From The Mixed Up Files

Here are seven great reads for young music lovers, both fiction and nonfiction.  These books feature—in unusual ways— musical theatre, young players of instruments, and the great eras of the musical past You’ll encounter a wheelchair actor and a time-traveling jukebox.  You’ll also discover a life-changing family secret. A not-so-extinct tiger. Tales-out-of -school about the Beatles! Just out from Abrams this month is THE CHANCE TO FLY, by Tony-Award winner Ali Stroker and acclaimed author and playwright Stacy Davidowitz.  Ali Stroker made history in 2019 as the first actor in a wheelchair to appear on...

A new report released by PEN America documents a rise in laws that are designed to intimidate educators and librarians. The aim of these laws is to promote self-censoring. Rather than making headlines for banning books, those who wish to promote certain ideologies by limiting students’ access to books are using intimidation tactics. Their objective is to evoke fear that prompts educators and librarians to disregard topics and materials that might cause controversy.  What are intimidation laws? According to pen.org, “Educational intimidation bills are part of the broader, ongoing ‘Ed Scare’—a nationwide effort documented by PEN America to foment anger...

Debut Author Interview with Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow on her Middle Grade novel GROUNDED I’m so excited to be able to interview the talented author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow on her book GROUNDED, co-authored by S.K. Ali, Aisha Saeed, and Huda Al-Marashi, and published by Abrams on May 9th of 2023. Jamilah’s picture books...

STEM Tuesday– Robotics and Artificial Intelligence — Interview with Author Darcy Pattison 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 Darcy Pattison, author of A.I.: How Patterns Helped Artificial Intelligence Defeat World Champion Lee Sedol.  It’s a...

Debut Author Interview with Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow on her Middle Grade novel GROUNDED I’m so excited to be able to interview the talented author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow on her book GROUNDED, co-authored by S.K. Ali, Aisha Saeed, and Huda Al-Marashi, and published by Abrams on May 9th of 2023. Jamilah’s picture books...

Back-to-school can be exciting and nerve-wracking for kids, but nothing soothes the soul better than a good book. To help kids get back into the groove of learning, making new friends, and facing new challenges, I’ve curated a fantastic list of middle grade novels.  And because I am a HUGE...

As the dog days of summer roll into the early days of school, check out these exciting titles coming out this month! This list is sure to please the young readers in your life who love adventures, touching and amazing nonfiction, or mysteries. Team Trash: A Time Traveler’s Guide to...

Hi Ali, I’m so excited to welcome you to our Editor/Agent Spotlight here on the Mixed Up Files, thanks so much for joining us! Thank you for having me on the Mixed Up Files blog! I’m excited to have a chat with you and your readers. What was your path...