ALSO KNOWN AS HARPER for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

Growing up I wouldn’t touch a book with a female narrator if my life (or grade) depended on it. Seems I’ve gotten over that affliction with my recent middle grade titles. Since January I’ve been touched by the lives of Star Mackie in HOPE IS A FERRIS WHEEL, Emily Elizabeth Davis in DESTINY, REWRITTEN, and Eleanor Groovy Robinson in THE YEAR THE SWALLOWS CAME EARLY. Each of these girls has a strong voice and a difficult relationship with their father. The sad, but hopeful tales of these young heroines took it’s most dramatic turn with Harper Lee Morgan in ALSO  KNOWN AS HARPER. 9780805088816

PUBLICATION DATE:2009    LEVEL: 5.1         WORD COUNT: 47,302

FULL PLOT (From Amazon): Harper Lee Morgan is an aspiring poet, which isn’t surprising, seeing as how she’s named after her mama’s favorite writer, Harper Lee. And life is giving her a lot to write about just now. Daddy up and walked out, leaving them broke. Then Harper’s family gets evicted. With Mama scrambling to find work, Harper has to skip school to care for her little brother, Hemingway. Their lives have been turned upside down, which Harper could just about handle—if it wasn’t for the writing contest at school. If only she could get up on that stage and read her poems out loud . . .

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT ALSO  KNOWN AS HARPER

  1. Harper loves to write poetry and many of her best are scattered throughout the pages. They bring understanding to Harper’s homeless and fatherless world. They can be heart wrenching to read, but then you realize how much good they do for Harper.
  2. The face of poverty hits hard. Many families in every city across our great country live like this – wondering where they’re going to sleep, take a bath, or find food for the next day. Harper Lee’s words will give you understanding and empathy to those who have found  a few bumps in life’s road.
  3. The characters all come to life thanks to the marvelous characterization. LIttle brother, Hem, who waits outside every day with an eye on the dad he wants to have home again; Lorraine, a friend, who can’t talk but has such a strong voice; The Mom, doing everything possible to get a job but knowing she is putting a lot of responsibility on Harper; and Winnie, the ultimate know-it-all classmate who also has her own journey of change
  4. This would be a great read for a  5th/6th reading group or for a book club. The themes demand to be discussed and I was left to think about the story on my own. It was helpful to read the Goodreads and Amazon reviews and find what others felt about the experiences of Harper Lee.
  5. ALSO KNOWN AS HARPER LEE is a quiet book with a great story. You won’t find much action, but sometimes that is just the type of book you need.

FAVORITE LINES:

I sat down on the toilet and closed my eyes and tried to pretend I was back in my old bedroom. Before it ended up on our front lawn.

Now I need a break from this type of story. Something funny and upbeat. I’ve got many on my TBR list to choose from.

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

MMGM2

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THE KINDLING for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

My quest to read at least one title from every middle grade series this year got a much needed kick when I crossed paths with author Braden Bell. We share similar teaching backgrounds in the trenches with middle level kids. His Middle Grade Magic series began with THE KINDLING (today’s review), followed by PENUMBRAS (2013), and this year 1197097LUMINESCENCE. Braden graciously sent me digital copies of all three titles.

I always feel the first book in a series is the set-up for the other stories. If it fails, who would want to read more? Braden Bell is a fantastic story teller and he leaves you wanting to revisit his trio of heroes and heroines. I have Epsiode #2 an #3 on my future read list and can’t wait to get back to the magical world of the Magi.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2012    PAGES: 304

FULL PLOT (From Bradenbell.com): All thirteen-year-old Connor Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens. He didn’t mean to set anyone’s gym shorts on fire or make school lunches explode. But now that the strange powers inside him have been ignited, Connor’s normal teenage life is about to go up in flames!
Homework? Of course. Crushes? Sure. But who knew seventh grade included superpowers?

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT THE KINDLING

  1. The three 13-year-old main characters fly off the pages with their humor, charm, and insecurities. I enjoyed learning about their individual powers and how they dealt with their school life and new magical abilities.
  2. Disney World. What a superb choice for a side trip in the story. It moved the plot along at a furious pace. The last time I rode on It’s Small World, I vowed to never hear the theme song again. Now, I can’t wait to visit the attraction once more and relive a very exciting part of THE KINDLING.
  3. Music and theater are expertly woven into the story. The connections made to some of our beloved musicals and plays had me whistling some of the tunes myself.
  4. A strong family unit. So many MG stories are full of missing parents, it’s nice to read one where a two parent family exists and a loving one at that.
  5. Action, danger, suspense… the perfect ingredients for a wild ride and one that’s hard to put down. Thank your Braden!

FAVORITE LINES:

Mr. Miller snorted. “Any Darkhand who steps on my campus is the one who needs to be careful.” He slammed his mop down, and streaks of bright green light spread across the floor like a spider web.

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

MMGM2

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TURN LEFT AT THE COW for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

This Upper MG book is by Lisa Bullard, new to the MG world, but hardly new to being an author. She has a long list of successful picture books and non-fiction books for the K-4 audience. She  also has a few writing titles out for adults.

17165955First off – TURN LEFT AT THE COW – How can you not love the title? Written from 13-year-old Trav’s perspective, his opinion and views of the world would hit home with a 5-8th grade audience. This is a mystery at heart and a great one at that. I figured out the bad guy fairly early, but still the tension built throughout made this story soar.

PUBLICATION DATE:2013    LEVEL: 5.6  WORD COUNT: 59,336

FULL PLOT (From Amazon): Thirteen-year-old Trav has always wondered about his dead-before-he-was-born dad. But when he heads from California to his grandmother’s house in rural Minnesota, hoping to learn about his past, he gets more than he bargained for.
It turns out his dad was involved in a bank robbery right before he mysteriously disappeared, and the loot from the take is still missing. Along with Kenny and Iz, the kids next door, Trav embarks on a search for the cash. But the trio’s adventure quickly turns dangerous when it becomes clear that someone else is looking for the money—someone who won’t give up without a fight!

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT TURN LEFT AT THE COW

  1. The author’s words as she weaved in details of the Minnesota setting had me wanting to visit. Church basement gatherings, lakes galore, patriotic parades, and yes., live-bait vending machines makes the reader feel like they are there.
  2. Trav’s inner dialog is superb and you feel like you really know this kid. His sometimes mis-wired views are natural for an early teen. Just an all out great voice to spend time with.
  3. Any book that features several pages on chicken-poop-bingo is going to have many laughs popping up inside the mystery. The humor was never forced and always a surprise.
  4. The relationship with Trav and his grandmother was real – heartbreaking one moment and heartwarming the next.
  5. The tenderness of Trav’s understanding of his first romance, family dynamics, and forgiveness. All the plot lines were neatly sewn up and the ending was satisfying.

FAVORITE LINE:

There were so many dead bodies stuffed into Gram’s freezer chest that it was kind of like wandering through a cryonics lab.

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

MMGM2

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The Most Important Slush Pile of All

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

I taught creative writing (among other things) to 11-12 year old students for 20 years. I’d go home weekends with a pile of stories to read. The range of abilities was tremendous. Most could put a 1-3 page story together, a handful could barely write a decent paragraph, and a few were beyond excellent for a middle grade student writer.Children PlayingMy job was to make sure they had growth no matter where the starting line began. The advice I gave to individual students keeps reappearing for me as I write still another draft or create a new story.

  1. Write stories that excite you, but also don’t be afraid to jump out of your comfort zone.
  2. Read your story out loud so others can hear how your words sound.
  3. Get your story down first. Worry about spelling and grammar later.
  4. Take criticism not as a put down but as suggestions to make your writing better.
  5. Write the story that is in your head. Read through it once to make changes and then put it a way for at least a week. Revising will be a lot easier.
  6. Save everything. The good, the not so good, and anything in between. You may be able to use it another time.
  7. Your writing can always improve.
  8. Read. Read. Read.

Speaking of slush piles… I entered my 39,000 contemporary MG novel, THE BIRTHDAY JINX, into a fun contest over at SC Writes. It’s called The Writer’s Tank and I’m happy to report I made the final cut. Now the fun begins as agents participating can request pages or full manuscripts. You can look at my entry and all the others HERE. It’s the first 250 words. This is the only time THE BIRTHDAY JINX has left the confines of my computer so it’s pretty exciting!

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HOPE IS A FERRIS WHEEL for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

18405519 It’s time to get back to more recent releases. How about one from last month? HOPE IS A FERRIS WHEEL, a debut by author Robin Herrera, is told from the perspective of young Star Mackie. It’s an unusual MG book that explores social class and its effect on our protagonist and her family. I was ‘hoping’ for a perfect ending – for Star, her older sister she adores, and the dad she has never met – but alas in Star’s “Trailer Trash” world it’s the best you can get. Just like a ride on the ferris wheel theme portrayed in the core of this story, hope is alive in different forms. A heartwarming first effort.

PUBLICATION DATE:2014    PAGES: 272

FULL PLOT (From Amazon): Ten-year-old Star Mackie lives in a trailer park with her flaky mom and her melancholy older sister, Winter, whom Star idolizes. Moving to a new town has made it difficult for Star to make friends, when her classmates tease her because of where she lives and because of her layered blue hair. But when Star starts a poetry club, she develops a love of Emily Dickinson and, through Dickinson’s poetry, learns some important lessons about herself and comes to terms with her hopes for the future.
With an unforgettable voice with a lot of heart, Hope Is a Ferris Wheel is the story of a young girl who learns to accept her family and herself while trying to make sense of the world around her.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT HOPE IS A FERRIS WHEEL

  1. The relationship Star has with her older sister, Winter. It’s covers the bond that changes as Star learns more about her sister’s YA world, although it never crosses into that genre.
  2. I went back and re-read Star’s vocabulary assignment she has trouble turning in. They are featured throughout the book and are heart tugging to read as Star portrays her problem filled world in those sentences. Nice touch that adds meaning to the story.
  3. The poetry theme as Emily Dickinson again takes center stage in the plot of an MG book (Destiny, Rewritten is the other recent addition). Star’s attempts at a poetry club help all of the characters grow.
  4. Teachers will love all the possible themes in the story for discussion purposes (Absent father, poverty, and many more I won’t give away as spoilers), plus there is a handy study guide in the back of the book.
  5. The biases Star fights against, only to see her have many of her own. It’s the changes she goes through as she becomes aware of them. It kind of renews your hope in the world.

FAVORITE LINE:

I wish there was a harsher word for people who didn’t live in trailer parks, something as bad as trashy, but the truth was, no one made fun of you for living in a house.

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

MMGM2

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The Gift Of Poetry

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

I had the opportunity the past week to talk with two classrooms – one filled with energetic 8-year-olds and the other with 28 5th and 6th graders. The topic was Becoming a Better Writer. People who make educational decisions should be required to spend at least a week in a classroom. Teaching is the hardest job hands down. No two kids are alike, and teachers are expected to have them all reach the same spot at the end of the school year. Good luck with that one. Much like a fifty yard dash, kids will finish but not all at the exact moment. Visit a classroom and you will understand.

The school gave me a gift from their publishing department (A couple of volunteer parents). It’s a laminated book of poetry. Here are three of my favorites for your weekend reading:

THE SUN by Devon
The sun is beautiful when you turn off the light.
I love the sun because it is a beautiful sight.
The sun makes me happy and hot.
I love my mommy and daddy a lot.
 
SPECIAL by Lauren
Mommy
She is special
Because she had me.
Daddy
He is special
Because he loves me.
I am special
Because I am theirs.
Granparents
They are special
Because they are sweet
Everyone is special

Because they are.

 
UNTTITLED by David
Orange is a sunset
       you see over the ocian
Orange is the natural color of
      a Florida fruit that’s ripe.
Orange is love when you’re
      dreaming of  a daisy.
Orange is the color of some ideas
     when you’re thinking about Math.
Orange is happiness like when
      I’m at school.
 
 
 
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I AM NOT JOEY PIGZA for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

It’s been a long time since I was first introduced to Joey Pigza. In fact, 1998 to be exact. I picked up a copy of JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWED THE KEY and loved the story of Joey, a boy getting engulfed by his ADHD. Told from his perspective, he reminded me of a few of the Joey’s I had in my classroom. I had heard there was a sequel planned and looked forward to seeing Joey again.

pigzaUnfortunately, I never had the opportunity to return to Joey’s world until now. It happened after reading DEAD END IN NORVELT, and it reminded me that Jack Gantos had written the Joey Pigza series. Sure enough, there were three more books in the series (JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL followed by WHAT WOULD JOEY DO?, and the topic of this week’s review, I AM NOT JOEY PIGZA).  When I came across Joey Pigza on the library bookshelf, only the first and last book were waiting for a reader – the others were checked out. I took a chance that by reading book #4 before the middle two, I would not be lost with plot points. It turned out to not be a problem, as the final Joey Pigza book fills in any holes and stands on its own.

PUBLICATION DATE:2007    LEVEL: 5.3  WORD COUNT: 50,574

FULL PLOT (From Amazon): Just when Joey Pigza’s wired world finally seems to be under control, his good-for-nothing dad pops back into his life. This time, though, Carter Pigza is a new man – literally. After a lucky lotto win, Carter Pigza has a crazy new outlook on life, and he’s even changed his name to Charles Heinz. He thinks Joey and his mom should become new people, too. Soon Joey finds himself bombarded with changes: a new name, a new home, and a new family business – running the beat-up Beehive Diner. He knows he should forgive his dad as his mom wants him to, and get with the new family program. But Joey is afraid that in changing names and going with the flow he will lose sight of who he really is.

In this rocket-paced new chapter in Joey Pigza’s life, a favorite hero discovers what identity and forgiveness really mean, and how to cook a delicious turkey burger.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT THE PET WAR

  1. Joey Pigza is such a loveable character. I giggled each time he said his favorite line “Do you want fries with that?”
  2. The way Joey handles forgiveness. He is way smarter than the adults in his life.
  3. How the author crafted Joey’s thoughts. Joey often believes things maybe aren’t going so well, but then his upbeat voice tells him otherwise. Things he may not supposed to be doing is stuff every kid would smile at – not going to school, practicing his cooking skills at the yet to be open family diner, being the target in a paint ball match.
  4. Joey gives every kid who may be in an unfortunate situation hope. He’s being raised by two parents who would be runaway winners of the Worst Mom and Dad award, but Joey’s true smarts rise above that. You feel Joey will become a decent, successful adult.
  5. This is one of those books that would appeal to a large audience. From eight years old up to adult, boys and girls alike. Great writing has that power.

FAVORITE LINE:

I couldn’t answer because my head began to throb and my brain swelled up like a sponge full of tears.

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

MMGM2

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An Evening at The Boulder Bookstore with Agents Sara Megibow & Shannon Hassan

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

boulder bookWhat a pleasure to listen as Sara Megibow (Nelson Literary) and Shannon Hassan (Marsal Lyon Literary) answered questions about book publishing last night. I hope you find their comments as helpful as I did.

  • 50% of our queries get rejected because they are in genres that we don’t represent.
  • Have one genre. Bookstores don’t shelf books in multiple places.
  • Steps to getting an agent: 1. Book is finished. 2.Know your genre (Read at least 3 books in that genre to make sure you are in the right one). 3.Find a list of agents representing that genre (agentquery.com; Send to first five which allows you to redo the query or manuscript if rejected); 4. Study agency web sites and follow submission guidelines.
  • I read 200 queries each day in 20 minutes. Last year I asked for 98 full manuscripts; 7 were signed; six got deals.
  • In my genres I want more diversity, more people of color, more people of diverse religious backgrounds… There is more discussion in this world than is currently represented on the bookshelf.
  • Shockingly, middle class kid aren’t the only ones who visits bookstores.
  • It takes 2-3 years to write and get published.
  • It’s important to write multiple books in one brand before you move on. You start with several Middle Grade Realistic Fiction books; Years later you move into YA fantasy.
  • Should you resubmit to the same agent with an extensive rewrite? Yes, but don’t discuss the past. It’s not needed, I won’t remember the first one.
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BOOM! for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

gridzbicoverIn 1994 I took my one and only trip to London. I loved every precious minute spent in the city, but have unfortunately never been back. On my last day before coming home I wandered into a charming bookstore. My goal was to pick up a book I could read to my new group of sixth graders in the Fall. I also wanted  it to be from an English author. The first book I came across had a name I could barely pronounce, but the cover grabbed me immediately. The book was GRIDZBI SPUDVETCH!  by Mark Haddon. I read the entire story on the way home and kids the next school year adored the book. It literally disappeared off the shelves.

Flash forward to 2010. I Boomcome across the same book with a completely different cover and name – BOOM! The forward states that the author (Mark Haddon famously known for THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG AT NIGHT-TIME) had received a charming support letter from a group of English school kids and decided to update the story. It’s a rare case where an old book is rewritten for a new generation by the same author. I’m glad he did and it’s only taken me until now to finally read this new version.

PUBLICATION DATE:2010    LEVEL: 4.1  WORD COUNT: 35,732

FULL PLOT (From Amazon): From the moment that Jim and his best friend, Charlie, bug the staff room and overhear two of their teachers speaking to each other in a secret language, they know there’s an adventure on its way.

But what does “spudvetch” actually mean, and why do Mr. Kidd’s eyes flicker with fluorescent blue light when Charlie says it to him? Perhaps Kidd and Pearce are bank robbers talking in code. Perhaps they’re spies. Perhaps they are aliens. Whatever it is, Jimbo and Charlie are determined to find out.

There really is an adventure on its way. A nuclear-powered, one-hundred-ton adventure with reclining seats and a buffet car. And as it gathers speed and begins to spin out of control, it can only end one way . . . with a BOOM!

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT BOOM!

  1. Jimbo and Charlie are charming main characters. They are wise, funny, and insightful.
  2. The deadpan humor that sneaks up on you in every chapter.
  3. It was rather fun wading through some of the cultural differences and trying to decipher a few English words like bonnet for a car hood.
  4. What could be a tiresome plot idea – your teachers are aliens – is told in a refreshing way. Sure to appeal to boys and girls alike.
  5. Obvious bad guys and likeable good guys all thrown together in a plot that may have a few holes, but who cares when the danger, mystery, and action is plentiful.

FAVORITE LINE:

Five minutes after that I’m going to explode too. So I just wanted to say that I love you. And don’t stand too close to me…

One note of caution: Middle grade books in England must have a different set of standards when it comes to language. Sprinkled throughout BOOM! are several “Damns” and “What the Hell…” spoken by both kids and adults.

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

MMGM2

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‘Bloom’ing Book Report

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

The dreaded book report is something we all have dealt with either as a teacher, parent, or student. It’s no wonder with some of these droll assignments:

                                                 Summarize the plot of the book in three paragraphs.
                                                          Describe your favorite part of the story.
                                                                 Identify the main characters.
 

These knowledge based questions could be answered by looking at the book jacket or searching for reviews of the book on the Internet. My solution to this was to use questions that probed much deeper into critical thinking. The building blocks were already available. Bloom’s taxonomy has been around for more than 50 years. It’s purpose was to take students beyond thinking in a rote, fact based fashion.

I devised these questions for each of the six levels of the taxonomy and now find them helpful as I look back at the stories I’ve written. In the classroom I gave them point values with the higher levels receiving more points. I varied the requirements based on the readiness level of each student. There was also a rubric to evaluate the quality of their answers. If you have any use for these, you can copy and paste the original offered below.

I. KNOWLEDGE (1 point each)

a. Identify the relationship of the characters in the story.
b. When and where does the story take place.
c. Write about one happening in the story.
d. Who are the protagonists and the antagonists?
e. What was the climax (high point of the story)?
 

II. COMPREHENSION (2 points)

a. What was the cause of any one event in the story?
b. Find a sentence in the story that has some words in it that you do not understand. Decode and explain the sentence in your own words.
c. What did you think of the main character? What clues in the story led you to think this way?
d. Illustrate funny, sad, or exciting parts of the book.
e. Summarize the problem faced by the main character.
 

III. APPLICATION (3 points)

a. Think of one way that a character in the story solved a problem. Write what you learned about solving the problem that you could use in solving a problem of your own.
b. Create a diorama from a scene in the book.
c. Make an illustrated dictionary of unfamiliar words you found in the book.
d. Make a map showing the setting of the book.
e. Write a message to a friend telling about the book
 

IV. ANALYSIS (3 points)

a. Put key events in the story on a sequential chart.
b. Write several new titles for the story that would give others a good idea about what the story is about.
c. What was the author’s purpose in writing the story?
d. Compare the book to a movie or TV program that is similar.
e. Compare and contrast this book’s main character with a real person you know or with a similar character in another book.
 

V. SYNTHESIS (4 points)

a. Write another ending to the story that is different from the one the author wrote.
b. Create a game to for others to play that will check to see if they really read the book.
c. Design a promotional ad for the book.
d. Write and present a scene from the book as a play.
e. Predict what will happen next if the story continued.
 

VI. EVALUATION (4 points)

a. Justify the main character’s actions in the story and describe how you might have acted differently.
b. Write a letter to the school media specialist recommending your book for inclusion in the school library. Defend your choice.
c. Choose two characters in the story and decide which character has better qualities/character traits of the two and why you think so.
d. If you could have one character from the story as a friend, why would you make that choice?
e. Write a critical review that could be posted on Amazon or Goodreads.

 

 
 

 

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