An Interview with Actress and Author Skai Jackson on Her New Book, Reach for the Skai
The Hollywood Reporter named Skai one of the “Top 30 Stars Under Age 18” and she has been featured in…
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6 Heartbreaking Summer Reads for Older Middle Graders
I’m a big crier. Movies, books, and even TV commercials can bring on the tears. Catch me during a milestone…
6 Reasons Young Readers LOVE Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man
Here are the reasons I believe that Dog Man, a “crime-biting canine who is part dog, part man, and all hero!”…
5 Terrific Adult Novels for New Parents
As a daughter who was raised in a complicated family with many secrets, I’m now a mother who is raising…
Reaching For the Moon: 8 Chapter and Middle Grade Books to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing
On July 20, 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong put his left foot on the moon and said, “That’s one small step…
Sparring With Boys, Keeping a Dream Calendar, and Setting Her Sights on the 2024 Olympics: An Interview With 12-year-old Jesselyn Silva
When you were 10 years old… director Emily Sheskin made a short, award-winning film about you, your father, and your…
An Interview With Kobe Bryant of The Wizenard Series: From NBA Superstar to Author
The Wizenard Series: Training Camp is the first volume of a new fantasy series created byKobe Bryant and written by Wesley…
Big Problems with Mami, a Spectacular School Fair, and a Very Old Oak Tree: 6 Chapter Books We’re Loving This Summer
These six new fun chapter books offer fresh takes on so many subjects, from a parent getting remarried, to the…
An Interview with Born Just Right Authors Jordan Reeves and Jen Lee Reeves
As the mother of two daughters, journeys about mother-daughter duos lift me up. That’s why Born Just Right, written by limb…
4 Contemporary Middle Grade Novels (and One Self-Help Guide) About Recovering from an Eating Disorder
Having grown up with a mother who dieted throughout my childhood, I know eating disorders up close. I wish I’d…
The Lost Girl Author Anne Ursu on Girls Supporting Each Other, Finding Plot Holes, and Raising Cats
Anne Ursu is a kind, generous, and warm children’s book author whose protagonists are often fierce and determined. She’s the…
Good Enough Author Jen Petro-Roy on Surviving, Setbacks, Recovery, and Self-Care
I first heard Jen Petro-Roy’s name after reading the Entertainment Weekly essay she’d written about her 2018 middle grade debut P.S.…
11 Inspiring Middle Grade Authors Chime in with Their New Year’s Resolutions
Now that 2018 is nearing a close, it’s time for to ask, “What will I resolve to do next year?”…
5 Picture Books for the Holidays….That Don’t Mention Christmas
In our home, the holidays are a mix of Hanukah, Christmas, and Winter Solstice. We don’t attend church or synagogue,…
Listen Up: Five New Middle Grade Audio Books for Your Winter Road Trip
If you’re gearing up for a long car ride during the winter break with your middle schoolers, it’s a good…
5 Books for Young Readers That Focus on Empathy
“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.”…
If Your Kids Love Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, They’ll Love These Books for Little Activists
The latest U.S. government climate report got buried in the news on Black Friday. It’s a grave climate warning that…
Middle Grade Novels That Tackle Parents’ Divorce, Dating, and Blended Families
I grew up with divorced parents who dated again. Eventually my mom remarried. My father never did. That’s one of…
#MeToo and Middle Grade
The #MeToo movement shook American media and politics last year, and now, thanks to writers such as Anne Ursu and Kelly…
Author Torrey Maldonado Talks Hating School, Loving Comics, and His Inspiration for Tight
I love first-person middle grade stories that don’t sugarcoat real life, such what it’s really like when a father comes…