Middle Grade Monday: Reviews, Author Interviews and New Reads

Readers looking for their next middle grade book can start with this September 28 roundup: it gathers reviews, conversations with authors and a glimpse into one writer’s developing novel. The links offer several ways into the week’s reading, whether you’re choosing a book for yourself, looking for a recommendation to share with a young reader, or curious about how authors approach their work.

Reviews across the middle grade shelf

At ALWAYS in the MIDDLE, a review considers THE INVISIBLE THREAD by Sue Lamoree. The post gives readers a place to begin if Lamoree’s book has caught their attention, and a review can help them decide whether to explore it further.

Brenda at LOG CABIN LIBRARY reviews True Crime Files: Heist at the Museum! by Sam Subity. The title signals a story connected to a museum heist, though the roundup doesn’t give away details of the book’s plot. Readers can follow Brenda’s review for her own response to the book and a better sense of what it offers.

Susan Uhlig writes about Gennifer Choldenko’s THE TENTH MISTAKE OF HANK HOOPERMAN at her blog. Her post is presented as a fan’s appreciation of the novel. That personal perspective is useful to readers who want to hear what resonated with another reader, while leaving room for each person to form their own view.

At YA Book Nerd, Jennifer Rummel reviews Nothing to See Here. The roundup supplies the title and reviewer, leaving the linked post to provide the fuller response. Readers can browse the week’s recommendations by following the reviews that catch their eye, then use each reviewer’s comments to decide what to pick up next.

Charlotte’s Library features a review of HOLIDAYS AT THE CASTLE by Jessica Day George. Together, these review links make the roundup a useful starting point for readers comparing books by title, author and another reader’s response. The list doesn’t claim that one recommendation will suit every child; it directs readers to individual reviews where they can find more detail.

Author conversations and a giveaway

Middle grade fantasy author Isaac Fitzsimons speaks with Natalie Aguirre at Literary Rambles. The interview accompanies a giveaway of Fitzsimons’s Astra Fox and the Rise of the Wonderworkers. For readers interested in the book, the conversation offers a route to hear from its author, while the linked post has the details of the giveaway.

At Jenni Enzor’s blog, Anna Rose Johnson discusses her newest release, Secrets at Sparhawk Point. The roundup doesn’t summarize the interview or describe the novel, so readers can follow the link for Johnson’s own comments and further information about the book. Author interviews complement reviews: they let readers hear how an author talks about a work, rather than relying only on someone else’s assessment.

A regular reading stop, plus a writer’s update

Karen Yingling at Mrs. Yingling Reads posts about books every day. The roundup points readers toward her review for the day and to posts from the preceding week, including Friday’s review of The Team and The Tush Push Trouble. That steady schedule gives visitors more than one opportunity to find a title that suits their interests.

One item steps outside book reviews. Carol Baldwin shares what she’s learning as she continues writing her next novel, in an update titled OUT OF THE FLAME: DISCOVERING THE STORY. The post follows her process as she works to discover the story. For aspiring writers, that kind of account can be a welcome companion to finished-book coverage: it turns attention to the choices and questions that arise while a manuscript is still taking shape.

This collection moves from finished books to author conversations and the work of writing itself. Readers can follow a review to find a new title, visit an interview for an author’s perspective, or watch Baldwin’s account as her next novel develops. With several distinct entry points gathered in one place, the best next step is simply to choose the link that speaks to your reading curiosity.