On this episode of the Middle Grade Matters podcast, Laurie Morrison discusses her middle grade novel Keeping Pace and the themes it explores, including the pressure to succeed, the intensity of competition in middle school, and the importance of friendship and relationships . In this conversation, Laurie shares how she discovered her passion for writing and the role of critique partners in shaping her work. Laurie also talks about her journey from getting her MFA to querying agents and getting her books published. She also discusses her writing process, including selling on proposal, and shares her plans for future projects.

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On this episode, Colleen Oakes discusses her debut middle grade book, The Second Favorite Daughters Club, which follows two girls who form a club and come up with pranks to undermine their favorite siblings. Colleen shares her inspiration for the book and the importance of exploring family dynamics. She also talks about the transition from writing YA and adult novels to middle grade and her experience selling a book on proposal. 

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On this episode, I talk with author Allie Millington about her debut middle grade novel, Olivetti, and her writing journey. She shares her inspiration for writing from the perspective of a typewriter, the emotional side of Olivetti, and the themes of connection and finding one's voice. Allie also talks about her writing process, being a self-taught writer, and her experience with querying and signing with an agent. 

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In this episode of the Middle Grade Matters podcast, I talk with Ali Terese, author of the debut novel Free Period. The book explores the themes of period equity and period poverty through the story of two prankster characters, Helen and Gracie, who take on these issues in their school. Ali shares her motivation for writing the book and her hope that it inspires kids to take action. She also discusses the humor in the book, her writing process, and the importance of finding your voice as a writer. 

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On this episode, I talk with Ridley Pearson, the NYT #1 Bestselling author of the Kingdom Keepers series. We talk about the process he follows for writing books, the time he spends at Disney parks conducting research (often after-hours), and how middle grade has evolved over the course of his writing career.

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On this episode, I talk with Emily Barth Isler about her new middle grade novel, The Color of Sound, which tells the story of twelve-year-old Rosie, a musical prodigy whose synesthesia allows her to see music in colors. 

From the publisher:  Rosie's mom has always pushed her to become a concert violinist, but this summer Rosie refuses to play, wanting a "normal" life. Forced to spend the summer with her grandparents, Rosie is excited to meet another girl her age hanging out on their property. The girl is familiar, and Rosie quickly pieces it together: somehow, this girl is her mother, when her mother was twelve.

With help from this glitch in time―plus her grandparents, an improv group, and a new instrument―Rosie comes to understand her mother, herself, and her love of music in new ways.

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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

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