The Magic of Middle Grade Doorstoppers

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Alice Nuttall (she/her) is a writer, pet-wrangler and D&D nerd. Her reading has got so out of control that she had to take a job at her local library to avoid bankrupting herself on books — unfortunately, this has just resulted in her TBR pile growing until it resembles Everest. Alice's webcomic, writing and everything else can be found at https://linktr.ee/alicenuttallbooks. Her debut novel, The Zombie Project, is coming out in January 2025 with Chicken House.

View All posts by Alice Nuttall

While there aren’t many hard and fast rules when it comes to literature, there are some trends that usually hold true, and one of them is the correlation between book length and the age of the intended reader. Normally, the younger the target audience, the shorter the book: picture books are only a handful of pages long; chapter books are short because they’re intended to be tackled by early-year, inexperienced readers; and middle grade stories are, in general, significantly shorter than YA or adult novels. Middle grade books, while not as short as books for kids still learning to read independently, are often short and punchy, focusing on the action that drives the main plot and avoiding digressions that might put off a reader still finding their feet.

This isn’t always the case, though. Many readers, both child and adult, have great memories of diving into a doorstopper of a middle grade book—one of those long, winding stories which goes off at tangents and dives into the deep layers of a fictional world, with plenty of pauses in the action that let you really get to know the characters. Fantasy and historical novels in particular lend themselves to the middle grade doorstopper category, because a longer book means the author has more time to build their fantasy world, or to explore the details of the era they’re writing about.

Middle grade doorstoppers can be the childhood reads that stick with you throughout your life—and, whatever your age, they’re always a good pick for this time of year. Vacations and warm summer evenings are a great excuse for losing yourself in a long middle grade story, using the time to become completely absorbed in a brand new world or a familiar old favourite. For the purposes of this article, I’ve chosen to define a middle grade doorstopper as a book that’s over 350 pages, as the majority of middle grade books tend to run to less than 300. Whether classic or modern, middle grade doorstoppers are a perfect summer read for readers of all ages.

All Access members, read on for recommendations of fantasy and historical middle grade doorstoppers!

Alice Nuttall (she/her) is a writer, pet-wrangler and D&D nerd. Her reading has got so out of control that she had to take a job at her local library to avoid bankrupting herself on books — unfortunately, this has just resulted in her TBR pile growing until it resembles Everest. Alice’s webcomic, writing and everything else can be found at https://linktr.ee/alicenuttallbooks. Her debut novel, The Zombie Project, is coming out in January 2025 with Chicken House.

View All posts by Alice Nuttall

Fantasy Middle Grade Doorstoppers

As a general rule, fantasy novels are longer than contemporary stories, largely because the author needs to establish the rules of their fictional world and add details that bring that world alive. Middle grade fantasy stories are no exception, and many of the longer middle grade publications, from classic stories to modern offerings, are part of the fantasy genre. There are plenty of middle grade doorstopper fantasies that readers can pick up this summer. Here are some suggestions for your TBR pile.

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief cover

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A. F. Steadman

The first book in the Skandar series is a hefty tome at 400 pages—but it needs this space to build its exhilarating magical world. Set in a land where, far from being cute and sparkly, unicorns are dangerous creatures, it follows young Skandar, an aspiring unicorn rider who finds himself pulled into an epic battle that will affect the future of his entire world.

 The Trails of Morrigan Crow

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

I’m a die-hard fan of Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor series. The 500+ pages of its first book has plenty of twists, turns, and deep dives into a rich fantasy world. Morrigan Crow, a girl doomed to die, is rescued by the mysterious Jupiter North, who brings her into the magical city of Nevermoor. Morrigan competes to become a member of the Wundrous Society, but if she doesn’t pass the trials, she will have to leave and return home to face her fate.

Amari and the Night Brothers cover

Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston

Fans of magical school stories and secret organisations will love all 400+ pages of Amari and the Night Brothers. Amari is a young girl whose beloved older brother has gone missing. When she tries to find him, she discovers that he worked for the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, an organisation that regulates and protects magical people and creatures living alongside regular human society. Amari starts her training to join the organisation, but when she discovers that her magical power is considered illegal and dangerous, her place at the Bureau and her chances of finding her brother are threatened.

The Marvellers cover

The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton

Dhonielle Clayton’s middle grade series creates an intricate magical world, starting with this 400+ page first book. Ella, a young girl from a family of Conjurers, starts her school journey at the Arcanum Training Institute, an educational facility for Marvellers. Ella is the first Conjurer to attend the school, and initially feels out of place—a feeling that becomes much worse when the escape of a notorious prisoner threatens the Marveller world, and the Marvellers begin to blame Ella and her family.

Historical Middle Grade Doorstoppers

Having a longer book is also useful when it comes to historical fiction. While middle grade stories may not go into quite as much depth as some adult historical fiction, a good middle grade historical novel will still explore the context of its setting and include plenty of fascinating historical facts for its readers.

Echo cover

Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Mixing fantasy and history, Echo is an epic story that runs to almost 600 pages, making it a true doorstopper of a novel. With multiple narratives taking place in several different historical periods, the novel is held together by a magical object: a harmonica that plays a crucial role in each storyline. Although the very beginning of the story takes place in the late 19th century, several of the plotlines are set in the 1930s, during the rise of fascism in Europe and the build-up to the Second World War. Echo is not only an absorbing read that may last readers the whole summer, but a crucial piece of literature now.

The Door of No Return cover

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

A powerful tale dealing with enslavement, resilience, and survival, The Door of No Return follows Kofi, a young boy who lives with his family in a village in Upper Kwanta. Kofi is kidnapped and enslaved, tearing him away from his loved ones and his country, and trafficked across the sea, where he fights to hang onto his identity and history. This 400+ page novel is the first in a series.

The Ministry of Unladylike Activity cover

The Ministry of Unladylike Activity by Robin Stevens

Middle grade mystery author Robin Stevens is best known for her Murder Most Unladylike series, set in the lead-up to the Second World War, but in this sequel series, war has broken out and London is in the grip of the Blitz. Stevens delves into the details of spycraft during wartime in these 400+ pages, following May Wong (younger sister of Hazel from the previous series) and her two new friends, Eric and Nuala, who, as young children, are uniquely placed to hunt for spies without detection and help the Allies win the war.

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Middle grade doorstoppers are an essential addition to your bookshelves. While shorter, snappier stories are also great, it’s fun to have a long read that you can take your time over and really inhabit. For more middle grade recommendations, check out Must-Read Middle Grade Novels Out Soon or Great Middle Grade Books for Pride Month.

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