By: Sarah Stevenson,
on 11/28/2016
Synopsis: I picked this one up (and got it signed; woot!) at the most recent Kidlitosphere Conference in Wichita—somehow I missed it when it came out a few years ago, but I'm so glad I went back for it, because it's up there with my favorite A.S.... Read the rest of this post
By: tanita✿davis,
on 11/2/2016
Welcome to the 2016 Cybils Speculative Reader! As a first run reader for the Cybils, I'll be briefly introducing you to the books on the list, giving you a mostly unbiased look at some of the plot.Enjoy! One of the strengths of speculative fiction... Read the rest of this post
By: James Preller,
on 10/19/2016
perfectly honest with you, I picked up ‘Bystander’ a few days ago and am just now getting into it. So far, it is a really good book that I believe is addressing a great topic. Your books, like it explains on your blog, is written for grade schoolers to middle schoolers. I am currently in 8th grade [ed note: school and town deleted] in Missouri. I’m well aware that this may so far seem that I’m trying to get you to come to my school or something or other, but I’m really not. I just wanted to say, I love how you are writing these books for children of all ages with such serious topics. It’s really great that a man like you is spreading the word through a book that is going around so quickly to such a widespread audience. Blah, blah, blah, I know you must get this a lot.
THE FALL explores similar themes as BYSTANDER, but shifts to a first-person POV. Readers might enjoy comparing the relative strengths and weaknesses of those choices in perspective.
You strike an almost apologetic tone at the end, so let me start there: Don’t be silly! Express away! As a reader, your opinion is always valid. And as an aspiring writer, you bring a writer’s perspective to that opinion. In this case, you could be right — and you certainly aren’t wrong. The question of first person compared to third person comes up for every book. There are strengths and limitations to each approach. I’ve written books from both perspectives, though I don’t think I often analyze it too deeply. It’s more of a feeling, I guess. Some books seem right from the first-person perspective — you hear it coming from a very specific voice — and you want that character front and center all the way through. In other books, well, not so much. For some books, I’ve even tried it both ways in early drafts, exploring the differences. There are certain freedoms in a third-person narrative that are not available in the first person. And also, I’ll confess, I come across so many YA novels that are written in the first person that I get very, very tired of it. The writing in a first-person book, depending upon that character, tends to be looser, more informal, the way people really talk. As an extension, that perspective limits the syntax available to language that character would believably use. With first person, there are places you can’t go.
Illustration from SWAMP MONSTER by Iacopo Bruno.
In a scary story I recently wrote for younger readers, I needed the third person to pull it off. I wanted to write about my human characters, but later I wanted to go deep into the swamp and reveal more of the swamp monster. Part of the suspense in the story is that, for a time, only the reader realizes there’s a monster in the woods. To the three children in the book, well, they are just walking deeper into the woods. They don’t know what they are getting into — but the reader does. You see the difference there?
A quick plug for my new book, THE COURAGE TEST. It’s a literary road trip along the Lewis & Clark Trail and, yes, there’s a bear, both metaphoric and literal.
Third person is an art which some people can’t wrap their stories around correctly to get such personality from the characters without blatantly spelling it out. You have that talent. Sticking close to Eric’s point of view, like you do, provides the third person flare while contributing glimpses of first person to the story. I am only human though and, personally, think, still, that first person may have been a better choice, but, as you said, there are reasons why you decided this for your story. It was a calling of sorts. For example, if you were to use a first person POV for this book (or any piece of writing really) you would have less ‘tag’ lines, as I call them, to describe who was talking. Especially the main character. Having less use of words ties you down as writer and limits, as you said, how you can write your story.
By: Becky Laney,
on 9/2/2016
By: tanita✿davis,
on 9/2/2016
Welcome to another session of Turning Pages!PRIDE AND PREJUDICE is a big deal for a lot of young readers, but many, many, many others consider death a happier alternative than committing to the famous 19th century novel. Enter the modern day... Read the rest of this post
By: tanita✿davis,
on 8/24/2016
Welcome to another session of Turning Pages!I taught junior high/high school in a group home, just out of college. I was a coteacher who worked in a classroom with another teacher and an aide, mostly 1:1, since my students were at wildly varying... Read the rest of this post
By: Jalissa Corrie,
on 8/15/2016
LEE & LOW BOOKS celebrates its 25th anniversary this year! To recognize how far the company has come, we are featuring one title a week to see how it is being used in classrooms today and hear from the authors and illustrators.
Today, we are celebrating First Day in Grapes, an inspirational story for children of all backgrounds. Chico’s story of personal triumph and bravery in the face of bullying is a testament to the inner strength in us all.
Featured title: First Day in Grapes
Author: L. King Perez
Illustrator: Robert Casilla
Synopsis: All year long Chico and his family move up and down the state of California picking fruits and vegetables. Every September they pick grapes and Chico starts at a new school again. Often other children pick on him — maybe because he is always new or maybe because he speaks Spanish sometimes.
Chico’s first day in third grade turns out to be different. His teacher likes him right away, and she and his classmates are quick to recognize his excellent math skills. He may even get to go to the math fair! When the fourth-grade bullies confront Chico in the lunchroom, he responds wisely with strengths of his own.
Awards and Honors:
From the Illustrator:
“Stories that help kids become familiar with kids of other cultures or others in different situations are books that I like to illustrate. I appreciate the way the author put the main character in situations that kids deal with daily in real life and how the boy used his wits to get out of tough situations.
I related to the kid in this story in a wacky way when it came to avoiding bullies. When I was about nine years old there was a boy who picked on me daily, until one day I came up with an idea. I thought that if I walked by him making a face that he wouldn’t recognize me and leave me alone. The plan worked, but now that I think of it, I doubt it was because he didn’t recognize me.”
Purchase a copy of First Day in Grapes here.
Other Editions: Did you know that First Day in Grapes also comes in a Spanish edition?
Resources for teaching with First Day in Grapes: First Day in Grapes Teacher’s Guide
For more titles about different experiences with bullying and peer pressure, check out our Bullying/Anti-Bullying Collection here.
Have you used First Day in Grapes? Let us know!
Celebrate with us! Check out our 25 Years Anniversary Collection.
By: tanita✿davis,
on 8/2/2016
Remember the whole discussion about "likeable" characters? As I recall, it sprang from a PW author interview on the unlikable female character in a book. That the author was even asked about the "likability" of her protagonist generated a furor of... Read the rest of this post
By: tanita✿davis,
on 7/22/2016
Welcome to another session of Turning Pages! So, this book was agonizing. Yeah, that's really the only word, agonizing. As the title suggests, the storyline features a lot of angst, and I read it with a rock in my stomach. I approached this novel... Read the rest of this post
By: tanita✿davis,
on 7/19/2016
Welcome to another session of Turning Pages!When we talk about comfort reads, we have to mention the works of Joan Bauer. A little offbeat, a little unique, her books are always engaging and wise. Though quite a few are written for teens, many... Read the rest of this post
By: Shelf-employed,
on 7/5/2016
By: JOANNA MARPLE,
on 5/24/2016
Title: Lily and Dunkin Author: Donna Gephart Publisher: Delacorte Press, May 2016 Ages: 10-14 Themes: Transgender children, manic depression, bipolarity, mental illness, bullying 352 pages Opening: Girl Lily Jo is not my name. Yet. But I am working on that. That’s why I am in the closet. Literally in my mom’s walk-in closet … Continue reading
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By: tanita✿davis,
on 5/13/2016
Welcome to another session of Turning Pages! Synopsis: Nola Chambers is a reminder that her family wasn't always the golden-skinned, fair-haired folk who can stand proud and nearly-white in their village of Redding. Nola reminds her father that... Read the rest of this post
By: Shelf-employed,
on 4/25/2016
Sticks and Stones by Abby Cooper
"People go to meetings, I said. "And take walks. It's not that crazy."
Dr. Patel scooted closer to get a better look at my words. DUMB was still there. So were IDIOT, LOSER, STUPID, UNLOVABLE, WORTHLESS, and FREAK, the whole crew. They were going in all different directions, and some were bigger than others, but they were all thick, dark, mean, and itchy, and felt like ridiculously scratchy clothes-the ones that also have ridiculously scratchy tags-I couldn't ever take off.
By: tanita✿davis,
on 4/12/2016
Welcome to another edition of In Tandem, the read-and-review blog series where both A.F. and I give on-the-spot commentary as we read and blog a book together. (You can feel free to guess which of us is the yellow owl and which of us is purple... Read the rest of this post
By: tanita✿davis,
on 3/22/2016
Welcome to another session of Turning Pages! Synopsis: Liberty's junior year just cracked wide open and catapulted her out on the ground. Her mother - a placard-carrying, species-saving, liberal-agenda-advancing, chronic protestor - is currently... Read the rest of this post
By: tanita✿davis,
on 3/18/2016
Welcome to another session of Turning Pages! Synopsis: Privileged and perfect is how life could be described for fifteen-year-old Kambili and her brother, Jaja. In Nigeria, where so many deal with fuel shortages, power outages, strikes at hospitals... Read the rest of this post
By: tanita✿davis,
on 3/8/2016
Welcome to another session of Turning Pages! Trapped.Every fingernail scrapesOn shut doors,Ripping off.At least the bloodcan escape. - from the ARCSynopsis: Fifteen-year-old Hope is her mother's last chance for vicariously getting out of the... Read the rest of this post
By: tanita✿davis,
on 2/24/2016
Welcome to another session of Turning Pages!Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Lloyd Saunders' grandfather had gone to fish off of Pedro Bank, and hadn't returned. He'd called the family from his cell phone on Tuesday, and should have been back on Thursday,... Read the rest of this post
Ame Dyckman entertained the idea of a wolf and bunny book for quite some time before the inspiration for Wolfie the Bunny finally hit. What started out as the voice of a tiny character in her head turned into a book about the families we choose.
Ame is joined by author and illustrator Zachariah OHora who brings out Dot’s spunk and Wolfie’s warm heart in visual form. Their team is the perfect balance of cool and calm mixed quirky exuberance. Together, they talk about kid lit they’re working on that will be published soon and in the near future. The next book on which they’ve collaborated, Horrible Bear, will be released in the spring of 2016. Zachariah’s most recently published book, My Cousin Momo, is about a flying squirrel who’s a bit on the shy side.
We’re giving away three (3) sets of books from Ame and Zachariah. Each set includes signed copies of Wolfie the Bunny and My Cousin Momo. Enter now!
All entrants must reside in the United States and be at least 13 years old.
Wolfie the Bunny
by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Zachariah OHora
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group
Families of all kinds will delight in this sweet tale of new babies, sibling rivalry, bravery, unconditional love…and veggies! The Bunny family has adopted a wolf son, and daughter Dot is the only one who realizes Wolfie can–and might–eat them all up! Dot tries to get through to her parents, but they are too smitten to listen. A new brother takes getting used to, and when (in a twist of fate) it’s Wolfie who’s threatened, can Dot save the day?
My Cousin Momo by Zachariah OHora
Published by Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Group (USA)
Zachariah OHora’s distinctive retro art and kid-friendly humor take the stage in this story about accepting and celebrating differences. Momo is coming to visit, and his cousins are SO excited But even though Momo is a flying squirrel, he won’t fly for his cousin’s friends. Plus, his games are weird. He can’t even play hide and seek right But when Momo’s cousins give his strange ways a chance, they realize that doing things differently can be fun…almost as much fun as making a new friend.
COMING SOON SPRING 2016
Horrible Bear by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Zachariah OHora
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Bear didn’t mean to break a little girl’s kite, but she’s upset anyway–upset enough to shout “HORRIBLE BEAR!” Bear is indignant. He doesn’t think he’s horrible! Then Bear gets a truly Horrible Bear idea. What will he do next? As Bear prepares to live up to his formerly undeserved reputation, the girl makes a mistake of her own, and realizes that maybe–just maybe–Bear isn’t as horrible as she had thought.
ABOUT AME DYCKMAN
Via amedyckman.com
As a kid Amy had her nose in a book. (And usually Band-Aids on her knees from running into stuff). As a grown-up, Ame has tried lots to fun jobs ranging from teacher to costumed character, but being a children’s book author is her very favorite job of all. (She still gets to go to schools and read to kids, and now she only has to dress like a duck when she wants to.) Are live in New Jersey with her family, pets, book collection, and a big box of Band-Aids.
ABOUT ZACHARIAH OHORA
Via zohora.com
Zachariah OHora is an award winning illustrator and children’s book author. His work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, American Illustration, and Print. His work has been collected by Alice Waters, Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind and late night talk show host Jon Stewart.
His debut children’s book Stop Snoring, Bernard! won the 2011 Founders Award at the Society of Illustrators, a Merit Award from the New York Bookbinders Guild and was chosen as the PA One Book for 2012. The PA One Book program is a state and private funded program that seeks to encourage literacy in the state of Pennsylvania by giving books to every library, Headstart program and low income schools. The program distributed 100,000 copies of Stop Snoring, Bernard! and hosted the author on a six week tour of the states schools and libraries.
He illustrated The Pet Project written by Lisa Wheeler (Atheneum Books April 2013) and his next book No Fits, Nilson! (Dial Books June 2013). His latest book, My Cousin Momo (Dial Books 2014) about a Japanese flying squirrel visiting his North American non-flying cousins. His illustration work has appeared on posters, album covers and in numerous magazines and newspapers. Clients include The New York Times, The Atlantic, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Oxford American, Wax Poetics and NPR.
Zachariah was raised in New Hampshire, and lived in San Francisco, Berlin, and New York. He now lives and works in Narberth, PA with his wife Lydia Ricci and two sons Oskar and Teddy. Like the main character in Stop Snoring, Bernard! he is known to snore, sometimes loudly.
CONNECT WITH AME DYCKMAN
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StoryMakers
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Executive Producer: Julie Gribble
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The post StoryMakers | Wolfie the Bunny & My Cousin Momo appeared first on KidLit.TV.
The Survival Guide to Bullying is author and activist Aija Mayrock’s gift to young people who’ve endured bullying. At sixteen Aija began writing the self-help book for children who are being bullied. The book began as a self-published project in 2014. Eventually the project was picked up by Scholastic after Publishers Weekly covered The Survival Guide to Bullying.
Bullying is an epidemic in the United States. In 2015 the National Center for Educational Statistics reported one out of every four students (22%) reported being bullied during the school year. If you’re being bullied you aren’t alone and you can get help. If you know someone’s being bullied here’s what you can do to help — don’t be a bystander.
We’re giving away three (3) signed copies of The Survival Guide to Bullying. Enter now!
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Via Scholastic
Aija Mayrock began writing The Survival Guide to Bullying at age sixteen after dealing with bullying in her own life for many years. She promised herself that she would publish it as her gift to the next generation of kids who are bullied. Aija is committed to giving a voice to the voiceless through writing and film.
Currently, Aija is a sophomore at New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. Aija has appeared on The View and written for Teen Vogue.
The Survival Guide to Bullying
– Written by a teenager who was bullied throughout middle school and high school, this kid-friendly book offers a fresh and relatable perspective on bullying. Along the way, the author offers guidance as well as different strategies that helped her get through even the toughest of days.
The Survival Guide to Bullying covers everything from cyber bullying to how to deal with fear and how to create the life you dream of having. From inspiring “roems” (rap poems), survival tips, personal stories, and quick quizzes, this book will light the way to a brighter future. This updated edition also features new, never-before-seen content including a chapter about how to talk to parents, an epilogue, and an exclusive Q&A with the author.
CONNECT WITH AIJA
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CONNECT WITH KidLit TV
Facebook Page
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StoryMakers
Host – Rocco Staino
Executive Producer – Julie Gribble
Producer – Kassia Graham
This post contains affiliate links.
The post StoryMakers | The Survival Guide to Bullying appeared first on KidLit.TV.
By: tanita✿davis,
on 12/29/2015
This is less of a book review than a book reaction, and is a little more self-indulgent than the way I usually book talk here in the Wonderland tree house. However, after reading just this morning that there's a thirteen day period where PTSD is... Read the rest of this post
By: James Preller,
on 12/17/2015
While — sure! of course! — I always enjoy receiving a big, old, 8 1/2″ x 11″ envelope filled with student letters, I admit to mixed feelings. Yes, I’m grateful and honored. Yet I can’t help but recognize that this was the product of an assignment. Some letters can seem rote, and I get it. However, I recently received a particularly wonderful batch, 23 letters in all, filled with insights & curiosity & ridiculously kind words. Here’s the teacher’s cover letter and my response to the class . . .
-
I replied at length:
Dear Ms. Becker & Students,
Thank you for that impressive package of letters. I’ve received similar packages before, but yours was particularly outstanding for the overall quality of the letters. They struck me as authentic, rather than, say, written by a bored kid going through the motions.
And, hey, if you were a bored kid going through the motions, good job, you sure fooled me!
I’m sorry to say that I simply don’t have the time to respond to your letters in the manner that you deserve. I apologize for my one-size-fits-all reply.
Several of you asked about a sequel, and I didn’t plan on one while writing the book. I was satisfied with the ending, leaving the future for these characters up to the reader. People ask what happens to them –- and that’s a nice compliment to give a writer – but the honest answer is that I don’t know. Or more to the point, I never got around to making up those stories. Books have to end somewhere, or else I’d be writing about Mary’s grandchildren.
Even so, I remained interested in the perspective of the so-called bully. That’s why I wrote THE FALL, which I see as a companion to BYSTANDER. Along the lines of, “If you liked BYSTANDER, you might also like . . .”
-
Jessica asked if anyone helped me with the story: Yes, my editor, Liz Szabla, was particularly important with this book. Mostly her help was in the form of conversations. We talked about the ideas, our own experiences, things we’ve seen and felt. She didn’t really inject herself into the writing of the book -– she left that up to me – but she was a great sounding board. In life, it’s essential to have that person who says to you, “I believe in you. Go for it.” For this book, for me, that person was Liz.
Philip asked if I have “a secondary job in case book writing fall through.” That kind of made me laugh, while giving me a minor heart attack. Do you know something I don’t know? Philip even included a bonus scene, where I could glimpse a future adventure for Eric. I liked it; nice work. BTW, Philip, to answer your question: No, I don’t. And some days it scares me silly. No kidding.
Some asked about Eric’s father and how he might figure in the book’s ending, or, I should say, an alternative ending for the book. If you go to my blog and search, “My Brother John . . . in BYSTANDER,” you’ll get the background story about Eric’s father. It’s not a tale with a happy ending, I’m sorry to say.
Many of you said really, really kind things to me. I want you to know that I appreciate your kindness. In particular, Alyssa, thank you! Paige and Grace and Katelyn and Toby, you guys, too. The truth is, this can be a hard business sometimes. It’s not easy to make a living. It’s not easy to be rejected, or suffer poor sales, or watch a good book go out of print. I am often filled with doubts and uncertainties. There are times, especially recently, when I feel like a failure. Lately I’ve been thinking of myself as “moderately talented.” Nothing great, you know? Oh well. But this is what I do, what I love, and I have to keep working at it. I have a Post-It note on my computer that reads: “IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, WRITE BETTER.” That’s what I’m trying to do.
My current mantra.
I just wrote a book about a father and a son traveling along the Lewis & Clark trail. It’s a genre-bending blend of nonfiction and fiction, a story of family, a wilderness adventure –- whitewater rapids, an encounter with a bear –- and, I hope, a quest for the real America. The book, titled THE COURAGE TEST, should be out in 2016. After that, I wrote a pretty wild story that’s set in the not-to-distant future. And, yes, there are zombies in it –- but it’s not their fault! I’m also trying to write haikus, making a small study of them, because I’ve got the seed of an idea. They are not as easy as they look!
The next idea is always the flame that burns the brightest, that keeps creative people moving forward -– making paintings, performing in plays, practicing the guitar, telling stories. We all have to find the thing that makes us happy. And if you are lucky enough to find it, then hold on tight.
Thank you –- each one of you – but I’ve got to get to work! I’m sorry again for not writing to you individually. Thanks for understanding.
James Preller
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By: tanita✿davis,
on 12/11/2015
I would have gotten to this book eventually, I think, but because Linda Sue Park mentioned it on her Beacon St. TEDx talk (and if you haven't had a chance to watch, please do) which was so full of good thoughts, I bumped it immediately to the top of... Read the rest of this post
