Welcome to Smugglivus 2013! Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2013, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2014. Who: Kristen Kittscher debut middle grade author of one of Thea’s very favorite books of 2013, The Wig in the Window. Please give a warm welcome to Kristen, folks! Happy Smugglivus! After enjoying Smugglivus-y traditions from afar, it sure is an honor to be joining them this year. (Performing Feats of Strength by myself at home had really gotten old…) I’m embarrassed to say that the busy-ness of my debut year kept my reading stacks a little shorter than usual this year, but that doesn’t diminish my love for my 2013 highlights. Before I dive into my top picks, this Smugglivus season I’m hoping to nudge to pick up any book you’ve already read and loved. One of my great reading joys of the year was revisiting a favorite of mine: Rebecca Stead’s 2010 Newbery-winner When You Reach Me. While the book awed me the first go-around with its plotting and pitch-perfect voice, this time I realized how much the book doubles as a […]