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As a middle school teacher who has taught in inner-city Brookyln for almost 30 years, Torrey Maldonado’s wellspring of source material comes from his professional career and learned experiences growing up in a Brooklyn, New York project. Like every middle school student, Maldonado came to many crossroads in his young life, and had to decide which way he would turn— “End up like Luke Skywalker? End up like Darth Vader?” And with a mother like Yoda—very short, but full with The Force—Torrey had all kinds of unique influences who helped him learn how to use his hands for good.

Middle school can be tough, especially when you’re living out of a car, fighting to keep your Native American Heritage alive, and dealing with your mean brother, Emjay. James Bird, author of the JLG selection No Place Like Home, takes readers on a bumpy road trip through the ups and downs of experiencing homelessness at a young age. Told through the lens of an optimistic, twelve-year-old protagonist—perhaps based on a young James? —this middle school novel will encourage readers to practice resiliency, form their own identities, and preserve their heritage and culture— even in the most destitute of times.

Sometimes, when we think of bravery, we think of superheroes who can fly, read minds, or use their incredible strength to lift a car. Lisa McMann, author of Clarice the Brave and thirty-four other novels, believes we all have the capacity to be brave in our own ways, and through her caring and mindful storytelling, she reminds readers that their actions matter:

“…We must remember that acts of bravery occur every day. There are always people who need help, and being brave can look like stretching outside your comfort zone to help someone, whether it puts you in danger or not.” 

In this author interview with Lisa McMann, we’ll learn more about Lisa’s love for animals (and mutiny!), the difference between loss and absence, and how bravery, cleverness, and the will to live come in all different shapes and sizes.

Learn more about how our Editorial Team selects the best books for our Spanish categories, why representation in literature is so important for young readers, and the titles you can read to make Hispanic literature a part of your everyday life! 

Aprende más sobre como nuestro equipo editorial selecciona los mejores libros para nuestras categorías en español, porque la representación en la literatura juvenil es tan importante para los lectores y los títulos que puedes leer para hacer la literatura hispana parte de tu vida diaria.  

Maura Jortner is an author, educator, theatre extraordinaire, former puppeteer, lover of Disney World and Dole Whip, a mother, a wife, and an inspiring advocate for kindness. She is currently a literature and creative writing professor at Baylor University, holding both a bachelor's degree and master’s degree in literature, and a PhD in theatre history. During Maura’s interview, she explores the autonomy of names and identity, encourages us to look for a hidden figure on her book cover, and gets real about the messiness of life, love, family, and companionship.

“We all mess up from time to time,” Maura said. “We all make mistakes, and that’s just what makes us human, however, we must also repair our mistakes and fix what we have broken. That’s another part of being human: we must work to make things right.”

Read on to learn more about a special Cat-and-Mouse game, the life rule that Maura lives by, and why middle school novels deserve to be filled with difficult—yet authentic—themes...

Throughout elementary and middle school, I read nearly every title written by Margaret Peterson Haddix, so having the opportunity to sit down with my literary hero over coffee was naturally the best day of my life. When I met Margaret, she ordered an iced chai latte and immediately commented on the beautiful, summer weather that Ohio was producing. Everything about her screamed “author,” like the way she thoughtfully answered my questions, or the way she’d stop to think about her words and speak them in a calm, cool, and collected manner. She was humble, and loving, and cared deeply for the human spirit. “If kids are going through hard times themselves,” Margaret said, “I hope that this book can be healing for them to read.”

I hope you enjoy reading this interview as much as I enjoyed speaking with Margaret, because getting to know more about her outlook on time travel, her Lego-piecing method for constructing a character, or the way she cares tirelessly for the middle school (and human)...