In July, four middle grade authors joined us for a “Gap in the Shelf” roundtable discussing upper middle grade books.
While middle grade typically centers protagonists ages 8-12, YA mostly has protagonists ages 15 and up, leaving a gap on the shelves for young readers aged 13-14. Current middle grade trends leave them little opportunity to see themselves represented on the page. There is a critical need in the middle grade space for those readers aged 13-14, but publishers are still reluctant to expand this category. Librarians, teachers, and young readers are searching for stories that address "tough" topics at an age-appropriate level. Where are the 13 year old protagonists, and how do we change the publication landscape? Hear from four authors who are tackling this challenge, covering themes from environmental and social justice to neurodivergence and human trafficking. Join us for this roundtable conversation on the middle grade market and how authors are filling the upper middle grade gap–tackling important and serious topics in a way that is accessible to the middle grade reader.
Panelists: Heather Murphy Capps, Sydney Dunlap, Meg Eden Kuyatt, Maria Jose Fitzgerald
Meg Eden Kuyatt teaches creative writing at colleges and writing centers. She is the author of the 2021 Towson Prize for Literature winning poetry collection "Drowning in the Floating World" (Press 53, 2020) and children's novels, most recently "Good Different," a JLG Gold Standard selection (Scholastic, 2023). Find her online at https://linktr.ee/medenauthor.
María José Fitzgerald is a writer of children's books. Her favorite stories usually include animals, friendships, family, and magic. She grew up snorkeling and hiking in her homeland of Honduras, where nature and culture nourished her soul. Her debut novel, Turtles of the Midnight Moon (Knopf, 2023) was selected as an ABA Indie's Introduces and Indie's Next book for Winter/Spring 2023. When she's not writing, you can find Maria teaching, reading, walking her dogs, relaxing with her family, or out on a mountain bike ride.
Heather Murphy Capps grew up in a small Minnesota town where the motto is: "Cows, Colleges, and Contentment." She spent 15 years as a television news reporter (with a brief side trip into politics) before turning to her favorite kind of writing: middle grade fiction. She writes books with history, social justice, science, magic, and a touch of mystery. She's a mixed-race author committed to diversity in publishing and an administrator/contributor to the blog From the Mixed-Up Files ... of Middle-Grade Authors where she created and curates the monthly "We Need Diverse MG" series. Her Booklist starred debut middle grade novel is INDIGO AND IDA (Carolrhoda Books/ Lerner April 2023). She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, two kids, and two cats.
Sydney Dunlap is a former elementary school teacher who has worked with at-risk youth in a variety of settings. She enjoys reading and writing heartfelt, hopeful fiction that expands young readers' awareness of tough topics. She is a published poet and has also written for a newspaper. Her debut novel, It Happened on Saturday, has been named to School Library Journal's Mock Newbery Blog and included in a Kirkus Reviews feature spotlighting books that promote mental health for kids. She is a lifelong animal lover and lives with her family in a home where the dogs and cats outnumber the people.