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    March 28, 2013: Big at Bologna

     

     

    This year at the Bologna Children's Book Fair, the focus has shifted to middle-grade.  “A lot of foreign publishers are cutting back on YA and are looking for middle-grade,” said agent Laura Langlie, according to Publisher's Weekly.  Lighly illustrated or stand-alone contemporary middle-grade fiction is getting the most attention.  Read more...

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    March 10, 2013: Marching to New Titles

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Check out these titles releasing in March...

     

     

     

     

     

    March 5, 2013: Catch the BEA Buzz

     

    Titles for BEA's Editor Buzz panels have been announced.  The middle-grade titles selected are:

     

     

    A Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates #1: Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson

     

     

    Counting By 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

     

     

    The Fantastic Family Whipple by Matthew Ward

     

     

    Nick and Tesla's High-Voltages Danger Lab by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith

     

     

    The Tie Fetch by Amy Herrick

     

    For more Buzz books in other categories, read more...

     

     

     

    February 20, 2013: Lunching at the MG Roundtable 

     

    Earlier this month, MG authors Jeanne Birdsall, Rebecca Stead, and N.D. Wilson shared insight about writing for the middle grades at an informal luncheon with librarians held in conjunction with the New York Public Library's Children's Literary Salon "Middle Grade: Surviving the Onslaught." 

     

     

    Read about their thoughts...

     

    February 10, 2013: New Books to Love

     

     

     

     

     

    Check out these new titles releasing in February...

     

     

     

    January 28, 2013: Ivan Tops List of Winners 

    The American Library Association today honored the best of the best from 2012, announcing the winners of the Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz awards, along with a host of other prestigious youth media awards, at their annual winter meeting in Seattle.

    The Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature went to The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. Honor books were: Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz; Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin; and Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage. 

    The Coretta Scott King Book Award went to Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America written by Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated by Brian Pinkney.

    The Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, which honors an author for his or her long-standing contributions to children’s literature, was presented to Katherine Paterson.  

    The Pura Belpre Author Award, which honors a Latino author, went to Benjamin Alire Saenz for his novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, which was also named a Printz Honor book and won the Stonewall Book Award for its portrayal of the GLBT experience.

    For a complete list of winners…

     

    January 22, 2013: Biography Wins Sydney Taylor

    Louise Borden's His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg, a verse biography of the Swedish humanitarian, has won the Sydney Taylor Award in the middle-grade category. The award is given annually to books of the highest literary merit that highlight the Jewish experience. Aimee Lurie, chair of the awards committee, writes, "Louise Borden's well-researched biography will, without a doubt, inspire children to perform acts of kindness and speak out against oppression."

    For more...

     

    January 17, 2013: Erdrich Wins Second O'Dell

    Louise Erdrich is recipient of the 2013 Scott O'Dell Award for her historical novel Chickadee, the fourth book in her Birchbark House series. Roger Sutton, Horn Book editor and chair of the awards committee, says of Chickadee, "The book has humor and suspense (and disarmingly simple pencil illustrations by the author), providing a picture of 1860s Anishinabe life that is never didactic or exotic and is briskly detailed with the kind of information young readers enjoy." Erdrich also won the O'Dell Award in 2006 for The Game of Silence, the second book in the Birchbark series. 

    For more...

     

    January 15, 2013: After the Call

    Past Newbery winners Jack Gantos, Clare Vanderpool, Neil Gaiman, Rebecca Stead, and Laura Amy Schlitz talk about how winning the Newbery changed (or didn't change) their lives in this piece from Publishers Weekly...

     

    January 2, 2013: On the Big Screen

    One of our Mixed-up Files members may be headed to the movies! Jennifer Nielsen's fantasy adventure novel The False Prince is being adapted for Paramount Pictures by Bryan Cogman, story editor for HBO's Game of Thrones. For more...

     


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Want to Join Us?

Membership Guidelines

Membership status: We are currently CLOSED to new members.  In the meantime, please feel free to participate in our discussions by leaving a comment at the bottom of a page or post.  Thank you for supporting From the Mixed-Up Files!

When we do have openings, here are our membership qualifications:

Dedicated writers  of middle-grade literature.  We are also open to teachers and librarians who are dedicated readers of middle-grade literature.

Willing to commit to scheduled postings on the group blog and in discussions on the posts of others, and take on one additional job to help keep our website updated and running smoothly.

Daring to be different: We want to offer more in this one spot than can be found anywhere else on the web. And we don’t want to serve leftovers or already digested bits. Think new! Think exciting! Think BIG!

We love comments and hope you’ll participate in our blog discussions. We even like it if you don’t agree with us! Just keep it clean and don’t throw tomatoes at anyone.

Thanks for visiting our site!

13 Comments

  1. Mary Cunningham  •  Jun 7, 2010 @1:12 pm

    I write a ‘Tween series, “Cynthia’s Attic,” with 4 books published, so far. The time-travel series targets readers 9-12.

    I’d love to be considered for membership and would enjoy contributing to the blog and discussions.

    If you need further information, please contact me. Spotted you on facebook!

    [Reply]

  2. Barbara Dee  •  Jun 7, 2010 @3:57 pm

    I’m the author of JUST ANOTHER DAY IN MY INSANELY REAL LIFE (McElderry/S&S, Aladdin MIX), SOLVING ZOE (ditto; 2010 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year) and THIS IS ME FROM NOW ON (Aladdin MIX, April 2010). My fourth MG novel, TRAUMA QUEEN, will be published by Aladdin MIX spring 2011.

    I’m up for anything, and willing to commit to posting on a regular schedule. Right now I thinking of offbeat ways to keep tweens reading over the summer. I’d love to become a member of this site–and seriously, guys, I never throw tomatoes!

    [Reply]

  3. Christine Wolf  •  Sep 2, 2010 @11:13 am

    I always love visiting your site, and I’d love to play a part in it — in any way possible. GREAT JOB everyone!

    [Reply]

  4. Cathy Kennedy  •  Nov 23, 2010 @8:09 am

    My publisher is POD, if you consider these sorts of books, then perhaps you may look at my children’s book, The Tale of Ole Green Eyes, for early readers. You may learn more about my book at my website. Thank you!

    [Reply]

  5. Sheryl Gwyther  •  Dec 4, 2010 @10:50 pm

    Love finding blogs about the Mid-Grade genre. I’m an Australian author of mid-grade fiction (here’s it’s more likely to be called Junior Fiction) – looking forward to keeping track of you all.
    We might come from different continents and hemispheres but I bet we have lots in common. :)
    Cheers
    Sheryl

    [Reply]

  6. Joanne Rocklin  •  Feb 7, 2011 @1:10 pm

    Hi. I was thrilled to find your site! I’m a middle-grade author with a new book coming out, ONE DAY AND ONE AMAZING MORNING ON ORANGE STREET, Spring 2011, Abrams. I’ve taught Writing for Children at UCLA Extension, and love talking about writing, especially for this age. Hope to become a member!

    [Reply]

  7. Jacqueline Harvey  •  Mar 25, 2011 @7:07 pm

    Hello,

    I’m an Australian author of Middle Grade Fiction. My new series is about a very optimistic and determined seven year old called Alice-Miranda. Random House Australia have contracted 8 books with the first three released since Feb 2010. I am so excited that the first book, Alice-Miranda At School is launching in the US on 5 April. I am published in the US by Random House Delacorte. Your site is fantastic – wish I’d found it sooner!

    Love to be involved in any way possible.

    Best wishes,
    Jacqueline Harvey

    [Reply]

  8. Lindsay Eland  •  Jul 3, 2012 @10:39 am

    Hi! I am the middle grade author of Scones and Sensibility (Egmont USA 2009), with another mg novel coming out next summer :) A site dedicated to Middle Grade?! It doesn’t get much better than that! I would love to be considered when an opening arises!

    Best,

    Lindsay

    [Reply]

  9. Julie Krantz  •  Oct 17, 2012 @8:27 am

    Greetings, All! I write across genres, from picture book to middle grade to poetry for children and adults and would love to become part of this group. Right now my poems can be found all over the web, my picture books are soon to be released on iBooks, and my serious/funny middle-grade, STELLA BELLAROSA, is for sale on Amazon. Please stop by and take a look–first three chapters are posted and book is free for download 5X every three months.

    [Reply]

  10. Erika Kathryn  •  Jan 12, 2013 @7:29 pm

    Hi ya’ll!

    I just published the 1st Volume of the Angel Archives, called Audie the Angel and the Angel Army. It is a fast-paced, wholesome, fun adventure! Working on Volume 2 now and it includes Zombies in it…Angels and Zombies in 1 book! Please check out the website: http://www.audietheangel.com

    Also, I’d LOVE to be a member of this site when it opens back up! Thank you for your consideration and thank you for creating a site for Middle Grade! It’s awesome!!!

    ~Erika Kathryn~

    [Reply]

  11. Gayle Rosengren  •  Jan 19, 2013 @2:36 pm

    Hello!
    My middle grade historical fiction novel, What the Moon Said, is being published early in 2014 by Putnam/Penguin. I didn’t know this site existed until a friend who belonged to the 2010 group told me about it earlier today. I rushed right over! I’m so very impressed by all that you have to offer. I wish I’d learned about you sooner, but as my grandmother always used to say, better late than never(!) I will be a regular visitor from now on, and, when you have a space, I would love to be considered for membership.
    Thank you for maintaining this fabulous site!
    Gayle Rosengren

    [Reply]

    Marlene Fitzwater Reply:

    @Gayle Rosengren,

    Congratulations on having your novel published! I have written a historical novel for middle grade readers, after being published in other genres, and am looking to connect with an author who has published in this genre. If you are interested in connecting with a serious, dedicated writer, please let me know. Thanks so much.

    Marlene Fitzwater

    [Reply]

    Gayle Rosengren Reply:

    @Marlene Fitzwater,
    Hello Marlene,
    Sure, I’d love to connect and exchange experiences. My book just went to copyediting and sales/marketing, so I’m entering the home stretch. :-) I have one more MG historical in the revision stage and a contemporary just completed (for the moment, anyway!). Who have you published with so far?
    Gayle

    [Reply]

  12. Lisa Orchard  •  Apr 21, 2013 @4:28 pm

    Hello! I’m Lisa Orchard the author of the middle grade Super Spies mystery/thriller series. I have published two books in the series and the third one will be available in August. I would love to be considered for membership and I’m willing to help in any way that is needed. Thanks so much for your time and consideration.

    [Reply]

  13. Mary Ryan  •  May 13, 2013 @7:24 am

    I’d love to join this group. Just stumbled upon it last week and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite blogs. I’ve published six books with traditional publishers, including Me Two, which became the Disney Channel movie, The Other Me. It’s still available through iUniverse’s Back in Print program with Author’s Guild. I’ve done some POD, as well.

    [Reply]

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