The Missing Treehouse
Invent a story about a secret agency run by children who can talk to animals. Their mission is to solve mysteries around town with the help of their animal friends. Their first big case: The Mystery of the Missing Treehouse.
Suggested length: A middle grade story: 2,000 to 5,000 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Give every page or scene one picture worth drawing.
- Use one silly sound word kids will want to say.
- Use a repeated line young readers can join in on.
Writing middle grade books
Ages 8 to 12: friendship, family and figuring out who you are.
Middle grade novels are written for readers around 8 to 12, with heroes usually 10 to 13. The stakes are huge to the characters, the focus stays on their world, and any romance stops at a crush.
What readers expect
- A hero aged about 10 to 13
- Family, friends and school
- Humor and heart
- Hope, even in hard stories
A tip before you start
Kids read up. Make your hero as old as your oldest readers, or a little older.
More Middle Grade prompts
- The Museum After DarkDuring a school field trip to a famous museum, you accidentally get locked in after hours. As you wander the dark, echoing halls looking for a way…
- The Attic Board GameImagine you've discovered an old, dusty board game in your attic that doesn’t abide by the usual rules. When you play, the game transforms your room…
- The Map in the Old BookWrite a story about a mysterious map you find tucked inside an old book in your library. The map doesn't just lead to a hidden location in your town…
- When Drawings Come AliveWrite about a day where everything you draw comes to life. How do you realize your power, and what do you decide to create? Describe a situation where…
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