Blog

Celebrate School Library Month

By on April 1, 2025   /   Oh MG News  
AALS School Library Month Logo with OMG

The month of April is known for many things. It’s National Poetry Month, of course. And it’s also American Heart Month, National Garden Month, National Autism Awareness Month, and National Financial Literacy Month. But guess what else it is…. April is School Library Month, and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) encourages us all to join them in both celebration and advocacy.

The idea for School Library Month originated in 1983 with Lucille Thomas, who was appointed to spearhead the School Library Month Committee by then AALS president, Judy King. The idea became a reality on April 1, 1985, which means that this year we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of School Library Month.

Our support for school libraries and librarians is more important now than ever. In many schools, libraries are under attack, librarians are being defamed, and books are being removed from shelves. It’s a critical time to be an advocate for the right to read, access to books, and the vital role played by school librarians.

AASL provides lots of free resources to help you promote School Library Month in your area. They offer an editable Canva infographic that allows you to share data from your own school library. They also provide access to proclamations made by various local officials that can be downloaded for use in your observance. 

Additionally, there are toolkits to assist administrators and other school library advocates in supporting their libraries and librarians. Administrators can learn about the AASL Standards and the strong correlation between school libraries and student achievement. Teachers, students, and parents can download templates for thank-you cards or read about ways to establish Secret Library Pals.

AASL also provides a downloadable copy of the Declaration for the Right to School Libraries. The first page identifies specific attributes of value that libraries contribute to our school communities – empowering individuals, supporting literacy, and preserving our nation’s cultural history, just to name a few. The second page allows space for school communities to create their own declarations.

Within the month of April, several related events are also identified on AASL site:

National Library Week is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.

For #RightToReadDay, we’re asked to celebrate — and defend — the freedoms that are found in our libraries!

NLWD is a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers.

National Library Outreach Day (formally National Bookmobile Day) celebrates library outreach and the dedicated library professionals who are meeting their patrons where they are.

Take Action for Libraries Day is a day to rally advocates to support libraries.

Now more than ever, it’s time to be an advocate for school libraries and school librarians. It’s easy to feel discouraged by book challenges and book bans. However, April delivers the opportunity to harness some springtime invigoration and show our support for school libraries and school librarians.

After all, in addition to being School Library Month, April is also the National Month of Hope.

Back to Top

Meet Katie Monson, Literary Agent

By on March 31, 2025   /   Articles, Editor / Agent Spotlight  
Katie Monson

Katie MonsonKatie Monson loves kids, and she also loves books. For 12 years, Katie was a self-employed childcare provider, watching children in her home and enjoying the privilege of being home to raise her children. But recently, she decided to massively change up her life and find a new path that still allowed her to work from home and be with her kids. That new path led her to SBR Media. 

SBR Media is a literary agency for all genres. It was established in April 2016 by Stephanie Phillips. Today, SBR Media has 11 agents representing over 300 clients. As one of those agents, Katie Monson is known to be self-motivated, organized, and ready to represent clients and help lead them to success. We’re grateful she took the time to share a little bit about herself and her work with our MUF readers.

Welcome, Katie! Your path to becoming an agent is fascinating and not all that typical. What led you to the world of books and publishing? 

I’ve always had a passion for reading, ever since I was a little girl. Over the years, I developed a strong interest in reading indie romance books, which naturally led to blogging, beta reading, and editing small manuscripts for authors. 

It sounds like agenting was a natural fit. Now that you’ve been in this role for a while, what do you find to be the best and worst parts of being an agent?

The best part about being an agent is working with my authors and making their dreams come true!

The worst part is how I cannot possibly take on all the manuscripts that I read. I would love to be able to help everyone but it’s just not possible. Sending the rejection letters and knowing how the author is going to feel is the worst.

Here at MUF, we’re all about middle grade. As an agent who represents this category of work, what do you love most about middle grade novels?

I love middle grade novels because they are multifaceted. They can be for pure entertainment, but while they are being enjoyed, there can also be underlying themes that help kids navigate through life and challenges they may face. Middle grade books can help make kids feel less alone and know that what they are going through is normal!

Which middle-grade book(s) influenced you most as a child?

I loved the Wayside School books!  They were so funny to me, and I still remember them to this day. I shared them with my own kids, and they loved them too!

What are some of your favorite current middle grade novels?

I really love any of Raina Telgemeier books!  My kids loved them too!

Which genres/themes/subjects are you drawn to/not drawn to?

I am not a big sci-fi and fantasy reader, so I lack the experience needed to represent these. I love themes of being true to yourself, being a great friend/person, subtle lesson-teaching (not being in your face about it). I also love when a novel explains big feelings!

What do you look for in a query, and what types of queries do you hope to find?

A query needs to be brief and engaging. I want to be drawn in so quickly that I can’t wait to get my hands on the manuscript. Don’t give away too much, but don’t be vague either.  

I’m on the hunt for another middle grade to add to my list. I’m looking for an engaging plot with a twist no one sees coming. I want to keep the kids reading on their toes (as well as the editor we are pitching to).  

What are the top reasons you pass on a submission?

There are many reasons why but the top ones I would pass on are:

  • Word count is not where it needs to be
  • Not an exciting query that makes me NEED to read more
  • I couldn’t connect with the writing/story/characters

Do you ever participate in pitch parties, and if so, what do you love about them?

I participate in events when I find the time! LOL! I love to see how authors are able to explain their entire manuscript in such a short amount of words. I love these events so much that I have even set up a pop-up event of my own! 

That sounds interesting! Can you tell us a little more about this pop-up event?

YES!  I will randomly set up my own personal pop-up pitch event.  I ask for a brief description of their manuscript (I usually have these open to all authors) and a mood board if they have one.  From there, if I like their post then I have them contact me for more information on how to submit to me.  

We know you’re closed to submissions right now, but can you give us an idea of when you’ll reopen?

The plan is this spring for a week. This is a really busy season for me, so I am unsure of the exact time, but it will most likely be sometime in May. My best advice is to watch my socials! 

You can check out my Manuscript Wish List here: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/katie-monson/

My Instagram handle is https://www.instagram.com/litagentkatiem/ and you can follow me on X at https://twitter.com/. 

Before you go, we’d love to learn about your life outside of work. What are your favorite things to do that have nothing to do with being an agent?

I love to get lost in a good book. What agent wouldn’t love reading for pleasure? (Although, it’s harder to come by these days!) I also love traveling! Seeing the mountains in Tennessee and the beaches in Florida are two of my most favorite things. And I love spending time with my family. 

So, when I’m not reading, sitting by the pool, or complaining about the cold Rochester winters, you can probably find me traveling to the beaches of Florida, the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, and spending time with my husband and four children in Rochester, New York.

Books, beaches, mountains, and family – that sounds great! Thanks so much for joining us, Katie. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you, and we’ll be watching for you to open for submissions. 

Back to Top

Rebellion 1776: A Chat with Author Laurie Halse Anderson

By on March 28, 2025   /   Articles, Author Interviews  
As a contributor to from the Mixed-Up Files, I get the opportunity to interview various authors. When I heard that Laurie Halse Anderson had a new book coming out, I jumped at the chance. I had first discovered her books at a children’s writers and illustrators conference where she spoke. I loved her talk so much that I bought a copy of her book Fever 1793 and had her sign it for me. It was an amazing book, and I was hooked and had to read Speak—one of her contemporary young adult books. I am excited to share that she has a new middle grade historical fiction novel, Rebellion 1776, coming out April 1. Here’s a brief summary:

In the spring of 1776, thirteen-year-old Elsbeth Culpepper wakes to the sound of cannons. It’s the Siege of Boston, the Patriots’ massive drive to push the Loyalists out that turns the city into a chaotic war zone. Elsbeth’s father—her only living relative—has gone missing, leaving her alone and adrift in a broken town while desperately seeking employment to avoid the orphanage.

Just when things couldn’t feel worse, the smallpox epidemic sweeps across Boston. Now, Bostonians must fight for their lives against an invisible enemy in addition to the visible one. While a treatment is being frantically fine-tuned, thousands of people rush in from the countryside begging for inoculation. At the same time, others refuse protection, for the treatment is crude at best and at times more dangerous than the disease itself.

Elsbeth, who had smallpox as a small child and is now immune, finds work taking care of a large, wealthy family with discord of their own as they await a turn at inoculation, but as the epidemic and the revolution rage on, will she find her father?

About Laurie Halse Anderson & Her Books

I am fascinated on your range of topics. You’re known for writing honest and relatable contemporary YA as well as accurate and engaging historical fiction.If you were to sum up your books/style of writing in four words, what would that be?

Photo credit: Susanne Kronholm

Books that open conversations.

 

What was your favorite book to write and why?

That’s like asking me which one of my kids is my favorite! Choosing one is impossible. Each book creates a unique journey through fascinating research and magical imagination.

 

About Rebellion 1776

You have some very vivid descriptions as to what smallpox was like. I’m curious of what types of sources you found most useful.

I started with modern information about the disease from the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control. Then I dove into 18th-century primary sources: letters written by people going through the inoculation process, and doctors’ records.

 

How did you choose the emphasis for the book as well as the lifestyle of the protagonist?

The dramatic events of Boston in the early days of the Revolutionary War dictated the emphasis. I like writing about ordinary kids caught up in extraordinary events; that’s why Elsbeth is a kitchen maid with big dreams.

 

Is Elsbeth based on a real person? 

Her situation as a kitchen maid whose father is missing, and mother is dead was inspired by almshouse records and indentures that legally bound unfortunate children to strangers. I also found a thirteen-year-old maid who was interviewed by the  imposing Committee of Inspection which suspected the girl’s master of being a spy for the British.

 

Research/Writing

What was your favorite tidbit you discovered while doing research for Rebellion 1776? 

The food! I combed through letters and newspapers to find out what was available and what was hard to find after the British fled, then I found recipes that were used back then. Writing about food allows authors to create a feast for the sense of their readers.

 

It’s always fun to learn the-behind-the-scenes for a great book. Thanks for sharing, Laurie! Rebellion 1776 comes out April 1. 

To learn more about Laurie Halse Anderson, find her on X (previously known as Twitter) @HalseAnderson or visit her at MadWomanintheForest.com.

To request an appearance for a school, university, conference or other opportunities, please fill out the request form at the Author Village.

Back to Top