Don’t miss out! The blog Latin@s in Kid Lit is running a 12-day giveaway with a whole heap of amazing books (ahem, mine are in there, too)! Check out all the details here, and happy reading.

You need to read more Latin@ lit. I need to read more Latin@ lit. EVERYBODY needs to read more Latin@ lit. We need to see it, hear about it, debate it, and celebrate it with as much energy as possible. … Read more

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that I loved Jordan Sonnenblick’s Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie and After Ever After. I don’t often connect to–or think about–middle grade books for even a fraction of the time … Read more

According to popular myths about writers, suffering is integral to the creative process; if you are not in pain, you aren’t serious about your work.

For the most part, I find this notion annoying at best, downright troubling at worst. … Read more

In the female-dominated world of YA, it’s crucial to recognize awesome books featuring male protagonists–especially when female authors have pulled off the work of imaginatively entering the inner world of the teen male.

I grabbed Split (by Swati Avasthi) on … Read more

While I’ve been indulging FAR TOO MUCH lately, it’s no holds barred today… on YA books that center on math, that is. YA Reading List is a fabulous librarian-run blog that features YA booklists around all sorts of themes… including … Read more

Not long ago I heard from a Houston high school teacher that my novels The Knife and the Butterfly and What Can’t Wait had gone “viral” among students. It wasn’t that a teacher was requiring kids to read the books; … Read more

I dragged myself out of the dissertation cave long enough to vote… and to make an appearance at STACKED for the Contemporary YA week to talk diversity. Here’s a bit:

Often I hear from readers of What Can’t Wait and The … Read more

It appears I have a new authorly addiction: Skyping with students. In the last month or so, I’ve been lucky enough to have a Skype author visit with students almost every Friday. Forget chicken soup for the writer’s soul–these chats … Read more

To help YOU go write today, I’ll share my number 1, go-to method of getting my style muscles in condition.

There is something to be said for having a shock-proof shit detector that can be turned “off” for the purposes … Read more