An Interesting MG Book to Read With Your Kids

by | Books

I recently read Fuzzy Mud, by Louis Sachar, to my 4-year-old twins—not because I thought they’d understand it completely but because it’s good to read aloud to kids whether or not they can understand the stories. Reading longer books to younger children improves their concentration, encourages a greater grasp on language, and promotes a love of literature. I’m all about those things, so I picked this one up mostly because I wanted to read it myself, and sometimes the best way to read books is to read them aloud to children.

It was slightly creepy, but not in a way that frightened my boys. It was actually just the right amount of creepiness to raise the tension high enough to keep them involved and invested in the story.

Fuzzy Mud is a middle grade science fiction book that contains all of what I love about Louis Sachar: some humor, an engaging premise, and lovable characters.

Here are three things I enjoyed about this story:

  1. The scientific elements. There was a lot of imagination that went into the development of this story, which was based on this premise: some renegade cells in a new biofuel begin to take over the world. Not really, but almost.
  2. The transcripts of Senate hearings. Because the premise is a bit controversial, Sachar brings in some Senate hearings that take place between local Senators and the creator of the biofuel, which gives the book a very realistic feel.
  3. The characters were simple but compelling. You didn’t hear a lot about their backstories and what makes them tick, but you heard enough.

All in all, Fuzzy Mud was a fantastic read for young children, regardless of whether or not they understood every word.

The book mentioned above has an affiliate link attached to it, which means I’ll get a small kick-back if you click on it and purchase. But I only recommend books I enjoy reading myself. Actually, I don’t even talk about books I didn’t enjoy. I’d rather forget I ever wasted time reading them. (But if you’re curious whether I’ve read something and what I thought about it, don’t hesitate to ask.)