Author of award-winning, adventurous realistic and historical fiction

middle grade

Monday Misc

Apr 14, 2014 | , , , , , , ,

It’s spring!

New York was gorgeous this weekend, and I got to spend all of it wandering around town with one of my best friends, Jessica, who was visiting from Seattle. We walked, we talked, we ate some very tasty vegan chocolate-chai ice cream. We also watched The Butler, which is a great movie. Of course I was interested in the White House setting, and it was a powerful story of life during the Civil Rights movement.

Last week, my mom’s book club met for a proper tea party and discussion of When Audrey Met Alice. This was especially meaningful for me because many of the members of her club are my former teachers and librarian–my mom taught for many years at the middle school I attended. These wonderful educators helped make me into the reader and writer I am–and I’m so grateful for the nurturing learning environment they created for me and so many other students. Here’s a picture of them at the WAMA discussion:

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Thanks, Mom, Sharon, Laura, Linda, Linda, and Mary! (And Jessica and Jane, who aren’t pictured)

And in other WAMA news, I was thrilled to find out last month that it’s already going back to press! As Alice would say, that’s bully good.

Last night, I scooped Natalie Lloyd’s A Snicker of Magic up off my nightstand. This book, guys. It’s spindiddly.

How was your weekend?

Part II of the WAMA blog tour

Mar 20, 2014 | , , , , , , , ,

The When Audrey Met Alice blog tour is wrapping up. It’s been so great to hop around the Internet with guest posts and interviews! Here’s the second batch of posts, including an ongoing giveaway!

Middle Grade March: Guest Post about one of my middle-grade memories

March MG Madness: Interview, review, and a giveaway (running through 4/6!)

Spirit of Children’s Literature: Interview and Review

Teen Reads: Guest post about my favorite scene to write

Leisure Reads: Character profile for Audrey

The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia: Guest post on historical women I find fascinating, and a giveaway (running through 3/31!)

Diamond & Coal Book Review: Guest post on my interest in First Daughters

Tressa’s Wishful Endings: Guest post on ten things Audrey found out about Alice

Zee Monodee – Author’s Corner: Guest post on First Daughters as celebrities

The Chicago Moms blog: Guest post on more historical women I find fascinating

Literature & Laura: Interview

Caroline Starr Rose’s Classroom Connections

A huge thank-you to the bloggers who have hosted and interviewed me!

WI Whirlwind

Mar 7, 2014 | , , , , , , , , ,

I had the best time in Wisconsin last week, talking to friends and family, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and readers about WHEN AUDREY MET ALICE. Some highlights of my whirlwind trip:

–Meeting the great readers at EAGLE School in Fitchburg. My very first school visit was a success! I really enjoyed talking books with Ellen Bunn, the library/media specialist and a fellow historical-fiction fan. Thanks to Ellen and Mr. Gallo for hosting me, and thanks to the students at EAGLE for being such an enthusiastic and smart audience!

–And speaking with the great readers at Elm Lawn Elementary in Middleton. I spoke to about 200 fourth- and fifth-graders, and I was blown away by their great questions. My favorite part? When I told them a little bit about my book-in-progress, which tells about what might’ve really happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke. It turns out the kids at Elm Lawn are writing fiction right now about . . . the Lost Colony of Roanoke! What a cool coincidence, and it was so memorable to have that connection with young writers. Thanks to Joan Anderson and the fourth- and fifth-grade teachers for hosting me!

–Seeing so many friends and family at the Barnes & Noble in Madison, including my fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Gerlach. Yes, I did tear up when I saw her smiling face–I have so many wonderful memories of Mrs. G’s class, and I credit her with sparking and encouraging my love of historical fiction. I also got to see my high-school art teacher, Mr. McConnell–it was his class that actually inspired the first manuscript I wrote. Books connect people in many ways, but I’m especially grateful that my book event led to some happy reunions.

–Meeting author friends in person for the first time. Wendy McClure, Gayle Rosengren, and I spoke on a historical MG panel at Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee on Sunday. It was fun to share about our books and have a discussion about writing and reading MG. And two of Gayle and my Class of 2K14 classmates came to see us: Amy Zhang and Liz Czukas!

Hopefully I’ll get some pictures of the visit on my Facebook page soon. In the meantime, I’m already making plans for the next one. 🙂

Bookanista Rec: Nightingale’s Nest

Feb 13, 2014 | , , , , ,

It’s time for another Bookanista recommendation: 18079712Nikki Loftin’s Nightingale’s Nest 

Here’s the jacket copy from the publisher:

A powerful novel about friendship and family that calls to mind Bridge to Terabithia

Twelve-year-old John Fischer Jr., or “Little John” as he’s always been known, is spending his summer helping his father with his tree removal business, clearing brush for Mr. King, the wealthy owner of a chain of Texas dollar stores, when he hears a beautiful song that transfixes him. He follows the melody and finds, not a bird, but a young girl sitting in the branches of a tall sycamore tree.

There’s something magical about this girl, Gayle, especially her soaring singing voice, and Little John’s friendship with Gayle quickly becomes the one bright spot in his life, for his home is dominated by sorrow over his sister’s death and his parents’ ever-tightening financial difficulties.
But then Mr. King draws Little John into an impossible choice—forced to choose between his family’s survival and a betrayal of Gayle that puts her future in jeopardy.
Inspired by a Hans Christian Andersen story, Nightingale’s Nest is an unforgettable novel about a boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders and a girl with the gift of healing in her voice.

Isn’t the cover stunning? It might be my favorite of the year. I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this incredible MG last fall, and I’ve been sitting on my recommendation until closer to Nightingale’s Nest pub date (which has been hard, as I wanted to tell the whole world to read it!). But I’ve still thought about this book countless times since I turned the last page–it is a story that takes root in your heart. Powerful and moving, Nightingale’s Nest is a story of grief, love, and forgiveness, told in lyrical prose that remains accessible to MG readers. The magical realism elements were perfectly woven into a starkly realistic setting. One thing I appreciated so much was how sensitively and truthfully Nightingale’s Nest portrayed a family struggling not only emotionally but financially, and how the two can relate. Nikki is such a gifted writer and storyteller: the delicious The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy (also a re-imagining, of Hansel & Gretel) was one of my favorite reads of 2012. It recently released in paperback. Both books are truly unique, and wonderful.

Nightingale’s Nest releases on February 20 from Razorbill/Penguin.

See what my fellow Bookanistas are recommending today:

Bookanista Rec: I HEART BAND

Jan 9, 2014 | , , , , , ,

It’s time for another Bookanista recommendation: Michelle Schusterman’s delightful new MG series, I Heart Band.
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Here’s the Book 1 back cover copy from the publisher:

Band Geeks unite in this fresh new middle-grade series by debut author (and former band director) Michelle Schusterman!

Holly Mead’s first day of seventh grade isn’t going as planned. Her brother ruins her carefully chosen outfit, she’s almost late, and her new band director has some surprisingly strict rules. Worst of all, it seems like her best friend, Julia, has replaced her with Natasha, the pretty, smart, new French horn player! Holly is determined to get first chair, but Natasha is turning out to be some pretty stiff competition—and not just in band. Band might be a competition, but friendship isn’t—and Holly needs to figure it out before she loses Julia for good.

First things first: I ♥ I HEART BAND!

(And now second thing second, which is a disclaimer: I’m about as biased as you can get about this series because not only am I employed by the publisher, but the author is a friend. That said, this post is solely my opinion, and my enthusiasm for these books would be just as strong even if I weren’t professionally/personally involved in their publication.)

imagesI love what this series features: friendship, community, and creativity. Oh, and French horns, which I played in my middle-school band (oh, the memories!) In addition to being hilarious and heartfelt (and containing an ideal amount of pitch-perfect MG crush and friend drama), this series admirably celebrates music education, which is disappearing from far too many schools.

Both Book 1 and Book 2 (Friends, Fugues, and Fortune Cookies) are available today!

See what my fellow Bookanistas are recommending today:

Bookanista Rec: The Desperate Adventures of Zeno & Alya

Dec 5, 2013 | , , , ,

It’s time for another Bookanista recommendation: Jane Kelley’s heartwarming and hopeful MG The Desperate Adventures of Zeno & Alya.

Here’s the summary from Goodreads:

17261182An orphaned African grey parrot who can speak 127 words. A girl so sick, she has forgotten what it means to try. Fate––and a banana nut muffin––bring them together. Will their shared encounter help them journey through storms inside and out? Will they lose their way, or will they find what really matters?

Here is a story that will remind readers how navigating so many of life’s desperate adventures requires friendship and, above all, hope.

I totally fell in love with Zeno, the “booful, briyant bird” at the heart of this story—and I’m slightly in awe of the incredible voice Jane Kelley created for the feathered characters in this story, from parrots to pigeons to hawks. I knew a little about the intelligence of African grey parrots before reading this book; now I’m fascinated by them. (Kelley drew from Dr. Irene Pepperberg’s research on parrots to write the book—read this article on the famously intelligent real bird Alex to learn more about them.)

But The Desperate Adventures of Zeno & Alya isn’t only an animal story; it’s also a book about a young girl struggling to fight a devastating illness. I enjoyed the realistic depiction of Alya’s loving family (particularly her supportive older brother), who all work so hard to take care of her during her cancer treatment. But I loved that it was through Alya’s serendipitous relationship with Zeno that she gained hope and strength.

Without a doubt, this is one of my favorite MG reads of the year: for its richly drawn and relatable characters, skilled writing, and uplifting powerful message.

I’ll never eat another banana nut muffin without smiling and thinking fondly of the most brilliant bird in Brooklyn.

See what my fellow Bookanistas are recommending today:

What’s Up Wednesday 10/16

Oct 16, 2013 | , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

WUWAutumn

What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly meme that helps readers and writers touch base with blog friends. If you’d like to join in, you can find the link widget on Jaime’s and Erin’s blog posts. I love this idea because it gives a structured, easy way for me to keep up with blogging. Also, the buttons are cute. Thanks for the idea, Jaime and Erin!

What I’m Reading 
Last week I read Just One Year in just one day. I loved getting to see the other side of the story; I’ll say nothing else because I don’t want to spoil anything. Then I lucked into an ARC of Nikki Loftin’s Nightingale’s Nest. It’s beautiful and unique and haunting, and I’m savoring every word.

What I’m Writing   
Still doing odds and ends for the business side of writing. When I’m not doing that, I am playing around with a new idea. This is a project I’d maybe like to work on for NaNo in some form. I guess for now I’m treating it more like a writing exercise and less like a WIP, if that makes sense. Sometimes you need space to play with words in order to work with them.

What Inspires Me Right Now   
I had the day off on Monday, so I went up to the Bronx Zoo. A lot of little kids were running around in their adorable Halloween costumes.  Dime-store capes and some face paint are all it takes to let them create adventures for themselves.  It’s always fun to see children being imaginative and playful, and I find the creativity surrounding Halloween really inspiring–that’s probably why it’s one of my favorite holidays. (Also the candy. Mmm, candy. I think I might actually get trick-or-treaters this year, so I have an excuse to stock up.)

What Else I’ve Been Up To
Last Friday I went to Alison Cherry’s launch party for her debut, Red! It was at the lovely BookCourt in Brooklyn, and it was a fabulous time.

And in other news, there’s a Goodreads ARC giveaway for When Audrey Met Alice going on right now. You can sign up here!

So what have you been up to lately?

 

Bookanista Rec: Better Nate Than Ever

Oct 10, 2013 | , , , , , , ,

It’s time for another Bookanista recommendation: Tim Federle’s hilarious and heartfelt Better Nate Than Ever.

Here’s the summary from Goodreads:

13414183Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he’s wanted to star in a Broadway show. (Heck, he’d settle for *seeing* a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he’s stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby’s help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York. There’s an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, and Nate knows this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom.

You know how movie ads used to always feature an announcer saying, “Blah Blah Movie will make you stand up and cheer!” Well, Better Nate Than Ever will make you stand up and cheer. (So since you’ll be standing up and cheering, watch what you’re wearing while you read because it might also make you pee your pants. It’s that funny.) Nate is a protagonist you will root for, cringe with, and want to give a big huge hug. Mostly, you’ll wish you could be there in the scenes with him, to watch him be in the world with such hope and wonder. I love how exuberant the boy on the cover is; I love it even more after reading the book and knowing that Nate encounters some real hardships.

Reading this felt like a bit of bibliotherapy for me. I do a lot of my reading on the subway, and as much as I love New York, sometimes it seems one or more of the following: stressful, crowded, dirty, stinky, rude, exhausting, expensive, noisy. Et cetera. While reading, I felt like I could vicariously fall in love with my new hometown all over again, seeing it through Nate’s eyes. Or at least laugh hysterically at the uber realistic details Tim Federle weaves into the story–and bonus, that makes the people next to you on the crosstown bus scooch away and give you a little more space! Win win.

See what my fellow Bookanistas are recommending today:
 

Around the Web

Sep 2, 2013 | , , , , ,

Happy Labor Day! I’m back from a trip to the Midwest and taking the day *off* before more revising starts tomorrow.

But in the meantime, I have two posts elsewhere online:

A OneFour Kid Lit interview with YA author (and agentmate) Sara Polsky about her debut, THIS IS HOW I FIND HER. It’s out now!

And Mad for Middle Grade’s September group post, on our favorite elements of writing MG. Mine is friendship.

Back to reading SECOND CHANCE SUMMER for me!

Bookanista Rec: Wonder

Aug 29, 2013 | , , , , ,

It’s time for another Bookanista recommendation: R. J. Palacio’s Wonder.

Here’s the summary from Goodreads:

August (Auggie) Pullman
was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a
mainstream school—until now. He’s about to start 5th grade at Beecher
Prep, and if you’ve ever been the new kid then you know how hard that
can be. The thing is Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an
extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s
just like them, despite appearances?

R. J. Palacio has written a
spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute
and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family
interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short
chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.

I have to admit that I put off reading Wonder, even though I’d heard such wonderful things about it. I worried that it might be too painful to read about some of the things that happen to Auggie, especially if I loved his character as much as I suspected I would. I got even more
fearful that this would be a tough read when I started reading and
immediately fell in love with Auggie’s sweet MG voice. I read it in a day.


And reading Wonder was sometimes painful–set the book down, close your eyes, and take a deep breath before continuing to read painful–but that, if anything, only enhanced the reading experience. Wonder‘s central message–choose kindness–is important for readers of all ages to hear. The multiple POV structure really builds on that message by creating so much empathy for all of the characters. This is a book that contains moments of heart-crushing sadness and disappointment, but many more of uplifting love and courage.

See what my fellow Bookanistas are recommending today:
 




Shari Arnold has chills for BY BLOOD, by Tracy E. Banghart
Christine Fonseca has all the feels for DARKEST MERCY, by Melissa Marr
Nikki Katz is gushing about BLYTHEWOOD, by Carol Goodman
Stasia Ward Kehoe has taken a shine to GOLDEN, by Jessi Kirby
Jessica Love has fond memories of ALL OUR YESTERDAYS, by Cristin Terrill
Lenore Appelhans swoons for THESE BROKEN STARS by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

MMGM: Keeping Safe the Stars

Jul 15, 2013 | , , , , ,

One of my favorite reads of 2011 was Sheila O’Connor’s Sparrow Road. A midwest setting, a creepy mansion/artist’s colony, and mysteries–what more could you want? (Not to mention beautiful prose and compelling characters.) So I was very excited to read the author’s next book, Keeping Safe the Stars. Here’s a summary from Goodreads:

Such a gorgeous cover

When crisis hits, a young girl becomes the only one left to take care of her family

Pride,
Nightingale and Baby are the Stars. Orphaned and living with their
grandfather, Old Finn, in rural Minnesota, the children, like their
grandfather, are wary of outsiders. They believe, as Old Finn taught
them, in self-reliance.
But then Old Finn falls seriously ill and
is taken to the hospital all the way in Duluth, leaving the children to
fend for themselves. Pride, as oldest, assumes the lead. Though she
makes mistakes, she keeps them afloat; they even earn money for the bus
trip to Duluth. But when they finally see Old Finn, he can’t walk or
even say his own name, and Pride knows her days of keeping safe the
Stars are drawing to a close. Self-reliance can’t make Old Finn well
again. But maybe, just maybe, a secret from Old Finn’s past might make a
way for them to stay together after all.

In a review somewhere (possibly on Goodreads), Keeping Safe the Stars was compared to the Boxcar Children series. The resilience and love in the Star family did remind me of that beloved series (not just the plot element of kids fending for themselves). This story is set in the Watergate era, and it was so interesting to step back into a relatively recent time when kids were encouraged to be independent in their home/community–I’m not necessarily saying it’s good or bad that middle-graders rarely roam free on country roads today; things are just different.

This book is full of strength and grit and community, and it has a love story, too. I really adored it.
I’m not alone in my feelings for Keeping Safe the Stars; it recently won the Midwest Bookseller’s Choice award for Children’s Literature.

To see what other marvelous middle-grade books readers and writers are blogging about today, check out Shannon Whitney Messenger’s blog for the MMGM links!

MMGM: Every Day After

Jun 10, 2013 | , , , , , , , ,

One of the many fun things about being part of OneFour KidLit is getting to interview debut 2013 authors about their great new books. Tomorrow, my interview with Laura Golden, author of Every Day After, will be up on the OneFour blog. But I couldn’t wait until then to post about this historical MG gem. Here’s a little about the book, from Goodreads:

Trouble has rained down
on Lizzie Hawkins. Her daddy has deserted the family, her mama is
silent with sadness, and the bank is after their house.
Daddy
always said Lizzie was born to succeed, but right now she can’t even
hold on to her top grades or her best friend, Ben. Bratty newcomer Erin
Sawyer has weaseled both away from Lizzie, but Erin won’t be satisfied
until Lizzie is out of her hair for good, packed off straight to the
nearest orphanage.

Still, Lizzie refuses to lose what’s left of
her family. With the bank deadline fast approaching, Erin causing strife
at every turn, and Mama and Ben slipping away from her, Lizzie finds
comfort writing in her journal and looking at Daddy’s face in the
heirloom locket he left her. She’s keeping her head high and holding
onto hope that Daddy returns on her twelfth birthday. Still, she can’t
help wondering: Why did Daddy have to leave? And can I save us if he
doesn’t come home?

Times may be tough in Bittersweet, Alabama,
but the unsinkable Lizzie Hawkins will inspire readers with her
resilience and determination.

Laura kindly lent an ARC to me so I could read Every Day After in advance of our interview–although I plan to buy a copy once it hits shelves, because this is one of those marvelous MG books that will be an instant classic. The character development is rich, the setting is so real that you start to feel like you have GooGoo Clusters stuck in your teeth (a candy that Lizzie longs for in the book), and the themes and message are timeless. It really struck me, while reading, how relevant a story about a young girl staying strong in the face of economic troubles is today. Lizzie’s determination and strength are a model to anyone, of any age, who is struggling.
But this is also a great MG story about community, friendship, and finding yourself, one with plenty of sweet humor. I highly recommend that tomorrow, you pick up a copy of Every Day After.

To see what other marvelous middle-grade books readers and writers are blogging about today, check out Shannon Whitney Messenger’s blog for the MMGM links!

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