The Bookshelf – Page 6

Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer, for MMGM

9JanuarySuzanne14 CommentsMarvelous Middle Grades, The Bookshelf

Happy Snow Day! That’s our status, anyway. Everything whited over and cancelled yesterday and Saturday, and the roads just beginning to become navigable today. I hope you’re all staying warm, wherever you are! Stepping into the spotlight today we have Magic Below Stairs, by Caroline Stevermer. More on the author below, because you may not

Magical Animal Adoption Agency: Clovers Luck, by Kallie George, for MMGM

19DecemberSuzanne6 CommentsMarvelous Middle Grades, The Bookshelf

Happy MMGM, my friends! As I type this, we here in North Carolina have had minor freezes and threats of freezing rain, but no snow. That’s still quite cold enough for me, and it’s easy to see how a lovely (warm!) summer book like this one could be a hit for some young reader to

The Sun Trail (Warriors: Dawn of the Clan #1), by Erin Hunter, for MMGM

5DecemberSuzanne10 CommentsMarvelous Middle Grades, The Bookshelf

Happy December, folks! With Christmas and Hanukkah right around the corner, I think a lot of us are wondering whatÂ books kids will get really excited about unwrapping. I’m definitely seeing more requests for book recommendations on Facebook, and answering that question is one of my all time loves! The only down side is that I

Palace of Stone, by Shannon Hale, for MMGM

21NovemberSuzanne10 CommentsMarvelous Middle Grades, The Bookshelf

What does Palace of Stone have to do with Thanksgiving week? Well…I’m tempted to say absolutely nothing, but here are a couple things that come to mind, right off the top of my head: Gratitude that our presidents have limited terms, and that no matter how awful the choice in whomever gets voted in (notice

Full of Beans, by Jennifer Holm, for MMGM

7NovemberSuzanne11 CommentsMarvelous Middle Grades, The Bookshelf

I was fortunate enough to win my copy of Full of Beans from Joanne Fritz–many thanks, again!–and found this story to be delightful and satisfying in unexpected ways. Full of Beans is the tale of Beans Curry, who has big plans for himself and his friends that will see them comfortably through the lean times

Invisible Inkling, by Emily Jenkins,for MMGM

24OctoberSuzanne13 CommentsMarvelous Middle Grades, The Bookshelf

I know Halloween isn’t til next week, but on my new schedule I won’t be posting. So I hope you’ll all forgive me a slightly early Halloweenish post–starting with this very important PSA: Beware of jack-o-lanterns which develop an appetite for candy! You never know when they’ll sneak into your stash and eat all the

For MMGM: What Does the Perfect Middle Grade Novel Look Like?

10OctoberSuzanne21 CommentsMarvelous Middle Grades, Writing

One week ago I attended the SCBWI Carolinas conference, and had such a great time! It’s been a couple years since I’ve been able to drive down and participate in all three days, and it was great to have the time this year to see (almost) everyone I wanted to see and spend more time

Bjorn’s Gift, by Sandy Brehl, for MMGM

19SeptemberSuzanne17 CommentsMarvelous Middle Grades, The Bookshelf

Several years ago I had the privilege of reading an ARC of Odin’s Promise, and am not ashamed to say that I gave the book one of my more gushing spotlights–which you can read here. At the time, Sandy had no concrete plans to write a sequel, but thankfully she’s done just that and has

The Red Pyramid, by Rick Riordan, for MMGM

5SeptemberSuzanne8 CommentsMarvelous Middle Grades, The Bookshelf

I have to give a huge hug of thanks to my fellow MMGMers for nudging me to give Rick Riordan another try. I was underwhelmed by the first Percy Jackson book. Didn’t hate it, definitely saw its value on the MG shelf, but didn’t care for Percy’s voice and found the plot (or lack thereof)

The End of the Alligator Days

29AugustSuzanne4 CommentsThe Bookshelf, Writing

Hello, dear friends! How was your summer? Mine was lovely–all that I hoped it could be, and soo restorative! I am energized and enthused and ready for the writing and editing projects of the fall. Plus the fun of faires and festivals, pumpkin days and crisp leaves raining from a clear blue sky. I love

Suzanne Warr

Narrative designer, game designer, author

Category Archives: The Bookshelf