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Reading Middle Grade

Books for Kids and Grown Ups

  • Book Reviews
    • Picture book
    • Chapter Books
    • Middle-Grade
    • Graphic Novels
    • Young Adult
    • Adult Fiction
    • Adult Non-Fiction
  • Book Lists
    • Picture Book Lists
    • Middle Grade Book Lists
    • Book Lists by Theme
    • Book Lists by Grade
    • Audiobook Recommendations
  • Join My Newsletter!
  • Go to the Blog
  • Summer Reading
  • Work with Me
    • Review & Promotion Policy
    • School Visits

Review & Promotion Policy

Why Promote on Reading Middle Grade?

Table of Contents

  • Why Promote on Reading Middle Grade?
  • Promotion for Authors
  • Promotion for Publishers
  • Working with Brands
    • Brands I’ve worked with
  • Review Policy

Each month, the blog gets at least 100,000 unique monthly visitors and over 120,000 overall views, 90% of which are US-based readers. Teachers and librarians regularly return to this blog for trusted book lists and reviews.

Please note that as much as I am excited about supporting brands and authors, I will only promote books and products that I like and think would be a good fit for my audience. Thank you for understanding.

Promotion for Authors

Reading Middle Grade offers a variety of promotional content on this blog and in my newsletter, including sponsored posts, cover reveals, and sidebar advertising. If you’re interested in promoting a forthcoming or backlist title, please contact me at [email protected]. Advertising options start at $50 for authors.


Newsletter Ad $50

  • My newsletter is the weekly email I send to over 3500 subscribers. It has a 65% engagement rate, which means over 2000 people open it and click on links every week. Many of these readers don’t check my blog daily and are not on social media, so their only exposure to posts is via the newsletter. To get your book across to a new set of readers, start with this!
Inquire >

Sponsored Post $80

  • Reading Middle Grade runs a variety of book list posts every week! You can choose to sponsor a themed book list, a readalike list, or even a list of books for specific ages or grades, which I share regularly.
Inquire >

Author Interview/Guest Post $100

  • Authors looking to reach out to a new audience can use this service. I generally prepare “Meet the Author” questions for a short interview on the site, which loyal readers can enjoy. The interview will also feature links to the author’s book, as well as social media and website links.
Inquire >

Promotion for Publishers

I’m happy to collaborate with publishers in several ways:

  • Running free book giveaways in my newsletter
  • Doing cover reveals (like this one) or revealing book trailers (like this one) for a fee
  • Sponsoring a book list or other blog content for a fee

If you’re a book publisher and would like to work with Reading Middle Grade in any capacity, please reach out to [email protected].


Working with Brands

I am also open to promoting products and services (as in this post). If you’re a company or organization who would like to work with me, please send me an email at [email protected].

Brands I’ve worked with


I’m happy to share my media kit upon request. Please note that my prices for working with brands and organizations differ from those of author promotions.


Review Policy

While I deeply enjoy books, I have to admit that I am partial to certain genres. So, if you’re considering sending me an Advanced Readers Copy of your book, kindly take note of the information below:

Please note: I am currently NOT accepting unsolicited books from indie publishers/self-published authors for review. Reading Middle Grade does not currently offer paid book reviews. I only review books I’ve read and enjoyed. You may submit books for potential review, but I am under no obligation to read or review them.

I am especially interested in contemporary children’s books — picture books, middle grade, YA — by women in general and authors of color. I do not enjoy fantasy titles with magical realism or supernatural elements. As such, I do not accept those titles for review.

Finally, please, always send full information about your book in your email. You may find the format below of assistance:

Title:

Genre:

Name of Author:

Publisher:

Date to be published:

Summary:

I prefer physical copies wherever possible and I will read physical galleys before electronic ARCs. However, I also accept electronic ARCs where it is impossible to send hard copies. Please note that I live in Nigeria, should you be interested in sending physical galleys.

I look forward to hearing from you!

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Comments

  1. Deb Rice says

    May 7, 2021 at 7:12 am

    Hi there – love your blog, I was wondering if you ever are hiring?

    Reply
    • Afoma Umesi says

      May 7, 2021 at 8:04 am

      Hi Deb, thank you! No, not hiring at the moment 🙂

      Reply
  2. Paula Howard says

    April 14, 2023 at 10:42 am

    Hi, my name is Paula Howard and am a school librarian in a K-8 Catholic School. I have been using your reviews and book suggestions to help add books to my middle school section. I am interested in a vitural school visit but the links won’t work.

    Reply
    • Afoma Umesi says

      April 14, 2023 at 12:17 pm

      Hi Paula, sorry about that! I’m emailing you now.

      Reply

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About Me
Hi, I'm Afoma! Thank you for stopping by. Learn more about me here.

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📚 Sharing the best middle grade (and adult) book recommendations
💌 [email protected] for book publicity (No DMs, please)

Afoma
✨how ‘bout a little virtual reality?✨

☀️ Addie has reluctantly moved across the country with her dad for his summer job in the virtual reality industry. He's working on research to use VR for therapeutic purposes, such as helping people cultivate empathy. Addie is not into VR, but that starts to change when she meets Matteo another kid on campus, and tries out VR on her own. Eventually, the two find a helpful use for VR that helps other people.

🥽 I loved the illustration style in this one and while I found the VR setting a bit disorienting, I appreciated the unique lens of the story. The graphic novel format works brilliantly for helping readers appreciate the power of VR. I think with text, it would have just been too much “world-building.” This is more engaging and exciting for kids.

🐢 Lo and Behold is a clever middle grade graphic novel about virtual reality, grief, and parental addiction. Readers who enjoy VR will love this one, but as the Author's Note mentions, it will also be a fantastic introduction for those who, like me, aren't familiar with it. A fun summer read with hints of serious themes.

#mglit #middlegrade #bookstagram
✨surprisingly heartwarming middle grade✨ 🗺 ✨surprisingly heartwarming middle grade✨

🗺️ Ginny’s summer is thrown off when her dad gets a surprise redeployment in the middle of their family’s moving to another city. Then, her geography camp gets canceled. Her sister seems to be making new friends, but no one appears to like Ginny–even when she starts her own geography camp. 

❤️ I loved this book way more than I thought I would (from the synopsis). Ginny has such a great voice and she isn’t always the most likable character but she’s always real. I loved watching her grow throughout the story.

📍This sweet, unique young middle grade book made my heart grow and ache for Ginny and her family as they navigated a season of change. Features illustrations and a new geography fact in each chapter.

#amreading #mglit #middlegrade
My current adult reads! HAPPY TRAVELER is a non- My current adult reads! 

HAPPY TRAVELER is a non-fiction title about making travel work for you and creating enjoyable, memorable experiences. So far, I’m enjoying the author’s musings on travel.

HELLO BEAUTIFUL is a bookstagram darling (need I say more?) and I already know I’ll be reading it for a while. It’s one of those books that really forces you to slow down. The writing is so tender; it feels like the author loves her characters ❤️

#bookstagram #amreading #readersofinstagram
✨growing up is full of bumps on the way✨ 🤓 ✨growing up is full of bumps on the way✨

🤓 Sixth grade is off to a rocky start for Rex. His district moved most of his elementary school to another middle school, his best friend ditches him for the popular crew, and his blurry vision means he has to get clunky new glasses–the only kind his family can afford. 

❤️ This sweet graphic novel for fans of Telgemeier is an ode to middle school, family, and finding your people.

#graphicnovel #middleschoolbooks #kidlit
Do you like to hop on the “buzz train”? I find Do you like to hop on the “buzz train”? I find that buzzy books are often worth the hype. Even the few people who dislike them tend to have STRONG feelings about them 👀 which to me is a sign that the story got to you somehow. Of course, not every book is for every reader — hype or not. I share my tip for finding a hyped book that matches your reading tastes.

Which hyped books did you love? And which ones missed the mark for you?

#reader #bookstagram #unpopularopinions
✨a different kind of sunshine✨ I loved this g ✨a different kind of sunshine✨

I loved this graphic memoir about the author’s time as a counselor at a camp for kids with cancer. It was my first time reading anything by this author and I totally get the appeal.

This one didn’t end up being as sad as I thought it would be but it was very moving, especially because Krosoczka shares newspaper clippings and pictures of one the families with whom he forged a particularly close relationship even until his college years.

If you’re looking for an engaging graphic memoir for older kids ages 11+ this is a great choice.

#graphicnovel #kidlit #yareader
✨a devastating debut✨ This book! Brilliantly ✨a devastating debut✨

This book! Brilliantly written, impressive characterization, and a plot so unexpected. It left me physically shaken (it's not feel-good), but it feels so necessary, so timely. A solid debut about the search for the great American Dream, familial sacrifices, and confronting our ugly inner selves -- all in less than 300 pages. 

You'll like this if you like:

Multiple perspectives (3 perspectives, 3rd person POV)
Character-driven stories
Time-jumping plots
Devastating endings

If you prefer straightforward, plot-rich, fast-paced stories, you might struggle a bit with this one at the start. But it's worth it!

#bookstagram #amreading #fiction
☀️ Meet the Bookstagrammer ☀️ Hi, new fol ☀️ Meet the Bookstagrammer ☀️

Hi, new followers! It’s such a pleasure to have a few new faces around. I love finding new readers to follow on the gram. 

My name is Afoma and I run a book blog called Reading Middle Grade. I also run a Facebook Group and newsletter related to my blog. In my day job, I’m a freelance writer and editor, with a degree in medicine.

I’ve lived in three continents (born in Nigeria, med school in Ukraine and the Caribbean). I live in Nigeria now with my husband and many, many books 🤭 I love to cook and travel and run. This year, one of my goals is to become a better runner. I’m currently able to run 2K without stopping. 

Even though we don’t have traditional four seasons in Nigeria, the summer months are my favorite. From childhood, they were the one time when my overachieving, perfectionistic self could RELAX. And do nothing! And even now, I try to take time off in the summer to do nothing.

Some of favorite books this year have been LASAGNA MEANS I LOVE YOU, THE LOST YEAR (I lived in Ukraine for 3 years, so this resonated with me!), and MAAME. 

Thank you so much for following my reading journey! Tell me something about yourself — hobbies, favorite books, anything! ❤️
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