Posts Tagged Middle Grade

Author Spotlight: Sally J. Pla

By on July 10, 2023   /   Author Interviews  

For those of you who are regular Mixed-Up Files readers, you know that I LOVE to do author interviews. So, you can only imagine how thrilled I was to have the good fortune to chat with one of my favorite authors—and favorite author friends—Sally J. Pla!

Sally, who wrote the best-selling MG novels The Someday Birds and Stanley Will Probably Be Fine, is also the author of a picture book, Benji, the Bad Day, and Me. Her latest MG novel, The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn, is out tomorrow, July 11, from Quill Tree Books.

A  Summary of Maudie McGinn

Neurodivergent Maudie always looks forward to the summers she spends in California with her dad. But this year, she must keep a troubling secret about her home life—one that her mom warned her never to tell. Maudie wants to confide in her dad about her stepdad’s anger, but she’s scared.

When a wildfire strikes, Maudie and her dad are forced to evacuate to the beach town where he grew up. It’s another turbulent wave of change. But now, every morning, from their camper, Maudie can see surfers bobbing in the water. She desperately wants to learn, but could she ever be brave enough?

As Maudie navigates unfamiliar waters, she makes friends—and her autism no longer feels like the big deal her mom makes it out to be. But her secret is still threatening to sink her. Will Maudie find the strength to reveal the awful truth—and maybe even find some way to stay with Dad—before summer is over?

Interview with Sally J. Pla

MR: Sally! I’m jumping up and down with excitement to welcome you to the Mixed-Up Files. Thanks for stopping by, my friend!

SJP: I’m jumping up and down with excitement to be here! I love Mixed-Up Files! And you!

MR: First, you already know how much I loved The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn. I laughed, I cried, and I rooted for Maudie from beginning to end. What was the inspiration behind this wonderful book?

SJP: Thank you so much for those kind words! In terms of inspiration, I guess you could say that for this book, the setting was the first character. Maudie’s story is set in an RV campground by the beach, in a fictional town in San Diego County. I live in this county, not too far from the beach, and there’s an actual RV campground that I often meander through during beach walks.

Something about the place is so appealing. Lawn chairs pulled up to fire pits, folks chatting, kids whizzing around on skateboards, surfers making their way up and down the cliff steps with their boards. The supply store, the rangers’ office, the snack bar—it’s a whole little world. So, as I walked, I started to weave a narrative in my head about a young girl who lived in a fictionalized beachside campground. What would be her story? And what could have brought her there?

All About Maudie

MR: The protagonist Maudie, who is autodivergent, is a kind, lovable, and highly relatable character. How were you like Maudie as a child? How were you different?

SJP: Maudie has many of my childhood behaviors, quirks, and challenges. She dislikes change. She has shy attacks– i.e., going mute when overwhelmed, just as I did. She loves simple, comfortable clothing. She is incredibly empathetic, caring, and sensitive. Nothing about her is too girly or precious. Maudie is willing to be brave, though, and she wants to delve into life; to join in, to try new things. These are all ways we are similar.

As for differences: Maudie’s mom and dad were struggling teen parents who split, and now she has a difficult stepdad situation. This is not my family history. Although, like Maudie, I did experience emotional and physical abuse in my formative years.

The Future is Female

MR: As a follow-up, Maudie McGinn is your first MG novel to feature a female protagonist. What made you decide to switch it up?

SJP: I have three boys. Between them and all their friends hanging out, I used to joke that the testosterone in my house was giving me facial hair! Because I lived in boy-world for a long time, it naturally filtered into my writing choices. But now they are grown, I am turning to my own personal stories and experiences. It’s time to write for GIRLS.

Autistic girls are diagnosed at a rate four times less than boys. They fly under the radar, because their behaviors can be more subtle. Part of why I write is that I want to shine a spotlight on this.

Poisonous Secrets

MR: An important theme in the novel is secret keeping, when Maudie’s mom makes Maudie promise not to tell anyone about the abuse she’s suffering at the hands of her stepfather, Ron. What were you trying to say about secret keeping—and secrets in general?

SJP: That sometimes, secrets are poison. They corrode your sense of self, your self-esteem. Certain secrets are intricately connected to shame. And you can’t really heal yourself from the damage they do, until you find the power within yourself to show them the sunlight. Speak them aloud. I feel so strongly that we need to learn to air certain secrets, if we ever plan to heal from them.

Maudie’s mother puts Maudie in a dire situation by making her promise to keep her new stepdad’s anger attacks upon Maudie a secret. It compounds the abuse. And Maudie has trouble speaking, in general—so how does she find her way through this dilemma?

Fact: Autistic (or otherwise neurodivergent) and disabled children are three times more likely to experience abuse than their normal-presenting peers. Quite frankly, they are more likely to frustrate a caregiver or parent. And they are less likely to be believed or listened to, after the fact.

 Hang Ten

MR: Maudie wants to learn how to surf, so she takes lessons from former pro surfer Etta Kahana. Unless I’m mistaken, Sally, you’re not a surfer yourself. How did you make the surfing scenes so realistic? What kind of research did you do?

SJP: Many of my family members are surfers. And where I live, a lot of it is just in the air. I also have surfing-enthusiast friends—most notably, my pal Janet Berend, lifelong surfer, author, and teacher. She read the whole manuscript for me to check it for surf-accuracy, and I’m forever indebted to her. (Any mistakes are my own!)

I do not surf, but when I was younger, I used to love to windsurf. I still have my old Mistral board. Nowadays, though, all I do is swim. And I deeply enjoy being surrounded by all that beautiful, watery blue.

Literary Leanings

MR: Maudie McGinn is a wonderful hybrid of prose and verse. What made you choose this particular literary form for your novel?

SJP: Maudie has a glitch: She has some auditory processing delays. Auditory processing (listening-understanding-responding within typical speed parameters) is a challenge for some autistic people. It was for me when I was very young.

So, words come to Maudie, and leave her lips, at a halting pace sometimes. Verse is perfect for this. I found myself writing verse for her without even realizing it. Verse format reflects how she sometimes thinks: in slow, considered, spare, fragments.

Path to Publication

MR: What was the path to publication like with Maudie McGinn? To use a surfing analogy, was it a smooth ride or did you wipe out once in a while?

SJP: Ha ha, great analogy! Publishing IS like surfing: a ridiculous and unpredictable combination of skill, timing, and luck. Lord knows, I’ve messed up that combination often enough in the past, but Maudie was more or less of a smooth ride. I wrote it during Covid, so there were big waves of emotion involved. But the writing flowed.

I’m so grateful to be at Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, that raises up underrepresented voices. Quill Tree’s slogan is: “Many branches, many voices,” and I love that.

No World Too Big

MR: You have a poem in the MG poetry anthology, No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change. Can you tell us about this project? How did you get involved, and why?

SJP: I was super honored to be asked to write the poem for Greta Thunberg, as she is one of my absolute heroes! Talk about an autistic girl with courage and grit! It’s such an inspiring anthology, with gorgeous illustrations by Jeanette Bradley. Editors Lindsay Metcalf and Keila Dawson were a joy to work with! And there is no more important issue affecting our next generation—affecting all of us—than climate crisis.

(For more information on the impacts of our changing climate, check out this STEMTuesday interview with author Christy Mihaly.)

Write This Way…

MR: What does your writing routine look like, Sally? Do you have any particular writing rituals?

SJP: I have insomnia, and sometimes do my best work sitting up in bed in the wee hours. That is a HORRIBLE method, however, and I do not recommend it unless you enjoy feeling dopey and groggy all day. Otherwise, I try to be an early bird. Hot tea. Quiet. A comfy armchair. Oh, and ‘Freedom’ blocking software on my laptop, to keep me from wandering away into every rabbit hole in the cyberwilderness.

A Novel Mind

MR: In addition to being an acclaimed children’s book author, you run anovelmind.com, a site about mental health and neurodiversity in children’s literature. Can you tell MUF readers a bit about it? What was the impetus behind starting this site?

SJP: Thank you for mentioning A Novel Mind! I cofounded it a few years ago with my friend, neurodivergent author/licensed therapist Merriam Saunders.

It grew out of our many, many complaining conversations, bemoaning how hard it was to find stories with quality, authentic autism/ADHD/disability/mental health representation. The stories that didn’t “other” or “pathologize” the neurodivergent kid, or use them for the purpose of what’s called “inspiration porn.” The stories that just showed neurodivergent or otherwise challenged kids going about their lives naturally, and having adventures, etc. Because these stories help show kids their power. They are great touchstones to classroom conversations. They grow empathy. They heal.

We have well over 1,000 such books in our searchable database now. And there are Educator Resource pages on the site with tons of informative links, curated by amazing autistic librarian Adriana White and myself. There are close to 200 guest posts on our weekly blog, now, written by some of today’s foremost award-winning children’s authors, and educators and other professionals. In sum: it’s a great resource, and a labor of love. I hope Mixed-Up Files readers will check it out!

MR: What are you working on now? Enquiring Mixed-Up Files readers want to know.

SJP: A dual point-of-view Romeo+Juliet retelling, set against the background of a simmering family feud, in a small farming town in the upper Midwest, in the early days of the culture wars. Upper middle-grade!

Lightning Round!

MR: And finally, no MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so…

Preferred writing snack? Roasted almonds.

Coffee or tea? I love the smell of coffee but sadly can’t drink it! I’m “English Breakfast” all the way!

Cat or dog? Big goofy dogs are my total weakness.

Favorite beach? I grew up on Southport Beach, in Connecticut. It’s the setting of so many memories: big nostalgia! But now I live by, and love, Moonlight Beach, Swami’s, Cardiff Beach, Del Mar dog beach, La Jolla Shores–all my favorite San Diego sandy spots.

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay? No apocalypses of any kind for me, thank you very much!

Superpower? To not feel sensory overwhelm, fear, or anxiety anymore would be a superpower enough. But if we’re being truly aspirational: SuperWorldPeaceMaker!

Favorite place on earth? The chair in my living room that looks out over a beautiful canyon and soaring hills, and it’s so peaceful, all you hear are birds.

If you were stranded on a desert island with only three things, what would they be? A deluxe resort! Great friends! Good weather! Ha ha.

MR: Thank you for chatting with us, Sally—and congratulations on the publication of The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I know MUF readers will too!

SJP: Thank you so much, Melissa! This is my most personal and heart-felt book yet, and I hope everyone who reads it, falls in love with Maudie a little bit. Then I’ll feel as if I’ve done my job.

Bio

Sally J. Pla is the award-winning author of acclaimed middle-grade novels THE SOMEDAY BIRDS and STANLEY WILL PROBABLY BE FINE, and the picture book, BENJI, THE BAD DAY, AND ME. Her books are Junior Library Guild Selections with starred reviews that have appeared on many awards lists and “best books” roundups. Her latest middle-grade novel, THE FIRE, THE WATER, AND MAUDIE McGINN, pubs on July 11, 2023 (Quill Tree/HarperCollins).

Sally has appeared on television and radio as an author and autism advocate, and she runs the website resource A Novel Mind (anovelmind.com). Learn more about Sally on her website and  follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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Interview with Tween Podcaster and Literacy Advocate, E Train

By on June 28, 2023   /   Articles, Author Interviews  

If you’re not familiar with E Train, the preteen literacy advocate, booktuber and podcast host, now’s your chance! Six months shy of his thirteenth birthday, this soon-to-be Bar Mitzvah boy has been reviewing books, interviewing authors, and spreading kindness—virtually and in-person—since the age of nine and a half (!). Today, it is my absolute pleasure to welcome E Train (aka Ethan) to the Mixed-Up Files.

Interview with E Train

MR: Thanks so much for joining us today, Ethan. It’s an honor to have you here!

Ethan: Thank you so much for having me, Melissa. I’ve loved reading your interviews with fabulous authors and members of the book world, so it’s a great honor to join you!

The Boy Behind the Mic

MR: What inspired you to host a podcast? How old were you when you started, and what were you hoping to achieve?

Ethan: I started my podcast at age eleven, after taking an online podcasting class on Outschool, an online virtual classroom. I’d already created a YouTube channel and was sharing videos, but I thought a podcast might be a fun and convenient way to share book reviews. My mom, dad and I wrote down different podcast names we liked and then voted. “E Train Talks” won! I really had no aspirations in mind; I let the journey take me. I did have one goal, though—to highlight the stories I liked, and to hopefully inspire others to read middle-grade books.

My Day is Booked

MR: How do you select which books and authors to feature on your podcast? There are so many to choose from!

Ethan: That’s a great question, Melissa! Originally, I said yes to almost everyone who asked to be on my podcast. At the time, I didn’t focus on the book genre, or if I’d heard of the author. I was just so excited and happy that writers were interested in talking to me, and sharing their writing journeys. Plus, I was homeschooled at the time, and I had quite a bit of time on my hands.

As my podcast grew, so did the number of people asking to be interviewed, and I learned quickly that there was no way to say yes to everyone—so I’ve had to cut back a bit. I was about to end homeschooling and start middle school too, so I knew I’d have to cut back on the number of monthly interviews I was hosting, which was around four to six interviews per month. As much as I’d like to keep that number, each interview requires reading and reviewing at least one book, as well as preparing interview questions, so it can be time consuming!

Now that I’m in middle school, with lots of homework, I try to host an average of two interviewees per month—give or take. Choosing who to talk to isn’t easy, so I try to base it on how much I enjoyed the book, or if there’s an important and compelling message the author is trying to share in their story.

Author Extravaganza!

MR: How many authors have you interviewed since you started podcasting? (I know it’s a lot, so ballpark…?) Also, I know you can’t choose a favorite, but which interview was the most memorable, and why?

Ethan: I get asked this a lot, and it’s always the most difficult question to answer, but I looked through my YouTube channel and podcast and, as of now, I’ve interviewed 90 authors, literacy advocates, kindness heroes, and more. It feels like every guest on my show becomes my new favorite, or most memorable, because every single person has something amazing to contribute, and honestly, it’s just too hard to choose one. But I’ll share several interviews that I’ll always keep with me.

The first is my talk with Stuart Gibbs. I’ve loved his books for a very long time, and talking to him was monumental. I remember I had a terrible cold that day, but there was no way I was canceling my talk with a book hero! Next is Gidon Lev, a Holocaust survivor who always focuses on the joy and hope in life. I’d never met or talked with a survivor before, so it was a life-changing experience. Oh! and, my interview with the legendary James Ponti was one of my most memorable podcasts as well. James is an unbelievably kind person, and he’s so knowledgeable and interesting to talk to. Three more meaningful interviews I had were with authors, Dan Gutman, Torrey Maldonado and Lisa Fipps—all incredible people who left a book print on my heart!

And, finally, another memorable experience was interviewing the authors who contributed to the MG anthology, Coming of Age: 13 B’Nai Mitzvah Stories. I’m not just saying that because I’m here with you, Melissa, but as an upcoming Bar Mitzvah boy, reading about the characters’ experiences, and talking with the authors who wrote the stories, gave me insight into some things I can expect.

Advocating for Literacy

MR: In addition to interviewing authors and hosting your podcast, you are a self-described literacy advocate. Can you tell us more about the work you do?

Ethan: When I started my podcast and YouTube channel, I had no idea how many kids in the world don’t have access to books. Even in my own city there are lots of kids who don’t have many—or any—books of their own. I was shocked by the numbers, and I only learned this after listening to Dr. Molly Ness, an incredible advocate for literacy.

When I found out that there were millions of kids without access to books, I knew I wanted to do something, so I started book drives and was so happy when people started to send books! So many authors and book lovers have contributed to my book drive. Two people who’ve really supported my book-drive efforts are the amazing teacher-librarian extraordinaire, Elizabeth Blye, and the incredibly generous and wonderful Jennifer Frances, Founder and CEO of Bess the Book Bus.

Because of the many generous book donations, I’ve also been able to visit and talk with kids at local Title One schools in my community and hand deliver books to entire classrooms. Last year I partnered with Book Drop, which is run by author Jennifer Nielsen, and I visited a local school with my book hero, author Stuart Gibbs, to talk about the joy of reading. We shared books with every student in the school! I can’t tell you how wonderful it feels to talk to kids about books, and then see the smiles on the kids’ faces when they get to take a book home!

Teen Readers’ Choice Awards

MR: Along these lines, you were chosen as the 2023 Teen Readers’ Choice Awards Book Hero. What was it like to win such a prestigious award, especially at the age of 12?

Ethan: When I heard the news, I literally leapt for joy! I think it was the best news I’d ever heard. So, the Teen Reader’s Choice Award is part of Teen Author Boot Camp, and they hosted a beautiful and fun awards gala for authors and teen writers. What made the experience even more special was that the award was presented to me by another book hero of mine, the wonderful author Jennifer Nielsen. Talk about making memories! I’m so unbelievably grateful for being recognized and awarded for my literacy work. The entire experience was inspiring and a night I will never forget.

Bar Mitzvah Boy

MR: Let’s turn to your Bar Mitzvah, which will take place on January 6th. (Here’s Ethan, pictured with Rabbi Herman). Can you tell us about your Bar Mitzvah Project? Spoiler alert: It involves books 🙂 Also, what does becoming a Bar Mitzvah mean to you?

Ethan:

My Mitzvah Project is one I’m extremely proud of. Continuing with my theme of book drives and getting stories into the hands of kids who need them, I’ve started an Amazon Wishlist and launched a GoFundMe, where people can donate money or books to help me continue sharing stories with kids in need. Every dollar goes directly to ordering books for kids in need. This project goes hand-in-hand with my Torah portion of helping those in need, when Moses was called upon by God to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. Along with my book drives, I’m also spotlighting Jewish-themed books, as well as Jewish authors every month on social media and on my Bar Mitzvah Project Webpage.

(For more on Ethan’s Bar Mitzvah project, click here. And check out Coming of Age: 13 B’Nai Mitzvah Stories, edited by MUF’s very own Jonathan Rosen, with a story by MUF contributor Melissa Roske.)

Ethan for President (of Seventh Grade)

MR: Rumor has it that you won the election for president of your seventh-grade class. Congratulations! Can you tell us about the campaign? What will your responsibilities involve as president?

Ethan: Thanks! I’m excited about being seventh-grade president. I ran against two other candidates. Campaigning was a lot of fun. With my mom’s help, we made posters, stickers, and buttons to help spread the world. On top of campaigning every day for two weeks, we filmed and shared a campaign video, which I made with my dad. I also created a TikTok campaign page, and my mom and I made a couple of extra campaign videos to share.

To run for office, I had to get two teacher recommendations as well as have a good GPA. It was such an exciting day when I heard I’d won the election! I haven’t been told all my responsibilities yet, but I know I’ll be helping to organize and attend school events as well as learn new leadership and community-outreach skills. I’m hoping to add some kindness and book- themed events to the calendar too, if possible!

MR: How do you balance your responsibilities as a student, podcaster, literacy advocate, and soon-to-be Bar Mitzvah boy? It can’t be easy.

Ethan: You’re right, Melissa. It’s not always easy to balance things. On top of being a middle-schooler, I’m on a school quiz bowl team, and I’m in an IB program, so my studies can be very rigorous at times. Next year will be even tougher, so I’ve been trying to find ways to balance everything. One thing that’s helped is cutting my interviews from four to six per month to two or three. Also, with my Bar Mitzvah training coming up, I’m going to have to learn how to manage my time. Now that summer vacation is here, I’m hoping to get as much as possible accomplished before seventh grade starts and my Bar Mitzvah training gets more difficult.

MR: How do you spend your free time, Ethan? I know you love basketball and playing the ukulele…

Ethan: I like to play video games, watch funny videos, hang out with friends, read, play piano and sing, play quiz bowl, and yes—play as much basketball as possible. This summer, for instance, I’m playing in a basketball league. I also love spending time with my family, especially my cousins. As for the ukulele, apparently I went through a big ukulele phase when I was two and three years old. I thought I played pretty well, but I’m not sure everyone listening would agree!

Ethan Tells All

MR: Is there anything I haven’t asked that you’d like Mixed-Up Files readers to know about you? Now’s your chance!

Ethan: I host a monthly book-review segment on Good Day, Sacramento, where I review middle-grade books as well as picture books and a little YA. I’ve been at it since September 2022. I’m also a kid reporter for the Sacramento Kings, where I’ve had the amazing opportunity to interview the players, and even appeared on national television, TNT.

I’m often asked when I started reading, and my mom tells me I asked to learn when I was two-and-a-half years old. I was reading chapter books by the time I was three and a half. I’ve also had a passion for trivia and history for as long as I can remember! Lastly, I’m a Giving Tuesday Spark Leader. As a Spark Leader, my goal is to spread as much kindness through literacy as possible, especially around Giving Tuesday Spark, in November.

Lightning Round

MR: And finally, no MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so…

Preferred snack?

Cheerios with milk.

Favorite subject in school?

Probably History or World Language (we get to learn French, Chinese, or Spanish at my school).

Favorite book? (This is a tough one, I know… 🙂)

Wow, that is a toughie! Probably Starfish by Lisa Fipps. But I love so many!

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay?

Nay.

Superpower?

Something discreet, like knowing exactly what to say in all situations. It can come in handy!

Favorite place on earth?

Hawaii is so beautiful. I also love Hotel Del Coronado, in San Diego.

If you were stranded on a desert island with only three things, what would they be?

My favorite book, a journal, and a water purifier.

MR: Thank you for chatting with us, Ethan. It was a pleasure, and I’m sure MUF readers will agree!

Ethan: Thank you so much for having me, Melissa! This has been so fun, and an honor to talk with you! I can’t wait for what’s to come in my book journey, and to see who you’re interviewing next on MUF! Bye!

About E Train

 

E Train is a 12-year-old award-winning literacy advocate, booktuber & podcast host, on an amazing adventure reviewing books and interviewing authors, book enthusiasts and kindness heroes. He is also visiting schools across the country (virtually & in-person). Find E on his website and YouTube Channel, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram. You may find his podcasts here. (Please note: E’s mom approves all of his tweets, posts, and content.)

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Summer Reading: Summer Fun

By on May 19, 2023   /   Articles  

As the weather is warming up, summer reading season begins. Why not create some summer reading traditions to make reading even more fun? Below are a few ideas.

 

  • Get outside! Lean into the nice weather and explore outside reading spots. This could be the front porch, the shade of a tree, or a local park. This can make summery books come alive even more, gives readers some fresh air, and can turn reading into a place-based habit. Patricia Bailey’s Take A Hike: An Outdoor Adventure Book List article provides excellent recommendations for books to read in the great outdoors.

 

                     

 

 

  • Have special snacks! Whether it’s popsicles or homemade lemonade, having a refreshing summer treat reserved only for reading time can solidify the joys of reading for young readers. This Easy Homemade Lemonade recipe from Lovely Little Kitchen is something young readers can help make too!

 

 

  • Take a weekly trip to your library! Many local libraries host summer reading programs with reading suggestions and prizes included. This turns summer reading into an exciting event, fosters a reading community, and encourages the discovery of new books. For more information about reading challenges (and how to make summer reading fun), check out Stacy Mozer’s post on Encouraging Summer Reading.

 

 

  • Plan it out! Make an activity out of selecting a summer reading list. You can cut stiff paper into 3 x 6 inch rectangles and invite each young reader in your life to print the names of the books they want to read this summer on the front of it and decorate the back with drawings of their favorite summer place to read. Now they have a visional representation of books they want to read and a bookmark all in one. For a free printable bookmark with other summer reading ideas, you can check out my No Rules Reading.

 

Summer reading can define the season and creating traditions that celebrate reading can help create lifelong readers. Plus, summer reading is something the whole family can enjoy!

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