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Welcome to Weekend Links! Is summer whizzing by or what?? Reading is always an important part of our children’s lives no matter what time of year it is and so is helping our young readers learn about other cultures, religions and traditions through the pages of these books. Here are some great booklists and resources to help everyone #ReadYourWorld.
Middle Eastern and Northern African Heritage Month-via @MulticulturKids
Teens can learn about being Amish through the eyes of Ellie– Children’s Book Review and Giveaway at Kristi’s Book Nook
KidLit TV’s Top 10 Summer Reading Books @NYMediaWorks
The Most Anticipated Children’s and YA Books of Fall 2015 via @publishers weekly
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr at JIAB
In Memory of Hiroshima Bombing Book List for Kids at PragmaticMom
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Follow Valarie Budayr @Jump into a Book’s board Jump Into a Book Kidlit Booklists on Pinterest. Follow Valarie Budayr @Jump into a Book’s board A Year In The Secret Garden on Pinterest.
The post Weekend Links: Booklists that Help to #ReadYourWorld appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Please give a warm welcome to Charlotte Hubbard this morning!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in five words or less.
[Charlotte Hubbard] Happy, busy, organized, outspoken . . . colorful. Creative.
(See? I have to have the last word, and that makes six!)
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Breath of Spring?
[Charlotte Hubbard] Breath of Spring is the 4th book in my Seasons of the Heart Amish series, although you can read it as a stand-alone before you read the previous books. Annie Mae Knepp faces a lot of challenges most girls her age have no clue about because her father, the former bishop of Willow Ridge, has been excommunicated. He’s started a new Plain colony called Higher Ground under dubious circumstances—and because he has his four pre-school age kids with him, Annie Mae is worried about who’s taking care of them while he’s building his new town. She’s also worried that he’s going to get back at her for refusing to go to Higher Ground with him (and she is not figuring that her dad has hired her former wild-child boyfriend to do his dirty work).
When Annie Mae sees her little sibs are being mistreated by her dad’s new live-in, she snatches them back to Willow Ridge—and suddenly realizes that she’s now responsible for raising them. What man in his right mind will ever want to marry her now? Never in a million years does she figure quiet Adam Wagler will find her attractive—and indeed, Adam has his own secret conflicts to settle before he can take on the responsibilities of a wife and a family. It’s truly a book about how love conquers all, and how the Amish take care of each other in good times and bad.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you share your favorite scene?
[Charlotte Hubbard] I think I like Annie Mae’s 18th birthday party scene the best, because literally everyone in Willow Ridge comes to celebrate with her, and she meets the young Plain cancer survivor who’s gotten a wig made from the long braid Annie Mae’s spiteful father cut off earlier in the story. And when she closes her eyes to make her wish before blowing out her candles, she wishes BIG!
Although, the scene when Annie Mae climbs onto the motorcycle behind Adam to escape her father is pretty neat, too.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What gave you the most trouble with the story?
[Charlotte Hubbard] Early on, I realized my hero, Adam Wagler, was too bland and quiet and uninteresting. I knew he needed a secret, a backstory that gave him more depth and conflict—and conflict is something I try to avoid in real life, so I really have to work to put it into a story!
I was at a retreat with a few writer friends, brainstorming, and when one of them said, “He’s got a motorcycle!” I knew I’d found an edgy angle to Adam. Because he’s already a member of the Old Order Amish church, motor vehicles are strictly forbidden, yet beneath a blue tarp in the barn, we discover a vintage Indian Chief motorcycle—and we learn how this reckless purchase in Adam’s teen years brought great heartache to his family that still plagues him. Makes him feel he can’t take responsibility for a wife and a family now. The cycle’s worth a chunk of change—which also plays well into the story—and it becomes an escape vehicle during an intense confrontation between Annie Mae and her vindictive father. And yes, the cops and the bishop catch him driving it . . . without a license.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What’s one thing you won’t leave home without?
[Charlotte Hubbard] If at all possible, when I’m going somewhere in the car, I take along my border collie, Ramona. She loves to ride, she waits patiently while I shop and tend errands, and she’s a hoot at the drive-up window at the bank, where the tellers send her treats in the metal drawer-thingie.
Otherwise, I don’t leave home without my cheapy glasses because I can’t read squat without them now.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name three things on your desk right now.
[Charlotte Hubbard] Oh my—the desk is a total mess as I finish my final revisions on the next book for this series! Near the top of the heap is my Roget’s Super Thesaurus, a little gray tweed teddy bear that was a gift from a dear friend, and of course the mighty Mac I do all my writing on. When I complete my revising on this next book, I’ll clear off all the mess so I can begin the next book for a different series. It’ll be a mess again in oh, about an hour!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you could trade places with anyone for just one day, who would you be?
[Charlotte Hubbard] Tinker Bell! What’s not to love about being cute and curvy in a strapless, backless, very short dress (without wardrobe malfunctions!) and flitting/flying around waving a magic wand and granting peoples’ wishes? And she never ages, despite the fact that she first appeared in 1904—which makes her way older than I am—although the Disney version of Peter Pan appeared the same year I did.
(Now I can admit that this question gave me some trouble until I spotted a Tink spiral-bound notebook on my messy desk. Truth be told, I have no idea what real, live person I would trade places with. I kinda like my life just the way it is!)
[Manga Maniac Cafe] You have been granted the use of one superpower for one week. Which power would you choose, and what would you do with it?
[Charlotte Hubbard] I would love to be able to time travel. I used to write historical romances, so venturing back in time a century or two would be great fun! I would visit people in their homes to see how they really lived—rich and poor alike—because everyday lives fascinate me, as do all different styles of architecture. I would ride in a stagecoach and be a trick-shot artist in a Wild West show and travel aboard ocean liners (things heroines of my earlier books have done) and in general live a much more exciting life than I do as a mere writer. At the end of each day I’d be tired, but it wouldn’t be from spending too many hours in my office chair!
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are some books that you enjoyed recently?
[Charlotte Hubbard] Because I write Amish books full-time, I prefer not to read many of them. Don’t want to inadvertently pick up on other authors’ styles or plots. Right now I’m really enjoying the Chet and Bernie mystery series—Chet is a dog that flunked out of police K-9 school so he now belongs to P.I. Bernie, and Chet narrates the stories! You smell and taste and laugh at everything Chet experiences as they work on cases, and Chet knows most of the important clues way before Bernie, but of course he can only bark and wag his tail so Bernie has to figure out their cases the hard way. Really funny stories. Really original premise for a mystery series, too.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?
[Charlotte Hubbard] On my website, www.charlottehubbard.com, there’s a contact link (and you can also sign up for my e-newsletter, which comes out with each new book.) Or you can email me at [email protected]. I write another Amish series as Naomi King, so that’s my biz email. You can also Friend me as Charlotte Hubbard on Facebook, or Like my Naomi C. King author page.
Thanks so much for the time you’ve spent reading my interview! I hope you’ll enjoy BREATH OF SPRING.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you for visiting this morning!
Title: Breath of Spring
Author: Charlotte Hubbard
Publisher: Kensington
Pages: 352
Genre: Amish Romance/Inspirational
As a bright season brings a fresh start to Willow Ridge, Annie Mae Knepp feels she can never make peace with the past. Her disgraced ex-bishop father is furious that she’s has taken her five siblings to live with her. She’s never been truly at home in her faith…or believing in herself. And Annie Mae fears no man will want to take on the responsibilities she’s gladly shouldered. True, her quiet neighbor Adam Wagler has been steadfast and unshakable, helping her through her trials, but he surely couldn’t think of someone so lost as more than a friend. Believing she is unworthy because of her doubts, Annie Mae will find, in a moment of surprising revelation, that God can work impossible miracles—and that love makes all things new.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I’ve called Missouri home for most of my life, and most folks don’t realize that several Old Older Amish and Mennonite communities make their home here, as well. The rolling pastureland, woods, and small towns along county highways make a wonderful setting for Plain populations—and for stories about them, too! While Jamesport, Missouri is the largest Old Order Amish settlement west of the Mississippi River, other communities have also found the affordable farm land ideal for raising crops, livestock, and running the small family-owned businesses that support their families.
Like my heroine, Miriam Lantz, of my Seasons of the Heart series, I love to feed people—to share my hearth and home. I bake bread and goodies and I love to try new recipes. I put up jars and jars of green beans, tomatoes, beets and other veggies every summer. All my adult life, I’ve been a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and we hosted a potluck group in our home for more than twenty years.
Like Abby Lambright, heroine of my Home at Cedar Creek series, I consider it a personal mission to be a listener and a peacemaker—to heal broken hearts and wounded souls. Faith and family, farming and frugality matter to me: like Abby, I sew and enjoy fabric arts—I made my wedding dress and the one Mom wore, too, when I married into an Iowa farm family more than thirty-five years ago! When I’m not writing, I crochet and sew, and I love to travel.
I recently moved to Minnesota when my husband got a wonderful new job, so now he and I and our border collie, Ramona, are exploring our new state and making new friends.
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TOUR SCHEDULE
May 5
Book reviewed at Shhh…Not While I’m Reading
Book reviewed at Literary R&R
May 6
Book reviewed at In Our Spare Time
Book featured at I Heart Reading
May 7
Book featured at Talking Books Blog
May 8
Book reviewed at Harlie’s Books
Book featured at 3 Partners in Shopping
May 9
Interviewed at Manga Maniac Cafe
Book featured at A Book Addict’s Delight
May 12
Book featured at Reading Rendezvous Reviewz
May 13
Interviewed at Becky on Books…and Quilts
May 14
Book reviewed at Blooming with Books
May 16
Book featured at Paulette’s Papers
May 26
Book reviewed at Splashes of Joy
May 28
Guest blogging at My Book Addiction and More
May 29
Book reviewed at Griperang’s Bookmark
June 2
Book reviewed at Lighthouse-Academy
June 4
Book reviewed at My Devotional Thoughts
June 5
Book reviewed at Bookishly Devoted
June 9
Book reviewed at Confessions of a Reader
June 10
Book reviewed at Maureen’s Musings
June 12
Book featured at Icefairy’s Treasure Chest
June 17
Book featured at Margay Leah Justice
June 19
Book reviewed at Reviews by Molly
Guest blogging at Authors and Readers Book Corner
June 20
Book reviewed and Guest blogging at Melina’s Book Blog
June 23
Book featured at Bookalicious Travel Addict
June 24
Book reviewed and Guest blogging at The Book Connection
June 26
Book reviewed at Reviews from the Heart
Book reviewed at A Room Without Books is Empty
Book reviewed at Melina’s Book Blog
June 27
Book reviewed at Eccentric Eclectic Woman
The post Interview with Charlotte Hubbard, Author of Breath of Spring appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.
Can you actually fall down in space?
Luke Umble and his Amish family are going to find out the hard way. Things continue to go from bad to worse with each new revelation. The bad news is that the Adam Corp deep space ship, the Corinthian, has not even made it out of our solar system yet.
Could something worse be waiting for them?
Promise of Tomorrow is an ongoing short story series that asks the question, "How far would you go to save your faith?"
Volume 5
Downfall
Luke Umble believed he was a man of God. One fateful decision could test all of his beliefs. With the support of his wife Annie, they uproot their family in an attempt to save the ones they love. Luke is challenged on all sides by his cantankerous father, his oldest son’s rebellion and even his youngest daughter’s Muscular Dystrophy.
In Volume 5: Downfall, Luke Umble has to face the truth. First he faces it in the rude, condescending behavior of the Englische Captain. Then Luke learns more harsh truth from the young, but sincere, Lieutenant that has also expressed an interest in his daughter. The promise once offered by their ship, the Corinthian, seems to be falling from their grasp. Things are made worse when eight-year-old Henry decides to skip school and explore the ship. Everything collides and causes Luke to doubt his faith.
The one question he asks himself is “How far would you go to keep your faith?”
The only answer Luke can find lies in God’s Promise of Tomorrow.
Thanks for taking the time to read my post. Comments are always appreciated.
You can get this story on Amazon Kindle
Available soon on Nook and Kobo
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Shakespeare is turning over in his grave when I put the Defective Amish Detective in the same post as MacBeth!
See Lady MacBeth had a little problem with a stain and so does our fearless detective. What happens in Volume 7: The Hung Laundry Has a Stain is far less sinister than the old Bard's play.
Rolling out these snazzy new covers is the icing on the cake!
The hung laundry has a stain and, of course, there is only one man to get it clean.
The Defective Amish Detective heads back to Lancaster County to solve a mystery that feels more like a set up for someone else's entertainment. He decides this one calls for a disguise. Under cover, complete with matching sandals over his socks, G meets up with the Amish blacksmith. Together, there is nothing that can stop them, so discovering the cause of the unusual stains and finding the culprit take no time.
The only real question is how and when will G end up in the muck?
Find out here:
Plenty of my posts have to do with my new releases, so let's get that out of the way upfront...
Promise of Tomorrow
Volume Four
Revelation
Click here to get it on Amazon Kindle:
Look for it on BN Nook and Kobo too!
Now, if you are still reading and haven't clicked off to Amazon to get an incredible story for a great price (each volume is only $0.99), I have a serious question.
How far would you go to keep your faith?
This is the tagline for the series, but it is also a serious question. I have four children and it is sometimes a question on my mind. The answer seems obvious. What would you do to protect your children? Isn't that a lot about faith? You have faith that your actions will benefit your children. You also try to teach them your own spiritual faith for them to pass on to others.
In my story, the Umble family is faced with the possibility of losing their faith entirely. They are cast into the unknown and everything is a challenge. In Volume Four, it is revealed that things are likely becoming worse. Can they keep their faith when it seems their faith has left them?
I would appreciate a few comments below about your faith - when you were challenged and how you came through it. Sometimes, I feel like my faith is tested on a daily basis. With four kids, I know my patience is!
Thanks for reading!
The newest offering of the Defective Amish Detective is available now! You can get Vol 6: The Sausage Log Implosion on Kindle here: http://amz.to/11MckpP
I have to say this whole experience has been a lot of fun. When Giovanni approached me about this series, I was a little hesitant. I have always known him to have an outrageous sense of humor and I knew the Amish were handled with a great deal of respect. I did not know how we would blend the two.
What came out of it was a story with lots of heart and its own kind of zaniness. I think we manage to show the proper amount of respect to the Amish. Much of the slapstick falls on the Defective Detective, who is not Amish. What is he? Something of a repentant hitman. Both of our main characters have mysterious pasts that give them unique skills to handle the cozy mysteries we throw at them.
In the end, this series is about friendship and understanding. It is about two men coming from two different worlds and overcoming their differences to work together for the greater good. It is a pleasure to write and I hope you have as much fun reading it!
About The Sausage Log Implosion:
“Muck is Muck,” Eli the Blacksmith says.How does the Defective Detective go from having a near perfect day to one of the worst? Simple – someone stole his sausage log. Everyone has something in life that makes them happy. For G, it is the culinary delights of the Amish, including whoopie pies and sausage logs. When his favorite market is sold out, G wants to know why. The charming, but innocent, counter girl tells him that the butcher’s meat grinder has been stolen. When something goes awry in Amish Country, G can’t let it go. He joins his stalwart companion Eli and the two of them are on the case. They have two questions to answer. What happened to the meat grinder? And, how much muck is too much muck? This is one explosive implosion!
By: Mark Miller,
on 5/5/2013
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Promise of Tomorrow Volume 2: Discovery reveals some secrets.
My new Amish serialized novel started with the destructive forces of nature, sending the Umble family running for their lives. They boarded a transport as a tornado destroyed their home.
In Discovery, the transport arrives at their destination. I'm not going to spoil where they are going. However, when they step off the transport, they probably see something like this...
This is the entrance to
Captain Nemo's Nautilus (one of my favorite movies and Disney World extinct attractions). I can tell you my main character Luke did not take his family on a submarine. The question that Luke has to answer is "How far will you go to keep your faith?"
It is a literal and metaphorical question. He has to answer with both his heart and body. Volume 2 shows the first steps of the journey that will answer that question.
“Here is a different take on the Amish and it's a good tale that is well told. Mark writes with honesty, compassion, elegance and strength. Any lover of the Amish and of Amish fiction will be blessed by this book. Five stars, Mark!” –Murray Pura, Bestselling author of The Face of Heaven
Luke Umble believed he was a man of God. One fateful decision could test all of his beliefs. With the support of his wife Annie, they uproot their family in an attempt to save the ones they love. Luke is challenged on all sides by his cantankerous father, his oldest son’s rebellion and even his youngest daughter’s Muscular Dystrophy.
In Volume 2: Discovery, the Umble family arrives at their destination. Their new life begins in a shocking way. From the first step out of the transport door, the seeds are sewn that will either tear their family apart or bring them closer than ever.
The one question he asks himself is “How far would you go to keep your faith?”
The only answer Luke can find lies in God’s Promise of Tomorrow.
Thanks for reading my post today! Please be sure to like me on Facebook.
Promise of Tomorrow
Volume 2
Discovery
At least, in my writing.
My new story is available now.
Promise of Tomorrow
An Amish of Tomorrow Series
Volume One: Salvation
I've written in the Amish genre before. Some of you may have read the
Defective Amish Detective series. It is sometimes silly and sometimes sweet. We are currently working on Volume 4, but if you have not read it, you can find part 1 for Kindle here:
http://goo.gl/UuI5vWhile the Defective Detective is fun to write, I am taking a more serious turn with
Promise of Tomorrow. That's not to say there won't be humor, but it will not be outright slapstick. In this new series, I am excited because it gives me a chance to explore my own faith. I am not converting, not packing up to head to Pennsylvania. I put a little more of myself into this one and, at the same time, taken it far beyond where I could ever physically go.
I like the quote from Joss Whedon, "I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I'm afraid of." I feel like that on this new story. Funny thing, my writing music for this one was the
Firefly soundtrack (and that was before I read this quote).
You can find this first part of my 10 part series on eBook.
Now, here comes the fun part! My publisher, Helping Hands Press, has a new event that will take place every Wednesday on their Facebook page:
http://on.fb.me/WHBW5D
There will be fun discussions and exciting giveaways! I am one of the featured authors this week (3/20), so who knows what you might see when you stop by from 7 to 8:30 PM EST!
And if you don't make it to Wacky Wednesday, be sure to check out the widget at the top right of my blog. We are doing a Goodreads giveaway too!
By: Mark Miller,
on 2/26/2013
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Okay, maybe not me (that sounds needy), but I do have something for you to listen to.
I've been working on a new series called the
Defective Amish Detective. It is a humorous, without making fun, look at the misadventures of an Amish blacksmith and his Non-Amish friend. The defective detective is admittedly a repentant man with a questionable past. He has reached an age where certain parts (eyes, ears) don't work as well as they did. Through travels with his wife into Amish Country, the detective has become friends with Eli, who also happens to have a shadow over his past. Together, they work to help those that cannot help themselves. Things don't always go as expected and both of their pasts may come back to haunt them. These stories are full of slapstick, but they also share a message and have heart.
Now, it is a special treat for me to share with you that my publisher, Helping Hands Press, has taken a big leap in putting
Volume 1: The Whoopie Pie Affair on audiobook.
You can get more information on Amazon: http://amzn.to/13PgsSRAnother treat is the voice you will hear on the audiobook. It is none other than Big Daddy Abel. Also known as BDA, he is the frontman for a band called the Amish Outlaws and a talented author in his own right.
If you enjoy audiobooks, I do hope you will give mine a listen.
Thanks for reading and please visit me at
www.FB.com/MarkMillerAuthor
By: Mark Miller,
on 2/3/2013
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The official word from my publisher, Helping Hands Press:
Are you ready for a contest?
We hope that you are ready for a contest; we would like you to have fun with it.
How do you participate and what are the prizes? Here are a few things you can do:
-Go to the Helping Hands Press website and sign up for our mailing list.
CLICK HERE
We will start using the mailing list March 1st, and send out the newsletters each month on the 1st and 15th.Each newsletter will be filled with inside information for you on our authors, new author signings, new release dates, inside information on new series…basically you will hear of it first in this newsletter.
-If you haven’t “liked” our Facebook page, please do so, we like to have as much fun here as possible.
CLICK HERE-Pinterest, if you are a member, please follow us; we will follow you too. We love to know what our friends are doing on Pinterest; it is a great place to have fun.
CLICK HEREAll of this information will be listed on the Helping Hands Press Facebook Page. Please look for the Rafflecopter; we will be using that to help choose the Grand Prize winner.
To enter the contest
CLICK HERE Prizes, did someone mention Prizes? I believe we did.
If you go to the Helping Hands Press website and sign up for the newsletter, we are going to email you a simple question: We have a list of stories; which one do you want to read for free? Also do you mind if we send the audio book sample for the following three releases as they are done: Karen Anna Vogel’s “Amish Knit Lit Circle- Volume 1 – Pride & Prejudice”; Murray Pura’s “The Rose of Lancaster County – Volume 1 – The Rose Garden” and “The Defective Amish Detective – Volume 1 – The Whoopie Pie Affair”. Each of them is narrated by our own Big Daddy Abel.
Now for the Grand Prize: The Grand Prize winner will get all the Helping Hands Press paper books! Right now we have eight:
Karen Anna Vogel’s: “Amish Knitting Circle Complete”,” Knit Together”,” Amish Doll”
George Michael Loughmueller’s- “An Amish Journey – Set Free Complete”
Mark Miller’s- “Sons of The King Complete” and “Daniel’s Lot”
Marsha Hubler’s – “Bachelor’s Choice”
David Stearman’s-“Hummingbird”
By: Mark Miller,
on 1/24/2013
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Well, my blog has been a little quiet so far this year.
Lots of things going on behind the scenes. Exciting things coming up for 2013!
Authors in the Park is growing fast. We are planning an event for March 30th. If you have not already, please give our page a "like" to stay informed.
Besides event planning and booking my calendar for the whole year, I got to spend a week visiting classes at a local elementary school. We celebrated
National Literacy Week by reading from some great books (including mine) and talking about how a young avid reader became an author (me).
Oh, and I've done some writing too.
The Defective Amish Detective
Volume 3
Ho! Ho! Ho! in the Snow
(an After Christmas Special)
I am having fun with this series and I think it is starting to take on a life of its own. Maybe I'm not an Amish author, but I am learning fast. My approach to this is taking the POV of the G-Man, a non-Amish, who befriends and Amish blacksmith. It is an outside look at the Amish and their special way of life. I like that the reader can travel along with the main character as he walks the line between a worldly path and a spiritual path.
T’was the night before…wait, that’s not right. But you know Dash…no, you probably don’t know him.
Put it this way, a repentant fixer, an Amish blacksmith with a mysterious past and a Christmas party. That is a recipe for fun on any holiday!
G and Eli have become good friends. Through circumstances beyond their control, Eli comes to the city to celebrate Christmas with G’s family. Their story would not be complete without the right amount of chaos. Throw in a homeless man at the door, a bunch of hot food on wheels and Doctor Mike.
This will be one Christmas you won’t forget. It is ultimately a story of humor and second chances.
When you get into the story, you will see there is much talk of Italian food. My family (not Italian) celebrated the release of this story with a great homemade meal. There is a little bit of everything on that plate, but I'm not giving away the secret ingredient to my sauce!
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And you can get the bundle of frost-bitten fun known as the Defective Amish Detective on Amazon for ONLY 99 Cents:
It is also on BN Nook, Apple iTunes and Kobo.
You know, the small town in Amish Country, Lancaster PA?
What did you think I meant?
The Defective Amish Detective
Volume 2
The Intercourse Boondogle
The Defective Amish Detective is back. The Fixer with a heart of gold heads to Lancaster County for another case. His friend Eli, the Amish blacksmith with a mysterious past, spots trouble in the town of Intercourse. The name alone sends the Defective Detective on a rant. Outrageousness reigns as these two worlds collide again. Are you ready for a road trip to Amish Country?
It is a special treat to write with a friend. We have a blast putting this story out for you! It is a humorous look at the Amish, but we also make fun of our detective too. If you want something, funny, heart-warming and different, this is for you!
Available on Kindle:
Also on Nook, iTunes and Kobo
By: Mark Miller,
on 11/10/2012
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Recently, I started a new series with my friend, Giovanni. It was a relatively new experience diving into the world of Amish fiction. I did not quite know what to expect, but we ended up with something totally unique and outrageous.
The Defective Amish Detective
Volume 1
The Whoopie Pie Affair
The story is something of a cozy mystery, but also a self-deprecating comedy. We hold the Amish in high regard and treat their portrayal with kindness. But when it comes to the Defective Detective, it's no holds barred. The main character has poor eyesight, poor hearing and dresses like he raided Don Ho's wardrobe in 1983.
We are presently at work on Volume 2 - The Intercourse Boondoggle. Now before you ask if we are crossing any taboos, please know that Intercourse is the name of a town in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; the heart of Amish country.
To celebrate the upcoming release, we are doing two things. First, there will be a live interview on the G-Zone BlogTalkRadio show. Special guest host Murray Pura (best-selling author of historical & Amish fiction) has been preparing some hard-hitting questions. To hear the show live on Saturday, Nov 17th at Noon Eastern (or to listen to the archive afterward), save this link:
The second big event is the giveaway that is happening for the next 20 days, ending on December 1st. You can use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for your chance to win one or both of the first two volumes of The Defective Amish Detective.
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By: Mark Miller,
on 11/7/2012
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I have known Giovanni Gelati for quite some time. He's interviewed me more than once on The G-Zone BlogTalkRadio Show. We've written together (A Prince in Trenton, Seriously?). Our latest collaboration is The Defective Amish Detective - Volume 1 - The Whoopie Pie Affair. It is a humorous story, that one might call a cozy mystery. Both of us had the goal of telling a fun story, while holding the Amish with utmost respect. With the "defects" of our main character, it ended up being a story with a lot of heart.
Now for the first time, it is my turn to interview Giovanni. Some of the questions pertain to the story, so if you haven't read it, you can get it here: http://goo.gl/UuI5v
If you haven't, don't worry, there's no spoilers.
MM: How many Hawaiian shirts do you own?
GG: I have yet to buy one, I get them as gifts. As a for instance, we were cleaning up prior to the arrival of Hurricane Sandy, I found 6 bags of unopened socks. In layman terms that is 60 pairs of unused socks. One may take pause now and consider that. Basically I reach in the closet, grab one and put it on. I am not sure if I have 60 of them, but I have more than I think.
MM: You have an affinity for the Amish, do you think you may join them sometime in the future?
GG: I will reference Hurricane Sandy again. We didn’t get the devastating flooding, but we got the wind and rain, our town lost power. We were dark from Monday night to Saturday. I am not going out on a limb here when I say that I enjoy electricity. Ice cream does not taste good without it. I marveled at drinking a cold beverage again, and having the use of light when I went to use the bathroom. It is hard to read in the dark. So for now, me being Amish is not in the cards. Besides that when ones Hawaiian shirt is the brightest thing in the room, it kind of stinks.
MM: What is your favorite flavor of whoopie pie?
GG: They have me hooked on the chocolate chip outer cookie with the chocolate cream filling. Throw in a sausage log and some deep fried or rotisserie chicken and I am set.
MM: What is your best experience with a farm animal?
GG: None really, they smell and leave large deposits behind. I am not into the smell, feel or look of muck. I would much prefer a muckless Farm, but I doubt that is in the cards. I much more enjoy them from a distance in the SUV going the speed limit pointing them out to the kids. It is much safer that way all around.
MM: What is in store for the Defective Amish Detective in the upcoming volumes?
GG: Volume two will be out the week of November 14th , the title is “The Intercourse Boondogle”, and it will involve grifters. Intercourse is a quaint little town in Lancaster with plenty of neat shops. The other 8 stories in the series will involve a series of mysteries that G and Eli try to solve together in various locations in and around Lancaster.
So Giovanni had this idea and he issued a challenge to me. The result:
The Defective Amish Detective
Volume 1
The Whoopie Pie Affair
I entered a new world with this one. The G-Man is known for his zany ideas, so together we developed a story which is unlike any other I have done. It is both hilarious and heartfelt. Giovanni's bold personality shines through, making it hard to believe he is not a fictional character. The story is crafted in such a way as to blur the line between fiction and reality.
The events are outrageous, but the characters are honest and direct. I enjoyed building the relationship between Gio and Eli. Their connection is such that they were practically life-long friends from the moment they accidentally met.
My writing has always been Christian influenced, but this is my first big step into Amish fiction. Aside from one other WIP on the subject, I am learning a lot about the Amish. It is important to me (and Giovanni) to treat the people and their beliefs with great respect, while still having fun. I think we managed that.
The story is simple, a cozy mystery with an unlikely culprit. We may go a little more complex in future stories, but the goal is to have fun.
The Defective Amish Detective
Volume 1
The Whoopie Pie Affair
ONLY 99 Cents
For a LIMITED time!
By: Julie,
on 9/19/2012
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Laura Bickle is a favorite around the virtual offices, and I’m always delighted when she has time to drop in for a chat. Today we are going to talk about her soon to be released young adult title The Hallowed Ones. This is a scary glimpse at the end of the world! I enjoyed this thrilling, frightening, exciting read, and I wanted to ask Laura a few questions about it, so let’s see what she has to say.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.
[Laura Bickle] Cat-rancher, Tarot enthusiast, and sometime salamander chaser. Writing urban fantasy and YA as Laura Bickle and Alayna Williams.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about The Hallowed Ones?
[Laura Bickle] Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers are free to experience non-Amish culture before officially joining the church. But before Rumspringa arrives, Katie’s safe world starts to crumble. It begins with a fiery helicopter crash in the cornfields, followed by rumors of massive unrest and the disappearance of huge numbers of people all over the world. Something is out there…and it is making a killing.
Unsure why they haven’t yet been attacked, the Amish Elders make a decree: no one goes outside their community, and no one is allowed in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man lying just outside the boundary of their land, she can’t leave him to die. She refuses to submit to the Elders’ rule and secretly brings the stranger into her community—but what else is she bringing in with him?
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?
[Laura Bickle] I was thinking about what would happen if the end of the world came…I know this is a common thing to think about on an everyday basis! But that’s part of the joy in being a writer. I get to think about odd things.
I was wondering who would be best-equipped to survive a large-scale disaster. It occurred to me that the Amish would be uniquely equipped to survive. They are incredibly self-sufficient and are not dependent upon things we take for granted in our world, things like electricity and cars.
I live not too far from a large Amish settlement. When I was a child, my parents would take me to visit, and I was fascinated by a world very different than the one I lived in. I’d see Amish girls my age over the fence and wonder what their lives were like. And that’s where Katie came from.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you research Amish culture and traditions?
[Laura Bickle] I spent some time visiting the Amish settlement near where I live. I also did a good deal of reading…there are a lot of great books out there that look at the Plain way of life from a sociological perspective. National Geographic has also done a number of very good documentaries about the Amish. Many of the ideas were very foreign to me. For example, the Amish do not wish to be connected to the outside world, so power lines, phone lines, and electricity are not used. That kind of voluntary isolation is fascinating to me. The only parallel I can draw in my own life is when storms came through our area and we were without phone, cable, electricity, and internet for a week. It was very still and very peaceful.
I’m acutely conscious that I can’t know or understand everything about the Amish, never having lived in an Amish community. But I learned enough to develop an immense respect for the Amish way of life.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Katie?
[Laura Bickle] Katie is strong, quiet, and resolute. She’s a young woman growing into her power.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things would Elijah never have in his room?
[Laura Bickle] Hmmm…Elijah is the boy Katie has grown up with, who she expects to marry someday. Elijah is something of a straight arrow. He’d never have the keys to a car, a secret stash of Star Wars action figures, or anything with a remote control.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are three things Alex would never have in his pockets?
[Laura Bickle] Alex is an injured man Katie finds outside the boundaries of her community. Katie brings him inside her barn to recover, but can’t be sure what kind of evil he’s bringing in with him.
Alex is a graduate student in anthropology. You wouldn’t find any of the following in his pockets: more than twenty bucks, a comb, or directions to the nearest church.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Katie had a theme song, what would it be?
[Laura Bickle] Hmmm. Katie doesn’t spend much time listening to popular music, but she was caught by her father humming “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones while milking the cows.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?
[Laura Bickle] My herd of cats would say they’re my greatest influences. There’s always one or two draped on me while I’m trying to type, trying to hit the delete key.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?
[Laura Bickle] Quiet, Coca-Cola, and someplace to sprawl out.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?
[Laura Bickle] FEVER by Lauren DeStefano. Her voice is so incredibly powerful – I can’t wait for the third book in the Chemical Garden trilogy. Both WITHER and FEVER were books that lingered with me for a long time after I finished – I love it when a story takes up real estate in my head and haunts me like that.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?
[Laura Bickle] My all-time favorite is Robin McKinley’s HERO AND THE CROWN. I read it when I was a pre-teen, and fell in love with fantasy ever after. It was the first book I’d read that had a female protagonist who slew her own dragons. I was hooked.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?
[Laura Bickle] In my day job, I work in a library. I get to pet all the new books and come home with armloads of books to read for research and pleasure.
My husband and I are amateur astronomers. We were excited to finally get a break in the cloud cover to see a bit of the Perseids meteor shower this year.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?
[Laura Bickle] I love to connect with readers! My website is www.laurabickle.com. I blog about nerdy stuff like my action figure collection at http://laurabickle.com/category/blog/ I’m also on Twitter and Facebook.
[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!
You can order The Hallowed Ones from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the widget below.
Sarah Price, popular author of Amish fiction, is also a contributor to the One series, which is regularly posted about on this blog. Her story, The Power of Faith, is currently available for ONLY 99 Cents with author proceeds going to a great cause. You can get it here: http://goo.gl/xhE9w
Today, she wants to share her Triangle of Blessings: Amish, Writing and Readers
I was first introduced to the Amish when I was only eight years old. It was my grandparents who took me to Lancaster County, PA. I sat between them on the front seat of their Cadillac, bouncing up and down with excitement as we passed each horse and buggy.
My grandparents came from a long line of strict Old Order Mennonites. Back in the early 1700s, our ancestors escaped persecution and travelled across the ocean to accept William Penn’s offer for free land in Pennsylvania. I often think about that journey and how terrified they must have been. Seeing the shores of Europe disappear over the horizon, facing an uncertain future in an unknown land…how courageous they were and how unfaltering in their faith in God.
There is something magical about the Amish. In today’s world of technology, information overload and crazy schedules, there is something to be said for a people who manages to maintain a simpler way of life. A people who takes care of each other. A people who lives for honoring God through their daily routines. How can you not fall in love with such people? They are truly blessed.
Likewise, I consider myself a blessed person. For almost twenty-five years, I have been staying among the Amish. In the beginning, I found an Amish family that rented out an apartment over their mule shed. For several years, I would rent the apartment and travel back and forth from my home to their farm. In later years, I was introduced to an Amish woman who rented me a room in her home. Through these connections, I have been permitted the rare opportunity to straddle the fence between my current world and this of my ancestors.
There is another blessing in my life (and I believe we all have many). I have been blessed with the desire to write. Since I was a child, I wrote books. It was my passion, my dream. I love writing, telling stories that entertain and inform. It’s in my blood. I believe that a true author writes for that reason: they have a passion to write. That’s it. It’s as plain and simple as the Amish.
The beautiful thing is that I have been blessed to combine the two: my passion for writing and my passion for the Amish. It’s a marriage made in heaven, as far as I’m concerned. Like my friend, colleague, and fellow author, Karen Anna Vogel, my knowledge of the Amish comes from first-hand experience. It allows me to write authentic books, books that are rich in true knowledge of the Amish, a special knowledge that I love to share with my readers.
That brings me to my final blessing, one that is so important to me: the readers. How fortunate it is that so many wonderful people desire to know the Amish and to learn about their faith! These readers are faced with so much stress: busy lives, illness, uncertainty, and hardship in a time of economic distress. It is such a blessing to know that, even if only for a few hours, they can slip away from this stress through the stories that I love to write.
I invite you into my world, to pick up one of the many Amish books written by wonderful authors that are available in bookstores and online, and to sit back in order to escape, even if just for a few pages. Who knows? Maybe you, too, will find some relief from the everyday stress in your own life as you explore the world of the Amish through our eyes.
Today I have here with me two very special people; Roger Rheinheimer and Crystal Linn who are Amazon top-ten selling Kindle authors, including their joint Amish romance series, AmishForever (http://goo.gl/JLWTY).
Welcome Roger and Crystal and thank you for joining us today. Tell me, how does it feel to be a successful author?
Roger: I’m still blinking! All I can say is thank you to our dedicated readers and the tireless promotional efforts of our amazing publisher, Trestle Press. Crystal: Thank you for having us, and thanks to our wonderful readers. To be honest, the reality of it all has not sunk in yet because my life has not changed. I still do normal things like cook dinner and walk my dog. I must stop and remind myself that I am indeed a successful author.
What made you decide to become a writer? I understand it is hard work with little pay, unless you get lucky.
Roger: Lucky is right! I feel we were just at the right place at the right time. Trestle Press has been a tireless advocate of the authors they represent. I’ve been writing all my life, and this is the most fun so far.
Crystal: There are important writers on both sides of my family. I grew up writing but thought nothing of it. Then, in the year 2000 we decided I would try to get my deceased mother’s stories published. In the process I became published and was stunned by the raving reviews.
Roger: Apparently Giovanni Gelati of Trestle Press had read my first novel, AmishSnow. He contacted me and asked if I would write an Amish romance novel.
Interesting, tell me Crystal how did you become involved?
Crystal: Roger felt to do a good job he needed a female co-author and he placed an ad looking for a co-author for an Amish romance series. I replied to that ad and, as they say, “The rest is history.”
What is it like to co-author a book?
Roger: First of all, I had never co-authored before and one of the reasons I chose Crystal is because she was an experienced co-author. It’s great. We complement each other well and even with the pressure of deadlines and outside demands on our respective time commitments, have not had any significant disagreements. It’s really been awesome.
Crystal: While AmishForever is my first novel, it is my fourth book to date. All four were either co-authored or collaborative efforts. It is like joint venturing where the key people sit down and discuss goals and game plans. Then they go to work, do what needs done, and communicate clearly.
Speaking of doing what needs done, who writes what and how do you get your writing voices to blend together so well?
Roger: LOL, good question! We actually sat down recently and had what we irreverently called a “board meeting,” and wrote out a pretty detailed outline of who takes the lead on what. I’ve always heard that there two things cause a partnership to fall apart: failure OR success. Thankfully we have completely avoided that and I think are more in tune than ever. I love the roaring engine, smoking tire scenes and Crystal conveys beautifully the teardrops falling on the vanity panel scenes.
Crystal: Before we start writing the next chapter, or volume, we email each other notes and ideas. I write the first draft and email it to Roger. He adds to what I wrote and writes more scenes then emails it back to me for editing. I edit and email it back to him. He then edits more and either sends it back to me for editing, if needed, or sends it to early readers. After that we give it a final edit and format it. When we are satisfied Roger emails it to Giovanni, our publisher.
Obviously you two are very organized? Tell me what it is you want your readers to take away from the story?
Roger: Ok, so here is where the guy chromosomes kick in. I want readers to feel like they got their money’s worth, that the characters came alive for them and, as the saying goes, the story carried them away to another time and place. I want readers to recognize the effort we have put into our craft and say to themselves, “That was a good story.”
Crystal: All of my books are about overcoming, in one way or another. The perfect example is my book: God’sCounterpoint, published in the ONE anthology by Mark Miller and published by Trestle Press. I want the readers of AmishForever to come away feeling good about the story and feeling encouraged that they, like Ava, can overcome the obstacles in their own lives.
What in your opinion, is the fascination that American readers have with these Amish books?
Roger: The Amish, I believe, appeal to that fundamental human desire for simplicity and goodness. I think a lot of us envy their unswerving belief in a higher good.
Crystal: I agree with Roger. I also believe that the reader can live the Amish life vicariously, to borrow one of Roger’s words, through the lives of the characters.
The two of you are obviously committed to your writing. What are your future plans? Will there be more books? Will we learn more about Ava and Zeke?
Roger: Early on when we realized how popular this series was going to be I commented to Crystal that if we don’t write more together we need to admit we’re not really serious about writing fiction. We already have several story spinoffs. I especially like the ones involving Abe and Bliss.
Crystal: I look forward to writing more with Roger and, in addition, I have my own writing career. Recently I sent two books to publishers. One is a short story that Giovanni, of Trestle Press, will publish as soon as I make it longer. The other is a non-fiction grandparent’s guide I sent to a publisher I know personally in the Seattle area.
Our time is up, unfortunately but again, thank you Roger Rheinheimer and Crystal Linn for joining us today – and again, congratulations on your success with the best-selling AmishForever. I look forward to reading more of your books. Roger: Thank you for having us.
Crystal: Thank you for inviting us, and for the good wishes.
I happen to have the privilege to be part of a great group of authors published by Trestle Press and Helping Hands Press. Starting today, you will be hearing from them on my blog. They have a lot to say about a lot of different things.
First up is best-selling Amish author Karen Anna Vogel. She asks herself a few questions.
What is your connection to the Amish?
I live ½ hour away from Smicksburg, PA, a large Old Order Amish settlement. I shop at their stores and we hired Amish men to help remodel our century old farmhouse. It’s been fifteen years of remodeling, (still not done…) so we got to know many men and their families. On their breaks, they love to talk and swap stories, and I always have 1001 questions, ranging from “Do you grow celery for weddings?”(They had no idea what I was talking about) to “Do you read the Bible?” (Yes, they do, KJV) I became good friends with Lydia, (Katie Byler in Knit Together) after buying so many plants from her greenhouses, and “Granny” while taking lots of people to her quilt shop. (Granny wishes to be completely anonymous) She is Granny Weaver in Amish Knitting Circle, Amish Friends Knitting Circle, Amish Doll and Knit Together.
When did your fascination with Amish culture start?
In my mid-20’s my husband and I moved to Upstate New York. There are many Amish in rural New York, and we became friends with a handicapped man, Harry Hershberger, and his wife, Katie. (Eli and Lottie Hershberger in Knit Together) His buggy was hit as a young man, after the birth of their daughter and the Amish build a variety store on the side of his house. My four kids loved to go in and get coloring books, and we all got to know Harry from our regular visits. He had some use of his hands and made quilts, and I took them to festivals. One day he told me I was a trusted English friend, and invited me into their food co-op. When I moved back home to Pennsylvania fourteen years later, the Amish in Smicksburg knew Harry & Katie. Since I was a trusted friend to them, they trusted me. Once you’re a trusted friend, it’s like having an all access pass into their lives it seems. They readily open up, and if you’re one of them. Once I was chatting with a woman and her husband came home from work, and he never met me before. He looked at her sternly, and she said, “Friends with Harry Hershberger in NY” and he smiled at me and nodded in approval.
Tell us about your novels and continuing short stories.
My novels out now are stand-alone stories, but are all called Amish Knitting Novels. Knit Together and The Amish Doll are set in different locations, but they both focus on healing through knitting and faith in Christ. Continuing shorts have made quite a comeback. Anne of Green Gables, Pickwick Papers, and Jan Karon’s At Home in Mitford series were all weekly serials in newspapers. My shorts come out every 3 weeks. Amish Knitting Circle started with Granny inviting five women from her church district to a knitting circle to knit shawls for tornado victims in Joplin, MO. She invites women she has inkling are hiding problems. Granny spins yarn and feels women are stronger spun together, and by the end of 10 episodes, you see how much they needed each other. Amish Friends Knitting Circle is about Granny and her girls having a knitting circle with friends from the Smicksburg Baptist Church. It’s been lots of fun to write, since I take lines right out of my own conversations with the Amish.
What are your readers saying about your books?
Since I deal with cancer, infertility, spousal abuse and other women’s issues, women tell me they are finding help and comfort, especially through Amish Knitting Circle and Amish Friends Knitting Circle. Some women are starting knitting or craft circles, spreading the message that we’re stronger as women, spun together. Also, Knit Together is semi-autobiographical. I wrote if after losing my mom and two cousins in 13 months. So it deals with grief and it seems to be ministering to people. The complete Serenity Prayer is in the book, and different parts of the prayer are prayed by different characters. It helped bring healing to me, and I hope it does the same for my readers.
Where can readers find your books and connect with you?
My eBooks can be found on Amazon, B&N, Sony, and anywhere eBooks are sold. My paperback, Knit Together and The Amish Doll, are on Amazon for now, but soon to be distributed to brick and mortar stores and other websites. Our family store, Thrifty Christian Shopper, www.thriftychristian.com (Also on EBay and Amazon) will carry the paperbacks as well. You also might find them in your local library. Ask the librarian to get a copy if they don’t have one.
I have read some of Suzanne Woods Fisher's books - fiction stories of the Amish - but I was not familiar with her non-fiction titles on the Amish. I was pleasantly surprised - I thoroughly enjoyed Amish Values for Your Family. It is simple, down to earth advice - everyday issues and encounters that we face and then thoughts of how we might handle them differently with an example from the Amish way of life. I was challenged to think about how I handle relationships, family issues, my focus on material things - all different areas of life that are worth thinking over and knowing where you stand. I loved the humor in the book - the gentle voice it is told in isn't harsh, but gives you MUCH to think over. There is no push to "go Amish" but it is about adopting some simple principles and ideas from the Amish that may help change who we are - for the better. It is a fast read, but it is guaranteed to get you thinking!
Here are some words from Suzanne herself:
Five Things I’ve Learned from the Amish that Have Nothing to Do with being Amish and Have Everything to Do with being a Christian:
Being Amish is not a lifestyle. Life among the Amish has to do with faith. Faith can’t be squeezed to an hour or two on Sunday morning; it infuses their entire life like a teabag in hot water. What they do and how they do it is rooted in the spiritual question: What is pleasing to God?
Amish proverb: “Letting go of earthly possessions enables us to take hold of heavenly treasures.”
The Lesson: To pray about my day’s activities and offer them to God, first, for His purposes. And then trusting interruptions (seeing a friend in the grocery store, for example) or de-railings (those days when everything goes wrong!) to be God-managed.
Cherish your family. A family that works together, grows together. Amish families spend a lot of time together and try to keep their work close to home. Children are valued as gifts from God, wanted and enjoyed. They’re included in all of Amish life—from barn raisings to three-hour church services. An Amish bishop once said, "We don't prepare our children for the future, we prepare our children for eternity."
Amish proverb: “Tomorrow’s world will be shaped by what we teach our children today.”
The Lesson: Involving children in chores and activities may not be the most convenient or efficient way to accomplish a task, but the benefits are long lasting. Look for ways to get everybody involved—cook together, sweep out the garage together, set the table together. And have fun while you’re doing it!
Draw a land in the sand. The Amish want to be good stewards of God’s resources—time, money, material goods. They know that convenience comes with a cost. They don’t want to be dependent on outside sources (such as electricity or gas!). Convenience means loss of something valuable. For example, fast food means less nutrition. More stuff means more maintenance. They’re willing to say no.
Amish proverb: “Things that steal our time are usually the easiest to do.”
The Lesson: Technology has its limits. And technology isn’t all good. Evaluate purchases more thoughtfully. Think of where a purchase or an added expense will lead your family. More time together or less? More stress or less? Reframe your view of time and money and goods as G
Many of the 7th grade girls I teach LOVE novels written in verse. They devour anything by Sonya Sones, and then I usually steer them to Karen Hesse and others who seem to capture that same magic but in different ways. Novels in verse, well written, pack a lot of punch with few words, and they usually offer lots of white space on the page, so they're fantastic for reluctant readers. I haven't found too many that appeal to boys, though, which I why I was so happy to read these two standouts in the books nominated for the CYBILS.
G. Neri's CHESS RUMBLE is appealing to reluctant readers, especially boys, on a number of levels. Neri nails the voice of a boy growing up in the inner city in a way that's reminiscent of Walter Dean Myers. Neri's main character, Marcus, is a young man dealing with family troubles and fights at school, until he meets a powerful mentor and learns to fight his battles on a chessboard instead. This novella in verse is full of language that's vivid and accessible, and Jesse Joshua Watson's illustrations in shades of black, brown, and gray help to set the mood. This one has serious kid-appeal -- not just for the kids who already love to read but for those who don't often find books on the library shelves that seem to be written for them. This one is.
Katherine Applegate's HOME OF THE BRAVE is another novel in verse that will appeal to boys as well as girls. It may help that plenty of middle grade readers already know Applegate from the ANIMORPHS series, but this book has a completely different feel to it. HOME OF THE BRAVE is about Kek, a Sudanese immigrant who recently arrived in America after witnessing the death of his father and brother. He left his mother behind and wonders every day if she is alive. The poems that explore Kek's emotional state are poignant and accessible to young readers, and the more traumatic scenes are set alongside lighter stories of Kek adapting to life in America and experiencing new things, from snow to washing machines. This is a kid-friendly story (those who love animals will have an additional connection) that explores a dramatic issue in current events in a manner that is personal, sensitive, and hopeful.
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