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Launch Day for BEWARE OF THE WHITE by Kai Strand!
As is tradition, Terra learns on the Saturday past her twelfth birthday that she is a Natures Spirit. It is her legacy to serve in the peaceful underground city of Concord. Learning she is named in a prophecy and being threatened by the leader of the death tribe…that part breaks tradition.
The Trepidus are the death janitors of the Underworld, responsible for delivering fatalities with a smile and cleaning up after themselves until Blanco, recent leader of the Trepidus, decides the day of reckoning for his species is coming. He begins organizing the creatures and leads them toward an uprising. The prophecy says there is one person who can stop him. Terra.
With Spirit of Security, Frank, protecting her, Terra attempts to complete her training and discover her Spirit talents. Together, they go on a rogue investigation to learn how to defeat Blanco. In the end, it comes down to a battle of the minds. The future of Concord is at stake. Will Blanco, the older, more experienced being win? Or will Terra, the young, new Spirit earn back the peace of the city?
Excerpt:
The creature’s direct gaze caused her to shudder. Pushing off the wall, it seemed to float across the room toward her. No characteristic slapping sound registered when its bare feet flopped with each step. It never blinked and never broke eye contact. A chill enveloped Terra as it stopped an arm’s length away. She wanted to curl up in a ball, sob and plead for it to leave, but Terra instinctively suppressed her fear and stared back at it, erasing all emotion from her face.
“I have come to warn you.” The horrible voice sounded like a thick gel bubbling up through a pipe full of gravel and coarse sand.
The creature’s throat buckled and undulated as if the words physically worked their way up through its vocal cords. Terra expected the words to tumble from its mouth and plunk to the floor, a sort of sick word vomit. She shook from the effort of swallowing past her gag reflex and fought the impulse to turn away.
“You’ve come to warn me? Warn me about what?” Terra asked.
“You have been figured to be the enemy of my beings. My leader has sworn to destroy you.”
Buy it:
About the author
Kai Strand writes fiction for kids and teens. Her debut novel,
The Weaver, was a finalist in the 2012 EPIC eBook Awards. She is a (very lucky) wife and the mother of four amazing kids. The most common sound in her household is laughter. The second most common is, "Do your dishes!" She and her family hike, geocache, and canoe in beautiful Central Oregon, where they call home. Find Kai’s books, links to short stories, download companion documents, and discover all the places to find Kai both virtually and in person on her website:
www.kaistrand.com. She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to send her an email or visit her facebook page, Kai Strand, Author.
Spontaneous Book Giveaway!
This is your lucky day. Kelly’s site has been chosen to host a spontaneous book giveaway. But be quick, your window for opportunity is short.
Like giveaways? There is more to be had on Kai’s
blog and be sure to follow her tour for more Spontaneous Giveaways. Those won't be announced, so only virtual stalkers will have a chance at the extra fun!
Lydia and Julie
try their hands as rock stars.
It doesn't go well.
The Popularity Papers #5: The Awesomely Awful Melodies of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang by Amy Ignatow. Amulet, 2013, 160 pages.
By: Emily,
on 5/10/2013
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A day late on this, I know,
but what a ridiculously
good time.
Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger. Amulet, 2012, 208 pages.
For the past 12 years we have been proud to bring a children’s author to live at Thurber House, share space with the ghost, and hit the ground running on whatever story they are writing.
Alan Gratz, our 2011 Children’s Writer-in Residence, has some really great things happening right now. Just out this March, Prisoner B-3087, is already making an impact. Based on the true story of Jack Gruener, Prisoner B-3087 tells the story of a boy who survived ten different concentration camps. The novel gives a younger age group an unapologetic picture of what life was so unfortunately like for many people during World War II.
Along with the success of Prisoner, comes a project that we are happy to have been a part of. In the spring of 2014, Gratz will be releasing the book he worked on during his residency at Thurber House! Luckily, the ghost didn’t give him too much trouble and he was able to really get some work done; Thurber House even gets a shout out in the acknowledgements! Titled, Mangleborn, this novel is the first of his highly anticipated middle grade fantasy trilogy, The League of Seven. The series is set in an alternate America, where seven super-powered children fight to stop the mad scientist, Thomas Edison, from summoning giant monsters–until they learn that one of the League may be the biggest monster of all.
We are so happy to see that the work Alan did during his residency is coming to fruition! Congratulations Alan!
Are you a children’s author? Check out more information about our Children’s Writer-in-Residence program!
I'm not a fan of
practical jokes, but the ball pit
thing was genius.
Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School by Kim Baker. Roaring Brook, 2012, 240 pages.
This book is allegedly for MG. Well, my inner fifth grader is all kinds of happy right now, then. And my inner sophomore. And my Alleged Adultness. This is a Cybil potential, all right, straight up. It has heart-pounding adventure, right out of the... Read the rest of this post
By: David D Bernstein,
on 4/28/2013
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Welcome all to my first Author Spotlight feature where you will get a chance to meet a well known author and learn about the writing process.
Interview
1) What were your favorite children books, when you were growing up?
I read practically every Nancy Drew there was, plus Harriet the Spy, The Little White Horse, and I gobbled up all of Phyllis Whitney’s mysteries, A Wrinkle in Time, etc. I could go on, but I won’t. Basically, I read a book a day all during elementary school. Maybe that’s why I love writing for the middle-grade audience.
2) What was the inspiration behind writing your book?
Several things! The magical, mysterious world of butterflies . . . spooky Louisiana swamps, old plantation houses, islands in the South Pacific . . . and a girl who is connected to all those things through her Grammy Claire.
I love mysteries; too, as you can tell from my childhood favorite books, and I wanted to try my hand at writing an actual mystery that didn’t have ghosts or paranormal elements. Just a girl with a brain and secret letters and keys in a mysterious house, trying to help her grandmother who died in an untimely way and who slowly gives her secrets from beyond the grave to figure out the people who are trying to destroy these unusual butterflies.
It was also very rewarding to write about a very smart and very cool grandmother because I never knew my own grandmothers, (and I hope I can be a very cool grandma too someday!).
3) How many Drafts and rejections did you have before your book was published?
Since this isn’t my first book and it was already under contract to Scholastic through a proposal I sent to my editor, I didn’t have any rejections—but I racked up hundreds in the year’s previous to selling my first book. And, after my first three books were orphaned, and before I landed a three-book contract with Scholastic, I had a period of 8 years where I was writing like crazy, but not selling anything. Rejections come with the territory of publishing. Now I do about 3-5 drafts of a new book, and two more with my editor and one with the copy editor so each book goes through a lot of hand and eyes.
4) Why Butterflies?
Butterflies are inherently mysterious. They start out as a little tiny egg on a leaf, turn into a creepy-crawling green caterpillar, then become a white chrysalis or cocoon – and finally, almost like magic, this gorgeous, colorful creature hatches from a white blob and can FLY! And they look like dancing flowers.
Some of the most fun I had writing this novel was researching the butterfly quotes at the beginning of each chapter and putting them in a spot where they reflected what happened in a particular chapter. But two of the quotes do not come from *famous* or well known scientists or movies. One is from my daughter and the other is from Tara’s Grammy Claire herself.
5) What can "When the Butterflies Came" teach our children?
I write a lot about families with secrets; families who are going through tough times and upheavals and changes—and show how that affects my 11-12 year old main characters. The heart of every story is the knowledge that families are important and they love each other in the end. They can be crazy sometimes, but their core belief is that they work together despite difficult and heart-wrenching events. They stand up for each other, pull together, and can come through hard times stronger than ever.
6) Can you see your book on the Big Screen?
Not yet - and movie rights are still available! I’m hoping Hollywood—or even some small director—will hear my secret wish, or discover my book when his child brings it home from the library or the Scholastic Book Fair. . . a director that has always loved butterflies and falls in love with my book. I can always dream, right?
7) What future book plans do you have?
I just turned in my fourth manuscript to my editor at Scholastic for publication summer of 2014. She’s reading it now while I wait chewing my fingernails that she will like it and I won’t have to shred it and start all over (that’s actually happened to me before so I know first-hand how crazy-making it can be). This new book is middle-grade as well and has time slipping and a cursed doll and a girl who lives in an antique store.
Fall of 2014 will be my Young Adult debut with Harpercollins for a book I’ve been researching and writing for nearly ten years so I’m pretty thrilled about finally selling it. It’s an ancient Middle Eastern story about the roots of belly dance in the women’s world, including goddess temples, tribal warfare, camels, and frankincense.
Thank you so much, David, for a great interview and featuring me on your blog!
Here are a few links for your readers:
http://www.kimberleygriffithslittle.com/(I have some awesome book trailers on my website on the Home Page with on location filming in the swamps as well as original music by some friends of mine. Scholastic liked the one for
The Healing Spell so well; they commissioned the music to put on their website.)
Twitter: @KimberleyGLittl
In the world of judging a book by its cover, I'll admit, I caved. I was interested in this novel solely because of its cover, and because it was put out by a Canadian press. I find that I enjoy historical fiction from Canada, because it's generally... Read the rest of this post
Surprisingly poignant
third adventure for mystery-
solving sibs.
The Bell Bandit by Jacqueline Davies. HMH, 2012, 192 pages.
Once we started talking about authors who straddle the line between traditional publishing and ebooks, they seemed to be all over the place! Lauren Baratz-Logsted, author of twenty-three books published through traditional publishers, has now put... Read the rest of this post
 |
| Front Cover of Mister Orange |
Racing along New York City streets one March 1945 day, Linus Muller stops to catch his breath when his attention is suddenly arrested by a familiar face on a poster. Noting the address on the poster, Linus changes course and sets off for it instead.
Flashback to September 1943: Linus is 12 years old and has just inherited his older brother's shoes and his job delivering groceries for his parent's shop. In fact, with six kids and a war on, everything is a hand me down, except for Linus's older brother Albie, who is off to war now that he is old enough to enlist. Linus has also inherited Albie's bed and has been made caretaker of Albie's superhero comic books collection, a love they shared, as well as Albie drawing of his own superhero Mr. Superspeed, with whom Linus keeps a running conversation while he makes his deliveries.
As Linus begins his life as a delivery boy, he meets all the customers and quickly learns their quirky ways, like Mrs. DeWinter who always has another task waiting for Linus to do when he brings her groceries. His job takes him all over the Upper East Side of Manhattan, an area Linus knows like the back of his hand. Late in the afternoon, on his first day, his mother hands Linus a crate of oranges and tells him to deliver them to 15 East 59th Street. Little did Linus know this would be his most interesting monthly delivery.
Living there is an elderly painter with a difficult to remember name and a studio that has stark white walls, except for the groups of brightly colored squares and rectangles here and there. Linus started called the painter Mister Orange and it turns out that Mr. Orange had recently arrived from Nazi-occupied Holland to escape Hitler's oppressive control on the arts.
Meanwhile, brother Albie is still excited to go to war and ships out to Italy as soon as basic training is over. At first, Albie's letters are still filled with enthusiastic descriptions about being a new recruit and the friends he has made. From Italy, he asks Linus to play a rather harmless practical joke on a friend's mother for her birthday and leave a card from her son at the same time. Linus carries out his mission with stealth, but then Albie's next letter is more somber and sad, as he reports his friend has fallen in battle.
Linus understands how it feels to lose a friend. It appears that he is losing his best friend to an older boy who dislikes Linus as much as Linus dislikes him.
And so his visits to Mr. Orange become a bright spot in his life and it is there that the two talk about life. Angry at the reality of war that Albie describes, Linus decides that comics and superheroes are imaginary escapes from all the horrors in life and rejects them completely. Now he doesn't even have the voice of Mr. Superspeed to accompany him. But as Mr. Orange talks to him about his painting and even teaches him how to dance the boogie woogie, he also tells Linus about the importance of imagination, especially during wartime: "If imagination were as harmless as you think...then the Nazis couldn't be so scared of it." (pg 122) All the while, Mr. Orange works on his latest painting, a freedom he would not have had if he has remained in Europe.
Can Mister Orange help Linus through this difficult time?
Originally written in Dutch and skillfully translated by Laura Watkinson,
Mister Orange is itself a wonderful historical fiction work of imagination that skillfully portrays the daily hustle and bustle of life in one New York City neighborhood during WW2 as Linus makes his deliveries. I grew up in Brooklyn and Manhattan at a time when Mom and Pop grocery stores were still common (my brother's first job was delivering groceries), and if you had a fight with your best friend, you just went over to their house to make up - just the way Linus does - very simple, very easy. So I know that this and more of
Mister Orange is pretty spot on. And so is the Action Comic that Linus buys for Albie - November 1943 No. 66. Matti has done her research well.
But the friendship between Mister Orange and Linus would be unusual, though maybe not impossible. In a way, however, it is a nice example of how even a short lived friendship can impact our lives, in this case from September 1943 to February 1944.
Mister Orange is a nice coming-of-age story that unfolds slowly and steadily, but should still engage young readers, though probably not everyone. Linus is a thoughtful, introspective, observant boy who really loves life, at least until reality comes knocking and he finds his world terribly shaken.
I put
Mister Orange on hold at the library based only on the cover and knowing it was a WW2 story because I loved the cover of the American edition. Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) is one of my favorite abstract painters, so as soon as I saw the cover, I knew he would be in the story somewhere, someway. Jenni Desmond, the illustrator of
Mister Orange, has really captured both the motion of the city as Linus travels around and the sense of movement that Mondrian's painting reflect, so that it becomes such a wonderful mixture of Linus's life, and Mondrian's painting, which is as it should be. I found myself going over it again and again after I finished reading the book.
In the back on the book is a section called Mister Mondrian. This FYI section describes his life and the paintings he did while live in New York City. The painting that he was working on during Linus's visit was his never completed
Victory Boogie Woogie, see here:
 |
| Victory Boogie Woogie by Piet Mondrian |
Mondrian's studio had an immediate, deep impact on Linus and helped him realize hope for the future. Here, though, are photos of that studio, almost exactly as Linus describes them (right down to the orange crates):
(click the images to enlarge them)
There are some who think this book would not appeal to young readers, but I think they will enjoy reading about Linus and his life, and the person who helped him work things out for himself.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was borrowed from the Webster Branch of the NYPL
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By: fishgirl182,
on 4/9/2013
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Category: Middle Grade Mystery
Keywords: Middle grade, mystery, friendship, bullying, Mafia
Format: Hardcover, paperback, eBook
Source: Borrowed
Synopsis from Goodreads:Chris Rylander delivers a funny Ferris Bueler-style middle grade novel with
The Fourth Stall.
Do you need something? Mac can get it for you. It's what he does—he and his best friend and business manager, Vince. Their methods might sometimes run afoul of the law, or at least the school code of conduct, but if you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can pay him, Mac is on your side. His office is located in the East Wing boys' bathroom, fourth stall from the high window. And business is booming.
Or at least it was, until one particular Monday. It starts with a third grader in need of protection. And before this ordeal is over, it's going to involve a legendary high school crime boss named Staples, an intramural gambling ring, a graffiti ninja, the nine most dangerous bullies in school, and the first Chicago Cubs World Series game in almost seventy years. And that's just the beginning. Mac and Vince soon realize that the trouble with solving everyone else's problems is that there's no one left to solve yours.
Review:
The Fourth Stall is a hilarious play on The Godfather set in an elementary school. The Godfather
in question is Mac, short for MacGuyver because he’s the guy that can get you anything. And the
fourth stall is and empty bathroom stall where he conducts his business. The empire is run by a
small sixth grader and his best friend who loan out their services helping solve the problems of
their fellow classmates for a small fee. Their business is threatened when the mysterious
kingpin, Staples, starts a gambling ring at their school. Using tough high school kids and bully
tactics, Staples plans on taking Mac and his friends down. Loyalties are tested when Mac finds
out that there’s a mole in his organization. Can Mac hold the business together and flush out the
rat at the same time or is this the end of his career? And will the Cubs make it to the World
series this year?
Each person in Mac’s crew had a distinct personality and I loved reading the bios of the various
school bullies. I am partial to Kitten, the small and polite sociopath, who is ruthless and more
than a little scary. I definitely don’t want to get on his bad side. And it was cool to see Mac band
the bullies together in order to deal with Staples. I had some mixed feelings the violence in this
book. On one hand, it was pretty graphic (especially for the middle grade reader that I think this
book is aimed at) but on the other hand, I think there had to be real consequences to their
actions in order to make the story work. And though Mac ends up using strong arm tactics to aid
his own cause, he doesn't feel good about it. While the book doesn't glorify violence in the
schoolyard, it doesn't shy away from it either.
What drew me in though was the friendship between Mac and his best friend Vince. Their easy
rapport and camaraderie seemed genuine. They were a bit like an old married couple and I was
really worried when their friendship was threatened. Ultimately this is a story about friendship and
family. And though I am not a sports fan, I found their dedication and obsession with The Cubs to be funny and endearing. It almost made to me want to watch a baseball game. ;)
Visit the author online at www.chrisrylander.com and follow her on Twitter @chris_rylanderPlease note that this post contains affiliate links. For more details, please see our full disclosure policy here.
No, I'm not talking about reading your own writing. I've heard a lot of people say they can't read the same genre they are currently writing. They think it will influence what they write. I have to read what I'm currently writing. Maybe it's because I write so many genres (everything from picture books to middle grade to young adult to new adult). Reading the genre I'm writing keeps my head in the right place.
This month I worked on edits for three of my books. Two were YA and one was lower MG. I edited the YA novels back to back and read YA books while I was editing. That ensured I had the YA mindset for my edits. When I moved to my MG novel, I switched to MG books. And more so, I made sure those books were the exact age level of my book. I found it really helpful because I knew when my voice crept out of that age level, and I was able to fix it.
What about you? Do you read the genre you're currently writing or editing?
Plucky orphan makes
mostly good again, this time
with help from her pen.
Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson. Delacorte, 2013, 240 pages.
Everyone from Forbes Magazine to individual authors are selling the "thar's gold in them there backlists!" schtick. But, is there really? Are book which were first published in the seventies or eighties best kept there? A book which goes out of... Read the rest of this post
Today, I have the pleasure of taking part in a cover reveal that's also a scavenger hunt and giveaway! How awesome is that? Check out the cover of The Kelpie by T.J. Wooldridge.
I can't honestly say I was joking when I suggested to my best friend, Joe – Prince Joseph, eldest son of England's Crown Prince – that we could probably find something the police had missed in regards to the missing children. After all, eleven and twelve year olds like us did that all the time on the telly and in the books we read…
When Heather and Joe decide to be Sleuthy MacSleuths on the property abutting the castle Heather's family lives in, neither expect to discover the real reason children were going missing:
A Kelpie. A child-eating faerie horse had moved into the loch "next door."
The two barely escape with their lives, but they aren't safe. Caught in a storm of faerie power, Heather, Joe, and Heather's whole family are pulled into a maze of talking cats, ghostly secrets, and powerful magick.
With another child taken, time is running out to make things right.
To go along with sharing the simply gorgeous cover, author T.J. Wooldridge has enlisted several of her friends who have helped her in the journey of writing this novel to put together a special treat for you!
Each day of the week, search for individual components of the cover--with a bonus piece of art on Wednesday--at these blogs. Collect the right words per the instructions, and unscramble the line of poetry to be entered to win one of three prizes!
Prize 1
A handmade fused glass kelpie necklace from Stained Glass Creations and Beyond
Prize 2
A handmade necklace from Art by Stefanie of Vic Caswell's rendering of the kelpie from the cover!
Prize 3
An 11x16 poster of the cover of the Kelpie signed by T. J. Wooldridge and artist Vic Caswell
5x7 cards of all the cover aspects featured in the Scavenger Hunt
So, how do you take part in the Scavenger Hunt? Here are the details:
Monday 3/25
Visit the Faery Castle at Kate Kaynak's blog: http://thedisgruntledbear.blogspot.com/
Scavenger Hunt Goal: first sentence, 10th word
Tuesday 3/26
Hop over to Scotland at Stained Glass Creations and Beyond: http://stainedglasscreationsandbeyond.wordpress.com/
Scavenger Hunt Goal: first sentence, 12th word
Check out an artist rendition of Heather MacArthur's family tartan with Aimee Weinstein at tokyowriter.com
Scavenger Hunt Goal: first sentence, first word
Wednesday 3/27
Bonus Art!
Meet Heather's dad, Michael MacArthur, at Valerie Hadden's blog: http://valeriehadden.wordpress.com/
Scavenger Hunt Goal: first sentence, 12th word
Thursday 3/28
Cast your eyes upon the kelpie, itself, with Suzane Reynolds-Alpert at http://suzannereynoldsalpert.blogspot.com/
Scavenger Hunt Goal: 2nd sentence, 2nd word
And feel the snark of Monkey, the fey cat with Justine Graykin at http://justinegraykin.wordpress.com/
Scavenger Hunt Goal: first sentence, 3rd word
Friday 3/29:
Meet Heather's best friend, Prince Joseph at, who's hanging out with author Darby Karchut at http://darbykarchut.blogspot.com/
Scavenger Hunt Goal: first sentence, 17th word
And finally meet Heather, herself, who's hanging out with one of Trisha's editors, Laura Ownbey at http://redpenreviews.blogspot.com/
Scavenger Hunt Goal: first sentence, first word
Collect all the words and put them together in a poetic sentence, and enter them into the rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win one of the three prizes:
By: Emily,
on 3/22/2013
Blog:
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Fast-paced, impressively
detailed, and ultimately,
terrifying.
Bomb: The Race to Build -- and Steal -- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin. Flash Point, 2012, 272 pages.
Sometimes, when you read a debut novel that also wins a Newbery, your expectations for next novel by the same author are way too high. That was exactly what I was thinking when I picked up Navigating Early at the library and I must say I was very pleasantly surprised when I began reading and realized that I was not to be disappointed.
The book begins just after World War II has ended in Europe and 13 year old Jackie Baker's father, a Navy captain, has returned home to Kansas, not because of the end of fighting, but to bury his wife. Not knowing what to do with their son Jackie, he enrolls him in the Morton Hill Academy for Boys, a boarding school in Maine.
Not happy about this and somewhat of a misfit in the school, Jackie discovers a boy living in the janitor's workshop instead of the dormitory. Early Auden, that strangest of boys, as Jackie describes him, is also a misfit, a boy who uses rituals to organize and navigate the world. He also has an extraordinary ability for mathematics. Numbers, Early tells Jackie, tell a story, specifically a story about Pi, that most mysterious of numbers: "The numbers have colors - blues of the ocean and sky, green grass, a bright-yellow sun. The numbers have texture and landscape - mountains and waves and sand and storms. And words - about Pi and about his journey. The numbers tell a story." (pg 66)
Early and Jackie becomes friends. And it turns out that Early, like Jackie, has suffered a loss of someone important to him. Fisher Auden, a hero and a rowing legend at Morton Hill, was Early's older brother who went to war right after graduation. But after a dangerous mission, Fisher is declared Missing in Action, presumed Dead. Early, however, is convinced that Fisher is hiding in the Maine woods and has decided to find him during a school break.
Jackie, disappointed that his father couldn't come to get him for the break, decides to join Early on his quest along the Appalachian Trail to find Fisher.
And what a quest it is. It is a story about how Jack, Early and Pi lost heir direction in life and how they tried to navigate their way back to it. And along the way, they meet all kinds of strange people, like the pirates searching for treasure, a Norwegian still pining for his first love, a 100 year old woman stilling waiting for her son to come home. As the boys travel along the Appalachian Trail, Early narrates his story about Pi's journey in an attempt to earn the name Polaris which his mother had given him.
And as the boys travel along, there are lots of coincidences, lots of twists and turns in Navigating Early, but never a dull moment. In the most enchanting language, Vanderpool weaves a taut, complex, entertaining story. I found myself anxious to get back to Jack and Early whenever I put the book down and, like Jack, I wanted to hear more and more of Pi's story.
Whenever a book is set in or after WWII, I ask myself why that time period. The war impacted everyone in some way or other. It brought Jackie's father home before it was over. But more importantly, it showed how lost some people were when it was over. Jackie's father knew the Navy, how the operate, organize, control his ship. But in Kansas, after his wife's death, he was faced with an inability to navigate his world there. And this led to his inability to guide Jack, who without mother and father, also has difficulty navigating the world. Fisher was also a lost soul because of the war, and Early completely lost his way of navigating the world when Fisher went missing. And so while Navigating Early is about navigating, it is also about finding your direction again, just as Pi must. Some many had to grapple with that after the war.
A lot of people have used the words autistic or Asperger's to describe Early. Yet, it is not for us to diagnose him and to her credit, Vanderpool does not label Early either, but merely has Jackie call him "that strangest of boys" which would be more apropos for the time.
This is a wonderful novel, and I think it is not to be missed.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was borrowed from the Webster Branch of the NYPL
Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
I’m kind of scared to read Ice Dogs by Terry Lynn Johnson because I will be worried that something bad happens to the dogs, but I am fascinated by the premise. Long wait on this one!
Hits stores February 2014
Victoria Secord, a 14-year-old Alaskan dogsled racer loses her way on a routine outing with her dogs. With food gone and temperatures dropping, her survival and that of her dogs and the mysterious boy she meets in the woods, is entirely up to her. Author Terry Lynn Johnson is a musher herself and her crackling writing puts readers at the reins as Victoria and Chris experience setbacks, mistakes, and small triumphs in their wilderness adventure.
What are you waiting on?
By: Robin,
on 3/13/2013
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No matter what you have planned for Friday, April 12, get ready to DROP EVERYTHING AND READ! April 12 is Beverly Cleary’s birthday and National D.E.A.R Day, and we’ve got just the thing to help you celebrate: classroom activities for the RAMONA books. They’re aligned to the Common Core State Standards, AND they contain fun suggestions and writing prompts to get your students’ creativity flowing.
Look out for the new Ramona Quimby Journal, jam-packed with writing and drawing prompts, quizzes, puzzles, and stickers galore!
Also, keep an eye out for the newly-updated Ramona books with fantastic new cover art and black-and-white interior illustrations!
Visit www.dropeverythingandread.com for more activities, videos, ideas for your D.E.A.R. Day celebration, and much more.
Happy D.E.A.R. Day to you!
Early Pearl comes from a word-loving family. She and her brother, Jubie, love to read and play with words, thanks to their father, Dash, a library page wanting nothing more than to keep his family safe and work his way to library school. Though the family must all squeeze into a one-room apartment, they're comfortable and love spending their time together, so really, it's not too bad being poor.
When Dash decides to take on a side job to earn extra money (and the money really starts rolling in), Early's mom, Summer, is skeptical. Early knows that Dash just wants to get them out of the apartment as fast as he can, but when his side job causes him to disappear without a trace, their home to be ransacked by scary men, and the police to start investigating Dash for a crime, Early has to use her power with words to help get her family out of a city shelter and back home, altogether.
Hold Fast was so much more than a mystery tracked by a smart, young girl. Blue Balliett takes on the issue of homelessness and the concept of what "home" really means -- or should mean. The language used to described the process of becoming homeless and trying to get out of a shelter was incredibly moving at times, and I think expands upon a subject too often overlooked in children's literature. According to Balliett, thousands of children spend time in Chicago's homeless shelters each year and these children obviously need books to read that makes them feel as if they aren't alone.
The use of Langston Hughes poems throughout the text was beautifully done and I found myself frantically looking up our closest homeless shelter to see what type of volunteer work I could possibly do with a toddler. This is a book of action and it made ME want to do something about this epidemic of homelessness. Well done, Balliett.
Teachers, read this to your classes! Sometimes, I feel Balliett's books are well-loved by adults, but kids overlook them on the shelves. At least, in my experience. Make sure that doesn't happen with this one!
Thank you to Scholastic for the review copy.
It is sometimes a serendipitous world. Now sooner did I write about plane spotting in December, than I started reading a book about an 11 year old girl who really wants to be a plane spotter. Alice Calder has memorized all the plane silhouettes on her plane spotting cards, has a brand new log book and a pair of binoculars. All she is missing is her mother's permission. But when her mom figures out that Alice has been plane spotting out the window one cold night in December 1942 in Providence, Rhode Island, she takes away her plane spotting equipment. Now how will anyone be able to recognize her as the important spotter she fancies herself as?
Alice wants to do something more for the war than just writing to her Uncle David (almost) everyday. So the next day, after school, she heads over to the Red Cross, where she can fold bandages for wounded soldiers. On her way, she envisions herself being introduced on the radio as a real patriot for her bandage folding. Though is it satisfying enough work, Alice still dreams of being a plane spotting heroine.
Then, as she and her Gramps are preparing a bomb shelter at home, Alice talks him into letting her use her grandmother's opera glasses (if it's OK with mom) and hits on the idea of joining the plane spotters in the Ground Observation Corps. But when she asks Mr. Parker, the head of the corps, about joining, he tells her she is too young. Taking pity on her, he gives Alice an old Ground Observer's manual that is still serviceable.
 |
| Civil Air Patrol |
One day, after dancing class, Alice runs in her old friend (and crush) Jimmy Brownell, 16. Over cokes, he tells her he has joined the Civil Air Patrol her and will be training to get a pilot's license. In CAP, he will fly his dad's plane over the coast looking for enemy submarines.
Sure enough, Jimmy gets his license and begins flying and Alice flies with him, at least in her imagination. Meanwhile, with hard won permission to plane spot, Alice does her patriotic duty spotting and keeping a meticulous log book. But then, one cold winter night, a phone call comes, saying that Jimmy's plane was lost over the sea because of a nor'easter and it doesn't look good. Upset, Alice passes out and spends a number of days in bed, seriously ill.
When she recovers, she is told that Jimmy had been found alive, but in pretty bad condition. And to her chagrin, Alice discovers that binoculars and log book have been take away once again. And that would seem to be the end of Alice's spotting days. Or is it? There is a big surprise in store for Alice and her meticulous log book.
Alice at the Home Front is a story that really demonstrates the desire of young people in WWII to do something, anything to help the war effort. The war wasn't something far away on unimaginable battlefields to them. They felt the effect of it wherever they lived. Rationing, bomb shelters, air raid sirens and blackout were the kinds of things that brought it all home for them every day. Tarantino has given the reader a picture into what it was all about for them through Alice.
 |
| Plane Spotting Cards |
Plane spotting was a big very big thing for kids and there were all kinds of ways to learn plane identification, including playing cards with images on them It was something they could do right in their own backyard and maybe feel a little more empowered than they actually were. And naturally, kids could get pretty competitive about who could identify and/or spot the greatest number of different planes. And I suspect that lots of kids, like Alice, had Walter Mitty-like dreams be being a hero/heroine. And it is part of what made
Alice at the Home Front such a realistic novel.
This is a heart-warming story with lots of humorous bits, lots of slang and some pretty serious stuff, too. I loved that she wanted to be a plane spotter, and really was dedicated to it, even at the risk of falling out the window. The most amazing part of the novel was that a 16-year-old boy was allowed to fly a plane alone the way Jimmy did, but it certainly demonstrates how different times were back then.
This book was recommended for readers age 9+
This book was purchased for my personal library.
Be sure to visit the
National Museum of the Civil Air Patrol where you can see an extensive online exhibit of the role CAP played in World War II.
As I promised last week, I finally have an MMGM again!!!
In fact, today I'm hosting a stop on the Chronicles of Egg Blog Tour--something I *usually* don't do, since blog tours tend to require more organization and time than I have these days. (stupid deadlines!) But I met Geoff Rodkey last year at an amazing event called
Tweens Read, and after seeing how hilarious he was--and hearing him talk about his awesome book (which I was dying to read)--I decided to take part, and I'm SO glad I did. It forced me to finally make time to read DEADWEATHER AND SUNRISE and holy action-packed adventure, Batman!
Here's how the publisher describes it:
It's tough to be thirteen, especially when somebody's trying to kill you.
Not that Egg's life was ever easy, growing up on sweaty, pirate-infested Deadweather Island with no company except an incompetent tutor and a pair of unusually violent siblings who hate his guts.
But when Egg's father hustles their family off on a mysterious errand to fabulously wealthy Sunrise Island, then disappears with the siblings in a freak accident, Egg finds himself a long-term guest at the mansion of the glamorous Pembroke family and their beautiful, sharp-tongued daughter Millicent. Finally, life seems perfect.
Until someone tries to throw him off a cliff
Suddenly, Egg's running for his life in a bewildering world of cutthroat pirates, villainous businessmen, and strange Native legends. The only people who can help him sort out the mystery of why he's been marked for death are Millicent and a one-handed, possibly deranged cabin boy.
Come along for the ride. You'll be glad you did.
Sounds awesome, right? Well I can assure you, IT IS. But I won't ramble about it anymore than that because I actually have a guest post from the author himself to share with you guys as part of the tour. Plus I have an extra-fabulous 2-book giveaway below, so make sure you read until the end! And now, I'll let Geoff take it away!
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NOT FUNNY AT ALL: THE REAL HISTORY OF THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
The adventure-comedy-mystery-romance Deadweather and Sunrise takes place in an imagined universe that's loosely based on the world of the Caribbean Sea during what's known as the Golden Age of Piracy.
When I first had the idea that led to Deadweather and the rest of the Chronicles of Egg trilogy, I considered making it not-so-loosely based, and setting the story in the actual, historical Caribbean Sea circa 1700.
Then I did some research, and I quickly realized I had to make the whole thing up.
Because as romantic and entertaining as swashbuckling pirates and sun-drenched islands might seem from a distance, the truth is there was nothing romantic, and even less that was funny, about that entire era.
Take the pirates themselves. They weren't charming like Johnny Depp. And they didn't make people walk the plank. That actually would have been merciful. What real pirates liked to do was torture their victims using techniques like "woolding" -- which sounds pretty tame until you realize it refers to tying a knotted rope around someone's head and twisting it with a stick until the victim's eyes burst out of their skull.
Real pirates also liked to flog victims until their skin fell off, then dunk them in salt water. And they got a particular kick out of setting fire to people. But not the whole person. Just selected parts of their bodies. (Those parts? Yes. Those parts.)
And the truly amazing thing? A lot of these guys turned pirate after first getting press-ganged into the British Navy…and deciding life on a British naval ship was too violent for them.
Soooo…not exactly fertile ground for an adventure-comedy. Adventure, yes. Comedy? Not so much.
Although a lot of my research did find its way into the books. For example, the mountain made entirely of silver? That really existed. It was called Potosi, and at one point its riches were almost singlehandedly financing the entire Spanish Empire. Here's a picture:
The picture actually makes it look kind of charming. But it wasn't. No offense to the Spanish, but working the mine at Potosi was no picnic.
And if you look closely at the bottom left corner of the picture? I'm pretty sure that's a severed head. On a stick.
That didn't make it into the book, either.
Find Geoff Rodkey online
Buy DEADWEATHER AND SUNRISE:
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Giveaway time!!!
(and dude--it's a seriously awesome giveaway)
One lucky winner will win a SIGNED paperback of THE CHRONICLES OF EGG: DEADWEATHER AND SUNRISE *and* a SIGNED ARC of THE CHRONICLES OF EGG Book 2: NEW LANDS (which doesn't come out until May 2!)
To enter simply leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm (pacific) on Sunday March 24th. I'll choose one random winner and post their name on Monday, March 25th. US and Canada residents only, please!
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And for more awesome middle grade recommendations, check out the other MMGM's floating around the blogosphere:
- Annie McMahon is featuring *blush* KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES!! (That will never stop being surreal!). Click HERE to see what she thought.
- Shari Larsen is awed by THE AGE OF MIRACLES. Click HERE to see why.
- Andrea Mack has chills for THE GRAVEROBBER'S APPRENTICE. Click HERE for her review.
- Flash, the Feline Extraordinaire, (and Professional Mews to Cindy Strandvold) recommends A HOUSE CALLED AWFUL END. Click HERE to see what that's all about.
- Susan Olson is spreading the love for BESWITCHED. Click HERE to learn more
- Rosi Hollinbeck is also featuring DEADWEATHER AND SUNRISE--with a GIVEAWAY. Click HERE for details.
- Katie Fitzgerald is cheering for LATASHA AND THE KIDD ON KEYS. Click HERE for her review.
- Laurisa White Reyes is celebrating PLASTIC POLLY--with a GIVEAWAY. Click HERE for details
- Dorine White is singing praises for MICHAEL VEY: THE PRISONER OF CELL 25. Click HERE to see what she thought.
- Joanne Fritz always has an MMGM for you. Click HERE to see what she's talking about this week.
- The Mundie Moms are always part of the MMGM fun (YAY!). Click HERE to see their newest recommendations. And if you aren't also following their Mundie Kids site, get thee over THERE and check out all the awesome!
- The lovely Shannon O'Donnell always has an MMGM ready for you! Click HERE to see what she's featuring this week!
- Karen Yingling also always has some awesome MMGM recommendations for you. Click HERE to which ones she picked this time!
- Pam Torres always has an MMGM up on her blog. Click HERE to see what she's spotlighting this week.
- Michelle Isenhoff is always part of the MMGM fun. Click HERE to see what she's talking about today.
If you would like to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count--but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you're featuring and a link to your blog at SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com. (Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so I see it)
NOTE: I used to not have a cut-off time for adding links to the post, but with how insane my schedule is right now, if you don't email me by Sunday evening (usually around 11pm PST is when I put the links together) I can't guarantee I'll have a chance to add you. BUT, you are welcome to add your link in the comments on this post so people can find you!
*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen posts ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me ahead of time
ICE!: THE AMAZING HISTORY OF THE ICE BUSINESS, by
Laurence Pringle (
Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills 2012)(ages 8+). Before mechanical refrigeration, there was ice, which had to be harvested during the winter, stored, transported, and then delivered to customers. ICE! offers a fascinating glimpse into a lost industry and illuminates a portion of day-to-day life a century ago. Photos and sidebars offer additional information and insights.
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Solid choices for
scholars in your house.
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By: thurberhouse,
on 5/7/2013
By: tanita davis,
on 4/30/2013
Originally written in Dutch and skillfully translated by Laura Watkinson, Mister Orange is itself a wonderful historical fiction work of imagination that skillfully portrays the daily hustle and bustle of life in one New York City neighborhood during WW2 as Linus makes his deliveries. I grew up in Brooklyn and Manhattan at a time when Mom and Pop grocery stores were still common (my brother's first job was delivering groceries), and if you had a fight with your best friend, you just went over to their house to make up - just the way Linus does - very simple, very easy. So I know that this and more of Mister Orange is pretty spot on. And so is the Action Comic that Linus buys for Albie - November 1943 No. 66. Matti has done her research well.
By: Julie,
on 3/13/2013
By: Amanda,
on 3/15/2013
By: Shannon Whitney,
on 3/18/2013
By: Greg Leitich Smith,
on 3/19/2013
I heard about this and the cover discussion. It sounds cool. I think I already have this on my TBR list.
@ Lin: I liked it more than I expected to - which was exciting!