Day: August 18, 2016

When writing for children, Madonna said it best: Papa, don’t preach. That means: no heavy-handed moralizing or high-horsey finger wagging. Kids get bossed around enough as it is, so why subject them to further instruction when they’re reading for pleasure? That’s not playing fair.

At the same time, finding inspiration in a great book can enhance a child’s reading experience significantly. It’s the icing on the cake; the cherry on the sundae. So, without further ado, 10 life lessons found in the pages of middle-grade fiction, new classics and old favorites alike:

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

“Life is a struggle and a good spy gets in there and fights.” (p. 132).

When Ole Golly expresses this sentiment to her charge during an emotional goodbye outside the Welsch family home, it’s clear to the reader – and to Harriet, who tries to be brave in the aftermath of her…