iction by m. g. higgins

Gravel Road Saddleback Educational Publishing

2014 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book Awards

Silver Medal winner, Multicultural Fiction-Juvenile/Young Adult

2015 YALSA Quick Pick nominee

I’m Just Me

Nasreen and Mia are two very different girls and both stand out at Arondale High. Kids make assumptions about the only Muslim and the new black girl--the only African American--in school. Bullied at school and online, the girls come up with a plan to fight back.

2013 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book Awards

Silver Medal winner, Young Adult Fiction  

2014 Bi Writers Association Book Awards finalist, Bisexual Teen/Young Adult Fiction  

“. . . expressive coming out story. . . . handles a variety of issues gracefully. . . . nuanced and poignant. . . . readers will come away with plenty to think about. A welcome addition to the still-small field of teen books about bisexual characters.”

Kirkus Reviews

“Brett is a realistically flawed character and . . . teens will feel for him as he struggles with the issues he faces.” School Library Journal

“High school social dynamics and issues of sexual identity combine in this compact yet thoughtful entry in the Gravel Road Series.” Booklist

2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards finalist, Young Adult and GLBT categories

2014 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, nominee

“Unusually expressive for its simple vocabulary. . . .  subtle detail and well-drawn characters . . . believable and heartbreaking. A many-layered tale, simply told.” Kirkus Reviews

“Teens will empathize with [Gabby] as she tells her story. . . . Another winner in the [Gravel Road] series.” School Library Journal

“. . . . Gabby’s direct voice and relatable concerns will resonate with readers in this quick and compelling read.” Publishers Weekly

“Compelling first-person narrative. . . .  the brief chapters and brisk pacing of this entry in the Gravel Road series should have significant appeal to struggling readers.” Booklist

Counterattack Darby Creek, Lerner Publishing

2014 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers, Final List

Praise for Off Side:

“Higgins’ briskly paced tale, skillfully alternating the drama with the sports, will capture readers’ attention.”

Kirkus Reviews

“This slice-of-life story touches on a range of issues facing teen girls, while maintaining a breezy pace and delivering sharp, authentic dialogue and engaging soccer action.”

Publishers Weekly

2013 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers, Final List

“This entry in the Travel Team series is just the ticket for readers who prefer their sports fiction distraction-free. . . [I]t’s all baseball all the time, with some genuine character development by the end.” 

Booklist

M. G. Higgins is the author of over 80 titles in Saddleback Educational Publishing’s Teen Emergent Reader Libraries, which offer stories of interest to tweens and teens starting at a Pre-K reading level.

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Rodeo Princess

Barrel racing is Jade's ticket out of her small town, where she's never fit in. She's a contender to win this year's rodeo, until her heart and family get in the way.

Finding Apeman

Diego is an artist and his school's weed dealer, saving his money for art school. He's seen the destructive power of meth and has so far refused to sell it, but problems with friends and family may change his mind.

“This is the book bisexual teens have been waiting for.” Bisexual Books

“This . . . hi/low story is told in terse text that successfully conveys Jade's claustrophic existence. Though the book ends on a hopeful note, the author resists an easy fix, requiring the reader to absorbe the unsaitsfactory reality of Jade's existence.” Booklist

Roadside Attraction

Logan's grandparents own a store in the middle of nowhere. He's devoted to his family to the point of giving up his own dreams. Then a hitchhiker and an unplanned road trip introduce him to the unexpected.

Red Rhino Books Saddleback Educational Publishing

Praise for The Soldier:

"With this very simply told tale set in Iraq in 2004, Higgins lets younger readers glimpse the realities of war. Yet there is also an important spark of hope, showing that conflict can--sometimes--give way to compassion. A slim volume, filled to the brim.” Kirkus Reviews

White Lightning Books Saddleback Educational Publishing

"Higgins enriches the story through Lucas' borderline spectrum disorder, Tiffany's unsavory past, and Iggy's poise and willingness to bury her resentments toward her new stopmom. Uncommonly good high/low fare.” Booklist

"[T]his sweet-natured story introduces Ignacia "Iggy" Suarez, a girl coming to grips with a new family dynamic . . . As the chapters breeze by, Iggy's feelings of frustration and defiance, as well as her eventual positive recalibration, will ring familiar with readers adjusting to change." Publishers Weekly

Stone Arch Books, Capstone Publishing  

Sibling Split

Arnie and Annabelle Beeler are brother and sister and they're also best friends. Their lives are thrown upside down when they discover their parents are separating and Arnie will be moving with Mom to the city. Illustrated by Jo Taylor.

"The tense, clipped narration and dialogue is readily accessible and serves the characters and scene-setting well. Brooke's struggles and Logan's sense of loyalty . . . will easily keep readers engaged in this coming-of-age story.” Publishers Weekly

Praise for Iggy:

2017 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards, Bronze Medal winner, Pre-teen Fction, Mature Issues

Travel Team Darby Creek, Lerner Publishing