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@arindown

Hey there!  Long time no see 😉

Okay, so first off, who is your main target audience?  If it’s supposed to be MG, then the protagonist’s age is going to be around your target audience’s age (generally the 8-12 range).  Sometimes, your protagonist can be a bit older (think early teens).  But I mostly see that in older MG (think Ranger’s Apprentice, or The False Prince.  Not at all appealing to little kids).  My writing teachers say that kids like to ‘read up’ or read about a character who’s a bit older than them.  I found this true when I was 10-12 yr. old.  It was exciting to follow a protagonist who was around or just a bit older than I was.

It sounds like your idea would fit younger MG (so the age range would be 8-10 yr. old).

You said: “Something that’s easy to read and exciting for MG but also bright and interesting for littler kids. Do you think that would work?”  The answer is ‘yes’; it really depends on exactly how old these little kids are.  Normally, younger kids won’t be as interested in stories for older kids because it’s harder for them to relate.  And vice versa.  Think about your favorite story and how you felt when you related to the protagonist.  We as readers want to identify with the main character.  And it’s definitely true of kids.  My sister and our friends loved Narnia when we were younger, because we related to, or looked up to, the characters.  There are some stories that I believe can fit what you’re looking for.  One is Narnia.  The other is The Wizard of Oz.  My sister reads a lot of MG (both older and younger), and when I asked her opinion, she thinks that those two books definitely fit younger MG.

I was a bit older than middle-grade when my family reread Narnia or the Oz books for my younger sisters.  So, the reason I say that your idea could work is because some families have several children across the age spectrum; and they like to read aloud together as a family.

So, my advice is to aim for younger middle-grade readers.  Have a protagonist around that age, so kids can relate to them (it’s harder to relate to someone who’s waay older than them, like high school or college aged kids).

And as a side note, MG can be compelling, but less violent and no swear words (unless it’s older MG; in that case, it varies somewhat).  And the protagonist can have adult help, but ultimately they find a way to overcome the story’s problem.  Read a lot of MG books and early reader chapter books, if you can.  That way, you can get a feel for what works for kids and for that particular genre.

Sorry if that was a lot to take in.  🙂  I hope this was helpful.