“We’re continuing our September focus on great books for kids and teens. This week, Britt Margit of Second Star to the Right Books in Denver, Colo., recommended “Some Kind of Happiness” by Claire LeGrand. It’s a middle-grade novel, which means it’s geared toward kids aged 8 to 12.
Margit says the novel is part family epic, part mental health discovery, part imaginative backyard world-building. Main character Finley Hart has undiagnosed anxiety, and she’s been sent off for the summer to her grandparents’ house while her parents focus on a difficult time in their relationship. The woods behind her house become a kingdom fueled by imagination in a way that reminds Margit of… “READ MORE
A note from Britt: Claire Legrand is one of my very favorite authors because her books are beautiful and fantastical and sparkling, but they also take on mental health and relationships in a nuanced and friendly way (even when not the highlight of the book like in Some Kind of Happiness). I first had the chance to read her books in May of 2019 with Furyborn and Kingsbane (from her YA fantasy series – The Empirium trilogy). Those books have stayed close to my heart (the third and final installment – out October 13th may be the best conclusion to any series I’ve ever read), but it’s her middle grade books that have stolen the show for me this year. In other words, let’s chat Claire Legrand. In other words, read her books so we can talk about them together.
BRITT MARGIT 