We’re so excited to talk to Aileen Weintraub, the author of more than 50 books for children. Her newest book, We Got Game: 35 Female Athletes Who Changed the World releases on May 4th. Middle Grade Mojo: You’ve written many other nonfiction books for kids with a wide range of topics from rocks and minerals to a knock-knock joke book to a book about the band Kiss. Why did you decide you wanted to write [...]
After her mother dies, 12-year-old Lydia goes to live with her aunt Brat, and her aunt's wife Eileen on a farm that they care for while also caring for the ancient owner of the farm, Elloroy. This story about grief and starting over is as soft, comforting, and beautiful as the hand-knitted sweater that Lydia wears constantly to keep her mother close to her. Before she died, Lydia's mom spent several years waiting on a [...]
After living most of her twelve-years of life traveling around the world with her archeologist dad, Lola Bento is angry and frustrated to be staying with her Great-aunt Irma in San Francisco. She likes Irma just fine and San Francisco is okay too. But what is not okay is the fact that her dad is missing and no one is even trying to find him because they think he’s dead, but she knows in her [...]
What is even more foolish, is to not even try to write because you are afraid of making a fool of yourself. Go and write!
Great writers know... You may not be a great writer yet, but as long as you keep moving toward your goal, you'll be successful eventually. Keep moving! Keep writing!
In Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China, Bubba and his big sister Squirt, fell through a hole near the old sycamore tree and landed in Xian, China surrounded by Terracotta Warriors. After they come back from China, Bubba has a dream that his Great- Great-Grandpa Jacob, a magician, told him to go through the vortex again. Squirt doesn’t like this idea at all. She worries they might not be able to figure out how [...]
Happy Book Birthday to Heather L. Montgomery with her new MG Nonfiction Who Gives a Poop? Surprising Science From One End to the Other. As if her book about roadkill (Something Rotten) wasn’t gross enough, Heather Montgomery brings us a book about poop. And just like her roadkill book, this one is stuffed with science and scientists. She writes about Dr. Logan Kistler, an archaeologist that specializes in archaeogenomics and who, by studying mastodon [...]
Do you think too much about what you're going to write? Wonder if an agent will like it? Or a publisher? Do you cross off ideas just because you think it won't sell? Don't waste valuable writing time by second-guessing your ideas and inspirations. Write what your heart is telling you to write.
For twelve-year-old JJ, an invitation to a free weekend at the famously haunted Barclay Hotel is the best thing that could happen to a ghost hunter, which he is. He pulls the guilt card on his workaholic CEO mom and she agrees to take the weekend off and go. When they arrive, they meet the other guests: a cowboy, an actress, a librarian, and a detective with his granddaughter, Penny. Once all the guests have [...]
Middle Grade Mojo is proud to announce the release of the debut novel of Mojo member, Debbie D'Aurelio! We're super proud of her and we love this book! The first place 12-year-old Riley Green goes when she arrives at her school is to the STEM lab to show her favorite teacher her invention for the Invention Convention. But when her teacher opens the door to the classroom, Riley forgets all about her invention. The classroom [...]
