Posts Tagged Middle Grade

STEM Tuesday — Human Body– Book List

By on November 5, 2024   /   Human Body, STEM Tuesday  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone has one, but not everyone understands it: their body, that is!  Listed below are some engaging books that will get readers excited. Filled with hands-on activities, great visuals and fun facts, learning about the body will be a treat!

 

 

 

Human Body Learning Lab: Take an Inside Tour of How Your Anatomy Works

by Dr. Betty Choi 

Learn about the human body with awesome hands-on projects and activities. Shaping bones from salt dough? Creating a moving model of the eye? Setting up a model of the urinary system to see how pee is produced? Yes, please! With loads of colorful diagrams, fantastic fun facts, and easy exercises that kids can use to learn about their own bodies, this engaging book is the perfect addition to any kids library. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fantastic Body: What Makes You Tick and How You Get Sick

by Dr Howard Bennett

This fun anatomy book with fun facts, gross stories and DIY projects that demonstrate body functions, also has tips to make regular checkups less scary

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knowledge Encyclopedia Human Body! (DK Knowledge Encyclopedias)

An encyclopedia like no other. This book explores the human body, and each bodily system, in ways you’ve never considered.  Along with CGI imagery and gorgeous graphics, this encyclopedia reveals the inner workings of our bodies in fantastic detail. Packed with cool facts, interesting illustrations and loads of diagrams – it’ll keep anyone curious happy for hours. 

 

 

A Really Short Journey Through the Body

written by Bill Bryson, adapted by Emma Young, Illustrated by Daniel Long, Dawn Cooper, Jesus Sotes and Katie Ponder

Full of facts, history and humor, this illustrated book, adapted from Bill Bryson’s bestselling book The Body, will tell you everything about our body, from the brain to the heart and everything in between.

 

 

 

 

 

The Ultimate Kids’ Guide to Being Super Healthy: What You Need To Know About Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Hygiene, Stress, Screen Time, and More 

by Dr. Nina L. Shapiro

Embark on a fact-filled journey through the human body. What happens when it gets fed? Exercised? Cleaned? Rested? Read it and find out. This in-depth book gives answers to those pressing questions between kids and parents about how to take care of yourself and why it is important.

The Brainiac’s Book of the Body and Brain

Written by Rosie Cooper, Illustrated by Harriet Russell

Let’s take a look at the human body from head to toe, as well as everything in between! This fun book is full of funky facts and awesome hands-on activities. Learn about optical illusions, keep a poop diary, and find out how and why we dream!  Readers will discover more than they expected about the body and its brain in a zany, humor-filled way. 

 

Spacecare: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space

by Jennifer Swanson

What can you eat in space? What happens if you get a stomach bug? How does microgravity affect the human body? This fascinating book takes a look at the day-to-day experiences of astronauts living aboard the ISS. With questions from kids and answers from actual astronauts, it will answer your questions on how being in space affects the human body.

 

 

 

 

It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, Gender and Sexual Health

by Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley

A book for young people who want answers to questions about their bodies, about growing up, and about new, unfamiliar feelings in their tween years.

 

 

 

 

Puberty is Gross but Also Really Awesome

Written by Gina Loveless, Illustrated by Lauri Johnston

Puberty can be smelly, hairy, sticky, confusing … but awesome! With a lot of jokes and facts, this book gives you the scoop about puberty – with the help of illustrations, scientific studies, research and tips from experts.

 

 

 

 

 

The Museum of Odd Body Leftovers: A Tour of Your Useless Parts, Flaws, and other Weird Bits

written by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Clayton Hanmer

A funny, wacky book, led by tour guides Wisdom Tooth and Disappearing Kidney, about our vestigial organs: our body parts that were essential to our ancestors but are no longer useful to us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shruthi Rao is an author. Her home on the web is https://shruthi-rao.com

 

 

 

Susan Summers is a wildlife enthusiast and an author. Contact her at: https://susan-inez-summers.weebly.com/

 

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Meet Literary Agent Lori Steel

By on October 30, 2024   /   Articles, Editor / Agent Spotlight  
Lori Steel headshot

It’s been a big year for Lori Steel. As an established literary agent with a track record of solid experience and successful clients, she decided to open her own agency, SteelWorks Literary. We’re grateful that Lori found the time to be a part of our agent spotlight, and we know you’ll enjoy learning more about her.

Lori Steel headshot

 

Hi Lori! I think it would be great to start our conversation by learning a little about your path to becoming an agent.

My path to agenting started working with books first as an educator and school librarian, where I had the privilege of matching young readers to books. I am also a writer, and my experience as an MFA student at Vermont College’s Writing for Children and Young Adults program was transformative. Shortly after graduating in 2012, I was given the unexpected opportunity to be an assistant at Greenhouse Literary, which was then housed near DC. Later, I interned at other agencies, before joining Jacqui Lipton and team at Raven Quill Literary. When RQLA merged with Tobias Literary, I joined the wonderful team at Red Fox Literary before founding my own agency, SteelWorks Literary. 

SteelWorks Literary Agency logo

 

Starting your own agency is a big deal! Can you walk us through the experience?

It’s been an exciting and busy launch, with an incredibly warm reception (and support!) from editors, fellow agents, and other industry colleagues. It’s gratifying to see SWL client projects already thriving, with plenty of new deals, books releasing to strong reviews, and recent Society of Illustrator recognitions for two SteelWorks titles.

 

How would you describe the mission and vision of SteelWorks Literary?

I’ve always had a vision for creating an agency home focused on craft and career development, and a sense of community. A place where deals are made, of course, but also relationships are forged, alongside a professional development mindset. SteelWorks Literary is a space where creatives are supported and encouraged to explore, stretch, and grow beyond expectations and conventions. 

 

It sounds like you’ve created a great environment. I’m sure a lot of authors are watching for your submissions window to open. What are some things you’d like to see in their queries?

A strong pitch that showcases the narrative voice and plot effectively, compelling pacing, fully realized setting, and a professionally crafted query letter will get the best attention.

 

Which genres/themes/subjects are you drawn to/not drawn to?

I’m drawn to middle grade stories that reflect a deep understanding of their audience and trust readers to create inferential leaps where warranted. I’m particularly drawn to setting-rich environments – even in contemporary novels – where the author’s sense of place feels authentic and realized.

Didactic narratives that place message above story-telling, space-bound sci-fi, and overly heavy informational text aren’t strong fits for my list.

 

What advice do you have for authors who would like to send you a query?

Give yourself time and space to ensure your project is ready for submission. A few weeks or months later is not going to impact interest, but quality of story will! And when it’s ready to share, keep an eye open on SteelWorks Literary’s social media pages and the agency’s website for open windows. I also open for special events such as conferences and workshops. 

 

Here at the Mixed-Up Files, we are all about middle grade, and I understand you also have a great fondness for this wonderful category of literature. What do you love most about middle-grade novels?

Middle Grade is that special audience of independent readers, who are still open to trying all varieties of formats. With the age range of 8-12 (generally), this audience tends to have wide appetites. They’ll read an entire mystery series, before diving into a WW2 historical novel, or a humorous contemporary, illustrated novel. They crave connection and insights into the world, as they seek to find their place within it. What I love most is that this audience is still open to read-alouds – and a strong MG novel will always have this quality! Hook a reader at this age, and you have a reader for life.

 

What are some of your favorite current middle-grade novels?

Right now I’m reading Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures and am swept away by the rich language and worldbuilding, dynamic pacing, and a sincere trust she shows her readers. Her books never disappoint and I have a deep appreciation for the depth of scholarly work she puts into each of her books. 

 

We’ve all heard the distressing news about the “middle grade slump” and some downward trends in this market. Where do you think the middle grade market is headed?

This is a tricky question as it’s impossible to know how the market will respond to readers’ fluctuating needs, interests, and other outside forces. Currently, we’re seeing strong interest in graphic and illustrated novels, and a return to the shorter, more accessible middle grade novel format. While more robust page counts have been challenging to sell this past couple of years, the pendulum will swing back again. It always does! Readers need books, and new stories, with as much page count, genre, and format varieties as their intended audiences.

 

It seems like you’ve been very busy at SteelWorks Literary. Tell us about some current SWL projects that you’re excited about.

I’m excited about all SWL forthcoming projects! But since we’re talking middle grade, I’ll share Tate Godwin’s debut graphic novel series – starting with Operation: Cover Up! – which releases January 2025 from Andrews McMeel. Operation: Cover Up! introduces three unlikely friends as they navigate the complicated and comical terrain of fifth grade, learn how to be good friends, and remain true to themselves. 

Book cover for Operation Cover Up

 

I’m also excited about Jilanne Hoffmann’s HeartLand debut middle grade novel. It’s a coming-of-age story told in parallel timelines and alternating POVs – in both prose and verse – about a girl on a sixth-generation Iowa farm, the legacy of the 1980s farm crisis, and a rooted-in-reality environmental cover-up that threatens the groundwater of the entire state (Little Brown Young Readers, fall 2025).

 

We’ve learned a lot about your work. I’m sure everyone would like to know more about you. What are some of your favorite things that have nothing to do with being an agent?

Time with family and friends. Being outside – whether that’s walking the dog, working in the garden, being near the water, or going for a hike…and baking for after-walk treats.

 

Where can authors learn more about you? 

You can find out more about SteelWorks Literary on Instagram and Facebook @Steelworksliterary, and on Bluesky @steelworksliterary.bsky.social. Of course, you can also check out my MSWL. 

 

Thanks so much for joining us, Lori! It’s been great learning about you and SteelWorks Literary, and we wish you all the best!

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Pack for Where You’re Going: How to Write with Intent

By on October 25, 2024   /   For Writers, Writing  

Sitting down to write a book without a plan is like going on vacation without deciding on a destination. An exciting new idea will tempt you to simply throw things in a bag and run to the airport. But, like a heavy backpack, the farther along you get into your first draft, the more you start to feel the weight of all the decisions you haven’t made. Doubt catches up to you in the terminal. Where is this story going? How do you know if the idea is strong? What should happen, and who should it happen to?

The best way to start writing is by setting intentions. Intent is the why that informs your story, and knowing that will help you with the what and how as you write. Intent will help you make decisions on everything from theme to plot to syntax. It tells you what needs to be in the story and what doesn’t. Put another way, if you know where you want to go, you’ll know exactly what you need to pack.

 

A traveler sitting on her colorful suitcase at the beach | Setting intent with writing

Photo by Anastasia Nelen on Unsplash.

Using Theme to Set Intent

When you sit down to start a new project, it’s vital to know what you want to say. Theme is a great way to begin. I always recommend approaching theme as a sentence rather than a word or phrase like friendship or coming of age. This way, the theme becomes more dynamic and engaging because it’s expressing what you want to say about that topic. Here are ways you could craft a theme:

Friendship → Friends help you find out who you are.

Coming of age → Growing up means taking responsibility for what you care about.

As you can see, these sentences go a lot farther in helping you decide what the story will be about. To find your own theme, consider the words or phrases you associate with your book. When you have a grasp of the topic, think about what you want to say about it. What perspective would you like to share with your readers?

Using Intent for Plot and Character

Once you’ve got your theme, you’ve set an intention for what you want to say. Now let’s look at the elements of the story itself: the plot and characters that will make it happen. How can you use these elements to support what you want to say? Let’s go back to the examples above to see how intention can help you decide what needs to be in your book.

In the first example, you might be looking at plot elements that touch on identity and the kinds of characters that will emphasize that thread:

Friends help you find out who you are.

→ Your main character is unsure where they fit into a new group, school, or neighborhood.

→ A talent show or contest is coming up, and everyone is expected to participate.

→ Something or someone has changed your main character’s perception of themselves for the worse.

In the second example, you might consider ways to show the difficulties kids face as they start becoming more independent.

Growing up means taking responsibility for what you care about.

→ Your main character is brainstorming ways to raise money.

→ Your character needs to help out with a younger sibling.

→ Maybe they plant a garden, start a club, or practice hard to make a sports team.

These are just a few ideas, but I hope you can see how intent can help you see ways to use your characters and plot to keep working towards your intention.

Using Intent for Tone and Mood

Intention can also help you make decisions on the scene and sentence level. If you want to write a scary story, for instance, you need to think about everything the story needs to make readers bite their fingernails and scooch to the edge of their chairs. That’s where word choice, imagery, and setting come into play. A scary story might emphasize light and dark, creepy noises, unusual smells, or bad tastes. On the other hand, if you’re writing a funny story, you might reach for brighter imagery, more playful narration, and breezier verbs.

Reach Your Destination

When you set your intention, you have everything you need to start writing. Now you can get to work choosing elements that will support the book; everything from characters to plot to the way it’s written. Intention will also help you finish and revise. You simply have to ask yourself, “Did I accomplish what I set out to do?” If the answer is no, you can revisit scenes or chapters that aren’t supporting the intention you set and make changes so the story can get back on track. Remember, only pack what you need for where you’re going!

Interested in how other writers get started? Check out this article from the Mixed-Up Files archives!

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