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August 30 is National Frankenstein Day!

Mary Shelley, the author of the classic novel Frankenstein, was born on August 30, 1797. Each year, she and her famous monster are celebrated on this day. Have you ever worn a Frankenstein costume for Halloween? That’s a celebration, too. If you’d like to learn more about the author who created this iconic monster, click here to read/listen to a brief biography or here to read about the original story.

Today’s post offers stories of all monster types. Ghosts, zombies, Sasquatch, mummies, myterious beings, a Frankensteinian dog, and something called a Grabber. Enjoy!

The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien.  320 ps.

frankenstein day august 30

Everyone knows Fall Hollow is haunted. It has been ever since Abigail Snook went into the woods many years ago, never to be seen again. Since then, it’s traditional for the sixth graders at Beckett Elementary to play the Bellwoods Game on Halloween night. Three kids are chosen to go into the woods. Whoever rings the bell in the woods first wins the game and saves the town for another year, but if Abigail’s ghost captures the players first, the spirit is let loose to wreak havoc on Fall Hollow … or so the story goes.

Now that it’s Bailee’s year to play, she can finally find out what really happens. Legend has it the game’s winner gets a wish. Maybe, just maybe, if Bailee wins, she can go back to the way things were before her grandma got sick and everyone at school started hating her. But when the night begins, everything the kids thought they knew about the game—and each other—is challenged. One thing’s for sure: something sinister is at play, waiting for them in the woods.

Black Sand Beach: Are You Afraid of the Light?  by Richard Fairgray. 192 ps. GN frankenstein day august 30

Twelve-year-old Dash and his best friend Lily are spending the summer at Black Sand Beach, where Dash’s family has a house. Lily can’t understand why Dash isn’t more excited. Three months of surf, sun, and sand. It should be a dream!

But Black Sand Beach is not that sort of vacation spot. The house is a shack, and all of Dash’s weird relatives are there. More alarming is the zombie ram that crashes through the front yard and the eerie voices calling out to Dash from the lighthouse … a lighthouse that hasn’t been operational in a hundred years.

Now, Dash has a new plan for his summer vacation … survival.

The Cursed Moon by Angela Cervantes. 224 ps.

frankenstein day august 30Rafael Fuentes does not scare easily. He loves writing ghost stories, reading scary books, and entertaining his friends with terrifying tales he creates on the spot. Rafa has come up against enough real-life scary situations that fictional hauntings seem like no big deal. His incarcerated mom is being released from jail soon, and will be coming to live with him, his sister, and their grandparents. For the first time in a while, Rafa feels a pit of fear growing in his stomach.

To take his mind off his mom’s return, Rafa spends an evening crafting the scariest ghost story he’s ever told. As an eerie blood moon hangs in the sky, Rafa tells a group of friends about The Caretaker, an evil ghost who lures unsuspecting kids into the neighborhood pond never to return. Rafa is proud of his latest creation, until strange things start happening around him. With a sinking feeling, Rafa realizes the Caretaker is real. Rafa brought the ghost to life―and only he can stop him.

Frankenstein’s Dog by R. L. Stine. 160 ps. frankenstein day august 30

Kat is reluctant to visit her uncle Vic Frankenstein because of all the rumors about him. However, she’s relieved to find that even though he lives in a dark, old castle-like mansion, Uncle Vic is a quiet, gentle man. A scientist interested in building robots with artificial intelligence. Plus, Kat loves Poochie, Vic’s small, adorable, fluffy white dog. Unfortuantely, an accident occurs in her uncle’s lab causing strange things to happen. Has Kat created a monster? Or is something else responsible for the unleashed horror?

The Ghosts of Nameless Island by Carly Anne West. 304 ps.

frankenstein day august 30After his dad goes missing and his mom gets a job restoring an old building called Rotham Manor, twelve-year-old Gus Greenburg and his mom move to a quaint, secluded island called Nameless. Although Gus was hoping for a new start on the island (despite throwing up twice on the boat ride there), a mysterious ghost has another idea.

Throw in a mean kid who hides rats in the manor, two new friends, an eclectic island chef who’s competing to be on a reality TV show, and Gus’s power to talk to the dead . . . yikes, that’s a lot of chaos for one kid!

Gus needs to find out the identity of the mysterious ghost – and fast – or else he might be doomed to the same lethal fate. That is, if the island’s signature “Heavenly Hash” dish doesn’t get to him first.

The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf. 288 ps. frankenstein day august 30

I am a dark spirit, the ghost announced grandly. I am your inheritance, your grandmother’s legacy. I am yours to command.

Suraya’s witchy grandmother gifts her a pelesit. Delighted, she names her ghostly companion Pink, and the two quickly become inseparable.

Unfortunately, Suraya doesn’t know that pelesits have a dark side—and when Pink’s shadows threaten to consume them both, they must find enough light to survive before being lost to the darkness.

The Lonely Lake Monster by Suzanne Selfors. 240 ps.

frankenstein day august 30Pearl Petal and Ben Silverstein can’t wait for their first official day as apprentices to Dr. Woo, veterinarian for imaginary creatures. That is until they have to clip Sasquatch’s toenails. Gross!

Soon after, Pearl spots a monster in the lake behind the hospital. Even though the instructions were to not leave the building for any reason, Pearl sets off for a closer look, with Ben trailing cautiously behind.

The outing goes awry when the creature captures Ben and holds him hostage on an island in the middle of the lake. It’s up to Pearl to hatch a rescue mission. Will she save the day or cement her reputation as the town troublemaker? And will the hospital’s secret patient be able to help?

The Monstrous Adventures of Mummy Man and Waffles by Steve Behling. 288 ps. frankenstein day august 30

Eleven-year-old Wen Wyler (aka Waffles) is forced to spend the summer in Maine with his grandpa, a former Hollywood makeup and special effects artist for classic horror films. Ever seen The Beast with a Thousand Toes, Glaarg!? Or its sequel, Glaarg! Again!?  If so, then you might be familiar with his work.

Wen, a horror movie enthusiast, decides to go when he finds out that for part of the summer he’ll be helping his grandpa sort and organize his basement filled with props. Grandpa’s young neighbor, Tanya, will be helping, too. Together the two dig in until Wen accidentally brings one of the props to life.

Mummy Man is a good guy. Not so the other creatures. It’s up to Wen, Tanya, and Mummy Man (and his pet turtle, Frank) to stop the creatures from turning the town into the headquarters for an all-out monster invasion.

No Place for Monsters by Kory Merritt. 384 ps.

frankenstein day august 30Levi and Kat are about to discover a very dark side to their neighborhood.

Nothing ever seems out of place in the safe, suburban town of Cowslip Grove. Neatly mowed lawns, tidy sidewalks, and ice cream truck music in the air. Nonetheless, kids have been going missing … except no one even realizes it, because no one remembers them.

Not their friends. Not their teachers. Not even their families.

But Levi and Kat do remember, and suddenly only they can see why everyone is in terrible danger when the night air rolls in. Now it’s up to Levi and Kat to fight it and save the missing kids before it swallows the whole town.

The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn. 160 ps. GNfrankenstein day august 30

Diana and her little brother, Georgie, know every inch of the land around the old Willis place, a crumbling mansion that some say is haunted. They climb the trees and swim in the pond. And they can do whatever they want, even stay up all night. They don’t have to change their clothes, brush their hair, or go to school. They have total freedom–as long as they don’t leave the grounds.

When Lissa arrives with her father, the new caretaker of the estate, Diana is overjoyed. She’s been wishing for a friend she can show her favorite spots to and share her favorite books. Maybe Lissa can even help her uncover the ghastly secret of the creepy old Willis house.

However, rules must be followed in order to keep the peace. Making friends is forbidden. If Diana makes contact with Lissa, she could unleash evil forces beyond her control . . . and then they’ll all be sorry.

Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker. 336 ps.

frankenstein day august 30The haunting season has arrived in the Antler Wood. No fox kit is safe.

When Mia and Uly become separated from their litters, they discover a dangerous world full of monsters. In order to find a den to call home, they must venture through field and forest, facing unspeakable things that dwell in the darkness: a zombie who hungers for their flesh, a witch who tries to steal their skins, a ghost who hunts them through the snow . . . and other things too scary to mention.

Featuring eight interconnected stories and sixteen hauntingly beautiful illustrations, Scary Stories for Young Foxes contains the kind of adventures and thrills you love to listen to beside a campfire in the dark of night. Fans of Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Auxier, and R. L. Stine have found their next favorite book.

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden. 256 ps. frankenstein day august 30

After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie, who only finds solace in books, discovers a chilling ghost story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who loved her, and a peculiar deal made with “the smiling man”—a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price.

Captivated by the tale, Ollie begins to wonder if the smiling man might be real when, during a school trip, she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she’s been reading about. Later, when her school bus breaks down on the ride home, the strange bus driver tells Ollie and her classmates: “Best get moving. At nightfall they’ll come for the rest of you.” Nightfall descends quickly when Ollie’s previously broken digital wristwatch begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN.

Only Ollie and two of her classmates heed these warnings. When the trio head out into the woods—bordered by a field of scarecrows that seem to be watching them—the bus driver has just one final piece of advice for Ollie and her friends: “Avoid large places. Keep to small.”

Where the Woods End by Charlotte Salter. 304 ps.

frankenstein day august 30Kestrel, a young huntress, lives in a seemingly endless forest crawling with dangerous beasts. But the most dangerous beasts of all are the Grabbers, beings born at the same time you are. They stalk you throughout your life, waiting for the perfect moment to snatch and eat you. No one has ever defeated their Grabber once attacked, and those that die from accidents or other creatures are considered “lucky.”

Kestrel’s mother, a powerful and controlling spell-caster, instructs her to hunt down the Grabbers in an effort to protect their village in the forest. Accompanied by Pippit, a hilariously bloodthirsty weasel, Kestrel hones her skills as she searches for a way out of the forest and away from the judgmental villagers who despise her. But her own Grabber is creeping ever closer, and nothing in this forest is what it seems … including her mother’s true motivations.

Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White. 256 ps. frankenstein day august 30

Meet the Sinister-Winterbottoms: brave Theo, her timid twin Alexander, and their older sister Wil. This summer, they’re under Aunt Saffronia’s care and she knows nothing about how often children eat or how to use a smartphone. And her feet never quite touch the floor when she glides—er—walks.

When Aunt Saffronia suggests a week pass to the Fathoms of Fun Waterpark, they quickly agree, but the park is even stranger than Aunt Saffronia. The waterslides look like gray gargoyle tongues. The employees wear creepy black dresses and deliver ominous messages. An impossible figure is at the top of the slide tower, people are disappearing, and suspicious goo seeps into the wave pool.

Something mysterious is happening at Fathoms of Fun. It’s up to the twins to get to the bottom of it. The mystery, that is. NOT the wave pool. Definitely NOT the wave pool. But are Theo and Alexander out of their depth?

Are you feeling the vibes of Frankenstein yet? If you’d like more monstrous stories, take a look at this post.

Agent Spotlight: Meet Literary Agent Sally Kim

We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Sally Kim to the agent spotlight here at From The Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors. Sally is a literary agent with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency (ABLA). She represents fiction and non-fiction picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and graphic novels and is especially eager to see authentic explorations of underrepresented cultures, relationships, and identities.

Sally took time out of her busy agenting life to share more about her pre-kidlit career, what she loves about being an agent, and some cool books from ABLA to check out.

From The Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors: How did you become an agent? 

Sally Kim, literary agent with Andrea Brown Literary Agency

Sally Kim: After 15+ wonderful years in children’s book publishing, I was looking for my next big opportunity and specifically, I wanted to return to working closely with individual authors and illustrators. At the advice of trusted colleagues in the industry, I sought out informational calls with a handful of well-respected literary agents and asked them what it took to be an all-around exceptional agent. What qualities were essential from Day 1 and what skills could be learned on the job? My goal was to objectively assess my potential before taking the leap. To my delight, all the conversations went very well and strengthened my resolve to move forward. In a few short months, I was thrilled to find a place with Andrea Brown Literary Agency. I haven’t looked back since!

 

MUF: Your pre-agenting background was in kidlit marketing and publicity. How do those skills translate in your current role? 

SK: My years working in marketing and publicity gave me broad exposure to the children’s book market and an understanding of how publishers work to connect books to readers, to adapt to the ever-shifting landscape of key retailers and sales channels, and to day-in and day-out launch new books and make each of them stand out from the crowd. As a marketer, I spent many years partnering with colleagues in editorial and sales to participate in heated auctions, build bestselling brands and series, and position books for long-term success.

I believe as a new agent, I am uniquely positioned to help my clients understand how their work, whether it be a lyrical picture book or a middle grade novel-in-verse, fits into the market and where it can find its target readership. And in my time in publishing, I particularly enjoyed collaborating closely with authors and illustrators on their launch campaigns–traveling with them to conferences, bookstore appearances, and just generally evangelizing about their talent. There’s a lot of great crossover to life as an agent.

MUF:  What does a typical workday look like for you?  

SK: There is no typical day! But I can definitely describe a typical work week. The first thing to note is that while I build my career as a literary agent, I am still working as an independent consultant for children’s book publishers around the world. I’m often on early morning Zoom calls with folks on France and late afternoon calls with folks in Australia.

Thankfully, my consulting work is very flexible and I still have plenty of time and energy for agenting. In a typical week, this includes giving clients feedback on their manuscripts, strategizing on the next project to go out with, researching potential editors for an upcoming pitch, having calls with individual editors to get to know their tastes and current wishlists, and of course reading queries! Always reading queries!

Also, I should say that the agents at Andrea Brown are incredibly communicative and collaborative. All day long, we’re chatting on Slack and over email, sharing feedback and suggestions with one another on any number of topics. I’m soaking it all in and eagerly learning from my peers and mentors.

MUF: What’s your least favorite part of your job as an agent?

SK: I think my clients will agree with me, but every time an editor passes on a project, it’s hard not to feel momentarily discouraged. But I like to tell myself (and them!) that it’s all part of the process. Upward and onward we go.

MUF: What’s your favorite? 

SK: That elusive moment when I’m deep in the trenches of queries, reading my twentieth manuscript of the night and suddenly I’m blown away by a project from start to finish. The good ones really jump out and grab you in the best, most exciting way. The thrill of discovery is real!

MUF: Book bans are on our minds. What should writers, readers, parents, librarians, and other do to support access to books for kids? 

SK: Great question. And as I type out my answer, I’m really talking to myself most of all. We should all try to keep up with the latest on book ban news. Learn which of your favorite authors are being affected and make every effort to support them through it. Speak up and speak out about the harmful effects of book bans to your friends, family, and your larger community. Use every opportunity to amplify messages that support the freedom to read.

And have you heard of Authors Against Book Bans? If you are a book creator of any kind, I encourage you to join. And please listen to Jenn Laughran’s Literaticast podcast interview with founding members Maggie Tokuda-Hall and David Levithan. The episode goes live this month (August 2024) and I will be first in line to listen and take notes.

MUF: Any kidlit books coming out soon (or just out!) from your clients that we should keep an eye out for?  

SK: Yes! While I’m about to go out on submission with my first MG project (fingers crossed!), I going to take the opportunity to recommend several exceptionally good books written by other agency clients. Please check them out!

Vega's Piece of the Sky by Jennifer Torres

 

MUF: Where can people find you online? (Social media, work website, other) 

SK: Let’s connect! Please query me at https://querymanager.com/query/sallyabla. Follow me online on Instagram @sallymkim and Bluesky @sallymkim.bsky.social. And to learn more about Andrea Brown Literary agency, go to our website:  https://www.andreabrownlit.com.

 

Interview – Christine Virnig, author of A BITE ABOVE THE REST

I had the great luck to get to read an early copy of Christine Virnig’s latest middle-grade – a Halloween themed adventure set in the very unique town of Samhain,Wisconsin. And, even though Halloween is still a few month’s away, I’m sure my interview with Christine is going to have you itching to break out the wax vampire fangs and your best monster lawn decorations.

Please tell us a little bit about A BITE ABOVE THE REST.

First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to interview me! I really appreciate it!

A Bite Above the Rest is about a kid who moves from California to Samhain, Wisconsin, a tourist town where it’s Halloween 24/7. Halloween decorations stay up year-round, people wear costumes every day, and the town hall keeps vampire hours, of all things. Being the new kid is hard enough on its own, but then a terrifying encounter with the mayor causes Caleb to wonder: Could there be more to his new hometown than meets the eye? Could real vampires and werewolves and witches be hiding amongst the fakes? He immediately sets out to uncover the truth, aided by his quirky new best friend, Tai.

The premise of this book is super interesting and super fun. What inspired you to write this story?

I was inspired to write A Bite Above the Rest from the moment the main character, Caleb, popped into my head one day. The poor kid was walking around with a wooden stake in his back pocket because he was terrified that he’d encounter a vampire or werewolf or witch at any second. But as scared as he was, nobody around him was frightened. They were all just going about their business as though nothing was wrong. I was immediately filled with questions—Who was this kid? Where was he? Why was nobody else scared?—and A Bite Above the Rest was basically my attempt to answer these questions.

You tackle some very real issues in this book. A parent’s death, a new town, bullying, and anxiety among others. What do you hope readers will take away from Caleb and Tai’s adventure?

I actually didn’t write A Bite Above the Rest with any lessons or take aways in mind; my only goal was for readers to have fun reading it. But despite this, I do hope that Caleb and Tai’s adventure will show kids that we can all be brave when we need to be, especially when we’ve got a good friend at our side.

Caleb and Tai do a lot of research on monsters. Werewolves, vampires, witches, and merfolk all play a part in this book. Do you have a favorite scary being? If so, what about them do you love?

Probably vampires?? I find their lore absolutely fascinating, and I love the idea of living f-o-r-e-v-e-r.

I have always been terrible at coming up with Halloween costumes/decorations. The thought of doing it every day is exhausting to me, so I really appreciated Caleb’s approach. What about you? Are you a Halloween superfan? Do you have a favorite costume from your childhood? Do you go all out decorating your house now?

Apart from the candy, I actually didn’t like Halloween that much when I was growing up. A large part of this dislike was the costumes; they always made me feel awkward and exposed. I still feel this way as an adult, so I’m a huge fan of Caleb-style punny costumes myself. This year I think I’ll go as a fork in the road!

And no, I don’t go all out decorating my house for Halloween. But thanks to the throngs of spiders that LOVE living by our front door, we’re at least bound to have a bunch of very authentic-looking spider webs hanging about 🙂

Will you tell us a little bit about your writing process? In particular how did you go about tackling this story?

My writing process for fiction is supremely inefficient. As soon as I come up with an idea—which might be a character, a setting, a theme—I brainstorm just enough so that I can start writing, and then I let the characters do their thing. This writing style is definitely fun (for example, I didn’t know if Caleb’s suspicions about his new town would end up being real or not until I was halfway done writing, which meant I got to be surprised too!), but it does mean I need to do a lot of revising and rewriting once I finally finish my first draft.

We know no writer is created in a vacuum. Could you tell the readers about a teacher or a librarian who had an effect on your writing life?

Yes! When I was first considering writing for children, I asked the youth librarian at the public library in Verona, Wisconsin to point me towards a few of their most popular middle grade titles. Among others, she grabbed How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg. This nonfiction book was my first introduction to the world of FUNNY nonfiction, and it inspired me to write my first two books: Dung for Dinner and Waist-Deep in Dung. I wish I knew that librarian’s name so I could thank her for unknowingly giving me the inspiration I needed to just start writing.

A Bite Above the Rest ends with Caleb getting some worrying information. Can you give us a hint about what we can look forward to next from you?

Of course! As much as I’d love to revisit the world of Caleb and Tai and Samhain at some point—and I already have some ideas!—my next book is another standalone that I hope fans of A Bite Above the Rest will really love. Slated to come out in late 2025, it features a cast of ghostly main characters who attend Phantom Academy, a school for underaged ghosts. I also have a picture book coming out sometime in the next few years, but those details are still hush hush.

 

Christine Virnig is a fan of books, candy, spooky stories, poop jokes, and coffee…in no particular order. As a former physician, Christine now spends her days writing books, reading books, and working at a library where she is surrounded by books. Christine lives in southern Wisconsin with her husband, two daughters, a ridiculous number of dust bunnies, and one incredibly lazy cat. You can visit her on the web at ChristineVirnig.com.

 

A BITE ABOVE THE REST is out now and available for purchase here or at your favorite bookstore. You can follow Christine on at her website or on Instagram.

 

 

Are you ready for some Halloween fun? If so, let us know in the comments.