The Little Book That Could

Almost two years ago I read a book that a friend loaned me, a book with a cover that fascinated me from the start. Written by R. J. Palacio, the book was called Wonder. The book had a good story, great characters – always important for me to keep reading. And even though I cried through most of the second half – not because it was sad, more because the story just touched me – I ended up really enjoying it.

The amazing thing is, a lot of editors didn't want to publish this book. They thought it would be a downer. Even the publisher who did pick it up, didn't have high hopes for it; they only did a small print run. But word of mouth has turned this little book into a bestseller and two years later, it's still topping the charts. 

If you're a writer, this story should give you hope. Hope that even a single title from an unknown author can catch on with readers and build on the strength of its merits. If you're a reader, I hope you'll continue to search for stories by unknown authors and give them a try. And maybe in the process, you'll find something wonderful.

Find more great posts for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday on Shannon Whitney Messenger's blog.

Entering the H.I.V.E.

I first heard about this book during a session with editors at the SCBWI conference last summer. I knew right away I wanted to read it.


Hogwarts may be for students who display a talent for magic. Kids who have a knack for evil wind up at HIVE, the Higher Institute of Villainous Education. Hidden inside a volcano on a deserted island, students take classes like Villainy Studies and Stealth and Evasion 101, all designed to turn them into supervillains. 

But nobody chooses to attend HIVE. They are kidnapped and brought there, sometimes with their parents' consent, sometimes not. And leaving is not an option. So can a group of students plan an escape and actually make it out?


Full of action, suspense, an epic battle and a giant carnivorous plant, HIVE is a promising start to an adventurous series. Book 6 in the series came out last September so can you guess what we'll be reading all this summer?


Find out more about the books on the HIVE website: http://www.hivehub.co.uk/#/home


Looking for more good middle grade books? Check out these bloggers:
Shannon Whitney Messenger
Shannon O'Donnell
Joanne Fritz
Myrna Foster
Brooke Favero
Anita Laydon Miller
Deb Marshall
Barbara Watson
Michael Gilmartin

Book Review: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

I never thought I would fall in love with a criminal mastermind. Especially one who's only 12.

Artemis Fowl intrigued me from the first page. He speaks like an adult and takes fiendish delight in toying with anyone he doesn't consider his intellectual equal. He has no fear of brawn, either. But not because he's an imposing figure. He doesn't need to be. He has his heavily armed bodyguard, Butler, for that. Not that Butler needs weapons. He could kill a man a hundred different ways without using a weapon.

Do you see why boys like this book?

Artemis Fowl is full of gun fights, explosions, chases and double crosses. And did I mention the fairies? Yeah. But don't look for any sweet creatures with diaphanous wings. These elves, gnomes, trolls and fairies carry weapons. And they aren't afraid to use them.

The amazing underground worlds that Eoin Colfer has created with this series takes traditional lore and turns it on its ear. The best part, though, is the understated, smart a$$ character of Artemis. His ruthless words often contradict the thoughts running through his mind. Much as he wants to be seen as a tough guy, he has a soft spot for his mother. And though neither would admit it, he and Butler would be lost without each other.

The entire cast of characters make this book fun to read. There's Holly, the elf that Artemis goes up against. She's strong, she's a trained LEP Recon officer and she's got an attitude to match. Commander Root is the coolest, fungus cigar chomping fairy you'll ever come across. Foaly the centaur, a tech wizard, loves to match wits against Artemis, even while keeping the fairies shielded from humans and developing cool new gadgets. Mulch Diggums, the kleptomaniac dwarf with an explosive back side, can't seem to stay out jail. With more than one secret hidden in his beard, there's more to this dwarf than just his killer farts.

Put all of these characters together, add a stolen book of gnomish, a lot of gold, a missing father, a fairy-napping, cool futuristic gadgets, and lots of explosions, and you'll see why this has become a popular, long running series. I'm partial to the original covers, but my son thinks the new ones are even better. Whichever version you read, it's what's inside that will keep you turning the pages.

Looking for more Marvelous Middle Grade reviews? Check out these bloggers:
Shannon Whitney Messenger
Shannon O'Donnell
Joanne Fritz
Myrna Foster
Brooke Favero
Anita Laydon Miller
Deb Marshall
Barbara Watson
Michael Gilmartin

And I've got three winners for the ARCs from last week's post:

Congrats to Lenny, Brooke and Jackee!! Email me with your snail mail addresses and I'll get your books out to you!!

Audio Book Review: The Indian in the Cupboard

Confession time: I've never actually read this book. Mainly because the audiobook is SO very good!

A few years ago when we were going on a long road trip, we borrowed this tape from the library. (Yes, it was so long ago that we still had a cassette player in the car!) I'm not always a fan of audio books. Many times a perfectly good story can become annoying with the wrong reader. (The guy who read the Percy Jackson books totally grated on my nerves. If I hadn't already read and loved those books, I doubt I could have listened to a single cd.)

We were pleasantly surprised when we listened to THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD. None of us were familiar with the book. But the British author, Lynne Reid Banks, did a wonderful job of bringing her story to life. Her voicing, especially for the Indian and the cowboy, Boone, matched the personality of the characters so perfectly. In fact, when we watched the movie some time later, the guy playing the Indian seemed like such a wimp compared to the voice and personality the author had given him.

The story blends magic and history with an exploration of family, friendship and growing older. Not only do we watch the Indian and cowboy try to forge a friendship, despite their stereotypes of one another, we also see how the friendship between Omri and Patrick is challenged as they fight over how to take care of the Indian and cowboy they have brought to life. Banks subtly weaves in some very grown up themes of racism, responsibility, love and honor, but she never loses sight of the fun in the story of magically bringing a toy to life.

Because it was so good, we ended up downloading our own copy of the audio book. I've listened to this story now three times with my kids and every time I find new things to enjoy. Even if you've read the printed book before, I would absolutely recommend listening to Lynne Reid Banks read her classic story to you. It'll make your next four-hour drive in the car much more enjoyable :-)

Looking for more Marvelous Middle Grade Books? Check out these bloggers:
Shannon Whitney Messenger
Shannon O'Donnell
Joanne Fritz
Brooke Favero
Barbara Watson
Natalie Aguirre
Anita Laydon Miller
Sheri Larson
Middle Grade Mafioso

A Book Review and a Book Festival

My daughter came home with an ARC that she'd gotten from a friend. She didn't pull her nose out of it until she was finished. And then she insisted that I read it. I'm so glad I did. What an amazing story! From the award-winning author of IDA B, this new novel will please fans and earn her plenty more.

If you want to read my review, you can visit my Goodreads page. But today, I'm going to give you a link to my daughter's blog. She'd love to have you read her review. Maybe she'll even convince you to pick up this book when it comes out on May 15 :)

We spent most of Saturday at the L.A. Times Festival of Books at USC. What a blast! With hundreds of booths, nine stages and 

Andrew Smith, Shannon Messenger, Me, Ally Condie

attendance in the thousands, it was an overwhelming experience for us small town book lovers. But it was also a chance to meet up with internet friends like Catherine Linka from Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse and MMGM founder Shannon Whitney Messenger.  Yeah, that's us between Andrew Smith and Ally Condie and omigosh, Ally Condie knew who I was! How cool is that? Just one more reason to love blogging :)

In addition to getting books signed, listening to fabulous author panels and trying not to get lost as we sought out specific booths, we also scored a bunch of cool free stuff: a Judy Moody movie t-shirt, a Narnia DVD, Ben & Jerry's ice cream (Yes! Free Ben & Jerry's!), bookmarks and pencils galore, airbrush tattoos and these awesome glasses that my son immediately had to wear. There was so much to see, we didn't even get to half of it. At least now that we know what to expect, we'll be better prepared for next year.

My daughter was most excited about getting her book, Aloha, Kanani, signed by Lisa Yee. Yes, lucky Lisa Yee has written two books for the current American Girl doll of the year. And she scored a trip to Hawaii for research. That's my kind of research! Can I have her job? My daughter is especially proud of this doll because she saved up her own money to buy it. (And the lovely person at the American Girl doll store didn't even complain as she dumped the money out of the jar to pay for it!)

The YA panel of (left to right) Gennifer Choldenko,  Robin Benway, Gayle Forman and Allen Zadoff was moderated by author Cecil Castellucci. They talked about finding inspiration for stories, choosing character names and balancing magic and reality in their writing. Halfway through the talk, my son turned to me and said, "Listening to this makes me want to go home and write."

Yeah. My sentiments exactly.

Looking for more Marvelous Middle Grade Books? Check out these bloggers:
Shannon Whitney Messenger
Shannon O'Donnell
Ben Langhinrichs
Joanne Fritz
Brooke Favero
Myrna Foster
Barbara Watson
Natalie Aguirre
Anita Laydon Miller

Book Review: Beyonders by Brandon Mull

It's another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and I'm pleased to offer up a guest review from one of the toughest book critics you'll ever hear from: my 11-year-old son. A huge Brandon Mull fan, he insisted that we pre-order Beyonders as soon as he heard about it. Then he spent the 24 hours after it arrived, reading it from cover to cover.

I haven't had a chance to read this book yet, but based on his review, I think I'll be sneaking into his room after he goes to school to check it out for myself :-)

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Being eaten by a hippo is both a good start for a book and something funny that you would never want to happen to you.

I've read all of Brandon Mull’s books and this is one of his best. It starts off with Jason, a 13-year-old who works at the zoo, getting swallowed by a hippopotamus and traveling to an alternate dimension called Lyrian. He meets another Beyonder (what the Lyrians call people from Earth), a girl his age named Rachel. Together, they set off on a quest to find the word to unmake the evil wizard emperor, Maldor, and find a way home.

Let’s start with the cons. It is a bit TOO coincidental that two Beyonders end up in the same place, on the same day, and find each other at the same palace. And did he need to bring a girl in so that it would appeal to female readers as well? I don't think so. This is a great adventure that would appeal to most girls even if there wasn't a girl main character. Also, the last ten pages are too quick and what happens is extremely unlikely.

Now that I’ve finished with the bad stuff, I’ll tell you the good stuff. The writing was excellent, and the elements he mixed into it felt extremely cinematic. The way Jason is dragged into the quest is realistic, and he acts like an actual person. What I mean by this is that he doesn’t become a leader and take up the quest willingly and give his life for the other world. He just wants to go home. The story has plenty of action to keep readers entertained. Plus, the ending had an interesting twist to it, but I won’t give you any specifics. Some of the things that happen in the story might be too intense for young kids, but this is a really good book for older middle grade readers.

Rating: 7.8/10
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Looking for more Marvelous Middle Grade books? Check out these bloggers:
Shannon Whitney Messenger
Shannon O'Donnell
Ben Langhinrichs
Myrna Foster
Joanne Fritz 
Brooke Favero

Before You Kiss that Frog...

I've never been a big fan of pink. I begged to wear jeans instead of dresses and I never wanted to be a princess.

So you'd think with the pink cover, the tiara and "princess" in the title, it would be enough to scare me away. But the truth is, I love THE FROG PRINCESS by E.D. Baker.

Now, if you've seen the Disney movie that was supposedly based on this book, then I strongly urge you to read the book. About the only similarities you'll find are that the princess kisses a frog who claims to be a prince and turns into a frog herself. The movie is kind of fun in it's own way, but the book, well, does it surprise you that I like the book better?!

The best thing about Princess Emma is that she's not your typical princess. She doesn't like the prince her parents have picked out for her, she's clumsy, she prefers to be outside rather than in a stuffy castle and her mother has pretty much decided that she's hopeless. Sometimes, she doesn't even want to be a princess. I can relate to this girl! But the best thing about Emma is her sense of humor. This book made us laugh out loud when I read it with my daughter. And he'll never admit it, but my son enjoyed hearing it, too :O)

Once she kisses the frog and the spell doesn't work, Emma and Eadrick are off on an adventure to find the witch who cursed him. They're hoping to reverse their froggy fates and get back to their families, but along the way there's plenty of adventure and fun.

Like many middle grade books, this is the first in a series. The eighth and final book came out this past fall. The four I've read in the series have all been funny, lighthearted and great to read with any age. Unlike some series' that tend to get darker as they go along, the characters in Tales of the Frog Princess maintain their playful spirits and the stories are nothing but fun. Even for someone who doesn't care for princesses.

Looking for more Marvelous Middle Grade books? Check out these bloggers:
Shannon O'Donnell
Ben Langhinrichs
Myrna Foster
Joanne Fritz

An Action-Packed Series

"When the doorbell rings at three in the morning, it's never good news."

Isn't that a great first line? It's the opening sentence of STORMBREAKER by Anthony Horowitz, the first book of the Alex Rider series. Awesome as that line is, the book only gets better from there.

Forced into spying for the British government agency M16, Alex Rider takes over the mission that got his late uncle killed. As he uncovers the plot, he learns the truth about his uncle's death as well. Alex is a likable hero, strong yet believable, and the clever way he gets out of situations keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The action never lets up in this book. In fact, I wouldn't recommend that you start it before bed because you'll be up all night reading and then trying to get your hands on the next book in the series. The plot is full of twists and turns, and of course, explosions. Every good spy novel has explosions, right? And If you've ever been fascinated by the cool gadgets that James Bond uses, you'll enjoy the ones Alex gets: zit cream that melts metal, a Game Boy that can find electronic bugs, and more.

Book 9 (yes, nine!) in the series, SCORPIA RISING, just came out this month so of course my 11yo had to buy it. These books skew to the older end of middle grade, but advanced readers as young as eight or nine will enjoy them too and parents won't have to worry about inappropriate content. While there are plenty of heart-pounding action scenes, there's no graphic violence or language.

STORMBREAKER was made into a decent movie starring Alex Pettyfer (currently starring in I AM NUMBER FOUR), but as always, the book (at least for me) is better. If you've got a middle grade reader who likes spies, epic action scenes and nonstop suspense, this is the perfect book to start them off with.

Looking for more Marvelous Middle Grade books? Check out these bloggers:
Shannon Whitney Messenger
Shannon O'Donnell
Ben Langhinrichs
Myrna Foster
Brooke Favero
Joanne Fritz

Author Spotlight on: Kekla Magoon

It's another marvelous Middle Grade Monday and I'm pleased to have an interview with author (and agent mate) Kekla Magoon. 

Kekla made a splash with her debut novel, THE ROCK AND THE RIVER, winning the American Library Association's Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent. The book was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award and was named a 2010 ALA Notable Book for Children and a YALSA 2010 Best Books for Young Adults. What a way to debut! 

Her latest book, a contemporary middle grade novel called CAMO GIRL, came out in January and earned a starred review from Kirkus.  

Find out how you can win a copy of this marvelous middle grade book at the end of the interview.


How amazing was it to get so much attention for your first novel?
Amazing, yes. It was many things at once: wonderful, exciting, flattering, perhaps nerve-wracking at times. (I'm comfortable in my pajamas at the computer, and suddenly I had to find something to WEAR to all these events!) 

When ROCK came out, I hoped it would get noticed for being the first novel with significant content about the Black Panther Party for young people, but it still surprises me that the book was so widely well-received right away. I was really thrilled to be honored with the CSK New Talent Award, because the awards are selected by librarians, who are such fabulous book-oriented people--and very discerning! I can't imagine a bigger honor than ALA folk reading and enjoying my books, because that's how they'll really get into kids' hands. My other favorite award was the Eva Perry Book Club's Mock-Newbery, because I got to meet with a really fun bunch of teens at the ALA convention. 

The most unexpected thing was the NAACP Image Award nomination--before I got nominated it wasn't even on my radar as something to hope for. I got to go to Los Angeles for the televised award show (the literature part wasn't televised, but still) and I saw lots of Hollywood stars! Overall, it's been extremely uplifting and gratifying to know that people have come to care about my book as much as I do, and especially to know that it has helped inspire youth and educators to consider a different perspective on the civil rights movement.

Bummer they didn't televise your part, but still, what an incredible experience! Even though THE ROCK AND THE RIVER is historical, the writing feels so immediate. How hard was it to put yourself in 1968 to write this story?
Kids sometimes ask me if I was alive in the civil rights movement, because the story feels believable. I'm so glad you phrased it differently! But I'm always glad to hear that the writing feels immediate. 

I did work hard to put myself in a different time period, mostly through my imagination. I listened to 60s music on a playlist sometimes when I was writing, or to get into the mood to write. I also feel connected to the underlying issues of the story--race relations and social justice movements--because I deal with these issues in my own life in the present, although the manifestations are different today. 

Whatever's in me that made me want to tell this story is based on things I have experienced or witnessed, so I put a lot of that into the characters. I wasn't alive in the 60s (my memory starts somewhere in the mid-80s) but it really wasn't as long ago as it sometimes seems. There are lots of people in my life who remember those difficult days, and I was able to draw on their knowledge, as well as on research material like books, newspapers and documentary films. Interestingly, much of the intergenerational sharing has taken place after the book's release. Invariably, older people who read the book will come up to me and say, "I enjoyed your book; it reminds me of..." and they proceed to tell me a story about their own memories of the movement.

You did so much research on The Black Panthers and the civil rights movement for this book. Do you plan to put together a non-fiction companion book at some point?
Yes, I would like to do a non-fiction book on The Black Panthers. I'm currently researching and developing a proposal for it, actually. It's an important Black History topic that isn't widely talked about, especially with children and youth, but it's starting to be on the radar after THE ROCK AND THE RIVER as well as Rita Williams-Garcia's Newbery Honor-winning title ONE CRAZY SUMMER.

CAMO GIRL is very different from THE ROCK AND THE RIVER. Are you more attracted to contemporary stories or do you plan to write more historicals?
I like both historical and contemporary. They serve different purposes for me, both as a reader and a writer, in the same way that fantasy serves a different purpose than realistic fiction. I often like to deal with so-called "edgy" topics in contemporary fiction. If that's too generic a term, I could specify by saying I write about topics that challenge me in different ways, things I struggle with or things I see others struggling with in the world. 

In CAMO GIRL, those issues include bullying, childhood psychological issues, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Some would argue that exploring the Black Panthers is an "edgy" topic for historical too, I suppose, but for me historical fiction is more about understanding what it might have been like to live in a certain place and time. I like history, but what I'm attracted to is the story behind different moments, and how people navigated difficult choices within situations that really occurred.

How long does it take you to write and revise a novel?
Each one is different. Generally speaking, it takes me at least a calendar year to take a book from the idea stage to a complete manuscript good enough for submission to my agent or editor, but it doesn't take me a year's worth of actual writing time. In other words, I write pretty quickly, but I work on multiple projects at once. My inspiration/enthusiasm/commitment to each piece waxes and wanes. Sometimes I need time to mull. 

I wrote THE ROCK AND THE RIVER in about a year, then did two meaningful revisions over the course of the next two years. But after that first year, I was never working on it exclusively. I wrote the bulk of CAMO GIRL in about three months, but I knew the story and had been picking at it page by page for about a year beforehand--but during that year I was actively drafting another novel! At the other extreme, a novel I drafted the first five pages of back in 2003, I only just sent my agent the full finished copy in 2010.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Pantser, until I figure out the plot, then I switch over. I rarely write my chapters in chronological order, though, even after I know the general plot. I jump around a lot, drafting scenes that feel right to me, usually knowing as I type that "This will be in the book, I just don't know where yet!"

I've heard so much about the Vermont MFA program. How do you think it benefited you as a writer?
VCFA has affected me--and my career--in truly countless ways. I'm inherently excited about writing and I think I would still be writing even if I hadn't discovered the VCFA program, but I can't imagine that my life as a writer would be unfolding the way it is right now without that place and the people I've met there. 

I'll break it down three ways: 

• One, simple craft. I know that my writing improved dramatically as a result of the intense and focused environment, the wisdom, talent and commitment of the faculty, and the support and guidance of my classmates. 
• Two, intention. Going through the program changed me from a "dabbler" to a "writer." This is a linguistic distinction--I believe if you write at all, you are a writer--but VCFA helped me claim writing as a deep personal value, an aspiration, and ultimately empowered me to pursue it as a career. 
• Three, community. Going to residency as an adult is like going to camp as a kid. Writing is a solitary occupation; it's so easy to get too far into your own head, and the regular non-writer people in your life can rarely relate to the struggles you go through. Other writers can. 

I can't fully articulate the emotion behind that sort of validation, but it's the same reason why librarians get excited at ALA, or teachers at NCTE, or SCBWI members at a conference--the people there GET you!

How long does it take to complete the coursework? Would you do it again?
Indeed, there are times when I wish I could do it again! I absolutely would recommend VCFA to anyone who is serious and committed to his or her writing. The MFA program lasts two years, which comprises four semesters of independent coursework with a faculty mentor and five total residencies--one to start each semester, plus one at the end of the program when you graduate. 

I returned to the campus this January to serve as a Graduate Assistant during the residency. It was great to re-enter the supportive, passionate community for an extended period of time. Frankly, the community's support has never waned for me, no matter where I am--we continue to form an active network with one another online and in person. It's been an extremely dynamic experience for me to be connected to VCFA, both as a student and as an alum!

What do you have coming out next?
This spring I have a non-fiction book out called TODAY THE WORLD IS WATCHING YOU (Lerner), which tells the story of the Little Rock Nine and their struggle for school integration in the late 1950s after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision. It's actually available now, although it's official release date is not until April. 

In 2012, I have a YA novel called 37 THINGS I LOVE coming out with Henry Holt (for those detail-oriented readers who are curious, this is the novel I was drafting while picking at CAMO GIRL for a year!) and a companion novel to THE ROCK AND THE RIVER called FIRE IN THE STREETS with Aladdin/Simon & Schuster.
 
Sounds like you've got a busy schedule ahead! Thanks for stopping by, Kekla!
Thanks, Sherrie!

You can learn more about Kekla on her web page

Or watch a Simon & Schuster interview about her favorite people in history

If you'd like to win a copy of CAMO GIRL, let me know in the comments. I'll be announcing a random winner on Friday so be sure to leave your comment before midnight on Thursday, March 24. Good luck!!

Looking for more Marvelous Middle Grade books? Check out these bloggers:
Shannon Whitney Messenger
Shannon O'Donnell
Ben Langhinrichs
Myrna Foster
Brooke Favero
Joanne Fritz

Building on a Classic

Like most kids, mine enjoy a good pirate story. We've read How I Became a Pirate, Uncle Pirate, The Time Pirates, and of course Peter Pan. So when I showed my kids the cover of Peter and the Starcatchers, they were more than willing to have me read it to them.

Now I happen to love a good retelling of a fairy tale. (Check out this review of three versions of my favorite fairy tale, East of the Sun, West of the Moon). But the writing duo of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson do more than just retell the tale of Peter Pan. They turn it on it's head and create their own mythology. Filled with adventure, magic and, of course, pirates, this story also has a huge dose of humor (always a plus with middle grade). We see how Peter and the Lost Boys first cross paths with Hook (who has a different name since he doesn't have his hook yet) and Smee. We also learn how Tinkerbell and the mermaids of the lagoon come into existence.

This book makes a great read-aloud (perfect for National Read Aloud Day on Wednesday), but it's easy enough for good readers to tackle on their own. Now that there are four books in the series, this is an excellent choice for kids who like to follow a group of characters on numerous adventures.

Looking for more Marvelous Middle Grade book reviews? Check out these bloggers:
Shannon O'Donnell
Ben Langhinrichs
Myrna Foster
Brooke Favero
Joanne Fritz