I haven’t posted here in the last few days because I’ve been busy getting a new blog up and running. Book Bag Chat is the new blog created, managed, and edited by me that focuses on children’s, middle-grade, and young adult literature. While I will be submitting my own reviews, what makes Book Bag Chat special is that students of all ages, parents, teachers, and readers of those levels of literature can submit reviews so that people can find honest reviews for books that can be read both at home and at school.

There are a couple of reasons why I started this separate blog. While I write middle-grade and young adult fiction, I started my career as a secondary English teacher. I mainly taught in high schools, but have also had fun teaching middle school students as well. After I finished my master’s program in English, I instructed composition and literature at the university level. When I started this blog, it was my journey from teacher to writer. What I’ve learned is that I love teaching even though I’m not in a classroom, and I want to keep a connection with my love for books and sharing them with students active.

I’m currently searching for students of all ages to participate by submitting reviews of their favorite books that they would recommend both for reading at home and at school. Why both home and school? Because I want to help promote reading at home as well as adding books into schools whether for the library or in the classrooms. Hopefully, by giving the students – the main target for the books – a voice, they can help other students discover new and interesting books. I also want parents to have a voice as well for books they promote for their kids to read as well as to see them in the schools. There’s a way to submit a combination parent/student review that will offer both viewpoints for the same book.

If you know of anyone who would be interested in submitting a review or if you would like to, please check out my Welcome page at Book Bag Chat for further information or email at bookbagchat(at)gmail(dot)com!

Teachers have a chance to review as well since they’re the ones who make a lot of choices and recommendations for books for the students. Educators will find a friendly place where their students can submit book reviews as part of a class assignment or library project. As a former teacher, I can help align the reviews with state standards of learning. Also, students can learn how to not only write persuasively but also how to use social media to write and communicate effectively.

My goal is to spread the love of books to read and getting/keeping good books in schools as far as possible through not only my voice but others who are directly affected by the books as well. If you know of anyone who would be interested in submitting a review or if you would like to, please check out my Welcome page at Book Bag Chat for further information or email at

bookbagchat(at)gmail(dot)com!