My Keys On: Writing, Illustrating, and more: Janitors

I write middle-grade because I LOVE to read middle-grade. These are the books that I wish were around when I was young. I especially enjoy stories that find magic in the most unlikely of places or ones that take me on an adventure. Today for Tween the Weekends, a fun promotion hosted by Emblazoners.com, I thought I’d share three of my favorite middle grade books and why I think you’ll like reading them as much as I do. I also give a list of my personal recommendations.

First up is a book that has made it to the top of my list, THE FALSE PRINCE, by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Why is this book at the top of my list? Because it is filled with heroic adventures, compelling conflict, and best of all it has a strong main character that makes me root for him every step of the way. Another reason why this book means so much to me is that aside from its terrific plot and twisty ending, is that it's about a boy trying to come to terms with who he really is and accepting that. So often I see kids struggling to accept their roles in life, whether that is the role of a sibling, child, student, or prince. This book shows them how they can be true to themselves no matter the consequences.

Next on my list is a super fun series. GILDA JOYCE PSYCHIC INVESTIGATOR, by Jennifer Allison. If you are in the mood for a spooky story that will have you rolling on the floor from laughing so hard I recommend these books. Gilda is a tween trying to overcome the loss of her father with herself proclaimed psychic powers. As each story leads her to solve one strange mystery after another you might wonder, like I have, if Gilda really is psychic after all. This is a fun book series about freaky ghosts and chasing after your dreams. Gilda is hilarious and will make you laugh—but be warned these books might get a little creepy if read late at night.

Last on my list today is a fun story about finding magic in everyday places, namely, grade school. In JANITORS, by Tyler Whiteside, the main character, Spencer, learns that magic is real and it’s affecting the way kids learn. This book answers the question of why kids fall asleep during math or history—yes, there is a reason. Janitors are wizard like guardians protecting education from magic gone bad. It’s a pretty cool book about finding the unexpected in the most boring of places. I really enjoyed the themes presented in this book including being true to yourself and not being a chameleon, someone who changes sides on a whim. This book is one of the books I wish I had read when I was a kid.

If these books aren’t enough, try these on as well:

Find more great books for tweens at: http://emblazoners.com/

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Tween the Weekends: Great Tween Books