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THE DREADED CLIFF by Terry Nichols

When I first saw that there was a middle grade book starring a packrat, I was immediately intrigued for multiple reasons. First, it has a great premise and a wonderful beginning. Also, it is published by Artemesia Publishing/Kinkajou Press.…
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THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY and THE MISTLETOE ON MAIN STREET (Ruby’s Regulars) by Holly Schindler

I first hosted Holly Schindler on this blog all the way back in 2012 (!). Years later, I found out she's on Smack Dab in the Middle as part of a group of (mostly) MG authors. Holly was kind enough to interview me for Smack Dab in the Middle…
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THE VISITORS (TALES FROM CABIN 23) by Yamile Saied Mendez

I had the honor of meeting Yamile Saied Mendez at 2024's ALA Annual Conference in San Diego. When I first heard about THE VISITORS, I reached out to Yamile for a feature. THE VISITORS (TALES FROM CABIN 23) was published on August 26, 2025 and…
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PRESENT, STILL MISSING by K.G. Mach

I love historial novels, especially Middle Grade ones, and when I heard about the premise for PRESENT, STILL MISSING by K.G. Mach, I was excited to feature it (she was also kind enough to read The Etiquette of Voles during her summer trip to…
katherine applegate author photo
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POCKET BEAR by Katherine Applegate

It's always a pleasure to interview Katherine Applegate! I was so excited with the premise of her upcoming book POCKET BEAR (September 9, 2025) I couldn't wait to learn more about it. And feel free to check out Katherine's additional past interviews…
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MATTEO by Michael Leali

Last year, I was excited to feature Michael Leali's brilliant middle grade book, The Truth About Triangles. I also learned about his previous books, including one called MATTEO. MATTEO has an amazing low-fantasy premise centered on family and…
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OPHELIA STARCLUCK SAVES THE GALAXY by Kristen Gwen

When I interviewed Kristen Joy Wilks about the latest book in her Phooey Kerflooey series, she mentioned a few books her readers might enjoy. One of those was OPHELIA STARCLUCK SAVES THE GALAXY by Kristen Gwen. Have a look:   Two…
Kristen Joy Wilks author
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PHOOEY KERFLOOEY AND THE BATTLE SQUIRREL by Kristen Joy Wilks

I featured the first Phooey Kerflooey book in July of last year, and when I heard the title of the follow-up, PHOOEY KERFLOOEY AND THE BATTLE SQUIRREL, which came out on June 3, 2025, I had to feature it too. Have a look:   Phooey…
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THE CEO GIRLS CLUB series by Kristina Renee

When I first heard about the concept behind this series, The CEO Girls Club, I knew I had to feature it. It shares a lot of themes with The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin, a series that I first read at the age of seven and the one…
Misa Sugiura
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MOMO ARASHIMA DUELS THE QUEEN OF DEATH by Misa Sugiura

I've been honored to feature Misa Suguira's young adult books before, and I always enjoy her writing. Her middle grade series, Momo Arashima, is one of the best fantasies out right now, and I loved talking with Misa about the first and second…