Jacqueline Woodson

October 20, 2014 by Karen Jensen, MLS

Middle Grade Monday – Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

I’m finally going to weigh in with my thoughts on the lyrical, breathtaking work of art that is Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming. Not that you really need my opinion. It has received, at last count, six starred reviews from major review publications, Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, Horn Book, School Library Journal, and the Bulletin […]

September 8, 2014 by Karen Jensen, MLS

In My Mailbox: Looking for Middle Grade Fiction that Deals with Sexual Violence

I often get emails and comments in regards to The #SVYALit Project asking about Middle Grade titles that deal with sexual abuse and violence of pre-teen kids. And each time I get a question, I go looking for some great recommendations. I have even tried to ask author and Middle Grade champion Anne Ursu and […]

May 1, 2014 by Karen Jensen, MLS

Take 5: Upcoming Middle Grade Titles with Diverse Protagonists

In the spirit of the We Need Diverse Books campaign, here are 5 upcoming middle grade titles that fit the bill: I Lived on Butterfly Hill by Marjorie Agosin An eleven-year-old’s world is upended by political turmoil in this searing novel from an award-winning poet, based on true events in Chile. Celeste Marconi is a […]