There is also a literature unit based on this book for teachers. It is geared toward high school English or social studies classes and is based on Common Core standards. It can be found at Curriculum Aids or on Amazon.

There is a reason Steve Sheinkin‘s non-fiction book The Bomb: The Race to Build–and Steal–the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon (Roaring Brook, 2012) has won the 2013 Newbery Honor Award, the 2013 Sibert Medal, and the 2013 YALSA Award.  This book is AMAZING–not a word I use lightly. I just finished my first non-fiction manuscript for an educational publisher.  In my kidlit work, I write primarily fiction, so writing a non-fiction book was a new challenge.  It’s not easy to create an appealing story that is also factually true (all those pesky facts get in the way of the narrative arc).  My research on the beginnings of the Cold War led me to Bomb. Move over David McCullough–Sheinkin is a masterful story-teller of non-fiction.  As his website says, “Yes, it’s true, I used to write history textbooks. But I don’t do that kind of thing anymore. Now I try to write history books that people will actually read voluntarily.” Bomb “weaves together three basic story lines,” says Sheinkin. “[T]he Americans try to build a bomb, the Soviets try to steal it, and the Allies try to sabotage the German bomb project.”   My mom always said that the best children’s book can be [...]

There is a reason Steve Sheinkin‘s non-fiction book Bomb: The Race to Build–and Steal–the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon (Roaring Brook, 2012) has won the 2013 Newbery Honor Award, the 2013 Sibert Medal, and the 2013 YALSA Award.  This book is AMAZING–not a word I use lightly. I just finished my first non-fiction manuscript for an educational publisher.  In my kidlit work, I write primarily fiction, so writing a non-fiction book was a new challenge.  It’s not easy to create an appealing story that is also factually true (all those pesky facts get in the way of the narrative arc).  My research on the beginnings of the Cold War led me to Bomb. Move over David McCullough–Sheinkin is a masterful story-teller of non-fiction.  As his website says, “Yes, it’s true, I used to write history textbooks. But I don’t do that kind of thing anymore. Now I try to write history books that people will actually read voluntarily.” Bomb “weaves together three basic story lines,” says Sheinkin. “[T]he Americans try to build a bomb, the Soviets try to steal it, and the Allies try to sabotage the German bomb project.”   My mom always said that the best children’s book can be read […]

If you’re a fan of historical fiction, then Donna Jo Napoli‘s YA novel The Smile is for you.  It tells the story of fifteen-year-old Elisabetta, the girl later immortalized as Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.  Monna Elisabetta hopes to marry for love, but knows she’s destined for an arranged marriage.  As members of the lesser nobility in Florence, Elisabetta’s family needs her to marry well and she is bound by the limited role prescribed to her.  But Elisabetta, unconventional and strong, meets a boy she can love, Guiliano de’ Medici.     Against all odds and due to the introduction by her father’s famous friend, Leonardo da Vinci, Elisabetta meets the Medici family, the most powerful and wealthy family in Florence. She and the youngest son, Giuliano meet and fall in love. But can their love survive the violent political upheavals of the Renaissance and the overthrow of the Medici rule?  In Napoli’s hands, the mysterious Mona Lisa smile is created from love, loss, poignancy and passion.  

If you’re a fan of historical fiction blended with romance, then Donna Jo Napoli‘s YA novel The Smile is for you.  It tells the story of fifteen-year-old Elisabetta, the girl later immortalized as Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.  Monna Elisabetta hopes to marry for love but knows she’s destined for an arranged marriage.  As members of the lesser nobility in Florence, Elisabetta’s family needs her to marry well, and she is bound by the limited role prescribed to her. But Elisabetta, unconventional and strong, is introduced by her father’s famous friend, Leonardo da Vinci, to the Medici family, the most powerful and wealthy family in Florence. She and the youngest son, Giuliano soon fall in love. But can their love survive the violent political upheavals of the Renaissance and the overthrow of the Medici rule?   In Napoli’s hands, the mysterious Mona Lisa smile is created from love, loss, and the passion of the Renaissance.  

If you like The Westing Game, you’re sure to like Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist (illustrator of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events).   The book jacket says Chasing Vermeer “is a puzzle, wrapped in a mystery, disguised as an adventure, and delivered as a work of art.” A famous painting by Jan Vermeer known as A Woman Writing has disappeared and its mysterious thief has threatened to destroy it. Sixth-graders Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay start out as classmates but soon become friends and fellow sleuths as they boldly venture to follow a trail of clues and track down the missing painting.  Using their wits and intuition, they solve the puzzle of the painting’s disappearance and its mysterious thief  . Chasing Vermeer reminds me a bit of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. Petra finds an old used book called Lo! that tells of coincidences throughout time.  As Petra thinks, “Why wasn’t more time . . .  spent studying things that were unknown or not understood .  . . ?  . . . To try to piece together a meaning behind events that didn’t seem to fit?” Perhaps there are no coincidences–perhaps life is really full of patterns and cosmic synchronicity.  Petra dreams of [...]

If you like The Westing Game, you’re sure to like Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist (illustrator of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events).   The book jacket says Chasing Vermeer “is a puzzle, wrapped in a mystery, disguised as an adventure, and delivered as a work of art.” A famous painting by Jan Vermeer known as A Woman Writing has disappeared and its mysterious thief has threatened to destroy it. Sixth-graders Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay start out as classmates but soon become friends and fellow sleuths as they boldly venture to follow a trail of clues and track down the missing painting.  Using their wits and intuition, they solve the puzzle of the painting’s disappearance and its mysterious thief  . Chasing Vermeer reminds me a bit of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. Petra finds an old used book called Lo! that tells of coincidences throughout time.  As Petra thinks, “Why wasn’t more time . . .  spent studying things that were unknown or not understood .  . . ?  . . . To try to piece together a meaning behind events that didn’t seem to fit?” Perhaps there are no coincidences–perhaps life is really full of patterns and cosmic synchronicity.  Petra dreams of [...]

If you like The Westing Game, you’re sure to like Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist (illustrator of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events).   The book jacket says Chasing Vermeer “is a puzzle, wrapped in a mystery, disguised as an adventure, and delivered as a work of art.” A famous painting by Jan Vermeer known as A Woman Writing has disappeared and its mysterious thief has threatened to destroy it. Sixth-graders Petra Andalee and Calder Pillay start out as classmates but soon become friends and fellow sleuths as they boldly venture to follow a trail of clues and track down the missing painting.  Using their wits and intuition, they solve the puzzle of the painting’s disappearance and its mysterious thief  . Chasing Vermeer reminds me a bit of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. Petra finds an old used book called Lo! that tells of coincidences throughout time.  As Petra thinks, “Why wasn’t more time . . .  spent studying things that were unknown or not understood .  . . ?  . . . To try to piece together a meaning behind events that didn’t seem to fit?” Perhaps there are no coincidences–perhaps life is really full of patterns and cosmic synchronicity.  Petra dreams of […]

  Grace for President (Disney Hyperion, 2012), written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by LeUyen Pham offers a great look into the political process. When Grace’s teacher shows a poster of the U.S. presidents, Grace asks, “Where are the girls?!” No girls?! Then Grace will run for president herself. President of Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, that is. Grace thinks the election will be easy. Then Thomas decides to run . . . and things are not so easy after all. Grace for President uses a two-party system kids can understand–girls vs. boys–to explain our two-party system, the electoral college, and the campaign process.   Lane Smith is absolutely one of my favorite history writers for children. His fun picture book John, Paul, George & Ben (Hyperion, 2006) imagines our Founding Fathers as lads–John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, and Ben Franklin (with Thomas Jefferson tossed in too, even though he throws off the Beatles comparison). These lads were quite a handful, especially that John, who always liked to write his name in giant letters across the chalkboard. It’s a fun book that takes a bit of license with fact but sorts it all out in the end.   As for [...]

  Grace for President (Disney Hyperion, 2012), written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by LeUyen Pham offers a great look into the political process. When Grace’s teacher shows a poster of the U.S. presidents, Grace asks, “Where are the girls?!” No girls?! Then Grace will run for president herself. President of Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, that is. Grace thinks the election will be easy. Then Thomas decides to run . . . and things are not so easy after all. Grace for President uses a two-party system kids can understand–girls vs. boys–to explain our two-party system, the electoral college, and the campaign process.   Lane Smith is absolutely one of my favorite history writers for children. His fun picture book John, Paul, George & Ben (Hyperion, 2006) imagines our Founding Fathers as lads–John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, and Ben Franklin (with Thomas Jefferson tossed in too, even though he throws off the Beatles comparison). These lads were quite a handful, especially that John, who always liked to write his name in giant letters across the chalkboard. It’s a fun book that takes a bit of license with fact but sorts it all out in the end.   As for [...]

  Grace for President (Disney Hyperion, 2012), written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by LeUyen Pham offers a great look into the political process. When Grace’s teacher shows a poster of the U.S. presidents, Grace asks, “Where are the girls?!” No girls?! Then Grace will run for president herself. President of Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, that is. Grace thinks the election will be easy. Then Thomas decides to run . . . and things are not so easy after all. Grace for President uses a two-party system kids can understand–girls vs. boys–to explain our two-party system, the electoral college, and the campaign process.   Lane Smith is absolutely one of my favorite history writers for children. His fun picture book John, Paul, George & Ben (Hyperion, 2006) imagines our Founding Fathers as lads–John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, and Ben Franklin (with Thomas Jefferson tossed in too, even though he throws off the Beatles comparison). These lads were quite a handful, especially that John, who always liked to write his name in giant letters across the chalkboard. It’s a fun book that takes a bit of license with fact but sorts it all out in the end.   As for […]

Thanks for the great review!!!

Every kid I know can sing ”Old MacDonald Had a Farm.”  But a farm can get kind of boring, what with the same old cows, pigs, sheep, and dogs time after time. Enter kidlit author Ken Baker who thought he’d liven things up by adding . . . a DRAGON. Old MacDonald Had a Dragon (Amazon Children’s Publishing, 2012), written by Ken Baker and illustrated by Christopher Santoro, is a zany retelling of Old MacDonald that will keep kids giggling from start to finish. Old MacDonald with a dragon?!  That’s crazy!  Well, the other animals on the farm think it’s crazy too. Not a single animal wants that dragon around.  Pretty soon, ”with a lick of its lips and a flash of fire” that dragon has swallowed just about everybody–including the farmer.  Luckily that singing farmer finds the perfect solution. Old MacDonald Had a Dragon is full of fun language: puns, word-play, great alliteration and repetition, not to mention a few inside jokes such as the hog who rides a Hog (aka a Harley).  Christopher Santoro’s illustrations also add much and are a perfect match for this silly story full of fun, fire, and a great, big dragon-size BURP.  

Every kid I know can sing ”Old MacDonald Had a Farm.”  But a farm can get kind of boring, what with the same old cows, pigs, sheep, and dogs time after time. Enter kidlit author Ken Baker who thought he’d liven things up by adding . . . a DRAGON. Old MacDonald Had a Dragon (Amazon Children’s Publishing, 2012), written by Ken Baker and illustrated by Christopher Santoro, is a zany retelling of Old MacDonald that will keep kids giggling from start to finish. Old MacDonald with a dragon?!  That’s crazy!  Well, the other animals on the farm think it’s crazy too. Not a single animal wants that dragon around.  Pretty soon, ”with a lick of its lips and a flash of fire” that dragon has swallowed just about everybody–including the farmer.  Luckily that singing farmer finds the perfect solution. Old MacDonald Had a Dragon is full of fun language: puns, word-play, great alliteration and repetition, not to mention a few inside jokes such as the hog who rides a Hog (aka a Harley).  Christopher Santoro’s illustrations also add much and are a perfect match for this silly story full of fun, fire, and a great, big dragon-size BURP.  

Every kid I know can sing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.”  But a farm can get kind of boring, what with the same old cows, pigs, sheep, and dogs time after time. Enter kidlit author Ken Baker who thought he’d liven things up by adding . . . a DRAGON. Old MacDonald Had a Dragon (Amazon Children’s Publishing, 2012), written by Ken Baker and illustrated by Christopher Santoro, is a zany retelling of Old MacDonald that will keep kids giggling from start to finish. Old MacDonald with a dragon?!  That’s crazy!  Well, the other animals on the farm think it’s crazy too. Not a single animal wants that dragon around.  Pretty soon, “with a lick of its lips and a flash of fire” that dragon has swallowed just about everybody–including the farmer.  Luckily that singing farmer finds the perfect solution. Old MacDonald Had a Dragon is full of fun language: puns, word-play, great alliteration and repetition, not to mention a few inside jokes such as the hog who rides a Hog (aka a Harley).  Christopher Santoro’s illustrations also add much and are a perfect match for this silly story full of fun, fire, and a great, big dragon-size BURP.  

You are so very welcome. Congrats on writing a great book!!

Out of all the books in your–very impressive–pile, thank you for taking the time to read LULA BELL…and write such a lovely, thoughtful review! I consider your comparison to THE HELP the biggest and best compliment I’ve received on my work to date! Thanks again!

Your comment led to my discovery of a typo in my post. Yikes!! It’s never good when the English teacher forgets her apostrophes . . .

What a treat to see this review! Thank you so much! I love how you wrote “it doesn’t matter if you are 5 or 25…”

Ralph Tells a Story written and illustrated by Abby Hanlon (Amazon Children’s Publishing, 2012). It doesn’t matter if your five or twenty-five—if you’re in school, you’re gonna have to write.  And lots of times you have to write stories—stories about yourself.  Maybe it’s a daily journal.  Maybe it’s a “My Special Moment” essay.  Maybe it’s a descriptive narrative for a college composition class. Well, if you’re one of those kids who has NO IDEA what to write about and can’t think of ONE SINGLE STORY, then Abby Hanlon’s Ralph Tells a Story is the book for you. Ralph’s teacher always says, “Stories are everywhere!”  and the kids in Ralph’s class have no trouble finding them.  They write pages and pages and pages during writing time.  But Ralph can’t come up with anything.  Zero, zip, nada. So Ralph does what all smart kids do.  He stalls.  He goes to the bathroom.  He gets a drink.  He offers to help the lunch ladies.  And finally, finally, Ralph thinks of the start of a story. But then he gets stuck. Which is exactly when his teacher asks him to share his story. Luckily for Ralph, his classmates ask lots and lots of questions.  [...]

Ralph Tells a Story written and illustrated by Abby Hanlon (Amazon Children’s Publishing, 2012). It doesn’t matter if you are five or twenty-five—if you’re in school, you’re gonna have to write.  And lots of times you have to write stories—stories about yourself.  Maybe it’s a daily journal.  Maybe it’s a “My Special Moment” essay.  Maybe it’s a descriptive narrative for a college composition class. Well, if you’re one of those kids who has NO IDEA what to write about and can’t think of ONE SINGLE STORY, then Abby Hanlon’s Ralph Tells a Story is the book for you. Ralph’s teacher always says, “Stories are everywhere!”  and the kids in Ralph’s class have no trouble finding them.  They write pages and pages and pages during writing time.  But Ralph can’t come up with anything.  Zero, zip, nada. So Ralph does what all smart kids do.  He stalls.  He goes to the bathroom.  He gets a drink.  He offers to help the lunch ladies.  And finally, finally, Ralph thinks of the start of a story. But then he gets stuck. Which is exactly when his teacher asks him to share his story. Luckily for Ralph, his classmates ask lots and lots of [...]

Ralph Tells a Story written and illustrated by Abby Hanlon (Amazon Children’s Publishing, 2012). It doesn’t matter if you are five or twenty-five—if you’re in school, you’re gonna have to write.  And lots of times you have to write stories—stories about yourself.  Maybe it’s a daily journal.  Maybe it’s a “My Special Moment” essay.  Maybe it’s a descriptive narrative for a college composition class. Well, if you’re one of those kids who has NO IDEA what to write about and can’t think of ONE SINGLE STORY, then Abby Hanlon’s Ralph Tells a Story is the book for you. Ralph’s teacher always says, “Stories are everywhere!”  and the kids in Ralph’s class have no trouble finding them.  They write pages and pages and pages during writing time.  But Ralph can’t come up with anything.  Zero, zip, nada. So Ralph does what all smart kids do.  He stalls.  He goes to the bathroom.  He gets a drink.  He offers to help the lunch ladies.  And finally, finally, Ralph thinks of the start of a story. But then he gets stuck. Which is exactly when his teacher asks him to share his story. Luckily for Ralph, his classmates ask lots and lots of […]

C.C. Payne’s novel Lula Bell on Geekdom, Freakdom + the Challenges of Bad Hair is a bit like a middle grade version of The Help. The content is totally different, but Lula Bell has that same folksy, southern tone that makes you want to kick off your shoes, plunk yourself down on the porch swing, and set awhile. Fifth-grader Lula Bell Bonner wants nothing more than to go unnoticed, just blend in–something that’s near impossible now that former friend and popular girl Kali Keele has singled out Lula Bell for ridicule.  Lula Bell tries to bring the right sandwich for lunch, wear the right clothes, act the right way, but Kali’s always bullying Lula Bell and putting her down.  No matter what Lula Bell does, it’s the wrong thing.  Not to mention her goofy name (“. . . kids think ‘Lula Bell’ sounds like a cow”), her hair challenges, and the nerdy boy who won’t leave her alone (even if he is nice, smart, and totally loyal, he’s a huge social liability). Lula Bell’s parents obviously don’t get her dilemma because they are insisting she participate in the school talent show. As Lula Bell points out, It was one thing [...]

C.C. Payne’s novel Lula Bell on Geekdom, Freakdom + the Challenges of Bad Hair is a bit like a middle grade version of The Help. The content is totally different, but Lula Bell has that same folksy, southern tone that makes you want to kick off your shoes, plunk yourself down on the porch swing, and set awhile. Fifth-grader Lula Bell Bonner wants nothing more than to go unnoticed, just blend in–something that’s near impossible now that former friend and popular girl Kali Keele has singled out Lula Bell for ridicule.  Lula Bell tries to bring the right sandwich for lunch, wear the right clothes, act the right way, but Kali’s always bullying Lula Bell and putting her down.  No matter what Lula Bell does, it’s the wrong thing.  Not to mention her goofy name (“. . . kids think ‘Lula Bell’ sounds like a cow”), her hair challenges, and the nerdy boy who won’t leave her alone (even if he is nice, smart, and totally loyal, he’s a huge social liability). Lula Bell’s parents obviously don’t get her dilemma because they are insisting she participate in the school talent show. As Lula Bell points out, It was one thing [...]

C.C. Payne’s novel Lula Bell on Geekdom, Freakdom + the Challenges of Bad Hair is a bit like a middle grade version of The Help. The content is totally different, but Lula Bell has that same folksy, southern tone that makes you want to kick off your shoes, plunk yourself down on the porch swing, and set awhile. Fifth-grader Lula Bell Bonner wants nothing more than to go unnoticed, just blend in–something that’s near impossible now that former friend and popular girl Kali Keele has singled out Lula Bell for ridicule.  Lula Bell tries to bring the right sandwich for lunch, wear the right clothes, act the right way, but Kali’s always bullying Lula Bell and putting her down.  No matter what Lula Bell does, it’s the wrong thing.  Not to mention her goofy name (“. . . kids think ‘Lula Bell’ sounds like a cow”), her hair challenges, and the nerdy boy who won’t leave her alone (even if he is nice, smart, and totally loyal, he’s a huge social liability). Lula Bell’s parents obviously don’t get her dilemma because they are insisting she participate in the school talent show. As Lula Bell points out, It was one thing […]