Writing Chapter Books: Susan Muaddi Darraj Talks About the “Joy” of Writing Chapter Books

By Stephani Martinell Eaton

Today we kick off a series of posts about writing chapter books. In his article “How Reading Volume Affects both Reading Fluency and Reading Achievement,” Richard L. Allington states, “The  evidence  we  have  is consistent  and  clear:  Children  who  elect  to  read  voluntarily  develop  all  sorts  of  reading proficiencies,

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New Voice: Jessie Janowitz on Finding a Literary Agent & The Doughnut Fix

New Voice: Jessie Janowitz on Finding a Literary Agent & The Doughnut Fix

By Gayleen Rabakukk

Jessie Janowitz is the debut author of The Doughnut Fix (Sourcebooks, April 2018). From the promotional copy:

Tristan isn’t Gifted or Talented like his sister Jeanine, and he’s always been okay with that because he can make a perfect chocolate chip cookie and he lives in the greatest city in the world. 

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New Voice: Michael Merschel on Revenge of the Star Survivors

New Voice: Michael Merschel on Revenge of the Star Survivors

By Gayleen Rabakukk

Michael Merschel is the first-time author of Revenge of the Star Survivors (Holiday House, 2017). From the promotional copy:

Middle school meets the Dark Side in this painfully funny survival story of social misfit Clark Sherman. 


When Clark crash-lands on the inhospitable planet of Festus Middle School,

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