Middle Grade Monday Roundup: Reviews, Author Interviews and New Books
Story by Greg Pattridge · 318 readers
This week’s middle grade roundup pairs book reviews with author conversations, a fantasy giveaway and a writer’s update on shaping a new novel.
This week’s middle grade reading list offers several ways into the genre: reviews for readers seeking their next book, conversations with authors, and a glimpse into one writer’s developing novel. The featured titles range from fantasy to mysteries and stories set around a castle, giving families, young readers and book-club members a varied set of places to start.
Reviews to help readers choose
Always in the Middle features a review of The Invisible Thread by Sue Lamoree. For readers scanning a roundup for a recommendation, a focused review can help them decide whether a title belongs on their list. This post puts Lamoree’s book in the mix alongside several other middle grade choices, while leaving the full discussion to the reviewer.
At Log Cabin Library, Brenda reviews True Crime Files: Heist at the Museum! by Sam Subity. The title suggests a museum-centered heist premise, but the roundup doesn’t give away story details. Readers can follow the link for Brenda’s take before deciding whether this book suits their interests.
Susan Uhlig shares her enthusiasm for Gennifer Choldenko’s The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman. That personal response is a useful signal for readers who value a reviewer’s connection to a book, while keeping the recommendation properly tied to Uhlig’s own view.
Jennifer Rummel at YA Book Nerd reviews Nothing to See Here. The roundup doesn’t provide an author name or further description for this title, so Rummel’s review is the place to learn more about the book and her response to it.
At Charlotte’s Library, readers can find a review of Holidays at the Castle by Jessica Day George. Its title offers a clear seasonal setting, and the review gives readers a chance to see how the book works as a middle grade read before picking it up.
Author conversations and a fantasy giveaway
Interviews add a different kind of recommendation: they let readers hear directly from authors about their work. Natalie Aguirre at Literary Rambles interviews Isaac Fitzsimons about his middle grade fantasy, Astra Fox and the Rise of the Wonderworkers. The post also includes a giveaway. Readers interested in the book can visit the interview for its details and learn more about Fitzsimons and the story.
Jenni Enzor talks with Anna Rose Johnson about her newest release, Secrets at Sparhawk Point. The conversation gives readers an entry point to Johnson’s latest work and a chance to hear from the author herself. The roundup doesn’t state a publication date or publisher, so the interview is the best source for additional information about the release.
Taken together, the reviews and interviews serve different reading needs. A review records one reader’s assessment; an author conversation offers a view of the writer and book from the source. Following both can give readers a fuller sense of a title without mistaking either format for a universal verdict.
More from the week
Karen Yingling at Mrs. Yingling Reads shares books every day. Her post points readers to that day’s middle grade feature and to posts from earlier in the week, including Friday’s review of The Team and The Tush Push Trouble. For readers who like to browse beyond a single weekly roundup, the daily posting schedule offers more titles and reviews to explore.
One post steps outside middle grade book reviews. Carol Baldwin writes about what she is learning as she continues work on her next novel. Her update, Out of the Flame: Discovering the Story, offers a look at the process of finding a story while writing it. That perspective may interest aspiring writers who want to follow a novel’s development as well as readers curious about the work behind a finished book.
The week’s links make a practical reading list: start with the reviews that match your interests, follow the interviews for more from Isaac Fitzsimons and Anna Rose Johnson, and visit Carol Baldwin’s post for a writer’s view of a work in progress. The collection leaves each recommendation attached to its author and reviewer, giving readers room to make their own next pick.
