Adrienne Kress is so cool. She’s an actor, playwright, filmmaker, and director. She teaches drama to kids, and she has her own production company. Most importantly for our purposes here, she is an author, of fantastical middle grade adventure stories with daring girls and careful boys, absurd predicaments and narrow escapes. I first came to love Adrienne’s work when I read her book, ALEX AND … Continue reading Interview with Adrienne Kress
Do you like books with monsters and magic? Heroes and epic journeys? On June 6th, 2017 at a bookstore near you, one of the most imaginative books I’ve read in a long while will be released into the world. LORD of MONSTERS is the 2nd book in the OUT of ABATON series, and this Pinocchio retelling is sure to please. Goodreads | Amazon … Continue reading LORD of MONSTERS by John Bemis
This March, I had the pleasure of meeting author Leah Henderson at a writing workshop. When she described her debut middle-grade book set in contemporary Senegal, ONE SHADOW ON THE WALL, I couldn’t wait to read it. Eleven-year-old orphan, Mor, struggles to keep the promise he made to his dying father to keep his young sisters safe and to keep their family together. His aunt … Continue reading Leah Henderson’s ONE SHADOW ON THE WALL
GIRL TROUBLE––friends one day, enemies the next. Who doesn’t yearn for a real friend––one that gets you, always has your back, and someone that you can admire even in their darkest moments? Author Shannon Hale has captured the essence of friendship struggles girls face in her new graphic novel memoir REAL FRIENDS releasing on May 2nd. Girl relationships are difficult. And for the sensitive girls … Continue reading Shannon Hale Interview: Real Friends
I’ve got an irresistibly spooky #FridayReads suggestion for you today! Ronald L. Smith, Winner of the 2016 Coretta Scott King New Author Award for his debut middle-grade novel HOODOO, has a new book out. Cue the fog machine! THE MESMERIST, a thrilling mix of creepy, urban fantasy and historical fiction, released on 2/21/17. Perfect for fans of the Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children series and Lockwood & … Continue reading The Mesmerist! Interview with Ronald L. Smith
Today we welcome debut middle-grade author Ali Standish to The Winged Pen. Ali is the author of THE ETHAN I WAS BEFORE, which released on January 24th! Pull up a chair and get comfy, Ali! Thank you so much, and thanks for having me! Congrats on your debut middle-grade novel, THE ETHAN I WAS BEFORE. It has been described as a beautifully written mystery about … Continue reading Author Interview: Ali Standish
Today, I’m thrilled to welcome my friend and critique partner E. S. Wesley to The Winged Pen to talk about the release of his debut, The Outs. JA: Congratulations on your debut! Can you tell us a little bit about The Outs’ journey toward publication? ESW: Sure thing! The Outs was the culmination of other work I’d done in the past, developing this idea and exploring what … Continue reading Happy Release Day to The Outs!
We are thrilled to have on the blog today Julie Leung, a debut author whose middle grade novel releases on October 4th. MICE OF THE ROUNDTABLE: A TAIL OF CAMELOT is an epic new middle grade series in the tradition of Redwall and Poppy, based on Arthurian legend and told from the perspective of Camelot’s most humble creatures: mice. Young mouse Calib Christopher dreams of becoming … Continue reading Author Interview–Julie Leung
I picked up a copy of Jen Malone’s At Your Service at the 2015 New England SCBWI Conference after attending her great talk on middle grade voice. (Find the book review here.) I enjoyed the story and my 11-year-old daughter became a fan. She now knows to ask for Jen Malone books when I’m heading to the conference, so this year she got The Sleepover and Map to … Continue reading Jen Malone Book Review Twofer – THE SLEEPOVER and MAP TO THE STARS
I had the COMPLETE PLEASURE of chatting with Kelly Barnhill, author of THE WITCH’S BOY, THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON (which I reviewed here last Friday), and many other beloved middle-grade fiction and nonfiction books. THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON is my ✨Favorite Middle-Grade 2016 Read ✨ so far, and I couldn’t think of any better way to celebrate #NationalBookLoversDay AND THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON’s book birthday than to share our … Continue reading Interview with Kelly Barnhill: Author of THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON and THE WITCH’s BOY
Hi, Wendy. I’m really excited to talk to you not only because you recently revealed the cover of your debut upcoming book, It’s a mystery, Pig-Face, but also because you’ve got a unique story about how you got there! Let’s start with the first question I’ve been dying to ask, how did you make the jump from CEO to author? I kind of imagine you … Continue reading Interview with MG author Wendy McLeod MacKnight
…someone says the word DUTY and you giggle like a third grader …you shamelessly wear dragon jewels! …you know more about the books your kids read than they do …you have more in common with kids than their parents …you get a paper cut and bleed coffee/tea …you day dream A LOT …you have creative ways of procrastinating like sock skating …your co-worker is a … Continue reading You know you’re a children’s writer when…
