Long ago, I saw Natalie Lloyd’s middle grade magical realism book, A Snicker of Magic in the Scholastic booth at a conference. I finally snagged my copy of it this year, along with her newest book, THE WITCHING WIND. Natalie Lloyd is an author who understands the rhythm of words in a way that makes […]
I met Jeff Adams at an author event a few years back, and I was so impressed with him and his books, that I asked him for an interview. I was particularly intrigued by his novel SOMEWHERE ON MACKINAC, and its connections to the movie classic, Somewhere in Time. Now that he’s single, Chicago […]
I was thrilled to feature Catherine Arguelles’s debut middle grade book Flip Turns, especially as part of a group post last summer before the 2024 Olympics. Her newest middle grade novel, FIRST TO FIND, centers on a missing girl and her friend who will stop at nothing to find her. Everyone assumes that 12yo […]
I am such a huge fan of Elly Swartz and her books, and I’ve been honored to feature Hidden Truths and Dear Student. When I heard about her newest book, SAME PAGE, and how it confronted the enormously important issue of book banning and censoring in schools, I had to read it. The book will […]
I met Edith Cohn at the Annual American Library Association Conference in June 2024, and when I learned the premise of her middle grade book, BIRDIE’S BILLIONS, I had to feature it. Have a look: A savvy young girl finds half a million dollars and wonders if she can keep it in this charming […]
When I first heard the premise of BOTTLED SECRETS OF ROSEWOOD by my fellow Artemesia author, Mary Kendall, I had to buy it. This page-turning mystery was released on July 16, 2024. Miranda falls in love with her dream house but soon discovers it’s an affair with complications. A lot of them. Rosewood is a […]
SORCERY AND SMALL MAGICS is a wonderful cozy fantasy debut. It has the best world-building I’ve seen in a while, and the interactions between the two main characters, Grimm and Leo, are delightful and entertaining. The book debuted on October 15, 2024, and it already hit the Sunday Times bestseller list. Have a look: […]
I got the ARC of this book on NetGalley and it positively blew me away. This is one of the most beautiful novels in verse I’ve read this year. The story is real, visceral, and epitomizes the sacrifices we all make to “fit in.” It debuted yesterday, October 29, 2024. Cayenne and her family […]
I’ve been a fan of Gayle Forman ever since I read her YA book If I Stay. When I found out she wrote middle grade novels as well, I couldn’t wait to feature one of them. NOT NOTHING is just as poignant and emotionally fulfilling as her previous books, and it came out on August […]
I always enjoy interviewing middle grade co-authors Heidi Lang and Kati Bartkowski! I featured the first book in this series, Whispering Pines, and I’m thrilled to announce that the whole series is finally available as a boxed set. Rae’s father vanished without a trace—and Rae knows what happened to him. But no one believes […]