From The Mixed Up Files

According to the LKG Agency website, Lauren Galit is “a story cheerleader, a contract negotiator, and a champion of unforgettable kidlit books.” And according to client Clinton Kelly, she’s “a totally chill agent who’s not even a jerk.”   Lauren opened LKG Agency in 2005 and has worked hard to build a thriving agency with a robust client list. She loves working with middle-grade authors, and we know that our MUF readers will love getting to know Lauren!   Lauren, tell us a little about your background and how you found your way to agenting....

In just the past few weeks, multiple kidlit authors have seen their author visits canceled. Talk on the True Story of the First Woman to Bike Around the World: CANCELED According to author Mary Boone’s piece in The Seattle Times, she was scheduled to talk about her book Pedal Pusher: How One Woman’s Bicycle Adventure Helped Change the World at the Tacoma Children’s Museum site on the U.S. Army base Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The book tells the true story of Annie Cohen Kopchovsky, the first woman to bike around the world. However, a few days before the event, Boone was...

As a kid, I loved reading historical fiction. In my day, most of these stories centered on Europe and a war. I felt transported to other times and places, and was introduced to characters my age confronting challenges of survival. I enjoyed connecting with kids from the past who, with...

    Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview, a repeating feature for the last Tuesday of every month. Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math! Today we’re interviewing Jennifer Swanson, author of Save the Crash-test Dummies. The book discusses how restoring the balance between the primary predator and prey was instrumental in restoring a U.S. park’s ecosystem. This...

When I brought Real-Life Mysteries and Disasters into my home, it immediately created a mystery of its own. Every time I went to grab the book from where I had left it, the book had vanished! Leave it on the side table and a few minutes later Poof! empty table....

Middle grade readers often have strong opinions. In earlier From the Classroom articles we shared how to Build Reflective Readers and reasons why we Don’t Pigeon-Hole Middle Grade Readers. This time I’d like to share a sure-fire way to get kids interested in new books: “If you like…” posters and...

Happy Autumn! When you get tired of raking leaves, escape with one of these new releases coming out during the month of November. Lots of adventure and mystery. Chris Makes a Friend  by Alex Gino. 240 pp. (November 4, 2025) Chris does not want to be spending the summer with...

According to the LKG Agency website, Lauren Galit is “a story cheerleader, a contract negotiator, and a champion of unforgettable kidlit books.” And according to client Clinton Kelly, she’s “a totally chill agent who’s not even a jerk.”   Lauren opened LKG Agency in 2005 and has worked hard to...