MMGM for 4/9/18

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

The #MMGM LINKS for APRIL 9, 2018

(Click the colored links to reach each site)
I have a review of Spamly Warthington: (Almost) Secret Agent. You can scroll down to read (Also linked via the blue chain links).
Author, June McCrary Jacobs has a great historical fiction post this week for a Newbery Honor Book, ‘The War That Saved My Life’.
Suzanne Warr at Tales from the Raven spotlights The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill.
Welcome back to Completely Full Bookshelf and a review of The Magic Mirror by Susan Hill Long.
Ben Langhinrichs at My Comfy Chair joins us this week with a review of Sayantani’s excellent new book, THE SERPENT’S SECRET.
Patricia Tilton at Children’s Books Heal is reviewing Phoebe’s Heron by Winnie Anderson.
Mark Baker at Carstairs Considers gives 5 out of 5 stars to Worlds Apart, the fifth and final Story Thieves book by James Riley.
Rosi Hollinbeck at the Write Stuff is reviewing and giving away The Possibility of Whales by Karen Rivers.
Books 4 Learning has a review on The Girl Who Drank The Moon by Kelly Barnhill.
Dorine White is reviewing Victor Dowd and the World War II Ghost Army.
Karen Yingling always has great MMGM picks. Be sure to read her review today along with the many other choices she posted the past week.
If you would like to join in the MMGM fun and get your own spot on the walkway, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love on a Monday (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count–but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you’re featuring and a link to your blog at gpcolo (at) gmail (dot) com
(Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and please don’t forget to say what book you’re featuring)
You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time) in order to be included in the list of links for the coming Monday.
Thanks for spreading the middle grade love and for being a part of this awesome tradition begun by Shannon Messenger and carried on here at ALWAYS in the MIDDLE! (CLICK HERE FOR PAST MMGM POSTS)
*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.

 

Posted in MMGM Links | Tagged | 2 Comments

SPAMLY WARTHINGTON (ALMOST) SECRET AGENT

Posted on April 8, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

It’s another MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY!

I’ll be honest. I hate prologues. That made the first moments of my time with SPAMLY WARTHINGTON like I’d made a wrong turn. Thirteen pages in I finally reached chapter one and all was forgiven. The tale had me laughing out loud in numerous parts as spy-in-training, Spamly, is assigned his first mission: Find Mr. Jowls, the royal pig, who has been kidnapped from his comfy home inside the royal palace.

The adventure that ensues is fast paced and will keep you flipping the pages. Funny word play is a plus as are the small images that begin each chapter. You’ll cheer for this high tech ten-year-old. Spamly even has his own convertible he drives around town. Most of the plot points are solved by the end, but a SPAMLY WARTHINGTON sequel is not far behind. I’m looking forward to more   bow ties!

PUBLICATION DATE: 2017   PAGE COUNT: 202

FULL PLOT (From Amazon)

Sure, being a spy-in-training is cool, especially when your best friend Mortimer Goldpots is a genius inventor of gadgets and you get to cruise around town in your very own mini-convertible. Still, after all the training and study Spamly’s gone through, he’s itching to get out in the field and prove himself. You know that saying about being careful what you wish for? When the royal pig is swiped from the royal palace, the grown-ups who run the spy-in-training agency assign Spamly the task of retrieving it. Diving headfirst into the case, the pint-size hero soon finds himself in a battle of wits with his soon-to-be arch enemy. One thing’s for certain: it’ll take every last drop of what Spamly’s learned—and some of what he hasn’t—to save the pig’s royal bacon. A Royal Mystery delivers a roller coaster of adventure, excitement, laughs, twists, turns, and intrigue all without having to stand in line or sit in the seat recently vacated by a kid with bladder-control issues. Find your favorite reading spot and settle in—Spamly’s epic journey awaits. Just don’t turn the pages too fast—we’d hate for your fingers to catch on fire. Hey, it happens.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT:

SPAMLY WARTHINGTON (ALMOST) SECRET AGENT

  1. The gadgets and there are plenty of them. From bow ties that can do all sorts of things to a very special watch not yet on the market.
  2. Spamly has a look alike robot who goes to school in his place. It’s a necessary training component, and makes Spamly even more nervous when he has to spend a day at school when Spambot needs a tune-up.
  3. There are so many things to make young readers envious of Spamly’s life: No school for starters, parents unaware of his training, and some nifty moves he’s learned.
  4. We need a lot more silliness in our current world and Spamly provides it.
  5. The vocabulary is challenging at times. Perfect for kids to learn new words, especially in context.

FAVORITE LINES

…Once satisfied with his brushing, he let the toothpaste slowly ooze out of his mouth and down onto his chin like some monster with an uncomfortable drooling problem. He amused himself for another moment by making monster grunts and gurgles before “shaving” the toothpaste off with his toothbrush, wiping his face with the back of his hand, and for no particular reason, striking a disco pose.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Kyle Schaberg and Jack Schaberg are son/father tag-team writing duo with several as-yet-unproduced screenplays to their credit who decided to try their hands at novel writing and are unable to stop…at least until they finish the Spamly saga.

EXTRAS

Check out Spamly’s Instagram! He gets around.

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Make a comment if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them. Click on the comments link below.

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MONA LISA’S GHOST

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

Mona Lisa. The name alone brings images to mind of the iconic painting. This second story in the fantasy/sci-fi Lucy Nightingale Adventure Series capitalizes on the aura surrounding the artistic masterpiece. Book one, The Crystal Navigator,  (2014) also has a focus on art.

I jumped right in and read MONA LISA’S GHOST as my introduction to the series. There were pieces of the first story that I caught on to quickly and had no problem immersing myself in this newest adventure. The plot is perfect for lovers of science, time travel, and art history. Others who take a chance will become a fan after finishing the tale.

Lucy makes a strong female character while Sam, her partner stays behind and gives her encouragement through his superphone invention. It was nice to see the bulk of the plot falling mostly on Lucy. She has to deal with many action packed and tension filled situations as this sample shows:

Sweat stung her eyes and trickled down her back. Her hands grasped the sides of the ladder so tightly that they lost feeling. Something rattled, chunks of concrete crumbled, the screws holding the upper part of the ladder popped out and splashed into the water. Unsecured, the upper part of the ladder pulled out of the wall and snapped back, dangling Lucy over whatever sightless, evil thing swished in the water below.

The twenty-two chapters fly by and would be perfect for a read-aloud in the classroom or at home. There’s mystery and excitement along with imparting some interest in art history. Many extensions for further study of this painting will come about for readers. The science, both real an imagined, is never watered down, but always thought provoking. There are even doses of humor thanks to the many dialog exchanges among the characters.

I’m sure Leonardo would also give this one a thumbs-up.

THE OFFICIAL WORD ON THE PLOT: Lucy Nightingale and her genius friend, Sam Winter have formed SLARP, (Sam and Lucy’s Anomalies Research Project,) to investigate odd happenings in the universe. They find their first case while watching a class video about the newly-scanned Mona Lisa. The experiment to measure the paint layers with a Spectrographic Scanner has had terrible consequences. Lucy and Sam are horrified by what they see. The painting seems to be exploding before their eyes. Purple clouds swirl through the once-sunny landscape, Lisa is crying, and letters float in her right eyeball.  If that weren’t reason enough to investigate, one of their classmates, shy Melissa Blackwood, claims to be the reincarnation of Lisa Gherardini, the real Mona Lisa. She tells Lucy that she has come back to get the portrait her husband paid for, but which Leonardo never delivered to her. Then, the painting vanishes without a trace.

Like twenty-first century versions of 007 and Q in Ian Fleming’s James Bond Series, Lucy and Sam embark on a perilous adventure to find the painting before it self-destructs. Equipped with Sam’s superphone, the Quetzal, Lucy travels through the phantom-infested catacombs under Paris, down unexplored, underground rivers, and back to France in 1517 to meet with Leonardo da Vinci at Clos Luce where he is working for the French king. If the facts of the mystery they solve were ever made public, it would stun the world and change the face of Quantum Physics forever.

WHO IS NANCY KUNHARDT LODGE? I have a PhD in Renaissance Art History and taught at universities in the U.S. and Italy. My aim is to inspire children to read by bringing art and artists to life. I believe the best way to captivate a child’s interest is through humor. Therefore, I try to present art history and science, along with messages of empowerment and self-esteem, with as much wit as possible.

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Coming up next week is another…
If you would like to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book on a Monday (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count–but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you’re featuring and a link to your blog at gpcolo (at) gmail (dot) com
 (Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and please don’t forget to say what book you’re featuring) You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time) in order to be included in the list of links for the coming Monday.
Thank you so much for being a part of this awesome tradition begun by Shannon Messenger and for spreading the middle grade love!
*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.

 

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MIDDLE GRADE IN THE NEWS—4/5/18

Posted on April 5, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

Here are a few news and special feature articles I’ve enjoyed the past week:

1. Kids grow up so fast and soon they are reading on their own. Here’s a Dad who didn’t want to lose that time reading with his daughter so he started a Book Club with his Tween.

2. I previously read and reviewed Richard Peck’s THE BEST MAN, s story about a boy looking for a role model. Other characters include an Uncle and teacher who are gay. When a parent asked that the book be banished from Avid Bookshop’s annual book fair in Athen’s Georgia, I never expected the store to respond in this way. Read about it here.

3. Middle school students arrive an hour early to school each day to discuss books. What’s going on here? Find out how B.O.B. is helping children connect to books and each other through a fun competition.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a review of MONA LISA’S GHOST.

Posted in Middle Grade News | 1 Comment

MMGM for 4/2/18

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

The #MMGM LINKS for APRIL 2, 2018

It’s National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day!

(Click on some P & J to visit their site)
I have a review of MICKEY MALLOY WONDER BOY!. You can scroll down to read (Also linked via the P & J sandwich boy).
Author, June McCrary Jacobs is featuring a S.T.E.A.M. education title by Author/Educator Kathy Ceceri, ‘Make:  Edible Inventions–Cooking Hacks and Yummy Recipes You Can Build, Mix, Bake, and Grow’.
Carl at Boys Read Boys Rule! has a triumphant post on completing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. He also adds his thoughts about the book. (In honor of this grand achievement I’m adding a second post from Carl in the next entry…)
Carl at Boys Read Boys Rule! also presents several Cool Spring Break Reading titles. Just in time for those just starting their breaks.
Author Dorine White has a Book Review and Giveaway of Once Upon A Princess at The Write Path.
Patricia Tilton at Children’s Books Heal reviews Caterpillars Can’t Swim by Liane Shaw.
Reading Nook Reviews has a review of The 11:11 Wish!
Rosi Hollinbeck at the Write Stuff is reviewing and giving away Heartwood Hotel Book 3 Better Together. (You will also see her cool new website!)
Karen Yingling always has great MMGM picks. Be sure to read her review today along with the many other choices she posted the past week.
If you would like to join in the MMGM fun and get your own spot on the walkway, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love on a Monday (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count–but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you’re featuring and a link to your blog at gpcolo (at) gmail (dot) com
(Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and please don’t forget to say what book you’re featuring)
You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time) in order to be included in the list of links for the coming Monday.
Thanks for spreading the middle grade love and for being a part of this awesome tradition begun by Shannon Messenger and carried on here at ALWAYS in the MIDDLE! (CLICK HERE FOR PAST MMGM POSTS)
*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.

 

Posted in MMGM Links | Tagged | 2 Comments

MICKEY MALLOY WONDER BOY!

Posted on April 1, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

WELCOME TO MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY!

When author Laurisa White Reyes asked me to review her newest book, MICKEY MALLOY WONDER BOY!, I jumped at the chance. I knew Laura as the moderator of Middle Grade Mania and also as the former editor in chief of Middle Shelf Magazine. Having just finished reading a string of deadly serious MG novels, my emotions needed a little break. Mickey Malloy was the perfect remedy

Yes, this is a short chapter book intended for up to age 10, but the story will still pull you in with its fun plot. And with  such a fantastic cover, who could resist a read?  There are five more full-page illustrations inside by the talented Matt Easterbrook. Each one puts a smile on your face.

The book would make a great read-aloud in the classroom or at home. It’s also one of those stories that will have kids asking to read it themselves. One other sidelight: I began reading this while waiting for a haircut at my local shop.  Every time I looked up someone was staring at me with a broad smile. I smiled back and turned the page.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2018   PAGE COUNT: 88

THE PLOT (From Amazon): 

Mickey Malloy is just your average kid who loves comic books and superheroes. When a mysterious package arrives with his name on it, he finds a strange contraption inside. Urged on by his friend, Juanita, Mickey pushes the thing’s button and gets ZZZZZZAPPED! Suddenly, he isn’t a normal kid anymore, he’s Mickey Malloy, Wonder Boy! The human magnet! But what seems like an awesome superpower gets Mickey into more trouble than he could possibly imagine.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: MICKEY MALLOY WONDER BOY!

  1. A human magnet can only bring the worst results and they’re all hilariously depicted. Watch out for that box of paper clips.
  2. There’s a hint of a sequel in the final scene and all I can say is bring it on!
  3. Juanita has a subtle charm all her own. It takes Mickey most of his lifetime and this adventure to truly see it.
  4. Mickey narrates the story and is pleasant voice to spend some time with. He’s both funny and perceptive.
  5. The classroom scene. You’ll have to read it yourself. No spoilers here.

FAVORITE LINES:

“Who wants to go to some girl’s party anyway?” I said, though if I had gotten an invitation, I would have gone. Linda Parker is the most popular girl in school. She’s smart. She’s pretty. And she smells good.

AUTHOR QUOTE:

I wrote Mickey Malloy about a decade ago when my oldest son (who is now 20) was a kid. My children have always gotten a kick out of the story, begging me to read it to them again and again. This year, when my youngest son turned ten, I realized that soon he’d be too old to enjoy Mickey’s story. So I decided this would be the year I’d finally get it published. I’m happy to say that Jarett got the first copy for Christmas. (Visit Laura’s Web Site for more)

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Make a comment if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them. Click on the comments link below.

Posted in New Release, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

KIDS AND PLEASURE READING

Posted on March 30, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

Are you frustrated with the lack of pleasure reading your tweens or teens are doing? Parents and teachers have all heard the excuses:

I have too much homework.

I’d rather play sports.

There aren’t any books I like.

I’ll just read what’s on my phone.

Battles ensue and no one wins. Thankfully, help has arrived in a 170 page guide written by Kaye Newton. She made it through the wars and found peace with her three children, age ten, eleven and fourteen.

Kaye covers all the whys of this reading problem and what to do about it in your own home. Part one covers Understanding Reading Motivations and Challenges. Part two is an in-depth look at Carrying Out a Reading Project.

Her suggestions are wide ranging depending on the child. Backed  by research and her own experience, the methods give you an excellent chance of turning kids into self motivated, independent readers. It wraps up with a chapter on how to get your schools to promote a reading culture.

Throughout, she answers questions from other concerned adults. This one has crossed my paths several times: I’ve read that boys’ reading-comprehension skills are dropping faster than girls’. Any advice about encouraging boys to read? Her answer is spot on and includes book choices for video gamers, humor loving kids, and sports fans to name a few.

Other book recommendations cover the ages from ten to sixteen. The key here is a broad selection of  books whether it’s for a sixteen year-old social media loving girl or a ten year old who will read nothing but graphic novels.

A helpful set of book and web resources are listed in the back pages and included one I have used often: Reading Rockets.

Another plus is a handy glossary of reading terms educators and publishers use. Understanding confusing words like Accelerated Reader Software, Lexile level, hi-lo books, and DEAR will put you on an even playing field.

Even if you already have a home of book loving kids, you’ll still find creative ways to increase their pleasure in reading through these inspired words.

View snippets of HOW TO GET YOUR SCREEN-LOVING KIDS TO READ BOOKS FOR PLEASURE @ Barnes and Noble or Amazon.

Happy Reading!

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Coming up next week is another…
If you would like to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book on a Monday (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count–but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you’re featuring and a link to your blog at gpcolo (at) gmail (dot) com
 (Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and please don’t forget to say what book you’re featuring) You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time) in order to be included in the list of links for the coming Monday.
Thanks for spreading the middle grade love and for being a part of this awesome tradition begun by Shannon Messenger and carried on here at ALWAYS in the MIDDLE! (CLICK HERE FOR PAST MMGM POSTS)
*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.

 

Posted in New Release, non fiction, Reading, Resources | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

MIDDLE GRADE in the NEWS 3/29/18

Posted on March 29, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

My weeks are filled with writing, reading, teaching and mentoring. I not only read MG books (36 already this year!), but I also read articles about the craft of writing and editing. Thanks to all the bloggers out there who alert me to great links.

The articles I often have to skim and hold onto for later, are ones focused on the business side of the MG publishing and stories about MG authors. Today marks a new feature at ALWAYS in the MIDDLE where I will share those industry articles with you. Now I won’t have to bookmark them!

  1. Middle Grade books remain a hot commodity as reported here from the Bologna Book Fair by Publisher’s Weekly.
  2. There’s a storm brewing over a recent MG release, P.S. I MISS YOU. This article is a response from the author, Jen Petro-Roy, and her reaction to schools refusing to have the book on their shelves.
  3. Gordon Korman. The name brings a smile to my face. I just finished reading his upcoming release, WHATSHISFACE, and will have a review in May. Check out this interview about his 40 year career!

Enjoy! Tomorrow I’ll have a review of a new non-fiction release: HOW TO GET YOUR SCREEN-LOVING KIDS TO READ BOOKS FOR PLEASURE

Posted in Middle Grade News | 5 Comments

MMGM for 3/26/18

Posted on March 26, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

The #MMGM LINKS for March 26, 2018

(A short line-up with spring breaks and a few out sick. Click on a Springtime bouquet to visit those who made it this week.)
I have a review of PHOEBE’S HERON You can scroll down to read (Also linked via the Springtime bouquet).
Author, June McCrary Jacobs is featuring a mid-century historical novel by author Rosemary Wells entitled, ‘Ivy Takes Care’.
Andrea Mack at That’s Another Story is back with a feature
on Ellie, Engineer by Jackson Pearce.
Dorine White has a review of Embers of Destruction.
Rosie Hollinbeck is reviewing and giving away Natural History Museum Explorer Dinosaurs!
Karen Yingling always has great MMGM picks. Be sure to read her review today along with the many other choices she posted the past week.
If you would like to join in the MMGM fun and get your own spot on the walkway, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love on a Monday (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count–but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you’re featuring and a link to your blog at gpcolo (at) gmail (dot) com
(Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and please don’t forget to say what book you’re featuring)
You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time) in order to be included in the list of links for the coming Monday.
Thanks for spreading the middle grade love and for being a part of this awesome tradition begun by Shannon Messenger and carried on here at ALWAYS in the MIDDLE! (CLICK HERE FOR PAST MMGM POSTS)
*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.
Posted in MMGM Links | Tagged | 1 Comment

PHOEBE’S HERON

Posted on March 25, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

The Great Blue Heron is an elegant and peaceful creature. The same can be said for PHOEBE’S HERON, a new book set in 1900 Denver and the mountains to the west.

Young Phoebe is a girl with many worries. Her mother is sick with tuberculosis and the father has decided to move the family to a cabin in the hills. Phoebe misses her best friend and the city of Denver. Money is no problem as her father had their new cabin home specially built to give his wife a better chance of getting well.

Phoebe meets  a young boy in the wilderness and together they form a friendship. It gives the story a kind of Bridge to Terabithia feel. Jed introduces nature and the openness of the outdoors. He and his dad are not well off. They must hunt for birds and sell the feathers for women’s hats. Phoebe draws the outdoor in her sketchbook and begins to adjust being away from the big city.

Themes of conservation, differences in economic levels, and believing the voice inside you make this a tale to savor. Like Phoebe’s drawings, it’s graceful and a real pleasure to watch the story soar.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2018   PAGE COUNT: 224

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON)

PHOEBE’S HERON, the story of 12-year-old Phoebe Greer, is set in Colorado in 1900. Her first-person narrative begins when Phoebe, her family, and Nurse Daisy, who believes the sun is stronger than any buckshot-colored cloud filled with a needle-hard rain, arrive at their new cliff-top cabin in the foothills of the Rockies. They have moved from Denver in the hope that the fresh air will heal Phoebe’s mother’s tuberculosis.

While Phoebe wants nothing more than for her mother to get well, she misses city life in Denver and her best friend Lisbeth, whose parents own Denver’s finest millinery store, where the two girls have spent hours in front of the looking-glass parading with fancy feathered hats on their heads.

Phoebe loves to draw. Her father gives her a sketchbook, and she soon meets Jed, a local boy. However, young Jed is a plume hunter, a commercial hunter of birds. He desperately wants to find a great blue heron, whose feathers were in great demand for women’s hats.

Gradually, the two youngsters become friends. Jed shows Phoebe the delights of the natural world in the Colorado Rockies, and their friendship deepens.
On her own one day, Phoebe sees a magnificent great blue heron in the creek, which she sketches in her book. But she does not tell Jed about seeing this bird. Then, Phoebe’s mother grows worse, and soon, all will change.

This is a lovely, lyrical story about discovery and friendship, and ultimately the courage to take a stand for something greater than oneself.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: PHOEBE’S HERON

  1. The iconic Brown Palace Hotel is featured in a few chapters, including the afternoon tea they still have to this date.
  2. The history of the Audubon Society is hinted at throughout the book and given more detail in the afterword. It gives you an appreciation for this group and the birds across our skies we often take for granted.
  3. The writing is beautiful to behold with many passages giving you a sense of being in the story with Phoebe.
  4. Books should inspire readers, and this one pulls it off with a subtle push, engaging middle grade readers to learn more.
  5. It’s a quiet story but never slow. The pages fly by.

FAVORITE LINES:

Father knows that Jed is my friend. He will just have to live with that. I will not choose my friends based on where they live, what they do, or how much money they have or do not have. Bigger than all those things is what’s in person’s heart, how they treat other people.

It seems that Father is a bit short-sighted when it comes to Jed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Winnie Anderson holds an MA in Writing from Johns Hopkins University. She has had stories published in various children’s magazines.

She splits her time between Baltimore, Maryland, and Evergreen, Colorado, with plans to move permanently to Colorado in 2018. (For more visit Winnie Anderson’s web site)

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Make a comment if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them. Click on the comments link below.

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments