Two Lit Mamas

The Mamas went in search of lighthearted, feel-good reads to balance out the important yet difficult Middle Grade stories they’ve been consuming lately. Luckily they found them in a fantasy story and an historical fiction book. So, if you (or your kiddo aged 8-12) need some balance in your reading diet, join the Mamas for a laugh, a little harmless murder, and some happily ever afters.

Middle Grade Book Chat:

The Swifts, a Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

Bonus Book Chat: Big Girl Books

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

Circe by Madeline Miller 

 
www.twolitmamas.com

Episode 62 of the Two Lit Mamas podcast hits all the feels, including the good, the sad and the funny, with a book chat about two important diverse stories for middle grade (ages 8-12) that plumb the depths of tragedy and adversity through the agony  of racism and classism. The Mamas hope you will not back away. Then, the Mamas move on to  a fun new game called Two Books and a Fake. Will you be fooled?

Book Chat:

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander   

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat


www.twolitmamas.com

The Mamas fight censorship and much more with the help of special guest, Staci Schwarz, who dazzles the Mamas with her witty book critique and the scrumptious details of her new Middle Grade Book subscription box. Listen in to get the deets. 
(Please ignore Margie’s violent tendencies, we’re blaming it on her new Hag-itude!)

 Book Chat:

Attack of the Black Rectangles by A.S. King

Middle Grade Book Subscription Box:

Chapters Reading Club Book Box  

 
Next up on the Two Lit Mamas 2023 Reading Challenge:

Go on a grand adventure
 

www.twolitmamas.com

The Mamas started the New Year on the right foot with middle grade book series about gothic water parks, bubble aliens, and fart jokes! 2023 may or may not be a good year – the Mamas are sneaking in quietly so as not to provoke it – but, whatever the next 12 months bring, you can count on the Mamas to bring you book recommendations that the 7-12 year olds in your life will love!

Book Chat:

The Area 51 Files Series by Julie Buxbaum and Lavanya Naidu

The Sinister Summer Series by Kiersten White


Two Lit Mamas 2023 Reading Challenge:
Be a Rebel! Find a banned or challenged middle grade book and give it a read. We know you won't be disappointed. Then listen to the next episode as the Mamas discuss censorship in middle grade.

www.twolitmamas.com

Happy Holidays! For the last episode of 2022, the Mamas are leaving listeners with a special gift – a visit from journalist Masha Rumor, the author of the new nonfiction book for adults titled, Parenting with an Accent, How Immigrants Honor Their Heritage, Navigate Setbacks, and Chart New Paths for Their Children.  Laugh along with the Mamas as they dig into the importance of food, community and house slippers to cultural identity. You'll definitely be Googling Herring Under a Fur Coat by the end of the episode.  Treat yourself and listen in!

Book Chat:
Parenting with an Accent, How Immigrants Honor Their Heritage, Navigate Setbacks, and Chart New Paths for Their Children by Masha Rumor


www.twolitmamas.com

The Mamas are shopping again, and the books are piling up. This episode, our two favorite surly elves offer up gift buying guides for the Middle Grade (ages 8-12) and Young Adult (ages 13-18) readers in your life. So, eat until your fat pants are tight and then take advantage of Black Friday and Small Biz Saturday deals to snatch up some great books that will leave your big kids asking for more, please, Oliver Twist style.    

Holiday Gift Guide:

Middle Grade (ages 8-12) books

1. Quest Kids and The Dragon Pants Gold by Mark Leiknes.
2. The Kwlade series by Emily Chenowith
3. The Confessions of a Dork Lord series by Mike Johnston
4. The Switch by Roland Smith
5. The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander
6. The Secret Letters by Margaret Peterson Haddix
7. Odder by Katherine Applegate
8. The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill
9. Spaceboy by David Walliams
10. Big Rig by Louise Hawes

Young Adult (ages 13-18) books

1. Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater
2. Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy Lin
3. Once Upon a Broken Heart and The Balland of Never After by Stephanie 
4. Gabe in the After by Shannon Doleski
5. I Must Betray You - Ruta Sepetys
6. Before Takeoff by Adi Alsaid

www.twolitmamas.com

It’s beginning to look a lot like Giftmas and the Mamas are here for it with board book, picture book, chapter book and activity book recommendations. Grab a hot toddy and fill your shopping cart while sharing a few laughs with your two BFFs.

Book Recs:

Board Books

1.     Oink I’m a Pig and Roar I’m a Dinosaur by Merril Rainey

2.     This is a Book of Shapes by Kenneth Kraegel

3.     Rainy Days by Deborah Kerbel and Miki Sato

4.     Moon: A Peek-Through Board Book by Britta Teckentrup

5.     Odd Birds, Meet Nature’s Weirdest Flock by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Gareth Lucas

Activity Books

1.     The Highlights Books of Things to…

2.     Life Skills for Kids: How to Cook, Clean, Make Friends, Handle Emergencies, Set Goals, Make Good Decisions, and Everything in Between by Karen Harris

3.     Edible Craft Kids’ Cookbook Ages 4-8 by Charity Mathews

4.     Upcycle It Crafts for Kids ages 8-12: Fun and Useful Projects to Recycle and Reimagine by Jennifer Perkins

5.     Brain Games Science books: Kitchen Science Experiments, Outdoor Science Experiments, Engineering Science Experiments

Picture Books

1.     Sunday Pancakes by Maya Tatsukawa

2.     The Path by Bob Staake

3.     Alphabedtime by Susanna Leonard Hill and Betsy Snyder

4.     Here We Come by Janna Matthies and Christine Davenier

5.     Three Little Vikings by Bethan Woollvin

Chapter Books

1.     Grumpy Monkey Freshly Squeezed by Suzanne Lang

2.     The Investigators series by John Patrick Green

3.     Max Meow series by John Gallagher

4.     The Agent Moose Series by Mo O’Hara and Jess Bradley

5.     Waffles and Pancake and the Castronauts by Drew Brockington

Join us next episode for the Holiday Gift Guide Part 2: book recs for Middle Graders and Teens 

www.twolitmamas.com 

The Mamas celebrate spooky season with three books perfect for middle graders (ages 8-12) to read in the dark even if the two middle-aged Mamas read them in bright daylight (insert chicken noises here). The Mamas chat about witches, night beasts and ghosts. Oh my! And, debate if its okay to kill books by DNF-ing them. Listen in to find out who is a serial killer and who is a brain sucking zombie. 

Book Chat:

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie

Witchlings by Claribel Ortega

The Clackity by Lora Senf

www.twolitmamas.com    

The end is near unless a few resourceful and persistent middle grade heroes can stop the apocalypse in three fun books for 8–12-year-olds. For this episode, The Mamas have jumped into a big pile of raked up spooky season, careful not to spill their pumpkin spice lattes, to bring you their opinions on all things dystopian ­– just in time for Halloween. 

Book Chat:

Fenris & Mott by Greg Van Eekhout

It’s the End of the World and I’m in my Bathing Suit by Justin Reynolds

Apocolypse Taco by Nathan Hale

Pick 6: Our Fave Halloweeny Shows

1. My Best Friend’s Exorcism
2. Hocus Pocus 1 & 2
3. Escape to Witch Mountain
4. Halloween ‘78
5. Sleepy Hollow 
6. Tales from the Crypt 

www.twolitmamas.com

The Mamas are ready for the spooky season after reading two Sci-Fi novels for Middle Graders (ages 8-12). The MC of one has an experimental brain implant and the other is a human/cockroach hybrid. What more could you want? Oh, and both heroes are battling evil corporations. So deliciously dark – just how the Mamas like it.

Book Chat:
Maximillion Fly by Angie Sage
Trex by Christyne Morrell

Pick 6: Writing craft resources

1. Wired for Story by Lisa Cron
2. Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
3. Crafting the Personal Essay by Dinty Moore 
4. Telling Your Story with Joyce Maynard (podcast)
5. MasterClass.com/articles
6. Literaryterms.net

www.twolitmamas.com