WNDMG

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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WNDMG Author Interview: Huda Al-Marashi on her Middle Grade Novel HAIL MARIAM

By on August 12, 2026   /   Articles, Author Interviews, Diversity, WNDMG  

Author Interview – Huda Al-Marashi

I’m so excited to be able to introduce you to author Huda Al-Marashi today. Huda is a Middle grade author who has written many beautiful books, among which is a personal favorite of mine GROUNDED, and today we will be discussing her book: HAIL MARIAM which came out from Kokila/Penguin Kids on Feb 24, 2026

I adore reading Muslim middle grade, and the synopsis sounds so compelling. I am so excited to dive into this story and talk to Huda about this book!

Librarians and educators- you don’t want to miss this!

About HAIL MARIAM:

Hail Mariam is an interfaith Muslim take on Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret drawn from the author’s own experiences in Catholic school.

Sixth grade wasn’t supposed to be this complicated.

Iraqi American Mariam Hassan transfers to a local Catholic school and before her first day her parents remind her that she might be the first Muslim her classmates have ever met. No big deal, right? Just represent an entire religion while making new friends, keeping up with schoolwork, and figuring out who she is.

When Mariam’s younger sister, Salma, is diagnosed with a serious lung condition, her family faces endless doctor visits and sleepless nights. Mariam tries to lighten their burden and keep her own problems to herself—including the fact that she’s just been cast as Mary in the school’s Christmas nativity play.

Mariam wants to honor her faith and her new community, but she’s terrified of crossing a religious line. Can a Muslim girl be the lead in a Christian story? What will her family think? And why does she feel like every decision she makes represents all Muslims?

Mariam discovers that faith, much like friendships, isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection. As she leans on her family, friends, and school community, she begins to see the power of interfaith cooperation and learns she doesn’t have to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Hail Mariam is a celebration of the beauty of finding common ground.

Interview with Huda:

I loved getting to talk to Huda about her new book and I know you will enjoy meeting her and Mariam as well.

SSS: What a wonderful premise of interfaith commonality. Can you tell us a little bit more about what inspired this story?

HA: This story is based on so many of my lived experiences. Like Mariam, I went to a Catholic middle school, but I also went on to an all-girls Catholic high school and a Jesuit university. As I got older, I came to appreciate the ways in which being immersed in another religious tradition shaped me, and it was something I wished more people had the opportunity to experience. Even when we have major theological differences, it helped me to see the patterns among people of faith and how we value similar things. It got me thinking that I could use stories from my middle school years to show how my interfaith education broadened my horizons and allowed me to see those commonalities.

SSS: Tell us about the character Mariam- is she similar or different personality-wise from you?  

HA: Mariam is the eldest daughter of Iraqi immigrants so we definitely share the personality traits that tend to come with that. At home, she’s wants to be a dutiful daughter and sister, and at school, she wants to be recognized as her teacher’s sunshine. And while much of that does resonate with me, Mariam is far more conflicted than I ever was. In order for me to show her transformation, I started her off in an almost exaggerated place of right and wrong, and she struggles with the decisions she makes in the book far more than I ever did. For example, she wrestles with being cast as Mary in the Christmas play, however when I was in middle school and was also offered the part of Mary, I immediately said, “No, I can’t,” and the decision was over in minutes. 

SSS: I hardly ever see Iraqi rep out in the world. Thank you for this book. Tell us more about how culture affects Mariam and her story?

HA: Thank you for recognizing that under-representation! With this book, I hoped to show how our religious and sectarian differences have been exploited. I chose to make Mariam’s parents mixed sect and her mom’s best friend Christian as a way to reflect the various groups in Iraqi society and to show how integrated these communities are. We have a much longer history of coexistence than the politically-motivated strife that we see represented in the media.

SSS: I love the cover! Can you tell us more about how the concept came about?

HA: I love it too! From the beginning, we knew wanted to integrate Christian and Muslim symbols, and my editor shared a few concept ideas with the cover artist, along with pictures of when I was in middle school. And then we went back and forth quite a bit to capture Mariam’s inquisitive look and spunk.

Link to order here.

Writing Process 

SSS: When did you start writing the story and was the process a long one?

HA: It was so long! I drafted a version of this during Covid when I set a goal for myself to write a chapter a week, but it was my first attempt at writing a middle grade novel and I knew it had problems that needed to be addressed. I put it aside while drafting GROUNDED, a collaborative novel I wrote with Aisha Saeed, S.K. Ali, and Jamilah Thompkins Bigelow, but when that was finished, I had to face the draft again and I didn’t have the tools to fix it. Thankfully, I got into what was then known as the Highlights Foundation and is currently known as Boyds Mill Muslim Storytellers Fellowship, and I found the resources there to revise it into the draft that finally sold in 2024.

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

HA: I’m a bit of both. I’ll do a rough outline by hand and then try to feel my way through, drafting chapter by chapter, but once I have a draft, I go back to my paper and pen outlines to really think through what I’m actually doing and where I still need to go.

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

HA: Since I was making the switch from writing for adults to writing for middle grade audiences, I had a lot of work to do on the voice. It was one of those things that I sincerely thought I was addressing in each revision, but my early drafts were far too serious and I would sometimes slip into a more adult voice. It wasn’t until my agent suggested that I lean into the humor that something clicked into place for me. I think that some levity will always be welcome in middle grade books. A little humor goes a long way!

Bonus!

SSS: Bonus question! Do you have more books coming?

HA: I have one more middle grade on the way. I know it will tackle the themes that I’m always drawn to in my work, identity, faith, and family, but it’s still in its early stages so I’m not quite sure how it’s all going to show up!

 

Thank you Huda for joining us and I hope readers and librarians enjoy your book! I know I am so excited to dive in!!!

About Huda:

Huda Al-Marashi writes for both children and adults. She is a coauthor of the middle grade novel Grounded, which won the Walter Dean Myers Honor award, and the author of the memoir First Comes Marriage: My Not-So-Typical American Love Story. Her other writing has appeared in various anthologies and news outlets, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and Al Jazeera. She is a fellow and mentor with the Muslim Storytellers Program at Boyds Mill, formerly known as the Highlights Foundation, and she lives in San Diego, California, with her husband and three children.

Website: www.hudaalmarashi.com

INSTAGRAM: @huda.almarashi

 

 

 

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