Author: Brandon Breen

I'm either two and a half or three and a half years old. It's my brother's birthday, or, more likely, the day after. I'm alone, for the moment, in the living room. (My parents and brother are elsewhere in the house.) I'm holding the object of my desire: a small, slightly puckered red balloon. A… Continue reading First Memory

Part of being a children's writer is reading lots of middle-grade novels for research (and enjoyment). Here are two lists of my "recent" and "classic" favorites. RECENT FAVORITES Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling) 1997 The Tale of Despereaux (Kate DiCamillo) 2003 The Graveyard Book (Neil Gaiman) 2008 Wonder (R.J. Palacio) 2012 The Royal Rabbits of… Continue reading My Favorite Children’s Novels

Recently, I've come across a couple of details that delighted my imagination and nudged me into an inquiring mood. Just what is it about certain details that cause us to remember them years and sometimes even decades later? The first detail that impressed me recently came from an episode of the Reply All podcast in… Continue reading The Curious Resonance of Details