Happy Book Birthday to THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER! In this middle-grade novel, the story that began in BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA continues. Having escaped the Mexican Revolution, Petra Luna and her family try to make a new life in America. On the other side of the Rio Grande River is an…
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Happy Book Birthday to ARROW! In this middle-grade novel, Arrow, a 12-year-old boy with a limb difference, has grown up as the only human in a lush, magical rainforest that’s closed off from the rest of the world. He was raised by the Guardian Tree, the protector of the forest, which uses the earth’s…
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Happy Book Birthday to LIFE IN THE BALANCE! In this middle-grade novel, Veronica Conway has been looking forward to trying out for the All-Star softball team for years. She’s practically been playing the game since she was a baby. She should have this tryout on lock. Except right before tryouts, Veronica’s mom announces that…
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I’m a huge fan of Saadia Faruqi‘s work. Her books are as wonderful as she is, which is why I’m thrilled to be able to interview her about her newest middle-grade novel A THOUSAND QUESTIONS. Here’s the publisher’s description: Set against the backdrop of Karachi, Pakistan, Saadia Faruqi’s tender and honest middle grade novel tells…
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Happy Book Birthday to ALONE! Perfect for fans of Hatchet and the I Survived series, this harrowing middle grade debut novel-in-verse from a Pushcart Prize–nominated poet tells the story of a young girl who wakes up one day to find herself utterly alone in her small Colorado town. When twelve-year-old Maddie hatches a scheme…
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Happy Book Birthday to SUMMER OF L.U.C.K.! Summer of L.U.C.K., for middle grade readers, is about three kids searching for self-acceptance. Stuttering Darby is never perfect enough for her mother. Justin’s been silent since his dad died. Naz is struggling to learn English. But after they meet at summer camp, mysterious calliope music from…
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Happy Book Birthday to HELLO, FUTURE ME! In this middle-grade novel, 11-year-old June is a problem-solver. Some people might call her a busybody, but that’s okay. Just look at all the couples she’s helped find love! (Grateful newlyweds Marlene and Big Vic have even promised June free hot chocolate for life at their café.)…
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Happy Book Birthday to THE SECRET NOTEBOOK! In this middle-grade novel, Riley Green is certain her lie detector pen will win this year’s Invention Convention, but her plan collapses when her invention idea is stolen, her teacher goes missing and she find the lost notebook of Nikola Tesla. Now Riley and her friends must…
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Happy Book Birthday to HOMER’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE! This middle-grade novel is like Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure meets The Odyssey. Homer is about to fail out of school unless he can come up with a story. An epic story. Oh, and it needs to be written in Dactylic Hexameter. No big deal . .…
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Happy Book Birthday to REWRITTEN! In this middle-grade novel, twelve-year-old Gracie has learned the truth about her own fairy tale. She now wants nothing more than to move past the terrible things author Gertrude Winters wrote about her and begin a new chapter in the real world. If only things were going as planned.…
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