Why am I passionate about this?

In addition to being an author of MG fiction, I run two book groups for kids, which means I spend lots of time in libraries, communing with kids’ librarians, placing wagers on which books will win the Newbery, so that I can pass along great books to my groups. While there are all kinds of terrific MG books out there, I find that boisterous group meetings require something special – i.e. books with a controversial idea or character or act that merits debate/discussion. I remember when we read From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler -- one girl just could not get past the idea that two kids left home without telling their parents. I love that sort of passionate objection!


I wrote

Parked

By Danielle Svetcov,

Book cover of Parked

What is my book about?

Jeanne Ann is smart, stubborn, living in an orange van, and determined to find a permanent address before the start…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

The books I picked & why

Book cover of Counting by 7s

Danielle Svetcov Why did I love this book?

I read this book at least three times while writing my book, Parked, trying to crack its code: i.e. how could a book be so sad (the main character loses both parents on the same day) and, at the same time, so funny, strange, comforting, and familiar? There’s an unforgettable scene on a rooftop involving broken bottles. So so good. 

By Holly Goldberg Sloan,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Counting by 7s as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

In the tradition of WONDER and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD this award-winning New York Times bestseller is an intensely moving, lyrically-written novel.

COUNTING BY 7S tells the story of Willow Chance, a twelve-year-old genius who is obsessed with diagnosing medical conditions and finds comfort in counting by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn't kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now.

Suddenly Willow's world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a…


Book cover of When You Reach Me

Danielle Svetcov Why did I love this book?

I’ve never met a kid who didn’t love this book. Friendship, game shows, a little romance… The time-travel aspect, alone, will keep you up at night, trying to figure out how the story-loop is working. Also, the author does a magical job portraying New York City of the 1970s as both menacing and cozy, like every bodega and diner is manned by a grouchy but kind attendant who will save you in a pinch. Keep an eye out for the “strawberry shaped objects”.

By Rebecca Stead,

Why should I read it?

13 authors picked When You Reach Me as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Miranda's life is starting to unravel. Her best friend, Sal, gets punched by a kid on the street for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The key that Miranda's mum keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then a mysterious note arrives:
'I am coming to save your friend's life, and my own.
I ask two favours. First, you must write me a letter.'

The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realises that whoever is leaving them knows things no one should know. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she…


Book cover of To Night Owl from Dogfish

Danielle Svetcov Why did I love this book?

An entire book group of girls decided to try sleep-away camp after reading this hilarious title. Constructed entirely of emails between anxious Avery Bloom (NYC) and gonzo Bett Devlin (Los Angeles), it’s about an unlikely friendship that is aided-and-abetted by the existence of the Internet and summer camp…and theatre…and love-at-first-sight…and unvarnished truth.

By Holly Goldberg Sloan, Meg Wolitzer,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked To Night Owl from Dogfish as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

A REVERSE PARENT TRAP FOR A NEW GENERATION FROM NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHORS HOLLY GOLDBERG-SLOAN AND MEG WOLITZER.

Avery (Night Owl) is bookish, intense, likes to plan ahead, and is afraid of many things. Bett (Dogfish) is fearless, outgoing, and lives in the moment. What they have in common is that they are both twelve years old, and their dads are dating each other.

Bett and Avery are sent, against their will, to the same camp for the summer vacation. Their dads hope that they will find common ground and become friends - and possibly, one day, even sisters.…


Book cover of The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Danielle Svetcov Why did I love this book?

This is a Newbery winner that stands the test of time. Set in 1687, it tells the story of Kit Tyler, a pampered 16-year-old who moves to Connecticut from the Caribbean after her grandfather dies and discovers what Puritan life is really about: dressing plainly, deferring to men, hiding your intelligence and imagination, and going to church -- a lot. Any reader with a sense of independence will devour it. 

By Elizabeth George Speare,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked The Witch of Blackbird Pond as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

In this Newbery Medal-winning novel, a girl faces prejudice and accusations of witchcraft in seventeenth-century Connecticut. A classic of historical fiction that continues to resonate across the generations.

Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the moment she arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut in 1687. Alone and desperate, she has been forced to leave her beloved home on the island of Barbados and join a family she has never met.

Torn between her quest for belonging and her desire to be true to herself, Kit struggles to survive in a hostile place. Just when…


Book cover of Nooks & Crannies

Danielle Svetcov Why did I love this book?

One part farce, one part tragedy, one part mystery – Nooks & Crannies is for fans of Roald Dahl who love watching the downfall of fiendishly evil authority figures at the hands of soft-spoken, highly intelligent children. That’s the essence of Nooks & Crannies, with lead character Tabitha Crum so used to being kicked around, underfed, and underappreciated that her only friend is a mouse named Pemberley. I loved the audiobook for this title, read by a British actor with a perfect “stiff-upper-lip” delivery. 

By Jessica Lawson, Natalie Andrewson (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Nooks & Crannies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets Clue when six children navigate a mansion full of secrets—and maybe money—in this “delightful gem” (School Library Journal, starred review) with heart.

Sweet, shy Tabitha Crum, the neglected only child of two parents straight out of a Roald Dahl book, doesn’t have a friend in the world—except for her pet mouse, Pemberley, whom she loves dearly. But on the day she receives one of six invitations to the country estate of wealthy Countess Camilla DeMoss, her life changes forever.

Upon the children’s arrival at the sprawling, possibly haunted mansion, it turns out the countess…


Explore my book 😀

Parked

By Danielle Svetcov,

Book cover of Parked

What is my book about?

Jeanne Ann is smart, stubborn, living in an orange van, and determined to find a permanent address before the start of seventh grade. Cal is awkward, sensitive, living in a humongous house across the street, and determined to save her. Jeanne Ann wants Cal's help just about as much as she wants to live in a van.

As the two form a tentative friendship that grows deeper over alternating chapters, they're buoyed by a cast of complex, oddball characters, who let them down, lift them up, and leave you cheering. Debut novelist Danielle Svetcov shines a light on a big problem without a ready answer, pulling it off with the perfect balance of humor, heartbreak, and hope.

Book cover of Counting by 7s
Book cover of When You Reach Me
Book cover of To Night Owl from Dogfish

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,404

readers submitted
so far, will you?

You might also like...

Beyond the Cemetery Gate: The Secret Keeper's Daughter

By Valerie Biel,

Book cover of Beyond the Cemetery Gate: The Secret Keeper's Daughter

Valerie Biel Author Of Beyond the Cemetery Gate: The Secret Keeper's Daughter

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Valerie's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

"A haunting YA mystery. Touching on everything from police ineptitude and community solidarity to the endless frustration of being patronized as a young person, this paranormal thriller confidently combines timely and relatable themes within a page-turning storyline." - Self-Publishing Review

"Biel's writing is fast-paced and sharp!" - author Christy Wopat

When the police rule her dad’s death an accidental overdose, 16-year-old Chloe refuses to believe it and vows to find his killer. Alone against a potentially corrupt, small-town police force, a persistent social worker seeking proof that she has adult supervision, and precariously low funds, Chloe learns that her dad’s…

Beyond the Cemetery Gate: The Secret Keeper's Daughter

By Valerie Biel,

What is this book about?

“This taut, suspenseful mystery goes beyond the cemetery gate and settles, creaking, into our very bones.” – Silvia Acevedo, author of the award-winning God Awful series.

When the police rule her dad’s death an accidental overdose, 16-year-old Chloe refuses to believe it and vows to find his killer. Alone against a potentially corrupt, small-town police force, a persistent social worker seeking proof that she has adult supervision, and precariously low funds, Chloe learns that her dad’s life as a cemetery caretaker masked a web of family secrets that quite possibly led to his death—and are now putting her in mortal…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Colonial America, gardening, and twins?

Colonial America 52 books
Gardening 88 books
Twins 68 books