Middle Grade

Favorite Reads of 2020—Part 2

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 »

Favorite Reads of 2020—Part 1

I read many incredible middle grade books in 2020. Here’s my list of my very favorites from the first half of of last year. While I liked nearly everything I read, these rose to the top as stories I enjoyed tremendously, thought about long after, and could see many young readers picking up and having… Read more »

“My Audience”—A Guest Post for MG Book Village

I had a lot of fun writing this guest post for the great website MG Book Village, which is dedicated to celebrating middle grade fiction. Here are the opening lines: “Most authors have some sense of who their audience will be when they write a novel, and I certainly did with The Mad Wolf’s Daughter: I… Read more »

18 of the Most Buzzed-About Middle Grade Books of 2018

My son’s elementary school principal shared this with me over her holiday break: a link to www.readbrightly.com’s recommended list of middle grade novels in 2018 that included The Mad Wolf’s Daughter (March 6, 2018). I’m deeply touched to be included, but also quite touched by the means through which I heard of it. Maine schools are… Read more »

Book Recommendations for Back to School

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for a reason to give a book as a gift. They’re perfect for every holiday—and happen to be an ideal way to celebrate the first day of school for your child. I’m departing from my usual list of medieval (and pre-medieval) book recommendations with some of my favorite… Read more »