Yay For Middle Grade Books! Guest Post From Carter Higgins

Today I'm pleased to present a guest post from Carter Higgins! Ms. Higgins is the author of the MG book A Rambler Steals Home, and the upcoming picture book This is Not a Valentine, which releases December 26th.

Here's her guest post!

My dear friend Kristin Gray is the author of Vilonia Beebe Takes Charge. You should definitely put it on your pile of books if you haven't read it yet. In the story, Vilonia carts around a well-loved, dog-eared, wet-from-the-rain copy of Because of Winn-Dixie. The whole book is a sweet homage to that story and the connections we make with them, and it has me thinking: what would Derby read?

Because Derby travels and might not have a library card for every town she visits, I imagine her books are the same as Vilonia's–soft and worn and perfect. Here's what I think she'd treasure.

1, Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss

A family stuck with only each other, figuring it out along the way to nowhere? She'd relate to that. The Clarks aren't shipwrecked—just roadbound—but these two families share the need for both adventure and survival.

2. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit

There's something a little wistful about how Derby views the world and the people in it. Winnie is also a thinker and a dreamer, and I think that simple truths of exploring how to live would resonate with Derby.

3. Choose Your Own Adventure series

Because what eleven-year-old stuck in a Rambler with her dad and little brother doesn't want to be the boss for a while? Besides, there are a zillion ways to read this kind of book, so having one copy is like having a whole shelf full, and space is limited.

4. The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger

For all of her seriousness and stoic sensibilities, Derby's still a girl in need of comfort and a laugh and a reminder that there are some grownups in the world who see her. That's why she'd love this story, one of fighting for what's right and doing your part to make your community a little bit brighter.

5. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz

Because she's got a little brother. And don't all little brothers like to be spooked? I can picture Derby and Triple staying up late to read these with a flashlight together, long after Garland's asleep.

Love this! And thank you so much to Ms. Higgins for participating in this event! :)

Author bio: Carter Higgins is a librarian at an independent school in Los Angeles. She is the author of A Rambler Steals Home (HMH) and two forthcoming picture books from Chronicle Books, This is Not a Valentine (with Lucy Ruth Cummins) and Everything You Need For a Treehouse (Emily Hughes). She is an Emmy-winning visual effects and motion graphics artist. She writes about picture books and graphic design at her blog, Design of the Picture Book. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @carterhiggins.

Here are a few links:

Her Website

Her Twitter

Her Instagram