While I finally reached the conclusion that the Flavia de Luce mysteries are not technically middle grade, the heroine of the stories is twelve. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is the first in a series of historical mysteries starring a girl with a keen interest in chemistry/poisons. When the Circus Came to Town is about a girl with a face scarred by smallpox and a Chinese man who looks for ways to lure her out of her depression. The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle is the second book in the League of Princes trilogy. Fabulously funny. Amazing art.
C. J. Milbrandt 