Hello! So happy to be here today on MG Book Village! Some of you may have noticed me cryptically tweeting this week about a fun, new development related to the hashtag #SpookyMG. Well, today I can finally be slightly less cryptic! Just kidding . . . I can spill the beans entirely! I am SO excited!
But first, let’s rewind a bit. About a month ago, several “spooky” MG authors and myself banded together to begin offering free panel-style Skype sessions. These sessions were wonderfully well-received, and before we knew it we had requests from all over the country! From there, the concept bloomed into something more — something incredible. It bloomed into a full-fledged resource center for not only lovers of spooky middle-grade books, but also for educators and librarians who want to satisfy the reading needs of their most daring, fright-chasing students. It bloomed into www.spookymiddlegrade.com.
This new website features author bios and fun facts for over ten middle-grade authors! In addition, there are: teacher resources, free Skype sessions, book trailers, and get this . . . A SPOOKY MG READING CHALLENGE complete with prizes! It’s the ultimate stop for seasoned readers of chilling middle-grade as well as those who are just beginning to dip a toe into the world of spine-tingling books!
The authors contributing to www.spookymiddlegrade.com all have one thing in common, and it’s not just that we love books with a creep factor (we do, though. Totally). It’s that we believe spooky stories serve an important role all year round. Don’t believe me? Maybe these quotes from some of our talented, spooktastic authors will change your mind!
Jonathan Rosen (Night of the Living Cuddle Bunnies/From Sunset Till Sunrise): “Spooky stories are reassuring to kids, by allowing them to face their fears and then closing the book and putting them back in the safety of the real world.”
Kim Ventrella (Skeleton Tree/Bone Hollow): “Spooky’ books run the full range, from stories with humorous thrills and chills, to stories that touch readers’ hearts and change the way they think about the world. Why limit these transformative tales to just one season of the year?”
Lindsay Currie (The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street): “Spooky books are a fabulous way for readers to explore things that frighten them in a safe environment. Becoming attached to a main character and then watching that character grapple with frightening scenarios and ultimately succeed doesn’t just inspire a new nightlight purchase; it inspires bravery. And bravery is for life.”
Samantha Clark (The Boy, The Boat, and the Beast): “Spooky stories provide a safe place for kids (of all ages 😉 ) to make their own courage, because they can identify with the fears of the characters and see them be brave.”
Pat Moody (The Gravedigger’s Son): “Spooky stories are important because they bring fear to life, and in doing so, provide kids with an identifiable hero who overcomes fear, which can extend to their own lives outside the confines of the story.”
Sheri Larsen (Motley Education): “Stories with spooky elements hold an air of mystery that nudge the reader to face their fears while following a character in the safety found between the pages to inspire, encourage, and challenge.”
Janet Fox (The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle): “Spooky stories are important because shadows and darkness can only be illuminated when we face them head on, and when we write those stories for kids we give them a safe space for that confrontation.”
David Neilsen (Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom/Beyond the Doors): “Spooky stories challenge children to peer into the darkness of their world and learn to meet their fears head-on in a safe, controlled environment.”
To learn more about all our #SpookyMG authors, schedule a Skype, or peruse our teacher resources, visit the website asap. We can’t wait to meet you!
~At spookymiddlegrade.com, we seek to promote stories and authors that honor and reflect the lives of all young people. To accomplish this goal, we are actively seeking diverse voices. If you are a traditionally-published author of middle grade spooky stories, we invite you to join our team and help us show that spooky stories have value all year round. Email us today!~
Twitter: @spookymgbooks
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2FaHx1y
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To celebrate the launch of Spooky Middle Grade, Lindsay is hosting a giveaway of the books below! To learn more about the giveaway — and enter! — head over to Lindsay’s Twitter feed –> @lindsayncurrie.
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