Middle Grade Reading for March

On my blog, Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, I've recently interviewed some authors of new middle grade novels, and I'd like to share some excerpts with you!

To start with, Kara Thom's new novel is called Sweet, Tart. When I asked her about the inspiration for the book, she said: "I mention in my author’s note at the end of the book that, like Halle, I witnessed a racehorse break down at a track. It was hard to “unsee” and to process the emotions I turned to writing. What followed was a narrative poem. Then an essay. Then, about six months later, I started a story for children." She added: "I started what-ifing. What if the stables that used to exist near my home were still there? And what if that racehorse had been born and raised there? And what if a young girl went to inquire in person? And what if? And what if?"

Alaba Onajin is the author and illustrator of the new graphic novel Koroba: The Case of the Missing Kolo. He said of the inspiration behind the book: "Growing up, I couldn't get enough of book series like Enid Blyton's Famous Five, Carolyn Keene's Nancy Drew and Herge's The Adventures of Tintin. I loved the adventures and mysteries that these wonderful inspiring protagonists solve but as much as I loved the settings for these books, I always imagined such adventures happening in my home country, Nigeria."

Last but not least, we have Natalie Hyde's new novel Briarwood. Asked about the inspiration for the book, she said: "Inspiration for my writing usually comes from several different sources and then swirls together to create something new. In the case of Briarwood, it started with an article I read while doing research for a nonfiction book. It was about nanoparticles and it mentioned that scientists had discovered that when they added light to water that contained specific nanoparticles, the water boiled in about 20 seconds." She added: "This fascinated me but I wondered what that could possibly be used for. Then I remembered the steam technology of the Industrial age and how steam powered huge turbines, locomotives, and ships. But what if it powered small engines, too. What would happen then? Then the setting came out of my memories of summer camps.  When I was young, I was a Girl Guide and I loved going to Guide camp on Lake Huron each summer. So, these ideas combined to become the steampunk summer camp, Briarwood."

 

Happy reading, everyone!

 

--Deborah Kalb