MARGARET PETERSON HADDIX

68 

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 0 

PREMIERE ISSUE: FALL 2013 

FEATURING 

MARGARET 

PETERSON HADDIX

EST. 1972 HPB.COM

Margaret Brown founder and publisher 

Laurisa White Reyes editor in chief 

Christina Davidson creative director 

Ben Minton circulation manager 

Patricia McClain copy editor 

Anne McCain associate editor 

Kelly Bergh book reviewer 

Teak Balena book reviewer 

Jandy Jace accounting manager 

For advertising inquiries: 

call 214.704.4182 or 

e-mail margaret@shelfmediagroup.com 

For editorial inquiries: 

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or write to Middle Shelf, 28020 Newbird Dirve, 

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staff 

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COOL READS FOR KIDS

6 margaret peterson haddix 

interview with the author of Risked 

10 chris grabenstein 

interview with the author of Escape 

from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library 

12 new author 

interview with McKenzie Wagner 

14 new author 

interview with Jennifer Gooch Hummer 

16 genre fiction excerpts 

44 halloween picks 

premiere issue: fall 2013 contents 

DEPARTMENTS 

4 a word from the editor 

26 under the covers 

32 spotlights 

36 reviews 

38 publisher’s corner 

40 on our shelf 

42 best of the blogs 

46 poetry 

48 character spotlight 

50 bookshelf 

58 contributors 

60 last words 

On the cover: 

Risked by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Simon 

& Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2013, 

www.simonandschuster.com 

Images from Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein, illustrated by Gilbert Ford, 2013, Random House 

Children’s Books and Up in the Air by Anne Marie Meyers, illustrated by Ethan Aldridge, 2013, Jolly Fish Press

a word from the editor 

4 

W 

elcome to the debut issue of Middle Shelf: Cool 

Reads for Kids. I am thrilled to be a part of this 

amazing new endeavor. Good books have the 

power to entertain, to spark imaginations, and 

to transform lives, which is precisely why Middle 

Shelf came into being. We want to connect middle 

grade readers with the very best books, whether 

they are on the best-seller lists, published by small 

and indie presses, or self-published. 

What will you find in this issue? First, Margaret 

Peterson Haddix, author of many popular books for 

kids and teens, gives us a glimpse into the latest 

book in her The Missing series. Gilbert Ford and 

Nicole de las Heras discuss how they worked together 

to create the cover for Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris 

Grabenstein, who is interviewed in this issue as well. You’ll also meet 12-yearold 

author McKenzie Wagner and debut author Jennifer Gooch Hummer. 

With Halloween just around the corner, check out our selection of fun and 

spooky titles. In addition, you will find excerpts, reviews, and a feature called 

Publisher’s Corner, introducing you to the people who transform great stories 

into books. 

Beginning with our January 2014 issue, we plan to include Letters to the Editor. 

Tell us what you like about the magazine, which books you’ve enjoyed reading, 

and what you’d like to see in future issues. Or respond to our READERS 

CHALLENGE (below). Email your letters to: Laurisa@shelfmediagroup.com 

[Kids, make sure you have permission from an adult.] 

We hope Middle Shelf will become a cherished resource for parents, teachers, 

librarians, and, of course, kids. 

Laurisa White Reyes 

editor-in-chief 

P R E M I E R E I S S U E : F A L L 2 0 1 3 

READERS CHALLENGE: Write a 2- to 4-line poem about or 

using the word “SNOW.” Selected entries will be published in 

the January 2014 issue of Middle Shelf. 

Find Middle Shelf on Facebook: www.facebook.com/middleshelfmagazine

NEW BOOKS 

FOR KIDS IN NEED 

Nothing makes you smarter than reading. 

But to become a strong reader, you need books. And many kids from 

low-income families don’t have books of their own at home. 

First Book is a nonprofit that makes sure all kids have books of their own. 

Find out how YOU can get involved at firstbook.org.

6 

feature author interview 

Margaret Peterson 

Haddix 

Risked: The Missing, Book 6 

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 

http://haddixbooks.com/books/risked.html 


Ages 8-12 

RISKED 

The Missing Series #6 

Jonah thought that after his last adventure in 

1903, he and his sister Katherine would have a 

break from time travel for a while. For the first 

time, he’s willing to look into his own identity in 

the past, and he thinks this is his chance. 

But he barely has time for a single Google 

search before he, Katherine, and their 

friend Chip are tricked and zapped back to 

1918 — and to the house where the Romanov 

family was imprisoned after the Russian 

Revolution. Trapped without a fully working 

Elucidator, the three kids still hope they can 

escape and save the lives of Anastasia and 

Alexei Romanov. 

But is it possible to change time that much 

when modern-day scientists have identified the 

entire Romanov family’s remains?

Middle Shelf: Tell us about your new 

book, Risked. 

Margaret Peterson Haddix: In Risked, 

the time-traveling siblings Jonah and 

Katherine and their friend Chip end up 

imprisoned with the Romanov family in 

the tumultuous summer of 1918, more 

than a year after Tsar Nicholas II abdicated 

his throne. Jonah, Katherine and Chip 

desperately want to be able to save the 

two youngest Romanovs, 

Anastasia and Alexei—and 

any of the rest of their family 

as they can. But the 

kids wonder: Is that even 

possible, when they already 

know from research in their 

own time that the entire 

family was assassinated? 

How can they rearrange 

time that much? 

MS: Risked is the sixth 

book in the Missing series. Tell us about 

the series as a whole. 

Haddix: The Missing series begins with 

36 babies mysteriously showing up on an 

otherwise abandoned airplane. Siblings 

Jonah and Katherine and their friends 

face an FBI cover-up, double-crossing 

adults, and risks to time itself as they 

try to solve the mystery and then travel 

through time rescuing various children 

endangered by their native time periods, 

ranging from the 1400s on. 

MS: What inspired you to write Missing? 

Haddix: I first became intrigued by the 

notion of a mysterious planeload of 

babies. Then, once I figured out who 

those babies should be, I was fascinated 

by the idea of writing about kids who 

were raised in the twenty-first century 

getting to explore dangerous time periods 

of the past. 

MS: You’ve published 

30 books, including the 

popular Shadow Children 

series. Which book(s) are 

particularly special to you 

and why? 

Haddix: The easy answer 

is that all of them are special, 

although the books 

tend to be special for different 

reasons. For example, 

Among the Hidden, 

the first Shadow Children 

book, is special partly because it came 

so naturally to me and I felt like I knew 

the main characters, Jen and Luke, so 

thoroughly right from the start. Another 

book, Uprising, is special because it was 

very challenging to write, and I was constantly 

wondering if I could carry off the 

balance between the actual history and 

the three differing characters at the heart 

of the story, Bella and Yetta and Jane. I 

could probably go on this way, mentioning 

every single one of my 30 books! 

7

8 

MS: What books did you enjoy reading 

when you were younger and how have 

they influenced you as a writer? 

Haddix: I was a huge reader as a kid, 

and read everything I could get my 

hands on. I think the variety of reading 

material—sci fi, realistic contemporary 

fiction, historical fiction, mysteries, biographies, 

etc.—influenced me in that I 

have now also written books in a variety 

of genres, and enjoy bouncing back 

and forth between various 

types of books as a writer 

as well as a reader. Some 

of my favorite books were 

older ones that in some 

cases had belonged to my 

mother or grandmother— 

like Little Women, Rebecca 

of Sunnybrook Farm, 

A Little Princess, Anne of 

Green Gables, etc. I liked 

a lot of the character-driven 

books, where reading 

felt like hanging out with a beloved 

friend. But I also liked more adventurous 

stories, many of which I borrowed from 

my brothers’ bookshelves. Some books I 

remember particularly enjoying that were 

adventures with girls as main characters 

were From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. 

Basil E. Frankweiler, by E.L. Konigsberg; 

The Long Journey, by Barbara Corcoran; 

and She the Adventuress, by Dorothy 

Crayder. 


MS: Could you share a little about 

your initial road to publication? 

Haddix: I studied creative writing in college, 

but also studied journalism because 

I thought it was a safer bet in terms of 

allowing me to support myself after college. 

So I worked as a newspaper reporter 

in Indianapolis for four years, which gave 

me a lot of valuable writing experience 

and also exposed me to a lot of interesting 

people and ideas. When my husband’s job 

took us to a small town in 

Illinois where there wasn’t 

much job opportunity for 

me, I switched to teaching 

part-time at a community 

college and told myself 

that this was my chance 

to use the rest of my work 

time for writing fiction. Like 

most writers, I endured way 

more of the “submit—then 

get rejected” cycle than I 

wanted to. (Because who 

wants to endure any of it?) After about two 

years, I got an agent; a year later, Simon 

and Schuster accepted my first two books 

for publication: Running Out of Time and 

Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey. 

MS: What were some of the most 

interesting things you learned during 

your research for the Missing Series? 

Haddix: I’m a history buff anyway, so I 

was fascinated by pretty much everything

about the time periods and personalities 

I researched for the books in the Missing 

series. There are now a host of historic 

people I would love to go back in time to 

meet to see if they are really the way history 

portrays them—not just the obvious 

ones like, say, Albert Einstein, but also his 

first wife, Mileva (who played a huge role in 

Caught), Elizabeth Woodville (who became 

queen and mother of the princes in the 

tower in Sent), John White (the despairing 

grandfather in Sabotaged, 

who was also an amazing 

artist). All of them seemed 

to have been able to think 

very differently and, in some 

cases, behave very differently, 

than others of their 

time period. That intrigues 

me. Of all the time periods, 

people, and events I’ve 

researched for the series, 

I was probably most fascinated 

by all the oddities 

connected to the Lost Colony of Roanoke 

Island. So many very bizarre, unexplained 

things happened on that island. I want to 

have all the mysteries solved, not just the 

most famous ones! 

MS: What can we expect from you in 

the future? 

Haddix: Besides the Missing series, the 

next middle grade book I have coming out 

is a book called Palace Of Lies, which is 

due out in the fall of 2014. It is a companion 

book to two of my earlier books, Just Ella 

and Palace Of Mirrors. Now that there will 

be three, the plan is to call the whole trilogy 

“The Palace Chronicles.” Palace Of Lies 

picks up the story from the perspective of 

Princess Desmia, who was something of a 

mysterious character in Palace Of Mirrors. 

Here’s the official description of the 

book: Desmia and her twelve sister-princesses 

are finally ruling Suala together, as 

a united front. All seems 

to finally be well, and Suala 

seems to have gotten its 

happily ever after at last. But 

Desmia, trained by a lifetime 

of palace intrigue, is not 

so sure. She desperately 

wants to believe everything 

will be fine, but she can’t 

help but see danger around 

every corner. 

And then the unthinkable 

happens, and Desmia’s 

worst fears are confirmed. Now, without 

the support of the sister-princesses she’s 

grown to rely on or the trappings of royalty 

that have always made people listen 

to her, Desmia must find the courage to 

seek out the truth on her own terms—and 

determine the course of two kingdoms. 

Beyond Palace Of Lies, I have plans to 

write middle grades books that will come 

out in 2016 and 2017, but that is too far 

ahead to really talk about yet! 

9

Chris 

Grabenstein 

10 


Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library 

Random House Books for Young Readers 

www.randomhousekids.com 


Ages 8-12 

Middle Shelf: You started out as an 

improv comedian. Have any rules of 

improv influenced your fiction writing? 

ESCAPE 

FROM MR. 

LEMONCELLO’S 

LIBRARY 

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library 

is a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 

for the 21st century—at once a flashlight-under-the-covers 

adventure and a 

literary delight. 

Chris Grabenstein: Yes, indeed! I use 

the basic improv principle of saying 

“Yes, and...” every day when I write. 

When you’re improvising a scene with

a partner, the only real rule is to not deny 

what your partner creates and then build 

on it. For instance, if you say, “Hands 

up, I have a gun!” and I say, “No, that’s 

your finger” our scene dies. But, if I say, 

“Hey, isn’t that the gun the Martians left 

last time they landed in our trailer park?” 

we’re off and running. In my author visits 

to schools, I try to teach kids how to use 

this technique so they never have writer’s 

block. It’s a great way to let your subconscious 

come out and play. Of course, 

once you improvise that scene on paper, 

you go back and tighten it up and make it 

better. (The second lesson of my school 

visits is that the secret to writing is rewriting.) 

But, utilizing the “Yes, and...” technique 

opens you up to all sorts of opportunities 

your rational brain may never find. 

MS: You’ve written books for kids as 

well as a number of mysteries and 

thrillers for adults. What does writing 

for middle readers allow you to do or 

explore that writing for adults does not? 

Grabenstein: I find that I get to use more 

of my imagination when I’m writing for 

Middle Grades readers. That said, I borrow 

the pacing, cliffhangers, and twists 

of my adult mysteries and thrillers to keep 

kids burning through the pages. I suspect 

this is why my books have done so well 

with reluctant readers. The nicest e-mails 

I receive are from parents who tell me 

that their son or daughter wasn’t a reader 

until they picked up one of my books 

and couldn’t put it down. Also, at book 

signings, kids sometimes hug your book 

while they wait on line for you to sign it. 

Very few adults are book huggers. 

MS: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s 

Library is a celebration of literature 

and libraries and even the Dewey Decimal 

System. Did you frequent the 

library as a kid, and what were some 

of your favorite books that you discovered 

there? 

Grabenstein: Unfortunately, in my own 

life, the opposite is true. After being born 

in Buffalo, NY my family moved to a part 

of Tennessee where, at the time, libraries 

and books and even education weren’t 

celebrated very much. I don’t think our 

small town even had a public library. At 

school, our library wasn’t considered an 

important part of the learning experience. 

Visiting schools and public libraries for 

the past five years, I have been extremely 

impressed by the libraries and librarians 

that are out there helping young minds 

find books to devour. Often, the favorite 

part of my school visit day is early in the 

morning, drinking coffee with the librarians, 

listening to them interacting with the 

eager kids who come through the door 

at 8 a.m. hungry for a new book to read. 

“Oh, if you liked X, you’ll love Z,” they say. 

And I ask myself, where were these libraries 

and librarians when I was a kid? 

11

12 


McKenzie 

Wagner 

The Stones of Horsh (Benotripia, Book 2) 

Cedar Fort | www.cedarfortbooks.com 


Ages 11-15 

Middle Shelf: Congratulations on 

your books, McKenzie. How does it 

feel to be a published author at your 

age? And how old are you? 

BENOTRIPIA 

The Stones of Horsh 

With the queen gone, the Darvonians 

have the perfect opportunity to invade 

Benotripia, find the Stones of Horsh, and 

harness their great powers. Only three 

children stand in their way: Roseabelle, 

Jessicana, and Astro. But this time, the 

Darvonians know not to underestimate 

these children, and the invaders come 

prepared. Roseabelle and her friends must 

survive long enough to save the stones. 

McKenzie Wagner: It feels amazing to 

be a published author! I love everything 

about it—doing signings, speaking to 

kids, and most of all, the writing. And I 

am currently twelve years old.

MS: Your second book, Benotripia: 

The Stones Of Horsh, came out in 

September with Cedar Fort Publishing. 

Could you tell us about the story? 

Wagner: Sure! In The Stones Of Horsh, 

the Darvonians have secretly invaded Benotripia 

to find mystical artifacts. These artifacts, 

the Stones of Horsh, are extremely 

powerful. Roseabelle, Jessicana, and 

Astro return in this exciting sequel. It’s a 

race against time between 

the three friends and the 

Darvonians. The outcome 

will decide the fate of Benotripia. 

MS: When did you decide 

to become an author? 

Wagner: It all started with 

reading. I learned how to 

read when I was four years 

old and instantly loved it. I 

was hooked on all kinds of 

books. In first grade my teacher, Ms. Kunz, 

taught me how to put a book together. 

When I went home, I started to write my 

first book. At the end of the summer, my 

parents read it and thought it was pretty 

good. We decided to submit to a publisher 

in Oklahoma. And let me tell you, I was not 

expecting what came next. The publisher 

actually liked my work and decided to publish 

it! My next book I wrote when I was 

nine, and it was called Benotripia: The Rescue, 

which is the first book in the Benotripia 

series. Cedar Fort, a publisher in Utah, had 

heard of me and decided to publish The 

Rescue and its sequel. 

MS: What has been the biggest or 

best surprise about being an author? 

Wagner: Probably meeting all of the new 

people. I had heard in a lot of older stories 

that authors are hermits, but that is 

definitely not true. I’ve talked with kids, 

telling them to follow their 

dreams. I’ve spoken with 

teachers who are trying 

to motivate their students. 

And of course, I’ve talked 

to other authors. In truth, I 

never thought I’d meet so 

many fantastic people. 

MS: What advice can you 

offer other young writers 

like yourself? 

Wagner: Never give up. 

Getting rejected by publishers is not 

exactly a picnic, and sometimes it makes 

you feel like you should just quit. But let 

me tell you—if your story is rejected, that 

doesn’t mean it’s not a good story. It just 

means that maybe that’s not what genre 

or type of book the publisher was looking 

for. I know an author who has two 

hundred rejection letters, and she’s now 

a New York Times Bestseller! So please 

don’t give up, and keep following your 

dreams. 

13

14 


Jennifer 

Gooch 

Hummer 

Girl Unmoored 

Fiction Studio Books | www.fictionstudiobooks.com 


Ages 10-14 

GIRL 

UNMOORED 

Everyone’s new favorite seventh grader is 

Apron Bramhall, the unmoored star of Girl 

Unmoored. We talked to author Jennifer 

Gooch Hummer about Apron, writing, and 

the upcoming film adaption of the book. 

Middle Shelf: You started writing Girl 

Unmoored when you were 10. What did 

it start out as? How did it develop over 

time? 

Jennifer Gooch Hummer: When I was 10 

years old, Apron knocked on my head. I 

don’t know where her name came from; as 

far as I know there has never been a girl 

named Apron in the history of the world.

But I started A Girl Named Apron in a 

red spiral notebook that I still have today. 

Not much happened in this first story; all 

Apron did was pack up to go live with her 

grandmother in Maine. I put the notebook 

aside, but Apron stayed with me all these 

years. It wasn’t until I met my friend Mike 

15 years later that her story came to me. 

MS: What lesson have you learned 

about writing that you would share 

with your 10-year-old self? 

Hummer: Promise your characters you will 

tell their story, no matter what. Because 

the truth is, no one really cares if you finish 

that story. Obviously, this isn’t the case if 

you are writing for a homework assignment 

— your parents and teachers care a 

great deal about you finishing your work. 

But writing fiction as a passion or a hobby 

can be hard to stay focused on. There’s 

just so much to do in a day, and sitting 

down to write for yourself can become last 

on your list. But by promising your characters 

to tell their stories, your self-destructive 

thoughts have no choice but to take a 

hike. After all, your character showed up at 

the page. You should too. 

MS: Tell us about your main character, 

Apron Bramhall. 

Hummer: Apron has just lost her mother 

and is about to lose her best friend. And 

if those two things aren’t bad enough, 

her father is about to marry the evil 

manipulating nurse who took care of 

Apron’s mother. Apron is floating in a sea 

of trouble, until she meets Mike. Apron 

is 13 and Mike is in his 20’s. But Mike is 

handsome and charming and sweet, so 

it’s only natural that Apron would have 

a crush on him. Growing up is hard and 

spicy and foggy. One minute you think 

you know where you’re headed and the 

next minute someone switches the map 

on you. Mike and Chad show Apron what 

love means — not necessarily the romantic 

kind, but the kind that can save you. 

MS: What were some of your favorite 

books as a middle grade reader? 

Hummer: In middle grade, my favorite 

author was Judy Blume. Blubber and 

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing were two 

of my favorites. There was no one writing 

like Judy Blume at the time. Now, of 

course, there are many great contemporary 

middle grade fiction writers, but she 

was the leader of her genre. 

MS: Was it hard to say goodbye to Apron 

when you finished Girl Unmoored? 

Hummer: Yes! But then a great thing happened. 

Girl Unmoored was optioned for a 

film. I just finished writing the screenplay, 

so I spent my summer once again with 

Apron, Chad, Mike, and unfortunately, the 

evil M. Writing Girl Unmoored for the big 

screen was just about as fun as it gets as 

a writer. Now, it’s onto my next book. 

15

16 


excerpts 

COOL READS FOR 

1 

2 

HISTORICAL 

HUMOR 

MULTI-CULTURAL 

COOL 

KIDS 

Find your next favorite book right here. 

3 4 5 6 

DYSTOPIAN CONTEMPORARY FANTASY

eorge Nelson saw your brother. They 

“G fished him from a barrel in a pond 

and he said it was ‘the Weaver boy,’ and 

then he up and died. Your brother is going 

to pay this time. He can’t get out of this 

one.” 

“No, you got it wrong,” Shad said again, 

but the moment the words were out of his 

mouth, he knew he shouldn’t have spoken. 

He gritted his teeth and watched as the 

realization came over Rachel’s face. Her eyes 

grew silver-dollar bright. Her neck stretched 

up and her shoulders down. Then her mouth 

fell open and she covered it with her hand, 

even as she spoke. “You were there.” 

Shad’s tongue grew thick. He wanted to 

speak, but he couldn’t form words. 

“Get on! What do you know?” 

“I—I—” 

“You tell me. You tell me right now! You 

know what happened.” 

He shook his head. 

“I see it in your eyes.” 

“Rachel—” 

“Don’t you Rachel me, Mr. Weaver. Sir!” 

Maybe it was the way she said sir. Maybe 

it was the way she saw through him. 

Maybe it was the way Mama had shaken 

all over this morning. Or the way they’d 

taken Jeremiah when he was so fast asleep 

and hung-over, he hadn’t put up a fight. 

Maybe it was Rachel saying George Nelson 

had died. 

He didn’t know, but he grabbed Rachel’s 

historical 

Ages 10-14 

Brotherhood by A.B. Westrick 

Viking Juvenile | www.us.penguingroup.com 

Winner of the 2012 SCBWI Book Launch Award 

COOL READS FOR COOL KIDS 

wrists and twisted them. He bent them into 

each other and heard her let out a little 

shriek, and he didn’t let go. Through her 

arms he felt her weight shift and knew her 

knees had buckled, but still he didn’t let go. 

Her eyes bored into him and he held her 

wrists and he felt strong. 

From Brotherhood by A.B. Westrick, Viking Juvenile, 

2013. http://www.us.penguingroup.com/ 

nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780670014392,00. 

html?Brotherhood_Anne_Westrick. Reprinted 

with permission. All rights reserved. 

17

2 humor 

18 

My name is Lulu Harrison, daughter of 

the super cool actor Lincoln Harrison 

and famous film director Fiona. I’m little 

sister to fashionable, fancy fifteen-year-old 

Alexis. My address is 15000 Stone Canyon 

Road, Bel Air, California (that area 

between Beverly Hills and Brentwood). 

You’d think my life was pampering and 

parties. Well, it could be, but the problem 

is, I’m the Not Fitter Inner. I love to garden. 

The rest of my family loves to groom. 

I love to bake. They love to buy. I love 

science experiments. They love strenuous 

exercise (like yoga or Pilates). Are you 

starting to understand? 

Here’s what it means to be a Not Fitter 

Inner. Everyone who ever meets my dad 

or reads about him thinks he’s dreamy. 

They’re not wrong. He’s got thick, wavy 

brown hair and forest-green eyes. BUT I 

have this secret idea he doesn’t even know 

where my room is in the house. I’m one 

gazillion percent sure he doesn’t know the 

name of my best friend, my favorite food, 

or what grade I’m in. 

My sister, Alexis, is flaw free, or at least 

that’s what she’s always telling me. She 

has thick, dark hair that’s always blown 

out. She has an L.A.-style toothpick body. 

People constantly mistake her for a young 

actress. She loves that beyond belief. 

Here’s how I look: plain. I have frizzy, 

shapeless brown hair that I never have 

time to cut or brush. I’ve got pale skin with 


Ages 9-12 

Lulu in LA LA Land by Elisabeth Wolf 

Sourcebooks, Inc. | www.sourcebooks.com 

www.luluinlalaland.com 


overlapping freckles. I’m average height 

and just a little teeny-tiny bit extra chunky. 

I sure don’t want to look like those walking 

skeletons you see around L.A. My best 

feature on the outside is my deep-green 

eyes. My other best parts that you can’t 

see, like my brain and my feelings, my family 

doesn’t care about. Out of sight, out of 

mind. 

From Lulu in LA LA Land by Elisabeth Wolf, 

Sourcebooks, Inc. 2013. http://www.sourcebooks.com. 

Reprinted with permission. All rights 

reserved.

3 multi-cultural 

Shida ran back to her own cooking 

hut. Mama was stirring their ugali to 

a thick consistency. Shida handed her the 

two tomatoes and, after hesitating for a 

moment, offered her the onion as well. 

“Good, Shida. That was fast.” Mama 

began peeling the onion with their dull 

kitchen knife. 

Shida handed Mama their other pot and 

threw the peeling scraps over her shoulder 

into the yard before propping herself up in 

the doorway. “Mama, I think this move to 

Njia Panda could be a good thing for us.” 

Mama grunted and raised her eyebrows. 

“I could go to school and learn from the 

nurse. She could teach me how to become an 

even better healer and then when I’m older —” 

“Shida, stop!” Mama put down the knife. 

Her eyes were suddenly focused. “You’re a 

girl now, a child. Yes, you have healing skills. 

So did I when I was a girl. But how many 

medicine women do you know in our village?” 

Shida stared at the flames. “But, Mama —” 

“No, Shida. You don’t know any. Only 

men. And now try to imagine one of these 

medicine women you dream about coming 

from what people call a dishonorable family, 

a family without a father. Do you see? That’s 

you, Shida. Is that the sort of luck people are 

looking for when they go to a healer?” 

“No,” Shida said. She shifted back and 

forth between her feet and pulled at a hole 

in the waist of her dress. 

“You have to understand this, Shida. 

Ages 10-14 

A Girl Called Problem by Katie Quirk 

William B. Eerdman’s Publishing | www.eerdmans.com 

She who hates, hates herself. —South African proverb 


Now, you’re a girl. But tomorrow, you’ll be 

a woman. People have room in their lives for 

girls with crazy mothers and dead fathers. 

They feel sorry for these girls. How many 

fathers will choose to have their sons marry 

a young woman without a father? A young 

woman whose family has an unlucky history? 

Your best hope is to get married now 

while people still think of you as a girl.” 

From A Girl Called Problem by Katie Quirk, William 

B. Eerdman’s Publishing, 2013. www.eerdmans. 

com. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. 

19

4 dystopian 

20 

ilas, you know what you’ve got to do. 

“SThis is it. This is everything.” 

My head bobs in recognition as Father 

rubs the back of my shoulders and neck. I 

stare at the shimmer and listen to the static 

buzz of the domed Shield overhead. Then 

one of the race officials steps to my side, 

and I hold out my hand. He scans my wrist 

and then moves on to the other racers. 

To my right, five contestants are surrounded 

by family and friends, but Gregg 

stands alone on my left. There’s no one to 

cheer him on, and I can tell his indifference 

is just an act. He stands tall and resolute, 

but I see his eyes roam the crowd as if 

hoping his father will miraculously appear, 

forgiving him for his second-place failure 

on the exams yesterday. I should be more 

focused on the Regency Race, but I can’t 

help feeling a little sorry for him. In a way, 

I’m the cause of his father’s abandonment. 

Gregg rotates his neck, plants the spiked 

toes of his shoes into the soft ground, and 

then returns my stare. He growls. His lips 

tighten and his jaw clenches as he places 

the tips of his fingers onto the dirt. His 

biceps flex and I laugh at his attempt to 

intimidate me. He should know better by 

now, but then there’s never been a day 

quite like today—at least not for us. 

Father digs his fingers into my shoulders 

and pulls me tight against his body. His 

warm breath tickles my ear as he whispers, 

“Get your head in this. Do you hear me? 


Ages 10+ 

A Nothing Named Silas by Steve Westover 

Cedar Fort | cedarfortbooks.com 


You must win.” 

I nod in agreement. “I always do, Father.” 

He usually appreciates my confidence, but 

not today. 

His whisper sharpens. “This isn’t like the 

other races. Silas, you will win this. The 

scouts are watching. The Regents are watching. 

The draft is tomorrow. This is your life. 

Do you hear me, Silas? You cannot fail.” 

From A Nothing Named Silas by Steve Westover, 

Cedar Fort Books, 2013. www.cedarfortbooks.com. 

Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

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COOL READS FOR KIDS. 

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21

5 contemporary 

22 

“G 

abe, honey, come sit down,” says my 

mom. The line between her eyebrows 

doesn’t go with the smile on her face. “We 

need to talk to you about something.” It 

looks like the weird thing is coming my way. 

I search around in my brain and try to 

figure out what I did wrong or how I messed 

up. I come up blank. Nothing out of the 

ordinary has happened the last few days, 

my room is kind of picked up, and I did my 

homework last night. I don’t even think I’ve 

been too rotten to my sister lately. 

“What’s going on?” I flop into the chair 

that’s the only other place to sit. Too late, 

I remember this is not a chair for flopping. 

I wince and rub the spot on my butt that 

hit first. 

“Well, Champ, Mr. Dooley called today 

and told your mom something interesting,” 

says my dad. 

Everyone knows that nothing good has 

ever happened to a kid after a call from the 

principal. My stomach clenches up like a fist. 

I hold myself perfectly still and wait for more. 

“Do you remember those tests that you took 

at the beginning of the year?” my mom asks. 

“Yeah, the whole seventh grade took them. 

It was two days of boring. What about them? 

Did I do something wrong?” They seemed 

pretty easy, but maybe I used the wrong kind 

of pencil or filled in the wrong bubbles. 

“No,” says my mom. “Just the opposite. 

It seems that you did exceptionally well.” 

She stops and looks at my dad. My dad 


Ages 10-14 

A.K.A. Genius by Marilee Haynes 

Pauline Books & Media | www.pauline.org 

“What do I think about that? A genius? That can’t be right.” 


jerks his chin toward me, which I guess 

means he wants my mom to tell me. 

“It seems that the tests showed that you 

have a very high IQ.” My mom smoothes 

her already-smooth blonde hair. “Actually 

your IQ is so high that you’re—” 

“A genius! A real genius,” my dad blurts. 

“What do you think about that?” 

From A.K.A. Genius by Marilee Haynes, 

Pauline Publishing, 2013. http://www.pauline. 

org/PublishingHouse/tabid/1006/Default.aspx. 

Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE 

68 what to read next in independent publishing 

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2013 

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GLOBAL 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP 

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6 

24 

LUCY 

I float in and out of sleep. 

It is strange to be blind. I’m used to a life 

of light. Now everything is dark. 

Someone bursts into my tent, bringing a 

rush of cool air. “The queen wants water,” 

she says. It’s Caro. 

Kheelan is with me, holding my hand. 

“You can’t take this water,” he says. 

“Lucy needs it.” 

I want to smile, to thank him, but I am 

frozen in my body. I can’t move. 


fantasy 

Ages 9-13 

Hope (Faerieground Book 2) 

By Beth Bracken and Kay Fraser 

Capstone Press | www.capstoneyoungreaders.com 


I can only listen. 

“Lucy doesn’t need it,” Caro says. “She’s 

dying.” 

Kheelan’s grip on my hand tightens, and 

then he lets go and stands up. I hear him 

walk toward Caro, and I imagine what 

they must look like: Kheelan calm and 

dark, Caro light and angry, her hands on 

her hips. 

“Calandra will die years before Lucy 

does,” Kheelan says. 

“That’s what you think,” she says. “They 

won’t let Calandra die.”

“Who?” Kheelan asks. “The Crows?” 

Caro says, “That’s right. Now give me 

that water. Soli asked for it for the queen.” 

“Soli is with her?” Kheelan asks. He 

sighs. 

“I’ll take her a cup. You stay here with 

Lucy.” 

The cool air brushes my face again, and 

Caro grabs my hand. She leans her face 

close to mine—I can feel her breath. “Now, 

Lucy,” she says. Her voice is still low and 

angry. “Let’s go.” 

And I hear the flap of wings. 


SOLI 

Calandra is asleep when Kheelan bursts 

into the tent. 

I drop her hand. 

“Here,” he says, thrusting a cup of water 

toward me. “Caro said you needed this.” 

“Thank you,” I say. 

I reach for the water. My hand brushes 

his as I take the cold cup, and I feel the 

familiar tingle slide down my spine. 

I smile up at him, and he reaches out and 

strokes my cheek. 

Then Calandra moans from her bed. 

“Andria, find Mommy,” she says. “Find 

Mommy, I’m sick.” 

“Who is Andria?” Kheelan asks. “Isn’t 

that Lucy’s mother?” 

“My sister,” the queen says, shaking her 

head. “Tell her to find my mother.” 

I try to help her drink the water, but it 

mostly drips down her face. 

The proud queen, once so beautiful, 

looks broken, dying. 

Then she’s asleep again. 

Motherbird races into the tent, her face 

flushed. 

“Come, Soledad,” she says. “Quickly. 

Lucy has been taken.” 

She holds up one black feather. 

From Hope by Beth Bracken and Kay Fraser, 

Capstone Press 2013. www.capstoneyoungreaders. 

com. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. 

25

26 

feature under the covers 


Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library 

By Chris Grabenstein 

Random House Children’s Books | www.chrisgrabenstein.com/kids 

Cover Artist: Gilbert Ford 

http://gilbertford.com 

Art Designer (Random House): Nicole De Las Heras

More often than not, our first impression of a 

book is its cover. If the art grabs our attention, 

we are more likely open to the first page. The 

cover gives us a glimpse into the story and the characters. It 

sparks our imaginations. But how much thought do we give 

to how that cover came to be, or the people who created it? 

In Under the Covers we explore not the story between the 

covers of a book, but the story of the cover itself. 

Gilbert Ford’s distinctive artistic style graces the covers of 

many books including Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage, 

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Johnathan Auxier, and 

Write This Book by Pseudonymous Bosch. 

with Gilbert Ford & Nicole De Las Heras 

Middle Shelf: How did you become a cover artist? 

Gilbert Ford: I went to Pratt Institute to become an illustrator. After I 

graduated I worked as a designer and illustrator of children’s educational 

toys while I did freelance illustration for magazines and books during 

the nights and weekends. Eventually, I picked up enough clients to work 

for myself full time. So I actually illustrate all kinds of things, including 

picture books. Covers are just one of my specialties. 

MS: How does the story influence the cover art for a particular book? 

Nicole De Las Heras: When I first started working on the cover for 

Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, only a partial manuscript was 

available—Chris [Grabenstein] was still putting the finishing touches on 

it. Luckily, Chris is an author who uses an inspiration board when he 

27

28 

P R E M I E R E I S S U E : F A L L 2 0 1 3

writes, so he had lots of inspiration for me and the illustrator to work 

with. In addition to sending character and setting descriptions, Chris 

also created a helpful list of some of the fun things the characters find 

inside of the library, including the rare white tiger and the Sherlock Holmes 

and Huck Finn silhouettes that appear on the final jacket. 

Book jackets are always a collaborative process, and I think after 

we’d all read the manuscript, it was pretty clear to everyone that the 

jacket for the book needed to evoke a board game in some way. After 

all, the book centers around Luigi Lemoncello, the master game maker. 

The next task was pairing the right illustrator with the project and watching 

it come to life. I had been a fan of Gilbert Ford’s work for a while. To 

me he seemed like the perfect fit, and I was given the go-ahead to hire 

him for the project. Luckily, he accepted! 

MS: Gilbert, do you read the books for which you design covers? 

Ford: I actually do make the time to read the books that I illustrate. In 

middle grade fiction, the design team prefers to see specific scenes 

from the book that might entice the reader into picking up the book. 

If there is a wraparound cover (where the front and back cover are 

illustrated), the back usually includes other characters from the story 

to further tease the reader with a taste of what lies inside. All of these 

scenes include details from the story that I could only get from reading 

the manuscript. 

MS: How much contact do you have with the author during a cover 

project? 

Ford: I have very little contact with the author during the process of 

designing the covers. Sometimes the author gets last say before the 

cover gets final approval. I generally hear from authors after their books 

hit the shelves. 

MS: What art mediums did you use for Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s 

Library? 

Ford: Nicole already knew that she wanted a wraparound cover to 

resemble a game board. Before I illustrated full time, I designed educational 

toys and their packaging, so I found myself beginning the process 

29

30 

P R E M I E R E I S S U E : F A L L 2 0 1 3

more as a toy designer. The sketches that I sent were a little tighter 

than my other cover concepts since Nicole was clear about what she 

wanted. I used Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Indesign 

at first, and later came in with brush and ink for the characters. 

Sometimes with my other covers I will paint a chunk of it in watercolor, 

but not for this one. 

MS: How was the interior art developed? 

Heras: In addition to the jacket art, this book also required some interior 

puzzles to be created. These needed to be very specific as they 

help to advance the plot and serve as clues for the reader to solve 

the game along with the characters. Chris provided reference for what 

everything needed to be, and I hired another illustrator to execute all of 

the interior spots, which I then put together in the right order to create 

the rebuses. We decided to have these drawn in a silhouette style to 

keep consistent with the silhouettes on the jacket. 

MS: What’s the process of developing a cover from start to finish? 

Ford: My agent usually sends me the work order. The designer then 

sends me the manuscript and I spend a day reading it and taking notes. 

I create at least three rough sketches and send them to the designer 

and the art director. The editor, who is the person in charge of overseeing 

all aspects of the book, including finding the story and helping the 

author make it even better, discusses the sketches with the designer 

and art director. We work back and forth until the cover is good enough 

to show in a meeting with the editorial and sales and marketing teams. 

If sales and marketing think that people will buy the book for the cover, 

then I have done my job and I can create the final art (which by now 

is just putting on finishing touches). If they don’t think people will pick 

up the cover, however, I have to start over with fresh sketches. About a 

week before the book goes to print, I usually get an emergency call that 

one last small change must be made to the cover. This whole process 

takes about six months. 

Heras: We probably went through just a couple of rounds of sketches 

... and ended up with the really fun package we have today! I’m really 

happy with how this package came together. 

31

nonfiction 

spotlight 

32 


Ages 8-12 

“When the sun god Ra shone his light 

through the moisture goddess Tefut, a 

rainbow arched across the world.” 

Treasury of Egyptian Mythology: Classic Stories of Gods, 

Goddesses, Monsters & Mortals 

by Donna Jo Napoli and illustrated by Christina Balit 

National Geographic Society | http://books.nationalgeographic.com/books 

This over-sized hardbound book with 

its bold, colorful illustrations and 

astounding collection of stories and facts 

is itself a treasure. The author’s lyrical 

retelling of the myths and legends of ancient 

Egypt makes each God and Goddess leap 

off the page, transporting readers back to a 

time long ago when these myths were first 

imagined. 

The many photos and sidebars detailing 

Egyptian history, artifacts, and culture are 

not only informative, they enhance the 

myths themselves, grounding them in the 

real day-to-day existence of the ancient 

people who once used these stories to explain 

the world around them. 

Treasury of Egyptian Mythology is the 

companion to the equally stunning Treasury of 

Greek Mythology: Classic Stories of Gods, Goddesses, 

Heroes and Monsters, also written by Donna Jo 

Napoli. Both books deserve a permanent place 

on every school and home library shelf.

graphic novel spotlight 

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes 

Edited by Kazu Kibuishi 

Amulet Books 

Ages 8 & up 

Seven clever stories answer one 

simple question: what’s in the box? 

Funny, fantastic, spooky, and suspenseful, 

each of these unique and 

beautifully illustrated short graphic 

works revolves around a central 

theme: a mysterious box and the marvels—or 

mayhem—inside. Artists 

include middle school favorites Kazu 

Kibuishi, Raina Telgemeier (Smile), 

and Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy), 

as well as Jason Caffoe, Stuart Livingston, 

Johane Matte, Rad Sechrist 

(all contributors to the groundbreaking 

comics anthology series Flight), 

and upcoming artist Emily Carroll. 

Explorer 2: The Lost Islands 

Edited by Kazu Kibuishi 

Amulet Books 

Ages 8 & up 

The highly anticipated second volume 

to the critically acclaimed 

Explorer series, The Lost Islands is a collection 

of seven all-new stories written 

and illustrated by an award-winning 

roster of comics artists, with each story 

centered around the theme of hidden 

places. Edited by the New York Times 

bestselling comics creator Kazu Kibuishi, 

this graphic anthology includes 

well-written, beautifully illustrated stories 

by Kazu, Jason Caffoe, Raina 

Telgemeier, Dave Roman, Jake Parker, 

Michel Gagné, Katie and Steven Shanahan, 

and up-and-coming new artist 

Chrystin Garland. 

33

novelty book 

spotlight 

You’ve never seen 

a doodle book 

quite like this one! 

Photo Doodles invites 

young artists and 

designers to complete 

more than a hundred 

different photographs, 

everything from 

rollercoasters and 

soda can labels to 

book covers and 

imperial palaces. 

Photo Doodles 

repackages the most 

kid-friendly activities 

from Quirk’s Fill in the 

Blank, with a smaller 

trim size, a lower price 

point, and dozens 

of new just-for-kids 

creative challenges. 

Get ready to think 

outside the box, color 

outside the lines, 

and exercise your 

imagination! 

34 


Ages 8+ 

Photo Doodles 

by Viiiz 

Quirk Publishing 

www.quirkbooks.com

Can I get 

Shelf Unbound on the 

iTunes 

Newsstand? 

App-solutely! 

35

36 

TEAK 

recommends 

Teak Balena is 12 years old and in 

the 7th grade. He has one pet and 

one younger brother. His favorite 

books are The Heroes of Olympus 

series by Rick Riordan. His other 

interests include chess and 

soccer. Teak wants to either be an 

architect or a lawyer. His dreams 

never end, and he is always 

looking for an adventure. 


The Expeditioners 

by S.S. Taylor and Katherine Roy 

McSweeney’s McMullins 

Ages 10 - 14 

[Summary] Computers have failed, electricity is extinct, and the 

race to discover new lands is underway! Brilliant explorer Alexander 

West has just died under mysterious circumstances, but 

not before smuggling half of a strange map to his intrepid children—Kit 

the brain, M.K. the tinkerer, and Zander the brave. Why 

are so many government agents trying to steal the half-map? 

(And where is the other half?) It’s up to Alexander’s children—the 

Expeditioners—to get to the bottom of these questions, and fast. 

[Review] This entertaining book called The Expeditioners by 

S.S. Taylor is a fun and exciting page-turner and always keeps 

you on your toes. This book has action, mystery, and pure 

thrill. You can’t stop reading this great novel. 

This book spotlights the futuristic adventures of three children 

of a famous explorer who mysteriously died. The teens 

live in their parents’ house until a corrupt government agency 

called the BNDL confiscates all of their father’s records in an 

attempt to find the hidden treasure. The three kids M.K, Kit, 

and Zander set out on a quest to stop the BNDL from finding 

and misusing the treasure. 

Their cross-country expeditions take them to the Arizona 

desert where discoveries await. Will the BNDL take the glory, 

or will the Expeditioners claim victory???

Ages 8-12 

A Greyhound of a Girl 

by Roddy Doyle 

Amulet 

[Summary] Mary O’Hara is a sharp twelve-year-old Dublin 

schoolgirl bravely facing the fact that her beloved Gran is 

dying. But Gran can’t let go of life, and when a mysterious 

young woman turns up on Mary’s street with a message 

for Gran, Mary gets pulled into an unlikely adventure. The 

woman, Tansey, is a ghost—Mary’s great-grandmother who 

has come to help her daughter say good-bye to her loved 

ones and guide her safely out of this world. To persuade Gran, 

she needs the help of Mary and her mother, Scarlett, who 

embark on a road trip to the past. Four generations of women 

travel on a midnight car journey: one of them is dead, one of 

them is dying, one of them is driving, and one of them is just 

starting out. 

[Review] A Greyhound of a Girl is an absolutely charming 

novel, engaging from the very first page. For readers like me 

who are usually wary of novels with ghostly elements, Roddy 

Doyle’s witty Irish dialogue eliminates all potential creepiness 

while still allowing the plot to fit the supernatural genre. 

Because its characters span four generations of women, I 

would recommend this book not only to middle grade readers 

but to anybody of any age looking for a beautiful story about 

the timelessness of family support. 

KELLY’S 

reads 

Kelly Bergh is a senior in high 

school. She works at her local 

library and has found that she 

quite likes reading. She plans to 

enter college next fall to study to 

become an editor. 

37

38 

publisher’s 

corner 

Tanglewood Press 

was founded in 2003 

by Peggy Tierney and 

is the home of many 

wonderful books 

for children of all 

ages, including the 

popular picture book 

The Kissing Hand 

by Audrey Wood. 

Today Peggy shares 

a glimpse into the 

publishing world and 

the process behind 

creating entertaining 

and memorable books. 



Peggy Tierney, Editor & Publisher 

www.tanglewoodbooks.com 

Middle Shelf: How do you 

choose books to publish? 

Tanglewood Press: The first 

step of publishing a book is the 

selection of the manuscript to 

publish. We have an employee 

whose sole duty is to read 

the manuscripts received (the 

“slush pile”) and select a few 

that stand out, maybe thirty or 

forty in any year. Then the editor 

will go through those few and 

select one or two to publish. 

MS: How often do you publish 

books? 

TP: Books are published by 

season — the main ones being 

spring and fall —and the work 

on a book begins twelve to 

eighteen months before its 

release. Marketing and sales 

plans also begin right away. 

Bookstores ideally want to have 

sample books and marketing 

materials six to nine months 

before a book is released. So 

at the same time a manuscript 

is being edited, marketing plans 

and pieces are being created. 

MS: How important is the 

cover of a book? 

TP: People often assume that a 

cover is the last thing done for 

a book, but it’s often the first. 

Why? Because it is the most 

important marketing piece of a 

book. The ideal cover expresses 

the story but should also be so 

cool looking or create some curiosity 

that it makes the customer 

want to pick it up off a bookstore 

shelf. Cover creation is a joint 

effort between designers, illustrators, 

editors, and the marketing 

and publicity team. And it’s 

way harder than it looks! 

MS: Can you explain the process 

of editing and printing 

books? 

TP: While the manuscript is 

being edited, a developmental 

editor looks at things like 

character development, pacing, 

tone, plot. Writers will rewrite 

parts that can be improved. A 

copy editor handles punctuation, 

grammar, spelling. A proofreader 

will then give the book 

a final reading. Still, even with 

so many editors working on a 

book, little mistakes can slip 

through. 

After that, the designer takes 

the manuscript and cover image 

and puts them into book form, 

ready to print. A production 

manager arranges the printing 

process, which is always done 

by a printing company, not the 

publisher. The marketing team 

has prepared lots of materials 

describing the book and why 

stores should sell it, and the

sales people take those materials 

and visit bookstores and the 

people in charge of selecting 

titles for bigger chains (they are 

called the “buyers”). 

There are many other things 

that have to happen behind the 

scenes, as publishing is a very 

complex business. 

MS: What books will Tanglewood 

Press publish this fall? 

TP: We here at Tanglewood are 

very excited about The Rock 

of Ivanore, the first book of 

The Celestine Chronicles. It is 

a great introduction to classic 

fantasy, with a mysterious 

quest, wizards and dragons, 

strange creatures and exotic 

kingdoms, and lots of surprises. 

It is coming out in paperback in 

October. Available at the same 

time will be the second book of 

The Celestine Chronicles, The 

Last Enchanter, and it is just as 

thrilling as the first one (some of 

us think it is even better!). 

Also new is Mickey Price: Journey 

To Oblivion, a story of three 

kids who are sent on a secret 

mission to the moon to save it 

from a space station’s nuclear 

meltdown. It, too, is a book that is 

full of action that keeps building in 

excitement and suspense to the 

very end. Our favorite part is the 

humor —it really is funny in a way 

that we think readers will enjoy. 

Tanglewood’s goal is simple: 

to find and publish books kids 

will love. 

Mickey Price: 

Journey to Oblivion 

by John Stanley 


ages 8-12 

The moon is under threat of a nuclear 

meltdown due to a space station 

malfunction. Complicating things is 

the presence of pleurinium, a magnetic 

material that makes humans instantly, 

seriously ill — well, all humans who are 14 years old and up. 

Mickey Price is an orphan in Orlando; Trace Daniels is 

a go-kart champion in Nevada; Jonah Jones is a budding 

scientist in Illinois. They don’t know each other, but they 

are all being watched and studied by men in white shirts, 

thin black ties, and distinctive gold-colored sunglasses. The 

three kids are invited to a NASA camp, but this camp isn’t 

for summer fun. It’s a training camp for a mission full of 

dangers that will test each of them to the maximum, but it’s 

also an adventure full of thrills, fun, and some unexpected 

companions, not all of whom are human. 

The Last Enchanter 

(The Celestine Chronicles, Book 2) 

by Laurisa White Reyes 

(editor of Middle Shelf) 


ages 8 – 12 

Months have passed since Marcus 

and Kelvin succeeded in their 

quest to find the Rock of Ivanore. 

Kelvin is living as royalty in Dokur, and 

Marcus is studying magic with Zyll. When Fredric is murdered 

and Kelvin becomes king, Zyll and Marcus head for Dokur in 

hopes of protecting Kelvin from meeting the same fate, though 

it quickly becomes apparent that none of them are safe, and 

Marcus has had disturbing visions of Zyll’s death. With the help 

of his old friends Clovis and Bryn, joined by new friend Lael, a 

feisty girl in search of her mother, Marcus uncovers a powerful 

secret that will change the course of his life forever. TRAILER 

39

on our shelf 

Ages 10 + 

Remember Dippy 

By Shirley Reva Vernick 

Cinco Puntos Press 

www.cincopuntos.com 

40 


“My cousin Remember 

is what polite people call 

different. I call him weird. 

He’s the reason I have to get 

up so early, the reason I got 

into it with Dirk the Jerk, 

the reason I’m always late to 

meet my friends, the reason 

my whole summer’s going to 

be a bust. This was definitely 

going to be a disaster.” 

When Johnny’s mom takes a job in New York, Johnny winds 

up at his Aunt Collette’s house for the summer looking 

after his older cousin Remember. Yes, that’s his name: 

Remember Dippy. Mem for short. Mem isn’t your typical 

teenager. He is high-functioning autistic, prone to tantrums, brilliant at 

video games, and fiercely loyal to his friends. 

At first Johnny is anything but happy about spending his vacation toting 

Mem with him everywhere he goes, especially when he’s trying to 

catch the attention of Jo, his friend Mo’s sister, but after some unexpected 

turns of events Johnny begins to see Mem, and some other people in 

his neighborhood, a little bit differently. 

Remember Dippy, his cousin Johnny, and all the characters from 

Hull, Vermont, hooked my interest from the very first page. These are 

normal kids facing not-so-normal situations, like rescuing the neighborhood 

bully from a near-drowning, or helping the local pizza owner fish 

an engagement ring out of a floor vent. Even Mem’s beloved pets, two 

furry ferrets, are unusual. But that’s what makes this story so compelling. 

It’s a fast read about false assumptions and the importance of accepting 

people for who they are, something Johnny discovers over the course of 

this little gem of a story. 

The book is listed as Young Adult because the characters are in 

their mid-teens, but this story is perfectly accessible and appropriate 

for younger readers. With no profanity or other “mature” material, 

Remember Dippy is a book I can recommend with confidence.

“Sara said my wings would 

choose me, but the blue ones 

are perfect. Those are the 

ones I want.” 

10-year-old Melody wants to fly. When she jumps off a park swing 

and lands in the magical realm of Chimeroan, her wish finally 

comes true. This is where the dreams of children become reality. 

Melody receives a set of beautiful wings with a mind of their 

own, but to keep them she must solve three riddles. But more difficult 

than any of the challenges she must face in Chimeroan is facing her 

own past and the guilt she feels over the car accident that left her father 

paralyzed. 

What first drew me to Up in the Air was the delightful cover, which 

reminded me of my own childhood and that momentary freedom I’d feel 

when leaping off a swing. But the story wasn’t at all what I expected. 

After a brief introduction to Melody and her parents, all of whom bear the 

burden of the accident, I was quickly transported, along with Melody, to 

a world of magical realism inhabited by dragons, unicorns, leprechauns, 

giants, and even aliens. Like the imaginations of children, there are no 

limits in Chimeroan, or in Meyers’ bold yet tender tale. Fans of all kinds of 

stories from fairytales, to fantasy adventure, to realistic fiction will easily 

connect with Melody’s troubles—and triumphs. Adult readers will appreciate 

Meyers’ depiction of the young mind: her fears, her aspirations, and 

her capacity to make difficult decisions crucial to her own happiness and 

the happiness of those she loves. 

Up in the Air is a story about a regular little girl who finds herself in the 

most extraordinary of circumstances, and the value of living the life we 

are given. This little gem is a delight and deserves to be read. 

on our shelf 

Ages 8-12 

Up in the Air 

By Anne Marie Meyers 

Jolly Fish Press 

www.annmarie-meyers.com 

www.jollyfishpress.com 

41

est of the 

Ages 8-12 

THE BOOK 

MONSTERS 

http://www. 

thebookmonsters.com/ 

book-review-the-cats-oftanglewood-forest/ 

42 


book blogs 

The Cats of Tanglewood Forest by Charles de Lint 

Illustrated by Charles Vess 

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 

[SUMMARY] 

In this whimsical, original folktale 

written and illustrated throughout 

in vibrant full color by two 

celebrated masters of modern 

fantasy, a young girl’s journey 

becomes an enchanting comingof-age 

story about magic, friendship, 

and the courage to shape 

one’s own destiny. 

Lillian Kindred spends her days 

exploring the Tanglewood Forest, 

a magical, rolling wilderness that 

she imagines to be full of fairies. 

The trouble is, Lillian has never 

seen a wisp of magic in her hills— 

until the day the cats of the forest 

save her life by transforming her 

into a kitten. Now Lillian must set 

out on a perilous adventure that 

will lead her through untamed 

lands of fabled creatures—from 

Old Mother Possum to the fearsome 

Bear People—to find a way 

to make things right. 

[REVIEW] 

Lillian is a girl that reminded me 

of myself, in love with old tales of 

fairies and magic. When she falls 

asleep one day beneath a tree, she 

is bitten by a snake and the cats 

of Tanglewood Forest turn her into 

a kitten to save her life. The only 

problem is she is not happy to be 

a kitten instead of a little girl and 

seeks out a way to change back. 

What she finds is that turning 

back into a little girl may mean a 

worse fate for her dear Aunt, who 

takes care of her and is her only 

family in the world. Lillian must 

now find a way to save her only 

family. But what is she willing to 

give up to save her Aunt? Through 

this journey, Lillian learns more 

than any little girl about what it 

means to be human. 

I loved the illustrations in this 

novel, enough that I am putting 

this one on my “to buy” list. I 

have always been a fan of de 

Lint’s storytelling and paired with 

Vess’s illustrations, I felt completely 

transported into the story. I 

felt that I was Lillian, trying to save 

my only family while wanting to 

keep my true human form. 

Final verdict: The Cats of Tanglewood 

Forest is a fantastical 

read that will transport you to 

Lillian’s world — filled with magic 

and unbelievable characters.

Ages 8-12 

PROJECT MAYHEM 

I was so excited when 

I was asked to review this 

book. I’m a longtime lover 

of Johnny Cash’s music. I 

even did a painting of him 

years ago (my starving 

artist days), so when 

I was asked to review 

John Carter Cash’s book, 

Johnny Cash’s son, I was 

mega thrilled! 

John Carter Cash is a 

musician and a picture 

book writer. This is his first 

middle-grade novel and 

given how well written this 

debut is, I can only imagine 

we will see more to come 

by this great author. 

http://project-middlegrade-mayhem.blogspot.com/2013/08/review-lupusrex-by-john-carter-cash.html 

Lupus Rex by John Carter Cash 

Rebellion 

[SUMMARY] 

Ysill and Cormo are two quail who 

must risk their lives when they are 

driven from their home by crows, 

and find they must find a common 

cause with other creatures if they 

are to find safety in a world full of 

perils and adventure. 

The crow king is dead, and in 

the field below all the creatures 

tremble as the Murder gathers to 

choose a new king from the rival 

sons Sintus, Milus and Nascus. 

When the crows drive everyone 

from the field to keep the reckoning 

secret, the quail Ysil, Cormo 

and Harlequin believe they must 

simply follow their elders to safety. 

But when the crows turn against 

each other, the forest becomes 

full of danger. In the confusion the 

last wolf, Asmod, shucks off his 

isolation and begins to raise an 

army to claim the kingdom for his 

own. As hidden truths are brought 

to light and enormous sacrifices 

are made Ysil and his friends 

must make an epic journey and an 

unthinkable alliance if the lesser 

animals are to survive. 

[REVIEW] 

What I Liked: 

Small heroes: Cash has quails 

fighting wolves! That right there 

says we are in for an epic struggle. 

Great bad guy: Asmod is an awesome 

bad guy wolf. If any of you 

have read my books, you know I 

like the baddies and Asmod is a 

villain among villains! 

It is realistic: Some might say it 

is a little too real, but I disagree. 

Animals are violent, bottom line. 

They don’t call it the food chain for 

nothing. 

History: Cash gives the different 

species their own history and 

tradition, which only lends to our 

love of these characters. 

Epic factor: This is a perfect 

example of an epic animal adventure 

that will keep kids interested. 

You want to see the good guys 

win, but you want to watch them 

get there too. 

Douglas Smith: Anyone recognize 

the style of that cover? Okay, 

it’s the same guy who did the 

Wicked (Gregory Maguire) covers, 

Douglas Smith, one of my favorite 

illustrators! Extra points for that! 

In closing: If you like epic animal 

fantasy this is the book for you. 

It’s full of rich characters and 

an inventive storyline. It’s available 

in hardcover, paperbook, and 

ebook...so go get it! 

43

themed books: 

44 


HALLOWEEN 

Monster in the Mudball 

by S.P. Gates 

Tu Books 

www.leeandlow.com/ 

books/505/hc/the_monster_in_ 

the_mudball 

Ages 8 – 12 

A 

monster is loose in London! 

And it’s kind of Jin’s 

fault that Zilombo got 

loose. He tracked the monster 

to slimy Oozeburn Creek, but 

how does he get Zilombo to go 

back into her mudball, where 

she can’t hurt anyone? 

That’s when Jin meets Chief 

Inspector of Ancient Artifacts 

A.J. Zauyamakanda—Mizz Z, 

for short—who has arrived to 

inspect the mudball and insists 

that Jin help her find the monster 

that hatched from it. 

But Zilombo gains new, 

frightening powers every time 

she reawakens. She’s cleverer 

than ever before ... and she likes 

to eat babies. When Jin’s older 

sister gets distracted along the 

Oozeburn and forgets to watch 

their baby brother, Smiler is 

easy pickings for Zilombo! 

Will Jin’s baby brother be the 

next baby on Zilombo’s menu? 

As Zilombo’s powers grow, Jin 

and Mizz Z team up to outsmart 

Zilombo! 

The Emerald Ring: 

Cleopatra’s Legacy, Book I 

by Dorine White 

Sweetwater Books 

(Cedar Fort) 

http://blog.cedarfort.com/ 

category/sweetwater-books/ 

Ages 8 – 12 

Ordinary “tween” life turns 

upside down when Ancient 

Egypt intrudes on modern 

middle school life. Twelve-yearold 

Sara Guadalupe Bogus 

reads about adventures, but 

unexpectedly is drawn into one 

when a mystical emerald ring 

that once belonged to Cleopatra 

becomes stuck on her finger. 

The fun of discovering the 

ring’s unique abilities turns to 

fear when she finds out a dangerous 

cult bent on restoring 

Rome to power is after the 

ring. Forced to choose between 

keeping the ring and saving her 

friends, Sara learns the price of 

bravery in this electrifying read!

Substitute Creature: Tales 

from Lovecraft Middle School 

#4 

by Charles Gilman 

Quirk Publishing 

www.quirkbooks.com 

Ages 9 – 12 

When a giant nor’easter 

dumps a blanket of 

snow on the village of 

Dunwich, Massachussetts, 

Robert Arthur and his friends 

find themselves marooned 

inside Lovecraft Middle School. 

The kids have no choice but to 

spend the night—while snacking 

on cafeteria food, sleeping 

on classroom floors, and 

facing off against a mysterious 

substitute teacher who may 

have a sinister secret. The latest 

adventure in the Lovecraft 

Middle School series features 

more adventures, more outrageous 

monsters, and another 

terrifying lenticular cover! 

Desmond Pucket Makes 

Monster Magic 

by Mark Tatulli 

Andrews McMeel Publishing 

http://andrewsmcmeel.com 

Ages 7 – 12 

Meet Desmond Pucket— 

professor of frightology 

and master of monsters. 

Someday Desmond will be 

famous for his special effects 

wizardry, but for now he’s just 

trying to make it through sixth 

grade which means he needs 

to stay one step ahead of the 

school’s disciplinary officer, Mr. 

Needles. 

The only problem is Desmond 

just can’t stop pulling 

pranks—like the time he 

attached a shrieking rubber 

goblin to the toilet seat in the 

teachers’ bathroom. Or the time 

he put giant motorized worms 

into the mashed potatoes in the 

cafeteria. 

And now Desmond has to 

stay prank-free for the rest of 

the year, or he won’t be able 

to go on the class trip to Crab 

Shell Pier, home of the Mountain 

Full of Monsters ride! It’s 

going to be tough, but Desmond 

has to try. 

45

46 

poetry 

Crazy About Basketball 

by Loris Lesynski, Illustrated 

by Gerry Rasmussen 

Annick Press 

http://www.annickpress.com/ 

Ages 8-12 


Basketball = Life 

the world is made 

of bounce and aim 

basketball’s 

not just a game 

in every little cell alive 

you’ll find a move, 

a bounce, a jive 

atoms vibrate all the time 

in people, puppies, 

trees, and slime 

a grain of sand 

a drop of blood 

a gasp of air 

a blob of mud 

everything has 

bounce inside it 

even rocks 

although they hide it 

everything 

you’ll ever know 

is always moving, 

on the go 

the universe? 

this brilliant game? 

they sometimes seem 

a lot the same

Nightball 

I can’t go in 

I know it’s night 

but I have to get 

my shooting right 

playground’s empty 

dark and cold 

but I’ll stay here 

until I’m old 

if that’s how long it takes 

to get 

the hang of landing in 

the net 

streetlight shows 

a perfect arc 

the swish sounds louder 

in the dark 

a lot of shots, a little spin, 

but some still miss 

—but more get in! 

I bet I’m better 

really soon 

my biggest fan tonight? 

the moon. 

From Crazy About Basketball, Annick Press, 

2013. http://www.annickpress.com/. Reprinted 

with permission. All rights reserved. 

47

character 

spotlight 

48 


Ages 8-12 

Stella Batts is the young star of a series of books written by 

Courtney Sheinmel and published by Sleeping Bear Press. Perfect 

for fans of Clementine and Junie B. Jones, Stella has five books out so 

far: Stella Batts Needs A New Name; Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow; Pardon 

Me; Who’s In Charge; and A Case Of The Meanies.

Today Stella visits with Middle Shelf magazine to tell 

us a little about herself and her books. 

Middle Shelf: Welcome to Middle Shelf, Stella. Could you introduce 

yourself to our readers? 

Stella Batts: Hey I’m Stella Batts. I’m eight-years-old and I live in Somers, 

California, with my parents, my younger sister Penny, and my new baby 

brother Marco. My family owns a candy store, which is super cool because 

eating fudge is one of my favorite things in the whole entire world. Another 

favorite thing is writing—which is why I’ve written FIVE books so far. You can 

read about my latest adventures in Stella Batts: Who’s In Charge? 

MS: Who are you most like, your mom or your dad? 

Stella: I look the most like my mom—especially our eyes and our hair. My 

hair used to be much longer than it is now, but I had a little accident with a 

stick of gum. So now it’s cut short, but not as short as my dad’s! Sometimes 

I act more like him, though. Like, my dad and I both like elevators (my mom 

is afraid of them), and we’re both inventive (my dad invents candy things and 

I invent stories). 

MS: What is the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you? 

Stella: It’s not something I like to talk about, but fine, I’ll tell you. At the 

beginning of school this year, we were on our nature walk and I tripped and 

fell in front of everyone, right into something really gross. Ever since then, 

the meanest boy in my class has called me Smella. (I wrote a bit more about 

it in my first book, Stella Batts Needs A New Name.) 

MS: What is your favorite thing to do when you’re by yourself? 

Stella: Writing, of course! 

MS: If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

Stella: I think I would go to London. That’s a famous city in England, and it’s 

also where my new best friend Evie is from. She has a cool accent and says 

things like “lift” for elevator and “loo” for bathroom. She’s the only person I 

know who talks like that, but if I went there, everyone would! Except I think 

I’d only want to go if Evie were with me. That way I wouldn’t get lost. 

MS: Thank you for stopping by, Stella! It was really great meeting you! 

49

BOOK 

Seven Moon Circus: 

The Adventures of a 

Wild Boy in a Space 

Traveling Circus 

by Randy Morrison 

Keep your action 

boys excited 

about reading with 

Seven Moon Circus: 

The Adventures of a 

Wild Boy in a Space 

Traveling Circus. 

Sample chapters and Educator’s Common Core 

Guide: 7mc.com. 

www.7mc.com 

Available at Amazon. 

Girl Unmoored 

by Jennifer Gooch Hummer 

Set in Maine, 1985, Apron 

Bramhall has come 

unmoored. Her mother has 

died, her father is about to 

marry a wicked witch and 

her best friend has dumped 

her for a newer model. Then 

she meets “Jesus”—the actor who plays him 

in Jesus Christ Superstar—and his boyfriend. 

These three unlikely friends form an unbreakable 

bond not even death can separate. 

“Girl Unmoored may be the undiscovered young 

adult novel of the summer.” 

—Entertainment Weekly 

www.jennifergoochhummer.com 

Available at Amazon, BarnesandNoble, 

iTunes and other online retailers. 

Black Pool—A Jack 

Flynn Adventure 

by C.H. Garbutt 

Helpless to save 

his mum from 

drowning off the coast 

of County Kerry, 

Ireland, and just 

barely surviving 

himself, young Jack 

Flynn is rescued 

by a mysterious 

pair of webbed hands reaching up from the 

ocean depths. Jack recalls nothing of his 

narrow escape until years later when he meets 

Lillay, a young teenage mermaid, at the Dublin 

docklands, where his past and future meet. 

www.blackpoolthebook.wordpress.com 


Flying with 

a Broken Wing 

by Laura Best 

est creates 

“Ban authentic 

portrait of post- 

Second World War 

life in a rural Nova 

Scotia community. 

Her descriptions of 

Saturday nights at the 

bootlegger’s house, 

women gossiping at the general store and a 

dance at the local hall capture a strong sense of 

time and place.” 

—Atlantic Books Today 

www.lauraabest.wordpress.com 

Available Amazon and Indigo.

BOOK 

A Box of Gargoyles 

by Anne Nesbet 

Nesbet creates 

threatening evil 

and an engagingly 

magical setting. 

She gives Maya 

real doubts and 

worries, particularly 

about protecting 

her family and her 

mother’s recurring 

illness. Fans of the 

first book will enjoy this next installation, but it 

functions smoothly on its own as well. 

—School Library Journal 

www.annenesbet.com 

Available Amazon and Indiebound. 

Aces Wild 

by Erica Perl 

Zelly’s story is 

essentially a 

coming-of-age tale 

about moving to a 

new place, dealing 

with grief, and learning 

what is important in 

life. This book stands 

on its own, although 

readers will certainly 

be interested in what happened the summer 

Zelly took care of an orange-juice bottle in the 

previous book. 


www.ericaperl.com 


* 

Promote your book in 

Middle Shelf in our Special 

Advertising Section for 

Authors. Each issue of Middle 

Shelf is distributed to more 

than 125,000 people in the U.S. 

and 62 countries around the 

globe. Our introductory ad rate 

for this section is $375/quarter 

page as seen here. 

Contact publisher Margaret Brown 

to reserve your space. 

Margaret@shelfmediagroup.com 

214.704.4182. 

Sky Jumpers 

by Peggy Eddleman 

“A general 

sense of 

adventure and 

wonder permeates 

this tale, making it 

a fun, quick read. 

Eddleman brings 

a strong sense of 

atmosphere to this 

post-apocalyptic 

coming-of-age 

piece, and the underlying message—that it’s 

possible to contribute in unexpected ways—is a 

positive one.” 

—Publishers Weekly 

www.peggyeddleman.blogspot.com 

Available Amazon and Indiebound.

BOOK 

Wild Boy 

by Lloyd Jones 

This book grabs 

you from the 

very first page and 

pulls you right in, not 

least because of the 

hugely likeable Wild 

Boy and his sparring 

partner, Clarissa. The 

setting is vivid and 

gritty and some of the scenes are not for the 

squeamish. 

—Inis Magazine 

www.roblloydjones.com 


Iris Brave 

by Ali B. 

Iris Brave isn’t as 

courageous as her 

name suggests. That’s 

about to change. On 

a summer visit to her 

grandpa’s farm, a 

mysterious stranger 

shadows Iris, leaving 

her cryptic messages. 

When this outsider 

turns out be a phantom from her family’s past, 

Iris sheds her timid ways to uncover the truth 

and protect the family she loves. 

www.facebook.com/alibbooks 


Friends of Liberty 

by Beatrice Gormley 

Set against the 

forging of the 

Boston Tea Party 

and the American 

Revolution, this 

engaging novel tells 

a tale of friendship 

and of fighting for 

one’s beliefs. It 

will appeal to kids 

who like historical 

fiction, and it is a good choice for classroom 

discussions of the war. 


www.beatricegormley.com 


Constable & Toop 

by Gareth P. Jones 

ones is interested 

“J in giving readers 

more than spooky 

thrills; his characters 

have moral heft 

and are concerned 

with issues such as 

culpability, whether 

people can be 

considered good if 

they have done bad things, and the importance 

of living life to its fullest.” 

— Kirkus Reviews 

www.garethwrites.co.uk 


BOOK 

Merits of 

Mischief: 

A Bad Apple 

by T.R. Burns 

It’s easy to get 

drawn into this 

fast-paced, funny, 

and entertaining 

adventure, filled 

with sympathetic, 

eccentric, and 

mischievously talented characters. At its heart, 

it’s a story about the importance of individuality 

and being a good friend, and a last-minute twist 

will leave readers hungry for the next book. 

—Publisher’s Weekly 

www. authors.simonandschuster.com/T-R- 

Burns/85716264 


The Templeton 

Twins: Make A 

Scene 

by Ellis Wiener 

Make a Scene is 

as irresistible 

and hilarious as 

its predecessor. 

Holmes’s artwork 

throughout is both 

unique and intricate, 

adding to the story 

and its characters. This humorous story is sure 

to entertain reluctant and avid readers alike. 


www.ellisweiner.com 


Keeper of the Lost 

Cities: Exile 

by Shannon 

Messenger 

his debut novel 

“Tis a powerful 

and appealing 

package of skillful 

world-building, 

fantasy, suspense, 

mystery, and middleschool 

relationships 

A slew of interesting and well-drawn characters, 

careful plotting, and just plain good storytelling 

will have readers racing through the pages” 


www. ramblingsofawannabescribe.blogspot.com 


* 














214.704.4182.

BOOK 

Charlie Bumpers 

vs. Teacher of 

the Year 

by Bill Harely 

“C harlie’s 

kindness to 

a new classmate 

from Chile and 

his growing 

appreciation of Mrs. 

Burke supplements 

the comedy. 

Dynamic and skillfully drafted ink-and-watercolor 

spot illustrations from Gustavson, who illustrated 

Harley’s Lost and Found, help chronicle the 

hijinks.” 

—Publishers Weekly 

www.billharely.com 


The Story of the 

Blue Planet 

by Andri Snaer 

Magnason 

“M agnason’s 

beautifully 

illustrated and expertly 

translated book is 

charming, eccentric, 

moving, and humbling 

—often reminiscent 

of Roald Dahl or William Steig. It’s a magical 

coming-of-age story that may also remind adults 

to appreciate the here and the now, and that the 

grass on the other side may appear greener, but 

that doesn’t mean it’s better.” 

—Typographical Era 

www.andrimagnason.com 


Jack Strong 

Takes A Stand 

by Tommy 

Greenwald 

Jack Strong just 

wants to be a 

regular kid. But 

his parents have 

overscheduled his 

week with every 

extracurricular 

activity under the 

sun. His parents 

want him to be “well-rounded” and prepared for 

those crucial college applications. Jack’s just 

about had enough. “A cautionary tale the whole 

family will find amusing and enlightening.” 

—Kirkus Reviews 

www.tommygreenwald.com 


The Show Must 

Go On 

by Kate Klise 

The Klises maintain 

a light touch with 

the messaging, giving 

the book a comforting 

thematic unity around 

the importance of 

kindness; and humor is 

apparent in every detail, 

from the smallest conversational exchanges to 

the extravagantly silly set pieces that mark the 

book’s major plot points. Readers will eagerly 

await the next volume of over-the-(big)-top 

hijinks. 

—The Horn Book Magazine 

www.kateandsarahklise.com 


BOOK 

Trapper Boy 

by Hugh R. 

MacDonald 

Set in a 1920s 

coal-mining town, 

Trapper Boy is the 

story of 13-year-old 

JW Donaldson, a 

good student with a 

bright future. JW was 

looking forward to 

summer. But there is 

something worrying 

his parents. His father’s hours at the mine have 

been reduced and they face difficult decisions 

[that] will have a[n] unimagined impact on the 

young man’s life. 

www.facebook.com/hughrmacdonaldauthor 


Brilliant! Shining 

a Light on 

Sustainable 

Energy 

by Michelle Mulder 

n upbeat 

“Aexploration of the oftencurious 

world of 

alternative energy... 

The book is peppered with exotic photographs, 

as well as quick-shooting boxed items, to catch 

the attention of busy eyes. A smart, welcoming 

introduction to alternative fuels, one that puts the 

greater world in readers’ hands.” 

—Kirkus Reviews 

www.michellemulder.com 


Animal Andy 

by Kathy Sattem 

Rygg 

Ten-year-old 

Andy Ohman 

is spending his 

summer working 

at the Aksarben 

City Zoo where his 

dad is curator. An 

anonymous donor 

has given the zoo 

an antique animal 

carousel, and Andy’s dad is hopeful it will help 

boost attendance. When Andy takes it for a spin, 

he unlocks the magic that will help save the zoo. 

www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ 

kathyrygg 


* 














214.704.4182.

BOOK 

I.Q.: The Alamo 

by Ronald Smith & 

Michael P. Spradlin 

About the I.Q. 

series: “The 

best-developed 

character, Boone, 

steals the show 

as the paternal, 

James Bond-loving 

intelligence officer 

whose crime-solving 

dog is a sidekick. 

Action lovers will find just enough substance to 

keep them coming back for future episodes.” 


www.rolandsmith.com 

Available Barnes and Noble. 

* 














214.704.4182. 

Fatty in the 

Back Seat 

by Deborah Prum 

his page- 

“Tturner is 

easy to read but 

left me thinking 

long after I 

finished. Anyone 

who knows (or has 

been) a kid who 

struggles—family 

issues, school issues, self-esteem issues—will 

relate to Fatty. I liked the characters, I liked the 

prose, I liked the story.Five stars.” 

—Amazon Customer Review 

www.deborahprum.com 


Mimi Power and the 

I-Don’t-Know-What 

by Victoria Miles 

Artist, animal lover 

and would-be 

swimming sensation 

Mimi Power knows what 

it’s like to live under the 

tyranny of a three-yearold 

sister. But with the 

school art show looming 

and a prize too-good-to-give-up-on at stake, 

Mimi will have to tap into her big-sister-power 

and find her own little piece of the sky. 

www.magnifico-victoria-miles.blogspot.com 

Available Barnes and Noble.

BOOK 

Touched by Fire 

by Irene N. Watts 

“ 

...Watts provides 

a fascinating 

account of what the 

great unsinkable 

ship was like. 

The catastrophe 

is rendered in a 

heartbreakingly 

graceful style, 

and Lou performs 

heroically in shepherding her two little girls to 

safety on a lifeboat in this uniquely engaging and 

satisfying coming-of-age historical adventure 

tale.” 

—Starred Review, Booklist 

www.irenenwatts.com 


My Monster Bubble 

Writer Book 

by Linda Scott 

Monstrously fun 

and in time for 

Halloween, this is 

an activity book that 

teached children how 

to create spooky 

hand lettering. Highly 

educational, this is a 

book with lessons hidden within fun activities. 

Inspiring writing and drawing, My Monster 

Bubble Writer Book encourages kids to create 

alphabets with attitude. 

www.facebook.com/thebubblewriter 

Available Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

Lucy at Sea 

by Barbara 

Mariconda 

torms and 

“Shigh seas, 

a mysterious 

house and a more 

mysterious ship, a 

magical sparkling 

cloud that brings 

new hope—they 

are all here. This 

novel is a hymn to 

courage, with a tempo that turns the pages, a 

rhythm that stirs the spirit.” 

—Newbery Honor winner, Gary D. Schmidt 

www.barbaramariconda.com 


* 














214.704.4182.

KATE BOURNE is the co-creator of the blog The Book 

Monsters. She currently holds a B.A. in English and is 

married to her high school sweetheart. Kate previously 

blogged at The Neverending Shelf. 

BETH BRACKEN is a children’s book editor living in Minneapolis, 

Minnesota, with her husband and son. When 

she’s not reading, writing, or editing books, Beth spends 

most of her time knitting endlessly, watching reruns on 

TV, and drinking lots of tea. 

JOHN CARTER CASH is the only son of Johnny Cash 

and June Carter Cash. John is a singer-songwriter and 

record producer. He is the author of his mother’s biography, 

Anchored in Love. His first children’s book, Momma 

Loves Her Little Son, was published in 2009. Lupus Rex 

is his first novel. 

NICOLE DE LAS HERAS is an award-winning graphic 

designer with Random House, Inc. and has been working 

on children’s books for fifteen years. She designs both 

covers and interiors for a variety of formats, including picture 

books, middle grade novels, and young adult novels. 

CHARLES DE LINT’s numerous awards and honors 

include the World Fantasy Award, the Canadian SF/Fantasy 

Aurora Award, and the White Pine Award. He has written 

over 70 books and has been the main book reviewer 

for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction since 1987. 

RODDY DOYLE is the author of nine novels. He won the 

Man Booker Prize in 1993 for Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha. His 

novels have been made into popular films, including The 

Commitments and The Snapper. 

GILBERT FORD’s toys have won several Oppenheimer 

awards, and his illustrations have been recognized by many 

prestigious organizations including The Society of Illustrators 

Original Art and The Society of Publication Designers. 

He has illustrated more than 30 covers and 13 books. 

S.P. GATES is a former teacher who once taught in Malawi. 

She has authored over one hundred books and has been 

commended for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the 

Guardian Children’s Fiction Award. She has twice won the 

children’s-choice Sheffield Children’s Book Award. 

CHARLES GILMAN is the author of The Tales of Lovecraft 

Middle School series and the pen name of Jason 

cool reads for cool kids. 

fall 2013 contributors 

Rekulak, an editor who lives in Philadelphia. 

CHRIS GRABENSTEIN is an award-winning author, playwright, 

screenwriter, and former advertising executive and 

improvisational comedian. Winner of two Anthony and 

three Agatha Awards, he is also a former writer for Jim 

Henson’s Muppets and past president of the New York 

Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America. 

MARGARET PETERSON HADDIX has written more 

than 25 books for kids and teens. Her books have been 

honored with New York Times bestseller status; the International 

Reading Association’s Children’s Book Award; 

American Library Association Best Book and Quick Pick 

for Reluctant Young Adult Readers notations; and more 

than a dozen state readers’ choice awards. 

MARILEE HAYNES lives with her husband and three 

young children just outside Charlotte, North Carolina. 

a.k.a. Genius is her first novel. Its sequel, Genius Under 

Construction, comes out in January 2014. 

KRISTEN HARVEY, co-creator of the blog The Book 

Monsters, is an Elementary School Library Media Specialist 

in Chicago. Kristen previously blogged at Bookworming 

in the 21st Century. 

JENNIFER GOOCH HUMMER received her B.A. in English 

from Kenyon College. She lives in Los Angeles and 

Maine with her husband, their three daughters, and their 

dog, Apple. Girl Unmoored is her first novel. 

KAZU KIBUISHI is the creator of Amulet, the awardwinning 

New York Times bestselling graphic novel series, 

and the editor and art director of eight volumes of Flight, 

the influential Eisner-nominated anthology series. He lives 

in Alhambra, California. 

LORIS LESYNSKI’s first book, Boy Soup, was published 

in 1996 and became an instant success. Twelve books 

later, Loris has become known as one of the most inventive, 

humorous and talented poets for young people in 

North America. She lives in Toronto. 

ANN MARIE MEYERS grew up in Trinidad and Tobago 

and graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University, 

Halifax, Nova Scotia. She later worked at the Trinidad and 

Tobago Tourist Board and later at the United Nations. She 

went on to become a freelance translator.

DONNA JO NAPOLI is both a linguist and a writer of children’s 

and YA fiction. She holds a BA in mathematics and 

a Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures, both from 

Harvard University. She also studied at MIT. She has since 

taught linguistics at several distinguished universities. 

KATIE QUIRK wrote the middle-grade novel A Girl Called 

Problem after living and teaching in Tanzania. She currently 

lives in Maine and is working on a book about raising 

her son in India. 

GERRY RASMUSSEN is an internationally syndicated 

cartoonist who draws the comic strip Betty. Gerry’s first 

book, Crazy About Soccer!, paired his talents with those 

of poet, Loris Lesynski. Following in the footsteps of that 

success is Crazy About Basketball! 

KATHERINE ROY is an author and artist living in New 

York City. The Expeditioners and the Treasure of Drowned 

Man’s Canyon is the first novel she has illustrated. 

JOHN STANLEY and his wife, both lawyers, hope their 

twin boys will grow up to be explorers or scientists or historians 

or teachers but will still love them if they become 

lawyers, too. This is his first book. He lives in Durham, N.C. 

COURTNEY STEINMEL is the author of All the Things 

You Are, Sincerely, Positively, and My So-Called Family. 

She graduated with honors from Barnard College and 

attended Fordham University School of Law. 

MARK TATULLI is an internationally syndicated cartoonist 

best known for his popular comic strip Heart of the City 

and Lio. Tatulli is also an accomplished filmmaker and animator, 

and the recipient of three Emmy Awards. 

S.S. TAYLOR has a strong interest in books of all kinds, 

expeditions, old libraries, mysterious situations, longhidden 

secrets, missing explorers, and traveling to known 

and unknown places. The Expeditioners and the Treasure 

of Drowned Man’s Canyon is her first novel. 

PEGGY TIERNEY founded Tanglewood Publishing in 2003. 

She has been a children’s book editor and publisher in the 

UK and in the US since 1995. She has a degree in comparative 

literature from the American University of Paris. 

SHIRLEY REVA VERNICK’s writing has appeared in many 

national publications. She also runs a popular storytell- 

fall 2013 contributors 

ing website, storybee.org. Her first novel, The Blood Lie, 

was the recipient of several awards, including the Simon 

Wiesenthal Once Upon a World Children’s Book Award. 

VIIIZ, Vahram Muratyan and Elodie Chaillous are founders 

of ViiiZ, an art direction and graphic design studio created 

in 2005 in Paris. They graduated from the acclaimed 

Parisian design school ESAG-Penninghen. They are the 

authors of Fill in the Blank (Quirk Books, 2012). 

MCKENZIE WAGNER, Twelve-year-old McKenzie Wagner 

wrote her first book, The Magic Meadow and the Golden 

Locket, at the early age of seven, and wrote her second book, 

The Blue Lagoon and the Magic Coin, shortly thereafter. The 

Benotripia series are McKenzie’s first published novels. 

HILARY WAGNER is the founder of the blog Project 

Mayhem. Her first novel, Nightshade City debuted in 2010. 

The White Assassin released in 2011, and her latest book, 

Kings of Trillium, comes out this year. She also writes for 

National Geographic School Publishing. 

STEVE WESTOVER graduated from Brigham Young University 

with a BA in Political Science, and currently works 

in banking. Steve is the author of the Crater Lake series 

and has also published two FBI thrillers: Defensive Tactics 

and Gold Clash. 

A.B. WESTRICK has been a teacher, paralegal, literacy 

volunteer, administrator, and coach with Odyssey of the 

Mind and Reading Olympics. A graduate of Stanford 

University and Yale Divinity School, she received an MFA 

from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2011. 

DORINE WHITE is the founder of the blog The Write Path. She 

earned a BA in Humanities from Brigham Young University. 

She lives in Washington state with her husband and six children. 

Cleopatra’s Legacy: The Emerald Ring is her first novel. 

ELISABETH WOLF, Lulu in La La Land is Elisabeth’s first 

book. Lulu in Honolulu comes out in 2014. Before writing the 

Lulu series, Elisabeth worked in media and government. She’s 

a graduate of Smith College and Stanford’s School of Education. 

She was a Fellow with the National Coro Foundation. 

Middle Shelf is published bimonthly by Shelf Media Group 

LLC, 3322 Greenview Drive, Garland, TX 75044. Copyright 

2013 by Shelf Media Group LLC. Subscriptions are FREE, 

go to www.shelfmediagroup.com to subscribe. 

cool reads for cool kids.

60 

“ 

LAST WORDS 

Two people are 

lost when a soul 

jumps—the jumper 

and the person 

whose body we enter. 


” 

— from Iris Brave: Soul Jumpers, Book I by Ali B.

The Association of Independent Authors (AiA) is 

a global not-for-profit membership organization 

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self-published (independent) authors. Our membership 

spans five continents, with directors based in the USA, 

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The role of the AiA is to guide, educate, support, encourage 

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Our Body of Knowledge (BoK) is a comprehensive resource on all aspects of selfpublishing 

and running a small business—today’s authors must understand the 

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Our vision is that independent publishing will be the preferred, first choice, for 

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Our mission is to create a culture of excellence, teamwork and professionalism 

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Annual membership subscription (Associate, 

Member) US$50. Affiliate level is free. Come 

join us! (Mention promo code SHELF to receive 

an additional three months membership for the 

annual subscription of US$50.) 

www.independent-authors.org

MARGARET PETERSON HADDIX

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