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My library is hosting a book fair this week, so Middle Grade books are on my brain in a big way! Here are some newly discovered titles paired with old favorites.

Historical Gems:

Jennifer Arena at Random House (psst…she’s such a lovely fellow bookworm.) introduced me to CROW by Barbara Wright. The narrator, 11-year-old Moses, brings us into his turn of the century world. In 1898 Wilmington, North Carolina, the legacy of Jim Crow is alive and well. One generation from slavery, a thriving black community struggles to maintain hard-won liberty, and Moses’ family is caught up in a firestorm of prejudice and hate. You’ll fall in love with the authentic voice and realistic characters.

CROW is an excellent companion to ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY by Mildred B. Taylor. Set in the 1930′s, the novel chronicles the Logan family’s fight to hold onto inherited land and personal dignity. This Newbery winner is a storm of its own, a thunderclap of fierce, emotional storytelling.

Books with Heart:

WONDER, by RJ Palacio, is a tremendous debut, a novel that coaxes out grins even as it wrings out tears. Auggie, the fifth grade protagonist is different–his face is so badly deformed, he spends much of his preschool years hiding under a toy astronaut helmet. When he starts attending school for the first time, he makes enemies and friends, enduring the worst kind of taunts and enjoying the best kinds of friendships.

WONDER is Auggie’s story, but it’s also ours. The novel captures the dual nature of childhood, both how cruel and how tender we can be with one another. It’s about the wounds we inflict and the scars we carry, all the things that teach us to do things differently the next time.

WONDER pairs *wonderfully* with FREAK THE MIGHTY by Rodman Philbrick. Philbrick’s singular voice breathes life into an unforgettable story. Max and Kevin are two different types of young outcasts, a hulking loner and disabled genius, who forge an incredible, life-altering bond–a friendship that carries them through adventure and heartbreak.

Magical Reads:

Happenstance brings this last pair-up. I had the good fortune to meet Meaghan Finnerty, a Sterling rep, at ALA Midwinter. When I asked her to recommend a book, she pressed HORTEN’S MIRACULOUS MECHANISMS (by Lissa Evans) into my hands

I found a book I can read while revising.

The Willoughbys

It's making me laugh on nearly every page, and because it's meta-fiction, it helps me think about my own fiction, rather than lose myself for days in another writer's created world. Sometimes, you don't want immersion. Sometimes, you want conversation. Conversation with a wicked intellect, a writer not afraid to poke you in the eye, and say: hey all you politically correct children's writers, loosen up. Look what you can get away with!

I mean, come on---listen to kids at play. They're imaginative, ruthless, and astoundingly good at entertaining themselves with games that would make a grownup cry.

And the scene where big brother Timothy bullies his siblings in the Stair Game with ridiculous, arbitrary, and selfish rules so that he can always win? So dead-on that I think Lowry must have played that very game. Recently. Like in writing this book.

And she's winning.

P. S. I'll probably get demoted two stair steps for changing the subject, but I added a box to my sidebar which allows you to subscribe to my blog posts via email. Just put your address in the box, and it will be delivered, rain or shine. :)

I've also added my blog to my Facebook profile, in the Notes section. Plus, a nifty widget that's supposed to scroll the latest headline from here. (Right now, it's displaying, but refusing to scroll. I'm calling in Timothy.)

My writing priorities have had a slight shift, so my jonowrimo goals have changed a bit. 

1st     Finish Light Speeder's revisions and send it out.  I have about 50 pages left, and then a final read through.

2nd    Finish a rough first draft of George's story.  I have approximately 5,000 words left on that one.  Then a read through. 


I reported those top two officially just a minute ago.  I think I'm going to personally shoot for one more although it's probably not very realistic:

3rd     Do a thorough revision on George's story and send it to my agent.


Now that those Red Sox have won the World Series, I should be able to find some extra writing time at night!  What a great game last night!  A real nail biter! 

Could someone check on me every now and again today and make sure I didn't fall asleep at my laptop?


OH!  and a big shout out to my little brother Robert! 

He's

40

today.

Happy Birthday Rob!  Love ya!

Traveling from school to school here in the CyFair school district of Houston I was thrilled to steal a relaxing minute in the cozy reading tub at the Matzke Elementary Library.

The same wonderful room also had a faux front porch complete with comfy chairs and plenty of books casually scattered within a small hand's easy reach.

Because back home I spend way too much time sitting at my desk talking to the monkeys - these last two weeks have been such a fun, eye-opening journey where I've gotten a chance to be inside wonderful school libraries, meet terrific - inspiring librarians and the kids - WOW - such amazing, bright, creative attentive kids.

I've been starting my workshops by illustrating what my brain was like as a kid - and then I use POND SCUM to help me swirl through creative blasts of writing tips using my cartoon-doodles and lots of kid-interactivity!

So here I am - watching Game Two of the Red Sox World series, feeling already wistful that after 18 schools and 36 presentations - I am left with tomorrow, the last day of my wonderful trip (just 4 presentations to go).

Tonight it's baseball and the satisfaction of having reached countless kids and being able to laugh every day while letting creativity run loopy with doodles, reading, and lots of my own Pond Scum. (speaking of which - I have never signed so many books!)



It just doesn't get much better than this!

Move over Tedi Bruschi   . . . I have a new sports crush.

Jacoby Ellsbury.   I've really enjoyed watching this rookie play during the playoffs.  Due to putting in long days in the camp office, I don't usually get to see much baseball, even though it's my favorite sport.  (My Grandfather played semi-pro, as did my Uncle Bobby . . . so it's in my blood!)  Even though it's really cut into my writing time, I've enjoyed curling up in my overstuffed chair and watching these playoffs!

Last night was incredible!   13 to 1?  Who knew?


Tomorrow, I'm heading out wicked early to pick up A and bring her home for the weekend.  Four hours down . . .

Four hours back.

Note to self . . .

be sure you bring Meatloaf, Bowling for Soup, Billy Joel, CCR,  and Alabama with you for company.

In honor of the fact that the Red Sox are in the World Series for the second time in four years, this week's book of the week is Zachary's Ball, by Matt Tavares. Everyone wants a souvenir when they visit the ballpark, and in this picture book a young Zachary is transported to the game of his dreams when his dad hands him a snared foul ball. Perhaps it is the ball itself, or maybe it is the act of passing the ball from one generation to the next--in any case, it is a magic that must be shared. And it all takes place within the shadow of Fenway's Green Monster--reason enough to read any book!

We waited 89 years for the 2004 win. This time we only had to wait 2. That's better. Easier on the heart. The Red Sox win the American League Championships and are back to the World Series!

The Red Sox are in the World Series!!

For a while, I thought that maybe I had jinxed them (typical sports fan reasoning), because I couldn't find another picture of me in my Red Sox hat. So I cheated--this one was taken yesterday as I walked all around Manhattan in my hat (I walked from the Upper East Side to the East Village--a good three miles--and then from there all the way west--11th Street--in Hell's Kitchen). It was such a gorgeous day.

I promise...I'll have a real post one of these days. In the meantime, check out my post over at the Blue Rose Girls on Peter Brown and his fabulously bouncy, exciting, pretty good week.