Reaching Upper Middle Grade Readers with Books About Romance and Crushes, a guest post by Erin Becker

We have 2 great posts today about romance in middle grade that highlight some great middle grade books and why we need those books that touch on everything that is wild, wonderful and terrifying about first crushes, first kisses, and those first heartbreaks. Also, sports! Be sure to check out Laurie Morrison’s post as well.

Recent reporting on the state of middle grade has been troubling, with Circana BookScan data showing middle grade sales falling 5% in the first half of 2024, after two years of already-sluggish numbers. Teen Librarian Toolbox readers won’t find these figures surprising: there’s been lots of discussion here about the many factors that may be playing into softening middle grade sales and declining circulation. These include everything from competition with digital media, to book banning, to book length, to the missing middle between middle grade and young adult––the age range author L.M. Elliott termed “the most ignored group in youth fiction.”

I’d like to focus on this group––the 12-to-15-year-old missing middle––and one way I think authors, publishers, and librarians can connect with them: through books about crushes.

When kids come in asking for “romance”

In the past months, I’ve been holding a series of one-on-one conversations with librarians who work with middle grade readers, both in the school library and public systems. It’s been fantastic to connect with so many people who are passionate about helping young readers (and who have been extremely generous with their time in what I know is a very busy profession). When I ask what they’d like to see more of on the shelves, many have mentioned books that can help them reach this “upper middle grade” or “lower YA” range. Within that, a desire for more romance­––though not universal to all readers––has definitely been a theme.

The librarians offered many reasons why romance is popular with this age group. Their hormones are “running amok”; they’re dealing with new, complex feelings; and their parents are buying and reading titles by Colleen Hoover and Emily Henry, market trends that “trickle down.”

One librarian I interviewed said that so many upper middle grade readers had come in asking for “romance” or “romantic comedies” that she finally made a first crush list to help them find titles that would connect with their experiences.

My debut, Crushing It, is an enemies-to-first-crushes story about two 13-year-olds, so this was of course heartening to hear. (It was also great to hear nearly every librarian clamoring for short books, with Crushing It clocking in at a slim 240 pages.) Like all authors, I hope my book connects with readers. But at a deeper level, the demand for stories about first love also resonates with my own experience as someone who once got called into the middle school guidance counselor’s office for being “too crush-crazy.”

Nashae Jones, author of the lovely Courtesy of Cupid, dove into this topic recently by recommending several great titles that fit this upper middle grade romance category. I’d like to take a broader look, analyzing what makes a good romance story for upper middle grade readers in the first place. To explore this, I’ll share a few of my own considerations while writing Crushing It, in the hopes that they can help authors and librarians strengthen their efforts to reach and connect with these “missing middle” readers.

Tip 1: Remember that, for adolescents, little things can feel really big.

Romance in adult fiction frequently features major life milestones. Translating these plots for a middle grade audience, in contrast, can often mean honoring the significance of even the simplest moments.

When it comes to my own middle school crushes, I can still remember­­––vividly––the most mundane things. Glances across the classroom when the teacher said something funny. Passed notes that I kept in a red box at under my bed at home. Holding hands for the first time, and feeling like I had to stay very, very still so I didn’t ruin the moment. In Crushing It, I tried to channel these feelings, doing my best to underscore how big these small experiences can be.

Sitting side-by-side with your crush. Giving her a hug after she scores a big goal. Waiting for a text back. Watching her laugh.

I adore books about magic and battles and superpowers. But I also love books that load up these everyday experiences with real narrative heft. So, let’s write and recommend books that can also create just as much page-turning suspense around a secret crush. And make a first date seem as epic as saving the realm.

Tip 2: In middle grade, balance the romance plot with friendship subplots.

A wealth of research points to forming and sustaining friendships as “one of the most important developmental tasks” for youth in this age group, with healthy adolescent friendships linked to a myriad of positive outcomes. Of course, those who work with young readers don’t need peer-reviewed research to tell them that, for many of these kids, their friends are their world.

Even in my own “crush-crazy” adolescence, the most important part of a first date or a first kiss wasn’t the event itself. Rather, it was going home and immediately texting my friends.

A first kiss is nice. But have you ever had validation from your peer group?

This dynamic was also reflected in my interviews with librarians, many of whom mentioned readers coming in and asking for stories about friendship.

“Friends, friendship drama––that’s always big,” one librarian said. She explained that her readers often ask her for stories about characters navigating the same kinds of sticky social situations that they’re dealing with in their own lives.

“They always want books about friendship,” another said, explaining that although there are plenty of titles that delve into this topic, she’s always on the lookout for more contemporary realistic fiction with strong friendship themes.

For me, part of writing an authentic romance for this age means balancing the central crush narrative with subplots that spotlight friend relationships. In some cases, this may mean giving more “airtime” to these subplots than you might find in a romance for adults.

In the case of Crushing It, Mel and Tory’s feelings for each other are definitely the heart of the book. But the rift in the girls’ friend group plays a huge role as well. We see these characters dealing with things like whether their bestie is too caught up in her Student Body President campaign to be a good friend anymore. Or whether they’re ready to open up to a close friend about liking girls.

In this way, while this is a story about first romance, it’s also a story about adolescent friendship, and how sometimes––when you’re growing, and your friends are growing, and you’re figuring out how to grow together––it’s okay for things to get a little messy.

Tip 3: In middle school, crushes are awkward. Just lean into it!

There’s no getting around it: middle school is awkward. And first crushes and early romances are probably one of the most awkward things about it.

One librarian I spoke with talked about seeing her students as they make their first attempts at flirting. “They think they’re so smooth,” she said, “but they’re just so silly.” She told me she likes to keep a mental list of books that can offer some guidance as they deal with crushes, rejection, and all the complicated feelings that come along with these experiences.

“They have questions about these topics,” she said. “They need books that address it.”

Books about crushes won’t solve the awkwardness of middle school, of course. If I could write a book that did, I’d be typing this from my yacht. But these stories can make readers feel less alone by showing young people like them who are fumbling along, making mistakes, and growing in relatable ways.

In Crushing It, Mel and Tory are, like the young people this librarian works with, not exactly smooth. They struggle to figure out their feelings. They say the wrong thing. They second-guess themselves. And they’re definitely a little silly. (At one point, after a long pause in the conversation, one of them literally runs away from the other. As she puts it: “At least we’re on a soccer field where that’s not that weird.”)

These girls mess things up. A lot! And, despite all this, they still earn the admiration, respect, and love of the people around them.

Ultimately, a dose of awkwardness makes for a better story­­. It’s funny, and––because we’ve all been there––it’s relatable, too.

In conclusion: feeling seen

In Crushing It, Mel, one of the protagonists, writes poetry. But she doesn’t share it with her sister, or her best friend, or anyone else she knows. Instead, using her own anonymous account, she sends it to her anonymous online friend, who she only knows is another student from her school.

In “real life,” everyone just sees Mel as a soccer star. But in this budding online friendship-and-maybe-more, she can show a different side of herself. Something that eventually changes all her relationships for the better.

The best partners, the best crushes, help us feel seen. The best books do, too. They remind us that we’re not alone. Everyone feels a little goofy. Everyone feels a little unsure.

There’s still a lot of work to be done by authors, publishers, librarians, and educators to make sure we’re serving readers in this “missing middle” age range as well as we can.

But hopefully, we can play one small part in this effort by writing, publishing, and recommending books that channel the hopeful, tender, awkward, epic experience of a first crush. Books that are fun, and relatable, and sweet, and let their readers know: you don’t have to have it all figured out to deserve love.

Meet the author

Erin Becker is an author and marketer living in Washington, DC. She grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, studied English and creative writing at UNC-Chapel Hill, and holds her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her debut novel is Crushing It, an “enemies-to-first-crushes” story for middle grade readers, published by Penguin Random House and chosen as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. When she’s not writing, you can find Erin at the gym, or occasionally playing soccer (though not nearly as well as the protagonists of her novel).

Connect with Erin!

Instagram: @beckererine

Twitter: @beckererine

Website: erinbecker.me

Get Crushing It: linktr.ee/beckererine

About Crushing It

From debut author Erin Becker comes an action-packed but tender novel about first romance, queer identity, and learning how to be brave when it matters the most.

On the soccer field, Magic Mel is in her element. She’s ready to lead her team to victory at the city championship in her new role as captain. Off the field, however, is a totally different story. Mel can’t get a handle on her class presentation, her friend group has completely dissolved, and her ex-friend-current-teammate, Tory, is being the worst. The only place she feels like herself is in her text conversations where she shares her secret poetry with BTtoYouPlease.

Tory McNally, on the other hand, is keeping everything together, thank you very much. So what if her mom is more preoccupied with her craft projects and new husband than her, or that she’s down to one IRL friend because of annoying, overly peppy “Magic” Mel? She’s perfectly fine, and even when she maybe isn’t, she’s got NotEmilyD to text with.

As the championships loom closer, everything around Mel and Tory starts to get more and more complicated: the dynamics on the field, the rift between their friend group, and, as they connect anonymously online, maybe even their feelings for each other . . .

ISBN-13: 9780593523643
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date: 08/06/2024
Age Range: 10 – 13 Years

Filed under: Guest Post