Middle Grade Reader Spotlight! An Interview with Amira

Happy Monday! Amira is a dedicated reader with big dreams and a deep connection to The War That Saved My Life by Kimberley Brubaker Bradley. She also has some fantastic advice for authors! Her interview is below, and I know you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Amira, 10, a reader in the Midwest

What are your three favorite books and why?

My three favorite books are Valkyrie, Pegasus, (both by Kate O’Hearn) and The War That Saved My Life (by Kimberley Brubaker Bradley).

What do you like about reading?

I like reading because it helps me relax. And I like that there are learning experiences in books.

Is there a book out there that you think is seriously underrated? Tell us about it!

Yes, I do think there is a book out there that is way underrated. Valkyrie by Kate O’Hearn is really good. It’s about a young Valkyrie who is trying to find out what she was meant to do. She has powers and wings.

Where is your favorite place to read? Can you describe it for us?

My favorite place to read is in my bunk bed. I can rest on my comfortable pillow and nice mattress. And I can wear pajamas!

Which character in a book you’ve read is the most like you and why?

I would say Ada from The War That Saved My Life. I think we are like each other because we both have a younger sibling that we love with all of our hearts and that we would protect. We also both love horses.

Is there any aspect of being a kid that you think authors don’t write about enough?

I would say that even though we love our siblings, like Ada and her brother, we also fight a lot. It just happens sometimes!

If you could be best friends with any character from any book, who would it be and why?

I would say Ada from The War That Saved My Life. Even though people are not always nice to her, she keeps going no matter what!

If you’ve started a book, but you don’t like it, do you force yourself to finish it, or do you stop reading? How long does it usually take for you to stop?

Well, if I don’t like a book, I do not force myself to finish it because reading is supposed to be something to enjoy. So right when I find out I don’t like a book, I just stop reading.

If you, as a reader, could give advice to authors of kids’ books, what would it be?

It would be to think from a kid’s perspective, not an adult’s.

And lastly, what is something you dream of doing one day (from becoming a dog owner to running for President, nothing is too big or too small for this answer!)?

I would like to have a cat, horse, and a dog. And I would like to be a writer like my mom and a professor like my dad. I could also be a president or maybe a Supreme Court justice.

If you're a middle grade reader interested in being interviewed, please visit my contact page. :)