For the past 13 years, I’ve been writing about books on my blog, Feed Your Fiction Addiction. But I recently decided it was time to consolidate my efforts and move everything here to my author website. So, if you came here looking for Feed Your Fiction Addiction, you’re in the right spot!

In the process of moving the blog over, I’ve culled my old posts significantly–down from over 2000 posts to just over 175. Deciding which posts to keep was painstaking, but I think I’m happy with what I ended up with.

Here’s what I kept:

• Reviews that have an Author Top Ten Addictions list attached, since those are fun content you won’t find on Goodreads. (I decided NOT to keep my other review posts, since my individual reviews are all on Goodreads. I think almost all of my blog followers are following me there, but if you’re not, now is the time!)
• Posts that include book lists (like MG Verse Novels to Read During National Poetry Month and Beyond and some Top Ten Tuesday posts).
• My Monthly Wrap-Ups dating back to 2022 (ones from the past year or two I actually created from Sunday Posts, since I hadn’t been keeping up with monthly recaps). These list the books I’ve been reading and bookish news in my life (and a bit of personal news, though I didn’t keep much of that.)
• My Year-End Wrap-Ups (and Mid-Year posts, for the years I did them).
• Posts about bookish conventions and certain other book events I’ve attended.
• A smattering of Discussion Posts and other random posts I loved and kept for my own nostalgia purposes (like my blogoversary posts, which spell out all of my bloggish accomplishments through the first nine years of FYFA, and my first April Fools post).

Moving forward, these are also the types of posts I plan to continue with. I won’t be updating nearly as regularly as I used to (and I unfortunately won’t be hosting the Discussion Challenge or Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up anymore), but I still want to spread love for the books I’ve been reading in whatever ways I can!

My first new post will be a Mid-Year Update, coming soon!

One other thing to note is that I’ve also removed all the external links from my posts, not because I don’t want to spread the love and send people to other blogs, but because I’ve discovered that so many of those old links don’t go anywhere anymore (or, worse, go somewhere unintended!).

One final throwback

Here’s a pic of the original Feed Your Fiction Addiction header from my very first blog design. (I found this in my 3rd year blogoversary post!) I think some of you have been around long enough that you’ll recognize it!

The post Feed Your Fiction Addiction Has Moved! appeared first on Nicole M. Hewitt.

Since I haven’t done any monthly recaps on the blog in awhile, I thought I’d jump in with a mid-year update! This is based off of past Mid-Year Freak-Out Tag posts (though I’ve updated a lot of the categories over time). I’m also including graphics of all the books I’ve read so far!

Number Of Books Read So Far in 2026: 58

1. Favorite you’ve read so far

Instead of choosing one favorite, I chose books I loved for the rest of the questions. (Sorry, but I’m no good at choosing favorites).

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far

The Last Rhee Witch and the Nine-Tailed Fox was even better than the first book. Kids who like spooky stories or books with a mythology element will love love this one!

3. New release you haven’t read yet, but want to

There are several I still need to get to: Where There Be Spies by Alby C. Williams and Relic of Thieves by Shana Targosz top my list, but I also really want to read the newly released Just Ask Elsie by Ari Koontz, The Summer Scrapbook by Florence Migga, and Perfect Enough by Meg Eden Kuyatt.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

I can’t wait to read An Encantadora’s Guide to Legends & Lies by Sarah J. Mendonca!!

5. Favorite Book To Movie Adaptation You Saw This Year?

The movie version of Project Hail Mary was fantastic! I still need to read the book, though.

6. New book by an old favorite

Neal Shusterman is an all-time favorite author, and I finally read both All Better Now and Dry. They did not disappoint!!

7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you)

I absolutely loved these two books by 2026 debuts: When You’re Brave Enough by Rebecca Bendheim and Where the Light Shines In by Jenny Mattern.

8. Newest favorite character

Nashae Jones managed to convince me of The Beckett Effect. I’m a Beckett fan!

9. Book with beautiful writing

I have to go with a verse novel for this one, of course. Sisters Alone by Shifa Saltagi Safadi is both gorgeously written and an exciting survival story kids will love!

10. Book that made you happy

Meet Me at Wonderland by Julia DeVillers is one of those cute romances that’s plain fun and funny and makes my heart happy!

11. Most unique storytelling

I absolutely loved the audiobook for What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski. The podcast element of the book made the audiobook especially interesting listening!

12. Favorite adult read

I’m a huge sucker for a sliding doors/time travel story, and I enjoyed every minute of Twice by Mitch Albom.

13. Most aesthetically beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)

I mean, this is my current bookcase, and several of them are new editions from this year, so … I’ve bought many beautiful books! Here are a couple I know are 2026 purchases: Relic of Thieves by Shana Targosz and The Aftermyth by Tracy Wolff. (I’m sure there are more, but those are the first two I spotted at a glance.)

So, that wraps up the first half of 2026. It’s been a great year of reading so far!

How has your 2026 reading been going? I want to know!

The post 2026 Mid-Year Reading Update appeared first on Nicole M. Hewitt.

Instead of a Sunday Post this week, I’m posting a year-end wrap-up. Please scroll all the way down for an important announcement.

As I say every year, I’ve adapted the book survey from The Perpetual Page Turner’s End of Year Survey!

2025 READING STATS

Number of Books You Read: 162

This is the most I’ve read since 2019, which is amazing. Of course, it helps that I’ve read a lot more middle grade and graphic novels in recent years, and I listen to a lot of audiobooks. Still, I’m very happy to have read so much because I think reading widely is one of the best things I can do to improve my writing.

Number of Re-Reads: 3

And one of these is my own book because I listened to the audiobook at the beginning of the year! (I needed to listen to it to review it and give a few notes on corrections – but I figured I might as well count that in my Goodreads. LOL!)

I also reread Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton so I could finish the series and read the new book, The Notorious Virtues, but then I apparently … forgot to read the new book? I literally did not realize that until writing this post. Guess I need to fix that!

Finally, I reread Not the Worst Friend in the World by Anne Rellihan when the audiobook was released. Some of you might remember that Anne was my mentee for Author Mentor Match, and I loved her book so much. When it came out on audio, I wanted to revisit it to see if it still struck me as hard as it did the first time. The answer is yes!

Genre You Read The Most From:

I combine fantasy/contemp fantasy for this, but Contemporary wasn’t far behind!  When it comes to age range, there’s no surprise. I read mostly MG these days, since that’s what I’m writing. (Children’s is picture books, which isn’t included in my Goodreads goal numbers, but I still keep track of it in my spreadsheet.)

Books by Month:

I always find it interesting to see what months are good and bad for reading. I read a ton at the end of the year this year, which is unusual for me!

Favorite Covers?

I feel like I’m going all cliche on myself by choosing two purple covers, but just look at these!

The Ghosts of Bitterfly Bay is by Mary Averling and the book is just as incredible as the cover – Mary is a lyrically beautiful writer! This was illustrated by Alla Khatkevich. It’s both gorgeous and creepy, a perfect match for the book!

And then there’s The Underwild: River of Spirits by Shana Targosz. Again, the writing even surpasses the beauty of this cover. This pitch-perfect Greek mythology-based fantasy deals with grief in a powerful way, but also feels fun and exciting.The cover is illustrated by Danlin Zhang (and the book has sprayed edges too!).

Favorite Characters?  

I’m going in two very different directions with this one. The first character I’ll mention is Ollie from Ollie in Between by Jess Callans. Ollie’s personal journey toward understanding their gender is thought-provoking and impactful, and they’re a character that stuck with me in a myriad of ways.

On a completely different level, a character who really stands out to me is Vampirita from Vampirita and the Angry Mob by Mariana Llanos (illustrated by Laura Brenlla). This is lower MG, and I just loved Vampirita’s not-so-sunny disposition and her attempts at getting her family driven out of California so she could go back home to Peru. So fun!

Most Relatable MG Reads? 

Capturing all the complexities of the middle grade years realistically and impactfully in a way that feels relatable to MG readers can be tough. Georgia Watson and the 99 Percent Campaign by Sara F. Shacter does it beautifully. This is a contemporary that focuses on the ways we’re alike rather than different. Such a worthy message told in a heartfelt way with characters you connect to, so it doesn’t feel didactic at all.

I also think Confessions from the Group Chat by Jodi Meadows manages to capture all the angst of the quest for middle school popularity in a truly honest way.

Favorite Adult Books?

I don’t read many adult titles anymore, so they get their own category. This year, I read just 12 adult books (and this includes writing craft books and a book I read as a Bible study). My favorites were The Husbands by Holly Gramazio and A Quantum Love Story by Mike Chen, which I am just now realizing are both sort of sliding door/alternate realities types of books. I’m a sucker for those, so I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise these were my favorites!

Best Books Read in 2025 Based on a Recommendation/Peer Pressure/Bookstagram, Etc.:

I read Sona and the Golden Beasts by Rajani LaRocca when it was listed as a finalist in the Cybils Awards MG Spec Fic category, and wow, am I glad I did! I absolutely loved this book (and I couldn’t help but notice some themes that are very similar to those in The Song of Orphan’s Garden – always cool to find that connection.)

Similarly, I read Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna after it won the MG category for the Barnes and Noble Children’s & YA Book Awards. Looking forward to continuing this series!

Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting in a Book You Read This Year?

The worldbuilding in Where There Be Monsters by Alby C. Williams, a  sci-fi/fantasy mash-up, is incredible and so unique! And An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic by Sarah J. Mendonca is a fantasy heist that has wonderful and intricate worldbuilding.

I’m also going to include Lu and Ren’s Guide to Geozoology by Angela Hsieh here because the living landscapes are what make this graphic novel so utterly enchanting! This graphic novel is so gorgeous – every page is a true work of art!

Most Heartwrenching?

The Things We Miss by Leah Stecher had me heartbroken for the main character. I felt such dread and sympathy for JP, even while I wondered how she would ever climb her way out of the hole she had dug for herself. This is one of those books that makes you feel everything along with the MC.

And Lilac and the Switchback by Cordelia Jensen is utterly gorgeous and both heartbreaking and hopeful. This book is everything a verse novel should be!

Favorite Dystopians?

Dystopians are always a favorite with me, and this year The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon and The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew both really stuck with me for their worldbuilding and main characters I fell in love with.

Best MG Romances? 

I actually had a hard time choosing between these authors’ books for this one. I ended up going with Jodi Meadows’ Bye Forever, I Guess (I used Confessions from the Group Chat for another category, though) and G.F. Miller’s What If You Fall for Me First? (but I was also a huge fan of Not If You Break Up with Me First!)

Books that Put a Smile On Your Face/Were the Most FUN to Read?  

Vote for the G.O.A.T is the second book I’ve read by Ali Terese, and it is just as funny as her first. She just writes MG in such a fun and relatable way!

I also absolutely adored Dracula’s Brunch Club by Brian Gonsar – about vampires who happily live off of blood orange donuts – until they realize another type of blood might be even better?

And the Spellbinders Series by Andrew Auseon is a super fun take on D&D! (The first book is The Not-So-Chosen-One.)

Creepiest/Spookiest Reads?

I’ve got a YA book for this one! Hazelthorn by CG Drews is just as disturbing as Don’t Let the Forest In was. Extremely creepy!

For MG, I’m featuring The Dark Times of Nimble Nottingham by Ryan James Black, an atmospheric mix of horror, fantasy and historical fiction. And Ghost Scout’s Honor by Carey Blankenship-Kramer. This truly spooky MG has a Ghostbusters vibe but also deals with mental health in a realistic way. Finally The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang by Stan Yan is a paranormal graphic novel with a spooky twist. This one’s so inventive, and it has an intriguing storyline MG readers will love!

Cutest Reads?

Growing Home by Beth Ferry (illustrated by The Fan Brothers) was just utterly adorable. Ferry did a fantastic job translating her picture book sensibilities into a MG for younger readers. Likewise, Cloud Puppy by Kelly Leigh Miller is a super cute introduction to graphic novels for younger readers.

Favorite Historical Fiction Reads?

Max in the House of Spies by Adam Gidwitz is a really clever historical fiction book with a touch of fantasy!

And I’ll also include an adult book here (I know, I’m messing with my formula). The Women by Kristin Hannah is gut-wrenching but amazing, and I learned a lot about the Vietnam War while reading it.

Favorite Sports Reads?

I Wish I Was a Baller is a highly entertaining graphic novel memoir by Amar Shah (illustrated by Rashad Doucet). For a very different type of sports book, Rapid City Summer by Connie Richardson focuses on fishing (which I knew basically nothing about.) This is a great romance for in-between MG/YA kids, especially those who love the great outdoors.

And technically I read Bea Mullins Takes a Shot last year, but since Emily Deibert is a fellow 2025 MG debut, I’m going to include it here anyway! It’s a wonderful contemporary LGBT romance

Favorite Mysteries/Puzzlers?

I absolutely loved Final Word by Janet Sumner Johnson. I only planned to listen to the first book in the series before I met Janet at NCTE, but I enjoyed it so much I had to jump right into the second book! The Cassette Tape Secret by Danielle Herzog has two kids solving an intriguing decades-old mystery.

Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship of the Year?

For this, I had to choose The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman. There was so much I loved about this gorgeous tale, but it all came down to the unlikely friendship between the reclusive Clare (the undead fox) and lovable Gingersnipes. Together, they are pure story gold!

And my next choice for this one is the rivalry/sisterly bond between Kennedy and Devon in Story Spinners: A Sisterly Tale of Danger, a Princess, and her Crew of Lady Pirates by Cassandra Federman!

Favorite Verse Novels?

This one’s tough because I’ve read quite a few this year that I loved, but choosing these for both their lyricism and emotional impact: Spark by Chris Baron captures the beauty of nature and the dangers of wildfires. And All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson explores loss in a powerful way, while Octopus Moon by Bobbie Pyron deftly handles the topic of depression.

Best Exploration of Tough Topics?

I’ve already mentioned some books I’d put into this category, but there are still a few more I wanted to highlight! Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic by Leslie Adame powerfully explores immigration issues in a fantasy setting – with a very cool magic system! And The Memory Spinner by C.M. Cornwell deals with grief in a unique way, and I love how it plays with the concept of memory. My son listened to this one and told me about a million times how much he loved it.

For more contemporary reads, Werewolf Hamlet by Kerry Madden-Lunsford deals with addiction and its impacts on a family. Coyote Queen by Jessica Vitalis deals with the topic of abuse. It’s a difficult but powerful read. And, finally, Aarzu All Around by Marzieh Abbas is a lyrical verse novel about a Pakistani girl who dreams of playing cricket in a patriarchal society.

Favorite Re-imagining/Retelling?

Rougarou Magic by Rachel M. Marsh is based on Cajun Folklore, but the story is a truly relatable contemporary fantasy! Nordlys by Malin Falch is a gorgeous graphic novel Norse mythology reimagining of Peter Pan. And Bull by David Elliott is a brilliant verse retelling of Theseus and the Minotaur!

Favorite Old Friends Revisited in a New Way?

I added this category because two classic books I loved as a kid were reimagined as graphic novels, and I read them both this year. Watership Down and Tuck Everlasting were both favorite books when I was young – and the adapters (K. Woodman-Maynard for Tuck and James Sturm and Joe Sutphin for Watership) did an incredible job with both of them!!

I’m also including Aaron Reynolds’ Jasper Rabbits’ Creepy Tales here (specifically, the first book, Troubling Tonsils). Fans of the Creepy Carrots picture books will love this zany dive into chapter books!

Favorite Series Starter, Sequel, and Ender?

Series starter is always the hardest for me to judge for this (and there are several books I’ve already mentioned that I might consider for this slot, but I don’t like to use a book twice). I’m going with Half Bad by Sally Green, which I absolutely flew through.

Sequel is a bit easier: Megan E. Freeman’s Away is an incredible companion to Alone (and I can’t wait for you all to read the third book in this series, coming next year – it is truly phenomenal already, and I’ve only read a draft).

I’ve absolutely loved all of the Greenwild books by Pari Thomson, and the finale, The Forest in the Sky, did not disappoint!

Books I Loved More Than I Expected To?  

I picked up Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson for research purposes – because I’m considering writing a hybrid graphic novel script. I thought it would be cute, but I ended up loving the many characters so much that I had to reall all the books in the series to find out what happened with them!

Same goes for the first Princess Swap book, Cinderella and the Beast (or, Beauty and the Glass Slipper) by Kim Bussing. Not gonna lie, I expected this just to be a cute read that I wouldn’t remember afterward – but I truly loved this mash-up, and I’m looking forward to reading the other books in the series!

Best Indie/Small Press/Self-Pubbed Read?

I think in past years, Fitzroy books have topped this list. But this year, I included those books in other categories, so I’m going with The Oasis by Lorisa D Wiedenheft, which was pubbed by Orange Hat Publishing. This one’s a really lovely, lyrical novel-in-verse about a family in crisis and the community that rallies around them.

Best Non-Fiction?

If you’ve been around my blog for a long time, you know that I’m a Christian. But I’ll confess that, in recent years, I’ve struggled to reconcile my faith with the angry, rant-filled representations of Christianity often seen on social media and in the news. I’ve always believed that Jesus’ core message of “love your neighbor” outweighed and all interpretations of Bibleical truth that choose to other people. This book perfectly captured so many of my thoughts and feelings and helped encourage me in my faith at a time where I was feeling lost.

Favorite Picture Books?

I read a bunch of picture books this year because I’ve been working on writing them. Lots of the ones I’ve read are older, but I’m going to focus on my favorites that were published this year:

What Fish Are Saying: Strange Sounds in the Ocean by Kirsten Pendreigh and illustrated by Katie Melrose is a super fun non-fiction picture book! Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsyth is both utterly gorgeous and wonderfully witty! There’s Something Odd About the Babysitter by Elayne Crain, illustrated by John Ledda is incredibly entertaining! And Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend by Bob Shea is also funny and adorable!

SOME MORE GRAPHS:

Reading a lot more backlist books lately! And my audiobook percentage has gone up even higher, which I’m not surprised about.

As you know, I don’t post about books that would get less than 4 stars from me (this very occasionally includes books that would round up from 3.5 stars), but I do still rate them in my spreadsheet for my own informational purposes. Now you can get a glimpse of those ratings too.

This year, I was truly shocked to see that I didn’t rate anything under three stars (even on my personal spreadsheet that no one but me sees), with about half the books I read getting four. I guess I had a really great reading year!!

Still got most of my books from the library (which is how I get most of the audiobooks I listen to). But look, I also actually read books I bought this year!

Best Moment of Bookish/Blogging Life in 2025?

My debut book was released in January by Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan! Let’s face it, this was one of the best moments of my life, much less my year.

If you’re reading this right now and had any plans of reading my book, you probably have (or, if you’re like me, you might have it sitting on a shelf somewhere and you reallyn mean to read it soon), so I won’t try to convince you. (But if you just popped by here randomly, it’s a MG fantasy in verse that shows kids coming together in a very divided world!)

Big announcement: My blogging era is ending.

Over the past year, between writing and personal stuff going on, I haven’t been able to make blogging a priority. I just don’t have the time and mental energy to make room for it anymore. Plus, I’ve had a ton of unexplained technical issues happening recently (way more than I’ve had over the past 13 years), and I don’t honestly think it makes sense for me to spend time trying to fix them.

I’ve been blogging January of 2013, and this blog has quite honestly changed my life. The people I’ve met through the blog have changed my life. But I think the time has come for me to let it go. I haven’t decided yet if that means I’ll let it disappear completely or if I’ll find a really cheap hosting plan to keep it up and running (and give myself the possibility of coming back/future posts). But, for now, it means I won’t be posting.

If you’d like to keep up with me, please sign up for my author newsletter on Substack – I plan to try to post there monthly with an update along the lines of my Sunday Post – which is basically all I was managing to post here lately anyway. I’ll also still be updating Instagram and I’ll be continuing to post reviews to Goodreads, but I think most of you already follow me in those two places.

So, for now, this is a bittersweet goodbye, but who knows what the future holds? I hope it holds more of all of you, in one way or another!

Check out my Goodreads Year in Books to see ALL the books I read this year!!

Did you write a 2025 wrap-up? Link me up in the comments! If not, tell me what’s been going on with you in 2025.

The post 2025 End of Year Book Survey (& Year in Graphs!) appeared first on Nicole M. Hewitt.

Book News/Progress:

Book Sales/Signings: I had two local sales/signings in the past month, one at Sturdy Shelter Brewing and one at Blue House Books. Both went great – selling during the holiday season is a lot easier (and I find it much easier to pitch to people too, because you can always start with, “Hey, if you have any 4th-8th graders on your holiday shopping list, I’ve got a great book to tell you about). I actually left Blue House when I got down to my last book, which I left for them to have on the shelf!

IL Reads 2026 Kickoff – TSoOG got chosen for the 2026 IL Reads list, and we had a kickoff at Anderson’s Bookshop. Looking forward to a full year of events for this!

Cincinnati Events: I participated in Bookfest at Northern Kentucky University and Books by the Banks at the Cincinnati Public Library – both events were really fun and a great success!

 

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NCTE in Denver: And my biggest event was the National Council of Teachers of English conference in Denver, where I was on two panels. Both of those were fantastic, but honestly I think the best part of being at the conference was meeting a ton of authors in person who I’ve only known online up to now. Being an author can feel a little solitary sometimes, but meeting with my peers (and some people I’ve looked up to for years) makes me feel more like a “real” author somehow!

(If you’re interested in even more NCTE posts, I have another carousel up on IG too, but here’s one set:)

 

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Random Other News:

Booksgiving at Bernie’s Book Bank – Bernie’s did their fun fall event, and this year it was Wizard of Oz themed! Check out my Insta post for a 30-second video with the highlights!

 

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What I Read:

I’ve been listening to a ton of audiobooks lately, and it’s been a month since I updated you, so it’s a lot!

• I listened to In the End by Demitria Lunetta, a satisfying follow-up to In the After.
• Next I listened to Half Wild and Half Lost by Sally Green. Look at me, actually finishing series! LOL!
• Next up was The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin. Loved the worldbuilding for the magic system in this book!
• After meeting Andrew Auseon at Books by the Banks in Cincinnati, I read the first two books in his Spellbinders Series: The Not-So-Chosen One and Break the Game. These books are great fun, especially if you’re into D&D type games!!
• And I wanted to read books from fellow panelists before NCTE, so I made sure to read Racing the Clouds by Sidney Dunlap, a touching story of the power of forgiveness and reconciliation.
• Another author I was sitting next to at Books by the Banks was Lori M. Lee, so I read the first book in her Rick Riordan Presents Series, Pahua and the Soul Stealer.
• Next I listened to Born Behind Bars by Padma Venkatraman, a powerful read that had been on my TBR for far too long!
• When I started the Emmy and Friends Series by Terri Libenson, I planned on only reading the first couple of books for graphic novel research purposes. But I enjoyed revisiting these characters so much that I just keep reading them! I read Remarkably Ruby, Surprisingly Sarah, Becoming Brianna, and Entirely Emmie. Pretty sure I’ve read the whole series now!
• Growing Home by Beth Ferry, illustrated by the Fan Brothers is another one that I’ve had on my shelf for way too long (I got an ARC months ago). So I decided to listen to it – I can definitely feel Ferry’s picture book background in the book, and that sensibility translates beautifully to a book for younger middle grade readers!
• Then I listened to Cinderella and the Beast (or, Beauty and the Glass Slipper) by Kim Bussing, (another one I’ve had on my shelf for months – are we sensing a pattern here?). I really enjoyed this twisted Disney tale and definitely plan to read more of them!
• Next up on my list was Unstuck by Barbara Dee. I always love Dee’s books – this one is about a girl dealing with a combination of family issues and writer’s block, both of which I relate to a little too hard! LOL
• I met Erin Soderberg Downing at NCTE and attended a nature-themed panel she was on where she talked about Just Keep Walking. I was intrigued and had to give it a listen! This book is a wonderful contemporary about a girl struggling with her parents’ divorce – with the added element of survivalist/hiking adventures!
• Jessie Ann Foley’s newest book, Severe and Unusual Weather, was chosen for the 2026 IL Reads list along with The Song of Orphan’s Garden, so of course I needed to give it a read! (I plan to read as many of the selected books as possible over the next year.) I was surprised when this story veered into magical realism (pleasantly surprised – I always love a little magic with my realism)!
• When I went to Neal Shusterman’s event, he talked about Game Changer (which I actually had with me for him to sign), and I was left wondering why I hadn’t yet read it! Obviously, I had to fix that. Side note – I listened to this one while I was driving my daughter Jade to the doctor and she got so invested that she had to listen to the rest of it herself (this literally never happens!).
• Next I listened to Mixing Magics by Clare Edge, the sequel to Accidental Demons. I absolutely love Clare’s worldbuilding, and this book was an exciting conclusion to the duology!
• Finally, I read Sixteen Minutes by K.J. Reilly. I love time travel/sliding door stories, and this one was a really interesting take on that.
• Weirdly, I only read one picture book this month – Mostly Monsterly by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Scott Magoon. At least if I was only going to read one, I chose a cute one!

• I read Aarzu All Around by Marzieh Abbas. Highly recommend this incredible verse novel set in Pakistan!
• Then I read No More “Us” and “Them”  by Lesley Roessing, an educator who will be moderating one of the NCTE panels I’m going to be on. The book is geared toward teachers, so I was surprised how much I got out of reading it. Lesley’s ideas for the classroom are innovative and inclusive.
• Next I listened to Fault Lines by Janet Sumner Jones, who will also be on my NCTE panel. I was only planning to read one book from each of the authors on my panels, but I enjoyed the first book in this series so much that I had to listen to the second!
• Next up was another verse novel I loved (I’ve been reading some amazing NIVs lately!) – Lilac and the Switchback by Cordelia Jensen. This book is so poignant, exploring themes of family and feeling like you don’t belong, and it’s incredibly lyrical!
• I also read Indigo & Ida by Heather Murphy Capps (another NCTE panelist – but this is my other panel). This book uses a journalism bent to tackle the topic of racism. Such a great read!
• Finally, I listened to In the After by Demitria Lunetta. I’ve had this one on my shelf for years, and when I did my purge awhile I back, I think I got rid of it and put it on my audiobook library list instead? Anyway, glad I read it, and I’m now about to listen to book two.
• Oh, and I realized I’ve been forgetting to include my picture book reads lately! Here’s what I’ve read since I last updated you on 9/14 (starred books are ones I loved so much I bought them!):
  • The Night Market
  • Sketty and Meatball
  • Bob the Vampire Snail
  • Zombie and Brain Are Friends*
  • Broken*
  • Aggie and the Ghost*
  • Benita and the Night Creatures
  • Run, Little Chaski!
  • Luca’s Bridge
  • Buffalo Fluffalo and Puffalo

The post November 2025 Reading & Writing Wrap-Up appeared first on Nicole M. Hewitt.

October Wrap-Up

Book News/Progress:

So You Want to Write a Kids’ Book Presentation – I presented at my library about the basics of kidlit writing and publishing. It felt like a great success, and I got really positive feedback on the presentation!

How Now Booking Company – I signed up with How Now Booking Company to help me coordinate school visits! If you know of any teachers or librarians looking for author visits for the 2025/2026 school year, let me know!

Book launch event for Sara F. Shacter – I attended the launch event for my friend Sara, whose book GEORGIA WATSON AND THE 99 PERCENT CAMPAIGN released on Oct. 14th.

AISLE Conference – I really enjoyed attending this conference for IL School librarians. Hopeful that I made some good connections there!

What I Read:

• I read Tidesong by Wendy Xu, a witchy MG fantasy graphic novel!
• I listened to Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic by Leslie Adame, one of the Middle Grade Escapades authors. This contemporary fantasy is full of excitement and twists and turns, and I highly recommend the audiobook version!
• Next I read Truly Tyler by Terri Libenson, book 5 in the Emmie & Friends Series. I’ve been so much more invested in this series than I expected to be!
• I also read Better Ways to Read the Bible by Zach W. Lambert. This book really spoke to me and echoed many of the thoughts I’ve had about faith and the ways we should be exhibiting love.
• Then I read Spark by Chris Baron, a verse novel about wildfires and hope and rebuilding. So good!!
• I listened to The Supernatural Society by Rex Ogle.  Love the fun voice of the monster narrator of this one.
• Then I listened to The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead. I have a book that I’m probably going out on submission with at the beginning of next year, and I thought this one might be a good fit as a comp title. I definitely think it works, and it’s an incredible book, so I’m so glad I read it!!
• Next I listened to Final Word by Janet Sumner Johnson. I’m going to be doing an NCTE panel with Janet, and I like to try to read panel author’s books if I can! This puzzle-mystery book is so incredible – both the mystery aspect and the themes of family and forgiveness.
• I also read Comics Experience Guide to Writing Comics by Andy Schmidt. I’ve been doing some experimenting with writing in a hybrid format, but I need guidance on writing a graphic novel script. This is the first book I picked up, but I’m also going to read some more!
• Finally, I read Vampirita and the Angry Mob by Mariana Llanos, illustrated by Laura Brenlla. Again, this chapter book is written by one of my fellow NCTE panelists, and it’s so super-cute!!

• I listened to Babel by R.F. Kuang. I had heard amazing things about this book, so I decided to give it a try. I was a little nervous it was going to be too academic for me at first, but I ended up finding it fascinating, and the second half of the book was much more plot-driven, which I appreciated.
• I read The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang by my fellow Middle Grade Escapades author Stan Yan. Love the storyline behind this spooky MG graphic novel, and Stan’s art is amazing!
• Next, I listened to Coyote Queen by Jessica Vitalis. This is another book that I’d heard was amazing. I own it, but I just hadn’t managed to pick it up, so I got the audiobook from my library. This one is a heartwrenching story about a girl living in an abusive home, and it’s every bit as good as I was told!
• Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna was chosen as B&N’s MG Best Book of the Year, and I can definitely see why. Loved this enchanting fantasy!
• Next I read Georgia Watson and the 99 Percent Campaign by Sara F. Shacter (and I went to the launch event for this one too!). This book is incredibly wonderful – it made me feel so much for Georgia, and I hope it inspires kids to see their similarities instead of their differences!
• I’d had my eye on Outside by Jennifer L. Holm, so when I read a review of it over at Always in the Middle…, I decided it was time to give it a listen. This book is fascinating, and even though it went exactly where I was expecting it to, I still found myself very wrapped up in the story.
• Finally, I listened to Half Bad by Sally Green, and let me tell you, I was riveted by this book. It was the first time in a while I can remember getting out of the car (where I usually listen to audiobooks) and not being able to stop listening. I finished it in less than 24 hours!

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Book News/Progress:

2026 IL Reads List – THE SONG OF ORPHAN’S GARDEN was chosen for the 2026 IL Reads List! Not only is this a great honor, the organization has several events associated with it throughout 2026 that I’ll get to attend!

 

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SCBWI-IL Fall Harvest – I did a reading and a presentation for our annual conference.

Swag packing with SCBWI – Last Sunday afternoon, I went to go help stuff swag packs for the upcoming IL school librarian conference (which I’ll be attending as an author). It’s always fun to meet up with SCBWI members I don’t see often!

Picture book progress – I have a complete draft of the picture book I’ve been working on. I’ve been sending it out to critique partners and doing some polishing!

What I Read:

• I listened to As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds. I always love Reynolds’ books.
• I read Positively Izzy by Terri Libenson, the second book in the Emmie and Friends graphic novel series. It had a very surprising ending(!), and I’ll confess that I had to look it up to make sure I understood it correctly.
• Next, I listened to The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman. I’d heard that this book was gorgeously written – so very true!
• Next I read Just Jaime by Terri Libenson, book 3 in that same graphic novel series.
• I listened to The Memory Spinner by C.M. Cornwell, a fellow Middle Grade Escapades author. My son actually listened to the book first, and he kept going on and on about how much he loved it. Of course, I had to listen to it immediately afterward!

• I listened to The Dark Times of Nimble Nottingham by my fellow Middle Grade Escapades author, Ryan James Black. This spooky historical fantasy has everything kids love – adventure, a mystery with twists and turns, friendship, and some truly creepy scenes!
• Then I listened to The Lucky Diamond by Valinora Troy. This book has a true classic MG epic-fantasy feel – reminiscent of The Chronicles of Narnia.
• Then I saw that my friend Anne Rellihan’s book Not the Worst Friend in the World had just come out as an audiobook. I worked with Anne on a development edit back when Megan E. Freeman and I were her mentors for Author Mentor Match, so of course I’d already read the book. But I was so excited about the audiobook that I had to give it a listen. And, honestly, this book is so wonderful that I sped right through it in a day!! I’m so glad I revisited it!
• Finally, I read Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson. This series is a sort of graphic novel/prose hybrid, and I know from when I worked at B&N that kids love it! I can see why from this first book – very relatable.
• I actually didn’t read any picture books this week – unusual for me lately!

• I listened to Rougarou Magic by Rachel Marsh. Loved this sweet and magical contemporary fantasy about a girl coming to terms with her feelings about her Cajun heritage and adapting to life in Boston after moving from Louisiana!
• I read 13 Ways to Say Goodbye by Kate Fussner, a verse novel that explores grief and crushes and family dynamics.
• Finally, I listened to A Quantum Love Story by Mike Chen. I don’t read a lot of adult books these days, but I always love Chen’s. I love that his books read like a blend of science fiction and contemporary, and he never fails to draw me in. (Plus, I love time travel/sliding door sorts of stories!).
• I’m still working on writing picture books, so I also read more of them! Here’s a list:
  • Snappsy the Alligator Did Not Ask to Be in This Book, Creepy Carrots, Nerdy Birdy, The Invisible Parade, Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend, Itty Bitty Betty Blob, Prunella, Rosie the Dragon and Charlie Say Good Night, Light Speaks, The Peddler of Puddles, Willow and the Wildflowers, The Day the Books Disappeared, Lily the Pond Mermaid, Beneath

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Book News/Progress:

Check out this new review of The Song of Orphan’s Garden over at Always in the Middle! I love the way Greg ends his reviews with a “five more things to like about” format!

Turned a manuscript in to my agent! – I finally finished the ms I’ve been working on converting from prose into verse and sent it off to my agent. She loves it, and we plan to go out on sub with it, but the timeline is a bit unknown.

Picture book draft – I actually finished a first draft of a picture book! I’m super excited about the book. I have no idea where it might lead (the market is tough right now, and many people write tons of PB manuscripts before they ever get one published), but I’m hopeful that this is the first of many and that it will make its way into the world at some point!

Other News:

Leigh Bardugo & John Picacio book event – Leigh Bardugo just released her first picture book, The Invisible Parade, with co-author/illustrator John Picacio. It’s utterly gorgeous!! I found it really interesting to hear about the process of how they wrote the book together. Plus, I got to get a couple of my other LB books signed, which was a nice bonus.

Aaron Reynolds book event (and a trip down memory lane) – This one was even more fun for me because Aaron and I go way back – he was the K-1 teacher at a church I volunteered at for years. It’s a mega-church, and back then, the kids’ program was a really elaborate production, and he wrote a lot of the programming. I was on the drama team for the kids’ ministry (yes, we had a whole drama team – it was pretty amazing), and I also eventually was a volunteer teacher in the 3-year-old room. I used to say that serving in that room was akin to being on a show like Blue’s Clues – we had special character guests, costumes, full-sets, musical numbers, etc. It was a LOT of work, but so much fun! One year Aaron and his wife wrote and directed a hilarious hour-and-a-half long operetta (all music, no dialogue) for Christmas. I played Mary–this is honestly a core memory for me! (I also once played a singing, dancing monster alongside Aaron for a children’s ministry conference–while I was eight months pregnant!!)

 

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Anyway, Aaron’s newest book, Troubling Tonsils (narrated by Jasper Rabbit of Creepy Carrots fame) was just released, and I got to go to his launch event at Anderson’s Bookshop (Bardugo’s event was there as well). Let me tell you, Aaron hasn’t lost any of the energy and humor he had as a K-1 teacher/writer all those years ago – his presentation is basically a kids’ “show”, and it’s so much fun!!!

Volunteering at Bernie’s Book Bank – Now that I have a bit more time, I’m back to volunteering there weekly. Volunteers do things like pack bags with books to give to students, scan books to sort them by grade level, check books for damage, sticker them with the Bernie’s logo stickers, etc. It’s been nice to get back to volunteering regularly!

Lunch with B&N friends – Since I quit B&N, I’ve been trying to meet up with a couple of my friends from there once a month or so. My one fear after quitting was that I would lose out on actual human interactions with people outside of my family. LOL

What I Read:

• I read Always Anthony by Teri Libenson because I’ve been trying to do a bit of graphic novel research. (My library didn’t have the first book in this series in – it’s very popular! But it’s fine to read these out of order.) I’m hoping to try my hand at a graphic novel script at some point, but we shall see!
• I read Vote for the G.O.A.T. by Ali Terese, a wonderfully funny book about kids who stand up for what they believe in (and end up on some crazy capers) to save their school mascot.
• Next was Dracula’s Brunch Club by Brian Gonsar, another really funny read! (Guess I was feeling the need for some humor recently). This one is a graphic novel that imagines Dracula as a chef who makes blood orange donuts because vampires don’t realize that actual blood gives them even more energy. Loved this kid-friendly version of a vampire story!!
• Then I read Nordlys: Book One by Malin Falch, a Scandinavian take on Peter Pan. This graphic novel is truly gorgeous, and I just want to stare at the illustrations all day long!!!!
• I listened to Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver, another book that I had removed from my shelves during my purge (the best thing I ever did for those books was get rid of them and add them to my Hoopla audiobook TBR!!)
• Finally, I listened to The Beat I Drum by Dusti Bowling, a long-awaited companion to the Aven Green Series. I especially loved the appreciation for drumming in this one since my husband’s a drummer. 
• I also read more picture books! Here’s a list:
  • The Flower Garden, Hamsters Make Terrible Roommates, Just Snow Already, The World’s Best Class Plant, Bird Rehearsal, How to Spot a Mermaid, What Fish Are Saying, Build a Sandcastle, The Squirrel Who Squabbled, The Way Home for Wolf, Firefly July, There’s Something Odd About the Babysitter, Side by Side,
    and Leafy Landmarks: Travels with Trees

• I read Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams by Shari Green. This YA verse novel takes place in Germany during the time just before the Berlin Wall came down. I’d never read a book about this topic and didn’t know much about it. It was really interesting to hear this perspective.
• Then I read The Burning Season, another verse novel, this time MG, by Caroline Starr Rose. This book is about a girl who is training to be a fire lookout. I didn’t even know this job exists, and I learned a lot. Plus, the verse is beautifully written!
• Since I’ve been trying to do a little middle grade graphic novel research, I read Sunny Rolls the Dice by Jennifer L. Holm and illustrated by Matthew Holm. (My library didn’t have the first book in the series, but I found it easy to jump right into this one.)
• I listened to The Things We Miss by Leah Stecher. I’ve heard amazing things about this book, and I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to read it. I loved so much about this story about the pains of adolescence and what life might be like if we could skip over all the hard parts. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time!
•  And I read Wish I Was a Baller by Amar Shah, illustrated by Rashad Doucet. This graphic memoir tells the fascinating story of how Amar persisted in tough circumstances and became a teen sports journalist (and got to hang out with Shaquille O’Neal!).
• I also read a bunch of picture books! (31 of them, to be exact!) I don’t have time to put in pics of all of them, but here’s a pasted list of the titles (I hope to post pics of some of my faves soon!):
  • Capybara : a First Field Guide to the Biggest Rodent in the World, The Capybaras, There’s a Lion in the Forest!, Capybaras After Dark, I Am a Great Friend, Robins! : How They Grow Up, Sleepy Happy Capy Cuddles, The Koala Who Could, Dancing with Daddy, We Are Definitely Human, Willow and Bunny, Magic Candies, The Boo-Boos of Bluebell Elementary, Who’s Afraid of the Light, Homegrown, Bábo: A Tale of Armenian Rug-Washing Day, Big, Home in a Lunchbox, What Can You Do with a Rock?, Room on the Broom, A Big Mooncake for Little Star, Where the Deer Slip Through, The Wall in the Middle of the Book, Frostfire, The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of, Song After Song: The Musical Life of Julie Andrews, Butterfly on the Wind, Life After Whale, River of Dust: The Life-Giving Link Between North Africa and the Amazon, The Quacken, and The Story Book Knight

• I read Radiant by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, a verse novel about seeing the world from others’ perspectives. Loved it!
• Then read An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic, a new release by fellow Middle Grade Escapades author Sarah Mendonca. I’ve been so excited that all of the books in our group are so incredibly good!! The MG world is getting some great books this year! My review for this one goes up tomorrow, along with a Top Ten Addictions list for the author!
• I also read an advanced copy of The Cassette Tape Secret by Danielle Herzog for my first blurb. Kind of an exciting milestone, and I really loved the book! It has great mental health representation and a very satisfying mystery.
• I listened to the final Greenwild book, The Forest in the Sky by Pari Thomson. I absolutely love everything about this series – such gorgeous writing and creative worldbuilding. This series might be an all-time favorite for me!
• And, finally, I listened to Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow. This is one of the books that’s been sitting on my shelf for way too long, and I added it to my listening TBR when I did my shelf-purge. I knew this book was going to be heartbreaking, but I didn’t realize it was going to be so poetic!

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Book News/Progress:

LITaPalooza and KidLITaPalooza – I got to participate in LITaPalooza (and KidLITaPalooza) at Anderson’s Bookshop. I’ve attended these events at Anderson’s for years, so it was really exciting to be on the other side of it. This was the first event where I got to participate on panels, too!

 

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Other News:

Cincinnati trip – I ended up deciding to stay a week in Cincinnati to help Danielle settle into her new apartment for her internship. While we were in Cincinnati, we hit some fun local spots like Jungle Jim’s (a crazy 4-acre international grocery store) and Findlay Market, the Cincinnati Zoo (of Fiona the hippo fame), Krohn Conservatory, and Danielle’s local library! We ate (and drank) at some local breweries, a cute local place called The Root Beer Stand, and Skyline Chili. And we visited the cutest little kids’ bookstore called Blue Marble Books – they have a Great Green Room!

Pics from left to right: Blue Marble Bookstore (The Great Green Room and front of store), The Root Beer Stand, a fun display at IKEA, Danielle’s local library (just look at it – such a cool old building!), a mural I loved, and cheetah cubs playing ball at the zoo.

What I Read:

• I listened to The City Beyond the Sea (Greenwild #2) by Pari Thomson. I really loved the first book, and I was excited to continue the series!
• Then I listened to Graciela in the Abyss by Meg Medina since I was going to be meeting her at LITaPalooza (read about that above) – loved the worldbuilding in this one!
• Next up was Gut Reaction by Kirby Larson (another LITaPalooza author) about a girl who’s diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
• My final LITaPalooza read (for now) was Matt Sprouts and the Curse of the Ten Broken Toes by Matt Eicheldinger. He gave the keynote at LITaPalooza, and it was one of the best keynotes I’ve heard – both funny and inspirational!

• I listened to Sadie by Courtney Summers. This was one of the many books on my shelf that I found when I did my purge. I’d heard amazing things about this book, and the audiobook version was really interesting because of the podcast aspect (and it’s a full cast version).
• I read Octopus Moon by Bobbie Pyron, a wonderfully lyrical middle grade verse novel about a girl with depression.
• Then read Troubling Tonsils by Aaron Reynolds, a super fun spooky chapter book follow-up to the Jasper Rabbit picture books!
• Finally, I listened to The House at the Edge of Magic by Amy Sparkes, a fun magical adventure story!

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What I Read:

• I read Green Promises: Girls Who Loved the Earth by Jeannine Atkins. I’m trying to read as many 2025 MG verse novels as possible right now!
• I listened to Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson. This one was an interesting perspective on the revolutionary war because it focused on the after-effects rather than on the war itself.
• Then I listened to I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver. This is one of the books that I took off my shelf a couple of weeks ago when I did my culling. Ironically, I’m glad getting rid of it finally got me to listen to this one because it was a really good book! LOL!
• Next I listened to What Fell from the Sky by Adrianna Cuevas. I really enjoyed this paranormal spin on a real-life historical event I’d never heard of.
• I read Rapid City Summer by an authorly friend of mine, Connie Richardson. This outdoorsy YA is perfect for younger YA readers.
• Next I read The Oasis, a verse novel by Lorisa D Wiedenheft, a local author I met at my launch party for The Song of Orphan’s Garden. I loved this lyrical story of how a community came together for a family in need!
• Finally, I listened to The Husbands by Holly Gramazio. A friend of mine at B&N absolutely loved this one, so I decided to listen. Loved it!!

• I listened to EngiNerds by Jarrett Lerner. I love everything about Jarrett Lerner’s online presence, but I’d never read one of his books (even though I own two of them). I had to change that! This book is a ton of fun and perfect for MG readers who loved Wimpy Kid.
• Next I listened to Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee. You know how much I love foxes! I couldn’t resist this one.
• One of my friends from Barnes and Noble raves about The Wedding People by Alison Espach, and she was so right. A fantastic read!
• After listening to Maybe a Fox, I realized I had another Kathi Appelt book that I’d been holding onto for ages, so I read Once Upon a Camel—ironic that it’s another book with an animal main character.
• Another book I’ve been meaning to read for forever is This Appearing House by Ali Malinenko. I’d heard such amazing things about this MG horror book featuring an MC who is a cancer survivor. Malinenko wove the story together in incredible ways, and I highly recommend it.
• And finally, I listened to All the Light We Cannot See, mostly because AJ over at Read All the Things listed it as one of the books she recommends most often, and I loved many of the other books on her list. I’m not always a huge fan of war stories, but this one was very different than what I was expecting, and the writing is utterly gorgeous!

• I listened to The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon. I have a signed copy, but I really wanted to listen to it, since she narrates it herself, which was really fun.
• Next was The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew. I’d heard great things about this dystopian, and I was not disappointed!
• I was in the mood for another YA, so I listened to Okay, Cupid by Mason Deaver, a cute (LGBTQA) romance I’ve been meaning to read for forever.
• On a whim, I picked up some verse novels from the library. My first read was Glitch Girl! by Rainie Oet, which has a trans main character and takes place in the nineties (it was semi-autobiographical – I thought it was interesting to read the author’s interviews at the back with real people who inspired two of the characters).
• I listened to Roswell Johnson Saves the World! by Chris Colfer. Again, I have a signed copy, but the audiobook was narrated by him and I couldn’t resist listening to it instead of reading. (My books are sort of turning into a collection instead of things I actually read at this point.)
• Next I listened to Songlight by Moira Buffini. This book is the start to a trilogy, but it has a true epic fantasy feel to it.  I hope I don’t let this series fade off my radar by the time the next book comes out (as I tend to do) because this first book was truly fantastic!
• Finally, I listened to Hear Me by Kerry O’Malley Cerra, who I was recently “introduced to” (via email) by another author friend. I’m always interested in books about Deaf and HOH characters since my uncle was Deaf. This audiobook is really interesting because the audio cuts in and out to approximate the way things sound to the MC. I thought it was a genius way to do this!

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Pride Month is almost over, but I wanted to share some great middle grade LGBTQ+ reads for all year long!

TWELVE MG LGBTQ+ I’VE READ AND RECOMMEND

Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas

The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

This gorgeous graphic novel focuses much more on the after-effects of a school shooting than on LGBTQ+ themes, but a budding romance between the two main characters is implied, and sometimes it’s nice to have a book that doesn’t spell everything out for the reader, even in MG.

The Civil War of Amos Abernathy by Michael Leali

This book delves into the historical existence of LGBTQ+ people (and how those histories have often been ignored). The facts that the MC digs up about the Civil War are intertwined into his own personal journey in many meaningful ways.

Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson

In this fun twist on a superpower story, the MC discovers she can bring things back to life. But learning how to control the power and figuring out the consequences are harder than she imagines. Ellie struggles with many things when people find out about her power–including her crush on her best friend.

MORE I PLAN TO READ

Click on my Bookshop.org widget to see a more complete list of LGBTQ+ middle grade reads, including these books, a couple others I’ve enjoyed, and several I’ve heard great things about but haven’t managed to read yet!

(The bookshop list has affiliate links, and I will earn a small commission that supports my blog–and my writing!–if you make a purchase.)

What are your favorite MG LGBTQ+ books? I wanna know!

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