Middle Grade Round Table

Virtual Wordplay is a presentation of St. Catherine University and Star Tribune. This event is presented in partnership with Ryan Reads (a Ryan Companies project).

Support the Loft and Our Wordplay Partners

During these difficult times, we’re excited to present all Wordplay events free of charge. We’re grateful to our sponsors for their leadership, but your support is critical too! Help this innovative festival thrive by making a donation in any amount to support the Loft and Wordplay today.

Plus, show your support for our literary community and featured Wordplay authors by purchasing Wordplay titles from our bookseller partners. Thank you!

Support the Loft and Wordplay Buy Jacqueline's Book Buy Kacen's Book Buy Max's Book Buy Omar's Book

Additional Resources

Keep reading & writing at home with these fun and engaging worksheets and creative prompts!

More about our authors

Learn more about Max, Kacen, Omar, and Jacqueline here:

About Jacqueline West About Max Brailler About Kacen Callender About Omar Mohamed

Story Mapping with Middle Grade Fiction

Read at least two of the books featured in this event, and use the template below to "map" all the pieces of the story for each book.

Now for a middle grade mash-up: Mix and match story elements from each book to create a new story featuring a mix of characters, settings, and conflicts. Use your imagination to brainstorm how characters from two different books might interact with each other. How would the characters from one book react to being in a different book's setting? What new conflicts might arise? What new resolutions might emerge? Write a new story using this magical combination!

You can write and illustrate your story in words and pictures OR perform it as a play or puppet show. Make sure it still has all of the following: CHARACTERS, SETTING, THEME(S), CONFLICT, RISING ACTION, CLIMAX, FALLING ACTION, RESOLUTION. (Bonus points for mash-up DIALOGUE and FORESHADOWING!)

Story Map