I just finished reading the most current book I think I’ve ever read: One True Wish by Lauren Kate. This book is so new, its pages are still warm. Haha. The hardcopy was released on May 1. Of this very year! While I don’t love “Fantasy” with a capital “F,” I do enjoy fluttery fantasy…
I read. A lot. I think I’m not alone here. 😊 I don’t read as much as the women in my writer’s group, though. Holy moly, those women are voracious! I don’t read just middle grade or how-to-write books either. I think that a writer or anyone can glean a ton of advice, inspiration, hope…
February is Black History Month when the country shines a light on Black Americans and their contribution to society, culture, and history, as well as their struggles. In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, and asked the country to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in…
December and Christmas go hand in hand. Fa la la la la. While I love the Christmas spirit, it’s important to remember that there are other holidays in December that deserve our respect and attention: Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. When I was a kid, my family celebrated both Christmas and Hanukkah. We had a beautiful menorah,…
Today I’m bringing you a list of middle-grade novels (for ages 7-12) to gift the children in your life. A book is always a good idea, don’t you think? This list is based on the New York Times Bestseller List for middle-grade books. But before I get to those, I have to recommend a book…
Some books are so charming, you can’t help but fall in love. Always, Clementine by Carlie Sorosiak is one of those books. Written for 8-12-year-olds and published in September 2022, it is the story of two lab mice, Clementine and The Other Mouse, who are freed by kindhearted scientist Felix and deposited into a mailbox…
November is Native American Heritage Month. It began as a single day, American Indian Day, and continued until 1990 when George W. Bush extended it to encompass the entire month. These special heritage months are important because they remind us that our country is full of people who may or may not look like us,…
Here we are, knee-deep into October, the spooky, scary, gateway-to-all-the-other-holidays month. I just learned a new word today. Taphophile: a cemetery enthusiast. I had no idea there was a word for people like me. I just thought we were “quirky.” Now I know we’re taphophiles! (This is not to be confused with coimetromaniacs, who are people…
Hi there, and thanks for taking a moment to dip into the blog. I have an author interview with Ethan Nicolle. I just finished reading his novel Brave Ollie Possum. I think if you or your child liked The BFG by Roald Dahl, you’ll like this. It was a lot of fun to read. I…
Good books are a balm to a troubled soul. I’ve been reading a lot lately. Today’s book review is of a middle-grade fiction novel called Wonderland by Barbara O’Connor. (There’s an interview with her, too!) Ms. O’Connor has a long list of books and a long list of awards for said books. The first book…
