Middle Grade Matters

On this episode, I talk with middle grade author and cultural anthropologist Ruth Behar. We talk about Across So Many Seas, her new middle grade novel that spans over 500 years, as well as what it was like when she won the prestigious Pura Belpré Award for her book Lucky Broken Girl.

From the Publisher: Across So Many Seas tells the stories of four girls from different generations of a Jewish family, many of them forced to leave their country and start a new life.

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On this episode, I talk with Hena Khan about her new middle grade book, Drawing Deena. We also talk about kids and anxiety, encouraging kids to write, and seeing all kids represented in children's literature.

From the publisher: From the award-winning author of Amina’s Voice and Amina’s Song comes a tenderhearted middle grade novel about a young Pakistani American artist determined to manage her anxiety and forge her own creative path.

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On this episode, I talk with MarcyKate Connolly and Kathryn Holmes about their new  mystery, The Thirteenth Circle. We talk about their writing collaboration process, their research, and whether they believe in the existence of Aliens and UFOs.

From the publisher: The X-Files meets Scooby-Doo in THE THIRTEENTH CIRCLE, a middle-grade mystery from MarcyKate Connolly and Kathryn Holmes, featuring two unexpected friends, crop circles, science fairs, and Men in Black, perfect for both the highly scientific and cryptid enthusiasts alike.

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On this episode I talk with Polly Holyoke, author of the award-winning Neptune Trilogy and her latest series, Skyriders. We talk about writing for upper middle grade readers, ways to inspire kids to write creatively, and the unique aspects of writing fantasy

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Neptune trilogy, by Polly Holyoke
• Skyriders series, by Polly Holyoke
• From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E.L. Konigsburg
• Holes, by Louis Sachar

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

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On this episode, I talk with middle grade author Mindy Nichols Wendell about her debut novel, Light and Air, on researching and writing historical fiction, and on following your dreams no matter your age. 

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Light and Air, by Mindy Nichols Wendell
• A Writer Teaches Writing, by Donald Murray
• Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott
• Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, by Natalie Goldberg

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

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On this episode, I talk with Nashae Jones about her debut middle-grade rom-com, Courtesy of Cupid, her love for combining laughing and literature, being a part of the 5am Writer's Club, and her journey to becoming a published author. 

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• Courtesy of Cupid, by Nashae Jones
• Save the Cat Writes a Novel, by Jessica Brody

From the publisher: In this middle grade rom-com sprinkled with a dash of magic, a girl uses her newfound ability to make people fall in love to sabotage her rival.

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On this episode, I talk with Tui T. Sutherland, author of the bestselling Wings of Fire series, about her new companion book Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World, how she got started writing, what’s next in the Wings of Fire series, and what it was like being a contestant on Jeopardy!

Books mentioned in this episode include: 

• Wings of Fire series, by Tui T. Sutherland
• Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World, by Tui T. Sutherland
• When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
• When the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin

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

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On this episode, author Taylor Tyng talks about his debut middle grade novel Clara Poole and the Long Way 'Round, being a dyslexic reader and writer, what it's like to write a series, and dreamstarters.

Books and music mentioned in this episode include: 

• Clara Poole and the Long Way 'Round, by Taylor Tyng
• Clara Poole and the Wrong Way Up, by Taylor Tyng (forthcoming)
• Story Engineering, by Larry Brooks
• The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster
• Orphan Island, by Laurel Schneider
• Circus Mirandus, by Cassie Beasley
• Abbott: https://music.apple.com/us/album/somnia/1574908913

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

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On this episode, I talk with Sally Morgridge, Senior Editor at Holiday House, about the acquisitions process, what she looks for in a submission, and the editorial process.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

The Carrefour Curse, by Dianne K. Salerni
102 Days of Lying About Lauren, by Maura Jortner
Not the Worst Friend in the World, by Anne Rellihan
The Ghost Rules, by Adam Rosenbaum  (forethcoming)
Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh.

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

I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm, a platform that supports indy bookstores.

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On this episode, I talk to middle grade author Arianne Costner about her latest book, Confessions of a Class Clown, injecting humor into middle grade, reaching reluctant readers, and balancing writing and motherhood.

 Books mentioned in this episode include:

• My Life as a Potato, by Arianne Costner
• Confessions of a Class Clown, by Arianne Costner
• Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, by Jessica Brody
• 96 Miles, by J.L. Esplin
• Restart, by Gordan Korman
• Because of Winn Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo
• Miracle, by Karen S. Chow

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

I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm, a platform that supports indy bookstores.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please leave a rating and review (thank you!).