Care givers looking for a charming, non-threatening book or series for young readers will find exactly that in the Heartwood Hotel series by Kallie George. Mona, a mouse, is looking for a safe home and finds a family instead. She realizes she is braver than she thinks, and that she does do good things and…
All posts tagged #middlegradebooks
Summer Reading: One Last Shot by John David Anderson
Middle grade readers looking for a summer reading book should check out John David Anderson’s One Last Shot. The protagonist, Malcolm, doesn’t like baseball which is a huge disappointment to his father, and causes arguments between his parents because his mother just wants him to be happy, while his dad wants him to be part…
Summer Reading: Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald
It’s that time of year…lazy days of reading, drawing, bike riding, fishing, or whatever kids want to do. Parents looking for a book to engage their young readers will be happy with Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald. Set in Manhattan, the mystery around a painting unfolds as young Theodora tries to figure out…
On Writing: Why Short Pieces Help in the Long Term
As writers, we are often advised to write daily, same time, same place, and to meet our daily word count. Showing up on a “bad” day and still getting words down separates the true writers from the imposters. I beg to differ. Yes, daily writing matters and helps, as does daily reading, and walking. But…
What I’m Reading: The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz
I like to read more than one book at a time, and reading books in different genre is a good way to avoid confusing characters or plot lines. A novel paired with a non-fiction book works out quite nicely. To prepare for an up-coming trip to Europe, I have recently read The Sweet Life in…
Independent Reading: Halfway to Harmony by Barbara O’Connor
Barbara O’Connor is one of my favorite contemporary middle-grade authors. Her stories focus on relatable, likable characters who work together to achieve a goal, and there is often an animal involved. What’s not to love about that? In Halfway to Harmony, grief-stricken Walter Tipple, his new neighbor, Posey, and her rescue dog, Porkchop, discover a…
Writing Tip Wednesday: Head-Heart-Gut Polarization
Writing-manual author, Matt Bird offers a detailed explanation of why and how writers can create an ensemble of characters with different personalities. In The Secrets of Story, Bird explains how secondary characters can act as advisors to the protagonist, each in their own way. To illustrate, I will use the classic kids’ movie, The Sandlot.…
Teacher Resource: Let the Glitter Settle by Stefanie Lachenauer
Stefanie Lachenauer is the 2025 New Jersey Teacher of the Year, with twenty years of classroom experience under her belt. In her newly published mindfulness guidebook, Let the Glitter Settle, Stefanie provides detailed instructions for teachers, students, or caregivers to learn the practice of mindfulness. She relates mindfulness to the daily stresses faced by students,…
Writing Inspiration: Eudora Welty
In graduate school, I read Eudora Welty’s One Writer’s Beginnings the first time. I did not consider myself a writer then, and it was not a goal of mine at that time. My professional goals evolved around teaching English to middle school students. At that time, I do not think I connected with Welty’s book…
Writing Inspiration: A Writing Retreat in Provence
A writer’s world can be a lonely one. Spending hours at a computer or with a notebook, imagining conversations and events taking place, is not the same as interacting with friends face-to-face. As a writer, I miss the camaraderie of working with fellow teachers, or other colleagues, despite belonging to various online writing groups. To…