399: Neurodiversity, Family Dynamics, and Cooking: Adventures in Contemporary Middle Grade Fiction - Interview with Gillian McDunn

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Gillian McDunn Gillian is the author of the middle-grade novels Caterpillar Summer and The Queen Bee and Me, These Unlucky Stars published by Bloomsbury Children's Books. Caterpillar Summer was selected for the Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List, and landed on Kirkus Reviews and Parents magazine Best Books of the Year lists. Her favorite thing is spending time with her family. She also loves traveling, board games, and learning about the world we live in. We’ll be talking about Honestly Elliott, a middle grade novel about a big-hearted boy trying to find the way to his best self.   In this episode Gillian McDunn and I discuss: How she created a dynamic depiction of neurodiversity in a novel for middle grade readers. What children can learn from cooking and how it applies to other life skills. Why middle school is an intense time for learning about adult dynamics.   Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/399