Yesterday I posted my favorite middle grade books from the first part of 2020. Here’s the rest from the second half of that year! Class Act by Jerry Craft Jerry Craft’s New Kid, the first book in this graphic novel series, dealt with casual racism and micro-aggressions head-on (in a compelling and sometimes funny story… Read more »
laura shovan
Gender Empowerment and Risks: A Conversation Between Diane Magras and Laura Shovan
The ranks of strong girls in middle grade fiction is growing. (Thank goodness for that!) These girls come in all forms: tough, spunky, wild—and occasionally soft and gentle but with a core of steel. They’re fantastic models for girls (and boys) to see diversity in how girls are represented. And often, these days, they have… Read more »
This month, whenever I can, I`m going to share a #MgLit read that I loved, and that I think a lot of other people would love too.
My first is DEEPHAVEN, written and illustrated by Ethan M. Aldridge. A very real and vulnerable non-binary protagonist stars in this tale of a school with a sinister secret.
Guinevere Tallow (known as Nev), the child of an absent mom and a dad in jail for his latest get-rich-quick scheme, accepts a mysterious school`s invitation to become a student, hoping to find a home. When Nev arrives at Deephaven, the mystery sweeps in with the tall, pale, and strangely predatory Patience Sleepwell, one of the prefects. She`s not the only mysterious and likely sinister character Nev encounters, though there are "normal" students, like Danny, a fencer, who becomes Nev`s best friend. It`s not before long that the two come face-to-face with the biggest mystery of Deephaven: a monster they encounter when all the first year students are locked in the wing where a student died. It`s soon clear that there is sinister magic afoot, and this monster is at the heart of it. Thank goodness Nev has an engineer`s meticulous mind, as well pockets full of interesting bits and bobs thanks to their self-described "magpie" tendencies.
Aldridge`s beautifully creepy illustrations add depth to important scenes. Short yet focused, this marvelous, empowering tale will be a treasure in middle school libraries and will keep readers hooked—especially kids who don`t feel they belong.
#ContemporaryMiddleGrade #MiddleGradeFantasy #LGBTQIA #MagicRealism #MiddleGradeBooks #BooksBooksBooks #RecommendedReading
Each December, I make pepparkakor, Swedish gingerbread spice cookies, as part of our celebration of winter, darkness, and the year`s end. (Yes, those are hippos, along with the people and the round classic shapes.) When my son was little, we`d make these together every year. These days, it`s just me, and I do just a little (and it`s not the neatest bake), but oh, my, are those good. This recipe has a massive amount of spices (a full teaspoon each ginger, cinnamon, and cloves), which make each crispy bite utterly delicious.
#pepparkakor #SwedishBaking #DecemberBakes #cookies