From The Mixed Up Files

Today, please author Margaret Gurevich to the Mixed-Up Files! Margaret’s latest MG novel, Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah, hailed by Kirkus as: “A loving, carefully delineated portrayal of growth,” is out now from Penguin Workshop. But first… A Summary It’s 1986, and 13-year-old Yasha Reznik doesn’t understand why his parents moved from their Russian community in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, to the suburbs of New Jersey. Sure, it may be their American Dream, but it’s not his. Yasha’s dream is to make it through his Bar Mitzvah, watch the New York Mets make it to the playoffs,...

Exciting news for budding librarians and other people who love deep diving into information: The Library of Congress (LoC) is opening The Source, a special space for kids 8 and older to learn about research and information. According to the LoC, The Source will be a “space to discover how information and research can nourish curiosity, creativity and change… Through dynamic interactive experiences, kids will explore the Library’s resources and discover their own researcher identity by exploring collections, finding and analyzing information and considering perspectives represented in the Library.”   The space was designed with help from a youth advisory council,...

Changing the clocks for Daylight Saving Time reminded me of how disruptive losing one hour can be, and had me imagining if I could travel through time. These seven spectacular books feature diverse characters, each with a definite reason for visiting another time. Some go to the past for a...

Welcome to Writing Tips and Resources! This month we’re talking about: Climbing the Mountain of Your Writing Project! Like a mountain, a writing project can be big, confusing, and hard to picture in its totality. Luckily, we can prepare to write just like we prepare to climb a mountain. Let’s...

Today, please author Margaret Gurevich to the Mixed-Up Files! Margaret’s latest MG novel, Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah, hailed by Kirkus as: “A loving, carefully delineated portrayal of growth,” is out now from Penguin Workshop. But first… A Summary It’s 1986, and 13-year-old Yasha Reznik doesn’t understand why his parents moved...

You turn the crank on the side of the colorful box once, then once again, and then wait.  You turn it slower and slower, rapt in anticipation of that freaky clown’s surprise appearance when the lid springs open. With every turn, your heart beats faster, and your eyes get a...

I’m delighted to welcome award-winning author Fleur Bradley to the blog. I first discovered Fleur when I devoured her middle grade mystery Midnight at the Barclay Hotel. With its clever clues and spectacular twist, it felt very Agatha Christie for kids. I became an instant fan. She followed with Daybreak on...

I’m delighted to welcome award-winning author Fleur Bradley to the blog. I first discovered Fleur when I devoured her middle grade mystery Midnight at the Barclay Hotel. With its clever clues and spectacular twist, it felt very Agatha Christie for kids. I became an instant fan. She followed with Daybreak on...