle, hopeful, and quietly powerful. It’s all about belonging, kindness, and second chances. the kind of story that reminds you why kids’ books matter. I finished it and immediately wanted to hug my daughter, the dog, and maybe the mailman. You WILL cry.

**• The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill**

This was such an unexpected treasure. A loving portrait of a transformative teacher in a small Alaskan village, it’s simple in the BEST way. Sometimes the most beautiful stories don’t need theatrics, just heart, warmth, and a chalkboard. Big Laura Ingalls Wilder vibes here.

**• Lara’s Gift by Annemarie O’Brien**

Atmospheric, Russian, loyal-dogs-and-family-legacy vibes. I didn’t expect to be transported into a world of borzoi dogs and tradition, but here we are. Something about Lara’s quiet strength really stuck with me.

**• The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo**

Classic DiCamillo: whimsical, tender, and a little magical around the edges. The kind of book that reminds you how wonder works, slow and steady, sneaking up behind you.

The “Accidentally My Favorite” Evergreen Duology

**• The Evergreen Conservatory & The Evergreen Academy by Heather Schneider**

These were magical, atmospheric, sparkly in the best way — the kind of books you want to curl up with in a cozy blanket. Light mystery + whimsy + beautiful setting = a very happy mom reader. Think Harry Potter meets gardening.

Romance, Women’s Fiction & Feel-Good Reads That Hit Just Right

**• Hello Stranger by Katherine Center**

Katherine Center can write emotional, uplifting, “your-heart-grows-three-sizes” stories like nobody else. I adored the premise, the sweetness, the growth, and the way she writes love as something profoundly good.

**• Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry**

Emily Henry doing something soft and meaningful? Absolutely. This one felt tender and grown-up and hopeful, like a story wrapped in sunlight and a few well-earned tears.

**• How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson**

Light, fun, smile-on-your-face rom-com energy. If you want something charming, clever, and low-stress, this is a perfect pick. My cheeks hurt from grinning. Melissa Ferguson is a new favorite author to me, and she’s a Christian homeschooling mom, so I extra love that.

The Dark, Beautiful, Emotional One

**• Unwanted by Mia Sheridan**

Content warning for trauma and difficult themes: this is not a soft read. But Mia Sheridan handles heartbreak, survival, and healing with her signature tenderness. Not for everyone, but it stayed with me.

And Finally, The One That Broke My Heart in a Good Way

**• The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman**

A true story wrapped in the gentlest prose. Courage, compassion, resistance, animals, history. It’s devastating and beautiful at the same time. I’m still thinking about it. There’s apparently a movie to check out as well, but I haven’t ventured there yet. I don’t know if I’m ready!

Closing Thoughts

This year reminded me that stories don’t have to be long, complicated, or “grown-up” to move you. Some of the most meaningful gems were nestled quietly on the children’s shelves, waiting for me to “preview” them and accidentally fall in love.