by Carolyn Leiloglou | Adventure, Fantasy, Middle School, Middle-grade, Read Alouds, Recommendations
From the first read, Lightseekers: A Kingdom of Shadows by Emily Bain Murphy gave me Pilgrim’s Progress vibes. Something about the dark world and the journey toward the light reminded me of John Bunyan, though this book is not a retelling. The Kingdom of Wildfel...
by Carolyn Leiloglou | Adventure, Boys, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Middle-grade
I’ve been waiting for this book to come out for a LOOOOONNGGG time! You see, I first read it in 2021 when my friend Glenn McCarty and I exchanged manuscripts for feedback. I sent him Beneath the Swirling Sky (which was published in 2023). He sent me The Song of...
by Carolyn Leiloglou | Adventure, Fantasy, Middle-grade, Recommendations
I’m thrilled to introduce the finale of my Restorationists trilogy, Beyond the Far Horizon! When I began the Restorationists series, I didn’t actually know whose story book three would follow. At first, I thought it might be Vincent’s little sister,...
by Carolyn Leiloglou | Adventure, Fantasy, Middle-grade
“Do we need a new Narnia?” That’s what my husband asked me when I described what I felt author Kathryn Butler was trying to achieve in her Dream Keeper Saga books. It’s a good question. In some way, no! I hope that series reigns supreme for a...
by Carolyn Leiloglou | Biography, Biography, Education, Fantasy, Middle-grade, Nonfiction, Recommendations
When I set this book down, I told my husband, “Mythmakers is a masterpiece!” I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it. Mythmakers by John Hendrix is a non-fiction graphic novel about the friendship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, a...
by Carolyn Leiloglou | Adventure, Fantasy, Middle-grade
It’s time to celebrate because Between Flowers and Bones, the second book in The Restorationists series, is finally here! It’s been a wild ride, and I can hardly believe that Beneath the Swirling Sky came out just last year. I’ve been amazed by how...
by Carolyn Leiloglou | Adventure, Fantasy, Imagination, Middle-grade, Recommendations
What feeds our creativity and what makes art truly our own and not just a copy? Inkling by Kenneth Oppel is a fantastic middle grade novel that explores these questions and more through a magical story about a kid who finds living ink. This book will encourage your...
by Carolyn Leiloglou | Adventure, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Middle-grade, Recommendations
It isn’t often that I begin reading a novel and think, “This is absolutely delightful.” But that’s exactly what happened when I picked up The Ink of Elspet, the first book in The Inkwell Chronicles by J.D. Peabody. Even better, I think readers...
by Carolyn Leiloglou | Adventure, Fantasy, For fun, Imagination, Middle-grade, Recommendations
One of the fun things about being an author is getting to know other authors. This summer, I shared a booth at the Great Homeschool Convention with my friend and fellow author Summer Rachel Short. We both got to hear each other pitch our upcoming middle grade...
by Carolyn Leiloglou | Adventure, Book Lists, Education, Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction, Middle-grade, Mystery, Recommendations
Maybe art has been on my mind a lot with the publication of my own art-themed novel, Beneath the Swirling Sky. I’d love to see more stories that pique kids’ interest in art and creativity. Here’s a round up to some of my favorite art-themed novels...
