I’m a huge fan of many of the books they suggested, so I’m sharing them here today. Over the summer I had a conversation with some of my favorite educators on Twitter about contemporary middle grade stories that pair well with Counting Thyme. Be sure to check out all of her episodes!

On the subject of talking books, Counting Thyme is on a podcast! The Power of Story is a great new book podcast by Caitlin Lore. The teens who didn’t take books, but surprised me by telling me what they were reading: Rick Riordan, Harry Potter, and The Color Purple, among others.

The boy who slyly nabbed a book with a bunny on the cover and stuffed it into his bucket after his friends left.

The girl with cat whiskers who squealed when she grabbed The Seventh Wish.

The 3yo Supergirl who promptly handed her candy basket to her dad, sat on my front steps, and started reading Elmo’s Christmas.

I’m a huge candy fan, so yes, there was still candy to go with the books, but as I handed the candy out, I told the kids that if they saw a book they liked, they could take it! Well, technically these somethings were old to me, but new to everyone who took them home: TRICK OR TREAT BOOKS! This year I tried something new for Halloween. Writing is a team sport, and I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you to everyone who supported me this year. Thank you to the brave authors who continue to stand for what is good and true in this world. You were the friends I needed before I knew that I needed you. You are the heartbeat of our communities. Thank you to the independent book stores. My heart swells three sizes with every note. Thank you to the festival and #nErDcamp organizers who work so tirelessly to bring books and authors to their communities. There is nothing like speaking to a room full of eager book nerds. Thank you to the schools who kindly hosted me and the kids who asked such great questions. Thank you to the dozens of classrooms I have visited via Skype across the country. You are wonderful and necessary and your work matters SO much. Thank you to the amazing educators who shared THYME’s story. This is where I’ve captured a lot of the special moments from this year, so I can revisit them in the future. At the beginning of the year, I started an accomplishment jar. As 2016 draws to a close, I have a lot to be thankful for.

Counting thyme by melanie conklin