Middle Grade Matters

National Book Award winner and Newbery Honoree Polly Horvath discusses her latest middle-grade book, Library Girl, and her extensive writing career. She  talks about the inspiration behind her stories and the themes in Library Girl, including the importance of libraries and the concept of family. Polly shares her journey as a writer, from sending out children's stories to publishers at a young age to finally getting published, and she discusses the importance of perseverance and believing in oneself. 

I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more!

Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere.

For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode I talk with author Sarah Allen about her new spooky middle grade book, Monster Tree. Sarah shares her experience as a writer and how she learned to balance plot and character development. She also talks about the joy of writing middle grade books and the impact they can have on young readers. Sarah offers advice to new writers, encouraging them to be generous and bold in their writing journey.

I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more!

Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere.

For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, I interview Robyn Field, author of Peony Watercolor's Wish for Sun and Moon, and Karin Hoyle, CEO, Acquisitions Editor, and Creative Director of Owl's Nest Publishers, a small press independent publishing house based outside Madison, Wisconsin, about the process of creating and publishing a middle grade book. Robyn shares her journey as a writer and how she found a home for her book with Owl's Nest, and Karin talks about the founding of Owl's Nest and their focus on publishing books for teen and middle grade readers.

I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more!

Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere.

For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

In this episode, I talk with award-winning author Gayle Forman about her latest middle grade novel, Not Nothing. Gayle discusses her transition from writing YA to middle grade and the challenges of capturing the voice of young characters. She shares the inspiration behind Not Nothing, a story about a 12-year-old boy named Alex who finds himself in an assisted living facility and forms a bond with a 107-year-old man named Josie.

I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more!

Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere.

For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

Matthew Landis' new middle grade series, National Archive Hunters, follows twins who use their history knowledge to solve mysteries and save their family's museum. Matt's goal as both a writer and a middle school social studies teacher is to make history exciting and not boring for kids. He discusses his process for writing mysteries and planning a series, and he talks about the joy and excitement of his upcoming RV trip across America to visit schools and talk about his books.

I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more!

Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere.

For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

Author Adam Rosenbaum discusses his debut middle-grade novel, The Ghost Rules, which follows Elwood, a 12-year-old boy who can see ghosts, as he navigates grief and tries to reconnect with his deceased brother. Rosenbaum also discusses his writing journey, from starting out as a songwriter to pursuing screenwriting and eventually transitioning to writing novels. He discusses his approach to writing novels, and provides advice to new writers. 

I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more!

Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere.

For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

Amar Shah, a multiple Emmy-winning writer and producer, discusses his middle-grade debut novel, The Hoop Con: Play the Game. The book follows a sixth-grader with big basketball dreams who faces embarrassment when a viral video goes wrong. Shah shares his love for sports and how it influenced his writing, as well as the importance of incorporating his South Asian culture into the story. He also shares his journey from being a high school reporter for the NBA to becoming a middle-grade author. He talks about his experiences interviewing basketball players like Shaq and Michael Jordan and how it inspired him to write his first book.

I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more!

Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere.

For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

Jennifer Blecher, author of four middle grade books, discusses her writing process and the themes in her latest middle grade novel, Listen to This. She shares the challenges of writing from the perspective of a boy and the importance of writing big emotions. Jennifer also talks about the inspiration behind Listen to This and the issues of friendship, parental oversharing, and navigating middle school. She emphasizes the importance of keeping the plot moving while giving weight to the characters' feelings. Jennifer discusses her journey as a writer and the evolution of her writing style. She also shares her thoughts on the middle grade genre and her future projects.

About LISTEN TO THIS from the publisher: Secrets, rumors, shifting friendships, overbearing parents, and, on top of all that, a first dance—how does anyone survive seventh grade? Told from dual points of view, this novel about two tweens finding their voices and standing up for themselves is for fans of Lisa Yee, Leslie Connor, and Janae Marks.

I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more!

Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere.

For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

Nedda Lewers is the Egyptian-American author of Daughters of the Lamp and its sequel, Children of the Wind. These books tell the story of a a 12-year-old Egyptian-American girl who discovers her family's secret legacy as the keepers of Ali Baba's treasure. Nedda discusses her journey as a writer, the experience of having a mentor, and the excitement of getting a book deal.

From the publisher: Percy Jackson meets Arabian fairy tales in this epic middle grade fantasy series about a girl who becomes the keeper of Ali Baba’s treasure.

I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more!

Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere.

For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

Author Caroline Carlson discusses her latest middle grade book, Wicked Marigold, a People Magazine Best Books for Summer Selection. She talks about the challenges and joys of writing the book, including creating funny moments and fantastical creatures, and the publishing process. She also talks about her experience completing an MFA in writing, her day-to-day life as a writer, and her writing process.

From the publisher: In a funny and charming fantastical romp, overlooked Princess Marigold is nothing like her perfect, just-returned sister—so she runs away to an evil wizard’s tower to prove her wickedness.

I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more!

Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere.

For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.