Book Nut presents a solid list of picks for the top 100 middle-grade books of all time. I don’t agree with all of them, but it’s a nice mix of new and old.

MotherReader explains why the upcoming KidLitosphere Conference is way cooler than BlogHer09.

Interviews-

Kirby Larson interviewed Karen Cushman.

Adam Rex and Mac Barnett collaborate well (as seen here on 7-imp), and I think The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity is an awesome title.

Lee Wind interviews Ellen Hopkins.

At least three of those people will be at the SCBWI Summer Conference next month.

I LOVE my critique group  (Unless they voted to kick me out at the last meeting, which I had to miss. In that case, they’re a bunch of rotten chum buckets.). I’ve had other groups in the past, but I think my current group’s dynamic works really well.  We have a mix of illustrators and writers in different genres. Their feedback is fabulous, and I can’t imagine trying to write and revise without the benefit of a group.  I’m dense. I need help.

I was at a lovely party a couple of nights ago chatting with a circle of successful authors, and critique groups came up. A couple of the authors mentioned that they don’t have a critique group, nor have they ever had a critique group.  They are each published and well-regarded, so that’s what works for them.  I find myself constantly curious about the writing process of others, and the various methods people use to reach publication.

What works for you? Do you think critique groups are important? What’s yours like? If you don’t have one, do you do anything else for feedback? Dish!

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