Please welcome my guest author, Barbara Dee. She may have never experienced serious writer’s block as this is her fourteenth Middle Grade novel! Her newest Book is about writer’s block and she offers a list to help with that, Books for Aspiring Writers.

Unstuck by Barbara Dee

Barbara Dee channels middle school in this heartwarming story featuring Lyla who wants to use her 7th grade English assignment to write the fantasy novel in her head, only to find that she’s stuck, both with writer’s block and with anxiety, and her real-life collides with her manuscript. [middle grade, ages 9 and up]

We are also doing a 5 book giveaway of Unstuck. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom.

How about you? Have you ever tried to write a book? Are you ever plagued with writer’s block? Please share!

8 Books For Aspiring Writers

How to Find What You’re Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani

In 1967, Ariel Goldberg’s family life is upended when her older sister elopes with a young man from India. As she deals with both her parents’ intolerance and her school’s anti-Semitism, Ariel is also struggling with her writing. When a new teacher diagnoses Ariel’s dysgraphia, she finds that typing poems helps her express her feelings and find her voice. Another beautiful, meaningful book by the author of The Night Diary, which also explores the power of words. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

Zoe’s letters to her incarcerated father help her to establish a bond and ultimately expose racial inequity in the criminal justice system. An inspiring, multi-layered story about family, baking, and how one kid’s words can have a real impact on the world. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi

Traveling to Pakistan to visit her grandparents, Mimi copes with feelings of dislocation by writing in her journal. The entries vary: some are heartbreaking questions to her absentee father, some are humorous complaints about her mom, and some are memories and random thoughts. What she doesn’t expect is that anyone will ever read her precious journal—and when it turns out that her father does, she wonders if her words can bring them together. Saadia Faruqi always writes with deep feelings, and this is one of her best. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

Worser by Jennifer Ziegler

Awkward middle schooler William Wyatt Orser, dubbed “Worser” by his classmates, is obsessed with words. When his mom suffers a stroke and becomes nonverbal, Worser joins the Literary Club, comprised of other word-loving kids, where he shares his Masterwork, an epic word notebook. If you love words you’ll love this charming, poignant, and original book, one of my favorite middle-grade novels of the last few years. [middle grade, ages 9 and up]

Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly by Gail Carson Levine

This one isn’t a novel, but I can’t resist including it! Gail Carson Levine, the author of Ella Enchanted, offers tips for generating story ideas, creating characters, writing effective beginnings and endings, and more. This lively, entertaining little volume is perfect for writers of any age who need inspiration and encouragement. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

How to Build A Story… Or the Big What If by Frances O’Roark Dowell

Frances O’Roark Dowell is one of my favorite middle grade authors. Here she provides brilliant, witty, friendly advice for getting your story to the finish line. With this book and Writing Magic, writers will unleash the power of their words. ” [middle grade, ages 10 and up]

5 Book Giveaway of Unstuck by Barbara Dee

We are also doing a 5 book giveaway of Unstuck. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter below. We can only mail to U.S. and A.F.O. addresses.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Barbara Dee is the author of fourteen middle grade novels including Unstuck, Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet, Violets Are Blue, My Life in the Fish Tank, Maybe He Just Likes You, Everything I Know About You, Halfway Normal, and Star-Crossed. Her books have earned several starred reviews and have been named to many best-of lists, including The Washington Post’s Best Children’s Books, the ALA Notable Children’s Books, the ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, the NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, and the ALA Rainbow List Top Ten. Barbara lives with her family, including a naughty cat named Luna and a sweet rescue hound named Ripley, in Westchester County, New York. To learn more, check out her website, and follow her on Instagram @barbaradeebooks, Twitter/X @Barbaradee2,  and Threads @barbaradeebooks.

p.s. Related posts:

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards 2023

My 5 Mentor Children’s Books for Writing an Alphabet Picture Book

Taking a Children’s Book Writing Class

New Voices Competition #AmWriting

My First Picture Book Submission: Sumo Joe! #AmWriting

Connections Between a Picture Book Writing Class and Illustrator Exhibit

To examine any book more closely at Indiebound or Amazon, please click on image of book.

As an Amazon and IndieBound Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

My books:

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World

• Junior Library Guild Gold selection
• Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
• Starred review from School Library Journal
• Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
• Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids

 Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me

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