This book is hilarious, and the illustrations fit the words perfectly. Give it to a new mom you know. Although she might not find it as funny as those of us who’s kids sleep through the night now.

Who knew you could have a middle grade book about a family of con artists! I loved this one. It includes themes of environmentalism, and great discussions on ethics.

This book spoke to me - it's about a writer! Lyla is having trouble with the book she's writing for a contest. At the same time, there's family drama, and her best friend goes to a different school. Lyla learns how to deal with change, anxiety and friendships. Check out the writing tips, too!

Fun, fun, fun book. The talking cats cracked me up. One of the cats was disgusted by regular cats who walk around naked! The horror. And when they want to insult you, they call you dog names. Hahaha. The cat personalities are perfect. And it's a thriller!

I love this book. I can't imagine how the delivery men actually rode bicycles through the city balancing the hot noodles! The illustrations are stunning. Grab this book to share with a noodle lover in your life.

A cozy mystery for middle grade! With science and a joke shop! And a very funny parrot. Manya has to solve the mystery of who killed the school custodian and free her parents who are accused of the crime. So many twists and turns, and an ending I did not see coming. Check it out! It's a good one.

This is a serious question people! I've seen deer, chickens, geese, a bear, a coyote, a mink (really!), and foxes around my house. But not two pigs running in the road. As fast as their little piggy legs could go. I think they were making a jail break.

BahahAH! I'm still laughing at this one. All ages will love it. It starts out like a non-fiction animal book, but goes down hill fast. I love the eyes on all the fish, and animals. Dan Santat is a genius.

You can watch lots of fun videos of authors on this YouTube channel. I'm getting inspired to read lots more books! Just how many can I stuff in my to-be-read shelves? We're going to find out! youtu.be/NKOQAjyRUJs?...

Now while I wait, I finish up some art projects and think about my next project. I have a middle grade book started, but another book is scrabbling around my brain wanting to be written down. I'm thinking of a cozy middle grade mystery. Complete with a murder. Yes, there are mg murder mystery books.

Ohhh I LOVE this one. It does that thing where the pictures tell more than the words! The words are good, too, but the way they work together -- you have to see it. Gorgeous.

I've been researching banned books for my current middle grade work in progress. The reasons given for why some books are being challenged are shocking and appalling. PS - Bathe the Cat is a real book.

This one is super fun. Yash has to take PE in summer school, even though he's the school's star athlete. The class is not quite up to his standards, but they form a team to play in a football tournament. If you haven't read one of Gordon Korman's books, I suggest you do. You're in for a treat!

This is an interesting book about the effects of keeping family secrets, and bottling up hurts. I think it's a good book for parents to read - parents who might think they are protecting their child from hard things.

So many fun things you can do with a character named Blaze.

This is a fascinating part of WWII history. I'm not usually a fan of books about war, but this one is about the girls who helped break the Nazi codes. I think back to what I was doing when I was 18, 19, 20 years old. Could I have done this vital work, kept it secret, and lived under the stress?

What does your big hairy monster say to you? open.substack.com/pub/susandre...

Roxie and Grayson find out the Witching Wind steals things that people love most. But could it have really stolen their loved ones? I don't want to give too much away with this book because it went places I was not expecting. Another good book to try out.

I'm loving the middle grade scary books right now! This one has ghosts, a parallel universe, what might be a demon, twins and a home improvement show. Get on board this fast-paced thrill ride.

This book is both fun and serious. On the fun side, twin separated when they are very young find each other. Who hasn't wished for a secret twin? On the serious side, this book deals with confronting racism against Asian Americans in the US. It's a wonderful read on all fronts.

A loved trope - boarding school kid finds out they're magical. Here they're descended from mythological monsters. What kicked it up was how the author showed how many of the myths made the female character bad while the male was victim or hero. This is a new take on Medusa and it is so much fun!

OOooOOoohhhh! This is such a fun ghost story! If you love creeping into spooky cemeteries, ghosts who follow you back!, and sleepovers where no one sleeps, this is the book for you.

If you like escape rooms and hidden treasure, this book is for you as you follow Sarah and her friends through an abandoned fun house. It's a fun read and I also wondered how the author kept track of all the details and the house construction. Did you she build a model?

Adrianna Cuevas is one of my favorite middle grade writers, and this book is right up there. The story centers around a little alien who gets separated from her family, and the group of middle schoolers who are helping her. It takes place in small town Texas in the 1950s.

I'm revising and editing my current middle grade book. I know some people love this stage, but it's harder for me. I've always loved the first draft. It's like a huge game of make believe. But here I go. Time to put on my deodorant and get to work.

This is a book about a homeless girl's family living in a blue van. It’s a realistic portrait of what it’s like to live this way without being maudlin or sad. The illustrations are simply stunning. I wish I had this talent.

This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. It's a YA book, set in rural Vermont, about a teenage boy. His life, his mother's addiction, his dog. I loved the main character, Ian, and the way the book is written in a stream of consciousness.

Super thrilled to be working with @kterrette.bsky.social !! ✨📚😊 #kidlit #amwriting @valeriebolling.bsky.social @allisonrozo.bsky.social @brennajeanneret.bsky.social @beckywalkerbooks.bsky.social @rachelshupin.bsky.social @susandrewwrites.com @hbmichaels.bsky.social

Thank you to everyone who takes care of children! It's near to my heart because I lost my mom at age 5. But I had family to help out. I love this picture book that is from the POV of the foster kid. Share it with someone you love.

I picked this book on #indepedentbookstoreday and it's a new favorite! The relationship between Big Bear and Little Bear is so sweet. I love how Little Bear echos everything Big Bear says and does. And the illustrations are the perfect complement to the text. It's a wonderful snuggly book.

I just uploaded my April newsletter to Substack. I hope you'll give it a read and tell me the new things that you're trying. open.substack.com/pub/susandre...

Eddy just wants to make a friend. And he does! Until he finds out his new friend is a cat. Uhoh! This book has such a cute surprise ending. You must read it to find out if a fish and a cat can be friends. I love the illustrations, too.

This book is adorable. Stick is trying to find his family tree. Bahahah... who doesn't love a good pun. In the end, Stick and Stone find out how important found family is. I love the artwork, too.

I woke up to snow. Again! I'm ready for some warm weather but Mother Nature seems to be holding on to her winter clothes.

So many things I love - board games, crazy cats, and spelunking in a library. Yes, a library - perfect for school library month, right! Milo, a chess champ and Roxy, his faithful companion, discover the game Go and have to learn it. I'd never heard of Go, but now you know what I'll be learning!

I'm so excited to have made it past the first round! I'll be up all night writing my new story. Can't wait to see the prompt!

It's National Poetry Month! And this is my favorite haiku. I know, I'm ridiculous.

I was looking for an inspirational Monday quote and this one spoke to me. Not sure why, but there you go.

This is one of the kind of stories I love - the pictures are telling something different than the words. And I like the words, too. I especially like the “I will charge the many-headed serpent”, which is the school bus. Ha! On a day when you want to take on the world, read this book first.

Coming Soon! This is great free program, but you do need to register. I'll be leading a workshop with Scott Gray at 2 pm about how to build your writing community! Hope to see you there.

I found this old picture of Abby. She gave the best side-eye. So, if you're feeling judgy today, channel Abby and go for it.

I was looking for an inspirational Monday quote, but I decided no. I'm feeling like Miss Cranky Pants so why not own up to it? I'm sure that once I'm more awake and getting on with my day I'll be fine. Maybe I just need to get out for a walk, or call my sister. What do you do to overcome the blahs?

There's so much to love in this book. First, animal and human characters at school! So cute! I love how Ruby uses her tools to help her when she's feeling anxious. I love the science element in the egg drop project the students are working on. And of course, she makes friends. Great ending.

This is the part of winter that is the hardest for me. We've had several warm, sun-shiny days and I'm thinking spring and flowers. But we can still get snow! I'll just have to content myself with drawing flowers until my garden grows.