According to Goodreads , I read 432 books in 2024. I am ranked as a Top 1% reviewer. My top genres: children’s fiction, middle grade fiction, and historical fiction. The books on this list include those genres and more. In reality, I read hundreds of more books than that (I serve on a national book committee, and I don’t rate books that fall in that category until after the awardees are named each November). During the past year I was reintroduced to comics – specifically, those with a Western focus – thrillers, and speculative fiction. Poetry is always a favorite, and I am always trying to read more nonfiction. If you’re looking to catch up on some middle grade reads that were released in 2024, then check out this list. The best part – these are titles you might have missed. I will also dip a bit into children’s and young adult fiction, because a good book is a good book, and I want to share those, too. The list is categorized by genre and not ranked in any particular...
If you have a story to share, then share it. Three authors – Jonell Joshua, Huda Fahmy, and Sarah Myer – have done just that. They had the opportunity to share about the writing process and craft during their presentation at the 2024 National Council of Teachers of English ( NCTE ) annual convention in Boston this November. Me with Sarah Myer at NCTE, 2024 While the texts in this post are written for older middle grade and young adult audiences, the teaching tips can be adapted and used by all secondary teachers. The speakers shared that queer authors and authors of color teach us about craft and writing process, not just about reluctant readers or book bans. What follows is a summary of their books with a link to their websites. How Do I Draw These Memories? by Jonell Joshua ~ Levine Querido Jonell Joshua spent her childhood traveling between Savannah and New Jersey – living in grandparents’ homes during the times her mother, struggling with mental illne...