By Sara Truuvert Sweaty palms, shaking limbs, and the distinct possibility of puking. Am I describing riding a rollercoaster or having a crush in middle school? These two thrill rides collide in Jake Maia Arlow’s MG debut Almost Flying. The novel follows thirteen-year-old Dalia, who has planned the perfect summer: finally ride a rollercoaster . . .
By Sara Truuvert From Graci Kim, you should expect the unexpected. A Korean-Kiwi diplomat turned cooking show host turned author, who ran away with the circus in pursuit of a Colombian tightrope walker, Graci is bringing us a novel about Korean witch clans in LA, who conduct ancient rituals and shop at . . .
By Sara Truuvert When I reached out to Chrystal D. Giles back in November 2020, the excitement around Take Back the Block was already palpable. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and Kids’ IndieNext Pick, the novel has garnered praise from numerous authors and a starred review from School Library Journal. Take Back the Block follows Wes, a funny, stylish sixth-grader whose main . . .
I am thrilled to be interviewing Basil Sylvester and Kevin Sylvester about their new middle grade book, THE FABULOUS ZED WATSON!, which launches *today* from HarperCollins. You can attend the virtual launch party tomorrow (Jan.27) courtesy Glad Day Bookshop and HarperCollinsCanada: see the Facebook Event Page and Glad Day Lit TV page. Excerpt from the Quill and . . .
By Sara Truuvert Christina Li likes to keep herself busy. At just 14, she began querying literary agents and at 15 pitched live to her current agent. Now, Christina is making her literary debut with Clues to the Universe, an MG novel she wrote and sold all before beginning her junior year at . . .
Bev Katz Rosenbaum is the author of several works of fiction for young people, her most recent being Who is Tanksy?, published by Orca Books. Bev has worked in-house as an editor for book publishers and magazines and has taught writing at the college level. Currently she juggles writing children’s books with . . .
More info: Donalyn Miller’s #BookADay Challenge – My #BookADay Archives (also see my visual #BookADay archive on Padlet, Flickr and Pinterest). Also see Debbie’s Reading Journal as well as Debbie’s Bookstagram.
Paul Coccia is a Toronto author with an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC and an avid home-baker. His debut young adult novel, Cub, is part of Orca’s Soundings Series: short, high-interest novels specifically for teens. Paul lives and bakes with his nephew, three dogs and a little grey parrot. You can find . . .
Pat Cummings was one of my first illustration mentors, through the SCBWI Illustration Mentorship Program, and I’ve valued her friendship ever since. She’s smart, funny, honest — and incredibly experienced in the world of creating children’s books. I’m thrilled to have her visit my blog! Author and/or illustrator of over 40 . . .
Although I’ve been embracing Donalyn Miller’s #BookADay challenge year-round, I don’t always have a chance to post about what I’m reading. You can see my archive of my #BookADay and book recommendation posts here. One of my #BookADay reads: BREAKOUT by Kate Messner, illustrated by Ellen Lindner (Bloomsbury). Also see Debbie’s Reading Journal as well as . . .