Compelling Middle Grade Fiction

Middle Grade historical fiction can be challenging -- on one hand, it needs to be detailed enough that the setting and worldbuilding pop both for readers familiar with the historical landscape, and easy enough to get your footing for those that aren't, without too many barriers of unfamiliarity. There's a balancing of specificity and universality that can be difficult to achieve -- Veera Hiranandani perfectly executes that balance. How to Find What You're Not Looking For has a strong sense of place and time, while weaving familiar themes into the story with a relatable narrator.