Middle Grade
Middle Grade writers from Minnesota.
Sean Jensen
Sean Jensen was born in South Korea, but he was raised in California, Massachusetts, and Virginia, mostly on or near military bases. He’s always been drawn to storytelling, a skill he developed at Northwestern University and crafted almost exclusively covering the NFL. During his career, he’s earned distinctions from the Illinois Associated Press, Minnesota Associated…
Patricia Bauer
Patricia Bauer spent almost four decades in the classroom and continues to share her passion for learning with people of all ages. Bauer and her husband, artist Dave Geister, created an activity book, Making Minnesota, for children of all ages. Published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press and funded by the Legacy Amendment, the book…
Cynthia (C.M.) Surrisi
Cynthia (C.M.) Surrisi has a BFA, J.D., and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She is author of picture books and middle grade cozy mysteries that are enjoyed equally by adults: The Maypop Kidnapping, Vampires On the Run, and A Side of Sabotage. Her mysteries have…
Lisa M. Bolt Simons
Lisa M. Bolt Simons has published more than 70 nonfiction and fiction books, as well as five middle grade “choose your path” novels and an adult history book. She’s twice received an Honorable Mention for the McKnight Artist Fellowship for Writers in Children’s Literature. Simons has also received three Minnesota State Arts Board grants, a…
Nathan Sacks
Nathan Sacks is a professional academic dissertation editor, children’s and young adult book writer, graphic novel translator, and occasional journalist. He was born and raised in Ames, Iowa and currently lives in uptown Minneapolis. He works on fiction, book-length nonfiction, and scholarly writing, and aims to provide fresh and original writing in a variety of…
Karen Pavlicin-Fragnito
Karen Pavlicin-Fragnito is an award-winning author, with book topics ranging from children’s fiction, to women’s journals, to guides for military families. She is a sought-after dynamic speaker known for her sense of humor and inspirational insights. She believes in the importance of community and the power of stories to transform lives.
Susan Latta
Susan Latta holds an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Hamline University. She is the author of Bold Women of Medicine: 21 Stories of Astounding Discoveries, Daring Surgeries, and Healing Breakthroughs. She has written on history, biography, and geography topics for AppleSeeds and Faces magazines and contributed freelance projects to Heinemann Leveled…
Kristin Johnson
Kristin Johnson has won two Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative grants (2013, 2015), a Mystery Writers of America Helen McCloy Award for mystery novel writing, two Loft Literary Shabo Awards for picture books (2007, 2011), and published nine books for children. She has also published numerous poems, articles, and short fiction in a variety…
Alison McGhee
Alison McGhee writes novels, picture books, poems, and essays for all ages. Her most loved books include the novels The Opposite of Fate, Shadow Baby, and Never Coming Back, along with Someday, the #1 New York Times bestselling picture book for adults. Her work has been translated in more than 20 languages. She also teaches…
Paige Riehl
Paige Riehl is the author of the poetry collection Suspension and the poetry chapbook Blood Ties. Her poetry has appeared in numerous publications such as Artful Dodge, Crab Orchard Review, Water~Stone Review, Portland Review, and Meridian. She was a finalist for the 2017 Lindquist & Vennum Prize for Poetry and winner of the Loft Mentor…