Posts Tagged contemporary realistic middle-grade fiction

Author Spotlight: Megan E. Bryant

By on January 2, 2026   /   Articles, Author Interviews   /   Leave a comment

Photo credit: Kris Fulk Photography

Today, let’s give a warm Mixed-Up Files welcome to Megan E. Bryant, author of Abby in Between: Face Forward, the second installment in the Abby in Between series. Praised by Kirkus as “a winning sequel that sees the welcome return of a flawed yet big-hearted protagonist,” the novel is available now from Penguin Workshop.

But first…

Abby in Between: Face Forward – A Summary

Big things are heading Abby McAdams’ way: her eleventh birthday, fifth-grade graduation, and the end of elementary school. There’s also the end-of-year overnight camping trip, and she can’t wait to practice her science skills. Oh, and there’s another thing. Abby suspects she’s going to get her period any day now, but after a few false alarms she’s not quite sure. Can Abby navigate new emotions, friendship dynamics, and her changing body, all while figuring out what kind of person she wants to be?

Q&A with Megan E. Bryant

 MR: Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Megan. Huge congratulations on the publication of Abby in Between: Face Forward!

 MEB: Thank you so much! I’m so excited to chat with you about Abby and all things middle grade!

MR: What was your inspiration behind Abby McAdams? I know she’s a lot like your daughter, Clara, and a lot like you when you were a preteen. Can you elaborate?

MEB: I always envisioned Abby as an “every girl” character, hoping to write about her early puberty experience in a way that would be relatable and reassuring for girls embarking on their own puberty journeys. One of the things I love most about Abby is how deeply she feels emotions. There’s an intensity to the way Abby experiences the world—from her excitement about big milestones in her life to her compassion for animals, the environment, and people in need—that has endeared her to me.

Abby McAdams vs. Margaret Simon

MR: Abby has a very distinctive voice, reminiscent of another preteen protagonist, Margaret Simon, in Judy Blume’s groundbreaking 1974 novel, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. How are the two girls similar? In which ways are they different?

MEB: I think both Abby and Margaret are curious about puberty and how their bodies are changing, and they express this curiosity in very natural and normal ways. Margaret is older than Abby—part of the inspiration for writing the Abby books is that puberty tends to start earlier now—and as a result, I think that Margaret grapples with more mature topics. I also think both characters’ puberty experiences are affected by the times in which they live and cultural norms.

 

That’s SOOOO (NOT) Awkward

MR: Speaking Judy Blume, you write about puberty in a similar, straightforward way, without shame or embarrassment (yay!). What’s the secret to handling potentially awkward topics, from pubic hair and body odor to vaginal discharge and periods, in such a no-nonsense way? I’m sure your readers are beyond grateful! (I know I would have been as a tween. 🙂)

MEB: From the start, I knew I needed to write these books with unflinching honesty—or I shouldn’t bother writing them at all. So anything that made me feel squeamish or cringey was something I needed to work through on my own. It became an opportunity to examine any negative messages I’d absorbed about girls’ and women’s bodies and overcome them, while remembering that the whole range of emotions and reactions to puberty are completely normal. I figured that if a topic were embarrassing for me, an adult woman, to write about, then there would probably be readers who were embarrassed to be experiencing it, and I owed it to them to face it with honesty and compassion.

Dear 11-year-old Megan…

MR: As a follow-up, what advice would you give to 11-year-old Megan?

MEB: While I was deep in the process of writing Face Forward, something remarkable happened: my husband developed an old roll of film from my childhood, and there was a picture of me at my 11th birthday on it—the same age as Abby. I looked at the image of my younger self with so much tenderness. Incredibly, I wasn’t nearly as ugly, awkward, or messy as I’d felt at the time. So I think I’d tell 11-year-old Megan, “Go easy on yourself. You’re doing just fine.”

Writing about Climate Change

MR: In addition to stressing over the onset of her period, Abby is concerned about the state of the environment, including climate change and global

warming. This is a topic on many middle graders’ minds. What’s your approach to making such a weighty, often confusing subject palatable for young readers?

MEB: Many years ago, I attended a talk by Joyce Carol Oates, who was asked about writing for young people. She said, “You’ve got to give them hope,” which resonated deeply with me. It’s a message that imbues all of my writing. I found the global warming sections of this book to be perhaps even more challenging to write than the puberty ones, because the problem is grave, and young people will inherit a crisis worsened by the inactivity of prior generations. But there is hope, which can inspire us to work toward a solution.

MR: One more Abby question: Abby is desperate for a kitten, and she comes up with a detailed plan to get one. This is relatable to many preteens who ask for pets. Did you have a pet as a child? Do you allow your kids to have one (or maybe more than one 🙂)?

MEB: Goodness, yes! Growing up, I had pet rabbits and cats. We currently have four cats and two dogs. I always say our house is full, but my kids know that if they find an animal that needs a home, I’ll try to make it work—which is how we ended up with six pets, ha!

Advice for Writers

MR: Let’s move on to your writing career. It says in your bio that you’ve written 250 books for children. What is the secret to being so prolific? Also, what advice would you give to new writers? What about to more established ones?

MEB: I’m profoundly grateful for every writing opportunity I’ve had; for every idea that evolved from nebulous thought to printed book; and for every reader who has read my words. I’m not sure if there is a secret to being prolific besides making it a priority to write whenever you can. I often tell my writing students that they are the only ones who can prioritize their writing in a world that makes so many other demands on their time.

I’d tell new writers to persevere above all else—keep dreaming, keep plotting, keep reading, keep learning, keep writing, keep revising, and keep trying! For established writers, I’d encourage them to try mixing up their writing routine. Almost all of my books have been written linearly, but for a variety of reasons, I wrote Face Forward completely out of order, in much shorter writing sessions than I was used to. When it was time to read the manuscript from start to finish, I was really worried that it would be a jumbled mess of disconnected scenes. To my surprise, though, it flowed well, and I learned a good lesson about adapting my established writing process.

The Plot Thickens

MR: What is your writing process like, Megan? Do you have a specific routine or word-count goals? Any writing rituals? Also, are you a plotter or a pantser?

MEB: I am 100% a plotter! I’ll often spend months thinking about a new project before writing a single word. My outlines are usually 10-15 pages or more, and I use them like a roadmap to guide each writing session. As much as I love a detailed outline, though, I also have a notebook close at hand where I write all the new ideas and storylines that pop into my mind as I’m writing.

As for writing rituals, I keep a bottle of nail polish on my desk and when I get stuck on a sentence or paragraph, I’ll paint my nails. So if you see me wearing nail polish—especially if just a few of my nails are polished—chances are I’m working on a manuscript!

MR: What’s next on your writing agenda? More Abby books, I hope…

MEB: I’m always ready to revisit Abby and the McAdams family! Right now, I’m working on two projects—a family comedy focused on the misadventure of two brothers, and a futuristic trilogy. They couldn’t be more different, so no matter what mood I’m in, I have a project that suits it!

Lightning Round!

MR: Last thing: No MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so…

Preferred writing snack? Chocolate

Coffee or tea? Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon

MG authors that inspire you? Madeleine L’Engle, Dana Levy, C.S. Lewis, Raina Telgemeier, Lois Lowry, Katherine Applegate, Jason Reynolds—I could go on and on!

Most cringe-worthy tween moment? Running into my eighth-grade science teacher while I was buying pads—horrors!

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay? Hard pass—you’ll find me hiding under the bed with my pets when it happens.

Superpower? Listmaking!

Favorite place on earth? Home is where my heart is.

You’re stranded on a desert island, with only three items in your possession. What are they? Practically: a solar-powered communication device, a water purification system, and sunblock. Whimsically: my knitting, a solar-powered fridge full of chocolate and coffee, and . . . sunblock!

MR: Thank you for chatting with me, Megan—and congratulations on the publication of Abby in Between: Face Forward. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I know MUF readers will too.

MEB: Thank you so much for your kind words! I really enjoyed answering these thought-provoking questions.

All About Megan

Megan E. Bryant has written more than 250 children’s books for ages ranging from babies to teens. Her most recent books include the middle grade novel series, ABBY IN BETWEEN; the CITIZEN BABY board book series, co-authored with her husband, historian Daniel O. Prosterman; the four-book chapter book series THE TINY GENIUSES; and the Kirkus starred and Best Young Adult Book of the Year GLOW. She lives in Winston-Salem, NC with her family.

Melissa Roske is a writer of middle-grade fiction. Before spending her days with imaginary people, she interviewed real ones as a journalist in Europe. In London she landed a job as an advice columnist for Just Seventeen magazine. Upon returning to her native New York, Melissa contributed to several books and magazines and selected jokes for Reader’s Digest. In addition to her debut novel Kat Greene Comes Clean (Charlesbridge), Melissa’s short story “Grandma Merle’s Last Wish” appears in the Jewish middle-grade anthology, Coming of Age: 13 B’Nai Mitzvah Stories (Albert Whitman). Learn more about Melissa on her Website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

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Author Spotlight: Ali Terese

By on December 11, 2025   /   Author Interviews  

In today’s Author Spotlight, Sydney Dunlap chats with author Ali Terese about her middle-grade novel, VOTE FOR THE G.O.A.T.

Ali Terese is a middle grade and YA author who writes funny and heartfelt stories including FREE PERIOD (Scholastic – 2024) and VOTE FOR THE G.O.A.T. (Aladdin / Simon & Schuster – 2025). Her work has received the National Book Award – Longlist honor, a School Library Journal starred review, an Audiofile Magazine Earphones Award, and a Kids’ Indie Next selection. FREE PERIOD is part of the Chicago Battle of the Books and Texas’s Lone Star Reading List. Visit Ali online for book bonuses, giveaways, and resources like discussion guides, recipes, craftivism projects, and more at aliterese.com.

All About the Book!

From the author of National Book Award-longlisted FREE PERIOD comes a new hijinks-fueled comedy about finding your voice, perfect for fans of Carrie Firestone and Lisa Yee!

Sporty Meg and fashionista Jo don’t have much in common besides being 7th graders at Somerset Middle School, where everyone is obsessed with being voted the Greatest of All Time and celebrated at the Harvest Ball. But when their mascot Somerset Babette (aka the world’s cutest goat) is kidnapped, Jo and Meg are wrongfully accused of being the culprits.

The burned-out soccer star and chronically-ill overachiever band together and assemble a rag-tag squad to steal the goat back. Banter, activism, self-care, double-crosses, big shenanigans, and even bigger feelings follow as the girls fight to change how animals are treated at their school and achieve true freedom for their four-legged, sweater-chewing friend in this laugh-out-loud middle-grade heist centering friendship and bodily autonomy.

Interview with Ali Terese!

Congratulations on your new book release! I absolutely adored it! Publisher’s Weekly gives VOTE FOR THE G.O.A.T. a starred review and writes, “Centering an intersectionally diverse cast across Meg and Jo’s alternating first-person POVs, Terese delivers a joyful slice-of-life romp about finding oneself and uplifting others.” I love this description of your book. What inspired this story?

I call this book Ted Lasso for tweens because it is full of hope, hilarity, and people who really care about each other and their goat! The book is set in a sports-crazed suburban town where the middle school mascot, Somerset Babette, has lost her little farm to yet another sports field and is now trapped in a parking lot. Well the kids are not going to let that happen to her! 7th grader Jo is already scheming to set the goat free when she and classmate Meg witness Babette getting kidnapped. Meg and Jo bring together a reverse heist crew to steal Babette back so they can truly change the way animals are treated on their campus. There are wild chases, double-crosses over disco fries, and an accounting fart joke for the ages. In standing up for Babette, the students find their voices in making decisions about their own bodies too, which is what inspired me to write this book in the first place.

When I was younger I had juvenile arthritis like Jo and a sports injury like Meg, but I didn’t know how to make my voice heard. So when the adults in my life said things like champions play through pain, you’re exaggerating, and limping will make it worse, I took all that to heart. I believed that my body existed in service to a game, teammates, a sport. When in reality, our precious bodies belong to us alone, and there isn’t some switch that flips when we turn 18 so that we know how to make decisions about ourselves. We need to learn as children when to rest, when to seek care, and build a society that allows those things to happen. I think kids deserve hilarious, affirming stories to remind them that they have a say over their own health and safety right now, and I feel so lucky that I get to write them.

Characters

Meg and Jo are such interesting main characters, and I enjoyed the rest of the cast as well. Who was your favorite character to write in this book, and why?

This is an impossible question! But I’ll say Meg because she is such an earnest goofball. When she’s injured at the beginning of the book and is forced to take a break from soccer, it gives her a chance to ask if playing this sport nonstop is how she wants to spend her life. Over the course of the story, she realizes she doesn’t actually know! Which I think is good for kids to see. She loves the game, but she isn’t willing to pay the price of her pain to play it at the level her dad and coaches expect. It is so hard to speak up for yourself in these situations, to see something different than the way you’ve always lived, and I loved spending time with Meg as she made her messy way through it. My hope is that young readers will reflect on her story and think about the decisions they’re making.

Craft

The plot has some great twists, and the heist element was fun and suspenseful. Was it difficult to craft? What were your biggest challenges in writing this?

I had so much fun with it! From a craft perspective, I had to keep reminding myself that even though there were mystery elements to figuring out who had taken Babette and why, the real focus was on the heist team. For me, heists are perfect for middle grade stories because they are natural team building exercises. Everyone has to recognize their own special skill and the special skills of the kids around them, figure out how they can all fit together to solve a problem, and then work with people who are different from them to create change. I also really enjoyed that Meg found her love of being part of a team in soccer translated to putting the squad together to save Babette. I hope sporty readers will think about how their creativity and leadership skills on the field can help them make a difference on issues they care about too.

Impact

As an animal lover, I really liked the concern for Babette and her well being. And the fact that the kids cared enough to do something. You are so good at writing stories that spur kids to positive action for their communities. Can you tell us a little about your 2023 debut novel, FREE PERIOD, and how it has spurred positive change in communities?

FREE PERIOD is a middle grade comedy where a couple of chaos monsters fight to get maxi-pads in all school bathrooms for all students who menstruate. It uses comedy, delightfully disgusting desserts including maxi-pad cupcakes and tampretzels, and wildly weird crafts like crochet utersuses to get kids laughing and having fun with an issue that can sometimes be different to talk about. My hope is that it is an entry point to the school period equity movement which is one of the greatest examples of student led action in our nation’s history. When I first started working on the book about a decade ago, no states required pads in schools. Now because of the work of students and their allies, about half the states in the country either require pads in some school bathrooms or provide funding for them. It has been so amazing to hear from young readers that they’ve gone to their principal after reading the book to advocate for period products and to partner with non-profits around the country doing this work. In the bigger picture, I hope kids see from Gracie and Helen’s story that you don’t need fancy or formal training to create change. Advocacy is for everyone, and they can use what they already love to do in life to make their voices heard.

Inspiration

Your new book also addresses the themes of sports burnout/bodily autonomy and a gradual return to playing after injury. These are so timely and relevant for today’s young athletes, and from what I can tell, rarely addressed. Did a personal experience motivate you to explore these areas in your book, or how did you decide to highlight these topics?

As I mentioned earlier, I was motivated by own experiences with sports injury and chronic illness as a young athlete. But when I started research for this book, it seemed so much had gotten worse rather than better in the decades since I played. Of course as a parent, I knew there were still overzealous parents and coaches, all the more complicated as children are pushed to specialize in a single sport and even play on more than one team per season. I was honestly shocked, though, to see the number of specialized children’s sports injury clinics popping up around the country for game nights. If there are so many injuries to justify a dedicated care center, how have the adults not stepped back to say, wait should we reevaluate what is causing all these injuries to children in the first place? That really informed the collective action aspect of the book. Children should be able to play and enjoy sports, but if their adults aren’t going to help them do it responsibly, teammates may have to work together to demand protections like a safe return-to-play plan that involves gradually returning after injury or burnout under the supervision of medical professionals. Also, grown-ups get it together.

Favorite Experiences

What have been some of your favorite experiences since becoming a published author?

If you go to my author website aliterese.com you’ll see a big part of my art is bringing the book world into the real world through craft. If there is a cuterus uterus cookie in the book you better believe I’m baking those in my kitchen. Same with the free bracelets, yarn crafts, t-shirts, games, and other resources on there. A few weeks ago, I heard from a young reader that picked up VOTE FOR THE G.O.A.T. at her local indie and saw the crochet Babette I’d dropped off at the store. And now she is crocheting her own Babette with her mom. My heart!! Can there be anything better than the art you put into the world bringing parents and kids together? I hope they make the cutest goat ever and talk about the intergenerational issues in the story while they do!

Advice

What is your advice for aspiring writers?

Please believe it when everyone says a bad agent is worse than no agent. I know it is so hard to hear when querying gets more challenging each year, but this isn’t gatekeeping. It is writers sharing their experiences which can range anywhere from wasted time to bad deals to dead books to not even wanting to participate in the industry anymore. You need and deserve to work with a professional who has the knowledge and experience to sell your book and advocate for you. Don’t settle for anything less!

Up Next

Can you give us some insights into what you’ll be working on next?

A laugh-out-loud feminist adventure where messy girls change the world.

And for the lightning round:

Coffee or tea?

All of the espresso please

Sunrise or sunset?

Sunrise

Favorite place to travel:

The Dolomites

Favorite dessert:

Whipped cream

Superpower:

Outlining

Favorite music:

Vitamin String Quartet – I actually got to see them in concert this year! They were so funny in addition to playing great music.

Favorite book from childhood:

THE WESTING GAME by Ellen Raskin

PS Thank you so much to Sydney and From the Mixed Up Files blog for all you do to promote children’s literature!!!

Find Ali on Instagram at @alitereseauthor.
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A Celebration of Jewish Book Month

By on December 5, 2025   /   Articles  

It’s the 100th anniversary of Jewish Book Month! What started as a weeklong celebration in 1925 is now a monthlong event commemorated by Jewish communities across the country in the lead-up to Hanukkah. This year, the event runs through December 13, so there’s still plenty of time to snag an armful (or two) of books by Jewish authors before the Festival of Lights is upon us. Below, some new (and not-so-new) MG books to check out:

Contemporary Fiction

The Trouble with Secrets by Naomi Milliner (Quill Tree Books, 2025)

Becky, a 12-year-old flautist, has a lot on her plate. Not only does she need to be as perfect as her older siblings, but her upcoming bat mitzvah needs to be perfect too. She’s the rabbi’s daughter after all. The trouble is, Becky’s intentions often lead her astray, which results in a big secret she keeps from her parents.

But Becky discovers that her older sister, Sara, has an even bigger secret; one that could turn the family upside down. The sisters couldn’t be more ready to keep each other’s secret safe, until the excitement turns to guilt, and Becky is forced to make an impossible choice.

A Field Guide to Broken Promises by Leah Stecher (Bloomsbury, 2025)

When Evie Steinberg’s family moves right before seventh grade, she promises her dad that everything will go perfectly. Perfect means taking care of her little sister, fitting in at her new school, and never complaining or causing problems. Perfect definitely doesn’t mean failing math class and getting bullied by a girl who’s turning the whole school against her.

Evie needs to fix her life before anyone finds out she’s struggling. When she uses her cryptozoologist skills, acquired from her dad, to figure out the real reason her bully decided to target her, Evie realizes that she holds the key to fixing everything. She just needs proof. But how far is Evie willing to go to reveal the truth?

Trouble Finds Evie Lefkowitz by Diana Harmon Asher (PJ Publishing, 2025)

What could be more humiliating than your mom dating your assistant principal? Evie’s about to find out in this hilarious, big-hearted novel about surviving the uncertainties of middle school, sticking up for what you believe, and becoming the person you’re meant to be.

Banned Books, Crop Tops, and Other Bad Influences by Brigit Young (Roaring Brook Press, 2024)

Rose is a good girl. She listens to her parents and follows every rule. Talia, the new girl from New York City, doesn’t think so. After only a week at school, Talia is already making enemies. First on the list: Charlotte, Rose’s lifelong best friend. So why can’t Rose stop wondering what it would be like to be Talia’s friend? And why does Rose read a banned book that Talia recommends? Rose doesn’t know. But the forbidden book makes her ask questions she’s never thought of. When Talia suggests they start a banned books club, how can Rose say no?

Pushing against her parents, her school, and even her BFF opens a new world for Rose. But when Talia’s escapades become more scary than exciting, Rose must decide when it’s right to keep quiet and when it’s time to speak out.

Not Nothing by Gayle Forman (Aladdin, 2024)

After committing an unspeakable act of violence, Alex,12, is sentenced to court-mandated volunteer work at a retirement home. He hasn’t seen his mom in a year, his aunt and uncle don’t want him, and the geriatric residents at Shady Glen seem like zombies.

Josey is 107 and ready for his life to be over. He’s evaded death many times, having survived ghettos, dragnets, and a concentration camp. But now Josey spends his days at Shady Glen, refusing to speak and waiting to die. Until Alex knocks on Josey’s door, and Josey tells Alex his story. An unlikely bond grows between them and soon a new possibility opens up for Alex. Can he rise to the occasion of his life, even if it means confronting the worst thing he’s ever done?

[To learn more about Not Nothing, check out my interview with Gayle Forman here]

The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman by Mari Lowe (Levine Querido, 2023)

12-year-old Shaindy, an Orthodox Jewish girl who struggles socially and academically, is envious of her next-door neighbor, Gayil, who has tons of friends and does well in school. The two move in completely different orbits, until the evening Shaindy looks out her window and sees Gayil holding a sign: Want to know a secret?

It turns out that Gayil has a key fob that will allow the pair to break into their school after hours. The pair plot a prank, but under Gayil’s leadership, mischief turns into malice, and Shaindy sees that the pranks are targeted at certain girls only. The question is, why? With the fear of Gayil’s fury and her own reluctance growing, Shaindy comes to the terrifying conclusion that if she can’t figure out how to stop the pranks and humiliations, the next target could be her.

Linked by Gordon Korman (Scholastic, 2023)

Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But havoc breaks loose when someone sneaks into their school and vandalizes it with a swastika. Who would do such a thing?

Because Michael was the first person to see it, he’s the first suspect. Because Link is one of the most popular guys in school, everyone’s looking to him to figure it out. And because Dana’s the only Jewish girl in the whole town, everyone’s treating her more like an outsider than ever.

The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. Some students fight back and start a project to bring people. The closer Link, Michael, and Dana get to the truth, the more there is to face. Not just the crimes of the present, but the crimes of the past.

Honey and Me by Meira Drazin (Scholastic, 2022)

Honey and Milla, who live in close-knit Jewish community, have been best friends for as long as Milla can remember. The girls do everything together, including delivering meals to their elderly neighbor, shopping at a local thrift store, celebrating the holidays, and going to their first Bat Mitzvahs while studying for their own. But when Honey enrolls in Milla’s school for sixth grade, it’s not as great as Milla expected. Will Milla find the courage to step out of Honey’s shadow and into her own spotlight—or will jealousy and fear get the better of her?

Ellen Outside the Lines by A.J. Sass (2022)

Ellen Katz is a neurodivergent 13-year-old who feels most comfortable when her life is well planned out, and when and people fit neatly into predefined categories. Ellen attends temple with Abba and Mom every Friday and Saturday, she only gets crushes on girls—never boys—and she relies on her BFF, Laurel, to help navigate social situations at school. Laurel has always made Ellen feel like being autistic is no big deal, but lately Laurel has started making new friends and cancelling weekend plans. A school trip to Barcelona seems like the perfect place for Ellen to get their friendship back on track, but life doesn’t always stick to a planned itinerary.

Repairing the World by Linda Epstein (Aladdin, 2022)

Twelve-year-old Daisy’s life is shattered when her best friend, Ruby, is killed in a tragic accident. Now Daisy finds herself having to face the major challenges in her life, like starting middle school and becoming a big sister, without Ruby by her side. Despite her sadness—and thanks to new friends, new insights, and supportive family members—Daisy is able to see what life after Ruby can look like, and that friendship is eternal.

Historical Fiction

Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2025)

In 1492, during the Spanish Inquisition, Benvenida and her family are banished from Spain for being Jewish. They journey by foot and by sea, eventually settling in Istanbul. Over four centuries later, in1923,  shortly after the Turkish war of independence, Reina’s father disowns her for a small act of disobedience. He ships her away to live with an aunt in Cuba. In 1961, Reina’s daughter, Alegra, is proud to be a brigadista, teaching literacy in the countryside. But soon Fidel Castro’s crackdowns force her to flee to Miami, leaving her parents behind. In 2003, Alegra’s daughter, Paloma, is fascinated by all the journeys that had to happen before she could be born. A keeper of memories, she’s thrilled to learn more about her heritage on a trip to Spain, where she makes a momentous discovery.

Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II by Adam Gidwitz and Max in the Land of Lies (Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2024 and 2025)

Max Bretzfeld doesn’t want to move London, where he’ll be alone for the first time in his life. But not for long. Max is soon joined by two unexpected traveling companions, one on each shoulder: a kobold and a dybbuk named Berg and Stein.

Germany is becoming more and more dangerous for Jewish families, but Max is determined to find a way back home–and back to his parents. He has a plan to return to Berlin. The problem is, it involves accomplishing the impossible: becoming a British spy.

In Book 2, Max’s training is complete and his missions have begun. But nothing is as he expected. His parents are missing, Nazi intelligence is watching him, and the lines between lies and truth are becoming more blurred every day. Max will need every tool at his disposal, from his radio expertise and spy training to the help of Berg and Stein, the immortal creatures living on his shoulders. Still, there’s no guarantee he’ll make it out of Berlin alive.

Things That Shimmer by Deborah Lakritz (Kar-Ben, 2024)

It’s the spring of 1973, and Melanie Adler is desperate to be accepted by the Shimmers, the popular girls at her middle school. But the secret of her mom’s PTSD lurks in the shadows, and as hard as Melanie tries, she can’t act as cool and confident as the Shimmers. Then, when she meets Dorit Shoshani, a confident new student who’s got troubles of her own, Melanie learns what true friendship actually feels like. But she’s torn between her bond with Dorit and her chance at popularity. Which one will she choose?

How to Find What You’re Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani (Kokila, 2022)

Twelve-year-old Ariel Goldberg’s life feels like the moment after the final guest leaves the party. Her family’s Jewish bakery runs into financial trouble, and her older sister has eloped with a young man from India following the 1967 Supreme Court decision that strikes down laws banning interracial marriage. As change becomes Ariel’s only constant, she’s left to hone something that will be with her always–her own voice.

Fantasy and Magical Realism

A World Worth Saving by Kyle Lukoff (Dial Books, 2025)

Lockdown is over, but A’s world feels smaller than ever. Coming out as trans didn’t go well, and most days he barely leaves his bedroom. But the low point of A’s life isn’t online school, missing his bar mitzvah, or the fact that his parents monitor his phone. It’s the weekly Save Our Sons and Daughters (SOSAD) meetings his parents drag him to, where A and his friends Sal and Yarrow sit by while their parents deadname them and lament a nonexistent “transgender craze.” 

When Yarrow vanishes after a particularly confrontational meeting, A discovers that SOSAD doesn’t just feel soul-sucking, it’s run by an actual demon who feeds off the pain and misery of kids like him. And it’s not just SOSAD. The entire world is beset by demons dining on what seems like an endless buffet of pain and bigotry. But how is one trans kid supposed to save his friend, let alone the world?

The Big Dreams of Small Creatures by Gail Lerner (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2024)

Ten-year-old Eden’s life is upended when she saves a paper wasp nest and discovers that she and its haughty queen can talk to each other. This first conversation is the start of a grand adventure, leading Eden to The Institute for Lower Learning, a secret laboratory devoted to the peaceful coexistence of humans and insects.

August is an aspiring actor and bullied fourth-grader who wants to squash every annoying bug into oblivion. After all, insects are small and he is big. And if there is anything he’s learned from the bullies at school, it’s that being bigger is what counts. But in the world of the Institute where insects have a place of their own, both Eden and August discover being bigger isn’t necessarily better and sometimes the most courageous thing to do is to set out to make a new friend.

Golemcrafters by Emi Watanabe Cohen (Levine Querido, 2024)

On the same day Faye’s brother comes home with a black eye, a package arrives from a relative they’ve never met. It’s a slab of clay. The strange gift turns out to be an invitation to learn a craft that has been in their family for centuries. And it’s not pottery.

Faye and Shiloh drive to New York City with their grandfather for a spring break filled with magical instruction. But at night, they find themselves transported to a strange parallel world, where groups of innocent people are facing hatred and violence. Are Faye and Shiloh destined to defend them? How is that possible for a brainy, unpopular eleven-year-old and her vulnerable older brother?

The Color of Sound by Emily Barth Isler (Carolrhoda Books, 2024)

Rosie Solomon, 12, is a musical prodigy whose synesthesia allows her to see music in colors. Her mom has always pushed her to become a concert violinist, but this summer Rosie wants a “normal” life and is sent to stay with her grandparents. While there, Rosie meets another girl her age–a girl who seems awfully familiar. Rosie quickly pieces it together and realizes that somehow, this girl is her mother, when she was twelve. Thanks to this glitch in time–plus her grandparents’ love, an improv group, and a new instrument–Rosie comes to understand her mother, herself, and her love of music.

Finn and Ezra’s Bar Mitzvah Time Loop by Joshua S. Levy (Quill Tree Books, 2024)

Finn and Ezra are trapped in a bar mitzvah time loop, reliving their celebrations in the same New Jersey hotel, over and over (and over) again. Ezra comes from a big family, with four siblings who seem to get all the attention, and Finn is an only child who’s tired of his parents’ constant focus, particularly on his bar mitzvah weekend. Teaming up, the boys try to break the loop, but nothing works. As their frustrations mount, real-life problems start to seep through the cracks. With all the time in the world, can Finn and Ezra figure out how to finally move forward?

The Witch of Woodland by Laurel E. Snyder (Waldon Pond Press, 2024)

Life used to be simple for Zipporah “Zippy” Chava McConnell, a 13-year-old witch—that is, before her best friend, Bea, started acting funny and everyone at school thought she was weird. And to make matters worse, Zippy’s mom is making her prepare for a bat mitzvah, even though Zippy’s family barely goes to synagogue. But then one day Zippy finds a strange red book at the library and conjures a girl—a beautiful girl named Miriam, with no memory, and wings like an angel. Now it’s up to Zippy to help Miriam figure out what she is, and where she came from. And if can do that, maybe everything else in her life will make sense, too.

Benji Zeb is a Ravenous Werewolf by Deke Moulton (Tundra Books, 2024)

Benji Zeb has a lot going on. Not only does he have a lot of studying to do—for school as well as for his upcoming bar mitzvah—he’s nervous about Mr. Rutherford, a local rancher who hates Benji’s family’s kibbutz and wolf sanctuary. Plus, Benji hasn’t figured out what to do about Caleb, Mr. Rutherford’s stepson, who’s been bullying him at school, despite Benji wanting to be friends (and maybe something more). To complicate matters, secretly, Benji and his family are werewolves who are using the wolf sanctuary as cover for their true identities.

Things come to a head when Caleb shows up at the kibbutz one night . . . in wolf form. He’s a werewolf too, unable to control his shifting, and he needs Benji’s help. Can anxious Benji juggle all of these things along with his growing feelings toward Caleb?

Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack (Versify, 2023)

Pesah has lived with leprosy for years, and he and his twin sister have spent most of that time working on a cure. Then Pesah has a vision: The Angel of Death will come for him on Rosh Hashanah, just one month away.

Ziva takes her brother and runs away to find doctors who can cure him. But when they meet and accidentally free a half-demon boy, he suggests paying his debt by leading them to the fabled city of Luz, where no one ever dies—the one place Pesah will be safe.They just need to run faster than The Angel of Death can fly…

Rebecca Reznik Reboots The Universe by Samara Shanker (Atheneum, 2023)

Rebecca Reznik, 13, is knee deep in family drama. Her dad lost his job, her parents are fighting all the time, and her annoying brother, Jake, is acting out more than usual. Then, when a goblin turns her bedroom upside down—literally—Becca realizes that the bad juju in her house is more sinister, and more complicated, than she had first imagined. With her best friends, Naomi and Eitan, by her side—and armed with the lessons she learned from her last tussle with mythological creatures from Jewish lore in the 2022 sequel, Naomi Teitelbaum Ends the World—Becca will do whatever it takes to defend her family and save the Hanukkah.

Shira and Esther’s Double Dream Debut by Anna E. Jordan (Chronicle Books, 2023)

Shira and Esther are shocked when they first meet: It’s like looking in a mirror! Despite the girls’ identical appearance, they couldn’t be more different. Shira dreams of singing and dancing onstage, but her father, a stern and pious rabbi, wants Shira to focus on her religious studies. Esther, on the other hand, dreams of studying Torah, but her glamorous, stage-performer mom, frowns on Esther’s studious ways. Then, thanks to Benny, a 14-year-old bellhop at Scheinfeld’s Resort and Cottages, the girls plan a Parent Trap-style switcheroo, to help the Shira and Esther make their dreams come true. Or sort of true…

The Button Box by Bridget Hodder and Fawzia Gilani-Williams; Harshad Marathe, illustrator (Kar-Ben Publishing, 2022)

In the aftermath of a bullying incident at school, where Jewish fifth-grader Ava and her cousin Nadeem, are called hateful names, the cousins’ Granny Buena shares with them a glittering crystal button box, packed with buttons that generations of Ava’s Sephardic ancestors have cherished. With the help of Granny’s mysterious cat, Sheba, the cousins discover that a button from the button box will take them back in time. Suddenly, they are in ancient Morocco, where Nadeem’s ancestor, Prince Abdur Rahman, is running for his life. Can the cousins help the prince escape to Spain and fulfill his destiny, creating a Golden Age for Muslims, Jews and Christians?

Anthologies

The Festival of Lights: 16 Hanukkah Stories, edited by Henry Herz (Albert Whitman, 2024)

Celebrate Hanukkah with a diverse collection of poems and stories filled with history, humor, and hope. Cheer on a young baker as he tries to make sufganiyot from a family recipe; learn about code breakers in WWII England; and imagine hosting a refugee cousin or finding long-lost relatives. In this anthology, characters make discoveries, connect with family and friends, and mourn loved ones. Encompassing a range of genres and experiences, there’s something for readers of all faiths.

Coming of Age: 13 B’Nai Mitzvah Stories, edited by Jonathan Rosen and Henry Herz (Albert Whitman, 2023)

What does it mean to become an adult in your faith? Join thirteen diverse characters as they experience anxiety, doubt, and self-discovery while preparing for their B’nai Mitzvah. And whether celebrating with a lavish party or in reception room with an accordion player, the Jewish rite of passage remains the same. Filled with humor, hope, and history, there’s something in this anthology for every reader. (Don’t miss my story, “Grandma Merle’s Last Wish,” on page 193. :))

On All Other Nights: A Passover Celebration in 14 Stories, edited by Chris Baron, Joshua S. Levy, and Naomi Milliner (Amulet Books, 2024)

In this collection of short stories, 14 middle-grade authors each reimagine a different step of the Passover seder—a meal full of rituals, special foods, and songs, where families and friends gather together to retell the story of the Exodus, when the Jewish people achieved freedom from Egypt—via historical and contemporary fiction, verse and prose, fiction and nonfiction.

And last but not least…

Kat Greene Comes Clean by Melissa Roske

Eleven-year-old Kat Greene attends fifth grade at the Village Humanity school, a hippie-dippy progressive school in New York’s Greenwich Village. At the moment, Kat has three major problems: dealing with her boy-crazy best friend, Halle; partnering with the overzealous Sam in the class production of Harriet the Spy; and coping with her mother’s preoccupation with cleanliness, a symptom of her worsening OCD. With nowhere to turn–and hesitant to tell her dad, who’s busy with his new family uptown–Kat reaches out to Olympia Rabinowitz, the free-spirited psychologist at her school. Later, after many  soul-searching sessions with Olympia, Kat realizes that asking for help is the best way to clean up life’s messes.

Melissa Roske is a writer of middle-grade fiction. Before spending her days with imaginary people, she interviewed real ones as a journalist in Europe. In London she landed a job as an advice columnist for Just Seventeen magazine. Upon returning to her native New York, Melissa contributed to several books and magazines and selected jokes for Reader’s Digest (just the funny ones). In addition to her debut novel Kat Greene Comes Clean (Charlesbridge), Melissa’s short story “Grandma Merle’s Last Wish” appears in the Jewish middle-grade anthology, Coming of Age: 13 B’Nai Mitzvah Stories (Albert Whitman). Learn more about Melissa on her Website and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

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