100 THINGS TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

Choosing a career has never been so much fun in this new title from National Geographic Kids. It’s compact size is perfect for summer travel and long hours of dreaming of what you want to do in life. Colorful and fun, here’s the official blurb:

Who says adults can’t have fun? This book explores 100 of the coolest, wackiest, and most amazing jobs and careers out there, from astronaut to zookeeper, ice cream taster to game maker.

Jam-packed with inspiration, hands-on projects, advice from National Geographic explorers, interviews with experts, weird-but-true facts, and more, this new book in the popular 100 Things series is a great way to get kids thinking creatively about career paths and excited about their futures!

This could be the coolest non-fiction book out there. You’ll find  Wild & Wacky careers like a Competitive Eater, a Professional Pusher (as in stuff one more person onto a subway or train in Japan), or a Snake Milker to name a few. Most of the book is reserved for the more serious careers like teaching, illustrator, and even a brain surgeon.

My face scrunched up at #35 Pet Food Taster, #75Snail Patrol, and #34 Perfumer, but hey, someone has to do the dirty work. I was also fascinated with the careers not available when I grew up. Ones like APP Developer, Sign Spinner, and Veterinary Acupuncturist come to mind.

Along the way you can read several Q & A’s with the men and women in a featured career. I enjoyed the interviews with Toy Designer John Warden, Roller Coaster Designer Korey T. Kiepert, Peace Corp Volunteer Leshia Hansen, and Conservation Biologist Krithi Karanth along with many more.

In my next life, I’ve decided I’ll be a Natural History Photographer, a Voice-Over Actor, and a Recipe Tester. If those don’t work out I can always fall back on #99—Novelist.

Thank you National Geographic Kids for making career choice exciting and engaging for kids of all ages.

Don’t miss these other titles in the NGK’s “100” series (Click on any image to learn more):

 

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

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ARMSTRONG & CHARLIE for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on April 24, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

You know you’ve read a great book…

…because you’re sad to have it end,

…because it’s a contemporary story with heart,

…because it was set in the 1970s,

…because the theme of racial tension shows how far we haven’t progressed,

…because Armstrong & Charlie are two enduring characters,

…because it ends with a lot of ‘becauses’.

Armstrong Le Rois and Charlie Ross are just two kids trying to understand the world and themselves. They share the telling of the story in alternating narratives within each chapter. The only other voice we hear is from Mrs. Gaines and her hilarious and heartfelt school INCIDENT REPORTS.

These two sixth graders’ lives are thrown together as desegregation becomes an ever present part of the times in the 1970s. Back then (and in many school districts today) sixth grade was a part of elementary school and junior high was 7th, 8th, and 9th. For Armstrong & Charlie, it’s a year fraught with tension, fights, and understanding. For anyone reading their story, you’ll discover our differences aren’t so different. Laughter, friendship, family, and finding that first girl to kiss are embraced across all racial lines.

This is a book for all generations and one that will have staying power for years to come. Read it and embrace it.

A final caution (only because I’ve crossed this path before): MG books typically are clean of those bad words we tell our young ones not to say. Well, they say them here. This novel is  a good one for fifth grade and up, but Armstrong & Charlie contains mild language some parents may find offensive. Just saying…

PUBLICATION DATE: 2017   PAGE COUNT: 304

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON)  Charlie isn’t looking forward to sixth grade. If he starts sixth grade, chances are he’ll finish it. And when he does, he’ll grow older than the brother he recently lost. Armstrong isn’t looking forward to sixth grade, either. When his parents sign him up for Opportunity Busing to a white school in the Hollywood Hills, all he wants to know is “What time in the morning will my alarm clock have the opportunity to ring?”  When these two land at the same desk, it’s the Rules Boy next to the Rebel, a boy who lost a brother elbow-to-elbow with a boy who longs for one.
From September to June, arms will wrestle, fists will fly, and bottles will spin.  There’ll be Ho Hos spiked with hot sauce, sleepovers, boy talk about girls, and a little guidance from the stars.
Set in Los Angeles in the 1970s, Armstrong and Charlie is the hilarious, heartwarming tale of two boys from opposite worlds. Different, yet the same.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: ARMSTRONG & CHARLIE by Steven B. Frank

  1. Food is an ever present reminder of the times. My favorite: The way Ho-Hos, a chocolate cake with a creamy filling, is weaved into the story.
  2. If your reading is as interrupted as mine gets, it was nice to have natural break within each chapter. The chapters are various lengths but because each is set up with multiple subheadings for Charlie and Armstrong, you can pause at the end of one of these narratives instead of at a chapter’s end.
  3. The family swear jar filled with coins reminded me of my grandfather who charged a quarter if you said a mild bad word. One dollar for a real whopper.
  4. Mr. Kahlil was a secondary character—not a family member or teacher, but a neighbor to Armstrong. Every kid needs a mentor. Mr. Kahlil provided that for Armstrong.
  5. The uncomfortable moments are handled well (and there are many—we’re talking sixth grade boys here). Racial tension, girls, dominance in playground sports, and family issues all drive the story to its satisfying end.

FAVORITE LINES:

Glazed doughnuts. Fire Stix. Razzles. Pixy Stix. Wax bottles. Bazooka gum. Tootsie Pop Drops. Space Food Sticks. Candy necklaces. Licorice strings. SweeTarts and Appleheads. On Mondays and Fridays, at exactly four in the afternoon, the Helms man drives his big yellow truck, a bakery on wheels, into Laurel Canyon. He sells fresh bread, cookies, doughnuts, and candy. And when his whistle sounds, my hand somehow finds its way into my mom’s purse.

AUTHOR QUOTE (Read more at Steven’s WEBSITE:
I loved playing tennis. It gave me a special bond with my dad and, later, a solid bond with other kids my age. But sometimes when you’re pegged as the “athlete in the family,” nobody sees who else you might want to be. In my case, I was curious too about stories and science. But those identities were already taken.

I didn’t grow up to be a professional tennis player. I grew up to be a teacher. And then I grew up some more to be a writer.

It’s good to be grateful for the gifts you receive. But it can take a lifetime to unwrap the ones you already have.

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

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2shannon

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ULTIMATE EXPLORER GUIDE

Posted on April 21, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

Exploration comes naturally to children and for many of us it continues on into adulthood. It’s what we do as humans to learn about the world around us. This new book from National Geographic KIDS is the perfect choice to keep that curiosity going, and who knows, maybe have a career as an explorer.

THE OFFICIAL OVERVIEW: National Geographic has inspired generations of explorers. Now it’s your turn! Learn what it takes to be a real-life explorer in this fun and action-packed guide to discovering the world around us. Unearth ancient mummies and lost treasures, encounter wild animals and learn how to protect their habitats, and shoot for the stars with the latest technologies in space travel. Amazing stories, fantastic photos, and hands-on-activities inspire curious kids to start discovering on land, air, and sea. Profiles feature National Geographic explorers of all kinds: paleontologists, biologists, photographers, artists, writers, activists, conservationists, and more. Kids are inspired to follow their passions into careers and introduced to the first steps to take to achieve their dream.

MY OWN OVERVIEW: Divided into three sections—LAND, SEA, and SKY—there’s much to Explore, Discover, and Create within each. Here’s what to expect:

EXPLORE: Each section begins with colorful pages to let you explore different topics. Several more are featured (11 total) like Explore Ancient Animals, Explore Underwater Life, and Explore The Sky and You. There’s also an activity to let you try out an exploration on your own. As if you needed more motivation, a HELP WANTED feature is included to let readers explore careers. You’ll long to be possibly a wildlife conservationist, an underwater archaeologist, or a chiropterologist (Don’t fret…I didn’t now either—they study bats!). An EXPLORE NOW feature offers simple actions you can take to better understand and explore a featured subject.

DISCOVER: One of my favorite parts was getting to meet real life explorers in a Q & A piece on each. Meet Jim Reed (an extreme weather photographer), Sylvia Earle (Oceanographer), or Lee Berger (Paleoanthropologist). If those aren’t to your liking, you’ll find seven more that maybe will. In ON LOCATION you will see exactly what kinds of explorations have gone on in the world. Great Barrier Reef, Deep Inside the Earth’s Crust, and Animal Migrations to name a few.

CREATE: No explorer sits and reads all day. That’s why different activities are offered throughout for eager young minds to try out on their own. A material list and numbered directions make it easy to create crafts and projects. You’ll be making your own telescope or creating your own rock collection in no time.

The book ends with a nifty career quiz in the back, giving readers insights as to what career best suits them. I discovered I should have taken a career path into wildlife conservation, journalist, or communications. Maybe being a teacher, mentor, and writer isn’t too far off.

I’m sure you will find like I did that ULTIMATE EXPLORER GUIDE is a fantastic source to get you excited about this fantastic world.

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!

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THE ONE GOOD THING ABOUT AMERICA for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on April 17, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

Living in America after fleeing another country is full of challenges. Just ask Anaïs who arrives in the U.S. from Africa with her mother and younger brother. She’s full of questions about the language, food, and strange customs we Americans don’t even think twice about.

This eye opening tale is told through letters Anaïs writes to her beloved grandmother. She worries not only about her Oma, but also about Papa and an older brother who stayed behind amidst the chaos in the Congo. Her grandmother asks that Anaïs find one good thing about America to share in each of her letters. When the story begins in September she can’t come up with much, but as the school year progresses, taking us all the way to June, she finds many things to her liking.

We also get a glimpse of other immigrants—an Iraqi boy and a girl from Somali. Don’t expect a full rounded story that answers every plot point. It just isn’t possible in the 10 months covered as the subject would require many more years for a full understanding.

Honest and heartfelt, the author knows the subject well herself as a teacher of English Language Learners (ELL). This quick read will give readers a little more compassion to the plight of so many. It’s an important story for all of us to see how difficult life is for a family immigrating to another country.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2017   PAGE COUNT: 160

FULL PLOT (From HOLIDAY HOUSE) It’s hard to start at a new school . . . especially if you’re in a new country. Back home, Anaïs was the best English student in her class. Here in Crazy America she feels like she doesn’t know English at all. Nothing makes sense (chicken FINGERS?), and the kids at school have some very strange ideas about Africa. Anais misses her family . . . so she writes lots of letters to Oma, her grandmother. She tells her she misses her and hopes the war is over soon. She tells her about Halloween, snow, mac ‘n’ cheese dinners, and princess sleepovers. She tells her about the weird things Crazy Americans do, and how she just might be turning into a Crazy American herself.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE ONE GOOD THING ABOUT AMERICA by Ruth Freeman

  1. A great choice for teachers with an ELL student in their classroom. It could be read out loud to give insights into the struggles these students face.
  2. The humor comes out as Anaïs seeks to understand. Just the phrase “cutting in line’ can bring a whole day of confusion.
  3. Hurray for ELL teachers who often stay with the same students for several years. In fact, the author notes it takes five to seven years for a child new to America to become fluent in both basic and academic English.
  4. A glossary is provided in the back with the word Anaïs hears, followed by the word she will eventually come to know. For instance: Batroom—Bathroom.
  5. A welcoming and timely story for our times.

FAVORITE LINES: 

Dear Oma,

Here is one little letter before I go to bed. It is about one more crazy thing they do here in America! Every day in school we pray like in my school at home. But we pray to the flag. Over the loud box comes voices of students and we say with them words about the God that is invisible. This is one word I know now. Invisible. Miss say it mean something we don’t see. Sometimes I think I will like to be invisible very much. They do not say Amen. They say Please Be Seated Thank You And Have a Nice Day. Many people in America say Have A Nice Day all the time. Maybe it is the crazy America way for Amen. I do not know.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR : Ruth Freeman grew up in rural Pennsylvania but now lives in Maine where she teaches students who are English language learners, including many newly arrived immigrants. She is the author of several acclaimed nonfiction picture books. One Good Thing About America is her first novel.

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

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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FAMILY GAME NIGHT… for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

This is the final day of posting a review based on a middle grade kid’s recommendation. I’ll give the targeted MG audience another round of suggesting books at a later date, but right now my books to read and review pile is 12 deep.

Here’s the road road I traveled: First up was my review of eleven-year-old Carter’s choice: EDDIE RED UNDERCOVER—DOOM AT GRANT’S TOMB. Next I dived into twelve-year-old Maya’s selection FIVE DAYS OF FAMOUS. Today is all about Kaylee, a talkative twelve-year-old who at first was reluctant to read FAMILY GAME NIGHT AND OTHER CATASTROPHES. Her first words:

“I didn’t like the cover or the title, but the library lady said I might like it and I did.”

Kaylee found out library ladies are very book smart, and I’d have to agree with this choice.

Hoarding is an illness, especially when its gotten to the point of no return in Annabelle’s house. Her Mom has piles of everything imaginable in every room in the house, except for Annabelle’s bedroom. She’s on a daily watch to make sure only her stuff is in there.

It’s hard enough dealing with the emerging teen years, but keeping your life at home away from inquiring friends only adds to the tension. Annabelle is embarrassed by the mess, but doesn’t know how to get unburied with little help from her older brother or dad. They’re way of dealing with the onslaught of junk is through various means of escape.

Heartfelt and honest, this story’s first person narration will have you begging for a resolution to the piles of junk. I learned a lot about the depths hoarding can reach. This book should provide a therapeutic outlet for those dealing with this in their families along with an understanding of this illness for all readers.

Amazingly, there are splashes of humor thrown in along with a realistic view of friendships in today’s world. Thanks Kaylee for suggesting a book I might have passed over otherwise.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2017   PAGE COUNT: 256

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON)  Annabelle has a five mile rule: She must keep her friends from coming within five miles of her home. That’s because Annabelle’s mom is a hoarder. Their house is full of stuff: canned goods, broken toys, old newspapers… It’s everywhere except for Annabelle’s spotless room.

Annabelle can’t let anyone find out what her house is like. They’ll realize that her mom is crazy. They’ll make fun of her. Or feel sorry for her. Or try to help.

But when the newspaper piles come crashing down on her sister’s head one morning, it kicks off an epic fight between her parents that ends up with her dad taking off — and her fix-it-all grandmother stepping in.

As Annabelle realizes how bad things have gotten for her little sister, while trying to navigate her first crush, not to mention stay sane herself, she’s forced to come to terms with the fact that maybe she can’t keep all her secrets to herself. Maybe she can’t just throw her mom’s things out… maybe she has to let some people in.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: FAMILY GAME NIGHT AND OTHER CATASTROPHIES by Mary E. Lambert

  1. The importance of family is expertly laid out. Yes, family life can be a mess, but here with three generations exposed, you’ll learn that even the most horrific problem can be cleaned up with cooperation and self discovery.
  2. This could have been another depressing MG entry. Instead, it is filled with love and hope.
  3. Annabelle’s voice is spot on for this age group. She’s in turmoil and you’re along for every part of her uncomfortable ride.
  4. The cover didn’t bother me as much as it did for Kaylee. The title though is a little misleading making you think this is a fun romp with a dysfunctional family.
  5. Annabelle’s friendship with Drew, a boy who lives nearby, is an accurate look at first crushes. Fun, exciting, and painful all rolled up into several scenes.

FAVORITE LINES: 

Complaining about parents is sort of like an Olympic Sport. But I don’t compete. The kids with real problems never do. I hear the same things at school all the time. “My mom’s such a jerk. She made me go to bed before the movie was over” or “I hate my dad. He wouldn’t let me go out because it was a school night.” But you almost never hear the other stuff. “Mom was drunk again.” Or. “Dad didn’t have the money for bail.” Or “My mom saves all her fingernail clippings in old food jars.”

Even Dad thinks that one is weird.

ABOUT Mary E. Lambert

These are a few of my favorite things: 1. Daisies 2. Calvin and Hobbes 3. Libraries 4. The color green 5. Warm chocolate chip cookies And stories. I also happen to like stories. Here’s mine… (Read more about Mary’s road to this exciting debut at her Author Website)

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

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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FIVE DAYS OF FAMOUS

Posted on April 7, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

Day two of my KIDS RECOMMEND books.

The MG books I choose to review come from authors, publishers, contests, and libraries. I only post ones I can recommend. Of course the MG books I enjoy might not be the favorites of the intended audience—those 8 to 13 years of age. I asked three middle grade kids what book they were reading or had recently read. If the book was new to me I told them I’d read the same book and post a review. I was hoping for maybe one match with the titles these kids gave me with the hundreds I’ve reviewed.

Wishful thinking.

All three young readers had suggestions of books I had never read. Last Monday I reviewed eleven-year-old Carter’s choice of EDDIE RED UNDERCOVER—DOOM AT GRANT’S TOMB. Today I’ll review 12-year-old Maya’s selection, FIVE DAYS OF FAMOUS.

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This book is a contemporary fantasy about becoming famous and living to regret it. Nerdy Nick Dashaway is about to turn 13 and is obsessed with his image. He’s not popular and wants to be in the worst way. His wish comes true and he’s thrown into a parallel world where all the same family, friends, and enemies are there but now he’s the richest and most famous kid in the world.

Although Nick turns 13 during the story, his drive to kiss a girl he worships and overall worries about his perceived geekiness puts it more toward a YA slant. I never connected with Nick’s character and it might have worked better if he was turning 15. The early use of footnotes was also driving me a bit nuts, but I’m not a fan of footnotes in fiction.

The Christmas time setting was fun as was the anticipated turn around in Nick’s thinking. Being popular is a desire of many MG kids so the book will hit home with them. It was also a look at how fame may not be such a great thing after all.

THE PLOT (From AMAZON)

Seventh-grade girls like guys who are cool. And Nick Dashaway . . . is not cool.
When Nick makes a wish after the epic disaster that was the Greentree Middle School Talent Show, he doesn’t actually think it’s going to come true. But it does. Soon he has a whole new life–he’s rich, he’s popular, and girls laugh at all his jokes. He’s famous. But when he begins to miss parts of his old life, is it too late to get it back?

FIVE REASONS WHY A KID WOULD LIKE  FIVE DAYS OF FAMOUS by Alyson Noel

  1. The Christmas holiday names used for the towns (Greentree and Tinsel Hills) along with character names (Ezer, Plum, and Turtledove) gives the story a fun slant for young readers.
  2. They’ll learn to celebrate being who they want to be by accepting the gifts they already have. A good lesson for anyone.
  3. It’s an eye opening reminder about how things aren’t always greener on the other side of the fence.
  4. Plum’s a female character who is a smart girl who supports Nick in both worlds—a girl not willing to go mainstream.
  5. Shows how money can controls people’s emotions, friendships, and personality.

FAVORITE LINES

I put the hat on under the hood, pulling it so low and the scarf so high that my eyes are the only thing left uncovered. Any other day I’d seriously choose death by hypothermia over wearing one of my mom’s Christmas creations. But since I’ve pretty much reached the place known as Rock Bottom, I figure I have nothing to lose. If I’m doomed to be a Brainiac Nerd for the rest of my life, I might as well be a warm and toasty one.

AUTHOR QUOTE

It’s been a long held dream of mine to see one of my books adapted for the big or small screen, and while I’ve had 16 books optioned by Hollywood (11 of those are still currently under option and in various stages of pre-production) it hasn’t quite happened yet.

FIVE DAYS OF FAMOUS has not yet been optioned, but with this new review/letter you never know, right? At the very least, an author can dream! (Read more about the letter at Alyson’s blog)

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EDDIE RED UNDERCOVER—DOOM AT GRANT’S TOMB

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

This week for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday kicks off a special three book set of reviews. Read on to learn why…

The MG books I review come from authors, publishers, contests, and libraries. I only post reviews of books I can recommend. Of course the MG books I enjoy might not be the favorites of the intended audience—those 8 to 13 years of age. It was time to let them make the choice.

I asked three middle grade kids what book they were reading or had recently read. If the book was new to me I would then read the same book and post a review. I was hoping for maybe one match with the titles these kids gave me. I mean—come on—I’ve reviewed hundreds of books and read hundred more. One common book was almost a given.

Wishful thinking.

All three young readers had suggestions of books I had never read. Today’s book was recommended by eleven-year-old Carter—EDDIE RED UNDERCOVER-DOOM AT GRANT’S TOMB.

At least I wasn’t totally in the dark with this selection. I’d heard of the Eddie Red series when it began a few years ago with #1 MYSTERY ON MUSEUM MILE. The next year came #2 MYSTERY IN MAYAN MEXICO. And this brings us to #3 DOOM AT GRANT’S TOMB. Carter assured me I’d have no problem with what was going on in this third installment, despite it being the first for me. He was right.

Fast paced with enduring characters, especially the main one—Eddie Red (A code name for when he’s working with the police department). Eddie is an African-American 7th grader with a photographic memory. He can draw anything he sees down to the most minute detail. It’s because of this that he is contracted to work for the police on big cases. He does  his work in a surveillance van, far from the bad guys. Supposedly. Eddie has a tendency to sneak off to find his own answers. Joined by his best friend Jonah, the two create many exciting scenes.

I’ll be going back to read the first two novels. Eddie hooked me right in and thank you Carter for a great recommendation.

PUBLISHED: 2016 PAGE COUNT: 208

THE PLOT (From AMAZON)

Eddie Red, the NYPD’s youngest crime-solving hero, smells trouble. Could he be the target of the elusive art thief Lars Heinrich, whose last robbery he ruined? If so, why won’t the police let Eddie help on the case? What are they hiding from him?

In the thrilling third installment of the Eddie Red Undercover series, Eddie will need some luck of the Irish as he races against the clock (and bombs and runaway subway cars) to stop what could be one of the greatest heists in history.

FIVE REASONS WHY A KID WOULD LIKE  EDDIE RED UNDERCOVER—DOOM AT GRANT’S TOMB by Marcia Wells

  1. The whole idea you’d be working undercover for the police would top the cool charts.
  2. It’s faced pace, tension filled, and loads of fun.
  3. Full page pictures are scattered throughout depicting Eddie’s drawings. They are done by a very talented, Marcos Calo. See some of his work here.
  4. Mystery and puzzles are the focus and in the back of the book is a special chapter on How to Become A Cryptographer.
  5. Eddie’s first person narrative is spot on for a seventh grader. He’ll quickly seem like an old friend.

FAVORITE LINES

The door opens. A familiar heavy-set figure with bushy eyebrows and sagging jowls is standing in the doorway. His dark eyes sweep the room until they settle on me. His nose wrinkles as if he smells bad cheese.

And my seventh grade year is officially ruined.

AUTHOR BIO
(From Marcia’s Author Website)

Marcia Wells has a Master’s degree in Spanish literature and has taught writing, Spanish, and math to middle and high school students for the past fifteen years.

When she’s not visiting relatives in New York City and planning new adventures for Eddie Red, she’s at home with her kids, husband, and other farm animals in Vermont.

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I’ll have the next two reviews for my Kid Recommends posts next Friday and Monday. Stop by again to see if you are reading what actual MG kids are reading.

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

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

 

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A WRITER’S JOURNEY REWIND

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

I don’t have many opportunities to update the world on what is happening with my own writing. I’m so busy writing reviews and hosting blog tours, any progress I’ve made to get published is left as a mystery. That’s why I’m devoting today to My Writing Journey Rewind…

Last summer I made several resolutions to move this journey forward. It was a three-prong attack—Pitch, New Opinions, and Contests. There has been some encouraging progress in all three areas.

PITCH

I had never pitched at a conference. It’s basically an 8-minute opportunity to make a literary agent so excited about your work that she or he will request a closer look. Sounds like an infomercial to me. I plunged ahead and pitched one of my stories—THE BIRTHDAY JINX—at a local conference. It’s about a boy with a bad luck birthday. I did my song and dance for the agent. She smiled and asked for 50 pages.

Success.

Sort of.

About a month later the agent responded saying she loved the characters but thought the plot needed some work—“resubmit if you do any more revisions.” This led me right into my next resolution…

NEW OPINIONS

I have a great critique group although it’s down to just three of us. They have given me feedback and suggestions with all my stories, but they were out of revision ideas for THE BIRTHDAY JINX. I needed fresh eyes. The day after receiving that email from the pitch agent, I received another email from our local SCBWI chapter saying that THE BIRTHDAY JINX was accepted into their author mentorship program. The purpose of the mentorship was to get advice from an established author. I signed up and was matched with the extraordinary Anna-Maria Crum.

I sent her the complete story and she liked the characters. The plot—not so much. Anna-Maria knocked over the tower of blocks (i.e. my plot) and gave me suggestions how to rebuild. We’re into our third set of revisions, and it’s turning into a story with a lot of heart. Even more important—the plot shines. In the middle of this revision I moved into part three of my plan.

CONTESTS

These are a great way to possibly receive feedback on your writing and maybe get into what is known as the agent round. I’d had some success in the past reaching the semi-final round only to not be picked for the agent piece. I decided to try again with the Sun vs. Snow contest. They accept 200 entries from MG to Adult and then pick 32 for a panel of agents to look over. A 16% long shot at best.

I researched the agents and found several who were looking for a MG contemporary story. I chose another one of my stories—THE MOJAVE FAILURES—since it was a favorite of my critique group. It’s about four kids who have failed in school for very different reasons. They are given a chance to turn their lives around by a billionaire investor with a past similar to the four. All they have to do is beat an impossible game.

A week later Sun vs Snow released the names of the winning 32. There was my story and the next week four agents requested pages. Take a look at my query letter and first 250 as it was posted on Michelle Hauck’s blog.

My journey continues… more to come soon I hope.

 

 

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STORY THIEVES—SECRET ORIGINS for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

The third installment of the Story Thieves series had me puzzled at its conclusion. If this secret-origins-9781481461252_hrwas a trilogy, why weren’t all the plot points neatly wrapped up on the final pages? I must have missed the memo because this is destined to be a five book series. Thank goodness.

If you are new to Story Thieves, don’t begin here. You’ll be totally confused—well, enough that you won’t enjoy it as much. Start from the beginning with STORY THIEVES, a grand adventure. Next move into STORY THIEVES—THE STOLEN CHAPTERS, a wildly imaginative mystery. Only then should you delve into STOLEN CHAPTER—SECRET ORIGINS, set in the comic book world.

Yes, the mystery and adventure threads continue here with Owen and Bethany in search of her father. You’ll find the same level of humor and snappy dialog. There are even a few comic book panels thrown in. Great for avid readers or as a read-aloud, its just hard to resist the creativity that went into the building of this tale.

PUBLICATION DATE:2017   PAGE COUNT: 384

FULL PLOT (From Amazon):  Owen and Bethany have sworn off jumping into books for good. But they didn’t make any promises about not jumping through strange portals that lead to a comic book world.

Jupiter City was once filled with brightly costumed superheroes and villains, but nowadays, there’s nothing left but the Dark. Even the villains are terrified of the Dark’s shadows, and most of the heroes have either disappeared or been lost to mind control. The one hero who might have stopped all of this, Doc Twilight, has been imprisoned by the Dark.

But who is Doc Twilight really? And how can Bethany and Owen defeat the Dark without superpowers of their own? They’ll definitely need the help of some old friends and new allies to bring the light back to Jupiter City, and find out the truth behind the Dark.

It all comes back to Bethany’s own secret origins. What really happened when her fictional father disappeared years ago? Who is Nobody, and why is he writing these Story Thieves books? And what kind of supervillain name is The Rotten Banana?

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT>> STORY THIEVES—SECRET ORIGINS by James Riley

  1. You’ll either groan at The Rotten Banana character or enjoy his side splitting one-liners. He has a bruised past, making him either a super hero or a less appealing villain. The puns are his only slip-up so be warned.
  2. The twist in this series has always been the division between the fiction and non-fiction worlds. It’s a marvelous play on your thoughts as a reader or writer.
  3. No worries if you aren’t a comic book fan. There’s enough going on in the heads of the main characters to keep you reading.
  4. The Dark makes for a fantastic antagonist. He’s protected by shadows to add to his mysterious creepiness.
  5. Strong main and secondary characters. Their personalities shine through with every  dialog exchange. The cover is also one of my favorites.

FAVORITE LINES: “Pretty much,” Owen told her, shrugging. “It’s how superheroes get their powers, and if we want to beat the Dark, we’re going to have to play by the same rules he does.”

Bethany just shook her head, her mouth hanging open. “This might be your worst idea since you saved the Magister.”

Owen nodded. “Probably. But I’m right about this, and you know it.”

QUOTE FROM AUTHOR: The fourth book will be in the Choose Your Own Adventure style, with readers getting to choose what Owen should do next, while he fights against those choices. As far as the fifth book, I don’t plan for that one to be in a particular different genre. Number five will mostly just wrap up the series. From a Reading Rainbow Interview

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Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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TRAIN I RIDE for Marvelous Middle Grade EXTRA

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

Here is another heartbreaking, but eventually hopeful tale of a young girl. This time we trainiridehave Rydr, who turns 13 part way through her ride from Palm Springs to Chicago on an Amtrak train. Her life has been full of disappointment and sadness. The train ride is exactly what she needs to bring new purpose and direction to a world she doesn’t understand

The bad parts of Rydr’s past are woven into the present. There are even many humorous moments as she gets to know a scout troop and Neal, the snack bar attendant. I’d reserve this one for sixth grade and up with the many deep issues portrayed. Girls who are experiencing loss of family and home would best benefit from the beautiful writing put forth here.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2017   PAGE COUNT: 192

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON)  Rydr is on a train heading east, leaving California, where her gramma can’t take care of her anymore, and traveling to Chicago, to live with an unknown relative. She brings with her a backpack, memories both happy and sad, and a box, containing something very important.

As Rydr meets her fellow passengers and learns their stories, her own story begins to emerge. It’s one of sadness and heartache, and one Rydr would sometimes like to forget. But as much as Rydr may want to run away from her past, on the train she finds that hope and forgiveness are all around her, and most importantly, within her, if she’s willing to look for it.
FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: TRAIN I RIDE by Paul Mosier

  1. A perfect setting on this train. It has all the elements of an Amtrak ride: interesting stories from passengers, the food, and yes, the delays. It reminded me of a few trips I’ve taken on the tracks.
  2. Dorothea serves as Rydr’s guardian while on the train. You might be able to pick her out on the cover. All I can say is give this woman a raise. She goes out of her way to help young Rydr.
  3. Girls these days seem to be getting derailed more and more and books like this one can help them see that they are not alone in their fight for a meaningful life.
  4. Neal, the snack stand attendant, also changes thanks to his friendship with Rydr. Their interactions were some of my favorite.
  5. The scout she befriends, nicknamed Tenderchunks by his troop, is the boy Rydr needs. His compassion and thoughtfulness is something many boys could learn from.

FAVORITE LINES:  “You guys need all the help you can get, I suppose. And you need to allow girls into your little club. You’ve got too much testosterone.”

“I agree.”

I pause and look at him surprised. “You do?”

“Yeah.” He looks at me like he’s stating the obvious. “It’s like all the boys are cruel and they’re pretending to be virtuous. But I feel like I’m gonna get beat up at any moment.”

AUTHOR QUOTE  (Read more at AZCENTRAL):

“In the ’90s, I would write short stories and send them to literary publications that would pay you in copies, but I never felt like my head was organized enough to manage a novel, because I have a sort of random way about me,” he says. “I don’t know what’s going to come out of my mouth next.”

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