Writing Exercise for #FallWritingFrenzy 2026

Hi Everyone,

Found this fun contest online and one of the photo prompts prompted me to write this little blurb. I love these things. If you want to participate and you're an unpublished writer, feel free to check it out here. 

To see the photo that inspired me, you can check that out here. Photo #12. 

Photo #12

Credit: Unsplash via Olga Drach

Potion Payback

“Now is it the apple or the honey that’s magic?”

Matilda dipped her pinky into the honey jar and a fizzy feeling crackled on her fingertip. And because she was that sort of witch, she tasted it. Shivers and giggles erupted from her. “Yes. The perfect payback. Jensen won’t know what hit him.”

“Isn’t that a little too Snow White?” Poppy asked, gasping as Matilda dripped a big glop into the pot.

“We’re not throwing him into a death sleep, fergoodnessake. A little adoration potion with a hint of intestinal distress never hurt anybody. Too badly.”

Poppy crossed her arms. “That we know of.”

“He’s awful to you.”

“I knooowww.”

“This was your idea, Pops.” Matilda shrugged. “Fine, I won’t make it.”

“But we have to,” Poppy said. “He shouldn’t get away with what he did.”

“Then why are you so fishy-wishy about this?” She stirred with measured strokes then dropped the ladle into the black potion. “Are you…”

“What?”

A knowing grin spread across Matilda’s round face.

 “No! Definitely not! Tilly, stop it! I’m warning you.” Poppy burped a green bubble. “The whole seventh grade keeps laughing at me.”

Matilda kept a straight face. “Then let’s potion his butt.”

Two Picture Books with Starred Reviews

Two very different and special books to enjoy. 

Ghost Town in the Mountains by Lynn Becker (Author), Roland Garrigue (Illustrator)

From the publisher, Sleeping Bear Press, Published June 15, 2026.

A hauntingly hilarious riff on the tune "She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain.”

It's a dark and gloomy night when two children decide to visit a ghost town. It's lonely. It's deserted. And it's certainly eerie. The main street is filled with tumbledown storefronts and there's not a soul in sight. But then the kids spot a boarded-up creaky, creepy cabin. Do they dare enter? What will they find? And what is with all those bones their dog is collecting?

Deliciously spooky, fun-filled artwork brings the story to ghostly life. Back matter includes information on ghost towns and the history of the song.

FUN! FUN! FUN!

I grew up singing songs around a campfire, so when an entertaining new version comes out, you’re darn right I’ll be singing along.

With so many starred reviews, you know this story will be a hit with everyone, young and old. Whether you sing it or speak it, the rhyme and rhythm take you on a twisty-turny road, through a ghost town to a spooky cabin. With bats and bones, two kids and a dog, join in the journey to find out what the heck the dog is collecting!

The illustrations are exciting with moody colors and lots of ghosts.

The back matter has ghost town info and sheet music for the song.

Goodbye, Koi by Jack Wong

From the publisher, Orchard Books, Published Sept 15, 2026.

The award-winning creator of the hugely popular When You Can Swim delivers another tender and visually stunning picture book about change, family, and saying goodbye.

As a young boy prepares with his family to leave their home ― and the koi fish he’s always cared for ― his world fills with questions. What will happen to his fish? Will they be safe and happy in their new home? Through his wonder and worry, readers glimpse the universal feelings that come with any life transition: curiosity, uncertainty, and the hope that we will be okay.

Lushly illustrated in the tradition of Chinese brush painting, Goodbye, Koi will resonate with any reader who has ever had to say goodbye to a pet, a place, or a way of life.

Another book with starred reviews.

Beautifully written and illustrated. It touches on loss, moving, and hope, with a gorgeous palette for the koi and everyday life. The koi have a parallel story with the boy who has to let them go to a new home since he’s moving to a new country.

Saying goodbye is never easy. Everything the boy wonders about for his fish is also for his own new life. Will he make friends, or like the food, or even the weather?

With his dad by his side, they are ready to make it together.

The back matter has an author note about his own experience moving and Chinese brush painting. There is additional information on koi fish. 

A second life as a graphic novel - Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Front Desk: The Graphic Novel by Kelly Yang (Author), Fumio Obata (Illustrator)

From the publisher, Scholastic, Graphix Imprint, Published Oct 20, 2026

The graphic novel adaptation of Kelly Yang's New York Times bestselling book Front Desk! This beautifully illustrated modern classic highlighting Mia Tang's ever-relevant immigrant story is a must-have for every bookshelf and classroom.

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets.

Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.

Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.

Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?

It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?

Originally published in 2019 as a traditional novel, Front Desk won so many awards. I’m probably one of the few who didn’t read it the first time around. I did read Top Story, which is book five of six in this series.

This graphic novel was fast paced with no chapter breaks. Felt like a runaway train. It was exhausting because I didn’t want to stop reading. 😊

The story is about so many important things: racism, immigrants, family, friendship, injustice, and bullying. 

The main character, Mia, is a creative problem solver, who doesn’t give up and works hard to help everyone. And she never gives up on herself, either. Her entrepreneurial spirit leads many of the characters to become better versions of themselves.

I think, whether you read the novel or graphic novel, you’ll definitely want to read the whole series. You will love how real the characters are, the heart, and their relationships. An essential read for all. 

Sept MG and third book in trilogy: Ghost Light (The Last Resort #3)

Ghost Light (The Last Resort #3) by Sara Farizan

From the publisher, Scholastic, Published Sept 1, 2026.

The line between the ghost world and our world gets even thinner in this haunting new installment of this multidimensional series where ghosts talk from the pages.

Rosteen is dead. He knows he's dead. And yet... he's still around. He died as a kid in the 1980s, but here he is in the 2020s, brought back to The Last Resort by Lila, Tobias, and Caleb -- who desperately need his help.

The problem? An evil ghost wants to make a comeback and cause a few more disasters that will inevitably cost people their lives. The only way for Rosteen, Lila, Tobias, and Caleb to stop her is to travel to the sites of some of her more infamous disasters in the past and find objects from those times that will somehow defeat her. And to do that, they’ll need to bring back another ghost -- the one that killed Lila and Caleb's grandfather.

Rosteen has nothing left to lose... except his new friends, who could lose everything and become ghosts themselves if they make one wrong move.

If you look at all three covers from this trilogy, you can see them getting spookier. And that goes for the stories as well!

So I realized that I missed writing a review on the second book. I read it and liked it, but I think that was around a very busy/difficult time, and I hadn’t posted for a few months. My apologies to The Claiming (The Last Resort #2) by Jasmine Warga.

This third book, but the third author, brings it all together and brings it home. But not before so many adventures into the otherworld, meeting new ghosts, figuring out how to defeat the evil ghost, the Fire Maiden.

Written from the ghost’s point of view brought a longing and sadness as well as some wisdom. Rosteen was from the 1980’s, so he really was quite old even though he was still a boy. We get to hear his side, his death, and his life. I love the depth and different levels we experience.

A very important aspect is the friendship with the four kids. They really do carry each other and help however they can.

The climax is good, but I think I expected something more. It’s definitely appropriate for middle grade. The characters go through so many perils that it’s probably okay to not be over the top. And the ending did get me. I don’t often cry reading books, but this one did.

Upcoming Picture Book - Ms. Swirly's Compliment Machine

Ms. Swirly's Compliment Machine by Jana Mattern (Author), Judit Orosz (Illustrator)

From the publisher, Marble Press, Published Sept 8, 2026.

When the Compliment Machine goes haywire, kids see firsthand how words can hurt or heal―and learn they have the power to choose to be kind. It’s a silly story with a serious heart that empowers children to use their voices for good.

Jett loves everything about Ms. Swirly’s wacky classroom―from alphabetics to the four-legged teaching assistant. Though above all, he loves the compliment machine. But he and the class love the compliment machine a little too much, and when a kerfuffle causes the machine to malfunction, it spouts off insults instead. The most shocking, ridiculous, silly insults―which can’t possibly be mentioned here! After all attempts to repair it fail, Jett must find a way to cheer up the class before they are doomed to be one big gaggle of grumps all year.

MS. SWIRLY’S COMPLIMENT MACHINE is a silly-but-sweet story about the power of a kind word. It empowers young readers to use their voice for good. The SEL component makes it a wonderful choice to read in the classroom, the library, or at home.

This is a really adorable story. Not preachy at all. The artwork is colorful, lively, and inclusive. The classroom activities are fun.

You see the kids’ camaraderie at the beginning of the story. Then you see how it gets lost when the machine malfunctions, and the consequences of taking your frustration out on something. And how the kids fix their compatibility and get the classroom balance back.

I love how Jett gets creative and becomes the compliment robot after it breaks. The kids rally for each other and realize they can do for themselves what the robot had been doing. Kindness is catching.

Fabulous MG Graphic Novel - Mixed Feelings

Mixed Feelings: A Graphic Novel by Sara Amini (Author), Shadia Amin (Illustrator)

From the publisher, Scholastic, Published April 7, 2026.

Things are getting hairy!

What could go wrong on the first day of sixth grade?

A: You wake up with leg hair out of nowhere.

B: You have zero classes with your BFF and watch her run off with her new (annoying) friend.

C: You struggle to decide which school club to join because being mixed race makes you feel like you don't belong anywhere.

D: All of the above. SERIOUSLY?!

At first, Sara's got mixed feelings about middle school. But she finds comfort in TV -- whether she's watching it, performing her favorite scenes, or imagining her life is a show itself. So when she joins drama club, Sara discovers a community where she can be anything she wants -- including herself. Has Sara finally found a place to fit in? Or will she instead find herself buried under her growing leg hair and off-stage friendship drama?

In Sara Amini's semi-autobiographical story, navigating life as a mixed-race girl has never been more hilarious or heartfelt, with family, friendship, and fuzz all at the forefront of this laugh-out-loud and painfully relatable middle-school memoir.

I loved seeing the friendships in this story, old and new. Loved that getting hairy was tackled, lack of communication among friends and family, being mixed race, annoying younger siblings, finding your place with the theatre kids, and how to resolve some of the difficult situations we find ourselves in. (Whether our fault or not!) And finding your way amidst all the craziness in life.

So well done and loved how the illustrations captured so many feelings. How big they really feel inside.

It looks like there's a second graphic novel coming out in Oct called Mixed Signals. I look forward to reading that one too! 

Hot Off the Press! New MG from Meg Eden Kuyatt - Perfect Enough

Perfect Enough by Meg Eden Kuyatt

From the publisher, Scholastic, Published June 2, 2026.

The companion novel to the beloved and award-winning Good Different.

Selah is a dragon.

Or at least, she feels like one. And she finally figured out how to spread her wings and soar.

Armed with her sensory tools, her notebooks and poems, and her newfound knowledge about her autism, Selah is heading to writing camp for the summer. She’s excited to work on her writing, perform at the final showcase, and to meet more kids like her.

Things aren't so simple though. As soon as she arrives, she realizes that her bully from home is there too. Ezra is chaotic, attention-seeking, and always teasing her.

Selah is determined not to let him ruin her summer. But soon it turns out that it’s not just Ezra causing problems. . . . As kind and enthusiastic as Selah’s new friends are, they don’t fully understand her autism and how overwhelming this new environment is for her.

Friend drama, classes, overstimulation, and her relationship with Ezra all start to feel like a lot. But surely Selah can make it through just a few weeks without reaching her breaking point again . . . right?

Meg’s books need to get into the hands of all kids and adults. What she writes is relatable and beautiful. She has phrases that elevate and penetrate the soul.

Plus, she opens a window into one girl’s autism while presenting other kinds of neurodiverse kids and adults. Being aware and understanding of what others are dealing with, makes us all better humans. Compassion for others and oneself. Because sometimes what you think is not always the truth of the situation. Friendships can be hard to navigate. 

I’m trying not to give anything away! The reality that some things work out and sometimes they don’t is authentic and it helps to know that it’s okay.

Trying, opening your heart to new things and people, knowing your boundaries and limitations, these are all life lessons and perfectly executed in this story.

www.megedenbooks.com

Teaching Resources — Meg Eden

#perfectenough

If you haven't read the first book, Good Different, you can read my review here. And then run out and buy both books 😊