May 12, 2012: The Kids Have Voted
Votes have been tallied for the 2012 Children’s Choice Book Awards. Winner in the 5th/6th grade category was Okay for Now, Gary Schmidt’s companion novel to his Newbery Honor-winning The Wednesday Wars. Illustrator of the year went to Brian Selznick for Wonderstruck, and author of the year went to Jeff Kinney for Cabin Fever, the latest installment in his Wimpy Kid series.
For a complete list of the winners…
May 10, 2012: Happy Children’s Book Week!
In honor of National Children’s Book Week, award-winning author-illustrator Matt Phelan posted this delightful review of Polly Horvath’s new book on his blog…
For more about Children's Book Week…
May 5, 2012: Oh Me, Oh May
Check out all the new books releasing in May...
May 5, 2012: Be a Fourth-Grade Somebody
One lucky fourth-grade classroom will win a Skype visit from author Judy Blume this month. To participate, all you have to do is have your students write a sentence or two on why they like fourth grade. The contest, which ends May 15, is sponsored by School Library Journal.
For details…
May 1, 2012: It’s No Mystery
The Edgar Award for the best juvenile mystery of the year was presented this past weekend to Matthew Kirby for Icefall (Scholastic, 2011). Publishers Weekly said of Kirby's Viking suspense novel, “Readers may be drawn in by the promise of action, which Kirby certainly fulfills, but they’ll be left contemplating the power of the pen versus the sword—or rather the story versus the war hammer.”
For more on the award…
To read a Mixed-up Files interview with Kirby...
May 1, 2012: Crystal Clear
Winners of the 2012 Crystal Kite Awards, the only peer-given awards in children’s publishing, were announced this week. The awards are voted on by members of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Middle-grade winners include The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson and The Absolute Value of Mike by Kathryn Erskine.
For a complete list of winners...
What happens when a Daniel Pinkwater story is adapted for use in a statewide standardized test? The New York Times reports on the kerfuffle here...
April 30, 2012: More than One Path to Publication
The lines between traditional and self-publishing continue to blur as more and more traditionally published authors find ways to utilize the flexibility and freedom that self publishing offers. Author Kate Milford recently announced in Publishers Weekly that her new fantasy, The Broken Lands, which will be published by Clarion in September, will be accompanied by the release of a self-published novella, The Kairos Mechanism.
Says Milford, "I want to experiment with self-publishing as a way to promote and enhance traditional releases by providing extra content to readers in the form of complete, related tales. I also want to use resources that support independent bookstores." As an added bonus Milford is planning a special digital edition of her self-published work that will include illustrations by 10 teen readers.
For more…
April 14, 2012: It’s Raining, It’s Pouring!
Check out all the new books releasing in April...
April 12, 2012: The Greatest Girls
Jen Doll, columnist for The Atlantic Wire, talks about “The Greatest Girl Characters of Young Adult Literature” in this April 5 article, the first in a series called “Y.A. for Grownups.” Among the characters Doll mentions are a number of middle-grade favorites, including Meg Murray from A Wrinkle in Time and Claudia Kincaid of From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
For more…
April 12, 2012: Moss Aims to Pick Up Where Tricycle Left Off
Berkeley-based children’s author and illustrator Marissa Moss, best-known for her Amelia’s Notebook series, is starting a new West Coast publishing venture called Creston Books. Says Moss, “The idea’s been percolating for years. It came to a head after Random House bought Ten Speed and threw Tricycle away.” Moss got her start with the quirky, risk-taking Tricycle Press, which published Amelia’s Notebook at a time when traditional publishers were unsure what to do with the illustrated diary format. “New York publishing is about: what’s the next Harry Potter, what’s the next Twilight?” says Moss. “When I’ve approached people, I’ve asked, ‘What is the book you’ve been dying to do, but New York won’t do?’ I want the books that they think won’t sell—because I think they will.”
Creston’s first books are due to release Fall 2013. In the meantime, Moss is seeking kickstarter funds to help back the project. For more…
April 10, 2012: After Chrestomanci
An online celebration of the life of British author Diana Wynne Jones (1934-2011) will kick off April 12 with a two-week blog tour. In conjunction with the tour a special blog has been set up where fans can share their favorite books, quotes, stories, characters, covers, and memories of Diana with fellow fans around the world.
Wynne Jones was the author of dozens of popular titles, including the Chrestomanci series and Howl’s Moving Castle, which was made into an animated film by Hayao Miyazaki in 2004.
For details…
April 6, 2012: Game Over!
The Battle of the Books has ended. And the winner is…
I’m not telling! You’ll just have to click on over to the School Library Journal site and read Jonathan Stroud’s incredible analysis of the three finalists—Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet; Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys; and Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt.
March 31, 2012: Hiaasen Says There’s No Fooling Kids
Newbery-honor winning author Carl Hiaasen talks about writing for kids versus writing for adults in this March 6 School Library Journal interview. Says Hiaasen, “The idea that you're fooling kids is crazy. That's the way I've been able to connect to and go between adult and young adult books. Kids love sarcasm and the idea of bursting a grown-up's bubble. It's a question of calibrating the story to the young adult market. Once I did that with Hoot and it worked, it opened up a new and rewarding way of writing for me.”
Hiassen’s new middle-grade book, Chomp, was released this week.
March 29, 2012: What’s the Buzz in Middle-grade Fiction?
A panel of editors will share their predictions for this fall’s breakout titles when BookExpo America convenes June 5-7 at the Javits Center in New York City. You don’t have to wait until June to catch the buzz, though. According to the BookExpo on-line news, titles to watch are:
• Malcolm at Midnight by W. H. Beck (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann (HarperCollins)
• Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin (Little Brown)
• Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #1: Professor Gargoyle by Charles Gilman
• With Love From Paris: Mira's Sketchbook by Marissa Moss
For more…
March 26, 2012: Lindgren Winner Announced
Dutch author Guus Kuijer has won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award given by the Swedish Arts Council to honor an author whose body of work is in the spirit of Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren. The winner receives 5 million Swedish crowns (more than $700K), making it the richest prize in the world for children’s literature. Past winners include Katherine Paterson, Sonya Hartnett, Maurice Sendak, and Shaun Tan.
Kuijer was selected by an international jury of experts who praised his "razor-sharp realism,” “subtle humor,” and “visionary flights of fancy.” Kuijer is author of more than 30 titles, most of them for young teens. Sadly, only one of his books has appeared in English—The Book of Everything, a slim but haunting novel published by Arthur Levine Books in 2006.
March 20, 2012: No Grownups Allowed
It’s time for kids to vote for their favorite books of the year in this year’s Children’s Choice Awards. Winners will be announced during Children’s Book Week, May 7-13, 2012. The awards are sponsored by the Children’s Book Council, which celebrates the transformative power of literacy. Kids can vote individually or librarians, teachers, and booksellers can log on to record their students’ votes.
Finalists for the 3rd-4th grade Book of the Year are:
• Bad Kitty Meets the Baby by Nick Bruel
• A Funeral in the Bathroom and other School Bathroom Poems by Kalli Dakos
• The Monstrous Book of Monsters by Libby Hamilton
• Sidekicks by Dan Santat
• Squish #1: Super Amoeba by Jennifer and Matthew Holm
Finalists for 5th-6th Grade Book of the Year are:
• Bad Island by Doug TenNapel
• How to Survive Anything by Rachel Buchholz
• Lost & Found by Shaun Tan
• Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt
• Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog by Garth Stein
For more about Children’s Book Week…
To vote …
Big congratulations go out to…
Ella Schwartz!
Ella, you have won a copy of Nathan Bransford’s fantastic debut, JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW! (And best of all, you didn’t even need to trade a corn dog to get it!)
One of our site administrators will email you shortly regarding your prize. Thanks so much for taking the time to visit the Mixed-Up Files… And thanks to everyone who stopped by and commented, and of course, to Nathan, for the fun and insightful chat!
1 Comment 
Drumroll, please… And, our random generator has chosen…
LINDA ANDERSEN!
Congratulations, Linda! You have won a copy of Nathan Bransford’s hilarious debut, JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW!
And great news! For everyone else who entered… and those who didn’t get a chance yet, we are giving away a SECOND COPY!
Simply go to the original interview and post a comment. You’ll automatically be entered for our second drawing on Tuesday, May 31!
Thanks for reading and Happy Memorial Day from everyone here at the Mixed-Up Files.
Maybe you know him from his fun and informative blog. Perhaps you’ve been the recipient of one of his lightning fast query responses. Or maybe you just recognize him as that cool California dude in the orange shirt that looks like he’d be a whole lot of fun to surf with.
Now, get ready to know Nathan Bransford in a whole new role: middle-grade author.
Nathan’s sci-fi adventure, JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW, debuted May 12. Both funny and full of action, JACOB tells the story of three kids who trade a corn dog for a spaceship, blast off into space, break the universe and have to face their fears (and a planet full of substitute teachers) to find their way home again.
Nathan was kind enough to accept a virtual corn dog in return for an interview here on the Mixed-Up Files. Read on to find out how Nathan came to write middle grade, what’s next for Jacob — and how you can get a chance to win a free copy of this hilarious debut!
First, congratulations! You must be so excited after all the work that goes into creating a book to see JACOB WONDERBAR on the shelves. How does it feel to finally have your baby out in the world?
It feels great! Also a bit surreal because I’ve been anticipating it for so long. I began writing WONDERBAR in the summer of
2008, so it’s been nearly three years in the making.
Back in your agenting days, your tastes seemed to lean more toward literary and young adult fiction. Were you surprised when you sat down to write and the voice of a middle-grader popped into your head? What drew you to writing for this age group?
Yes, it did surprise me a bit. When it came to children’s books, as an agent I was definitely drawn more toward young adult fiction and more literary novels. But I let the idea guide the genre. The initial idea that sparked JACOB WONDERBAR was of a kid trapped on a planet of substitute teachers, and that felt middle-grade to me so I went with it.
I also was drawn to middle-grade because the books I read when I was that age were among my favorites. Between 8-12 years old is a powerful time to be reading books.
What are some of the books that influenced your own middle grade reading days?
Anything and everything by Roald Dahl, BY THE GREAT HORN SPOON by Sid Fleischman, ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS by Scott O’Dell, HARRY’S MAD by Dick King-Smith, MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN by Jean Craighead George, and the Calvin & Hobbes comics by Bill Watterson.
I love the fact that even though he’s on a wild space adventure, Jacob and his friends are still real kids with real-world problems. How do you keep your characters grounded, so-to-speak, when they’re off flying through (and breaking) the universe?
I knew that I wanted to ground the characters with some real-life issues, because it felt real to me. Even though kids have a very active imagination, it’s impossible to avoid coming back down to Earth. So Jacob has a missing dad and is a good-hearted troublemaker, Sarah is overscheduled and puts a lot of pressure on herself, and Dexter is timid. They have to confront their problems in order to make it back home.
Corn dogs… spaceships… burp breath… you’ve pretty much hit the trifecta for middle grade boys right there. How do you come up with your ideas? And names, too… I mean, what kid wouldn’t crack up at “Mick Cracken?”
Thanks! I tried as much as possible to remember the types of things I thought were funny when I was that age. So… yeah. Corndogs, burp breath and upside-down calculator jokes.
The name Jacob Wonderbar was inspired by my favorite coffee drink from Philz Coffee down the street from my apartment (Jacob’s Wonderbar Brew), and Dexter’s last name is an homage to a friend (who doesn’t take after Dexter). I don’t actually remember where Mick Cracken came from, but I do remember feeling that the name fits!
(Also, my son would like to add that a planet reeking of burp breath is quite disgustingly awesome. Not so much a question. Just a statement of fact from a nine-year-old boy.)
Haha, your son sounds a lot like me when I was that age.
You’ve written some very enlightening posts on your blog about ebooks and the evolution of publishing. How do you see ebooks changing the MG landscape?
I think middle grade may be a bit slower to switch over to e-books than adult books simply because parents may be reluctant to put $100+ e-book readers in the hands of 9-year-olds, but as prices come down and the devices become more ubiquitous I think you’ll see kids reading e-books more and more. I can remember the stacks and stacks of books I used to have on my nightstand, and I would have read even more if I didn’t have to wait for a trip to the bookstore or library.
Speaking of your blog, it’s such a fantastic resource for writers — chock full of industry information, inspiration, updates on The Hills. The blog’s reported to have 150,000 visits a month — and has even spawned its own baby blogs. Did you have any idea when you began it would gain such a following? What do you think is the key to social media success (space monkeys notwithstanding, of course)?
No, I really had no idea what to expect, but I’ve been extremely lucky. I think the key to success is to really cultivate a sense of community, and for that I was very fortunate to have such a great group of regular commenters, who set the tone in the comments section and who add so much to the blog experience. Other than that, I think the keys are consistency, patience, and remembering it’s all about what you can do for your readers and not what they can do for you.
And on the subject of space monkeys, rumor has it they’ll make an appearance in the next installment of JACOB WONDERBAR. What other tricks do you have up your sleeve for future books in the series?
Haha, yes they will! A band of space monkeys of suspect intelligence feature prominently in JACOB WONDERBAR FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSE, the sequel to WONDERBAR #1. As the title suggests, Jacob runs for president of the universe and has to contend with the planet of news reporters, more crazy Astral planets, and his own self-doubt.
Book #3 is tentatively titled JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE INTERSTELLAR TIME WARP, and I’m just in the process of starting that one.
Lastly, it sure seems you can do it all — pen a novel, hold down a day job, educate and entertain the writerly community, host contests and critiques — and heck, in your agent days you were one of the most queried agents around. (And still, you answered every single query, often within minutes.) All that is just a long way of asking… Are you actually a robot?
Haha, no, I am all human. Very busy though! And if anyone has a spare robot could I borrow it?
Okay, good — thanks for clearing that up 
. It was so awesome to have you here today on the Mixed-Up Files! I’ll check my junk drawer for spare robot parts…
And, for our readers — since it turns out Nathan’s not actually a robot (but in fact, a really good guy), I’m giving away a copy of JACOB WONDERBAR! Just leave a comment below and our random generator will select our first winner on Saturday, May 28. And, because it’s the unofficial start of summer and we’re feeling good here at the Files, we’ll be choosing a SECOND WINNER on Tuesday, May 31! Yes, you read that correctly — for all of you that missed the first go around, we are giving away another copy of JACOB WONDERBAR on Tuesday. Just leave a comment below for a chance to win! (And, for all of you who entered the first time who didn’t win, you’re automatically entered in the second round!)
Plus, don’t forget — you get extra entries for linking to this interview on Twitter, Facebook, your blog (or by clicking the “follow this blog” button on the right). Just mention each link in a new comment so the random generator will add your extra entries.
From the Mixed-Up Files is the group blog of middle-grade authors celebrating books for middle-grade readers. For anyone with a passion for children’s literature—teachers, librarians, parents, kids, writers, industry professionals— we offer regularly updated book lists organized by unique categories, author interviews, market news, and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a children's book from writing to publishing to promoting.
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May 31, 2011 
