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THE PLENTIFUL DARKNESS by Heather Kassner

I saw a post about THE PLENTIFUL DARKNESS by Heather Kassner on Twitter and completely fell in love with the cover. Even though it came out in August, this spine-chilling middle grade novel is perfect for Halloween:   In order to…
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KEEPING IT REAL by Paula Chase

Paula Chase writes both teen and upper middle grade books that offer a glimpse into what tween and teen life is really like. Her latest novel, KEEPING IT REAL, comes out on October 19, 2021. It stars Marigold, the only Black kid at her fancy…
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PARTLY CLOUDY by Tanita S. Davis

Tanita S. Davis is an award-winning children's author, and any library would be lucky to have her books in their collection. Her latest novel, PARTLY CLOUDY, offers a nuanced exploration of middle school through the eyes of a young Black girl…
Photo credit J. Samphire
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THE RAVEN HEIR by Stephanie Burgis

As soon as I saw  THE RAVEN HEIR by Stephanie Burgis, I couldn't wait to feature it. I'm happy to report that the book is now released and out in the world:   Deep within an enchanted forest lies a castle where a set of triplets…
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SEEKERS OF THE WILD REALM: LEGEND OF THE REALM by Alexandra Ott

I first featured Alexandra Ott's RULES OF THIEVES series, and it was so enjoyable I also featured the first book in her current series, SEEKERS OF THE WILD REALM.  (I also nabbed it immediately when I saw it at my local Barnes and Noble). The…
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THE VERDIGRIS PAWN by Alysa Wishingrad

I stumbled across this book on Facebook, and when I saw the cover, I knew I had to feature it. THE VERDIGRIS PAWN is a middle grade fantasy that offers a richly built world and unforgettable characters:   A boy who underestimates…
Gennifer Choldenko author photo
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ORPHAN ELEVEN by Gennifer Choldenko

I've been a fan of Newbery Honor winner Gennifer Choldenko for quite a few years now. She writes interesting historical fiction that young people (and adults) can really get into. I was honored to feature her book Chasing Secrets back in 2017,…
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SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA and other works by Cynthia Leitich Smith

I heard about SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA from a friend of mine, and as soon as I learned the premise, I reached out to Cynthia Leitich Smith for an interview. Not only is she is an award-winning author, her latest novel offers a Peter Pan reimagining…
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CLIQUE HERE by Anna Staniszewski

I've been following Anna Staniszewski's career ever since I first interviewed her back in 2013. I've featured her My Very Unfairytale Life series as well as her picture books. She also did a guest post about finding emotion within a story idea.…
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HOW TO SAVE A QUEENDOM by Jessica Lawson

HOW TO SAVE A QUEENDOM by Jessica Lawson is a book that has probably one of the best titles I've featured so far this year. It also has a great premise:   Life’s never been kind to twelve-year-old Stub. Orphaned and left in the…