Middle Schoolers are Great Problem Solvers by Darlene Beck Jacobson
Writing for the middle grade population has a different set of rules than those for picture book writers. Apart from telling a good story, having a character readers can relate to and root for, we need to be sure that the MAIN CHARACTER solves his or her own problems. The best books are those where the main character grows and changes from beginning to end, in part because she is able to work through challenges and conflicts without parents help. Kids want to see other kids do the hard work and come out better and stronger than before the story began. By letting our characters take charge of their own decisions and actions, we create a relatable story that can help readers face challenges in their own lives and be problem solvers. Darlene Beck Jacobson loves reading about characters who figure things out on their own. One such character is Toby Beecher, the boy in her upcoming novel in verse MY OWN KIND OF BRAVE from Reycraft Publishing, coming in Spring 2027.
