Going Deeper with Some Fall Reading

Going Deeper with Some Fall Reading

On my blog, Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, I've interviewed some great middle grade authors lately, and I thought I'd share a few!

James Ponti is back with a new series, beginning with The Sherlock Society. When I asked what he hopes readers take away from the novel, he said, "I always hope that readers have fun going along on the adventures in my books. I hope that it inspires them to look into things like the coral research or the Everglades. But mostly, I hope they see an empowering version of themselves. I like writing kid mysteries because I like kids to read about people like them solving problems with brains, teamwork, and empathy."

Taylor Tyng's new novel, Clara Poole and the Wrong Way Up, is the second in his series about Clara. Tyng said, "I wanted to explore how authority figures—positive and negative—shape our values and beliefs and how opportunity is given differently. However, I also wanted to create a discussion about equitable thinking that included a mentor with the right ideas but maybe the wrong methods, which drives Clara to question larger concepts of merit, legacy, and equality."

 

Sally J. Pla's new novel is Invisible Isabel. She said: "The title came before the story. I couldn’t stop thinking about the character I’d doodled, about the idea of this sensitive, delicate little girl who felt invisible from the world, who felt the world was too much for her sometimes, and that she needed to retreat, to hide herself from it. But who also longed, so deeply longed to connect, and to feel seen. When I thought what to name my “Invisible” girl, the alliteration of the name “Isabel” made perfect sense. And there she was." 

Happy reading, and best wishes for a wonderful new school year!

--Deborah Kalb