Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday is hosted every Monday by Shannon Messenger. Today I want to talk about Joanne Levy’s great MG, Small Medium at Large.
From the publisher (Bloomsbury):
After she’s hit by
lightning at a wedding, twelve-year-old Lilah Bloom develops a new
talent: she can hear dead people. Among them, there’s her
overopinionated Bubby Dora; a prissy fashion designer; and an
approval-seeking clown who livens up a séance. With Bubby Dora leading
the way, these and other sweetly imperfect ghosts haunt Lilah through
seventh grade, and help her face her one big fear: talking to—and
possibly going to the seventh-grade dance with—her crush, Andrew Finkel.
Possibly my favorite type of middle-grade book blends realistic characters, settings, and experiences with just a touch of something magical–an element beyond suspension of disbelief (like a main character who becomes world-famous for bird calls) but less than true magical realism or fantasy (like a main character who discovers she can fly). Ghosts and light paranormal often hit this imagination sweet spot–or in the case of Small Medium at Large, a lightning-strike-induced ability to hear dead people.
Small Medium at Large is sweetly funny and highly relatable (ghostly voices aside). Who wouldn’t want to imagine a world in which those who have passed surround and support us through–particularly through the trials and tribulations of the seventh grade? From the clever title to poignant interactions with a variety of ghosts to Lilah’s witty voice, this was an absolutely charming book. Now that I’m done with it, I kind of want to dust off my Ouija board. 🙂
What MG have you read lately?
I just read THE PECULIAR by Stefan Bachmann. I really enjoyed it. It had a Neil Gaiman type prose to it. Or almost Scott Westerfield’s Levithan series. Very well written and inventive. But oh man…irony that you read SMAL because I just wrote on my blog today about my new WiP (Jewish themes unite…LOL!)
That is a seriously great title! So clever. 🙂 To be honest, I haven’t read an MG in quite a while. I was going to read NICHOLAS ST. NORTH (William Joyce) at Christmas, but just didn’t have the time. I really should spend more time with MG books.
I agree with Jaime… This is one of the best titles I’ve come across in a long time. And the story sounds like so much fun! Thanks for the recommendation, Rebecca!
This book sounds so fun and I love the title!
Thanks for sharing!
I just finished The Secret Tree and after the first 20 pages I really got into it. 🙂
~Jess
I think I may have seen this one at the library. Your recommendation made me want to check it out! Thanks!
Cindy
What a cute title! I really need to get on reading some MG… I get stuck on YA because of the kissing. I love all the kissing.
This sounds lovely! I haven’t read any MG lately–in fact I don’t read it very much except when embarking on a Wrinkle in Time reread. But you have so many good suggestions that I’m tempted to read some. 🙂
This sounds fantastic. I just nabbed an ARC of MY SUMMER IN PINK AND GREEN from work, and I’m looking forward to diving in. But I’ll have to nab this, too. (Crosses fingers it’s a hardcover)
It is a hardcover; you’re in luck!