As a life-long reader, I’ve read across many genres and age categories. The feeling of slipping into another world and traveling alongside a character is magical. Unfortunately, my real life has lead me to Oz where the curtain has been pulled back to expose the truth behind the magic. Since leaving teaching a few years ago, my professional life has been devoted to writing. This journey of learning all I can about this craft and industry has impacted my reading. I don’t feel the enchantment of getting lost in a story the way I once did. I notice things authors do and think about their decisions in telling their stories. In my attempt to hold onto the magic of reading, I only write middle grade. Any ideas that drift my way for adult or even young adult stories are allowed to continue on their way. I want those types of books to stay behind the curtain allowing me to continue getting caught up in the storytelling. I only want to tarnish my middle grade reading – work reading. Writers are told to read like writers, but that means reading is now work. For me, I read for work and pleasure, and try hard to keep them separate. This does not mean I don’t like the middle grade books I read. I still love seeing these young characters navigate through their adventures, but part of my brain focuses on the techniques the authors use to create these escapades. Sometimes though, a middle grade book comes along that captivates me and lets me get lost again in the fun. Last week that happened twice. First, From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks had me fully invested in young Zoe who writes letters to her father in prison for murder. A father she hadn’t heard from until her twelfth birthday. She must figure out a way to prove if this man she’s never met is telling the truth about his innocence. I loved how this book introduces some heavy topics in authentic ways that came across as kid friendly and not preachy. The second book I devoured in two days was The Poetry of Car Mechanics by Heidi E.Y. Stemple. This story is about a boy trying to understand his mother’s absence, his place in the world, and how sometimes we don’t get to decide if others are broken or not. What was so amazing about this book is it was written in verse. I was in awe of Stemple’s ability to tell an entire story in this format. Thanks to these two books, I was reminded that work can be fun.
9/29
from the outer tips
fall pushes summer away
takes longer days with
10/2
a throne carved for me
resting spot hidden away
seat hard as timber
10/4
meander through trees
sheathed in all their autumn best
follow golden trail
10/8
last bit of color
before winter rushes in
blanketing with white
10/11
morning yoga time
not a fan of downward dog
prefers to just watch
Tiffany Painter 