Book Lists!

Anyone who enjoys Stephen King appreciates that deliciously uneasy feeling of a toe sticking out of the covers when who-knows-what is hidden under the bed. All people deal with fear. Middle Grade Horror allows children to experience thrills and chills, find their brave inner hero, and go on a dangerous journey in a safe space. It’s an important lesson. Plus, it’s fun. Below, you’ll see why I believe Horror is for Middle Grade and check out the book list for the young horror-reader in your family. Reluctant Readers My own family stumbled into horror when one of my children struggled to find stories he liked. He labelled the books he read too predictable, too touchy feely, and too boring. All of that changed when a great librarian suggested he check out Middle Grade Horror. He started with The Vampire Plagues, by Sebastian Rook. This series, about three children who chase a vampire from 1850s London to Paris and on to...

A Ramadan Booklist and Guide for Educators A Ramadan booklist and guide for educators just in time …. Ramadan is here, and all over the USA and world, Muslim students are preparing to fast. And very often, educators and librarians play such an important and valuable role in helping these...

Baseball Booklist It’s officially spring, and when I was in middle school, there was only one thing that meant to me: spring training season! My middle school years were defined by the New York Mets. I couldn’t get enough of them, and the months before spring training were made colder...

March is blowing in with some great New Middle Grade Releases – including one by our very own Beth McMullen. (Congratulations, Beth!) Find a cozy blanket and a patch of almost-Spring sunlight and settle in with one of these new books.   Miracle by Karen S. Chow When her father...

 Several new books have come out featuring young people working for change in their communities and the world. Child leaders have emerged in almost every activist movement today. Though too young to vote, they organize, draw public attention to issues, and often can get laws and policy changed. The causes...

This spring marks my sixth year of doing the monthly round up of new MG titles which are diverse in race, gender and/or sexual identity, ethnicity, religion, and disability. In that time there has been a substantial increase in the number of diverse titles in Middle Grade publishing. We’ve seen...

My husband Brad and I both experienced camping adventures while growing up. His family took several trips in a motorhome, mine in a camper. In my case, six kids, one bathroom, not enough beds. Despite close quarters, sunburns, poison ivy, and motion sickness from being stashed in the back of...