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Author Spotlight: Guy Bass

By on September 11, 2026   /   Articles, Author Interviews   /   Leave a comment
Headshot for Guy Bass, author

In today’s author spotlight, Landra Jennings chats with Guy Bass about his newest chapter book, Scrap, illustrated by Alessia Trunfio, and published by Pengiun Random House on 9/1/26, just in time for back to school. Available now!

Cover of SCRAP by Guy Bass, robot with bright light behind it

The first in an original and entertaining sci-fi series for middle school readers from the award-winning author Guy Bass. For fans of the worldbuilding in WALL-E and the themes in The Wild Robot!

The year was Something Something. Humans had spread like peanut butter across the galaxy, looking for new planets to call Somewhere… One of those planets was Somewhere Five One Three.

When the humans arrive on Somewhere 513, they discover that the robots sent to prepare the planet for humanity’s arrival have chosen to keep it for themselves. Only one robot remains loyal: K1-NG, aka King of the Robots. But even with the most powerful robot on their side, the outlawed humans don’t stand a chance.

Ten years later, Gnat and her sister Paige are the only humans left and have spent their lives hidden underground. Now they must venture out in search of the one robot that stood by the humans. There’s just one problem—the once mighty K1-NG has vowed to never help another human for as long as he lives…

 

Interview with Guy Bass

LJ: I’m excited to dig into SCRAP. The interplay between human and machine intelligences has never been more timely. And this one promises to add a lot of adventure to the mix! Where did you get the initial inspiration to write this novel?

GB: I was reading about the export of waste, and the vast piles that have built up all over the world. An image popped into my head of a rusty robot sitting on a pile of discarded robot bodies, each more impressive than the one he was occupying. It’s more or less the image on the cover. I liked the idea of a robot city whose citizens had become vainly obsessed with self-improvement. With enough currency (charge) they could upgrade their bodies – their cases – and then discard the ones they no longer wanted.

I knew Scrap had to start out at the lowest point possible. When he was brought online, he was the most powerful robot ever made but ended up downgraded to the rustiest, crummiest case on the planet. He’s spent years on a pile of parts, angry and bitter and resentful but at the beginning of the book he’s just starting to accept his fate … then the last humans on the planet show up and throw his life into chaos.

C3-PO and R2-D2, Star Wars

LJ: What makes you uniquely qualified to tell this story?

GB: Nothing, except that I told it! My obsession with robots is definitely not unique; a nerdy corner of my generation were co-parented by Transformers, R2-D2 and C3-PO, Machine Man, Robotman, K-9, Johnny 5, Twiki, Zax…

The Unique Twists of Scrap

LJ: How does this title differ from some of your other stories?

GB: Scrap is aimed at a slightly older readership than I generally write for so the stakes are higher, the drama is more intense and the consequences of character’s actions are more significant and far-reaching. The book is also two or three times longer than my usual, so it took me a while to appreciate how much more breathing space I had in terms of world-building and the characters’ inner monologues.

LJ: Did you ever find your characters acting in ways that even you hadn’t predicted?

GB. Absolutely, especially Paige, who’s wildly protective of her little sister. I didn’t imagine her being quite so hard-nosed and intense but the minute she and Gnat were out in the world with nothing but their quest to find the King of the Robots, I found she was unpredictable. I wanted her to warm to Scrap but she was so single-minded and suspicious I wasn’t sure it was going to happen.

LJ: It must have been exciting to see your characters and situations come to life through Alessia’s illustrations. Did you have a particular scene that you liked best?

GB: I’m a huge fan of Alessia’s work. There’s a section in the book where Scrap is trying to get his old body back. He’s convinced it’s being occupied by another ‘bot and takes him on in a gladiatorial arena. Alessia captures the moment perfectly, from Scrap’s determination to the sheer size of the task (and robot) as well as the raucous atmosphere of the ‘Bot Bout stadium.

Finding the Fun

LJ: What do you hope readers take away from this novel?

GB: I hope they enjoy it! Beyond that, I’m hoping not to hope too much. I’m trying to teach myself – badly! – not to anticipate the reader’s reaction – not to obsess too much as I write about what they might think or how I want them to feel. I keep trying to tell myself that while I write, it’s mine. And I should enjoy that because as soon as it’s finished, I have to leave that world and those characters behind and the story belongs to whoever reads it.

LJ: What’s your favorite thing about being a writer and storyteller?

GB: Doing something for my job that I did for fun. I spent my childhood making up stories with my brother and we never thought about sharing them with anyone else. It was enough that we made them. The doing of it – the making of it – was the whole point. I still can’t believe that somebody might entertain the idea of turning one of my stories into a book, and then a bunch of people might actually want to read it.

Looking Ahead

LJ: Is there anything else you’d like us to know? Do you want to share anything about other upcoming projects?

GB: Look for the Stitch Head graphic novels – full-color comic book adaptations of the original novels with artwork by the brilliant series illustrator, Pete Williamson. The Ghost of Grotteskew is the third in the series and it might be my favorite.Stitch Head book cover

However, I can’t possibly suggest that you track down The Worst Thing That Could Possibly Happen. It’s a collection of short horror stories with incredible illustrations by David Roberts. But, once you read it, you’ll know about the Sideways Doors and the World Behind the World. Once you’ve read it, it can’t be unread. You have been warned.

 

Because no MUF interview is complete without a…

Lightning Round

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee. I’m more coffee than man these days.

Sunrise or Sunset?

Sunset.

Favorite City (besides the one you live in)?

Tokyo.

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor?

Cheesecake.

Favorite Book From Childhood:

George’s Marvellous Medicine.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? 

The power to be wittier in interviews? No wait, flight! But not the flight power I have in my dreams, where if I go too high I get nervous and start to sink back down to earth. Sheesh.

 

LJ: This illustrated chapter book sounds like the start to a series perfect for reluctant readers. Thank you so much for being with us today, Guy!

About the Author and Illustrator

Guy Bass is an award-winning author whose children’s books series include Stitch Head, SCRAP, Skeleton Keys, Spynosaur and lots of books that don’t begin with ‘S’ like Dinkin Dings, Anna Gain, Laura Norder and Noah Scape. In 2010, Dinkin Dings and the Frightening Things won the Blue Peter Award for Most Fun Book with Pictures.

He’s also written plays for both adults and children. He’s previously been a theatre producer, illustrator, temp, gerbil whisperer and has acted his way out of several paper bags. He spent his childhood reading comics and hoping one day to become a superhero. He spends his adulthood in more or less the same way. He lives in London with his wife and imaginary friends.  

Alessia Trunfio was born in southern Italy in 1990 but grew up in Rome, where she still lives. She has wanted to be an illustrator since she was a child but she hasn’t excluded the possibility of becoming an astronaut.

After graduating in 2013 with an Animation Degree from the International School of Comics in Rome, Alessia has worked as background artist for some of the most important animation studios in Italy. She currently works as a freelance artist on various animation and illustration projects. Fundamentally passionate about cinema, anime, literature, indie music, and fried food, Alessia is an eclectic, energetic, and inexhaustible illustrator. She uses digital techniques for her art, which is constantly evolving. Powerful colors, lighting, and everything that can move her, like a beautiful soundtrack or a good book, inspires her work.

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WNDMG Author Interview: Elizabeth Agyemang on her newest graphic novel “A Beginner’s Guide to Leveling Up”

By on September 10, 2026   /   Articles, Author Interviews, WNDMG   /   Leave a comment

WNDMG Author Interview – Elizabeth Agyemang

I’m so excited to be able to introduce you to author Elizabeth Agyemang today. Elizabeth is the author of multiple books for MG and YA readers, and today we will be discussing her newest graphic novel for middle grade readers: “A Beginner’s Guide for Leveling Up: A Graphic Novel” which comes out from Putnam/Penguin Kids on September 22, 2026.

Graphic novels are so POPULAR with kids right now! Librarians and educators- you don’t want to miss this!

About “A Beginner’s Guide for Leveling Up: A Graphic Novel:

TRON meets sixth grade in this heartfelt and fantastical graphic novel where a pixelated quest helps one girl navigate grief, friendship, and the wilds of middle school.

Sixth grade. The game just got real.

For Lexie, this year was supposed to be all about joining clubs, claiming the perfect lunch spot, and gaming after school with her best friends. But shifting friendships and the grief of losing her beloved grandfather make middle school feel more like someone switched her life to hard mode.

Then Lexie discovers a mysterious journal tucked inside her grandfather’s things. It’s filled with cryptic notes and cheat codes from an unfinished video game he was creating: Warrior’s Quest. When Lexie and her older sister, Eunice, are suddenly transported into the game’s pixelated world, the line between reality and fantasy starts to blur.

Can Lexie and her sister level up and face the monsters in the game—and in real life—or is it game over for good?

Interview with Elizabeth:

I loved getting to talk to Elizabeth about her new book and I know you will enjoy meeting her and her character Lexie as well.

 

SSS: I was fortunate to read an e-galley of this beautiful book! Tell us how you came up with an idea of this Lit-RPG graphic novel, (Lit-RPG, literature with characters in role playing/video games, is super popular on instagram right now, with “Dungeon Crawler Carl” being shared by many bookstagrammers.)

 

EA: Thanks so much for having me and for the kind words about A Beginner’s Guide to Leveling Up! The idea for this book came to me during a period where I had just finished working on my debut middle grade graphic novel, Fibbed. I was dealing with a lot of change at that point and navigating a familial loss.

I found myself wanting to escape back into the things I loved growing up: comics and video games! Initially the story was a way for me to blend those passions, but I soon realized that Lexi’s journey of grappling with the recent loss of her grandfather — all while trying to survive in middle school and figure out who she was—came to also be my way of wading into those questions.

I love that you describe the book as a Lit-RPG graphic novel! RPGs have always been a huge entry point for storytelling and the genre blending nature of Lit-RPGs is such an exciting aspect of that space. I loved being able to draw from my favorite elements of RPGs like character progression mechanics to explore the story in the book. One element of that is seen in how Lexie and her friends “level up” throughout the story.  

There’s also the RPG-like class archetypes that appear in how Lexie and her friends initially define themselves in the story versus who they become. For Lexie, she starts out believing herself to be one thing (a little sister, a sidekick in her friend’s stories) and realizes she has a capacity for so much more, and that sometimes it isn’t just other people putting us in a box—it’s ourselves. I also had so much fun making parody references to some of my favorite video games!

SSS: I love that! Tell us more about the character Lexie. How does she find healing and manage her grief through the story?

 

EA: Lexie is the youngest daughter in her family and really looks up to her oldest sister, Eunice. She also had a great relationship with her grandfather. But after his passing, Lexie feels like nothing in the world makes sense anymore. Her sister is being distant, she doesn’t have her grandfather anymore, and she just can’t be as excited about middle school like her best friends are. So, Lexie has to face the grief of losing her grandfather and losing her sister who is still around but feels like a stranger.

I don’t think Lexie even realizes she’s dealing with grief, because at such a young age, it can be very hard identifying what you’re actually going through. When the video game world takes over Lexie’s school, it’s only then that she and her friends realize that everything they were dealing with in real life is mirrored in the game. Lexie starts to realize that maybe if she can confront her grief through the game, then she can face it in her real life. Art for me has always been a way to grapple with life questions and topics. I wanted to use role playing games as a way to explore these themes alongside the fun adventures Lexie and her friends go on.

 

SSS: Tell us about Lexie and Eunice’s sisterhood. How does their relationship help (or hinder) them in their healing processes after their grandfather’s death?

EA: The story starts right when Lexie and Eunice are facing the first big challenge of their sisterhood. They’ve always been best friends, but now Lexie feels like she doesn’t even know her older sister anymore. Even though they are both dealing with the shared grief of losing their beloved grandfather, they are isolated from each other.

Lexie feels like Eunice is trying to make it seem like their grandfather never existed, while Eunice feels like Lexie is reopening old wounds by constantly bringing him up. As the story progresses and when the unfinished video game that their grandfather created comes to life, the two sisters begin to realize that, maybe, the way they’ve been separately dealing with their grief isn’t what they truly need. And as they are forced to face the game together, they also learn that they are stronger together—even when it comes to dealing with their individual fears.  

 

Link to order here.

Writing Process

SSS: I always like to ask authors about their writing process, but in this case, you are both author and illustrator of this beautiful book! What is it like to create a graphic novel, and is it a longer process than writing a prose novel?

EA: So, I’ve written two novels, and this is my second graphic novel and I feel like each one is a new learning experience. With prose novels, the challenge is putting the world you’re imagining into words. With graphic novels, you also have the additional challenge of drawing those worlds.

In the script, if I wanted to describe Lexie, I could use a few words to paint the picture, but that same picture can take hours to draw—and when you are drawing, you have to include details that you might not include when writing the character. Like, Lexie has a bracelet. In a novel, I’d probably mention it a few times, but in the graphic novel I have to draw the bracelet over and over again! Because of that, it’s definitely a longer process to create a graphic novel. It took me around 3 years and 11 months just sketching, inking, coloring and doing the lettering for A Beginner’s Guide to Leveling Up. Writing the script was a lot shorter, but even with that you have to think about the flow of the dialogue and the emotional and narrative beats of the story and later tweak that to fit the art.

When you’re drawing, you also have to think about the consistency of the art style even when your wrists are in pain or you’ve reached a point where you literally cannot physically draw the thing in your head! Overall, though, it’s really rewarding, but also incredibly challenging and the physical strain is intense. For my first graphic novel Fibbed, I drew most of the initial sketch by hand, scanned them, then inked, colored, and lettered them digitally (lettering being placing the text and bubbles). For A Beginner’s Guide to Leveling Up, I did most of my sketches digitally, though I did hand draw and scan some art pieces, and then I did the rest of the art digitally. So, my art process also changes depending on the needs of each book and how I want to approach them.

 

SSS: Are you a pantser or a plotter? And what helps you with finishing stories when you first start writing your drafts?

EA: Definitely a plotter! I always want to know where a story starts and finishes before I dive into it. That said, it still feels like an organic process because the characters might do or say something differently than what you plan.

 

For instance, when I first started working on A Beginner’s Guide to Leveling Up, I outlined it as just a fun romp with Lexie and her friends facing a video game world and trying to level up in middle school. That same core arc is there, but I got to know the characters better as I was writing and drawing the story. As a result, the book evolved, and the narrative became about what Lexie was dealing with in her personal life. That shift also impacted what the video game world of the book became too.

 

SSS: How is the process of writing YA different from writing MG?

EA: I’ve really enjoyed being able to write across different age categories. With YA, it’s always fun getting to tell stories about angsty and messy teenagers dealing with drama. With middle grade, I love the hopefulness and joy that’s really inherent in writing in this space. A young person’s relationship with their family plays such a big part in the middle grade journey, and I love weaving in the parental figures into those themes. In contrast, with YA I think teens are more focused on their friendships and their individual sense of personhood outside of their families.

 

Across both age categories, I enjoy finding out who the characters are. I also always incorporate art into my writing process even when it comes to writing prose novels like my YA novel, Heart-shaped Lies. I usually sketch or draw my characters even before they become characters in my books. I was looking back at my early art, and I realized I’d even done a drawing of a character in 2020 that would later become Lexie. So, it all really feels full circle!

 

SSS: Any advice for fellow middle-grade authors looking to write and illustrate MG?

 

EA: My biggest advice would be to read a lot of middle grade graphic novels! There are so many incredible creators telling stories in this space and I think the most rewarding part of writing and illustrating middle grade graphic novels is being in conversation with the work of some of my favorite writers and artists.

 

Taking the time to learn the craft and understanding the process of making graphic novels felt really instrumental to my growth as an artist. I also think, just in general, it’s okay to embrace imperfection. In a time when technology is removing us from the human experience, I find myself as an artist and a writer embracing my imperfections and my artistic style. Finding your style and what makes you, “you” as a writer and illustrator is rewarding because you’re bringing your unique voice into the conversation.

 

 

SSS: I have to ask! Are you a video game player in your regular life?

 

EA: Um, yes! I love video games and always have. In fact, part of why I started writing was because of video games. Video games like Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, the Legend of Zelda, and so many more have a special place in my heart! The storytelling in role playing video games constantly inspires me to keep pushing the limits of how stories can be told.

 

Thank you Elizabeth for joining us and I know readers and librarians will enjoy your book!

 

About Elizabeth:

Elizabeth Agyemang writes and illustrates books that draw from folktales, history, and her African heritage. Her debut graphic novel, Fibbed, was a Parents.com Best Children’s Book of 2022 selection and a Chicago Public Library Best Fiction for Kids 2022 pick, and her work has been featured in Ebony, Paste, and Girls’ Life and on Time.com and OkayAfrica. When she isn’t gushing over books, Elizabeth spends her free time dissecting classic movies and TV shows.

Find her online at ElizabethAgyemang.com

 

Website: elizabethagyemang.com

INSTAGRAM: @authorelizabethagyemang

Tiktok: @authorelizabethagyemang

Newsletter: Notes from My Drafts Folder: http://eepurl.com/gOI7QD

 

 

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WNDMG: Let’s Talk Books with Children’s Librarian Althea Martinez

By on September 9, 2026   /   Articles, WNDMG   /   Leave a comment

School’s back in session! WNDMG chats with Althea Martinez, the children’s librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library, Baldwin Hills branch. She shares her thoughts about what middle graders are reading and exciting books for the fall.

Tell me about your background as a librarian. How long have you been a children’s librarian? Did you always want to be a librarian, if so, why? If not, how did you get into it? I’ve been a children’s librarian officially for almost two years, but before that, I worked in libraries intermittently since 2019. I’ve always wanted to be a librarian! I love the intersection of literature and community involvement and working in libraries has really opened up my world to different populations and local organizations.

 

What was your favorite middle-grade book as a child or even now? I have always loved Harriet the Spy because of how fun it seemed to wander around a big city and observe people. I also envied that Harriet had a chef, and she got to eat chocolate cake every day after coming home from school.

 

Share five diverse books coming out in the fall that you are excited to get on your shelf for middle-grade readers and why.

No Place on Earth by Andrea Beatriz Arango

This book features the concept of communicating through dreams. I really enjoy children’s books with spiritual elements, like Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya. They have longevity because children can still appreciate them as they get older.

 

Shook by Julian Randall

This is a great title! Shook is a novel in verse about a basketball player who injures his ankle. People with athletic talents often have a hard time finding an outlet when they are forced to take time off from sports, and I think the poetry format of this book will be an interesting emotional expression of that journey.

 

Paloma Joins the Circus by Lupe Ruiz-Flores

I love the idea of a cultural circus and being born into a family of performers. This novel takes place in Texas in the 1930s and features a Mexican-American protagonist. Historical fiction featuring Mexican-American characters is always interesting to me because it makes me curious if my grandparents might have had similar experiences.

 

Level Up by Daka Hermon

Imagine Invasion of the Body Snatchers, It, and A Nightmare on Elm Street, but updated for kids with smartphones. As a lot of elementary and high schools impose on-campus technology rules, I’m interested to see if children’s feelings about their devices change, and if this book presents a no screens or pro screens perspective.

 

Ghost in the Night by Tiffany D. Jackson

Mysteries that are also ghost stories are super engaging. This novel features a protagonist trying to determine if a photo she took is a ghost or a hoax, which reminds me of the Cottingley Fairies in England in 1917, an interesting case of belief in the supernatural but also impressive creative feats by children. This is a relevant topic because learning to discern real photos from doctored images is also a challenge that children are facing with AI.

 

What books/subject matter do middle-graders typically ask for in your branch? A lot of kids like to read fantasy series like Wings of Fire, but of course, graphic novels like Dogman are also very popular. Series that center around young girls like Ivy + Bean are favorites too.

 

Have you noticed any changes in the reading habits of middle-graders over the past few years? I find it interesting that kids still ask for books like A Series of Unfortunate Events, since that was a series that kids were reading when I was in elementary school. Wings of Fire has taken the place of books like Harry Potter, but fantasy is still an element that children enjoy. I also get kids who ask me for scary books, but not too scary, so Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol is another favorite.

 

If you could recommend one middle-grade book for parents to suggest for their kids, what would it be – past or present? Dawn Raid by Pauline Vaeluaga Smith is a really interesting novel that taught me about indigenous groups in New Zealand in the 1970s. I think it’s important for children to learn about civil rights in other nations. This book is a very accessible introduction to the way Samoan and Maori groups were mistreated at that time. Kids can compare these struggles with civil rights issues they may be learning about in history classes, in addition to building empathy and knowledge about other cultures.

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