The winner of my recent giveaway for SHACKLES OF THE DEEP and an ARC of CROSSING THE LINE is Rosi Hollinbeck. Congratulations. You can catch Rosi’s reviews and her own giveaways at THE WRITE STUFF.
I’ll have another giveaway of a timely new novel, THE ONLY ROAD, coming up next month. Meanwhile check back on Friday for my feature on IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF CRAZY HORSE.
Zack returns in book number two of the series. No worries if you missed book one, ME AND MY BIG MOUTH, where Zack tries to save the sixth grade dance. This is a totally new adventure set two weeks later. 
Zack is back to his normal self staying clear of bullies and generally keeping a low profile at Davy Crockett Middle school in San Antonio, Texas. It lasts about 7 pages when Zack spots the new girl he must talk to, but an embarrassing loss in a key part of his clothes disrupts that move. Zack tries many more times throughout the story to get this girl to talk with him, but she won’t. It’s not until the climatic ending when Zack finds out why.
Funny and memorable, Zack is sure to please reluctant readers with the 30 short chapters. His narration is spot on and you’ll learn a few things about the culture and community of San Antonio. Who knew something called a cascarone would bring so much delight to a middle school. Even without one, this story brought delight to me.
PUBLICATION DATE: 2016 PAGE COUNT: 192
FULL PLOT (From Amazon) Zack Delacruz is back—and eager to meet Abhi, the new girl at school. But things get off to a rough start when he accidentally knocks her to the ground during a game of dodgeball. And whenever he tries to make amends, she just ignores him. Nothing works—not his friends’ advice or his “lucky” cologne. In fact, he just seems more and more cursed! Then, at the Fall Fiesta-val, Zack finally learns the real reason behind Abhi’s cold shoulder . . . but not before total chaos erupts. With a runaway train, exploding confetti-filled eggs, and Abhi’s terrifying older brother, will Zack ever get a chance to talk to his crush? In the end, Zack learns what it means to believe, to listen, and to be a good friend.
FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: ZACK DELACRUZ: JUST MY LUCK by Jeff Anderson
FAVORITE LINES:
I wondered if Mrs. O’Shansky, the head cafeteria lady, had made the tables-are-for-eating-students sign. If she did, she ought to loosen her hairnet for more blood circulation to her brain. One thing’s for sure, whoever wrote that sign didn’t have Mrs. Harrington for English. That lady is all about “your writing making sense.” You have to know what punctuation means. Especially when it’s “published,” and I know anything laminated is definitely published.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jeff has been sharing writing strategies with teachers and students for over 25 years. Whether presenting at national conferences like NCTE, ASCD, or in classrooms or writing his books for teachers or middle grade readers, Jeff’s passion for writing and grammar inspires teachers and young writers to soar. When he’s not writing with his “revising” dogs at home near downtown San Antonio, Texas, he’s walking, talking, or doing staff development around the US (and sometimes New Zealand).
To learn more visit Jeff’s web site on writing and publishing at WRITE GUY.
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The Cybil’s MG Fiction winner for 2016 is GHOST!
I reviewed GHOST back in November (see it here). Below is the description the judges wrote for the Cybil’s announcement:
Ghost is a true joy to read, share, and celebrate the powerful messages. You’ll remember many of the passages long after reading. Ghost’s spot-on unique voice and amusing insights are surprising and always in character. This budding track star has a lot of societal strikes against him: poor, African-American male, a victim of violence, child of a single-parent household, and his father is in jail. It would be easy for him to give up and join a gang, but instead he discovers the power of teamwork and consequences for his poor choices. Ghost is an engaging and fully realized character and many kids will find something to relate to.
The supporting characters are also multi-dimensional, each with a story of their own. This begins with Coach. The benefits of hard work and practice are something Ghost would never realize without him. He is a strong figure who has something to offer his team and a willingness to stick with these kids.
The storytelling is endearing and diversity takes center stage. Author Jason Reynolds deserves a victory lap. We’ll sit back and anxiously await the next book in this track and field series.
See the full set of winners on the Cybil’s site.
It was a fun experience interacting with the other four judges over the seven nominees. Email was the preferred mode of communication and for two weeks each book had its own email thread. My mailbox was overflowing. About a week ago an eighth thread asked the important question–Which books are on top of your list? I had two favorites and one of them appeared on every judges’ final list. No more discussion needed. I’m so pleased with the choice.
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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.
Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Michael H. Cottman takes readers on a four-year odyssey across four continents for the purpose of discovering his ancestors and what it meant to be on a slave ship. Featured here is the Henrietta Marie.
It’s a bitter history but one vitally important for our future. Although the Henrietta Marie took only two voyages before succumbing to a storm off Key West, Florida at the turn of the 18th century, many other ships added to the staggering number of Africans taken from their homes and families.
Men brought the highest money at auction, followed by women, boys, and girls. The conditions of transport were horrific and shackles of every size (even child size) were used to make sure you didn’t think about escaping. It’s an emotional journey for Mr. Cottman, an African-American and an accomplished scuba diver.
Travels to England, Jamaica, and Africa tell the story both above ground and in the ocean where these atrocities took place. No matter what your racial origin, you will have trouble understanding as to how anyone could treat another human being in this way. It’s a cry for all of us to stand up against prejudice and never have this happen in our future.
A thoughtful epilogue encourages youngsters to learn about our collective past through engaging in careers focused on our underwater ecosystem. Four pages of color photographs, a timeline, map, and further reading resources provide a light to the history of this event.
The author previously wrote of this same topic in a book for adults, THE WRECK OF THE HENRIETTA MARIE. This new narrative is for middle grade readers and above. Heartbreaking and compelling, it’s a journey we should all take.
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Comment below for your chance to win a hardback copy of SHACKLES FROM THE DEEP and an ARC of CROSSING THE LINE. I revealed the cover for Bibi Belford’s upcoming historical novel last Wednesday.
The winner will be drawn Valentine’s Day at 8 pm EST. Good luck to all.
I always smile at a cover reveal, knowing it’s the culmination of long hours writing the story that inspired the image. Today my smile is wider than ever as I’m proud to reveal the cover for Bibi Belford’s upcoming novel, CROSSING THE LINE. I just love it!
The story line adds to my anticipation:
Billy’s family has fallen on hard times, what with his da hospitalized after the war and his ma barely scraping by. But it’s no hardship for him when there’s not enough money to pay the tuition for Nativity of Our Lord, the private Catholic school everyone in his neighborhood attends. Billy’s not big on education.
When he transfers to James Ward, a Chicago public school, he finds out there’s a big difference at public school: the kids aren’t all Irish—in fact, they aren’t even all white. It isn’t long before Billy’s found a new best friend in Foster, another fifth grader who also doesn’t have any money, loves baseball, and just happens to be black.
Billy is pretty sure skin color doesn’t matter. Not when he and Foster are just horsing around, playing baseball, working on the docks of the canal, and building a raft at their secret hideout on Bridgeport’s Bubbly Creek. But in the Red Summer of 1919, it does matter.
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Reluctant readers rejoice, I have the perfect book to answer your most pressing reading 
question:
“Do you know of a book with short chapters? My mom forces me to read one chapter each night.”
Here it is in no less than 65 chapters. Even those of us who like to read will enjoy the story of P.T. (named after P.T. Barnum). He’s short in stature but his long tales get him out of many tight spots. He lives with his mother and grandfather at the world’s wackiest motel in St. Petersburg, Florida. It’s a great place to live, but in recent years the motel has come under too much competition and investors are looking to flatten it and build condos.
I spent many spring breaks as a kid in nearby Clearwater visiting my grandmother. I can attest to the strange attractions pulling in tourists. The Wonderland Motel (formerly Walt Wilkie’s Wonder World) is exactly the change of pace vacationers look for. At least until Walt Disney decided otherwise.
P.T. and his new friend, Gloria, try to find ways to raise the $100,000 to keep the place open. Bad guys with a past history to the motel return to interrupt their money making scheme. It is fast paced, funny, and the setting is perfect. Illustrations scattered throughout support the wackiness.
I’m looking forward to warmer weather and the chance to dive into Book 2-Beach Party Surf Monkey–to be released in May, 2017.
PUBLICATION DATE: 2016 PAGE COUNT: 304
FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) Eleven-year-old P. T. Wilkie may be the greatest storyteller alive. But he knows one thing for a fact: the Wonderland Motel is the best place a kid could ever live! All-you-can-eat poolside ice cream! A snack machine in the living room! A frog slide! A giant rampaging alligator! (Okay, that last one may or may not be made up.) There’s only one thing the Wonderland doesn’t have, though—customers. And if the Wonderland doesn’t get them soon, P.T. and his friend Gloria may have to say goodbye to their beloved motel forever.
They need to think BIG. They need to think BOLD. They need an OUTRAGEOUS plan. Luckily for them, Gloria is a business GENIUS, and OUTRAGEOUS is practically P.T.’s middle name. With Gloria’s smarts and P.T.’s world-famous stories and schemes, there’s got to be a way to save the Wonderland!
FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: WELCOME TO WONDERLAND by Chris Grabenstein
FAVORITE LINES:
FROM Mr. Grabenstein’s WEBSITE:
Chris started writing a long time ago. He and his four brothers used to put on skits and puppet shows in the basement of their home in Buffalo, New York. Their mom and dad were the only paying customers. Admission was a nickel.
When he was ten, Chris moved to Signal Mountain Tennessee and had some great teachers in Junior High School and at Chattanooga’s Notre Dame High School who told him he would “make a living as a writer one day.”
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It’s Black History Month and to honor the occasion, I have two books to share later this week and a giveaway. First up on Wednesday is the cover reveal for Bibi Belford’s new historical novel set to debut this spring–CROSSING THE LINE.
On Friday I have a review of SHACKLES FROM THE DEEP, a non-fiction account of the slave ships from the 17th century.
Stop by and you might win both titles!
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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.
I read JUBILEE after winning the book last year in one of Rosie Hollinbeck’s giveaways at THE WRITE STUFF. Rosie always has a compelling book to recommend along with some helpful writer links. Go check out her site!
Jubilee is a quiet, hopeful story in more ways than one. Judith is the main character and 
hasn’t talked since her Mom left her with an aunt many years ago. Jubilee communicates through her drawings and friendships are hard to come by. That is until Mason, a boy in her class, and Dog come into her life.
Judith would like to see her mother again, to find out the reason for the abandonment. Judith feels it was her fault, but she’s glad to be with Aunt Cora who calls her Jubilee.
The result is a heartwarming novel about a girl trying to carve her own path to discover who she is and to get the voice back she hasn’t been able to find. Perfect for the quiet kids who also are trying to see where they fit in.
PUBLICATION DATE: 2016 PAGE COUNT: 208
FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) Judith lives with her beloved aunt Cora and her faithful Dog on a beautiful island. Years ago, when her mother left, Judith stopped talking. Now she communicates entirely through gestures and taps, and by drawing cartoons, speaking only when she’s alone—or with Dog.
This year, Judith faces a big change—leaving her small, special classroom for a regular fifth-grade class. She likes her new teacher, and finds a maybe-friend in a boy named Mason. But Jubilee’s wandering feet won’t stop until they find her mother. And now she discovers that her mother has moved back to the mainland, nearby. If Jubilee finds her, will her mother’s love be what she needs to speak again?
FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: JUBILEE by Patricia Reilly Giff
FAVORITE LINES: My mother had left on that ferry when I was a toddler, dropping me off at Aunt Cora’s as if I were a bundle of laundry.
She sent presents at Christmas and cards on my birthday, postmarked Oakdale, or Vista, or even Apple Valley. She signed them Mom, or Mother, or her name, Amber. She didn’t even know what to call herself.
AUTHOR QUOTE (from RANDOM HOUSE KIDS)
“I want to see children curled up with books, finding an awareness of themselves as they discover other people’s thoughts. I want them to make the connection that books are people’s stories, that writing is talking on paper, and I want them to write their own stories. I’d like my books to provide that connection for them.”
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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.
Did you miss my interview earlier this month with THE WIZARD’S DOG author Eric Kahn Gale? Click here to get caught up or keep reading below for my review.
The legend of The Sword in the Stone is given a brand new slant with this creative and fun
magical adventure. Merlin, his apprentice Morgana, and young Arthur are joined by Nosewise, Merlin’s spunky faithful companion. Nosewise discovers if he wears one of his master’s magic stones, he can actually speak like a human and make magic himself.
This is not one of those cute dog stories (although Nosewise does have his charm). Instead The Wizard’s Dog is a thrilling ride through 37 chapters as Nosewise seeks to find the kidnapped Merlin. There’s also humor brought on by Nosewise trying to understand human ways–the way we talk, eat, and smell–and how to unleash magic spells for the first time. More than anything he is loyal to his family.
The Wizard’s Dog is perfect to read out loud or enjoy curled up on the couch. Either way, you’ll have a memorable journey ending with an epic battle in Avalon. I’m looking forward to future tales with Nosewise leading the way. Woof. Woof.
PUBLICATION DATE: January 17, 2017 PAGE COUNT: 288
FULL PLOT: Meet Nosewise. He’s spunky. He’s curious. And he’s a dog who can’t understand why his pack mates Merlin and Morgana spend all day practicing magic tricks. If it’s a trick they want, he’s the dog to ask! He can already Sit!, Stay!, and Roll Over!
But there’s no way Nosewise is Stay!ing when his master and best friend, Merlin, is kidnapped. There’s nothing Nosewise won’t do to get Merlin back, even if it means facing the strange Fae people and their magic-eating worms, or tangling with the mysterious Sword in the Stone. But it may take more than sniffing out a spell to do it!
FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE WIZARD’S DOG by Eric Kahn Gale
FAVORITE LINES: After the dogs approved me, I turned my nose on them. There’s a lot you can learn from a dog’s backside. Besides their unique scent, you can tell how well they’re eating, their age, and if they’re healthy. But even with all that, not even the most loving human will ever sniff a dog’s butt. They don’t know what they are missing.
AUTHOR QUOTE (From Eric’s website):
“All of my books have been inspired by my life. My first novel, The Bully Book, is a a comic mystery taken directly from my experiences being bullied in 6th grade. My second, The Zoo at the Edge of the World, is a fantasy prompted by my lifelong obsession with animals. And my newest book, The Wizard’s Dog, is what I imagine my lovely dog, Bowser, would be like if he was granted magic powers. Life has enriched my books, and these books have vastly enriched my life.”
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Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.
I’m pleased to be a part of this exciting launch of a new series.
The book jacket description sounds like something kids and adults will find appealing:
When Annabelle Fortune, the fastest gunslinger in the wild west, inadvertently stops a stranger from attacking a train — and he wears a suit that enables him to fly! — the government believes she’s the only one to have witnessed the Locomoti
ve Reaper and survived to tell the tale.
Promising to find out what he can about her missing father, the Director of the Secret Service persuades Annie to swear in. Too soon, her detested nickname re-stakes its claim.
Partnered with Beau Slokam, whose penchant for gambling leads them straight to the Doom Gang, Misfortune Annie guides the smooth-talking Southerner in a chase through the Rockies, with her Cheyenne friend, Wontoa, rounding out their unlikely trio.
When Annie again meets the Locomotive Reaper, his gadgetry proves far more advanced — and deadly — than even top scientists could have imagined.
I strapped on some chaps and spurs and sat down with the authors. They graciously answered a few questions.
Thank you for joining me at ALWAYS in the MIDDLE. Where did the idea come from for this unique sounding series?
First off, thank you for hosting us, Greg, and it should be known that I’ve never matured beyond middle school.
To honestly tell Misfortune Annie’s beginning, we must first return to a greater influence. I love George Lucas’s work, specifically the Indiana Jones series. It’s popular knowledge that the rugged archeologist first showed in spirit in old matinee serials which George grew up watching, except he tweaked him a little. Indy’s trusty whip originated from Zorro cliffhangers. So, hoping to create anything that could compete with Indy, I grazed around in the same cinema of the 1940s/50s and remembered the cowboy genre. The Cisco Kid, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, they were iconic. So, like Indy, my new star had to have a catchy name and a signature look. He was going to have a 10-gallon hat, and a Levi’s jacket, but I never got to name him because fate threw in a twist and I could never go back to a male protagonist.
One Christmas vacation, traveling to see relatives, I passed a sign that bragged “Annie Oakley Museum”. Jolted into goosebumps, I knew I had my new hero. It would be a young lady.
What came first– the plot or the characters?
Annie roped me first, per the vacation, then a villain came to mind which I knew would be steampunk because I kept seeing gears, LOL, although I didn’t know at that time he’d be able to fly. Then a general storyboard that led to the mad scientist’s lair in the final showdown emerged. Like the gears, I could see lots of gadgetry lying around. I don’t plot until I have ‘stars’, so the next lovable character was Beau Slokam. Once we had the personalities, the motivations and twists could be nailed down and the additional characters almost present themselves to me based on need.
What challenges came forth in co-authoring a book? How did you make this work?
We wrote while River Dancing to Lady Gaga jams. That way, we were too tired to argue. No. Actually, I believe story structure is a lot like building a house. You get a sturdy foundation, posts, beams, studs and walls in place, then you can get creative with siding, round windows, fuzzy carpet, paint and etcetera. If the character motivations are clear and the scenes are outlined, I don’t care what happens as long as we observe conflict. So, we get to alternate chapters and be individually creative. But I am a stickler for motivations being tight as my outstanding co-author Janet can attest.
Is Anabelle Fortune, your brave MC, patterned after any real historical character besides Annie Oakley?
Yeah, Janet rides, shoots, and picks up snakes. She makes me feel downright wimpy. Just kidding, although Janet really is a cowgirl. I’d be remiss not to mention these legendary tough ladies in addition to Annie Oakley: Belle Starr and Calamity Jane. That’s what’s exciting about our hero—she could’ve really existed.
Can you tell us more about the “Fun Facts” readers will find at the very back of the book? We decided to incorporate some historic facts in each book, and the “Fun Facts” helps define certain facts versus fiction. One example is the waist overalls made by Levi Strauss that Annie wears. These were the original blue jeans, and in our Fun Facts a reader will learn that when they were first created by German-born businessman Levi Strauss and Latvian-born tailor Jacob Davis, blue jeans were actually called “waist overalls.” The duo received a patent for them on May 20, 1873, with a product that had one back pocket, a watch pocket, a cinch, and brace buttons. When a young reader reads this Fun Fact, we hope it inspires them to pause and consider the origins of other everyday items. Perhaps there are many young inventors out there, in need of inspiration and a nudge!
What type of reader would most enjoy the story? What would you say to young readers reluctant to open a book set in another time?
All readers. To those who might be hesitant because of history, well, Nazi Germany showed in Indiana Jones twice. The film didn’t stop to bore you with a lesson and neither does Misfortune Annie and the Locomotive Reaper. I was a very fidgety kid and hated most books that got too serious because too many stories trying to be educational forget to be compelling. It’s really hard to do. So, we’re sticking with the fun stuff and there are simply a couple of historical references in there.
Completing and publishing a book is a huge accomplishment. What part of the experience for this book was the most difficult?
While drafting one scene, I had an ingrown toenail that caused me to limp—very annoying—but otherwise it just took a lot of time.
I hope you got that fixed! Do you have any hints on what is next in the series or with other writing projects?
Forever a joker, I will make sure it’s funnier. In book 2, Annie tangles with a Voodoo doctor. An older Huckleberry Finn smuggles her downriver to a showdown with this villain, but can she trust him? Queen of New Orleans, Marie Laveau, steps in to help. Later in the series, there will be cameos by Teddy Roosevelt, Buffalo Bill Cody, Thomas Edison, and bouts with pirates, an Appalachian witch, Sasquatch, a beast master, and more. Will Annie be able to outwit them all? Tune in next time on your same Misfortune station!
Thanks for your compelling answers. Cue the sunset as they go riding off on their next adventure. I’m staying back on the ranch as these chaps and spurs are killing me.
Meet the Authors
Janet Fogg
Janet Fogg’s focus on writing began when she was CFO and Managing Principal of OZ Architecture, one of Colorado’s largest architectural firms. Fifteen writing awards later, she resigned from the firm to follow the yellow brick road. Ten months after that, she signed a contract with The Wild Rose Press for her historical romance Soliloquy a HOLT Medallion Award of Merit winner.
With husband Richard, Janet co-wrote Fogg in the Cockpit (Casemate), one of five books nominated in 2012 by the Air Force Historical Foundation for best World War II book reviewed in Air Power History.
Keeping her historical knowledge sharp, Janet manages the 359th Fighter Group’s Facebook page, sharing WWII stories and photos about the Fighter Group. She is also a proud member and 2015/16 Vice President of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She previously served as Published Author Liaison in 2010.
Dave Jackson
Not your typical author, Dave Jackson started writing in his constant pursuit to become a 
renaissance man, but later fell in love with the art form. He performs stand-up and skits regularly, as Comedy remains one of his many passions and he writes and performs skits, as well as stand-up. Also a songwriter and guitarist, Dave has composed over 300 musical titles.
A country boy, Dave was raised in Oklahoma and taught 6th grade English for two years. He enjoys sharing the tale about when he climbed high into a towering black jack tree and grabbed a dead branch. Snap! He hurtled toward his death, but he held tight to the branch and it slowed his fall, saving his life.
In 2013, Dave enjoyed the release of Tattoo Rampage by Curiosity Quills Press. The novel follows Evangelina Marquez-James, a strong female heroine, who gets her first tattoo as a symbol of courage to carry on after her police officer husband dies in the line of duty.
Misfortune Annie and the Locomotive Reaper Links
Misfortune Annie Official Website
Misfortune Annie on Facebook
Janet “The Kid” Fogg on Facebook
Janet “The Kid” Fogg on Goodreads
Janet “The Kid” Fogg on YouTube
“Gusto” Dave Jackson on Facebook
“Gusto” Dave Jackson on Goodreads
Losing a parent at a young age is a terrible ordeal to go through. For Wren it is even worse 
since she doesn’t have the support of her mom during the grieving process. The mother who should be providing comfort to her daughter is more focused on running away from every part of her past.
Wren is pulled to one town after another before they settle in Pyramid, Michigan. It’s here Wren finds friendship, first with a group of girls she really doesn’t like and then with Theo, a nerdy boy who is wise beyond his years. It’s through these friends that Wren begins to find meaning to a future without her dad.
Quiet in places, but also bold in the topics the story takes on, BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD is one to embrace for many reasons. Yes, life after a parent death is the main event hovering over the story but also issues with relationships, bullying, and the environment propel the emotions forward.
With short, meaningful chapters, the author has set forth a hopeful cry for all young people dealing with tragedy in their lives. By the end you’ll truly be uplifted like a bird in flight.
PUBLICATION DATE: 2016 PAGE COUNT: 240
FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) After the death of her father, twelve-year-old Wren finds her life thrown into upheaval. And when her mother decides to pack up the car and forces Wren to leave the only home she’s ever known, the family grows even more fractured. As she and her mother struggle to build a new life, Wren must confront issues with the environment, peer pressure, bullying, and most of all, the difficulty of forgiving those who don’t deserve it. A quirky, emotional middle grade novel set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Be Light Like a Bird features well-drawn, unconventional characters and explores what it means to be a family and the secrets and lies that can tear one apart.
FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD by Monika Schröder
FAVORITE LINES: Before he left, Uncle Huey had told me her anger was only a phase and that Ma would act normal again soon. “She’s just shutting down for a while,” he’d said. “Just leave her be, and she’ll snap out of it.”
I wished I had asked Uncle Huey how long it would be until she snapped out of it. I was ready for her to talk to me about Dad now. I wanted her to hug me. I wanted us to cry together. I didn’t want to be alone with all this pain.
AUTHOR QUOTE: In 1996, I taught a second grade class at a German school in Cairo. The class consisted of 26 Egyptian girls. It was loud, but fun. (Find more tidbits and information about all of Monika’s books at her 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.
I rarely stray from reading and reviewing middle grade books. Today though I’m taking a detour for a review of the hit Broadway musical FINDING NEVERLAND, now touring across the United States. 
I caught one of the performances during its two week holiday stay in Colorado. Currently the show is in San Francisco. Check out the schedule to see if the production is coming to a theater near you this year.
The story is based on how J.M. Barrie resurfaces from a low point in his writing career. He’s out of fresh ideas and everything he writes looks like clones of his previous efforts. He needs inspiration and courage to write a different type of story audiences in the early 1900’s might not be ready for. The inspiration comes from a mother (Sylvia Llewelyn Davies) and her four boys he meets in the park one day.
Kevin Kern plays Barrie with determination and a booming voice. He also displays a softer side with ballads and duets he performs with Christine Dwyer–who plays and sings the role of the mother to perfection. Both Kern and Dwyer bring heart to their characters and these gifted performers will leave you in awe of what they deliver on the stage. Another nod goes to veteran stage actor, Tom Hewitt, who appears to be having the time of his life playing two roles.
A pivotal moment in the musical comes in the first act when Barrie fights off his hesitation to find the motivation to finish his classic PETER PAN.
Video backdrops of the London skyline appear in many of the scenes. Too often video projection is a not too successful venture to fill space. Here though it works–beautiful moving images that add to the action on stage.
Playing the four boys are a group of young performers who all have bright futures in the performing arts if they so choose. On the night I attended the Lost Boys included Ben Krieger (Peter), Finn Faulconer (George), Mitchell Wray (Jack–“There’s so many forks!”), and Jordan Cole (Michael–“Do you believe in fairies?”).
Ben leads the way with his sensitive portrayal of Peter. He has the acting chops and a beautiful voice. Finn, Mitchell, and Jordan supply more of the fun side of being imaginative kids. They bring a smile to your face whenever they’re on stage performing like seasoned veterans. Take a look at the boys’ solos from the second act with Finn in the lead.
Finding Neverland is appropriate for all ages. Of course with a dramatic retelling of history, there are some liberties taken with the story. A handy study guide gives a look at many of the real events Finding Neverland is based on.
Be assured each generation of audience goers will find something to their liking in the show. This is especially true for parents, writers, and middle grade kids. From the music to the laugh out loud moments to the endearing messages, Neverland is your place to never grow up. We should all be so lucky to find that spot in our hearts and in our writing.
It’s easy to get a spot in the lineup. Email me the title of the book or feature for any middle grade book, author or giveaway, and a link to your blog. Send it to: 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 don’t forget to say what 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 that week’s MMGM. *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.
