Middle Grade Matters

Justina Chen, author of With Twice the Love, Dessi Mei, shares her journey as a writer, her love for writing middle grade, and the differences between writing for YA and middle grade readers. Justina discusses the challenges of writing about sensitive material. She also emphasizes the importance of belonging and offers advice for new writers. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

Alicia D. Williams, Newbery Honor author of Genesis Begins Again, shares her journey as a writer and the inspiration behind her middle grade novels. She discusses her latest middle grade book, Mid-Air, which explores themes of grief, toxic masculinity, and the power of friendship. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

In this bonus episode, middle grade author Polly Holyoke shares her journey with four different literary agents and the lessons she learned along the way. Polly talks about the importance of finding the right agent, having a finished manuscript before querying, and crafting a compelling query letter. She also provides tips on where to find agents, how to choose the right one for your work, and working with a literary agent once you have one. Finally, she shares updates on her middle grade book series, Skyriders, which has a new book coming out in May! I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode of the Middle Grade Matters podcast, Laurie Morrison discusses her middle grade novel Keeping Pace and the themes it explores, including the pressure to succeed, the intensity of competition in middle school, and the importance of friendship and relationships . In this conversation, Laurie shares how she discovered her passion for writing and the role of critique partners in shaping her work. Laurie also talks about her journey from getting her MFA to querying agents and getting her books published. She also discusses her writing process, including selling on proposal, and shares her plans for future projects. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, Colleen Oakes discusses her debut middle grade book, The Second Favorite Daughters Club, which follows two girls who form a club and come up with pranks to undermine their favorite siblings. Colleen shares her inspiration for the book and the importance of exploring family dynamics. She also talks about the transition from writing YA and adult novels to middle grade and her experience selling a book on proposal. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, I talk with author Allie Millington about her debut middle grade novel, Olivetti, and her writing journey. She shares her inspiration for writing from the perspective of a typewriter, the emotional side of Olivetti, and the themes of connection and finding one's voice. Allie also talks about her writing process, being a self-taught writer, and her experience with querying and signing with an agent. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

In this episode of the Middle Grade Matters podcast, I talk with Ali Terese, author of the debut novel Free Period. The book explores the themes of period equity and period poverty through the story of two prankster characters, Helen and Gracie, who take on these issues in their school. Ali shares her motivation for writing the book and her hope that it inspires kids to take action. She also discusses the humor in the book, her writing process, and the importance of finding your voice as a writer. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, I talk with Ridley Pearson, the NYT #1 Bestselling author of the Kingdom Keepers series. We talk about the process he follows for writing books, the time he spends at Disney parks conducting research (often after-hours), and how middle grade has evolved over the course of his writing career. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, I talk with Emily Barth Isler about her new middle grade novel, The Color of Sound, which tells the story of twelve-year-old Rosie, a musical prodigy whose synesthesia allows her to see music in colors. From the publisher: Rosie's mom has always pushed her to become a concert violinist, but this summer Rosie refuses to play, wanting a "normal" life. Forced to spend the summer with her grandparents, Rosie is excited to meet another girl her age hanging out on their property. The girl is familiar, and Rosie quickly pieces it together: somehow, this girl is her mother, when her mother was twelve. With help from this glitch in time―plus her grandparents, an improv group, and a new instrument―Rosie comes to understand her mother, herself, and her love of music in new ways. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

In this episode, Barbara Dee talks about her 14th middle grade novel, Unstuck, which follows a young writer who deals with writer's block as she writes her first novel. Barbara talks about how middle grade has evolved over the the course of her career, how she comes up with book ideas, and how she stays in touch with today's middle grade readers. From the publisher: From critically acclaimed author Barbara Dee comes a middle grade novel about a girl whose struggles with anxiety and writer’s block set off unexpected twists and turns, both on and off the page. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, I talk with middle grade author and cultural anthropologist Ruth Behar. We talk about Across So Many Seas, her new middle grade novel that spans over 500 years, as well as what it was like when she won the prestigious Pura Belpré Award for her book Lucky Broken Girl. From the Publisher: Across So Many Seas tells the stories of four girls from different generations of a Jewish family, many of them forced to leave their country and start a new life. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, writing expert Joel Brigham breaks down the components of a Query Letter as well as your First Pages - - the two most important things a writer seeking an agent needs (other than a completed manuscript, of course!). Joel provides examples of what to do and what not to do, the ideal word count of a query letter, and what first pages must have to hook the potential agent (and future readers). Joel Brigham is a freelance editor who helps writers and authors at all stages of their careers find the hearts and souls of their stories. Joel is on the board of Revise & Resub, where he’s served as an editor for the annual RevPit contest as well as its #10Queries events. In addition, he’s provided countless first-10-page critiques through Writing Day Workshops, and he served as a PitchWars mentor in 2021. You can find Joel here: https://brighameditorial.com/ and on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/joelbrigham I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, I talk with Hena Khan about her new middle grade book, Drawing Deena. We also talk about kids and anxiety, encouraging kids to write, and seeing all kids represented in children's literature. From the publisher: From the award-winning author of Amina’s Voice and Amina’s Song comes a tenderhearted middle grade novel about a young Pakistani American artist determined to manage her anxiety and forge her own creative path. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, I talk with MarcyKate Connolly and Kathryn Holmes about their new mystery, The Thirteenth Circle. We talk about their writing collaboration process, their research, and whether they believe in the existence of Aliens and UFOs. From the publisher: The X-Files meets Scooby-Doo in THE THIRTEENTH CIRCLE, a middle-grade mystery from MarcyKate Connolly and Kathryn Holmes, featuring two unexpected friends, crop circles, science fairs, and Men in Black, perfect for both the highly scientific and cryptid enthusiasts alike. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, I talk with middle grade fantasy author Megan Reyes about her debut series, Heroes of Havensong. We talk about the challenges of writing a series with four points of view, how she taught herself to write stories, and what she says to students to inspire them to write their own stories. From the publisher: This timeless fantasy debut follows four children—a boy-turned-dragon, his reluctant dragon rider, a runaway witch, and a young soldier—bound together by the Fates themselves to save their world—and magic itself—from being destroyed. Books and resources mentioned in this episode include: Dragonboy​The Last Ice PhoenixA new fantasy chapter book series for young readers (ages 6-10).The Magic Words: Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults, I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, I talk with author Becca Wierwille about her debut middle grade novel, Road Trip Rescue, which she independently published with support from a Kickstarter campaign. We talk about the challenges of independently publishing (a/k/a self-publishing) for the middle grade market, Becca's decision to transition from a traditional path to an independent one, and how she reaches young readers with her stories. Books and resources mentioned in this episode include: Road Trip Rescue, Save the Cat Writes a Novel,Author MediaThe Snowflake Method for Designing a Novel.Because of Winn Dixie,Becca's Kickstarter campaign for her second book, Road Trip Return, can be found HERE. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode I talk with Polly Holyoke, author of the award-winning Neptune Trilogy and her latest series, Skyriders. We talk about writing for upper middle grade readers, ways to inspire kids to write creatively, and the unique aspects of writing fantasy Books mentioned in this episode include: Neptune , Skyriders , From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Holes, I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, I talk with middle grade author Mindy Nichols Wendell about her debut novel, Light and Air, on researching and writing historical fiction, and on following your dreams no matter your age. Books mentioned in this episode include: Light and Air,A Writer Teaches WritingBird by Bird, Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, I talk with Nashae Jones about her debut middle-grade rom-com, Courtesy of Cupid, her love for combining laughing and literature, being a part of the 5am Writer's Club, and her journey to becoming a published author. Books mentioned in this episode include: Courtesy of CupidSave the Cat Writes a Novel,From the publisher: In this middle grade rom-com sprinkled with a dash of magic, a girl uses her newfound ability to make people fall in love to sabotage her rival. I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

On this episode, I talk with Tui T. Sutherland, author of the bestselling Wings of Fire series, about her new companion book Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World, how she got started writing, what’s next in the Wings of Fire series, and what it was like being a contestant on Jeopardy! Books mentioned in this episode include: Wings of Fire Wings of Fire: A Guide to the Dragon World, When You Reach Me, When the Mountain Meets the Moon I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter. If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.