JED and the JUNKYARD WAR for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

This debut novel has one of the more creative portals to another world. Forget about goingjedandjunkyardwar to the attic. Jed finds his in the form of a tunnel in the back of the dishwasher. The thought even had me looking past the dirty dishes of my own dishwasher. It’s good I had this story because it turns out my dishwasher is one of the boring models that only washes dishes.

This book is the first in a series and you’ll be clamoring for more by the final pages. There’s mystery, a world full of junk, and some pretty nasty characters. Jed carries the load well both in the action packed scenes and in the quieter moments. He slowly discovers the meaning of his own life and the parents who raised him. He’s also from Denver which made me smile.

For those who like a fantastic adventure with a heavy dose of steampunk, you’ll feel right at home. The third person narrative sparkles and the cover is just a hint of what you’ll experience.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2016   PAGE COUNT: 304

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON)  Jed is a regular kid with a normal, loving family . . . that is, if it’s normal for a loving family to drop their child off in the middle of nowhere and expect him home in time for Sunday dinner. Luckily, Jed excels at being a regular kid who-armed with wit and determination-can make his way out of any situation.

At least until the morning of his twelfth birthday, when Jed wakes to discover his parents missing. Something is wrong. Really wrong. Jed just doesn’t realize it’s floating-city, violent-junk-storm, battling-metals, Frankensteined-scavengers kind of wrong. Yet.

A cryptic list of instructions leads Jed into a mysterious world at war over . . . junk. Here, batteries and bottled water are currency, tremendously large things fall from the sky, and nothing is exactly what it seems.

Resilient Jed, ready to escape this upside-down place, bargains his way onto a flying tugboat with a crew of misfit junkers. They set course to find Jed’s family, but a soul-crushing revelation sends Jed spiraling out of control . . . perhaps for good.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: JED AND THE JUNKYARD WAR by Steven Bohls

  1. Five full page drawings are scattered across the pages. They match the images you already have in your head about this new world.
  2. A magical fantasy that is very different from all the others.
  3. The ending was perfect. A great twist to propel it into the second book while tidying up most of the plot points.
  4. Shay is the youthful female Jed befriends. He along with everyone else can’t quite figure out her quirky behavior. She’s a fun, mysterious character who never does things the way she’s supposed to. Looking forward to more of her in the second book.
  5. It’s a smart adventure boys as well as girls should enjoy–even those who normally stay away from reading about magical worlds.

FAVORITE LINES:

Four weeks ago, Jed had been like any other eleven-year-old. Sort of. If other eleven-year-olds had mothers who drove them (blindfolded) to the middle of Yellowstone National Park and left them with four dollars and a can of range soda, then, yes, Jed had been exactly like the other eleven-year-olds.

He could still feel the way his mother’s lipstick-slathered kiss had squished onto his forehead.

“Don’t get into trouble now,” she’d said. “Be safe. And watch out for Grizzlies. They’ll eat you in two bites.”

AUTHOR QUOTE:
I truly believe that success in publishing is not a game of luck—but rather a reckless, confident, foolhardy, ridiculous, arduous, tenacious, exhausting, grueling charge into the unknown then charging again, and again, and again, and again until the day comes when your earned fortitude lifts you beyond the mountain peak of rejection and into the valley of more work. (Read more at the Jed and the Junkyard War 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.

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Celebrate Women’s History Month with MOTOR GIRLS

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

First up… The winner of last Monday’s giveaway of THE ONLY ROAD is MS. YINGLING READS. Karen provides wonderful insights into books and she is the most prolific reader I know. Congratulations!

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motor-girls

This new title from Sue Macy and National Geographic takes off right away with a forward by race car driver, Danica Patrick. It’s inspirational and I loved her closing line:

I encourage you to embrace being different, and to become the very first you the world has ever seen.

The five quick chapters are filled with stories of the first cars at the turn of the 20th century and how women became a force in the auto industry, both in driving and in production. It takes you through World War I when the auto’s importance dramatically expanded.

Scattered throughout are fun features. Here’s a just a few things I learned…

  • In 1901 New York City, those drivers caught speeding were fined along with their passengers.
  • There were actual etiquette manuals of how to treat your riding guests like where the unmarried ones should sit (back seat).
  • Automobiles were wide open carriages and dressing for a ride was a task: hats, hoods, gloves, and foot protectors to name a few of the inconveniences.
  • Many book series about cars were written for kids: THE MOTOR BOYS, THE MOTOR GIRLS, and THE MOTOR MAIDS. The colorful covers depicted the fun and thrill of driving.
  • The first motor hotel (Motel) opened in California in 1925.

Here’s the official blurb from National Geographic:

Come along for a joy ride in this enthralling tribute to the daring women—Motor Girls, as they were called at the turn of the century—who got behind the wheel of the first cars and paved the way for change. The automobile has always symbolized freedom, and in this book we meet the first generation of female motorists who drove cars for fun, profit, and to make a statement about the evolving role of women. From the advent of the auto in the 1890s to the 1920s when the breaking down of barriers for women was in full swing, readers will be delighted to see historical photos, art, and artifacts and to discover the many ways these progressive females influenced fashion, the economy, politics, and the world around them.

My Final Word:

This is a rare look at a forgotten time in our history. Today, women race cars and head some of the biggest auto manufacturers in the world. You will appreciate the struggles other women went through to open up the auto industry for the pacesetters of the 21st century. Girl power all the way.

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THE ONLY ROAD for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

The topics of border walls and immigration have flooded newscasts and social media the-only-road this past year. Opinions are  strong. THE ONLY ROAD delves into the issue from the other side of the border–actually two borders. It’s about a family making a tough decision and the consequences of their decision. If I were in their shoes, I’d probably make the same choice.

That choice is to send their 12-year-old son, Jamie, and his cousin Angela on a dangerous trek to cross two borders and join Jamie’s older brother in New Mexico. Their town in Guatemala is run by a ruthless gang and even the police are corrupt. You pay this gang to ensure your own safety and young people are forced to join the gang. Declining either will lead to death like it did for Miguel, Jamie’s cousin and Angela’s brother.

The only hope for a safe life for these two is El Norte (the north) and Estados Unidos (United States). The parents make the difficult decision to make a better future for their children by saying goodbye. They prepare them for this trip by sewing the needed money for their crossing in the lining of their pants. A friend smuggles the two in his truck across to Mexico and from their it’s all walking, trains, and bus travel. It’s fraught with danger, who can you trust scenarios, and life threatening situations.

Told in third person, but always close to Jamie, the story would be best for age 11 and up (good for a mature fifth grader, but the stark realities might be too much for an 8 or 9 year old). The POV choice is a good one as it keeps young readers on the outside looking in on the horrific life of two kids on the run.

Spend some time on THE ONLY ROAD. It will be an eye-opening experience and you might never look at the face of immigration the same way.

I have a brand new hardback of THE ONLY ROAD for one lucky reader. Just comment and I will draw the winner at 10 pm EDT on March 16th.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2016   PAGE COUNT: 320

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) Twelve-year-old Jaime makes the treacherous and life-changing journey from his home in Guatemala to live with his older brother in the United States in this gripping and realistic middle grade novel.

Jaime is sitting on his bed drawing when he hears a scream. Instantly, he knows: Miguel, his cousin and best friend, is dead.

Everyone in Jaime’s small town in Guatemala knows someone who has been killed by the Alphas, a powerful gang that’s known for violence and drug trafficking. Anyone who refuses to work for them is hurt or killed—like Miguel. With Miguel gone, Jaime fears that he is next. There’s only one choice: accompanied by his cousin Ángela, Jaime must flee his home to live with his older brother in New Mexico.

Inspired by true events, The Only Road is an individual story of a boy who feels that leaving his home and risking everything is his only chance for a better life. It is a story of fear and bravery, love and loss, strangers becoming family, and one boy’s treacherous and life-changing journey.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE ONLY ROAD by Alexandra Diaz

  1. Jamie loves to draw and his sketchbook is the one prized possession that keeps him moving forward. He’s quite good at it, too. He can hardly believe there are schools with art teachers. Art makes a great side story to the one in real life.
  2. Spanish words are mixed throughout but a 20-page glossary fills you in on their meaning.
  3. The story deftly shows how money and power are the core of the immigration issue. If you need something there’s always a person on either side of the border willing to take your money.
  4. Angela takes on the mothering role both for Jamie at times and for a young refugee they meet along the way. Family is of the utmost importance even if you’ve left most of them behind.
  5. I was thankful for what I have, but also sad for those with much less.

FAVORITE LINES: 

No one said anything, but a murmur passed through the car. This was it. This would be how they ended their journey. So much for the first-class cabin with comfy seats and AC. They were no better off than cattle going off to be slaughtered. Except maybe cattle cars had more ventilation. Jamie wondered how long they had, how much oxygen was left in the car. If only Miguel was here. He was the one good at math and science. He would know how much time they had left.

AUTHOR QUOTE (from Alexandra’s Web Site)

The biggest advice I can give anyone who really, really, really wants to write is to keep doing it. Regardless of how many people say that you’ll never make it and that you’re just wasting your time, if it’s what you want to do, THEN DO IT! Same goes for anything else you want to do in life (especially in the arts–dancing, singing, painting, acting, etc). Others may try to put you down, but you are the only one who knows whether you can make it or not. Honestly!

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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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WHAT TO READ?

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

I’m catching up with my stack of to be read books, which has me adding more. It’s a never ending stream of great middle grade books coming out this year. Many launch dates have already occurred, but many more are set to arrive over the next nine months.

No way do I have time to read every one. Goodreads list of 2017 Middle Grade Novels totals a mind numbing 378!  I need a more selective list like this one at BRIGHTLY—a more manageable list of 17 books (8 of which are already out).

My own personal list for 2017 has three at the very top:

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  1. I love a good dog story every once in awhile as long as the dog stays alive to the last page. My pick for this year is CHESTER AND GUS by Cammie McGovern–April 4, 2017:

Chester has always wanted to become a service dog. When he fails his certification test, though, it seems like that dream will never come true—until a family adopts him. They want him to be a companion for their ten-year-old son, Gus, who has autism. But Gus acts so differently than anyone Chester has ever met. He never wants to pet Chester, and sometimes he doesn’t even want Chester in the room. Chester’s not sure how to help Gus since this isn’t exactly the job he trained for—but he’s determined to figure it out. Because after all, Gus is now his person.

In the spirit of beloved classics like Because of Winn-Dixie, Shiloh, and Old Yeller, Cammie McGovern’s heartfelt novel—told from Chester’s point of view—explores the extraordinary friendship between a child and a dog with a poignant and modern twist.

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2. I hid a baby duck in my closet as a kid and tried to raise him. I even had a wading pool in there, but the constant peeping brought both parents to my side after about four hours. This isn’t a story about a duck, but I’m sure I’ll be smiling the whole way. A BOY CALLED BAT by Elana K. Arnold-March 14, 2017:

For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises—some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter.

But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet.

41fco0vin8l-_sy344_bo1204203200_3. I enjoy friendship stories and here comes a tender sounding tale with a unique title, THE SOMEDAY SUITCASE by Corey Ann Haydu–June 27, 2017:

Clover and Danny are the kind of best friends who make each other even better. They’re so important to each other that Clover believes they’re symbiotic her favorite science word, which describes two beings who can’t function without the other. But when Danny comes down with a mysterious illness that won’t go away, the doctors can’t figure out what’s wrong with him. So Clover decides to take matters into her own hands by making lists–list of Danny’s symptoms, his good days, his bad days.

As the evidence piles up, only one thing becomes clear: Danny is only better when Clover is around.

Suddenly it feels like time is running out for Clover and Danny to do everything they’ve planned together–to finally see snow, to go on a trip with the suitcase they picked out together. Will science be able to save Danny, or is this the one time when magic can overcome the unthinkable?

HAPPY READING EVERYONE!

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THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

MMGM LINKS: Shannon, our MMGM leader, is powerless this past weekend thanks to a storm. I’ll post what I find below to help her out:

  1. Completely Full Bookshelf  (WHERE I LIVE)
  2. The Write Stuff (THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY)
  3. JUSTIN TALKS BOOKS (THE MILLION DOLLAR KICK)
  4. Melissa Roske (ASK THE AUTHOR: Carter Higgins)
  5. A Bookshelf Monstrosity (MIGHTY JACK)
  6. READING VIOLET (A DAY OF ICE)
  7. THE WRITE PATH (AGENTS’ MANUSCRIPTS WISH LISTS)
  8. Kitty Cat at the Library (TALONS OF POWER)
  9. MS. YINGLING READS (ARMSTRONG & CHARLIE)
  10. My Brain On Books (TWO NAOMIS)
  11. Mundie Kids (The SILVER MASK)
  12. Jenni Enzor (THE MOZART SEASON)
  13. Tales from the Raven (JASPER AND THE RIDDLE OF RILEY’S MINE)
  14. I’ll add yours here if I missed you!

And I have THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM:

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After reading this heartbreaking story, it made me think of the newest generation in our world. It doesn’t matter what continent they live on, whether they’re rich or live in poverty, or if they even live with their birth parents. I’m positive they would share in the cry for peace and no more use of nuclear weapons.

I first came across THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM after reading a review from Patricia thelastcherryblossomTilton over at her blog, Children’s Book’s Heal. I added it to my TBR list and hoped to read it sometime this year. A short time later I received the book thanks to a gentle nudge from the author and her publisher.

It didn’t make it any easier to read the story when I knew that a horrific bomb would drop on Hiroshima, changing the lives of every resident and the characters I’d spent a few hours getting to know. 80,000 died within hours and 140,000-150,000 died within five years as a result of the atomic bomb.

But there is hope from this tragedy, hope we can learn to treat others with respect and chase away the desire for any more wars. This is a perfect story to place in classrooms studying World War II. It’s a front row seat to the atrocities innocent people endure when war takes center stage. The haunting prose will for sure touch both middle grade readers and adults. I can certainly attest to that.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2016   PAGE COUNT: 240

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) Yuriko is happy growing up in Hiroshima when it’s just her and Papa. But her aunt Kimiko and her cousin Genji are living with them now, and the family is only getting bigger with talk of a double marriage! And while things are changing at home, the world beyond their doors is even more unpredictable. World War II is coming to an end, and Japan’s fate is not entirely clear, with any battle losses being hidden from its people. Yuriko is used to the sirens and air raid drills, but things start to feel more real when the neighbors who have left to fight stop coming home. When the atomic bomb hits Hiroshima, it’s through Yuriko’s twelve-year-old eyes that we witness the devastation and horror.

This is a story that offers young readers insight into how children lived during the war, while also introducing them to Japanese culture. Based loosely on author Kathleen Burkinshaw’s mother’s first-hand experience surviving the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, The Last Cherry Blossom hopes to warn readers of the immense damage nuclear war can bring, while reminding readers that the “enemy” in any war is often not so different from ourselves.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM by Kathleen Burkinshaw

  1. The additions after the end of the story were interesting and welcome. This included Kathleen’s tender Afterword, a bibliography of other books written on the subject, a glossary of Japanese words used in the story, and statistics about Hiroshima.
  2. Yuriko makes the perfect narrator. She worries about all the same things girls her age today worry about: family, friends, and school. I couldn’t come up with a better way to tell this story.
  3. Instead of reading a fact based article, History comes alive here. Whether this topic is new or old for you, you’ll leave with new knowledge.
  4. Each chapter begins with a radio transcript, words form a war poster, or newspaper headline. They set the atmosphere for what you were about to read. Chilling and effective.
  5. I kept wondering how the author was going to end Yuriko’s story. There were many directions possible but the one chosen couldn’t have been better. It left an image embedded deep in my heart.

FAVORITE LINES:  I took Papa’s hand as the temple bell began striking. It rang out 108 times. Each toll of the bell was intended to symbolize the release of a sin or bad habit, giving a fresh start to the New Year. But with each bong I sat wishing, “Peace, peace, peace…”

AUTHOR QUOTE (from Kathleen Burkinshaw’s blog): 

One of the reasons that I chose not to start THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM on the day of the bombing, but instead give the reader a glimpse into Yuriko’s family life first, was to show readers that even though Yuriko lived in Japan she still had the same love of family, fear of losing loved ones in the war, and enjoyed being with her friends. She acted very similar to and had the same emotions as the children in the Allied countries. I hope that by discussing her family traditions and introducing the readers to a culture they may not know much about, I am giving them more than just a couple of paragraphs in a history text-book about the end of WWII in the Pacific. And by the end of the book, they could discover that the people we might see as the ‘enemy’ are not always so different from ourselves.

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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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SOME KIND OF HAPPINESS for Marvelous Middle Grade EXTRA

Posted on March 3, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

First up… The winner of THE BLOOD GUARD TRILOGY is Amanda K. Thompson. Amanda is a writer and book reviewer. You can find more on her blog, TO READ OR NOT TO READ? Congratulations, Amanda.

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I am officially declaring 2016 in MG books as The Year of the Tween Girl in Crisis. Part of that declaration comes about because I just read four of these in a row before I righted myself. I keep expecting every 11 or 12 year old girl I pass to break into tears. But I digress…

Finley Hart has an imagination leading her to secretly write about a mythical kingdom she 13260524creates while her own world seems to be crumbling. Her parents, on the verge of separation or divorce, dump Finley off at Grandma’s house for the summer so they can figure out what they want to do. Sounds logical enough except the dad has not talked to his mother in years and Finley has never met her.  There are also cousins and aunts she must get to know while there.

Her fantasy story in her head is woven into the real one she is experiencing. There’s a mystery of a long ago fire with many clues leading me fairly early to a correct guess as to why it happened. There’s also Grandma who keeps a lot of secrets while putting forth an aura that everything is just fine.

The book is a tad long for MG fiction and adults may enjoy this more than children. Thank goodness for the secondary kid characters. They help make the story one you want to finish. Excuse me while I find a few silly, humorous books to help me return to the fun side of MG.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2016   PAGE COUNT: 384

FULL PLOT (From Claire Legrand’s Web Site)

THINGS FINLEY HART DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT

• Her parents, who are having problems. (But they pretend like they’re not.)
• Being sent to her grandparents’ house for the summer.
• Never having met said grandparents.
• Her blue days—when life feels overwhelming, and it’s hard to keep her head up. (This happens a lot.)

Finley’s only retreat is the Everwood, a forest kingdom that exists in the pages of her notebook. Until she discovers the endless woods behind her grandparents’ house and realizes the Everwood is real–and holds more mysteries than she’d ever imagined, including a family of pirates that she isn’t allowed to talk to, trees covered in ash, and a strange old wizard living in a house made of bones.

With the help of her cousins, Finley sets out on a mission to save the dying Everwood and uncover its secrets. But as the mysteries pile up and the frightening sadness inside her grows, Finley realizes that if she wants to save the Everwood, she’ll first have to save herself.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: SOME KIND OF HAPPINESS by Claire Legrand (A CYBILS MG Fiction finalist)

  1. Appearances and whispers about the past can lead you to wrong conclusions about others. A great lesson as the three Bailey boys don’t look like anyone you’d want to get to know.
  2. Keeping on that tangent–Jack Bailey is a pure delight. He gives Finley confidence and heart. It’s a boy you’d want in your own neighborhood.
  3. Despite her unusual way of dealing with everything, Grandma reminded me of my own grandmother–hiding personal struggles to keep the family happy. You can understand the reasoning of Grandma Hart after reading this story.
  4. If you are dealing with anxiety, depression, and anxiety attacks then this is the book to show how others deal with the same issues.
  5. The real forest was an interesting and fun escape for all the kids. It was their Everwood from Finley’s stories.

FAVORITE LINES: 

I feel small and huge and the same time, like I could either shrink into a tiny, happy ball or balloon up until I burst into pieces. I sit straight and still in my seat, but my insides are a wild party

ABOUT Claire Legrand (from Claire’s Web Site)

Claire Legrand used to be a musician until she realized she couldn’t stop thinking about the stories in her head. Now she is a writer and former librarian living in central New Jersey (although her heart will always live in her home state of Texas).

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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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THE BLAZING BRIDGE for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

The Blood Guard trilogy concludes with THE BLAZING BRIDGE. blazing-bridge-cover The excitement and adventure follows the first two installments: THE BLOOD GUARD and THE GLASS GAUNTLET. New readers to the series could get by with just reading Book 3, but they’ll miss the fun lead-up to this fitting end.

Young Evelyn Ronan Truelove (he prefers just Ronan for obvious reasons) takes you through many of New York City’s iconic sights like Times Square, Madison Square Garden, and an epic finale on the Brooklyn Bridge that you see on the cover.

Thirteen years old now, Ronan must  protect his friend, Greta, from the deadly Bend Sinister. Their youthful exchanges were some of my favorite parts. Dawkins, a much older friend, is also along for the ride. His role is to lead but also push Ronan toward the person he is to become.

Action packed, humorous, and rather scary in parts–these three elements alone make it a perfect choice for middle grade readers. Check out my interview with Carter Roy posted last Friday.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2017   PAGE COUNT: 240

FULL PLOT (From Amazon)

Ronan Truelove’s best friend, scrappy smart aleck Greta Sustermann, has no idea that she is one of the thirty-six Pure souls crucial to the safety of the world. But Ronan’s evil father has figured it out—and he’s leading the Bend Sinister straight to Greta. If they capture her, she’ll suffer a fate far worse than mere death. But to get to Greta, they’re going to have to go through Ronan first.

Standing with Ronan are plucky hacker Sammy; witty, unkillable Jack Dawkins; and a sharp-tongued woman named Diz, who drives a dangerously souped-up taxi. One breathless close call after another leads to an ugly showdown: Ronan alone against his father, with the fate of Greta, his friends, and the entire world hanging in the balance. Will Ronan be able to rise up and prove once and for all that he has what it takes to join the Blood Guard?

By turns heart-stopping and hilarious, The Blazing Bridge brings the Blood Guard trilogy to a surprising, clever, and altogether thrilling conclusion.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE BLAZING BRIDGE by Carter Roy

  1. The pacing might have you finishing the story before you’re ready. The tense scenes are mixed in well with the calmer parts.
  2. Ronan’s unfortunate relationship with his dad comes full circle on The Brooklyn Bridge. A sad, but necessary encounter.
  3. I hope the next time I’m visiting New York City, I can get a ride in Diz’s cab. Here’s one cab driver who you might not want to argue with.
  4. Jack Dawkins, the young in appearance but way older member of the Blood Guard, makes a great character. Ronan describes him this way: Jack Dawkins is like your best friend’s annoying older brother–a skinny hipster who acts all worldly even though he looks like he’s still in his teens.
  5. Pulling off a successful single book is hard enough, but here we have a satisfying trilogy that never drags and always has the plot moving forward. Could there be a YA story next featuring this cast? I can only wish.

FAVORITE LINES:

Greta wrapped her fingers around my wrist and twisted her arm to throw me off balance, then yanked me over her foot.

I tripped and sprawled on the ground at Elmo’s feet.

“What was that for?” I asked Greta.

“I’m not some maiden in distress to be carried out of harm’s way, Evelyn Ronan Truelove,” she said.

Elmo gave me a hand up.

“I never said you were!” I said, raising my hands in surrender.

AUTHOR QUOTE:
From a list of  promises Carter says will not happen in this third story:

—It will not leave any threads unknotted. That is to say, it will tie up all the story threads from books one and two—including some that you think I forgot about, or which you didn’t even notice because they flew past so quickly.

(For the entire list visit Carter’s Web Site )

GIVEAWAY!

One lucky winner will receive a complete set of all three Blood Guard books (THE BLOOD GUARD, THE GLASS GAUNTLET, and THE BLAZING BRIDGE). (U.S. addresses only.) To enter just leave a comment. Good luck.

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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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Interview with Author Carter Roy

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

Happy Friday everyone! Today I have Carter Roy, author of The Blood Guard series, who has somehow found the time to answer a few questions during the launch week of his new middle grade novel, THE BLAZING BRIDGE–book three of the Blood Guard Trilogy.  I’ll have a review this coming Marvelous Middle Grade Monday:

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Make a comment either today or on my review post this Monday for a chance to win a great giveaway. One lucky winner will receive a complete set of all three Blood Guard books (THE BLOOD GUARD, THE GLASS GAUNTLET, and THE BLAZING BRIDGE). (U.S. addresses only.) Good luck to all who enter.

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Before I begin the interview, here’s the background on this gifted author:

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Carter Roy has painted houses and worked on construction sites, waited tables and driven delivery trucks, been a stagehand for rock bands and a videographer on a cruise ship, and worked as a line cook in a kitchen, a projectionist in a movie theater, and a rhetoric teacher at a university. He has been a reference librarian and a bookseller, edited hundreds of books for major publishers, and written award-winning short stories that have appeared in a half-dozen journals and anthologies. His first two books were The Blood Guard and The Glass Gauntlet. He lives with his wife and daughter in New York City and can be found at www.carterroybooks.com or on Twitter @CarterRoyBooks.

Without further delay… A big welcome to author, Carter Roy.

First off, you’ve had many different careers before you became a writer. What prepared you most for the job of putting a compelling story together for young readers?

I wish I could point to one of my weirder jobs as being a particular help with my writing—you know, “on the cruise ship, it fell to me to entertain the passengers when we were becalmed at sea for three weeks!” or something similarly nutty. But the truth is more boring than that. (It usually is.)

I have been very lucky in that I worked as an editor of novels for kids, and with some of the best writers in the business—Bruce Coville, Jane Yolen, M.T. Anderson, and on and on. There’s nothing quite like helping an established writer refine his or her work to show a fledgling writer how stories are put together. I did my best to pay attention.

What are the positives of writing a trilogy along with the challenges?

As a reader, I often lamented “middle-book syndrome”—the way that a lot of trilogies sag in book two. Book one is always fun (a story is beginning!) and book three is usually satisfying (at last the story is wrapped up!), but that middle entry? It was often stuck in No Man’s Land: not allowed to start or end anything, and as a result books two can have identity problems.

I tried to avoid that in The Glass Gauntlet. In addition to carrying on the main storyline, I added a separate story about the kids undergoing the twisted Glass Gauntlet competition. My hope was that what initially appeared to be unrelated to our main story would provide a nice kick of surprise when it actually turned out to be intimately linked to that storyline. Did I succeed? Beats me.

Writing a trilogy gives a writer many opportunities like that to “change up” the story. That is, to keep redefining the central conflict—to make it bigger or badder. In book three, for example, Ronan and Dawkins realize that they’ve misunderstood their enemies’ goal from the very start. The situation is much more dire than they’d ever imagined and doom is much closer to hand.

The Blood Guard series is full of suspense and surprises in almost every chapter. How do you go about crafting this type of story? Do ideas come as you write or is it all planned out ahead of time?

Ah! Am I a planner or a pantser? (“Pantser” as in “by the seat of the pants”; not, as you might fear, because I am one of those creeps who yank down other people’s pants.) (For the record, I am not.)

Truth is, I use both methods. I outline the larger story and the big action moments chapter by chapter so that I have some sort of road map for where the story is going. And then I feel safe to throw away the outline as I write.

Why do that? First, sometimes the outline will say only something along the lines of “backstory about Dawkins.” (This was true in book three.) At that point, I had no idea how it would fit into the story, but I knew that I wanted it, and in terms of pacing, figured I could take a breather with that chapter. (And it turned into two chapters—which meant rejiggering some later chapters in the outline. )

Second, I really try to give the books have an almost ridiculous forward momentum so that even the most reluctant of readers will be hooked. So whenever I feel the story needs to be goosed, I do something—such as pull forward some piece of action that I’d been saving for later. Or I rearrange the boring parts of the story. (That is, background, exposition, that sort of thing.)

This is what happened in book one when we learned the truth about Greta. Originally that was going to be in book two, but … why wait?

Ronan Truelove is such an endearing character. How was he created in your mind and did Ronan come first or the story?

I’m glad you find Ronan endearing; I kind of like him myself! The idea behind the story of the Blood Guard came first, but then right on its heels came Ronan—a boy who wasn’t “the One,” or special as so many protagonists are in so much middle grade and teen fiction. I was hoping Ronan could just be a normal kid who gets swept up into extraordinary events, because when I was a reader Ronan’s age, living in the suburbs of San Diego, I longed for adventures to come find me. It never did, so as an adult, I invented my own.

What is the biggest challenge of being an author in today’s publishing world?

Probably the biggest challenge facing a writer in today’s world is simply in getting the word out about one’s books. There are so many different leisure time and entertainment options clamoring for our attention: movies, television, video games, social media, as well as the entire bookstore of other books. And most of those things are available at the touch of a finger. Getting a potential reader to give you a chance can look almost impossible.

And yet it does happen, so I write on, fingers crossed that the books will find their readers.

What advice would you give to middle grade readers who aspire to be authors?

My advice is that a would-be writer should write, write, write, and write. Write every day. Make it a habit. Finish what you write. And then revise what you write (because all good writing is rewriting). The best way to learn is to do it, and to do it regularly.

What other writing projects do you have planned for the future?

At the moment I am revising a novel for publication in the next year or so. It’s a standalone story for middle graders called Very. That title may change, but it is the name of the main character, Veronica, which is shortened to Very. She’s a girl who, through no fault of her own, becomes lost in what may very well turn out to be God’s library. It is a change of pace from the Blood Guard novels, and is a book about storytelling and magic, about fate and being the author of one’s own story. I hope readers embrace Very as eagerly as they have Ronan!

Thank you for your time, Carter.

Thank you, Greg.

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Celebrate President’s Day with OUR COUNTRY’S PRESIDENTS

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

“I do solemnly swear…”

I’m sure many of you were like me this past November, glued to the the screen as we watched this year’s presidential election come down to the wire. Author Ann Bausum and the editors at National Geographic Children’s Books also gave the night their undivided attention but for far different reasons. They had a deadline to meet.

National Geographic’s Our Country’s Presidents (ages 10+) is released every four years presidentsjust in time for the inauguration.  In this newest edition there are profiles of the 44 individuals who have served as President, plus extensive coverage of the 2016 presidential campaign as well as America’s newest commander in chief.

I read the book in order through all 224 pages. The next time the category of U.S. Presidents pops up on Jeopardy–watch out. I’ll ace every question. Of course most readers will probably use this source like an encyclopedia, looking for one specific piece of information. Even the most obscure facts can be found…

  • Who had the shortest term in office? (William Henry Harrison–41 days in 1941)
  • Who had the longest inauguration speech? (Harrison again at one hour and twenty minutes)
  • Which president is consistently ranked among the worst in U.S. History because of widespread corruption? (Warren G. Harding, 1921-1923)
  • Who lived the longest? (Gerald Ford, 93 years old at his death)

But don’t be misled that OUR COUNTRY’S PRESIDENTS is just a compilation of facts. There is so much more. The encyclopedia is divided into six eras in our history from THE PRESIDENCY AND HOW IT GREW (1789-1837) all the way to FOOTPRINTS ON THE GLOBAL FRONTIER (1981-present). Each section begins with a timeline of important events in that era.

Next is the official full color portrait or photograph of each president from that era followed by a 2-6 page profile. You will also find a fact box with the president’s official signature along with a wide variety of additional information, including how many states were in the Union at the start of their term.

Nearly two dozen bonus two-page spreads are scattered throughout the book jumping into topics beyond what is covered about the 45 presidents. I enjoyed: You’ve Got Mail: Swapping Letters With the President; Kids in the White House: At Home in the Spotlight; and Presidential Landmarks: from Log Cabins to Libraries.

The book ends with more delights, including a four page chart of the election results (I hadn’t recalled Jimmy Carter’s attempt at a second term earned him only 49 electoral votes!).

There are also ways to learn more with a selection of books, websites, videos, and places to visit. A handy bibliography and index help direct readers to the information they need.

Teachers, parents, and students will find this encyclopedia a hard one to put down. Don’t worry, you have four years. Plenty of time for each of us to discover the inspiration of our unique history in the White House from this fantastic source.

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Author Carter Roy stops by this Friday to answer a few questions. He’s about to launch the third book in the BLOOD GUARD series. See you then!

Make a comment below if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them.

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

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IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF CRAZY HORSE for Marvelous Middle Grade EXTRA

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

A finalist for the 2016 Cybil’s award, this story is about the journey a grandfather takescrazyhorse with his grandson to understand the life and heroism of Lakota Indian leader, Crazy Horse. It begins in South Dakota and moves into Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana. Each stop is another place where Crazy Horse left a part of his heritage. Landscapes, monuments, and landmarks trigger each part of his story.

There is a reason for the trip as Jimmy, the grandson, has been bullied for the way he looks (too white) and he doesn’t have the courage to stand up to his tormentors. This sub-plot occurs at the beginning and end, but otherwise Jimmy is in learning mode the entire way. He says “Wow” a lot as he soaks up the story along with the rest of us.

Most of the book is a recounting of the struggles and decisions Crazy Horse made to save his people from the intrusion of the white man, or Long Knives as they are known. This would make a great companion source in a history class as Crazy Horse’s plight has never been so clearly stated. If all you’ve heard about is Little Big Horn, then you’ll be in for quite a learning experience as you wrap yourself around the story with compassion and understanding.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2015   PAGE COUNT: 176

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) Jimmy McClean is a Lakota boy—though you wouldn’t guess it by his name: his father is part white and part Lakota, and his mother is Lakota. When he embarks on a journey with his grandfather, Nyles High Eagle, he learns more and more about his Lakota heritage—in particular, the story of Crazy Horse, one of the most important figures in Lakota and American history. Drawing references and inspiration from the oral stories of the Lakota tradition, celebrated author Joseph Marshall III juxtaposes the contemporary story of Jimmy with an insider’s perspective on the life of Tasunke Witko, better known as Crazy Horse (c. 1840–1877). The book follows the heroic deeds of the Lakota leader who took up arms against the US federal government to fight against encroachments on the territories and way of life of the Lakota people, including leading a war party to victory at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Along with Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse was the last of the Lakota to surrender his people to the US army. Through his grandfather’s tales about the famous warrior, Jimmy learns more about his Lakota heritage and, ultimately, himself.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF CRAZY HORSE by Joseph Marshall III (A 2106 CYBILS MG Fiction Finalist)

  1. A handy map appears before the story begins tracing the route Jimmy takes with his grandfather. You’ll be wanting to visit some of the same sites.
  2. An extensive 16 page glossary covers all the words and Indian names young readers may not be familiar with. A great source to even read ahead of time.
  3. I came away with a reminder that in war there are no winners–everyone loses something.
  4. This is a unique book that shows diversity in a different way than most MG stories.
  5. The connection you can make with your own culture by listening to family members who have a few more miles under their belts.

FAVORITE LINES: 

“The problem is,” Anne McClean would say, “your three Lakota parts are all hidden inside. Your one white part is on the outside.”

Jimmy understood what she meant, but it didn’t make him feel any better. It was the main reason Corky and Jesse teased him.

“You’re just an Indian pretending to be white” was what Corky liked to say.

ABOUT JOSEPH MARSHALL III

Joseph Marshall III was born and raised on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation and is an enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota (Rosebud Sioux) tribe. Because he was raised in a traditional Lakota household by his maternal grandparents, his first language is Lakota. In that environment he also learned the ancient tradition of oral storytelling. (For More visit Joseph’s 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.

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