Monday, December 23, 2013

Wrapping Up 2013


Happy Holidays!
Thank you for visiting and supporting my blog over the past year!

I'm taking a blog break for the next couple of weeks to spend time with family and enjoy the season.(and maybe sneak in some writing). I hope you are doing that too or whatever makes you happy at this time of year.
 
Wishing you a joyful and memorable holiday season! See you back here in 2014.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Favourite YA Reads from 2013

I love reading YA and this year I read so many great books for my 100 book challenge! I thought I'd mention a few of my favourites, though it was hard to choose. Some were recently published, but others go back a few years, because I find out about great books on other blogs as well as while browsing at the library. Here are some of the ones I enjoyed most:




I got so immersed in this world and story!





Such a moving and compelling story!







I'd love this book even if Susan and I weren't both

MiG Writers.  I love books set in other places!










This series is so much fun! My daughter

and I are waiting for the last one.

 












I read three of the Dairy Queen books this year.  I really enjoyed

them since I grew up with two brothers who played football.








This book really made me think.






 



An absorbing book (and series) I started

reading on my summer vacation.


 

At first, I didn't like this. But once I

got reading, I was intrigued by the story.

I was really rooting for the boy in this story,

hoping he'd find a way to cope with his OCD and family problems

...and get the girl he was falling for.



















I'm looking forward to starting a whole new great bunch of books in 2014! What was your favourite YA read this year?

Friday, December 13, 2013

Learning from Picture Books: Oddrey


Oddrey

written and illustrated by Dave Whamond
published by OwlKids Books, 2012

From Amazon:
From Blue Spruce Award–winning author-illustrator Dave Whamond comes the story of Oddrey, a young girl who is a little bit different from everybody else. Every aspect of Oddrey’s world is a study in playful curiosity. Her adventures and flights of fancy, however, are often a source of some teasing at the hands of her classmates. Her technicolor snow sculpture has the rest of the playground gaping in disbelief. Her drawing of blue apples is met with a stern look from her teacher. But Oddrey, never one to let anything get her down, faces all of these discouragements with optimism and offhanded grace.

So when her class production of The Wizard of Oz is cast and Oddrey is given the rather spiritless role of a tree, she decides to make the best of the situation and vows to be the most unique tree ever. Sadly, her teacher has other ideas, and Oddrey dons an uninspired costume and sways in the back row. But when her classmates start forgetting their lines, knocking down props, and suffering from stage fright, Oddrey steps in to save the show — not by stealing it, but by helping her classmates rise to the occasion, much to their relief and delight. Full of witty, energetic, and vivid illustrations sure to resonate with young readers, Oddrey is an endearing story with a timeless message of how the misfits in our midst can be the ones we most often misjudge.

My Thoughts as a Writer:
Oddrey is a great example of how the text leaves room for the illustrations. The illustrations are full of humour and really make the story come alive. The title was unique and caught my attention, reminding me of the importance of a good title.


My Thoughts as a Teacher:
This story has a great message for students that it’s okay to be different and to be yourself. It also reminds readers that it’s okay to take risks sometimes, like Oddrey does in the play.

This book would be useful for introducing a discussion or writing activity about what children think makes them unique. An art idea to go with this book would be to create your own “tree” to show what is unique about you…the way Oddrey creates her very creative tree in the story.


This book is one of the nominees for The Blue Spruce Award in the Canadian Library Association's Forest of Reading 2014.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: The Real Boy

Today’s Pick: The Real Boy by Anne Ursu

drawings by Erin McGuire
HarperCollins, 2013

From Amazon:
The Real Boy, Anne Ursu’s follow-up to her widely acclaimed and beloved middle-grade fantasy Breadcrumbs, is an unforgettable story of magic, faith, and friendship.

On an island on the edge of an immense sea there is a city, a forest, and a boy named Oscar. Oscar is a shop boy for the most powerful magician in the village, and spends his days in a small room in the dark cellar of his master’s shop grinding herbs and dreaming of the wizards who once lived on the island generations ago. Oscar’s world is small, but he likes it that way. The real world is vast, strange, and unpredictable. And Oscar does not quite fit in it.

But now that world is changing. Children in the city are falling ill, and something sinister lurks in the forest. Oscar has long been content to stay in his small room in the cellar, comforted in the knowledge that the magic that flows from the forest will keep his island safe. Now, even magic may not be enough to save it.

My Take:

The setting and magical world of this story drew me in. I loved all the descriptions of the tinctures and salves that Oscar helped to create. I felt that I was experiencing the garden, the shops, or the forests right along with Oscar. The character of Oscar was so clear in my mind that I saw the world through the his eyes and felt his fears right along with him. I also enjoyed a magical problem that was a little different than other books I’ve read about magic. The version I read was an e-book, so I don't think I could fully appreciate the lovely drawings by Erin McGuire.

As I writer, I’d read this novel again to see how the author used language to create vivid imagery. I also really admired how she managed to create a character who sees the world so differently from everyone else without making this the focus of the story.

Opening Line:

“The residents of the gleaming hilltop town of Asteri called their home, simply, the City.”

Quotes:

“The great oak trees grew to the sky like ladders for giants or gods, and spread their twisting branches as far out over the soil as they could.”

“These hours in the library were stolen things, and he had to be as careful as a thief about how he chose to spend them.”

“His head was full of ice and noise, and it was everything he could do to sort through it all.”

 

Other Info:

Anne Ursu lives in Minneapolis, where she lives with her son and three cats.

In a guest post at the Children’s Literature Network, Anne Ursu talks about writing: “fear is good…there’s no point to writing a book you already know how to write, that you aren’t terrified to write.”

At Read, Write, Reflect, Anne writes about her motivation for creating the story, based on her experiences as the parent of a boy with autism: “I had lots of ideas, lots of things I was trying to do, but after a while it came down to this: I just wanted Dash to have a book where a kid like him got to be a hero.”


Other children’s books by this author:
Breadcrumbs

The Cronus Chronicles: The Shadow Thieves, The Siren Song, and The Immortal Fire.

For more info, visit Anne Ursu’s website.
 

You can find more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday books by checking out Shannon Messenger’s blog! Shannon is the founder of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and the author of the middle grade novels, Keeper of the Lost Cities and Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2).

Friday, December 6, 2013

Why Picture Books Are Important

I really enjoyed the blog series Why Picture Books Are Important over at Picture Book MonthEvery day in November, there was a new post from a picture book champion with key reasons why we need to read picture books. For example:

Author April Pulley Sayre:  A picture book can refresh you, teach you, comfort you, and help you set sail into real life with inspiration.”
                                             
Author and illustrator Steve Jenkins: “…picture books nurture the imagination and help a child make sense of the way the world works and the way other people live.”

Author Heidi Stemple: “As children grow and learn to read aloud and then on their own, the love of story they learned from picture books follows them.”
Author/illustrator Rosemary Wells: “[Picture books] create a huge opportunity for parents to share golden talk time with their kids. Nothing on a screen can do this.”

Author Wendy Silvano: "There isn’t a time that can’t be made better by reading a picture book… at any age."

Now that my children are past the "picture book stage" I really miss that time we had cuddling up together to share a good book. Luckily, as a kindergarten teacher, I still get to share great picture books with my students. It's so wonderful to hear the connections they make to the stories and their suggestions for what might happen next or a different ending.
When was the last time you read a picture book? What are some of your favourites?

Monday, December 2, 2013

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday - Sure Signs of Crazy

Today’s Pick: Sure Signs of Crazy by Karen Harrington

Little, Brown & Company, 2013

From the Publisher:
Love can be a trouble word for some people. Crazy is also a trouble word. I should know. You've never met anyone exactly like twelve-year-old Sarah Nelson. While most of her friends obsess over Harry Potter, she spends her time writing letters to Atticus Finch. She collects trouble words in her diary. Her best friend is a plant. And she's never known her mother, who left when Sarah was two. Since then, Sarah and her dad have moved from one small Texas town to another, and not one has felt like home. Everything changes when Sarah launches an investigation into her family's Big Secret. She makes unexpected new friends and has her first real crush, and instead of a "typical boring Sarah Nelson summer," this one might just turn out to be extraordinary.

My Take:
This is a quieter story that makes you think about family and different kinds of family situations. I felt a lot of compassion and sympathy for Sarah as I read about how she deals with her family troubles. The first person narration of the story worked well because she has a compelling voice. There are some references to the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and I wondered if this might turn away some middle school students who haven’t read that one.

As I writer, I’d read this novel again to see how the author added unique details to build Sarah’s character.

Opening Line:

“You’ve never met anyone like me.”

Quotes:

“If you want to know, I have a fake diary and a real diary. The fake diary is the decoy, the one you hide in plain sight.”

“I want to take off my sandals and walk on the newly cut grass, feel the start of summer under my feet, maybe follow the warm tar lines in the middle of the street.”

“At home, there is a messed up girl I see in the bathroom mirror, mascara all smeary and out of place.”

 

Other Info:

Karen Harrington lives in Dallas, TX. She started writing when she was

Sure Signs of Crazy is Karen Harrington’s first middle grade book. It evolved when she began asking herself questions about the daughter in her book for adults, Janeology.

In an interview at the Haunted Orchid blog, Karen Harrington talks about the writing process: “For me, novel writing is the most difficult when you have that gap between what you imagine the story can be and what you have on the page. Revising is all about closing that gap.”

 
For more info, visit Karen Harrington’s website.

 
You can find more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday books by checking out Shannon Messenger’s blog! Shannon is the founder of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and the author of the middle grade novels, Keeper of the Lost Cities and Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2).

Friday, November 29, 2013

Learning from Picture Books: Chopsticks

Chopsticks

written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

illustrated by Scott Magoon

published by Disney Hyperion Books, 2012

ages 4- 8

From Amazon:

Meet Chopsticks! They've been best friends forever. But one day, this inseparable pair comes to a fork in the road. And for the very first time, they have to figure out how to function apart. From New York Times best-selling author Amy Krouse Rosenthal and rising artistic talent Scott Magoon, this witty and inventive tale celebrates both independence and the unbreakable bonds of friendship.

 My Thoughts as a Writer:
Chopsticks is a wonderful example of a fun, playful story with a word count well under 500 words. I’d read this book again to study the structure of the story and how it leads the reader on to the next page. This is another great example of how a simple idea can turn into an entertaining story. The word play was a lot of fun and added another level to the story. I also admired how the illustrations were integral to the story, creating emotion that just wouldn’t be there in the text alone.   

 
My Thoughts as a Teacher:
Young children often don’t understand that it’s okay for a friend to do something else or play with someone else sometimes, and this book would be a good one for beginning that discussion. I would also use this to talk about “chopsticks”, what they are and maybe do a graph on how many kids have used chopsticks. It would be fun to bring in real chopsticks and have students try using them. They could write their own stories or writing journal entries about other things chopsticks could do—either alone or together, or create a chopsticks poster with pictures of chopsticks together and chopsticks apart.


**If you're looking for more good picture books to read or to use in your classroom, check out Susanna Leonard Hill’s wonderful list of resources, Perfect Picture Books as well as her blog feature Perfect Picture Book Fridays.**

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Tidbits from CANSCAIP's Packaging Your Imagination Conference

I recently attended the Packaging Your Imagination Conference put on by CANSCAIP (Canadian Society of Childrens Authors, Illustrators and Performers). I’m so grateful to my Debbie Ridpath Ohi of MiG Writers, who suggested I attend.

Some tidbits:
  • Jennifer Maruno, author of Cherry Blossom Winter and many other historical fiction novels, reminded us that the big idea for a story comes from “what we carry in our hearts.”

  • Author Barbara Greenwood discussed revising or “re-visioning” a novel and said, “Decide what you want the scene to do and leave in only what makes it stronger.”
  • She also said it's important to listen to the sound of your story, by reading it aloud, preferably to a writing group

I also attended an industry panel moderated by Evan Munday, author of The Dead Kid Detective Agency, featuring executive editor Hadley Dyer from Harper Collins Canada, agent Monica Pacheco of Anne McDermid & Associates, Yvette Ghione, editorial director at Kids Can Press, and bookseller Heather Kuipers of Ella Minnow Books in Toronto (YoYoMama has a great review of Ella Minnow Books if you want to know more about it). 

  • They all emphasized how important it is to submit the best work you can to editors or agents. A big mistake people make is submitting too soon.

  • Another tip they had was about social media. If you are engaging in social media, on Twitter, blogging or whatever, make sure you do it well by updating content frequently -- or don’t do it at all. For example, a bad book trailer can be worse than not having one.
  • Heather Kuipers reminded us that the length of a read aloud for younger kids is about 8 - 12 minutes and some picture books are just too long 

The keynote address by Linda Bailey, author of Stanley’s Party and the recent Toads on Toast as well as many other books, reminded me how important it is to take risks in writing and in the process of getting published. You need to be open to change (especially because of the way the industry is changing so quickly) and not be afraid to try something new.
I'd be leaving out something really important if I didn't mention how much I enjoyed the illustrators exhibit that was also part of this conference.
I loved the opportunity to see original artwork from picture books, including work by Barbara Reid, an original illustration from Phoebe Gilman's Something From Nothing, work by Bill Slavin, process illustrations from Debbie Ridpath Ohi's work on I'm Bored and many more. The exhibit is on display at the Humber College L-Space gallery until December 10th, so I'm going to try to take my daughter to see it before it closes. I really wish the gallery had some evening or weekend hours (M-F, 12-5)!
The best part of going to a conference is how I always come home charged up and excited about writing, ready to get back to work. I really enjoyed meeting some new people and hearing about their writing or illustrating experiences. I’ll definitely be going back next year!

Monday, November 25, 2013

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Eldritch Manor

Today’s Pick: Eldritch Manor by Kim Thompson

Dundurn Press, 2012

From the Publisher:
Twelve-year-old Willa Fuller is convinced that the old folks in the shabby boarding house down the street are prisoners of their sinister landlady, Miss Trang. Only when Willa is hired on as housekeeper does she discover the truth, which is far more fascinating.

Eldritch Manor is a retirement home for some very strange beings indeed. All have stories to tell — and petty grievances with one another and the world at large.

Storm clouds are on the horizon, however, and when Miss Trang departs on urgent business, Willa is left to babysit the cantankerous bunch. Can she keep the oldsters in line, stitch up unraveling time, and repel an all-out attack from the forces of darkness ... all while keeping the nosy neighbours out of their business and uncovering a startling secret about her own past?

My Take:
The uniqueness of this story drew me in. I really liked the premise of the house full of older, fantastical creatures and the way elements of magic were woven into the story. I also liked the writing style and the way Willa’s curiosity led her to a job working inside the house.

The characters all had interesting and different personalities and the story moved along at a good pace. I wished that Willa’s relationship with her mother was developed a little more, but maybe that will happen in the sequel. Overall, this charming but scary book was an entertaining read, especially if you like imaginary creatures (and battles with the dark side).

Opening Line:

“As she tumbled over the handlebars of her bike, twelve-year-old Willa Fuller decided that this had to be the absolute worst day of her life so far.”

Quotes:

“You want to know if there is magic out there in the world. Well…that depends on who is doing the looking.”

“As they turned the final corner Willa’s thoughts were interrupted by the sight of the house blanketed in heavy fog and darkness, a cloud of black birds floating overhead.”

 
Other Info:

Kim Thompson lives on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada. She is also a film-maker and television writer.

Eldritch Manor is Kim Thompson’s first published book.

This book is nominated for the Ontario Library Association’s Forest of Reading for 2014 in the Silver Birch (Fiction) category. 

For more info, visit Kim Thompson’s website.


You can find more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday books by checking out Shannon Messenger’s blog! Shannon is the founder of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and the author of the middle grade novels, Keeper of the Lost Cities and Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2).

Monday, November 18, 2013

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Today’s Pick: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

From Amazon:
Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.

Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route. And the stakes are very high.
In this cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and A Night in the Museum, Agatha Award winner Chris Grabenstein uses rib-tickling humor to create the perfect tale for his quirky characters. Old fans and new readers will become enthralled with the crafty twists and turns of this ultimate library experience.

My Take:
I love libraries and playing all kinds of games so I was excited to read this book. I enjoyed all the references to books and television shows, and the mystery and the clues to finding the way out were a lot of fun to try to solve. The library in this book was full of interesting details, like star maps in the ceiling, sofas designed to look like Scrabble trays and holographic statues. This book explained some aspects of how to use a library in a fun way; for example, using the Dewey decimal system to find books and asking librarians for help. It was a fast-paced story with several different characters.

As a writer, I’d look at this novel again to see how the author created the cool setting and dropped in details about it. But mostly, I’d read it again to revisit all the clever references to other books.

Opening Line:

“This is how Kyle Keeley got grounded for a week.”

Quotes:

“This door serves as a reminder to us all: Our thoughts are safe when they are inside a library.”

“Apparently, watching a real live person risk his real live life by doing something really, really, scary was one thing more exciting than reading.”

“Something Sherlock Holmes said to Dr. Watson early in the story really stuck with Kyle: “You see, but you do not observe.”


Other Info:

Chris Grabenstein lives in New York City. He has several pets, including his amazing dog Fred, who starred in the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

There is a game to go with this book called Mr. Lemoncello's Great Library Escape Game which is available for school libraries on his website.

In an interview with Chris Grabenstein at The Boy Reader, he talks about his writing process: “A former improvisational comedian, I tend to make my scenes up as I go.  Like Robert Frost said, no surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”


Other Books by this Author Include:

I, Funny with James Patterson
The Crossroads (Haunted Mystery Series)

The Hanging Hill (Haunted Mystery Series)

The Smoky Corridor (Haunted Mystery Series)

The Black Heart Crypt (Haunted Mystery Series)

 
For more info, visit Chris Grabenstein’swebsite.

 
You can find more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday books by checking out Shannon Messenger’s blog! Shannon is the founder of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and the author of the middle grade novels, Keeper of the Lost Cities and Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2).

Friday, November 15, 2013

Learning from Picture Books: I Dare You Not to Yawn!

I Dare You Not to Yawn!

written by Helene Boudreau
illustrated by Serge Bloch

published by Candlewick, 2013


From the Publisher:

A yawn can land you in your pj’s and under the covers before you can blink and say "Baa baa black sheep." So clamp your mouth shut and look away from your sleepy dog, stay away from your cuddly blanket, and whatever you do, don’t think of baby orangutans stretching their long arms out for a snuggly hug. Otherwise, you might find your mouth opening wide and letting out a great big yawny yaaaaaawn -- hey, you were supposed hold it in! A hilarious read-aloud that is so much fun, kids will beg for it again and again, whatever the consequences.

Just try to resist this comical -- and infectious -- cautionary fable that will have even bedtime-avoiders gladly snuggling up for a nightly challenge.

My Thoughts as a Writer:
This is perfect to read at bedtime. The comic-style illustrations in this story are a lot of fun. I enjoyed how the writer took a simple idea and drew it out into a story full of tips for how not to yawn. The carefully-chosen sounds words add to the enjoyment of the story.    

This book would be a good one for studying pacing and page turns. For more information on Helene Boudreau’s process for writing this book, check out this interview with Debbie Ridpath Ohi -- Picture Book Writing Process: How Hélène Boudreau Wrote I DARE YOU NOT TO YAWN (Candlewick Press).  


My Thoughts as a Teacher:
This book would be a nice one to read to preschoolers or kindergarten students to promote a love of reading. It gives you that wonderful cozy feeling of a shared experience. I can also imagine reading this to my class during an inquiry on the human body...or to spark an inquiry, since it so easily lends itself to questions about why we need to sleep or why we yawn.

This book is one of the nominees for The Blue Spruce Award in the Canadian Library Association's Forest of Reading 2014.


If you're looking for more good picture books to read or to use in your classroom, check out Susanna Leonard Hill’s wonderful list of resources, Perfect Picture Books as well as her blog feature Perfect Picture Book Fridays.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Getting Ready for the Packaging Your Imagination Conference

This weekend I'll be attending the Packaging Your Imagination, a conference for writers, illustrators and performers taking place here in the Toronto area.


This one-day conference is organized by The Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers (CANSCAIP). Although I've been a member of CANSCAIP in the past, I've never been to one of their conferences before. But my awesome critique partner, fellow MiG Writer Debbie Ridpath Ohi, reminded me about it and I've always wanted to go, so this is the year I'm going to start!

This conference also has an online streaming option (how cool is that!) but I'm going to be attending in person. I'm looking forward to learning more about writing and connecting with other local writers and people who are interested in writing and promoting children's literature.

Although meeting new people makes me a little nervous, I like going to writing workshops and conferences because they always inspire me with new ideas or perspectives on my latest writing projects. Since I've recently finished a big novel revision, I'm starting a new project, so this is a perfect time to kick start my imagination.

What will inspire your writing this weekend?

Monday, November 11, 2013

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Making Bombs for Hitler

Today is Remembrance Day. It's a day to think about the past and those who fought, the present and those who continue to fight, and the future and our dreams for peace.

I wanted to feature a book fitting the occasion, so I am reposting my thoughts on Making Bombs for Hitler by Canadian author, Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. I also recommend these compelling middle grade stories related to war and how it affects families:

A Diamond in the Desert by Kathryn Fitzmaurice
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Septys
Cherry Blossom Winter by Jennifer Maruno


Today’s pick:  Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

Scholastic Canada, 2012

Summary from Good Reads:
In this companion book to the award-winning Stolen Child, a young girl is forced into slave labour in a munitions factory in Nazi Germany.

In Stolen Child, Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch introduced readers to Larissa, a victim of Hitler’s largely unknown Lebensborn program. In this companion novel, readers will learn the fate of Lida, her sister, who was also kidnapped by the Germans and forced into slave labour — an Osterbeiter.

In addition to her other tasks, Lida's small hands make her the perfect candidate to handle delicate munitions work, so she is sent to a factory that makes bombs. The gruelling work and conditions leave her severely malnourished and emotionally traumatized, but overriding all of this is her concern and determination to find out what happened to her vulnerable younger sister.

With rumours of the Allies turning the tide in the war, Lida and her friends conspire to sabotage the bombs to help block the Nazis’ war effort. When her work camp is finally liberated, she is able to begin her search to learn the fate of her sister.

In this exceptional novel Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch delivers a powerful story of hope and courage in the face of incredible odds.Lida and her younger sister are caught by the Nazis and separated. Lida is sent to a slave labour camp, where she works from dawn to dusk on only bread and soup. clad in one thin dress and no shoes. Even if she manages to survive the war, how will she find her sister again?

My Take: 
I couldn’t put this book down! Whenever I read about life in a work or concentration camp, I am shocked and saddened that people could ever treat other people in such a cruel and inhumane way. At times, this book made me feel very emotional. I was rooting for the main character, Lida, and her friends to survive. The author did a great job of creating a character that I cared about. I liked the way her research blended seamlessly into the story to create a compelling read. Now I want to read her other book about Lida’s sister, called Stolen Child.

As a writer, I would study this novel to see how every detail was portrayed through the main character's perspective. There is nothing unnecessary to the story here.

Other Info:

Marsha Skrypuch didn’t learn how to read until she was in grade 4, when she taught herself by reading the fat book, Oliver Twist.

Her book, Stolen Child, won the 2011 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for the Americas.

In an interesting interview with Debbie Spring for the Canscaip IBBY Interview Spotlight in September, 2012, Marsha says, “My own learning challenges made me the kind of writer that I am. I write the kinds of books that I would have liked to be able to read when I was a kid – complex and lots of action and not talking down to the reader.”
I recommend reading this fascinating interview for more about how Marsha does her research and her thoughts on the differences between books for adults and books for children. She says: “In children’s fiction, the reader steps into the shoes of the person who is experiencing the mistreatment, and that builds compassion.”

Other books by this author include:
Silver Threads - 1996
The Best Gifts - 1998
The Hunger - 1999
Enough - 2000
Hope's War - 2001
Nobody's Child - 2003
Aram's Choice - 2006
Dear Canada: Prisoners in the Promised Land: The Ukrainian Internment Diary of Anya Soloniuk, Spirit Lake, Quebec, 1914 - 2007
Daughter of War - 2008
Call Me Aram - 2009
Stolen Child - 2010
Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan's Rescue from War - 2011
One Step At A Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way – 2012


You can find more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday books by checking out Shannon Messenger’s blog! Shannon is the founder of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and the author of the middle grade novels, Keeper of the Lost Cities and Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2). 



 

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Podcasts for Writers: Insecurities and Managing the Writing Process

I haven't done a post about podcasts in while, but that doesn't mean I've stopped listening! I've been struggling to get past a difficult place in my writing, which I think is mostly due to interference from my own insecurities. So it was great to hear other writers talking about these and how they manage to carry on with their writing in spite of them.

The Creative Penn - How to Get in the Zone and Stay In It - with Tom Evans

Even though I don't usually think too much about how I get into the "creative zone" when I'm writing (I just cross my fingers that I somehow manage to get there in the hour or two I have before work), I found it useful to think about my work patterns and when I'm most productive. I was interested in the idea that everyone has times of the day and times of the year when they are more creative or more stressed, and the thought of planning around that made a lot of sense.

Author Sarah Dessen - speaking with Sara Zarr on This Creative Life

I love hearing popular authors of YA and MG fiction talk about their work, and this conversation was so interesting! It really does help to hear that well-known published authors struggle with their insecurities too.

If you haven't heard Sara Zarr's podcasts, they are worth checking out. She asks good questions that invite a lot of discussion in a low-key, conversational format.


Writing Excuses 8.42 - The Internal Editor vs. the Internal Heckler

I hadn't thought much about this distinction before. I especially liked their discussion about editing-while-writing because this is something I tend to do a lot of, and at times it can lead me totally rewrite a large section before I move on because I just don't like it and can't continue with the story until it's better.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Nobody's Dog

Today’s Pick: Nobody’s Dog by Ria Voros

From the Publisher:

For thirteen-year-old Jakob, the summer is looking pretty bleak. His only friend has moved away and no one else seems to have any time for him — except the girl who lives downstairs. But she's a little weird. Then again, so is Jakob. A few months ago, he was in a car accident that killed both his parents, and though he can't remember exactly what happened, he can't stop turning it over in his mind. No wonder people leave him alone.  

Then out of nowhere, a stray dog befriends Jakob. Together they begin to roam the city streets by night, discovering an exhilarating secret world where they can both taste a new kind of freedom. But as their nocturnal adventures take Jakob farther and farther away from the safety of home, the truth of that awful night begins to emerge.
Will he be strong enough to face it — and who will be there for him when he does?

My Take:

This was an emotional story filled with realistic characters. I could really connect with Jakob and how the dog helped him through his grief and sadness over losing his parents. I was rooting for Jakob to get through his difficulties and find out who he could care about and rely on. At the same time, I was glad that the book didn’t have a totally wrapped up ending with everything resolved. I had a sense that the characters live on and continue to work on their problems. I think both boys and girls would enjoy this book.

As a writer, I’d look at this novel again to see how the author created a strong first person voice for Jakob. Jakob's adventures with the dog kept the story from feeling too sad, but at the same time worked well to show how Jakob learned to deal with his feelings.

Opening Line:

“The car turns over three times. Hits the curb, goes up on its side like a stunt in a movie.”

Quotes:

“The dog trots back up the pier. I’ve never had so many questions for something that can’t answer me.”

“Suddenly the world seems like such an unfair place where everyone I care about ends up leaving.”

“I reach over and rub his ears and he grins at me. I’m connected to him in a way no one else is.”

 

Other Info:

Ria Voros lives in British Columbia in Canada. She decided she wanted to be a writer when she was little “because there wasn’t much else she liked to do as much as tell stories.”

According to Ria’s website, one of the best things about being a writer for her is: “Being inspired by new ideas for stories and seeing them come to life on the page.”

This book is nominated for the Ontario Library Association’s Forest of Reading for 2014 in the Silver Birch (Fiction) category. 

Other Books by this Author Include:

The Opposite of Geek


For more info, visit Ria Voros’ website.


You can find more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday books by checking out Shannon Messenger’s blog! Shannon is the founder of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and the author of the middle grade novels, Keeper of the Lost Cities and Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2).

 

Friday, November 1, 2013

Learning from Picture Books: Crankenstein!

Crankenstein!

written by Samantha Berger
illustrated by Dan Santat

published by Little Brown and Company, 2013
ages 3 - 7

 
From the Publisher:

BEWARE OF CRANKENSTEIN!
Who is Crankenstein?

HE IS A MONSTER OF GRUMPINESS THAT NO ONE CAN DESTROY! MEHHRRRR!!! HE'S ALIVE!
He may look like any ordinary boy, but when faced with a rainy day, a melting popsicle, or an early bedtime, one little boy transforms into a mumbling, grumbling Crankenstein. When Crankenstein meets his match in a fellow Crankenstein, the results could be catastrophic--or they could be just what he needs to brighten his day!

My Thoughts as a Writer:

The concept of this book is one all kids can connect with! I loved the voice in this story and admired how so much was conveyed in just a few words. The illustrations complement the story so well – I loved the expressions on Crankenstein’s face.

I also liked the way the book was structured, with repetition in sets of 3s, just enough to entertain without being monotonous for an adult during a read aloud. The ending was cute. This is another example of how a good concept is important in creating a picture book.


My Thoughts as a Teacher:

This book would be a nice one to read around Hallowe’en or in comparison with other monster books. I’d use it to start a discussion about feelings and what makes you feel grumpy, and expand the discussion to talk about what to do when you feel grumpy. You could also encourage students to write about their own “Crankenstein” stories or moments.
The edition I borrowed from my public library had funny labeled diagrams of Crankenstein on the front and back covers. These would be a great model for a fun activity where students draw themselves as a Crankenstein and make up their own labels.

For other great picture books to read, check out Perfect Picture Book Friday, using #PPBF on Twitter, or visit Susanna Leonard Hill's blog for a list of bloggers who are blogging about picture books today!

Did you know it's Picture Book Month? Every day in November, a picture book champion explains why he/she thinks picture books are important. 

It's also PiBoIdMo (aka Picture Book Idea Month), where picture book writers try to come up with 30 ideas in 30 days. I'm excited to try the challenge!

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Hallowe'en Fun: The Scary Spell

Just for fun, I've decided to enter author Susanna Leonard Hill's Halloweensie writing contest.

In case you haven't checked out Susanna's blog yet, I recommend it! It's a great place to hang out if you write picture books (or if you write any kind of children's books). She has really useful features like Would You Read It on Wednesdays, where writers can get reactions and critiques of their short pitches and Perfect Picture Book Fridays, where you can learn about great picture books. And she even has yummy treats!

For the Halloweensie Contest, here's challenge:

Write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (title not included in the 100 words), using the words spookyblack cat, and cackle.   Your story can be scary, funny or anything in between, poetry or prose, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words (you can count black cat as one word) and is 100 words (you can go under, but not over!)  Get it?  Halloweensie - because it's not very long and it's for little people :)  [Note: of you choose to use cackle as a verb, any form is acceptable - cackles, cackled, cackling...]

Post your story on your blog between now and Thursday October 31st by 11:59 PM EDT and add your post-specific link to the list on Susanna's blog.

One hundred words is not easy people! But here's what I came up with:


The Scary Spell

 
“Harrison!” cackled Leona. “Time to get scary for the witches’ ball.”

Harrison flicked his pointy ears. Oh no. Leona’s wand broke after the wart-away spell.

She waved it over him. “Abracadarey, big and scary!”

What? Now he was a boring, black cow.

“Mooo!” said Harrison, wishing he still had claws.

Leona waved again. “Abracaglarey, mean and hairy!”

Stamping tiny goat hooves, Harrison growled. “Naaa!”

Leona tried one more time. “Abracadat, spooky black cat!”

Sparks flew. Harrison’s fur crackled. He bared his teeth.

“You’re scarier than me!” Leona said. “You’d better stay home.”

Perfect. He could have a monstrous cat nap.

 




Monday, October 28, 2013

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: The Cats of Tanglewood Forest


Today’s Pick: The Cats of Tanglewood Forest by Charles de Lint

illustrated by Charles Vess

From the Publisher:

In this whimsical, original folktale written and illustrated throughout in vibrant full color by two celebrated masters of modern fantasy, a young girl's journey becomes an enchanting coming-of-age story about magic, friendship, and the courage to shape one's own destiny.

Lillian Kindred spends her days exploring the Tanglewood Forest, a magical, rolling wilderness that she imagines to be full of fairies. The trouble is, Lillian has never seen a wisp of magic in her hills--until the day the cats of the forest save her life by transforming her into a kitten. Now Lillian must set out on a perilous adventure that will lead her through untamed lands of fabled creatures--from Old Mother Possum to the fearsome Bear People--to find a way to make things right.

My Take:

It was interesting to read about Lillian’s adventures and the forest from her two perspectives as a girl and as a cat. I also liked the unexpectedness of where the story was going. It meandered like a walk in the forest, where you never quite know what you’re going to find.

I haven’t read many middle grade novels with full colour illustrations. Charles Vess , who collaborated with Charles de Lint in developing the ideas behind the story, created lovely pen and ink drawings to complement the action and enhance the magical, fairytale feeling.

Opening Line:

“Once there was a forest of hickory and beech, sprucy-pine, birch and oak. It was called the Tanglewood Forest.”

Quotes:

“Lillian was deep into the forest when she felt the first pinprick of fear crawl up her spine.”

“It was hard, hard, hard to go through the rest of the day pretending that nothing had happened and she wasn’t going to run away tonight.”

“Everything is a lesson if you’re willing to learn something from it.”

Other Info:

Charles de Lint lives in Canada, near Ottawa. Along with being an author, he is a painter, poet and musician.

He writes for adults as well as children and teens. His books have won many awards, including the World Fantasy Award, the Canadian SF/Fantasy Aurora Award and the White Pine Award.  

In an interview on The Hub (the literature blog for the Young Adult Library Services Association) he says, “Books and music saved me as a teenager because it was through them that I realized that I wasn’t alone in my obsessive love for words and music”

In response to a question from David Levithan in the same interview, Charles talks about how important reading is to for writers: “...the beauty of writing is that we have the luxury of having the best writers of the past few hundred years to mentor us.”   


Other Children’s Books by this Author Include:

The Dreaming Place
The Blue Girl
Little (Grrl) Lost

The Painted Boy

Under My Skin


For more info, visit Charles de Lint’s website.


You can find more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday books by checking out Shannon Messenger's blog! Shannon is the founder of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and the author of the middle grade novels, Keeper of the Lost Cities and Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2).

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Writers Cultivate Imagination

I have read this edited version of a lecture by Neil Gaiman several times since it was published last Monday. You may have read it too, but it's too important to just read it and forget it. I've printed a hard copy and posted some key quotes right by my writing desk. Here are my favourite quotes:

"If you do not value libraries then you do not value information or culture or wisdom. You are silencing the voices of the past and you are damaging the future."

"It is easy to pretend that nobody can change anything, that we are in a world in which society is huge and the individual is less than nothing; an atom in a wall, a grain of rice in a rice field. But the truth is, individuals change their world over and over, individuals make the future, and they do it by imagining that things can be different."

"We have an obligation to understand and to acknowledge that as writers for children we are doing important work, because if we mess it up and write dull books that turn children away from reading and from books, we've lessened our own future and diminished theirs."

Neil Gaiman, The Guardian, October 15, 2013
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming

Monday, October 21, 2013

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Circle of Cranes

Today’s Pick: Circle of Cranes by Annette LeBox

Published by Dial Books for Young Readers, 2012

From Amazon:

Thirteen-year-old Suyin is a poor orphan who has a strange gift with languages and a mysterious connection to the cranes in her small Chinese village. When a shady human trafficker arrives promising luxury and riches beyond belief in America, the villagers elect Suyin - whom they consider lucky - to go as their benefactress. But instead of luxury, Suyin is forced to work in a sweatshop in New York City's Chinatown. Suyin's future seems hopeless, until her beloved cranes arrive and reveal that she is no ordinary girl - instead, she is the daughter of the Crane Queen. Now her mother's life is in danger, and Suyin must prove herself worthy of her position as the Crane Princess, in order to save her mother and the entire clan of cranes.

For fans of Grace Lin and Laurence Yep, this is a beautiful story of the meaning of family and finding one's true path in life.

My Take:
This story is an interesting combination of fantasy, legend and gritty realism. I got very absorbed by the hardships and difficulties Suyin had to endure when she traveled to Gold Mountain to earn money for her family. The book had the feel of a historical novel and at first I thought it was, but notes in the back explain that it’s based on events that took place in more recent time (1999-2000). That definitely gave me a lot to think about. I love legends and was intrigued by the legend of the cranes.

As a writer, I especially enjoyed the images of nature that were woven throughout the story.
 
Opening Line:

“Teacher Zhang was in the middle of her English lesson when Zhu Suyin heard the high-pitched rattle.”

Quotes:

“The crane took small graceful steps like a miniature ballerina wearing a feather tutu."

“Stitching was the sum of all her inadequacies, a mirror held up to her in a harsh, unyielding light.”

“It would be a lie to say she was content to be rooted to the ground like a turnip. But standing among the crowd, she felt a part of the human sisterhood.”

Other Info:

Annette LeBox lives in British Columbia, where she spends some of her time in a remote cabin.

In an interview at Mangia Maniac Café , she said, “Except for my first book, Miss Rafferty’s Rainbow Socks, a story about friendship, all of my books have been inspired by threats to wildlife, particularly cranes and salmon.”

Other Books by this Author Include:

Salmon Creek (picture book)

The Girl Who Danced With Cranes (picture book)

Wild Bog Tea

Miracle at Willow Creek

Miss Rafferty’s Rainbow Socks (picture book)

For more info, visit Annette LeBox’s website.

 

You can find more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday books by checking out Shannon Messenger's blog! Shannon is the founder of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and the author of the middle grade novel, Keeper of the Lost Cities.