Category Archives: Middle Grade

Win a FREE author visit to your classroom!

To celebrate Angelhood winning a 2015 Readers’ Favorite Book Award, I’m giving away one free author visit to a classroom in the Chicago area. Details and entry form are here. But hurry! Contest is only open until November 15, 2015! … Continue reading

Posted in Angelhood, Giveaway, Middle Grade, Reading, Speculative Fiction, Teaching | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

8 Books to Engage Your Middle School Student this School Year

As an author and middle school English teacher, I get a lot of requests from parents about what books I might recommend to their children. Since the school I teach at started early this year, I’ve already been listening to … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Fantasy, Historical, Middle Grade, Mysteries, Reading, Speculative Fiction | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Monday Book Review: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

One of my favorite things to read is a middle grade mystery with puzzles that the reader can play along with, and Chris Grabenstein delivers just such a treat in his Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. (And seeing how I’ve … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Middle Grade, Mysteries, Writing | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Spin Cycle: Summer Reading List

This week on the Spin Cycle, Ginny Marie is asking for our summer reading lists. Here are a few things on my Kindle app that I’m hoping to get read this summer.   1. Capturing Today by Jess Evander–I read … Continue reading

Posted in Fantasy, Middle Grade, Mysteries, Speculative Fiction, Spin Cycle, young adult | Tagged | 2 Comments

Monday Book Review: Saving Kabul Corner by N.H. Senzai

Here’s the second in my reviews of juvenile mysteries for these year’s Edgar nominees! Title: Saving Kabul Corner Author: N.H. Senzai Genre: mystery Age group: middle grade Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Ariana is a bit perturbed that her perfect cousin Laila, who … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Edgar Nominee, Middle Grade, Mysteries | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Monday Book Review: Ungifted by Gordon Korman

Last summer, this book was so popular around the summer school kids that even the principal asked to borrow my copy so she could read it. After she returned it to me, it took a while before I had time … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Middle Grade | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Monday Book Review: Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool

Today I’m bringing you one of  last year’s nominees for the Rebecca Caudill Award. I had it on my to-be-read list for a while and finally got around to it. I enjoyed it very much and can see why it … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Historical, Middle Grade | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Spin Cycle: Lost

This week on the Spin Cycle, Ginny Marie is asking us to write a post prompted by the word lost. I have a great fear of getting lost. Many of my childhood nightmares had to do with getting lost. I … Continue reading

Posted in Angelhood, Middle Grade, Spin Cycle, Writing, young adult | 2 Comments

Monday Book Review: Bird Face by Cynthia T. Toney

I’d heard a lot about Bird Face from a lot of my fellow ACFW authors (of which Cynthia T. Toney is one), so I was excited when I got the chance to read her sweet coming-of-age story. Title: Bird Face … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Middle Grade | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Monday Book Review: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

The One and Only Ivan has been on my To-Be-Read pile for about two years now. I kept hearing how wonderful it was but never really found the time to read it. It’s a lovely story that deserves the recognition … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Middle Grade | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments