Today, I am sharing a fun, fall-appropriate series for upper elementary and middle school readers - it's the Greenglass House series! Greenglass House is book 1, and Ghosts of Greenglass House will be released on October 3, just in time for a cozy, fall mystery.
Greenglass House by Kate Milford
I first saw Greenglass House mentioned on a blog as a cozy read for fall, and that got me interested. It did not disappoint! In this first book, we meet Milo and his side-kick, Meddy. They both live in the Greenglass House, a mysterious old house that appears to come alive with secrets. Greenglass House is an inn, but typically remains quiet during the winter months when the book opens. However, on a mysterious evening, many strange visitors approach the house out of nowhere. As the visitors arrive, other strange happenings occur and objects begin disappearing from the house. Milo and Meddy set out to figure out the mystery.
This book is so fun! It has elements of fantasy and mystery rolled up for young readers. This book would be most appropriate for older elementary or middle level readers. The content is easy, but the book is a little on the longer side (almost 500 pages) so a child would need to have developed some reading stamina. The chapters are also a little longer than usual for a middle grade book, so this could be a good gateway book to more advanced reading material.
Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford
Look at that cover! These books are so perfectly created for cooler weather and comfy reading. As an educator, I believe motivation is key to developing life-long readers, so I love an inspiring cover.
Again, in this sequel, we meet Milo and Meddy during the winter holidays at Greenglass House. They are off on another adventure involving strange house guests, ghosts, and missing objects. In addition to a fun, twisty mystery, though, this book begins to tackle some issues that Milo encounters as he becomes a teenager. He is adopted and, in this book, the reader gets to see him questioning his parentage and heritage. This struggle with identity is great to explore with older readers, moving into adolescence. Milo also faces a conflict with a teacher that drives much of the emotional narrative. These are relevant issues that many children work through in school.
This sequel did not disappoint and I know fans of Greenglass House will really enjoy the follow-up. These are such fun reads for kids, perfect for the changing temperatures outside, and engaging for adults as well.
Happy Reading!
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