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Interview With Author Matt Eicheldinger

I’m thrilled to welcome Matt Eicheldinger to the Mixed-Up Files to chat about his new book MATT SPROUTS AND THE CURSE OF THE TEN BROKEN TOES—Available March 19th (Andrews McMeel Kids).

I loved hearing all about his backstory and journey to publication.

I think you will, too. 

Enjoy! 

Lisa: Tell us about MATT SPROUTS!   

Matt: The story follows sixth grader Matt Sprouts at the start of summer vacation, where he accidently trips his neighbor Jenna, breaking her collarbone in the process and ruining her summer plans. In the weeks that follow, Matt finds himself in all sorts of problems, including breaking a few toes. Matt thinks it’s just a coincidence, but every other kid in town suspects he has “The Curse”, a hometown myth which has haunted other middle schoolers before him. As Matt attempts to solve The Curse and stop his ill-fate ahead, he also has to contend with school, the soccer team, a new “fake” girlfriend, and a slew of other problems, including the Purple Grape Lady.

Lisa: What inspired the idea for this book?

Matt: The book is actually autobiographical. Even though it is fiction, almost every single scene is based on something from my life (and yes, I have broken all ten of my toes!). These mini-stories are things I would share with my middle school students, and they liked them so much I wove them together to create Matt Sprouts and The Curse of The Ten Broken Toes. So really when I think of who inspired this idea, it was my students!

Lisa: Did you always want to be an author/illustrator?

Matt: I enjoyed reading comics when I was younger, and I doodled on basically anything that a pencil could leave a mark on, but I never had a desire to be an author or cartoonist. For me, drawing was just for fun.

Lisa: Can you tell us about your publishing journey?

Matt: My journey is a long one! I wrote The Curse of The Ten Broken Toes my first year teaching middle school in 2009-2010, and placed it in my classroom for students to read who were struggling to find something that would hold their attention. I figured if they liked my stories I told in class, they would like my book.

And they did!

I didn’t know anything about publishing, so I started researching and began sending query letters. I was pretty naïve and I’m sure my first dozen or so letters were absolutely terrible. Still, I continued sending letters for the next ten years, and received hundreds and hundreds of rejections, but I knew my book was good because kids were reading it every year and loving it. So, in 2021 I decided to self- publish my novel. Over the next two years I sold thousands of copies online and won some indie book awards, which helped me get noticed by a literary agent. Within just a couple weeks of signing with agent Dani Segelbaum, we signed a two book deal to re-release the original book, and follow it up with a sequel.

Lisa: Do you have favorite part of the book making process?

Matt: Creating the title is my favorite part, because as soon as I know it I feel like I can understand what needs to happen in the story. I have two kids (one in elementary, one in middle), and sometimes they will just start giving me ideas by starting the sentence with “Matt Sprouts and the. . .” and we’ve come up with a ton of ideas for sequels. I love that they have been able to be involved in the process!

I’ve also enjoyed illustrating, because it is something I am continually finding ways to improve. When I signed my book deal, I was asked to add about 100 illustrations, which was the most I had ever drawn in my life. It was intimidating at first, but now that I’ve done it multiple times I find a lot of joy in creating visuals for the reader.

Lisa: Do you use social media? If yes, how do you feel about the role social media plays in your writing/artistic life?

Matt: I do use social media, and have accounts under the name @matteicheldinger for both TikTok and Instagram. I have pivoted a few times in my content, but have finally settled in to storytelling which has really resonated with people. I have collected hundreds of stories over my teaching career and other walks of life, so I share these stories and what I learned from the moment with the audience. Since I script out the video first, I find it creates a good routine for me to write every day, and really get at the heart of the story faster.

Lisa: What do you think makes a good story?

Matt: Many things, but right now I am focusing on relatability. I am fortunate enough to have a really, really good memory when it comes to experiences. I can’t remember daily chores unfortunately, but if you were to ask me what it felt like when our soccer team lost in the semifinals when I was 17, or when I sang in front of an audience for the first time, I immediately re-experience those same emotions and sounds. When I write middle grade stories, I try and put myself back in those moments and describe them in a way that makes sense to kids. If I can present them with scenarios (even as silly as breaking toes), but make them resonate with the reader by comparing it to something else they may have experienced, I find that is a great approach.

Lisa: What book made the strongest impression on you as a child?

Matt: The Calvin and Hobbes series, without a doubt! It was basically the only thing I would read in late elementary through junior high. There was something so captivating about Calvin’s adventurous spirit, but I also like how reflective he was. Bill Watterson captured adolescence so well, creating a seemingly over-confident kid who at his core wanted the best for everyone, even though he didn’t always show it. I find the humor of that series has spilled into my own writing, along with finding ways to help character find time to reflect.

Lisa: What advice would you give twelve-year-old, Matt?

Matt: Me, or Matt Sprouts!? Since we are basically the same, I would tell younger me to stop lying. I was a frequent liar when I was younger, and it mostly stemmed from wanting to impress people. It caused a lot of problems, but I also really learned the value of honesty, and how much that can build (and destroy) relationships. As a teacher, I try to help kids understand that who they are is enough, and there is no need to exaggerate anything to find a connection with others. I do this with my characters too. I want the reader to see what kind of friendships you can form when you are your genuine self.

Lisa: What’s are you working on now?

Matt: I was fortunate enough to secure three more book deals with Andrew McMeel. The third Matt Sprouts book is called Matt Sprouts and The Search for the Chompy Wompers (Summer, 2025), which I just finished illustrating and is now being reviewd by my editor. I also am in the final stages of review for Sticky Notes: Memorable Lessons from Ordinary Moments, which is a compilation of illustrated, true stories from my teaching career for parents and adults (October, 2024). As these two projects wrap up, I will begin working on Holes in My Underwear, an illustrated collection of poetry for elementary/middle grade readers.

Aside from those, I am also currently working on a stand-alone novel, my first graphic novel, and other sequels for the Matt Sprouts series. These are in the very early stages, but I find a lot of joy in working on things that are so new, even if I am not sure if they will ever become book.

Thank you for spending time with us. It has been great getting to know you and more about MATT SPROUTS AND THE CURSE OF THE TEN BROKEN TOES.  I can’t wait to read about all his adventures!  

About Matt:

Matt Eicheldinger wasn’t always a writer. He spent most of his childhood playing soccer, reading comics, and trying his best to stay out of trouble. Little did he know those moments would ultimately help craft his first novel, Matt Sprouts and the Curse of Ten Broken Toes. 

Matt lives in Minnesota with his wife and two children, and tries to create new adventures with them whenever possible. When he’s not writing, you can find him telling students stories in his classroom, or trail running along the Minnesota River Bottoms.

To learn more about Matt Eicheldinger, please visit his website

A Reading Journey Across the United States with Read Across America

Happy National Reading Month!  

In celebration of National Reading Month, The Week Junior collaborated with Read Across America (RAA) to create a list of middle-grade titles with one book set in each state. There are some familiar names on that list. (see below)

The National Education Association’s Read Across America project is a year-round celebration of reading that introduces readers to diverse books with characters to whom they can relate and to worlds that are different from their own. I was thrilled to see my book Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe named as the Mississippi selection and The Turn of the Tide, by fellow Mixed Up Files contributor Rosanne Parry, named as the Oregon selection. The list is full of amazing books and equally amazing authors and interviews with many of the authors can be found in our Mixed Up Files (see below for links).  

Below are ten activities to help celebrate reading across America all year long. These activities can help readers connect with diverse characters and dive into stories set across our nation. 

Visiting the Setting  

Invite readers to create a visitors’ guide to the book’s setting. Before they begin, discuss the setting’s geography, climate, culture, economy, history, landmarks, attractions, and other unique features. Encourage readers to research elements about which they are curious. Next, identify points of interest and significant places within the story. Readers can use this information to create their visitor’s guide with detailed descriptions and interesting facts about each location. For bonus points, invite readers to illustrate their visitors’ guides with artwork and photos.  

Charting the Course  

Invite readers to create a map based on the book’s setting that highlights the impact that the setting has on the book’s main character(s). Which locations are important? Why? What landmarks or features define these locations? How has the history of the setting shaped the main character(s)? Readers can use symbols, labels, and colors to create a map key to represent different elements.  

Creating News  

Invite readers to create a “hometown newspaper” from the perspective of leaders in a community that serves as a significant setting in the book. What would the community’s slogan be? Challenge readers to write at least three articles describing the story’s action and include illustrations of significant events in the book. Invite readers to consider where the main character(s) fit in the overall societal structure of that community. Would the main character(s) agree or disagree with the newspaper’s version of events? If the answer is “no,” challenge readers to write a “letter to the editor” providing the perspective of the main character(s).  

Creating a Character Scrapbook 

Invite readers to choose a character from the story and create a scrapbook for that character describing their daily life and story adventures. The scrapbook can include drawings, quotes, receipts, tickets, and other items that the character would have encountered along their journey. For bonus points, invite readers to write a reflection about the things they have in common with the character they chose, and to create a list of three things from the main character’s culture about which they would like to learn more. 

Sell It!  

Invite readers to create a persuasive sales pitch for the book. To begin, readers can identify themes, characters, and plot elements to highlight. Invite readers to brainstorm ideas and plan their pitch, being sure to include features they think will most appeal to other readers. Readers can then present their pitch to an audience in any form they choose, including an article, podcast, or video. 

Nature Scavenger Hunt 

Go on a nature scavenger hunt. Invite readers to search for at least five items from the natural world of the RAA book selection. Readers can search until they find all the items or for an allotted amount of time. When they’re finished, invite readers to share their items. For bonus points, use non-fiction resources to look up at least three interesting facts about each item.  

Create a Nature Journal from the Point of View of the Main Character(s) in the RAA book  

Readers can create their own journals using art supplies. When their journals are ready, invite them to research the natural world in which the story is set, including the geography, plant and animal life in the area, and the time(s) of the year in which the action takes place. Readers can use this research as inspiration for the nature journal from the perspective of the book’s main character(s). Invite readers to make notes in their journals of the details that would be important to the story’s character(s) on each day of the story’s action. Each entry should include the time, date, place, natural elements, including flora and fauna, and weather, plus any additional information the reader believes is important. Journals can include a narration about what the character(s) did while outside and drawings of things the character(s) saw, heard, smelled, touched, or tasted. The journal also can include nature-inspired poems, quotes, questions to research later, pressed leaves or flowers, or all of the above. For bonus points, invite readers outside to observe their own natural setting. Are there any elements in the reader’s own world that are also found in the natural setting of the book they are reading? If so, list and illustrate them. 

Vibing with Verses 

Host a poetry slam for your class or group of friends. Invite readers to create their own original poems from the point of view of the book’s main character(s). Invite readers to recite their poems in poetry-slam fashion for the rest of the group. Readers will learn about poetry, performance, and how to be a supportive audience member. 

Taste Across America  

Invite the readers in your life to pick out at least one food mentioned in the RAA title they are reading. Invite them to create a tasting menu including that food, with additional items inspired by the culture of the book’s main character(s). Need ideas? You can check out a sample Southern tasting menu here. 

Listen Across America 

Divide the readers in your life into groups. Invite each group to research the music of the state and the time period in which a RAA title is set. Invite them to create a playlist featuring artists and songs from that setting and time period. The playlist may be chapter-by-chapter or section-by-section (beginning, middle, and end). Either way, it should reflect the story’s action and the mood of the main character(s) in response to what is happening in the story. Need ideas? You can check out a sample playlist here. 

 

Below are links (listed alphabetically by the state represented) to some recent Mixed Up Files interviews with RAA authors.  

  • James Ponti’s book City Spies: Golden Gate was chosen as the California title. You can read Patricia Bailey’s interview with him here. 
  • Avi’s The Secret Sisters was chosen as the Colorado pick. You can read Amber Keyser’s interview with him here. 
  • Caroline Starr Rose’s book May B. is the Kansas pick. You can read Kate Hillyer’s interview with her here. 
  • The Minnesota selection is Erin Soderberg Downing’s Just Keep Walking. You can read her interview with Natalie Rompella here.  
  • The Nevada selection is Julie Buxbaum’s The Area 51 Files (illustrated by Lavanya Naidu). You can read her interview with Ines Lozano here.  
  • Dan Gutman’s Dorks in New York! is the (you guessed it!) New York selection. For writing tips from Dan, read his Mixed Up Files interview here. 
  • The North Carolina selection is Sheila Turnage’s most recent release, Island of Spies. You can learn more about the book and Sheila here. 
  • Roll With It by Jamie Sumner is the Oklahoma pick. To learn more about Jamie and Roll With It, check out her interview with Andrea Pyros here.  
  • Varian Johnson’s historical fiction novel The Parker Inheritance is the South Carolina selection. You can find Jacqueline Houtman’s interview with him here 

 

I hope you’ll pick up some of these RAA titles for yourself and the young readers in your life. For the full list, follow this link. I’m wishing you many fun reading adventures exploring diverse settings and characters as you read across America.  

WNDMG – Interview with Debut Author Patchree Jones

Welcome, Patchree!

It is my extreme pleasure to welcome Patchree Jones to the blog today.  Her debut book comes out later this year, and it’s the sort of story I adore. This is a fantasy that features best friends and a Thai-inspired world.

Take Home Messages

What messages do you hope young readers will take away from your story?

In SKYLIGHT, we follow Sofia through her journey as she deals with issues of self-love, self discovery, and struggles to share her true thoughts and feelings. This story is meant for every kid who feels like they don’t fit in.  I want readers to know that it’s okay to not blindly follow the plan others have for you because you are entitled to have an opinion in your life, even as a kid.

Thai Inspiration

Can you tell me about the Thai folklore that inspire this book?
One of the many traditional Buddhist temples in Thailand
There isn’t one particular folklore that served as the main inspiration. Rather, it’s an homage to my Thai upbringing and culture. I pulled ideas from different elements of mythology and infused my own interpretations. For instance, the Mehk people of the story are loosely based on the kinaree,
a half-human/half-bird creature. However, I’ve recrafted this mythological creature into one which has roots with the kinaree but does not exist in Thai folklore.

PHRA APHAI MANI

Phra Aphai Mani - Wikipedia

Since I was born and raised in the US, I didn’t have many “home-grown” stories of Thai folklore, besides a few scary ghost stories. I delved into classical Thai literature and mythology as an adult, and I was inspired by PHRA APHAI MANI, an epic poem composed by Thai poet Sunthorn Phu. This poem is similar to the Ramayana fused with elements of the Odyssey, so it was a great resource for Thai folklore.

Learning About Different Cultures

How do you balance introducing readers to unfamiliar cultural aspects of your story while keeping the story engaging?
different culture to kids
I used Sofia, my main character, to introduce readers to unfamiliar cultural aspects. Without spoiling too much, Sofia learns about the Mehk people and the kingdom of Tropos right alongside the reader. Everything in this world, including all of the cultural norms, are new to her because she was raised outside of these traditions. She learns throughout the story as she learns aobut herself.

Advice for Aspiring Authors

What advice would you give to aspiring authors of middle grade fantasy?
The Best Middle Grade Fantasy Books - The Bookish Mom
Just keep writing. Read a lot of middle grade books beyond just fantasy and take copious notes. As you write, don’t delete anything and don’t expect your first draft to be perfect. Finally, write the story of your heart or at least the story you want to read. There’s really no wrong way to write as long as you continue to put words down on the page.

Dogs and Anime!
Beastars - Plugged In

Can you tell me about your dog?
I love anime, and one of my favorite shows is Beastars. The main character in that show is a wolf so I named my dog Legoshi because he’s part German shepherd, part timber wolf!
He’s a pandemic pup and turns four this year. Legoshi is bigger than most German shepherds, but is the biggest scaredy cat. He hates golf carts, garbage trucks, and the vacuum cleaner, but he loves cheese and candy. He’s a professional napper and is the perfect blanket whenever he naps next to you.

Best Thing about Being an Author of Fantasy for Middle Graders!

What’s the best thing about being an author of fantasy books for middle grade children?
The best thing about writing middle grade fantasy is that I can watch any cartoon or kids show I want and claim that it’s research! But seriously, I think the best thing about being a middle grade fantasy author is the freedom that comes from writing for kids. I get to lean into my silly side, invent
wild storylines, and deal with serious topics in a digestible manner. Moreover, writing middle grade makes me feel closer to my kids and helps us learn from each other as I draft new stories.