Take Five: Middle Grade Anthologies and Short Story Collections

As part of our Mind the Middle project focusing on middle grade books, I’m going to try to do weekly Take Five lists, which is to say, five books on a certain theme. 

These Take Five lists can help you with collection development, displays, reading lists, and more. I have a pretty giant list of potential Take Five themes, but if there’s something you’re desperate for a list for, let me know! All descriptions come from the publishers.

Today’s list doesn’t have a really neat, tidy name. It includes anthologies, connected stories by various authors, and short stories. These books are great for everyone, but especially for readers who may find longer narratives intimidating and like the easy stopping points and kind of pick and choose format that can come with these sorts of books. Also, woohoo! These kinds of books are a great way to “taste” stories from a bunch of authors and discover new favorites!

You Are Here: Connecting Flights by various authors (ISBN-13: 9780063239081 Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: 03/07/2023, Ages 8-12)

A powerful and engaging exploration of contemporary Asian American identity through interwoven stories set in a teeming Chicago airport, written by award-winning and bestselling East and Southeast Asian American authors including Linda Sue Park, Grace Lin, Erin Entrada Kelly, Traci Chee, and Ellen Oh. Flying Lessons meets Black Boy Joy. 

***Six Starred Reviews!***

“Reminds us that a more functional, less ailing America requires not just the courage to speak but the courage to listen.”—New York Times Book Review

“Not only important, but essential.”—School Library Journal, Starred Review

An incident at a TSA security check point sows chaos and rumors, creating a chain of events that impacts twelve young Asian Americans in a crowded and restless airport. As their disrupted journeys crisscross and collide, they encounter fellow travelers—some helpful, some hostile—as they discover the challenges of friendship, the power of courage, the importance of the right word at the right time, and the unexpected significance of a blue Stratocaster electric guitar.  

Twelve powerhouse Asian American authors explore themes of identity and belonging in the entwined experiences of young people whose family roots may extend to East and Southeast Asia, but who are themselves distinctly American. 

Written by Linda Sue Park, Erin Entrada Kelly, Grace Lin, Traci Chee, Mike Chen, Meredith Ireland, Mike Jung, Minh Lê, Ellen Oh, Randy Ribay, Christina Soontornvat, and Susan Tan, and edited by Ellen Oh.

On All Other Nights: A Passover Celebration in 14 Stories by Chris Baron (Editor), Joshua S. Levy (Editor), Naomi Milliner (Editor) (ISBN-13: 9781419767296 Publisher: Amulet Books Publication date: 03/26/2024, Ages 8-12)

On All Other Nights is a joyful middle-grade anthology centered around Passover—from an exciting array of bestselling and award-winning Jewish creators!

Welcome to Passover, a Jewish holiday that has been celebrated for thousands of years. The heart of Passover is the seder—a meal full of rituals, special foods, and songs—where we gather together to retell the story of the Exodus, when the Jewish people achieved freedom from Egypt.

And yet this story is about more than the ancient past. The seder’s themes of freedom, joy, tradition, and more, are timeless and universal, for all.

In this unprecedented collection of short stories, 14 bestselling and award-winning authors each reimagine a different step of the seder for today’s young readers. Through historical and contemporary fiction, verse and prose, fiction and nonfiction, these gifted writers from different Jewish traditions and backgrounds gather around the seder table and invite everyone to join them.

The full list of On All Other Nights contributors includes:

• Chris Baron (The Magical Imperfect)
• Ruth Behar (Lucky Broken Girl)
• Adam Gidwitz (A Tale Dark and Grimm, The Unicorn Rescue Society)
• Veera Hiranandani (The Night Diary)
• Amy Ignatow (The Popularity Papers, Jedi Academy)
• Sarah Kapit (Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen)
• Joshua S. Levy (The Jake Show)
• Mari Lowe (Aviva vs. the Dybbuk)
• Naomi Milliner (Super Jake & The King of Chaos)
• Soifya Pasternack (Black Bird, Blue Road)
• R. M. Romero (The Dollmaker of Kraków)
• A. J. Sass (Ana on the Edge)
• Laura Shovan (The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary)
• Laurel Snyder (Orphan Island, Charlie & Mouse)

Includes black-and-white illustrations

The Door Is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi Voices by Hena Khan (Editor) (ISBN-13: 9780316450638 Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Publication date: 04/23/2024, Ages 8-12)

Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in this warm-hearted novel of interconnected stories that celebrates the diversity of South Asian American experiences in a local community center.

Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in the fictional town of Maple Grove, New Jersey, where the local kids gather at the community center to discover new crushes, fight against ignorance, and even save a life. Cheer for Chaya as she wins chess tournaments (unlike Andrew, she knows stupid sugary soda won’t make you better at chess), and follow as Jeevan learns how to cook traditional food (it turns out he can cook sabji— he just can’t eat it).

These stories, edited by bestselling and award-winning Pakistani-American author Hena Khan, are filled with humor, warmth, and possibility. They showcase a diverse array of talented authors with heritage from the Indian subcontinent, including beloved favorites and rising stars, who each highlight the beauty and necessity of a community center that everyone calls home.

• Edited by Hena Khan
• By Veera Hiranandani
• By Supriya Kelkar
• By Maulik Pancholy
• By Simran Jeet Singh
• By Aisha Saeed
• By Reem Faruqi
• By Rajani LaRocca
• By Naheed Hasnat
• By Sayantani DasGupta
• By Mitali Perkins

A Little Bit Super: With Small Powers Come Big Problems by various authors (ISBN-13: 9780358683421 Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: 04/23/2024, Ages 8-12)

In these hilarious stories by some of the top authors of middle grade fiction today, each young character is coping with a minor superpower—while also discovering their power to change themselves and their community, find their voice, and celebrate what makes them unique.

The kids in these humorous short stories each have a minor superpower they’re learning to live with. One can shape-shift—but only part of her body, and only on Mondays. Another can always tell whether an avocado is perfectly ripe. One can even hear the thoughts of the animals in the pet store! But what these stories are really about is their young protagonists “owning” a power that contributes to their individuality, that allows them to find their place in the world, that shows them a potential they might not have imagined.

Because if you really think about it, we all have something special and unique about ourselves that makes us a little bit super. We all have the power to change as an individual, to change our communities for the better, to have a voice and to speak up. These playful, thought-provoking tales from some of today’s top middle grade authors prompt readers to consider what their own superpower might be, and how they can use it.

Written by Pablo Cartaya, Nikki Grimes, Leah Henderson, Jarrett Krosoczka, Remy Lai, Kyle Lukoff, Meg Medina, Daniel Nayeri, Linda Sue Park, Mitali Perkins, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Gary D. Schmidt, Brian Young, and Ibi Zoboi; coedited by Leah Henderson and Gary D. Schmidt.

Once They See You: 13 Stories to Shiver and Shock by Josh Allen, Sarah J. Coleman (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9780823456321 Publisher: Holiday House Publication date: 08/20/2024, Ages 9-12)

There’s no escaping these deliciously creepy tales of everyday horror, perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

Once you open this book, you’re doomed . . . Cursed to stay up late, savoring every line of these terrifying stories. Go ahead and try to resist. The Night Things won’t let you get far.

Master storyteller Josh Allen, hailed as the “heir-apparent to Alvin Schwartz,” brings thirteen nightmare scenarios to life in this page-turning collection. From a shiny abandoned bike, to an innocent classroom icebreaker, to a piano recital that requires unusual sacrifices, there’s no end to the shocking twists on everyday reality.

In Allen’s wondrous world, which looks an awful like our own, danger waits behind every doorway . . . even in the most ordinary places.

Eerie illustrations by award-winning artist Sarah Coleman accompany the stories, packaged in a stunning hardcover edition complete with glow-in-the-dark jacket. Readers will sleep with one eye open!

Filed under: Take 5