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Author News & Interviews

Interview: Sayantani DasGupta, author of Game of Stars (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #2)

Feb 26, 2019

Demon Queens and Serpent Kings, oh my! The world of Sayantani DasGupta's Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond is a lush middle grade fantasy series inspired by Bengali fairytales. The second book in the series, GAME OF STARS, hits shelves today. Kiranmala is tired of solving problems in an alternative dimension, so when the Demon Queen shows up in her bedroom, 12-year-old Kiranmala is uninterested. It's been weeks since she last heard from her friends in the Kingdom Beyond, the alternate dimension where she was born as an Indian princess. But then Kiran decides that she has to once again return to her homeland, where everyone is running scared or imprisoned following the enactment of sudden and unfair rules of law. Kiran must once again solve riddles and battle her evil Serpent King father --- all while figuring out who her true friends are, and what it really means to be a hero. We are so excited to dive into GAME OF STARS, but first, we talked to Sayantani about world-building, writing #OwnVoice middle grade fantasy and creating incredible, strong characters who are also kids!

Interview: Svetlana Chmakova, author of Crush

Oct 25, 2018

Following the overwhelming success of AWKWARD and BRAVE, Svetlana Chmakova's award winning Berrybrook Middle School series continues with its next installment --- CRUSH! Jorge seems to have it all together. He's big enough that nobody really messes with him, but he's also a genuinely sweet guy with a solid, reliable group of friends. The only time he ever really feels off his game is when he crosses paths with a certain girl... But when the group dynamic among the boys starts to shift, will Jorge be able to balance what his friends expect of him versus what he actually wants? Read on to find out how Svetlana came up with Jorge and what she hopes her readers will learn from CRUSH.

Interview: Molly Brooks, author of Sanity & Tallulah

Oct 23, 2018

Get ready for some zero-gravity fun. Molly Brooks' debut middle-grade graphic novel, SANITY & TALLULAH is a delightfully humorous story about girl friendship, space and laboratory-created felines. Sanity Jones and Tallulah Vega are best friends on Wilnick, the dilapidated space station they call home at the end of the galaxy. So naturally, when gifted scientist Sanity uses her lab skills and energy allowance to create a definitely-illegal-but-impossibly-cute three-headed kitten, she has to show Tallulah. But Princess, Sparkle, Destroyer of Worlds is a bit of a handful, and it isn't long before the kitten escapes to wreak havoc on the space station. The girls will have to turn Wilnick upside down to find her, but not before causing the whole place to evacuate! Can they save their home before it's too late? Readers will be over the moon for this rollicking space adventure by debut author Molly Brooks. We talked to Molly about SANITY & TALLULAH. Keep reading to find out what she had to say about writing this adorable diverse debut and what's next on the horizon for Sanity and Tallulah.

Interview: Jonathan Auxier, author of Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster

Sep 16, 2018

Monsters, chimney sweeping and a strong girl lead are the ingredients for a heartwarming tale of friendship and hope. Jonathan Auxier's latest middle grade novel SWEEP: The Story of a Girl and her Monster portrays 11-year-old Nan Sparrow in the a gritty world of Victorian London where, for nearly a century, the city has relied on “climbing boys” --- orphans owned by chimney sweeps --- to clean flues and protect homes from fire. Nan is quite possibly the best climber who ever lived --- and a girl. With her wits and will, she’s managed to beat the deadly odds time after time. But when Nan gets stuck in a deadly chimney fire, she fears her time has come. Instead, she wakes to find herself in an abandoned attic, and huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature made from ash and coal. In anticipation of the novel's release on September 25, we interviewed Auxier and asked him all about the world of Victorian London, the power of friendship and stories and what he hopes his young readers will take away from his book. Read on to see his answers!

Interview: Mary Downing Hahn, author of The Girl in the Locked Room: A Ghost Story

Sep 4, 2018

Accomplished author Mary Downing Hahn has been writing historical and ghost stories for children for over 30 years. Following last year's ONE FOR SORROW, Hahn returns this September with her newest novel, THE GIRL IN THE LOCKED ROOM. When Jules, a young girl in a new town, discovers a ghost locked in an abandoned house nearby, she initially can't shake her fear. After a while, however, she begins to become interested in the girl's story. Meeting Maisie, another girl who lives in the area, at the public library, she learns some of the history behind the town, history that might explain where the ghost came from, and why she is locked away. Soon the two girls begin working together to try to free the ghost stuck in the locked room. No stranger to the ghost story genre, Mary Downing Hahn joined us for an interview to discuss her writing process, her favorite novels and her own experience with the supernatural.