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The Book Called to Me…Again

By on June 26, 2026   /   Articles, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers   /   6 Comments

I have this thing for rereading books. I like to revisit favorite titles and try to get at least a five-year interval to have another read. The Power of the Reread is a post I wrote a few years ago. The post is about the continuation of the philosophy first heard from Dr. Rachel Schmidt, Professor Emerita of Classics and Religion at the University of Calgary and is still a great source of joy in my reading life. The space and time between readings through older and questionably wiser eyes almost always gives me a new insight into the story.

For the past year, I’ve been into drawing birds. It started as a project I’m working on that grew out of our bird feeder hobby developed during the pandemic. The bird-drawing obsession might be the reason why, whenever I walked past my office bookshelves this spring, one book called out to me, demanding a reread.

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt

 

 

Okay for Now kept calling, and around Memorial Day, I finally listened. I began to read it for at least the third time. Doug Swiateck and his struggles, failures, and successes in his new home of “stupid” Marysville, New York, captured me once again in this National Book Award finalist from 2011. In no time at all, I was delivering groceries in the Spicer’s Deli wagon alongside Doug, navigating a tenuous home life in The Dump, and spending hours studying and drawing from the Marysville Free Library’s display copy of John James Audubon’s The Birds of America under the guidance of library volunteer Mr. Powell. It was a fantastic ride, and I was reminded of two things:

  • Gary D. Schmidt is a master of his craft.
  • Okay for Now is a masterpiece. 

I highly recommend reading it if you have yet to discover this title. 

After finishing Okay for Now, I turned to one of my online library accounts for Okay for Now’s 2007 predecessor, The Wednesday Wars, winner of a Newbery Honor. Holling Hoodhood hilariously navigates school, home, and relationship issues after being forced to study Shakespeare by Mrs. Baker, a teacher who “hates” him. He must endure this horrific duty during his Wednesday afternoon alone time with Mrs. Baker because he is a Presbyterian outcast who must stay while everyone else attends their Catholic or Jewish schools for the afternoon.

These two books… My God, they are good! Shakespeare and Audubon were used as foundations to build two near-perfect works of middle-grade historical fiction. 

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After finishing The Wednesday Wars, the inspiration hit to keep on a Gary D. Schmidt reading streak, so I returned to the online libraries. While trying to decide between Orbiting Jupiter, The Labors of Hercules Beal, and Pay Attention Carter Jones for the next reread, I ran across a new-to-me title, 2021’s Just Like That. I clicked the cover and read the description. Another Gary D. Schmidt book set in late 1960s New York with a main character named Mary Lee Kowalski. Wait! Mary Lee Kowalski from The Wednesday Wars has her own book? Who knew? Not this guy!

I clicked “BORROW” and started reading. My heart was torn open in the first few pages. If you’ve read Just Like That, you know what I’m talking about. If you have not, put it on your TBR list behind The Wednesday Wars and Okay for Now. Once again, Gary D. Schmidt has me hooked and I’m reading as fast as I can between summer ball games, swim meets, garden/yard work, etc.

 

 

My conclusion from this Gary D. Schmidt revisit experience, beyond a reminder of the skill put on the page by one fantastic middle-grade author? 

Read an old book. Read a classic. Reread a book you love. Read for the different perspective time and maturity bring. Read for the magic it creates. Read now because summer reading is some of the best reading there is. 

The take-home message? When a book beckons, just as Doug Swiateck and the Arctic Tern called out to me, listen. Accept the literary summons and start reading because you never know in what fantastic directions that book might lead you.

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Spooky Summer Reads to Keep You Up Past Bedtime

By on June 14, 2026   /   Articles, Book Lists, For Kids, For Parents  

Summer is the perfect time to dive into a good book, and if you ask me, the spookier the better. Whether you’re reading by the pool, at the beach, or under the covers with a flashlight, these ghostly adventures and spine-tingling tales are sure to make your summer a bit more frightful.

I’ve included some of my favorites, both old and new. These are books that have made me laugh and cry ( I’m looking at you, The Ghost Rules) sent shivers down my spine, and kept me turning pages long past my bedtime.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.  Don’t forget to leave the light on . . . You never know what’s lurking in the shadows. 

The Ghost Rules by Adam Rosenbaum 

Twelve-year-old Elwood McGee never asked to have “ghost-sight,” and it involves a lot more drool-dodging than he expected. Ghosts are the WORST—and they’re all over the place in this sharp-witted middle grade debut novel. Ghost Rules book cover

Did you know that ghosts love coffee? They’re not trying to be scary. They’re just deprived of an appropriate amount of caffeine! They also bump into things by accident, are occasionally nosy, and get a little nervous when they’re seen by the living.

Elwood McGee knows these ghost facts because he’s one of those rare people with the gift of ghost-sight. And it turns out ghosts are everywhere! Especially in the small Tennessee town where Elwood and his family had to move following the death of his big brother Noah, which Elwood thinks was his fault.

Once Elwood figures out he can see ghosts, he becomes single-mindedly determined to use his powers to see Noah and talk to him once last time. With the help of two girls who live on his street, Elwood embarks on a journey through the surprisingly funny world of ghosts and faces the realities of letting go.

The Inn Between by Marina Cohen

The Inn Between by Marina Cohen is a deliciously creepy horror story for middle-grade readers that is as smart as it is full of heart.

11-year old Quinn has had some bad experiences lately. She was caught cheating in school, and then one day, her little sister Emma disappeared while walking home from school. She never returned. book cover The Inn Between

When Quinn’s best friend Kara has to move away, she goes on one last trip with Kara and her family. They stop over at the first hotel they see, a Victorian inn that instantly gives Quinn the creeps, and she begins to notice strange things happening around them. When Kara’s parents, and then brother disappear without a trace, the girls are stranded in a hotel full of strange guests, hallways that twist back in on themselves, and a particularly nasty surprise lucking beneath the floorboards. Will the girls be able to solve the mystery of what happened to Kara’s family before it’s too late?

Midnight at The Barclay Hotel by Fleur Bradley

Hunting ghosts and solving the case before checkout? All in a weekend’s work.

When JJ Jacobson convinced his mom to accept a surprise invitation to an all-expenses-paid weekend getaway at the illustrious Barclay Hotel, he never imagined that he’d find himself in the midst of a murder mystery. He thought he was in for a run-of-the-mill weekend ghost hunting at the most haunted spot in town, but when he arrives at the Barclay Hotel and his mother is blamed for the hotel owner’s death, he realizes his weekend is going to be anything but ordinary.
book cover of Midnight at The Barclay Hotel
Now, with the help of his new friends, Penny and Emma, JJ has to track down a killer, clear his mother’s name, and maybe even meet a ghost or two along the way.

The Polter-Ghost Problem by Betsy Uhrig

One haunted orphanage + two types of ghosts + three freaked-out friends = plenty of trouble.

Best friends Aldo, Pen, and Jasper are braced for a boring summer. And equally dull summer journal writing assignments. That is, until they see a slightly transparent boy with a bad haircut appear by the soccer field and then disappear into the woods beyond. The boys follow him and discover the long-abandoned Grauche Orphanage for Orphans, a house in the woods that is most definitely haunted. book cover of The Polter-Ghost Problem

But the ghosts are not the problem. They have been trapped at the orphanage by a cranky poltergeist who erupts into violent tantrums if they put even a spectral toe across the property line. The ghosts ask the boys to help free them—but who is the angry poltergeist and what does it want? To solve the mystery, the trio must investigate the orphanage’s dark past, evade Aldo’s ghastly older brother, borrow a skeptical librarian, and duck lots of flying furniture, all while failing to agree on almost anything. Can they defeat the evil entity and rescue the ghosts before their parents catch on and ground them for eternity?

The Haunting of Walker Pond by Nancy Tandon  

Frankie Wilkins waits all year for her favorite thing—summers in coastal Maine. This time, she and her best friend, Parker, are Leaders-in-Training at Camp Asticou on nearby Walker Pond. For Frankie, it’s not just about proving her skills but also the hope that a successful LIT run will convince her dad and stepmom to stay in the area, rather than move them all to Long Island.

During their first night there, the LITs learn about a local legend called The Bride of Rippowam. A young woman named Eugenie fell in love with a sailor, but after a tragic accident, she and her fiancé, Raleigh, both drowned. And weird happenings have occurred at the camp ever since, with incidents increasing in recent years. book cover Haunting of Walker Pond

People suspect that something is keeping Eugenie from officially crossing over, and Frankie realizes Eugenie is trying to send urgent messages about what really happened with her and Raleigh. With their campers in danger, Frankie, Parker, and the rest of the LITs are determined to help Eugenie cross over. But are they willing to break almost every camp rule to do so, and will they find what Eugenie is after—and why—before tragedy strikes again?
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

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. Book cover of Small Spaces

Captivated by the tale, Ollie begins to wonder if the smiling man might be real when she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she’s been reading about on a school trip to a nearby farm. Then, 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 is, indeed, fast descending when Ollie’s previously broken digital wristwatch begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN.

I Text Dead People by Rose Cooper

You can’t block the dead! The first novel in the Dead Serious series, in which a middle school girl bridges the gap between the living and the dead with her phone.book cover of I text Dead People

Annabel Craven hopes she’ll fit in—maybe even be popular—at the Academy. She’s worried she’ll stay friendless and phoneless (it’s true). But when she finds a mysterious phone in the woods near the cemetery, one of her problems is solved . . . and another one is just beginning.

Someone won’t stop texting her. And that someone seems . . . dead. How is Annabel supposed to make friends when her phone keeps blowing up with messages from the afterlife? And what will happen if she doesn’t text back?

Includes morbidly-cute black-and-white illustrations!

The Haunting of Aveline Jones by Phil Hickes

Aveline Jones loves reading ghost stories, so a dreary half-term becomes much more exciting when she discovers a spooky old book. Not only are the stories spine-tingling, but it once belonged to Primrose Penberthy, who vanished mysteriously, never to be seen again. Intrigued, Aveline decides to investigate Primrose’s disappearance.
book cover of The Haunting of Aveline JonesNow someone… or something, is stirring. And it is looking for Aveline.

Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp by Rachel M. Marsh 

Basil Theriot has spent her entire life in New Orleans—in her family’s famed Cajun restaurant in the French Quarter, really—but she’s never been out to the bayou where her grandfather grew up. She’s also never seen a ghost, even though dozens of ghost tours pass by the restaurant every day and her best friend Tommy is determined to be a ghost hunter.

But then Grandpere’s ghost appears. And he has a mission for her.

Basil wouldn’t mind being haunted if Grandpere could be helpful and share his secret recipe that might save the restaurant. But instead, he’s intent on connecting Basil with her Cajun heritage. He sends her out to the bayou to meet his friends: an airboat captain, a shrimper, and a scientist rebuilding Louisiana’s fast-disappearing coastline.

For fans of Gracie Under the Waves and A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall, Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp has a little bit of everything: a pinch of spookiness, a dash of environmental activism, and a heaping of family.

Ghost Scout’s Honor by Carey Blankenship-Kramer

The Ghost Scouts were created to keep the ghosts of Savannah in line. It’s an honor to serve.

Evey’s never wanted anything to do with ghosts, but after best friend, Laura, dumps her for no reason, Evey wants revenge. To take the student of the year award from her ex-bestie, she’ll have to join the Ghost Scouts. She’ll be the best Ghost Scout Savannah has ever seen.book cover of Ghost Scout's Honor

Only this year the ghosts seem different. They are angrier than usual, and they seem to be growing in power. No problem, Evey can get to the bottom of why and send all the ghosts back to their cages.

But what she uncovers makes her angry too. What if the ghosts don’t deserve to be caged? What if they have every right to be furious?

I hope you’ve discovered a few new spooky reads to add to your summer TBR pile. And if you enjoy a book, please tell a friend about it. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful ways to support authors and help great stories find new readers.

May your summer be filled with just the right amount of chills and thrills. 

Happy reading!

 

 

 

 

 

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A Summer of Creativity: Writing Exercises to Bring Back the Fun, Break Out of a Rut, and Inspire Young Writers

By on June 12, 2026   /   Articles, For Parents, For Teachers  

Summer is here, and school is out. Why not use some of your extra free time to work on a writing project? By writing a little each day, you could end the summer with an entire collection of poems, short stories, essays, journal entries, or even the first draft of a novel. Writing regularly is one of the best ways to improve as a writer. Doing the same thing over and over, however, can be a sure path to boredom.

Whether you are drafting a middle-grade novel, helping a young writer find their voice, or simply trying to make writing feel joyful again, flexibility and exploration are key. With that in mind, below are five creative writing exercises to bring some play into your own writing and into the work of the young writers in your life.

 

1. Switch up the genre or form

We all tend to have genres and forms that feel most comfortable. That does not mean, however, that we always need to write in that vein.

Do you typically write prose? Try a poem, a verse novel scene, a list poem, or a haiku. I regularly participate in #HaikuSaturday on X and Bluesky and love the supportive community. You may want to give it a try. Do you typically write fiction? Spend 20 minutes writing creative non-fiction, a personal essay, or a journal entry. If you usually write serious scenes, try humor. If you usually write realistic fiction, try a fantasy premise.

Writing outside your comfort zone can freshen up your practice. It can also help you acquire and strengthen skills that you can use in your main work. For example, even though I write primarily in prose, I spent years studying and practicing poetry. As a result, I use poetic techniques in everything I write.

Try this with young writers: Ask them to retell a favorite summer memory three ways—as a poem, a journal entry, and a one-page story.

 

2. Try out a new craft element

Take a look at your current read, or a book that inspires your writing project, and pick one or two writing techniques used by authors you admire. Study how the author uses the technique in the work. Then try it out in your draft or current project—perhaps in just one scene or on just one page.

You might study how an author begins a chapter, builds suspense, reveals character through dialogue, uses setting, or ends a scene on a question. Emulation is a great way to break through a writing rut and grow in your craft.

Try this with young writers: Read the opening paragraph of a favorite middle-grade novel. Then invite them to write a new opening using the same kind of feeling, whether mysterious, funny, fast-paced, quiet, or surprising.

 

3. Re-read your favorites

Whether they are your favorites in the genre in which you are writing or just your overall favorite books, revisiting books that have shaped you as a writer and reader is important. This time, read with two sets of eyes: reader eyes and writer eyes.

What techniques do you find especially effective in connecting with you as a reader? How does the author make you care about the main character? Where do you laugh, worry, wonder, or turn the page faster? How can you borrow from those techniques in your own work?

This is an especially useful practice if you are feeling lost or stuck. Favorite books can remind us why we wanted to write in the first place.

Try this with young writers: Ask them to choose one favorite scene and explain why it works. Then challenge them to write a scene that creates a similar feeling without copying the plot.

 

4. Go on some observation adventures

Pulling from lived experiences, overheard conversations, and other observations is a classic writing tip, but it is easy to forget how much material is waiting just outside our doors.

Go outside to a park, a mall, a restaurant, a library, a farmer’s market, a ball field, or wherever your curiosity leads you, and take a notebook with you. Write down as many observations as possible, no matter how obvious or random. Notice sounds, smells, gestures, snippets of conversation, clothing, weather, signs, and small conflicts. Even ten minutes in your neighborhood is enough to fuel an abundance of ideas.

This is a great way to jumpstart your creativity on days when you are feeling restless or uninspired.

Try this with young writers: Challenge them to write down ten things they notice, then choose three and turn them into the beginning of a story.

 

5. Change point of view

No matter what genre you are writing, perspective is key. Try rewriting your current project, or a part of it, from a different perspective—or even more than one.

If you feel as though you need to get to know a character more, rewriting a scene from that character’s point of view can reveal new things about them. If you feel as though a scene isn’t working, this exercise can send it in a new direction. If you feel as though the tone of your piece is flat or ineffective, a new perspective can drastically change that.

For middle-grade writers, this can be especially helpful. How is the scene viewed from the point of view of the protagonist? What about the point of view of the best friend? What about the point of view of the younger sibling? What about the point of view of the adult who misunderstands everything? Don’t be afraid to play with this core element.

Try this with young writers: Challenge them to rewrite a familiar fairy tale or family story from the point of view of a side character, pet, villain, or object.

 

Wherever your writing is taking you right now, I hope these ideas can bring some exploration and fun into your process. By the end of the summer, you and the young writers in your life may have a notebook full of poems, stories, scenes, characters, questions, story sparks, and maybe even the start of a novel. Even better, you may have rediscovered the joy of writing for the fun of it.

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