WNDMG Wednesday: Author Interview with Aida Salazar Welcome to WNDGM Wednesday. I’m so excited to be able to introduce you and interview accomplished award-winning author Aida Salazar today. Aida’s newest book is Ultraviolet (Scholastic) and it launches on April 2, 2024. I absolutely love anything Aida writes. I am specifically a huge fan of her verse novels- A SEED IN THE SUN and LAND OF THE CRANES made me feel so much emotion while reading, and I hung onto every word of gorgeous poetry. I cannot wait to dive into this new book! I encourage everyone to buy a copy for themselves and their cla ..read more

Last fall was a particularly hectic time for me. I had deadlines for both a novel and a picture book. I missed a few diverse titles that I think are very worthy of attention. Those are the first three titles in this post.  But first of all I’m going to highlight two books about how elections work, because diversity needs in democracy. Your Vote Matters: How we elect the US President by Rebecca Katzman, illustrated by Ellen Duda is a short and highly illustrated overview of how the US government is structured, how our democracy works, and the presidential election process. Obviously this b ..read more

WNDMG Wednesday: Author Interview with Maleeha Siddiqui I’m so excited to be able to introduce you to accomplished middle grade author Maleeha Siddiqui today. Maleeha’s newest book is ANY WAY YOU LOOK (Scholastic) and it launches on May 7, 2024. This book is a must have and a wonderful read, as I had the pleasure of reading an ARC, and Maleeha’s other novels are also favorites. Maleeha has a beautiful way of writing that is full of emotion and heart and craft! Everyone should buy a copy for themselves and their classrooms and libraries. Cover creds: Cover illustration: Sara Alfageeh Cover d ..read more

This month brings a mix of fiction and nonfiction for MG readers. I’m looking forward to putting these books in the hands of patrons at Annie Blooms Books where I’m a part time bookseller. But I’m also a full time writer and I have a big deadline in November so I’m going to skip the November reviews and write a short report on changes in how Barnes and Noble acquires MG fiction and a detailed analysis of the breakdown of titles on the shelf in my local Barnes & Noble store. I know it’s been on people’s minds and I always find gathering data a help in deciding where to expend my energies in ..read more

Debut Author Interview with Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow on her Middle Grade novel GROUNDED I’m so excited to be able to interview the talented author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow on her book GROUNDED, co-authored by S.K. Ali, Aisha Saeed, and Huda Al-Marashi, and published by Abrams on May 9th of 2023. Jamilah’s picture books are absolutely breathtaking, and I am delighted to say that so is her Middle Grade writing! I loved every bit of this spectacular Muslim book! I encourage every teacher and librarian to stock this wonderful book on their shelves, and I am sure every reader will love reading t ..read more

Back-to-school can be exciting and nerve-wracking for kids, but nothing soothes the soul better than a good book. To help kids get back into the groove of learning, making new friends, and facing new challenges, I’ve curated a fantastic list of middle grade novels.  And because I am a HUGE Taylor Swift fan, I’ve selected 13 stories for young readers to enjoy. Happy Reading! THE DO MORE CLUB by Dana Kramaroff A Jewish boy’s bravery and kindness are tested after an antisemitic attack on his middle school in this rousing novel-in-verse. Ever since twelve-year-old Josh Kline found an antisemi ..read more

Warning! This post is not your typical From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors blog. It does not involve Middle-Grade books. It is not a review of an up-and-coming release. It is not an author or agent interview. But it does involve Magic! It does involve books. It does involve those who create them. And it does involve those who serve as stewards of children’s literature. Okay, so now that I have your attention, allow me to share an incredible experience at the University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum. Not familiar with the Mazza Museum? Understood. Even Dare Coulter, illustrator of Kwame ..read more

Diversity in MG Lit It’s the beginning of May, but March and April were big months for diversity in MG Lit book releases, so I’m going to recap and highlight a few standouts and ask you to mention those I’ve missed in the comments. As usual I’m going to focus on debut authors and diverse representations that most need amplification. Happy to see a debut MG book from acclaimed Cherokee author Brandon Hobson, The Storyteller. Ziggy is already dealing with anxiety and the disappearance of his mother only makes things worse. In a search for answers about where his mother (and so many other Native ..read more

In honor of Arab American Heritage month, I wanted to offer a half dozen children’s books that shed a spotlight on Arab Americans as well as an understanding of the Arab world. In particular, the books selected are geared towards elementary school children and focus on various experiences of Arab American migration as well as a celebration of the achievements of Arab women. A diversity of Arab American faiths is also represented. 1) The Turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye This moving middle grade novel shines a light on the struggles of moving (in this case from Oman to Ann Arbor, Michiga ..read more

Historical fiction, fantasy novels, graphic novels, narrative nonfiction—writing for middle-grade can mean many different things. So, middle-grade authors need to take different approaches when crafting manuscripts for their genres. I talked with middle-grade authors Payal Doshi (fantasy novel) and Cristina Oxtra (historical fiction) to learn more about their craft and processes for writing two very different kinds of middle-grade books. Here are their thoughts on research and plotting, teen character development, and cultural representation in their books. About the Authors First, a bit abou ..read more