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Author Guest Post: “Why Middle Grade Readers Need Gothic Stories” by Melanie Dale, Author of Girl of Lore

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“Why Middle Grade Readers Need Gothic Stories”

In second grade I discovered a new book in my school’s library, In a Dark, Dark Room. Inside this little book was a story of Jenny, who always wore a green ribbon around her neck, and spoiler alert, it ended with her taking off the ribbon. I felt a delicious shiver down my spine at the last line: “and Jenny’s head fell off.”

WHAT!

In a world of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Carolyn Keene, and The Babysitter’s Club, this was new for me, and I knew I needed more. I immediately retold the story to my friends, one of whom was named Jenny and didn’t appreciate the nightmares. I couldn’t get enough.

Through stories with ghosts and candlesticks and billowy nightgowns and grand staircases and cobwebs dangling from chandeliers I discovered the power of gothic tales to delight and terrify. While the monsters are fun and fantastical, the themes are deadly serious.

The first time I read Bram Stoker’s Dracula I remember setting down the book and wondering how his original audience, who knew nothing of vampires, would have reacted. The story had a seemingly innocent core wrapped in gore: nineteenth-century propriety blushing at the intimacy of a bedside vigil. I was mesmerized by the gruesome terror juxtaposed with the purity of good versus evil. I rooted for the heroes to work together to defeat the demon.

When my son was in middle school I gave him a copy and he gamely tried to plow through but petered off when Jonathan Harker was still trapped in the castle in Transylvania. I thought, “What if I could make this story more accessible for him? What if these characters were teens living in Georgia?” So I did. Girl of Lore introduces my favorite gothic characters to the group of readers who maybe need them most of all.

Middle grade readers need gothic stories. Perhaps no other type of story resonates more with the unease and turbulence of burgeoning adolescence, a time when the world feels strange, we question our sanity, and we struggle with the creeping suspicion that something is wrong with us. Characters in gothic literature deal with outside forces like ghosts and the undead while battling inside struggles like “what if I’m crazy” and “what if things aren’t okay.” Through the pages of gothic books, readers can process death, mortality, and the darker side of human nature in a safe, healthy way.

Gothic literature creates an atmosphere of mystery and suspense, a threatening feeling, and fear of the unknown. You know, kind of like navigating friend group drama, changing schools, test anxiety, and unrest at home. Often there’s a feeling of isolation, maybe physical isolation or internal isolation. In Girl of Lore, my main character, Mina, struggles with maintaining friendships, feeling different, and the longing to connect with family. She processes all of this in the mysterious, spooky, gothic setting of her hometown.

I had a blast creating Mina’s town of London, Georgia, and now it’s your turn!

Gothic writing exercise: turn your hometown into a gothic setting

Step one: Pick a building or area of your town and describe it like a gothic novel would.

Often you’ll hear that in gothic literature, the setting is a character in the story. The places the characters live and work can feel alive and menacing. They often are filled with decay, overgrown cemeteries, crumbling castles or estates. Architecture details are important, with gables, eaves, maybe even a turret or gargoyle. Secret passageways abound.

When I created my fictional town of London, Georgia, I spent time in the communities around where I lived, exploring cemeteries, walking around lakes and town squares, and touring Victorian houses with sprawling porches, gingerbread trim, and dormer windows. As I began to describe the setting for Girl of Lore, I pulled in shadows, draped cobwebs, and enhanced the spooky details to give London a Southern gothic feel.

“They stared at [SPOILER ALERT] from a safe distance, noticing its peeling paint and steep roof plunging down. The rickety porch looked rotted through, with weeds growing up between the spaces of the boards. The house was dark, but Mina thought she saw a curtain flutter.”

Step two: Picture the flora and fauna in your town.

Describe how the animals creep or slither, how the plants and trees decay. In what ways are they sinister or threatening?

My London for Girl of Lore is set in Georgia where I live, so I thought about how my own backyard spills into a marsh filled with wildlife like snakes and armadillos. I noticed the way vines entangle the trees, choking them. Where I live is lovely, but when I saw it through a gothic lens, it became the perfect setting for a ghoulish tale, with skittering, creeping animals and arachnids.

“Arthur let out a whimper when he nearly walked into the three-dimensional web of a massive Joro spider, her delicate legs perched in the middle of her creation, waiting for dinner.”

Step three: Add a supernatural or psychological element.

Is there a ghost lurking somewhere? A town legend? A tragic element? Is someone wailing?

Supernatural elements like ghosts, family curses, and shadowy monsters often show up in gothic stories. Sometimes the power of nature itself threatens danger. The monsters aren’t always vampires or creatures of the night. They can also come in the form of psychological trauma like mental illness, obsession, and manipulation.

“As she hurried home past the church, past the cemetery, she heard a growl in the bushes along the sidewalk. Mina turned on her phone flashlight and shined it toward the growl. Three shadows loomed in the cemetery, watching her. The hair on the back of Mina’s neck stood up.”

The concept for Girl of Lore began when I wondered what it would be like if characters from Bram Stoker’s Dracula went to high school in small town Georgia. Make your own gothic story. Turn your town into a gothic setting, add the monsters of your choice…and see what happens!

Publishing April 21st, 2026 by Aladdin

About the Book: A girl who’s used to battling the monster of her own mind discovers there’s a sinister evil lurking in her small town in this atmospheric paranormal novel that’s perfect for fans of Tracy Wolff and Maggie Stiefvater.

Stories of dark magic and even darker creatures have always swirled about Mina Murray’s town of London, Georgia. Mina knows they aren’t true—and are likely perpetuated only to drive the quirky tourist-trap ghost tours of downtown—but that doesn’t stop her from collecting the stories and drawing them in her sketchbook. Something about the possibility of real monsters helps her deal with the monster in her own head: her OCD, which convinces her danger lurks everywhere.

But when a body is found drained of blood and a classmate goes missing, Mina is thrust into a tangled web of London secrets…that she seems to be at the center of.

About the Author: Before embracing her love of monsters and sneaking into Mina’s fictional world, Melanie Dale published a bunch of nonfiction books, shambled around as a zombie on TV, and survived cancer. She’s written episodes for the anthology horror television series Creepshow and over a decade of essays for Coffee + Crumbs. While she has won no awards for literature, she won a Halloween costume contest one time and still feels pretty stoked about it. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching yoga or battling her own brain. She lives in the Atlanta area.

Thank you, Melanie, for this wonderful writing activity as well as the plea for middle school dark(er) books–I know many of my middle schoolers would agree with you!

Author Guest Post: “Planting the Seed: Why Sharing Stories with Diverse Representation in Medicine and STEM Matters for Children” by Dr. Candicee Childs, Author of Cece’s Sour and Sweet Journey to Medical School

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“Planting the Seed: Why Sharing Stories with Diverse Representation in Medicine and STEM Matters for Children”

I remember that day as if it were yesterday—the day I found out becoming a doctor was possible and, quite frankly, a real option. Oddly enough, it was when I was a college student. I asked a career counselor, based on my interests and grades, how I could find my purpose in life (not just a job). I explored what service I hoped to give to the community and what I hoped to gain, which, again, was a sense of purpose. When he shared his first instinctive suggestion of a career in medicine, it shocked me.

I later realized I was incredibly stunned not because of the type of job he recommended, but because the reason I had never thought of it myself came from never seeing anyone who looked like me in it. It was not because of the responsibility or the difficulty of the path to medicine, but because the idea literally had not occurred to me. Growing up, I did not see any physicians of color in my community, nor did I have any family members who pursued this career. I did not read about it in books. It was rarely portrayed in the media. Without realizing it, I had internalized the idea that this was not a space meant for someone like me. It was a hidden barrier I did not realize was there.

That was the day I secretly vowed to myself that if I ever made it, I would do what I could to advocate for this—to show that, yes, diverse representation in medicine and STEM matters.

Today is a different time. The landscape is slowly changing, with shows such as Doc McStuffins, a young Black girl who imagines herself as a doctor caring for her stuffed animals. Children can also see characters like Shuri in Marvel’s Black Panther, a brilliant young woman scientist and engineer whose inventions power the fictional nation of Wakanda. Whether we realize it or not, these characters model to children of color and diverse backgrounds that, yes, this is possible. These characters may seem small in the grand scheme of things, but they carry enormous power in the media. They introduce children to possibilities they may not otherwise imagine. Yes, you can do this, and the world can be your oyster. Yes, you could be an athlete or a singer, but you could also be an engineer or even a doctor. Representation does something subtle but profound: it expands the imagination.

When children see someone who looks like them in a role in science, leadership, or healing, the question shifts from “Can someone like me do this?” to “How do I get there one day?”

This matters in medicine and STEM fields, where diversity remains limited in many spaces. As a tall woman of color, I was often expected to be a basketball player, but that was not my passion. I loved science and later grew to love the idea of becoming a doctor. Now that I am in the medical field, the research still shocks me with how low diversity remains. A 2023 article by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reported that 5.7% of the U.S. physician workforce is Black/African American, and Hispanic physicians comprise approximately 6.9%, despite these groups representing 13.6% and 19.1% of the U.S. population, respectively.

There are many articles that explain why diversity in medicine matters, noting that it directly improves patient outcomes, reduces health disparities, and expands access to care for underserved populations. Beyond the statistics, representation matters because it shapes identity. When children are asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” many learn about these careers through what they see and what they can imagine. Whether they realize it or not, their identity is already forming, and it begins when a child first imagines who they might become.

For some children, that vision comes easily because the path is visible everywhere—in their neighborhoods, classrooms, families, television shows, and books. For others, that path seems hidden until someone shines a light on it. That is why stories are so important. Stories can be that light.

When we write books, create media through television and movies, provide mentorship, or simply share our journeys through reflection, we are doing more than telling personal stories. We are planting seeds—seeds that may grow years later into a future scientist, engineer, researcher, or physician who once needed someone to show them that the door was open. For me, that door opened with a single conversation.

Now, through storytelling and representation, I hope to help open it for someone else—maybe a young boy or girl who simply wants to pursue something different from what they feel the world is offering them based on how they look.

References:

  1. Boyle, P., By, Boyle, P., Writer, S. S., & 12, Jan. (2023, January 12). What’s your specialty? new data show the choices of America’s doctors by gender, race, and age. AAMC. https://www.aamc.org/news/what-s-your-specialty-new-data-show-choices-america-s-doctors-gender-race-and-age
  2. Heath, V., & Price, C. L. (2025). Addressing health disparities: How having a more diverse biomedical workforce can contribute to addressing health disparities in communities that are often underrepresented in the healthcare system. British Journal of Biomedical Science, 82. https://doi.org/10.3389/bjbs.2025.14973
  3. Rosenkranz, K. M., Arora, T. K., Termuhlen, P. M., Stain, S. C., Misra, S., Dent, D., & Nfonsam, V. (2021). Diversity, equity and inclusion in medicine: Why it matters and how do we achieve it? Journal of Surgical Education, 78(4), 1058–1065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsurg.2020.11.013

Publishing May 7th, 2026 by Book Baby

About the Book: From a young age, Cece had her heart set on learning new things, and discovering how she could make a positive impact on the world. As she grows up, her passion for helping others intensifies and she sets her sights on a big dream – attending medical school to become a doctor. But Cece‘s path to her goal is filled with both sweet victories and sour setbacks. As the saying goes, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” 

Through the highs and lows of her journey, Cece learns that failure is not the end, but a vital part of the process. In this heartwarming story, children will be inspired to embrace life’s sour moments, and find the sweetness that comes from never giving up and staying true to their dreams. Join Cece as she teaches young readers valuable lessons about overcoming obstacles and staying hopeful, no matter how tough the journey gets.

About the Author: Dr. Childs is passionate about sharing her story and, more importantly, wants to encourage any and everyone to find their passion and pursue their dreams – no matter how big or small. She has hope to encourage, empower and uplift any person who wants to truly work in their purpose. As a passionate author, she understands the importance of uplifting others through her words, actions, and creative works. In the future, she hopes to inspire and educate others by writing several books and becoming a podcaster. As a Christian, she also explores many ideas that embrace the role that spirituality plays in a person’s life.

Her hometown is the beautiful city of Savannah, GA. She has three degrees: a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry with a minor in Spanish from Valdosta State University, a Master of Healthcare Administration degree from Georgia Southern University, and a Doctor of Medicine degree from Augusta University – Medical College of Georgia. She has two certifications in nutrition and personal training from the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Learn more about Candicee Childs here.

Follow Candicee Childs on social media:
Twitter/X: @candicee_childs_md | Instagram: @candicee_childs_md

Thank you, Dr. Childs, for this post!!

Author Guest Post: “Five Lesser Known Figures from Greek Mythology” by Shana Targosz, Author of Relic of Thieves

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“Five Lesser-known Figures from Greek Mythology”

When we think of Greek mythology, the gods and goddesses that most likely come to mind are the famous twelve Olympians who rule from Mount Olympus: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hephestus, Demeter, Hermes, Artemis, and Apollo. But there are hundreds of other gods and immortals who are given small parts to play in the more celebrated myths and epic tales. Many of these figures from myth are no less important and have unique divine powers of their own—and some are even more powerful than the Olympians. These lesser-known figures from mythology can be sources of inspiration to craft deeper, richer stories for mythology-loving readers.

Here are some lesser-known gods and immortals with fascinating stories of their own:

Thanatos – the god of death
You may have heard of Hades, the god of the Underworld, but have you heard of the actual god of death, Thanatos? Thanatos is mentioned occasionally in myths and is seen briefly in The Iliad. Thanatos is the child of Nyx and twin to Hypnos, the god of sleep. In fact, Thanatos’s power was to bring a gentle death to mortals, much like the deep sleep Hypnos’s touch would bring. Perhaps the most intriguing myth Thanatos appears in is not about the origins of the god of death, but of the Corinthian king, Sisyphus. Sisyphus was a mortal man who escaped death not once, but twice. The first was when Sisyphus locked the god of death up in chains so Thanatos could not send Sisyphus to the Underworld. Thanatos remained imprisoned by Sisyphus for several days. Eventually, the other gods took notice that mortals were not completing their life cycle as expected. It was Ares, the god of war, who figured out the reason and set Thanatos free. The second time Sisyphus escaped death, he convinced Persephone that he was taken by mistake and the queen of the Underworld released him. Hades was not pleased. To punish Sisyphus, Hades sent him to Tartarus, where he was condemned to roll a boulder up a hill every day only for it to roll down to the bottom each time. As for Thanatos, the god of death learned to not trust mortals, and was never bound again.

Thanatos’s role in the Greek pantheon is to represent the gentle end of a life cycle, rather than a distraught one. Perhaps this is why Thanatos was not given a larger role in the epics and features mainly in Orphic hymns and even in Aesop’s fables. A god who respects the precious cycle of life is an interesting character to explore.

Nyx – goddess of the night

Nyx is one of the primordial gods who came to be during the dawn of creation. Nyx was a goddess even before the Titans and the Olympians appeared. Nyx symbolized the night, specifically the substance that obscured the light and brought forth the darkness. It was believed that her chariot crossed the sky at dusk, and Nyx pulled the veil across the world that would turn day into night, the stars following in her wake. Even Zeus was in awe of Nyx and went to lengths to appease her. In classic texts, Nyx is mentioned as the parent to many other immortals, such as the Erinyes (the Furies), the Morai (the Fates), and the Oneiroi (gods of dreams). She is also the mother of twins Hypnos (the god of sleep) and Thanatos (the god of death). In the Iliad, Nyxis is mentioned by her son, Hypnos, when he recounts the time that Zeus was furious with him. The only reason Hypnos escaped was because he ran to Nyx for protection. Zeus did not want to anger the goddess, and so left Hypnos unharmed. I am in awe of Nyx, myself! This primordial goddess has ties to some of the most intriguing figures from mythology and seems to hold an awe-striking power over the Olympians. They are right to revere her!

Hecate – goddess of crossroads, magic, ghosts, and the moon

Hecate is the goddess of many things, often appearing as a triple-bodied or three-headed deity who carries a torch. As the goddess of crossroads and magic, Hecate is the holder of keys that can unlock the gates between realms—even the realm of the dead. In the famous myth of Hades and Persephone, Hecate was called by Demeter to aid in the search for her abducted daughter. At first, Hecate could not find Persephone, even with her divine torch and her magical keys. When Persephone was finally found, it was too late—she had become bound to the Underworld and had to remain there for six months out of the year. Later, after Persephone was crowned the queen of the Underworld alongside Hades, Hecate became the one who guided Persephone from the realm of the dead back to the above realms, when it was time for her to return to her mother’s side at Mount Olympus. Persephone’s journey from the Underworld to Mount Olympus coincides with the spring and her return signifies the time when flowers, trees, and crops begin to bloom once more. And in the myths, Hecate is always there to make that journey alongside her. With her influence over crossroads, magic, ghosts, and the moon, there is so much to love about Hecate!

The Erinyes

The Erinyes were three fearsome goddesses of vengeance and retribution who punished mortals for crimes they committed. You may be more familiar with their Roman counterparts, the Furies. In early myths, the Erinyes were originally the personification of curses called down upon those guilty of crimes. It wasn’t until later that the Erinyes were given physical forms. Their names are Tisiphone, Alecto, and Megaera; women with wings who carry poisonous serpents wound around their wrists and woven through their hair. They were known to hunt criminals and bring them to justice. Even invoking their names was believed to lay a curse upon the wicked. The Erinyes brought misery and misfortune to those found guilty of crimes, anything from disobeying parents to the more serious crimes of harming others. They appear in many Greek and Roman classic texts and were both revered and feared by all.

The Erinyes were fascinating goddesses whose task it was to punish first and ask questions later. Because of this, the Erinyes were ideal figures from mythology to include in Relic of Thieves—their singular focus to hunt down law-breakers made them the perfect antagonists for the story.

Charon – the Ferryman of the Underworld

Unlike the others on this list, Charon is not a god at all. Rather, he is an immortal daimon, or spirit of the Underworld in service to Hades. Charon’s only task is to ferry the dead across the river and into Hades’ domain. Charon is featured in some myths, such as the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, often appearing as an old man who will not take a passenger unless they can pay for the crossing. If the person arrives without payment, they are forced to wander the shore for a hundred years without rest, doomed to haunt the world as a ghost. Charon’s role in mythology is to be a psychopomp, a spirit who guides the dead, forever bound to the river that divides the realm of the living from the Underworld. Charon has always been a source of intrigue and inspiration for me. I would often wonder about this immortal of the Underworld. Did he ever have time off from his duties? What did he do with all of the payments he received from the dead? Mostly, though, I wondered if he ever got lonely.

All of the gods and immortals I’ve mentioned make appearances in The Underwild series and have pivotal roles in the story. Charon is the guardian of Senka, the main character of River of Spirits, and Senka is undergoing training as the young apprentice ferryer of the Underworld. Hecate visits the Underworld often and becomes a key figure in both of the Underwild books. In Relic of Thieves, Hecate’s magical keys are the relics Anya, the main character, “borrows” to reunite with her best friend who moved away. And the Erinyes (named the Furies in my book) do indeed hunt Anya down for breaking a pivotal law of the gods. These fascinating figures from mythology all have unique abilities, and they either help or hinder Senka and Anya on their journeys through the realms of myth. Now that you know a little more about these lesser-known gods and immortals and the powers they wield, what new stories would you create with them?

Publishing March 24th, 2026 by Aladdin

About the Book: An ordinary girl’s longing to return to the way things were sets off a chain of events that lands her and her best friend in the Underwild in this second book in the New York Times bestselling middle grade fantasy series The Underwild—perfect for fans of Greenwild and Rick Riordan.

The best ways Anya knows how to cope with the struggles life throws her way is to keep her head down, stay invisible, and stick close to her best friend, Lizzie. Lizzie has been Anya’s rock since second grade. Together, they pretend the world away. But when Lizzie moves out of state, Anya is left adrift and desperately lonely.

One day, Anya follows a strange girl home from school and is shocked to see her go into the home of the woman who everyone in town swears is a witch. As Anya spies on the pair, she realizes the woman really does have magic—including a set of magical keys that can deliver you anywhere you want to go…keys that could reunite Anya with Lizzie. Anya has seen all she needs to; as soon as she has the chance, she steals the keys.

But magic always has a price. The keys do bring Anya to Lizzie, but then the girls are transported to the dark and chaotic world of the Underwild. Before long, Lizzie is snatched away by a terrible creature! Now wracked with guilt and paralyzed by fear, Anya has no choice but to trust the girl from school, Senka, when she unexpectedly shows up and offers to help. But can Anya find the bravery locked away deep inside herself in time to rescue her friend?

About the Author: Shana Targosz writes about magical girls, budding friendships, ghosts who may or may not be friendly, and fiercely held hope. She is an Oregon Literary Fellow and the 2021 recipient of the Edna L. Holmes Fellowship in Young Readers Literature. Shana is the author of The Underwild series, the first book of which was an instant New York Times bestseller. When not writing or reading through a stack of books, she spends her time playing Zelda with her son, designing solo journaling games, walking her domesticated monster disguised as a Labradoodle, and dreaming up different worlds.

Thank you, Shana, for writing this interesting article about one of my (and students’) favorite subjects!

Author Guest Post: “What Post-Apocalyptic Fiction Can Teach Us about Humanity, Resilience, and Critical Thinking” by Magda Mizzi, Author of Tyranny of Tomorrow and Dawn in Ruins

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“What Post-Apocalyptic Fiction Can Teach Us About Humanity, Resilience, and Critical Thinking”

Post-apocalyptic fiction often gets dismissed as “just survival stories,” but in fact, stories like The Tyranny
of Tomorrow and Dawn in Ruins offer rich opportunities for deep classroom discussion and learning.
Whether students are in middle school, high school, or a reading group, these narratives invite readers
to explore crucial skills: ethical thinking, empathy, resilience, and critical analysis.

1. Exploring What It Means to Be Human

At the heart of these novels is the question: What does it mean to be human when the structures of
society fall apart? In the ruins of Sydney, young protagonists must make choices that test their values
and force them to consider the humanity in themselves and others — even when “others” are different or
damaged.

In the classroom, teachers can use post-apocalyptic scenes as prompts for discussions or essays on
compassion, judgment, and identity:
● When is survival instinct, and when is it moral compromise?
● How do characters define who is worthy of help?

These questions help students connect literature to empathy and ethical reasoning.

2. Resilience as a Skill, Not Just a Theme

Resilience isn’t something characters just “have.” It’s something they develop particularly through loss,
failure, connection, and re-engagement with their world. Students read about how Madeline in The
Tyranny of Tomorrow pushes through grief and fear to protect those she loves — and they see resilience
modeled in action.

Classroom activity idea: Resilience Journals

After reading a chapter, students write about a time they faced difficulty and identify the traits that helped
them persevere. This connects the text to students’ own lives, encouraging self-reflection and growth.

3. Critical Thinking Through World-Building Analysis

Post-apocalyptic worlds require readers to question “Why this world?” and “What caused this collapse?”
In Dawn in Ruins, the mystery of the virus and its effects on characters like Jude pushes readers to think
beyond plot into cause/effect, systems, and unintended consequences.

Teachers can ask:
● How does the author build tension through setting?
● What real-world issues echo in the fictional collapse?

This develops analytical skills crucial for literature and other subjects like science or social studies.

4. Empathy Through Others’ Perspectives

Stories about survival inevitably involve diverse types of people reacting in different ways. Through
character comparisons and point-of-view exercises students can deepen their empathy and
understanding of motivation.

Classroom discussion prompt:
How might you respond differently than Annie, Jude, or Michael in a crisis? What does your answer reveal about your values?

Post-apocalyptic fiction isn’t just about the end of the world; it’s about the survival of ideas, hope, and
connection. When teachers bring texts like The Tyranny of Tomorrow and Dawn in Ruins into their
curriculum, they give students a space to consider ethics, resilience, and critical thinking in a way that is
both imaginative and deeply relevant to real life.

About the Book: In the heart of Sydney’s Western Suburbs, a devastating virus has unleashed a wave of unprecedented violence, leaving the town in chaos.

As the government struggles to regain control, the contagion spreads with alarming speed, triggering a global crisis. Amid the turmoil, Madeline, a quiet teenage girl, and Michael, the boy who captures her heart, are unexpectedly thrust together.

Now they must navigate the treacherous landscape, racing against time to secure a safe haven for their families and friends. Faced with the relentless onslaught of the virus, they’ll have to rely on their wits, courage, and the unbreakable bonds they forge in this high-stakes race for survival. `

The Tyranny of Tomorrow’ is a fast-paced and thrilling first instalment in a gripping series that explores the resilience of youth, the imposition of responsibility and the meaning of humanity in the face of an unravelling world.

About the Book: The world ended in silence. The fight for what’s left will not.

Ten months after the collapse, teenager Annie’s world has shattered, and with it, everything she once believed about monsters. They don’t always lurk in shadows. Sometimes they wear uniforms. Sometimes they wear the faces of those you love.

In the ruins of Sydney, Annie finds an unlikely ally in Jude—a half-infected boy marked by virus and twisted science. His strange, dangerous abilities make him both a threat and their best hope. But the line between abomination and saviour is thinner than either imagined.

Haunted by what was done to him, Jude carries scars deeper than flesh. Meanwhile, Annie’s younger brother, Lucas, remains a prisoner, infected and altered. If she doesn’t reach him soon, Lucas will face the same fate that nearly destroyed Jude—experiments that don’t just scar flesh but twist what it means to be human.

As secrets unravel and the origin of the virus comes to light, Jude learns a devastating truth: his connection to the outbreak is deeper, darker, and far more personal than he ever imagined.

Together, Annie and Jude race through a city where every shadow hides a threat. When they are torn apart, survival becomes more than a mission—it becomes a promise: to endure, to protect, and to bring each other back from whatever hell awaits.

From the shattered edges of the Fractured Reality universe comes a story of desperate hope and fierce loyalty—because in a world this ruined, some things are lost forever. But some are worth risking everything to save.

About the Author: .Magda Mizzi spins tales of shattered worlds and fierce survivors. A lifelong fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, she sets her stories in the haunting beauty of Western Sydney’s riverbanks and the rugged Blue Mountains—landscapes she grew up exploring.

When she’s not teaching English or encouraging young writers, she’s crafting her next dystopian twist.

Thank you, Magda, for this insight into how post-apocalyptic stories can help lead our students to critical thinking!

Author Guest Post: “Teaching Activities Related to James Baldwin’s Extraordinary Life” by Michelle Meadows, Author of Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues

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“Teaching Activities Related to James Baldwin’s Extraordinary Life”

James Baldwin wrote more than 20 works of fiction and nonfiction, including essays, plays, short stories, poems, and novels. Before he became a legendary writer and civil rights activist, he was a young boy from Harlem who loved books and the library. His friends and family called him Jimmy.

Here are five ways to inspire students to learn from James Baldwin’s phenomenal life and boost their self-awareness at the same time. These activities can be used as discussion points or writing exercises.

Set Goals

From a young age, Jimmy knew he wanted to be a writer. He devoured books, loved the rhythm of words, and felt that writing soothed him. One day, he shared his deepest dream with his mother: “I’m going to be a great writer when I grow up.”

Activity # 1: After reading the book JIMMY’S RHYTHM & BLUES: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin, students will enjoy picking out various moments that show Baldwin’s interest in writing. Explain to kids that they don’t have to know all their goals now, but that it’s wonderful to set goals related to activities you enjoy. Invite students to address: What are your goals right now? What are you doing to achieve them?

Celebrate Supporters

Jimmy’s teachers noticed he had a gift for weaving words together like musical notes of a song. This book highlights his most significant supporters, including a theater teacher named Orilla Winfield. Her nickname was Bill. Bill encouraged Jimmy’s interest in the arts by taking him to museums, movies, and plays outside of school.

Activity #2: Ask students to identify Jimmy’s main supporters and the nature of their support. Then ask them: Who are the supporters in your life? How do they show you support? How do you thank them for supporting you?

Face Challenges

While Jimmy found joy in the rhythm of music, family, and books, he also found the blues, as a Black man dealing with discrimination and oppression in America. After he moved to Europe and no matter where he lived, he always cared deeply about the struggles of Black people back home. He took action by taking a tour of the Southern states in the U.S. He marched, protested, and wrote and spoke eloquently about the fight for freedom.  Jimmy energized people of all ages and races to open their minds to new ways of thinking.

Activity #3: After inviting students to identify Jimmy’s challenges, ask students: What challenges have you experienced in your life? What actions did you or will you take to face those challenges?

Express Yourself

When Jimmy discovered the written word, he discovered true power. Writing gave him a voice and a channel to express himself. Jimmy also appreciated many types of artistic expression. He loved to sing and dance; music was an important part of his life. He was also interested in the colors of clothing, nature, and paintings. Hence the choice to tell his life story through the lens of a variety of colors. For example, one excerpt:

Writing is electric blue,
bright, brilliant swirls
of letters and words
flying, flipping,
flowing to the beat.

Activity #4: Explain to students that there are so many ways they can express themselves. Invite them to brainstorm: What are your favorite ways to express yourself? What colors do you connect with your different feelings and moods?

Writing Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin was one of the most exciting projects of my life. From the publication of his groundbreaking collection of essays The Fire Next Time to his passionate demonstrations during the civil rights movement, Jimmy used his voice fearlessly. My hope: One day every student will know the name James Baldwin – one of America’s greatest writers and intellectuals.

Published January 30th, 2024 by HarperCollins

About the Book: Celebrate James Baldwin’s one-hundredth birthday anniversary with the first-ever illustrated biography of this legendary writer, orator, activist, and intellectual.

Before he became a writer, James “Jimmy” Baldwin was a young boy from Harlem, New York, who loved stories. He found joy in the rhythm of music, family, and books.

But Jimmy also found the blues, as a Black man living in America.

When he discovered the written word, he discovered true power. Writing gave him a voice. And that voice opened the world to Jimmy. From the publication of the groundbreaking collection of essays The Fire Next Time to his passionate demonstrations during the civil rights movement, Jimmy used his voice fearlessly.

Michelle Meadows, author of Brave Ballerina and Flying High, introduces young readers to the great American novelist, essayist, poet, playwright, orator, and artist James Baldwin, who, with the fire of his pen, dared a nation to dream of a more equitable world filled with love. Brought to life with warm illustrations by Jamiel Law, Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues chronicles the life of an incredible visionary who left an indelible mark on American literature and history.

About the Author: Michelle Meadows is the author of many acclaimed books for children. She loves dreaming up new projects and telling stories with heart. Some of her books include Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles and Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins. Michelle also contributed to Black Ballerinas: My Journey to Our Legacy by Misty Copeland. With a passion for storytelling, Michelle graduated from Syracuse University with a dual degree in journalism and literature. Michelle grew up in Washington, DC, and now lives near the beach in Delaware with her husband. Visit Michelle at michellemeadows.com.

Thank you, Michelle, for this deep dive into Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues and James Baldwin’s life!

Author’s Guest Post: “Teaching Dual Perspectives Through Adventure Stories”by Sarah Branson, Author of For the Love of Glitter & A Pirates’ Pact

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“Teaching Dual Perspectives Through Adventure Stories”

One of the quiet joys of writing for middle-grade readers is witnessing how fully they step into a story. Young readers don’t hover at the edges—they immerse themselves. They imagine what they would do, what choices they might make, and how differently those choices might turn out.

This becomes especially powerful when a story offers more than one perspective.

In my middle-grade novel, A Pirates’ Pact, twin brothers Kik and Mac navigate challenges that stretch them—sometimes together, sometimes apart. Although the story is written in close third person, readers are given a front-row seat to how differently each boy interprets the same moment. Kik tends to observe, reflect, and question, while Mac leaps, tests boundaries, and charges ahead. Their contrasting instincts reveal not only who they are as individuals, but how perspective shapes story.

For teachers and librarians, this contrast is an opportunity: dual perspectives naturally spark conversations about point of view, empathy, voice, and character motivation.

Why Teach Dual Perspectives?

It deepens empathy.

Students begin to understand that even people who care deeply for one another experience the world differently. This opens doors to discussions about intention, impact, and the many ways identity shapes perception.

It strengthens comprehension.

Comparing two interpretations of the same event helps students practice inference, identify bias, and attend to textual clues—skills essential as they progress toward more complex texts.

It supports writing craft.

Once students see how worldview shapes voice, they begin to use it intentionally in their own writing. They hear the difference in pacing, tone, and vocabulary when they slip into another character’s skin.

Mini-Lesson: How Would the Other Character Tell This Scene?

Choose a short, high-tension moment from A Pirates’ Pact—for example, when the boys break a treasured family heirloom and uncover a hidden piece of a map.

After reading together, ask students:

  • What does Kik believe just happened?
  • How does Mac interpret it?
  • What assumptions does each brother make about the other?

Then invite students to rewrite the scene from the other brother’s perspective.

As they write, students quickly discover:

  • how word choice shifts with personality,
  • how pacing reflects impulsiveness or caution,
  • how emotional tone changes the entire moment.

This often opens into a personal reflection:
How do you see events differently from your siblings, friends, or classmates—and what value lives in those differences?

Classroom Project: Two Voices, One Story

Have students write a short narrative (1–2 pages) from two viewpoints—siblings, teammates, rivals, or even two sides of the same protagonist (the brave self vs. the uncertain self).

Encourage them to explore:

  • what each voice wants,
  • what each misunderstands,
  • how the conflict shifts when both perspectives matter.

This project helps reluctant writers focus not on inventing an entire story, but on exploring interpretation. The heart of the work lies in how each character experiences the moment.

Why Adventure Stories Enhance Perspective Work

Adventure applies pressure—and pressure reveals character.

When students watch two characters navigate the same storm, literal or metaphorical, they begin to understand that perspective is not an ornament; it is the engine of story. Kik and Mac model how two people can move through the same world and come away with entirely different truths.

This is fertile ground for literacy learning, SEL conversations, and writing craft exploration.

Classroom Connections

A Pirates’ Pact can be used to support discussions about sibling dynamics and interpretation, point-of-view analysis, comparing character motivations, writing voice exploration, empathy, and social–emotional learning. It also pairs well with books like Wonder (multiple perspectives & empathy), Because of Mr. Terupt (group POV), and The View From Saturday (interwoven voices).

Final Thoughts

Stories give students a safe place to practice perspective—one of the most essential skills they will ever learn. Over and over, young readers tell me how much they love slipping between Kik and Mac’s viewpoints, and how those shifts help them better understand their own lives.

If you bring A Pirates’ Pact into your classroom or library—or if you’d like discussion guides or additional activities—I’m always happy to share. I hope your readers find their own unexpected connections as they explore these two voices, one story.

Published February 20, 2024 by Sooner Started Press

About the Book: Two brothers, a hidden secret, and an adventure of a lifetime.

On the pirate island of Bosch, almost eleven-year-old twins Kik and Mac are facing a storm of changes. With a father from Edo and a Bosch mother, the brothers navigate the challenges of identity, friendship, and family in their own unique ways.

Mac, daring and mischievous, finds himself in a whirlwind of trouble as he strives to impress new friends. Meanwhile, Kik, quiet and observant, grapples with his heritage and a heartfelt secret he’s not ready to share.

When a ball thrown in anger fractures a family heirloom, a hidden piece of a pirate treasure map emerges, setting them on a quest that will shake up their relationship and reshape their understanding of family.

A Pirates’ Pact is a tale of friendship, self-discovery, and the enduring strength of family ties. Will Kik’s and Mac’s pact withstand the challenges ahead? Embark on this middle grade adventure where bonds are forged, secrets are unveiled, and treasures go beyond gold and jewels.

Published September 29, 2025 by Sooner Started Press

About the Book: A rebellious heart. A tempestuous romance. A plot that could bring down a nation. In Bosch, loyalty isn’t just earned—it’s tested.

Grey Shima has her future all planned graduate, enlist, and follow in the footsteps of her fearless mother, Master Commander Kat Wallace. But when Grey meets the magnetic and passionate Edmund Sinclair, her world tilts.

He’s not just another boy with good hair and dangerous ideas—he’s a revolutionary, dead set on exposing the ugly truth behind the glittering power that fuels Bosch. Caught between love and legacy, Grey finds herself questioning her training, her purpose, and her heart.

But she’s not alone. Sy Mercer, Grey’s best friend, has stood by her side throughout her childhood. Smart, steady, and secretly in love with her, Sy sees the danger Grey can’t—or won’t—acknowledge. As Grey spirals deeper into a movement that may not be what it seems, Sy must confront his own fears and decide how far he’s willing to go to protect her… even if it means losing her.

Because love, like revolution, is rarely without sacrifice.

In a postapocalyptic world rebuilding from ruin, For the Love of Glitter is a YA speculative romance about betrayal, resistance, and finding your true north—even when everything else is falling apart.

About the Author: Award-winning author Sarah Branson was a midwife for close to thirty years, helping families welcome their little ones into their arms in the hospital, at a birth center, and at home. Now she writes feminist speculative fiction with plenty of action, adventure, revenge, and romance. Her stories are firmly rooted in the strength and resiliency of the human spirit.

Sarah first started conjuring stories of pirates when her family hopped a freighter to Australia when she was seven. As a child and as an adult, she traveled extensively across the US and the globe. Her children grew up in Northern Michigan, swimming in Sturgeon Bay and Little Traverse Bay. Over the years, she has worked as a receptionist, retail clerk, writing tutor, business owner, and certified nurse midwife. She also taught science and history to middle school and high school students in the U.S., Brazil, and Japan. Through these myriad experiences, Sarah developed a deep appreciation for people’s strength and endurance.

Her debut novel, A Merry Life, has been honored as the 2022 Connecticut Adult Fiction winner by the Indie Author Project, and was the 2022 Kindle Book Award winner for science fiction and was named a 2022 Book of the Year finalist in the action/adventure and science fiction categories by the Independent Author Network. It is the first book in the four-book new adult series Pirates of New Earth. The second book in the series, Navigating the Storm was a finalist for The Eric Hoffer Award. The series was followed by a young adult spin-off, Unfurling the Sails, a finalist for the 2023 Foreword Indies Award and for the 2024 Independent Author Network in both action/adventure and young adult categories. In 2024, A Pirates’ Pact, her first middle-grade book, was released and garnered a Best Book Cover Page Turner Award. A stand-alone novel North Country, A Kat Wallace Adventure, was released in January 2025. Her latest book For the Love of Glitter was released in September 2025.

Readers can connect with Sarah Branson on Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads.

To learn more, visit SarahBranson.com

Thank you, Sarah, for this lesson!

Author Guest Post: “My Hope” by Frank W. Baker, Author of Risk, Resilience, and Redemption: A Miraculous Holocaust Survival Story

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“My Hope”

My newest book, Risk, Resilience and Redemption: A Miraculous Holocaust Story, is the story of two people who survived Hitler’s Final Solution. The paperback book is a narrative version of the YA graphic novel We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story, which was published in September 2022. Both books detail the harrowing journey two young Polish Jews, from their capture and forced labor as slaves to their eventual liberation, marriage, and emigration to the United States. But the book is much more than their personal story. It explores the widespread antisemitism Bluma, Felix, and millions of others faced in Nazi Germany.

The narrative raises important issues I believe every student should understand. In my talks to middle and high school students reading Risk, Resilience, and Redemption, I begin by asking a series of questions:

  • Who knows what the Holocaust was?
  • Who knows who Adolf Hitler was?
  • Who knows how many Jews died during the Holocaust?
  • Who knows the names of the other groups that collaborated with Nazis to target the Jews?
  • Who knows what propaganda is?
  • Who knows what antisemitism means?

It is these last three questions that have students stumped.

It has been my experience that public education has given short shrift to the Holocaust, leaving many students with little knowledge about this horrific time in world history. For example, a 2025 Claims Conference survey found that “41 percent [of millennials] believe that substantially less than 6 million Jews were killed [two million or fewer] during the Holocaust.” I began asking social studies teachers I knew why our students are so apparently lacking in essential knowledge about the Holocaust, and the answer I consistently received was, “We don’t have the time.” But as a colleague of mine once said, “It’s not about time; it’s about priority.”

And that is what drives my work today: making the Holocaust a priority by connecting it to the skills and awareness students need most in this era of misinformation.

So how do we make teaching the Holocaust a priority? I think one way is to provide students with opportunities to learn by hearing directly from survivors themselves, using the media/technology students already pay attention to. In other words, we can reach out to them using social media sites such as TikTok and YouTube. For example, 21-year-old Dov Forman used TikTok to tell his great-grandmother’s survival story, and the clips received millions of views. My decision to tell the Goldberg story as a graphic novel was my acknowledgment that graphic novels, a medium that has exploded in growth and popularity, are yet another way to reach students.

In my presentations to students, I also try to make them aware, if they aren’t already, that some rhetoric and actions in 2025 closely resemble actions taken by Nazi Germany in the 1940s. I have to remind them that history repeats itself. In the graphic novel, there is an image of Bluma’s family running from their burning home, frantically trying to survive after the Nazis entered their small town in Poland in 1939. When my illustrator first showed me this image, I said to myself, “This is Ukraine…this is exactly what happened when Russia invaded, forcing people from their homes.” History does repeat.

Teaching about the Holocaust isn’t just about remembering history. It’s also about recognizing how misinformation and propaganda still influence people today.

Another concern of mine is where students first learn about the Holocaust. I ask, “Was it from a book? A movie? Television? Social media? Or perhaps listening to a survivor’s story?” Because where they get that information is vital. Do the students know what a reliable source is and how to verify it?  In 2025, Holocaust denial and distortion are rampant, and many students believe what they see and read without question. That is why I remind them to be doubly careful about what they consume on social media, because so much of it today is manipulated.

Teaching about the Holocaust isn’t just about remembering history; it’s about helping students think critically about the information they encounter every day. For more than 25 years, I have been teaching media literacy, which I define as applying critical thinking and viewing skills to all media messages. It is painfully obvious that too many young people believe what they read without question. They rarely verify or consider the sources. This is troubling.

There are many groups (I like to call them “bad actors”) who are deliberately manipulating content to fool a media-illiterate population and sway opinion. The bad actors are most active around breaking news events: a hurricane will bring images of sharks swimming in a city’s downtown flooded streets (NOT); ongoing wars will bring a plethora of fake and manipulated images. And with the advent of Artificial Intelligence, images and video are being altered every day, often seen and shared by unsuspecting audiences.

Recently, the Columbia Journalism Review produced a short video, The PSAi, designed to raise awareness of the techniques being used in AI. If you are a parent or an educator, consider showing this to students and leading a discussion about how easily digital content can be manipulated and what questions students should ask before they believe or share it. Fact-checking is one of the most important tools students (and the rest of us) can use to navigate the fake news, disinformation, and conspiracy theories.

Finally, let me give a shout-out to the school librarians in this country. Thankfully, they are the educators in most schools who are actively teaching students “information literacy,” which is closely related to media literacy. Together, classroom teachers and librarians can make a powerful difference by helping students develop the critical thinking habits that protect both truth and democracy.

We have our work cut out for us. We must all work harder to counter the junk that’s out there. Thomas Jefferson said (and I paraphrase here) the health of a democracy depends on an informed electorate. But what happens when the electorate is mostly misinformed? My hope is that by teaching truth and critical thinking, we can help our students make sure that doesn’t happen.

Publishing October 21st, 2025 by Tree of Life Books

About the Book: From acclaimed media literacy educator and author Frank W. Baker comes a powerful new narrative: Risk, Resilience, and Redemption: A Miraculous Holocaust Survival Story. This moving retelling of the true story of Holocaust survivors Bluma and Felix Goldberg is written specifically for young readers in prose form. At just 40 pages, this accessible edition shares their courage, resilience, and message of hope with students in grades 5 through 12.

Two young polish Jews, Bluma Tishgarten and Felix Goldberg, were torn from their families and communities as Hitler led the Nazis in their murderous march across Europe and beyond from 1939 to 1945. Despite not knowing if their friends, neighbors, and families were still alive, they struggled through the grueling conditions of near-starvation and slave labor as well as torture and terror with only the faint glimmer of hope as their beacon leading them to survival. Then they found each other. They found a life together, and they found their way to America. This is their miraculous story of the risks they took, the resilience to persevere, and their ultimate redemption.

This version preserves the emotional depth of the original graphic novel, We Survived The Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story, making it an excellent choice for classrooms, book clubs, and educational programs that want to introduce Holocaust history through narrative storytelling. In today’s world, helping students think critically and care deeply about others is more important than ever. This book offers a powerful starting point for those conversations.

Risk, Resilience, and Redemption also serves as a valuable resource by addressing essential themes and fostering skills that connect past and present. Its concise length makes it especially useful for educators seeking a focused, impactful story that fits into tight classroom schedules.

Key talking points include:
• Understanding the Past, Thinking About the Future: Bluma and Felix’s firsthand accounts help readers connect historical events to current challenges, including prejudice, nationalism, and the spread of false information.
• Navigating Today’s Media: An accessible introduction to media literacy that helps students question and evaluate what they see and hear in today’s digital world.
• A Timely Resource for Classrooms: This book supports meaningful discussion on history, identity, and justice.
• Hope, Resilience, and Courage: While grounded in tragic history, the story ultimately offers a message of strength and survival that can inspire young readers.

“After reading this book you must take away a new sense of urgency that lies in the forefront of your mind to eliminate the latest scourge of antisemitism that is sweeping the world.” Henry Goldberg, second-generation survivor

About the Author: Frank W. Baker has worked in television news, public education and public television. In 2019, Frank was recognized by UNESCO with its GAPMIL (Global Alliance Partnership for Media & Information Literacy) honor. In 1998, he founded the Media Literacy Clearinghouse website and began working with teachers and students to help them better understand how to think critically about the media. Other books include Coming Distractions: Questioning Movies (Capstone, 2007), Political Campaigns & Political Advertising: A Media Literacy Guide (Greenwood, 2009), Media Literacy in The K-12 Classroom (ISTE, 2012), Close Reading the Media: Literacy Lessons and Activities for Every Month of the Year (Routledge, 2017), and We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story – The Graphic Novel (Tree of Life Books, 2022). You can find him online at www.frankwbaker.com.

Thank you, Frank, for this post about media and history literacy and the importance of including it in a curriculum to help grow hope for our future!