Finding great gifts for middle schoolers can seem like an impossible task. If they don't have it already, it's uber-expensive. But if you're buying for a middle-schooler who loves to read, or has dreams of being a writer - the answer is simple. The best Christmas gift for a middle-school reader or wanna-be author is a signed book! Signed books make great gifts for several reasons. First, unless it's a collector's item, a signed book [...]
No one puts the fun in non-fiction like Kim Zachman! Her NEW release, There's No Cream in Cream Soda, explores the fun, facts, and stories of the origins of some of America’s most popular beverages. From soda to water to milk and juice, curious kids will get answers to questions like, what kind of root is in root beer, and who put the pink in pink lemonade? This STEM book explores the inventions, innovations, and [...]
Twitter has a large writing community, but A). Not every author is on the platform, and B.) Those of us who are are, are busy trying to write! If one of those two describes you, it stands to reason that you might have missed these tweets from agents looking specifically for middle-grade books. Never fear, the MOJO crew is here to help! Masha Gunic @masha_gunic Twitter bio: Associate Agent at the Azantian Literary Agency / [...]
On Friday, May 29th at 4:00 p.m. EDT, you can watch a Facebook live roundtable discussion hosted by Nora McFarland and Chris Grabenstein with guest authors Lauren Magaziner and Lamar Giles as they discuss Super Puzzletastic Mysteries: Short Stories for Young Sleuths from Mystery Writers of America. The authors will be discussing their methods for writing mysteries and what they enjoy about writing for middle grade readers. These twenty short mysteries are sure to test [...]
Every year about this time, the American Library Association (ALA.org) announces the winners of a their awards for literature for young people. Since we’re the Middle Grade Mojo, we consider the most important award the Newbery medal. The winner of the 2020 Newbery Medal is… Jerry Craft for “New Kid”. This is the first time a graphic novel has won! Jerry’s story about Jordan Banks, an artsy middle grader who wanted to go to an [...]
Did you know that Mojo Member, Lisa Lewis Tyre, holds a writing contest for middle-school students? It's true! And the best part, besides the encouraging young people to write and the prize money, is that the Middle-Grade Mojo gets to judge! Here's the 411 - THE BERTIE A Short Story Contest for students ages 10 – 13* (*The contest will be split into two categories based on age - 10/11 and 12/13!) Entries accepted January [...]
Happy New Year! As you can see, we're celebrating in style with a new name and a new look. Why the change? Although we had a lot of fun with the Mafia theme over the past few years - it does have a certain "negative" connotation. Since we're all about encouragement here at MGM, we thought it was time for a glam-up. Who is ready for a fresh shot of Middle-Grade Mojo?? We're excited to [...]
"Regardless of ethnicity, socioeconomic level or previous achievement, children who read four or more books over the summer fare better on reading comprehension tests in the fall than their peers who read one or no books over the summer." [...]
The Middle-Grade Mafia had a great time at Springmingle. The event was held in Decatur, Georgia and featured awesome intensives, speeches, and opportunities for networking. Also, a party! Check out the highlight video below and next year, be there yourself!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJJDm1B3jF0
Ask any author and they'll tell you the same thing - to be a good writer, you need to READ. Believe it or not, as much as the Mafia loves to read, we still have to be deliberate in making time for it. I polled the family to ask for their 2017 Reading Goals. Ours are below. Add yours in the comments and we'll check back in a few months to see where we are! [...]
