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    Looking Back at 2017 Fiction

    By Nancy Brashear and Carolyn Angus
     | Jan 15, 2018

    We both have read extensively in all subgenres of fiction during the year and, like others who do so, we each have our favorites. Coming up with a list of only 20 books that the two of us could agree upon was a challenge. Here is our notable fiction of 2017 list. 

    Ages 4–8

    Big Cat, Little Cat. Elisha Cooper. 2017. Roaring Brook.  

    Big Cat, Little CatA little black cat comes to live with a big white cat, who shows it “when to eat, / when to drink, / where to go, / how to be, / and when to rest.” Years later, the white cat “had to go … / and didn’t come back.” Loss is hard, but one day a little white cat comes to live with the now big black cat, who shows it “what to do.” A simple text and bold black-and-white illustrations deliver a gentle message about friendship and the cycle of life.

    A Greyhound, a Groundhog. Emily Jenkins. Ill. Chris Appelhans. 2017. Schwartz & Wade/Random House.

    A Greyhound, A Groundhog“A hound. / A round hound. / A greyhound. / A hog. / A round hog. / A groundhog.” A greyhound awakes from a nap and a groundhog pops out of its hole to romp “around and around and around / and around!” Exhausted, they settle down together to rest. Full-of-motion illustrations match the rhythmic mix-up of words in this tongue twister of a tale.

    A Perfect Day. Lane Smith. 2017. Roaring Brook.

    A Perfect DayIt is a perfect day in Bert’s backyard as Cat lounges among daffodils, Dog sits in the wading pool, and Bert fills the bird feeder for Chickadee and gives Squirrel a corncob. It was a perfect dayfor them until rambunctious Bear lumbers into the yard, and they must scatter as he takes over their perfect place and activities and makes a perfect day for himself. With a playfully repetitive text and colorful mixed-media artwork, Smith explores different points of view as to what makes a perfect day.

    The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet! Carmen Agra Deedy. Ill. Eugene Yelchin. 2017. Scholastic.

    RoosterAfter repeated efforts to silence the rooster’s Kee-kee-ree-Kee! fail, Don Pepe, the mayor of La Paz, threatens to make soup of him. Hearing the rooster’s declaration that he sings for those who dare not sing or have forgotten how to sing, the villagers take up his song and their chorus of Kee-kee-ree-Kee! drives Don Pepe out of town. Yelchin’s sunny mixed-media illustrations are as joyful and humorous as Deedy’s allegorical tale.

    When’s My Birthday? Julie Fogliano. Ill. Christian Robinson. 2017. Neal Porter/Roaring Brook.

    When's My Birthday?All the excitement surrounding a young girl’s anticipation of her birthday is joyfully expressed in Fogliano’s rhythmic verse (“When’s my birthday? / Where’s my birthday? / How many days until / my birthday?") and Robinson’s colorful acrylic and cut-paper illustrations featuring details of the celebration of this ever-so-important “happy happy” day in a young child’s year.

    Wolf in the Snow. Matthew Cordell. 2017. Feiwel and Friends.

    Wolf in the SnowIn this mostly wordless book about courage and kindness, a girl in a red jacket, walking home from school through the woods, finds a lost wolf pup and returns him to his pack during a blizzard. In turn, the grateful wolf pack helps in the now lost and exhausted girl’s rescue by her mother and dog. Cordell’s few words (“bark!” “screech!” “huff,” “sink,” “whine,” and “HOOOWWWLL!”) accompany expressive pen-and-ink-with-watercolor illustrations in a wintry palette.

    Ages 9–11

    Beyond the Bright Sea. Lauren Wolk. 2017. Dutton/Penguin.

    Beyond the Bright SeaThe only life that 12-year-old Crow has known is living on Cuttyhunk (one of the Elizabeth Islands off Cape Cod, Massachusetts) with Osh, the man who rescued her as a newborn from the sea. In this historical novel set in 1925, Crow yearns to know where she is from and who her parents were. Discovering that she came from neighboring Penikese, which had been a leper colony, and exploring the island in search of answers about her background put Crow and the people she loves in danger as she learns the history of her family and the people who lived on the island.

    Harry Miller’s Run. David Almond. Ill. Salvatore Rubbino. 2017. Candlewick.

    Harry Miller's RunAlmond uses a working-class accent in the narration as elderly Harry Miller tells 11-year-old Liam about the 13-mile run he and two mates made from Newcastle to the seaside on a hot summer day in 1938. While recalling details of the memorable run, Harry also imparts words of wisdom regarding a life well lived. “Me great achievement is that I’ve been happy, that I’ve never been nowt but happy.”

    It All Comes Down to This. Karen English. 2017. Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

    It All Comes Down to ThisShy 12-year-old Sophie (budding author and aspiring actor)and her parents are the only black family in their affluent Los Angeles neighborhood. Sophie has made just one friend, her parents are headed for divorce, her sister is leaving for college, and her stern housekeeper does not like her. As Sophie faces personal challenges set against the 1965 historical milieu of the Civil Rights Movement and the Watts Riots, she encounters unexpected kindnesses and also develops courage.

    Patina (Track #2). Jason Reynolds. 2017. Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum/Simon & Schuster.

    PatinaTwelve-year-old African-American Patina Jones, one of the four newbies (Ghost, Sunny, Lu, and Patina) on the elite youth track team, the Defenders, loves to run—and to win. She knows that she “ain’t no junk” (as she constantly reminds herself), and she’s out to prove this on the track team, at preppy Chester Academy, and in family relationships.

    Ages 12–14

    Crossing Ebenezer Creek. Tanya Bolden. 2017. Bloomsbury.

    Crossing Ebenezer CreekSeeking freedom, Mariah and others enslaved on the Chaney plantation join General Sherman’s 14th Army Corps’ march through Georgia. As a relationship grows between Mariah and Caleb, a free black man working with the corps, she begins to dream of their future together. “Now the struggles of the march were hitched to striving for a new life.” An author’s note provides a context for this story of a little-known event of the Civil War, the tragedy of “the betrayal at Ebenezer Creek” on December 9, 1864.

    A Face Like Glass. Frances Hardinge. 2017. Amulet/Abrams.

    A Face Like GlassWhen 12-year-old Neverfall (who has been locked away for seven years by Cheesemaster Grandible and believes she must wear a velvet mask to hide her ugly face) finds a way out of the cheese tunnels in the underground city of Caverna, her “face like glass,” which shows all her thoughts and feelings, puts her in danger as she becomes a pawn of the Court and corrupt ruling families of Caverna.

    Flying Lessons & Other Stories.Ellen Oh (Ed.). 2017. Crown/Random House.

    Flying LessonsShort stories, written by ten talented authors (Kwame Alexander, Kelly J. Baptist, Soman Chainani, Matt de la Peña, Tim Federle, Grace Lin, Meg Medina, Walter Dean Myers, Tim Tingle, and Jaqueline Woodson) introduce a diverse group of characters who want to belong and to be accepted for who they are. Back matter includes an “About We Need Diverse Books” section and biographical notes on the contributors.

    La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust #1). Philip Pullman. 2017. Alfred A. Knopf/Random House.

    The Book of DustIn this first book of Pullman’s new series, set 10 years earlier in the parallel world of the His Dark Materials trilogy, Lyra Belacqua is a baby under the care of nuns in a priory on the Thames. During a devastating flood, 11-year-old Malcolm Polstead rescues Baby Lyra from the destroyed priory in his canoe, La Belle Sauvage. Swept away in the storm, Malcolm faces a long, perilous journey to get Lyra back to safety in Oxford with the aim of securing sanctuary for her at Jordan College.

    Piecing Me Together. Renée Watson. 2017. Bloomsbury.

    Piecing Me TogetherAs part of her scholarship to prestigious St. Francis High School on the other side of Portland, Oregon, from where she lives, African-American Jade must participate in a mentoring program called Women to Women although she wonders what her mentor, who appears to have many challenges of her own, can teach her. In learning to appreciate her identity, Jade discovers she wants to develop her talent for collage art and to help people rather than be considered someone who needs help.

    Refugee. Alan Gratz. 2017. Scholastic.

    RefugeeThree young people from different places and times—Josef, a Jewish boy in Nazi Germany in 1938; Isabel, a girl living near Havana under the dictatorship of Fidel Castro in 1994; and Mahmoud, living in war-torn Aleppo, Syria, in 2015—have the same goal: to flee their homelands with their families. This fast-paced, action-packed adventure story is also a compelling historical exploration of the plight of immigrants who take incredible journeys to survive, sustained by the quest for freedom and the hope of reaching a place in which their families can rebuild their lives.

    Ages 15+

    Jane Unlimited. Kristen Cashore. 2017. Kathy Dawson/Penguin.

    Jane, UnlimitedFulfilling a promise made to her adventurous Aunt Magnolia, her guardian who recently died, to visit Tu Revien if invited, 18-year-old Jane accompanies Kiran Thrash to the family’s island mansion and, thus, begins her heroine’s journey. Thrust into the midst of eccentric houseguests, she uncovers mysteries (art thefts, spies, and kidnapping) and unexpected truths in this five genre mash-up that turns everything Jane thought she knew about her world and the universe upside down.

    Long Way Down. Jason Reynolds. 2017. Atheneum/Simon & Schuster.

    Long Way DownWhen his brother Shawn is shot and killed, 15-year-old Will knows the rules of the neighborhood: No Crying. No Snitching. Seek Revenge. Taking Shawn’s gun, he heads to the elevator to descend seven floors to the street. As the elevator stops at each floor, a different ghost from Will’s past, each a victim of gun violence, joins him and asks some hard questions. By the time he reaches the ground floor, has Will changed his plan to follow the rules? The ambiguous ending—“YOU COMING?— of Reynold’s beautifully-crafted free verse novel is startling and thought provoking.

    Soldier Boy. Kelly Hutton. 2017. Farrar Straus Giroux.

    Soldier BoyIn 1989, at age 14, Ricky was abducted by Joseph Kony’s rebel army in a raid on his Ugandan village. Hutton gives a vivid account of the brutal training and horrors of combat missions that Ricky endured and survived over four years, while he remained determined to escape and return home. Interwoven into the narrative are chapters set in 2006, in which fictional 11-year-old Samuel, who is recuperating from battlefield wounds, distrusts his caregivers and the stranger (Ricky Richard Anywar, founder of Friends of Orphans), who promises to help him return home. An afterword by Anywar provides information about the challenges faced by former child soldiers and the work of Friends of Orphans.

    Who Killed Christopher Goodman? Allan Wolf. 2017. Candlewick.

    GoodmanTeen Christopher Goodman was killed during Deadwood Days in Goldsburg, Virginia, in 1979. Doc and Squib, who discover Christopher’s body on a morning cross-country training run, as well as other classmates who interacted with Christopher during the last night of the festival, are plagued by thoughts that they may have played a role in his murder. Six narrators (including the killer) tell the story, which unfolds in poetry, prose, and play script entries. Memorial poems for Christopher Goodman written by classmates for their advanced literacy studies class provide the perfect ending to this tragic story, which is based on a true crime.

    Nancy Brashear is Professor Emeritus of English from Azusa Pacific University, in Azusa, California. Carolyn Angus is former Director of the George G. Stone Center for Children's Books, Claremont Graduate University, in Claremont, California.

    These reviews are submitted by members of the International Literacy Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily.

    We both have read extensively in all subgenres of fiction during the year and, like others who do so, we each have our favorites. Coming up with a list of only 20 books that the two of us could agree upon was a challenge. Here is our notable...Read More
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    Looking Back at 2017 Nonfiction

    By Nancy Brashear and Carolyn Angus
     | Jan 08, 2018

    In looking back at the bounty of nonfiction (including informational books, biographies, and poetry) published in 2017, we have considered the diversity of reading interests of children and young adults and the identification of outstanding trade books with curriculum connections as well as our favorites among the many books we have read this year. Here are our picks of the best nonfiction of 2017.

    Ages 4–8

    All Ears, All Eyes. Richard Jackson. Ill. Katherine Tillotson. 2017. Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum/Simon & Schuster.

    All Ears, All Eyes A spare lyrical text and beautiful impressionistic illustrations invite readers to listen to the sounds and look closely at the sights of the forest from twilight to dark of night. With a mix of questions, rhyming phrases, and onomatopoeia, the gentle text reads aloud well. “What surprises? / What sings? / Crick-crick-crickets / chirring / in the thick-thick-thickets / Whoo–whoo.”

    Balderdash!: John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children’s Books. Michelle Markel. Ill. Nancy Carpenter. 2017. Chronicle.

    Balderdash!Book lover John Newbery believed that reading should be a treat for children, and his first book for children, A Little Pretty Pocket-Book, was just that. Newbery’s success in publishing delightful books for young people earned him the title of “Father of Children’s Literature.” Detailed illustrations set the scene and match the wit of this engaging biography.

    Grand Canyon. Jason Chin. 2017. Neal Porter/Roaring Brook.

    Grand CanyonThis informational picture book, in which a father and daughter explore the Grand Canyon, includes sidebars detailing the geology and ecology of the canyon and borders picturing its rock strata, fauna, and flora. The illustrations showcase the majesty of the canyon. The book ends with a double gatefold showing the two explorers overlooking “the greatest canyon on Earth.”

    I’m Just No Good at Rhyming: And Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Adults. Chris Harris. Ill. Lane Smith. 2017. Little, Brown.

    No Good at RhymingAs the blurb on the book jacket flap promises, this is a “radically INVENTIVE, ABSURDLY FUNNY (and a little bit NAUGHTY) collection of wildly witty words (aka poetry).” The verbal and visual humor of this anthology of more than 100 poems on crazy topics, such as a unipede that is “So sick and tired . . . / of hoppin’!” and an island where everyone is named Toby, is laugh-out-loud delightful.

    Rivers of Sunlight: How the Sun Moves Water Around the Earth. (Sunlight Series). Molly Bang & Penny Chisholm. Ill. Molly Bang. 2017. Blue Sky/Scholastic.

    Rivers of SunlightWith expressive text and stunning illustrations, Bang and Chisholm present an accessible explanation of the role the sun plays in the water cycle. The text, narrated by the sun, ends with a call for readers to do their part to use water wisely and keep it clean.

    The World Is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid. Jeanette Winter. 2017. Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster.

    The World is Not a RectangleWinter’s picture book biography introduces Zaha Hadid (1950–2016), an Iraqi-born, British-educated architect, whose childhood interests in the natural world influenced her innovative and controversial architectural designs. Though her early designs for structures largely remained unbuilt, her imaginative designs are now buildings all over the world.

    Ages 911

    Before She Was Harriet. Lesa Cline-Ransome. Ill. James E. Ransome. 2017. Holiday House.

    Before She Was HarrietA dramatic cumulative poem and expressive paintings present periods of the life of Harriet Tubman as suffragist, Union Army spy, Underground Railroad conductor, slave in Maryland, and Araminta, “a young girl / taught by her father / to read / the woods / and the stars at night / readying / for the day / she’d leave behind / slavery / along with her name / and pick a new one / Harriet.”

    Her Right Foot. Dave Eggers. Ill. Shawn Harris. 2017. Chronicle.

    Her Right FootThis beautifully-crafted book is more than just a history of the Statue of Liberty. By focusing on the statue’s raised right foot (“This 150-foot woman is on the go!”), Eggers and Harris offer a timely reminder of our country’s history as a nation of immigrants. The Statue of Liberty is not just standing still, she is striding toward the sea to welcome immigrants to the United States of America.

    The Secret Project. Jonah Winter. Ill. Jeanette Winter. 2017. Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster.

    The Secret ProjectSpare text and folk art-style illustrations present a history of the development of the atomic bomb at a remote site in New Mexico in 1943. The project’s secrecy is expressed in the contrast between the colorful desert landscape and the gray-black silhouettes of “shadowy figures” (scientists) working day and night. The countdown for the bomb test is followed by wordless pages showing stages of the explosion—and a black final page.

    Silent Days, Silent Dreams. Allen Say. 2017. Scholastic.

    Silent Days, Silent DreamsSay’s fictional biography of James Castle (18991977) is a tribute to the deaf, autistic, self-taught artist, who created thousands of pieces of art during his silent and solitary lifetime. The extensive author’s note details how Say came to create this “imagined biography of a most original and enigmatic artist” in which he emulates the artist’s style in many of the illustrations.

    The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked, and Found. Martin W. Sandler. 2017. Candlewick.

    The WhydahThe Whydah, which sunk off the coast of Cape Cod during a storm on April 26, 1717, and was found in 1985, is the only pirate shipwreck that has been authenticated. Evidence from marine archaeologists, factual inserts, and Sandler’s research present an accurate representation of the lives of pirates. Back matter includes source notes, a bibliography, and index.

    Ages 12–14

    A Dog in the Cave: The Wolves Who Made Us Human. Kay Frydenborg. 2017. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

    A Dog in the CaveIn this exploration of the human-dog relationship, Frydenborg considers how a shared history has influenced the development of both humans and canines. Recent paleontological discoveries show that humans have been living with dogs for thousands of years longer than was previously thought and provide evidence that this close relationship has shaped both species.

    Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights and the Flaws That Affect Us Today. Cynthia Levinson & Sanford Levinson. 2017. Peachtree.

    Fault Lines in the ConstitutionThe Levinsons provide a thought-provoking exploration of the U.S. Constitution, examining the Framers’ “fights” during the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and the Constitution’s “flaws” that have affected the country throughout history. The clear narrative style, supplemented by striking infographics, considers provisions of the Constitution, resulting “big problems,” and connections to present-day issues. The authors end with a grading of the Constitution in terms of its successes and problems based on the goals set out in the Preamble—an overall C+.

    Isaac the Alchemist: Secrets of Isaac Newton, Reveal’d. Mary Losure. 2017. Candlewick.

    IsaacIn the prologue to this biography of Isaac Newton (16421727), Losure affirms, “He would become the world’s greatest alchemist. He would also (by following his own odd and lonely path) become one of the greatest scientists who ever lived.” The narrative account of Newton’s life and work, illustrated with engravings and pages from Newton’s notebooks and published works, supports this statement.

    One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance. Nikki Grimes. 2017. Bloomsbury.

    One Last WordGrimes pairs original poems, written in the “Golden Shovel” format (explained in an introductory “Poetry Form” note), with poems by Harlem Renaissance poets, such as Langston Hughes and Paul Laurence Dunbar, and artwork by inspiring contemporary African American illustrators. Back matter includes biographical notes on the poets and artists, sources, and an index.

    The Photo Ark: One Man’s Quest to Document the World’s Animals. Joel Sartore. 2017. National Geographic.

    The Photo ArkThis pictorial encyclopedia showcasing the diversity of animals on our planet features portraits of more than four hundred animals. Each photo is captioned with the common and the scientific name of the animal and a notation of the species’ conservation status. Inserts on eight “heroes,” conservationists acting to protect the Earth’s biodiversity, add interest. Back matter includes notes on the making of the photographs and National Geographic’s Photo Ark Project.

    Sinking the Sultana: A Civil War Story of Imprisonment, Greed, and a Doomed Journey Home. Sally M. Walker. 2017. Candlewick.

    Sinking the SultanaWalker gives an account of the 1865 sinking of a steamboat, the Sultana, on the Mississippi River with over 2,000 passengers aboard, including formerly imprisoned Union soldiers. This engaging history of “the worst maritime disaster in American history” includes diagrams, maps, and archival photographs. Back matter includes an author’s note, glossary, source notes, bibliography, and index.

    Ages 15+

    Alexander Hamilton: Revolutionary. Martha Brockenbrough. 2017. Feiwel and Friends.

    Alexander HamiltonBrockenbrough’s well-researched, in-depth biography of Alexander Hamilton covers his life and the important roles he played in the early history of America, from his illegitimate birth in the West Indies in 1755 to his death in a duel with Aaron Burr in 1804. The extensive back matter includes a family tree, a list of Hamilton’s allies and enemies, short entries on related topics, a time line, a bibliography, source notes, and an index.

    Victoria: Portrait of a Queen. Catherine Reef. 2017. Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

    VictoriaWith a masterful storytelling voice, Reef offers readers a fascinating biography of Victoria, who became Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1837—at age 18—and ruled until her death in 1901. The engaging narrative, enriched by a wealth of illustrations (including full-color formal portraits and archival paintings) provides a vivid portrait of the long-reigning queen and a history of the era in which she lived. Back matter includes a list of British monarchs, Queen Victoria’s family tree, source notes, an extensive bibliography, picture credits, and an index.  

    Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brother. Deborah Heligman. 2017. Henry Holt.

    Vincent and TheoThis insightful biography portrays the complicated life-long relationship between artist Vincent van Gogh (18531890) and his younger brother, Theo (18571891). Double-page sketches of the artist’s work at the beginning of the chronologically arranged “galleries” (sections of the book) and an eight-page insert of full-color photographs of Vincent van Gogh’s major works, including a self-portrait (1887) and a portrait of Theo van Gogh (1887), and back matter (time line, author’s note, extensive bibliography, source notes, and index) contribute to this engaging, well-researched tribute to the Van Gogh brothers.

    Nancy Brashear is Professor Emeritus of English at Azusa Pacific University, in Azusa, California. Carolyn Angus is former Director of the George G. Stone Center for Children's Books, Claremont Graduate University, in Claremont, California.

     These reviews are submitted by members of the International Literacy Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily.

    In looking back at the bounty of nonfiction (including informational books, biographies, and poetry) published in 2017, we have considered the diversity of reading interests of children and young adults and the identification of outstanding...Read More
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    Five Questions With Jared Reck (A Short History of the Girl Next Door)

    By Samantha Stinchcomb
     | Jan 03, 2018

    Jared ReckJared Reck's debut novel, A Short History of the Girl Next Door, is a powerful story about friendship and popularity, high school romance, and overcoming tragedy. An eighth-grade English language arts teacher, Reck lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania with his wife and two daughters.

    Do any of the characters or events portrayed in this story mirror your personal experiences with love and life?

    Absolutely. I think all of us understand the feeling of unrequited love—from the earliest unreciprocated crushes of elementary and middle school to the all-encompassing, soul-crushing kind that comes a little later. Good times.

    Matt is very much based on me in terms of interests and personality as a teenager, and I still have an inner-romantic movie director running overdramatic clips of how moments in my life should be playing out. He still sucks, too. So while I never experienced the same loss that Matt does firsthand, I’m pretty sure his reactions—the heartfelt and the heinous alike—mirror what my own would have been.

    What inspired you to write A Short History of the Girl Next Door?

    I wish I could say that [A Short History of the Girl Next Door] came from some big idea, but it didn’t. It really just started with a character.

    I teach eighth-grade ELA, which I run as a writing workshop, and every year we do a pretty in-depth unit on fiction writing. We always start the process by developing a believable main character using a simple questionnaire—about 20 questions answered in the voice of that character, almost like you’re sitting down across the table from your character and recording whatever he or she says to you. (I still start all my stories this way, with about 20-30 pages of character responses before I ever try writing the first chapter.)

    About seven or eight years ago, I’d finished my first short story with my students—a 30-page story about a dweeby eighth-grade orchestra member sitting in in-school suspension—and I loved how it turned out. So when I sat down and started a new character with my students the next year, I ended up loving this kid even more: he was funny, and self-deprecating, and stuck inside his own head all the time, and he lived and breathed basketball. He was Matt.

    So before I ever knew where I was going with the story—before I knew I’d even attempt to turn it into a novel—I had this character, this voice, that I loved. (I’m still not sure I ever figured out plot.)

    In what ways did your students help you to write this novel?

    My students have always kind of been my first readers, little snippets at a time. In my classroom, I never ask my students to do anything I’m not willing to do, too, so I am always writing with them, whether it’s memoir or poetry or fiction or whatever. I model with my own writing throughout the entire process, and, honestly, I’m usually trying to make them laugh. So if I can read a passage and make a roomful of eighth graders laugh, I know I’m on the right track. They’re not always the easiest audience.

    What was the biggest obstacle you faced when writing this novel? Were there any moments in the story where you felt particularly ‘stuck’?

    Ordinary, everyday life.

    Besides teaching full-time, I also worked through a master’s program in educational leadership, I’m an elected member of the school board (in the district where I live, not where I teach), I’m on my town’s recreation board, and with two daughters (one a senior in high school this year), my wife and I are constantly volunteering for the music booster club and the theater booster club and going to concerts and practices and sporting events and Girl Scouts and…yeah. Life.

    Definitely not a struggle—I love being involved in all these things—just full. So, especially with this first book, it was hard to dedicate so much time away from family to work on something that may never go anywhere. And that was one of the biggest challenges—just having the commitment to keep going. To assuage all the crippling self-doubt with the thought that, even if this never gets published, I’ll still be a better human being for having done it—that I’d regret never finishing way more than never publishing.

    What advice would you share with aspiring young authors?

    It’s okay to fake it. Seriously. I just finished writing my second novel, and I still feel like I’m faking it—like I still shouldn’t really call myself a writer. But even if you feel that way—and I bet most of us feel that way—go ahead and pretend like you’re a real-live writer anyway: join an organization like the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, take a class or a workshop, find a writing friend or two, do your research, keep reading and writing, and pretend that you’re already so successful that you can write about whatever the heck makes you truly happy. (I wrote about Nerds, corked wiffle ball bats, and almost inappropriately good gravy.)

     Samantha Stinchcomb is a former intern at the International Literacy Association.

    Jared Reck's debut novel, A Short History of the Girl Next Door, is a powerful story about friendship and popularity, high school romance, and overcoming tragedy. An eighth-grade English language arts teacher, Reck lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania...Read More
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    Books Too Good to Miss

    By Nancy Brashear and Carolyn Angus
     | Dec 20, 2017

    At the beginning of December, we took note of the many books remaining on our shelves that we wanted to see reviewed in this weekly column before the end of the year. So here, in the last column of the year, are sixteen of these books published in 2017 that we think are just too good to miss.

    Ages 4–8

    All the Way to Havana. Margarita Engle. Ill. Mike Curato. 2017. Godwin/Henry Holt.

    All the Way to HavanaA boy describes a trip in Cara Cara, the family’s dilapidated blue car (a 1954 Chevy), from his village to the bustling capital city of Havana, where they join a parade of colorful old cars. “Many of the cars roar, growl, whine, or putt putt, but most just honk, honk, honk as they glide bumpety bump on potholed city streets.” Author’s and illustrator’s notes provide a context for this story set in Cuba, a country where a family’s loyalty extends to its car.
    —CA

    My Dog Mouse. Eva Lindström. Trans. Julia Marshall. 2017. Gecko.

    My Dog MouseA young girl takes Mouse, an old dog, on a slow and rambling walk to a park. “Step, pause. Step, pause.” Readers will bask in the comfortable friendship of girl and dog expressed by the softly colored illustrations and the leisurely pace of the narrative. Back where they began, the girl watches as Mouse follows his owner inside his home and wistfully says, “I wish Mouse was mine.”
    —NB

    Once There Was a Story: Tales from Around the World, Perfect for Sharing. Jane Yolen. Ill. Jane Dyer. 2017. Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster.

    Once There Was a StoryThis collection of 32 tales from around the world, organized in three sections: “Homey Tales,” “The Very Best Beastly Tales,” and “Tales of Magic,” includes both well-known stories such as “The Little Red Hen” (England) and “The Tortoise and the Hare” (Greece/Aesop) and lesser-known ones such as “Plip, Plop” (Tibet) and “Ali’s Wretched Sack” (Iran/a Sufi story). Yolen’s retellings of folktales, fables, and stories, complemented by Dyer’s charming watercolor illustrations, are perfect for reading aloud to young children.
    —CA

    Plume. Isabelle Simler. 2017. Eerdmans.

    PlumeAn elegant, digitally created portrait of a bird (peacock, blackbird, nuthatch, turkey, and fourteen more) is paired with delicately detailed drawings of one or more of its feathers on each oversize double-page spread. The presence of Plume (the black cat looking at feathers on the cover) is evident throughout the book with a nose, paw, ear, or whiskers along the edge of a page or its body partially hidden behind a bird. Plume’s special interest in feathers is revealed on the final pages.
    —CA

    Small Walt. Elizabeth Verdick. Ill. Marc Rosenthal. 2017. Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster.

    Small WaltWalt, the smallest snowplow, clears the streets with driver Gus during a blizzard although the BIG snowplows doubt his ability to complete the challenging task. Digitally colored drawings featuring a bright red personified Walt and a lively narrative punctuated with chants (“My name is Walt. / I plow and I salt . . .”) and onomatopoeia (“ERRR Vroom-vaRoom!”) make this book a delightful read aloud.
    —NB

    Winter Dance. Marion Dane Bauer. Ill. Richard Jones. 2017. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

    Winter Dance“A single snowflake floats through the air,” and a red fox asks other creatures of the forest what to do. No answer is right for him until he meets another red fox who advises, “. . . that’s what / we fine red foxes / do in winter. / Dance!” A lyrical text and beautifully detailed illustrations with soft textured backgrounds, rendered with wax and pencil crayons, capture the mystery of the season—and the imaginations of readers.
    —NB

    Ages 9–11

    The Player King. Avi. 2017. Atheneum/Simon & Schuster.

    The Player KingIn 1486, orphan Lambert Simnel, kitchen boy at Tackley’s Tavern, is recruited by Friar Simonds to impersonate missing young Prince Edward and reclaim the British throne from the King Henry VII (who killed the prince’s father, King Richard III in combat) to restore the old order. After King Henry defeats Lambert’s army, Lambert, ironically, ends up in the palace kitchen instead of being hanged for treason. He laments, “I am Lambert Simnel, who was, once, very briefly a king. A player king.” An author’s note provides the facts behind this historical novel.
    —NB

    Tumble & Blue. Cassie Beasley. 2017. Penguin/Random House.

    Tumble & BumbleTwo hundred years ago, two ancestors of Blue Montgomery and Tumble Wilson talked Munch, a magical Okefenokee Swamp golden alligator, into splitting between them his offer to change one person’s fate on the night of a red sickle moon. Since that time, the fates of their descendants are either blessings or curses. After they meet and become friends in Murky Branch, Georgia, Blue, whose fate is to always lose, and Tumble, whose attempts at superheroism always end disastrously, journey into the swamp on the night of the red moon to change their destinies.
    —CA

    The Wonderling. Mira Bartók. 2017. Candlewick.

    The WonderlingShy, 11-year-old, one-eared groundling Number Thirteen is part fox, part child. He is captive at the nefarious Miss Carbunkle’s Home for Wayward and Misbegotten Creatures, where music is forbidden, with only remnants of a lullaby as his earliest memory. A reluctant hero, he befriends Trinket, a bird groundling, who renames him Arthur and arranges a dramatic escape to find their familiesand for Arthur to seek his destiny and finally “find” his voice. Middle graders will enjoy this high-adventure Victorian steampunk animal fantasy with music, clever prose, and quaint illustrations, done in ink, graphite, and gouache.
    —NB

    Writing Radar: Using Your Journal to Snoop Out and Craft Great Stories. Jack Gantos. 2017. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

    Writing RadarIn his characteristic witty style, master storyteller Jack Gantos offers a wealth of practical advice on writing stories. He emphasizes the importance of reading good books to turn on the “powerful Writing Radar story-finding talent within you.”  Gantos peppers his kid-friendly guide to journaling with examples of his own childhood experiences as a writer and humorous pen-and-ink drawings. He includes three “Writing Connections” exercises to get young writers started on storytelling with confidence.
    —CA

    Ages 12–14

    Bound by Ice: A True North Pole Survival Story. Sandra Neil Wallace & Rich Wallace. 2017. Calkins Creek/Highlights.

    Bound By IceOn July 8, 1879, the USS Jeannette set out from San Francisco on an expedition to the North Pole. After being ice bound and drifting for almost two years, the vessel was freed from the ice only to sink after being trapped again. “Thirty-three men embarked on the Jeannette’s Arctic journey to reach the North Pole. Twelve survived.” The engrossing narrative account of the ill-fated voyage includes letters, journal entries, letters, archival photos, and illustrations.
    —CA  

    The Stars Beneath Our Feet. David Barclay Moore. 2017. Alfred A. Knopf/Random House.

    The Stars Beneath Our FeetIn 12-year-old Trinidadian Lolly Rachpaul’s journey of self-discovery, he is still reeling over the recent gang-related Harlem murder of his brother, Jermaine. Guided by Ali, an after-school program social worker, Lolly escapes harsh reality by constructing a kingdom with Lego blocks and creating an imaginative story about its inhabitants in a vacant room in the Community Center. After autistic Rose butts her way in, snapping her own buildings together with his Legos, Lolly’s challenge to her, a Ten-Foot Tower Contest, leads to unexpected life lessons.
    —NB

    You Bring the Distant Near. Mitali Perkins. 2017. Farrar Straus Giroux.

    You Bring the Distant NearBeginning with the immigration in 1973 of Tara and Sonia Das with their parents to New York City (via Ghana and London), Perkins explores the experiences of three generations of Das women through the alternating teen voices of first Tara and Sonia and then their daughters, Anna and Chantal. This is a warm and thought-provoking story of searching for identity and the balancing of cultural expectations as well as a story of strong women finding love and the blending of cultures.
    —CA

    Ages 15+

    Disappeared. Francisco X. Stork. 2107. Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic.

    DisappearedAfter Sara Zapata, a journalist in Juárez, Mexico, uncovers evidence tying the head of the State Police to missing local women (including her best friend, Linda Fuentes), she receives an anonymous death threat. Sara’s entrepreneurial brother, Emiliano, has just received a job offer that involves smuggling drugs in piñatas that is lucrative and promises to curry favor with the father of Perla Rubi, his wealthy out-of-reach love. Sara’s and Emiliano’s stories intersect in a race for survival.
    —NB

    The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives. Dashka Slater. 2017. Farrar Straus Giroux.

    The 57 BusIn Oakland, California, on November 4, 2013, the homeward journeys of two teens on the 57 bus overlap for just eight minutes, a brief period of time in which both their lives are changed. Sasha is sixteen, white, identifies as agender, lives in middle-class Oakland Hills, and attends a small private high school. Richard is sixteen, African-American, lives in East Oakland’s flatlands, and is a junior at Oakland High School. As the bus moves along, Sasha has been reading Anna Karenina;Richard has been goofing around with his companions. Sasha falls asleep, and Richard flicks a lighter, and the flame touches the hem of Sasha’s gauzy white skirt. In short chapters, Slater tells the before and after stories of Sasha and Richard and explores issues of race, class, gender, and problems of the criminal justice system and juvenile incarceration.
    —CA

    Genuine Fraud. E. Lockhart. 2017. Delacorte/Random House.

    Genuine FraudThese things are true about Julietta (“Jule”) West Williams: She’s a liar, survivor, fighter, and chameleon who finally has a best friend, Imogen. Beginning during the third week of June 2017, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and moving steadily backward in time to the first week of June 2016, in New York City, this thriller lands back in the opening scene for a double-plot twist grand finale that readers won’t see coming.
    —NB  

    Nancy Brashear is Professor Emeritus of English from Azusa Pacific University, in Azusa, California. Carolyn Angus is former Director of the George G. Stone Center for Children's Books, Claremont Graduate University, in Claremont, California.

    These reviews are submitted by members of the International Literacy Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily.

    At the beginning of December, we took note of the many books remaining on our shelves that we wanted to see reviewed in this weekly column before the end of the year. So here, in the last column of the year, are sixteen of these books published...Read More
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    More Graphic Novels

    By Nancy Brashear and Carolyn Angus
     | Dec 11, 2017

    Graphic novels are visual ways of telling stories using dialogue, thoughts, and narration combined with artwork in sequential panels. Graphic novels belong in literacy-centered classrooms along with other trade books to teach essential skills and to foster reading for both learning and pleasure. The books reviewed this week are representative of the ever-increasing diversity of graphic novels and are engaging and enriching for readers of all ages.

    Ages 4–8

    Andrew the Seeker (Game for Adventure #1). Lee Nordling. Ill. Scott Roberts. 2017. Graphic Universe/Lerner.

    Andrew the SeekerAfter spying a cute-not-scary purple monster outside his window, Andrew (with a safari helmet and butterfly net) goes on a pursuit. He is so intent on tracking the monster that he fails to see it hiding in plain sight. Frustrated, Andrew abandons the hunt, but after spying the monster the next morning, he’s back on. With an adventurous plot that is easy to follow in the colorful and humorous cartoon panels, this wordless book is a strong introduction to the graphic novel for young children.
    —CA

    Crafty Cat and the Crafty Camp Crisis (Crafty Cat #2). Charise Mericle Harper. 2017. First Second/Roaring Brook.

    Crafty CatSecond grader Birdie is excited about attending the one-day-only Monster Craft Camp on Saturday, but her expectations are dampened as bossy classmate Anya disrupts each of the camp activities. Birdie’s alter ego, Crafty Cat, comes to the rescue and helps her craft her way through the challenges of the day. This second graphic novel in the series with its simple panels of digital sketches in muted colors includes a set of easy-to-follow directions for the five crafts introduced in the story. Crafty kids can look forward to the release of Crafty Cat and the Great Butterfly in spring 2018.
    —NB

    A Tale of Two Kitties (Dog Man #3). Dav Pilkey. 2017. Graphix/Scholastic.

    Dog ManIn a foreword, fifth graders George and Harold relate how reading Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities inspired them to create A Tale of Two Kitties, and provide a “supa recap” of the origin of Dog Man. In this adventure, Dog Man (with the body of a police officer and a head of dog) defends the city against evil doers: Petey, a mad scientist cat, and the diabolical Flippy the Psychokinetic Fish, who organizes an army of Beastly Buildings to gobble up everything in sight. Silly humor abounds in the dialogue and childlike artwork, and the book ends with illustration lessons and a “Read to Your Dog, Man!” section.
    —CA

    Toby Goes Bananas. Franck Girard. Ill. Serge Block. 2017. Graphix/Scholastic.

    TOBY Goes BananasToby Goes Bananas is essentially a book of jokes tied together by a narrative of a day in the life of young Toby, who always has a snappy comeback ready as he interacts with his parents and younger sister, Zaza, at home and with friends, teachers, and the principal at school. The jokes are silly and eyeroll-inducing—just the kind that young kids love. His teacher, Mrs. Smith, is the perfect foil, setting Toby up for a zinger. For example, his response to her question “Toby, how many planets are in the universe?” is “ALL OF THEM!” Kids will go “bananas” over this graphic/fiction hybrid.
    —CA

    Ages 9–11

    Fish Girl. Donna Jo Napoli. Ill. David Wiesner. 2017. Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

    Fish GirlFish Girl, the main attraction in a boardwalk aquarium, believes the stories that King Neptune tells her. After she makes friends with a human girl, Livia, who names her Mira (for Miracle), she realizes that King Neptune is not the god of the seas but, rather, an immoral fisherman who has kept her captive since she was a baby. After Mira discovers her magical ability to transform between mermaid and human, a storm brews that may free her to live the life she deserves. Napoli’s spare text in boxes and Wiesner’s detailed full-color visual images make this an engaging, easy-to-follow graphic fantasy.
    —NB 

    The Sand Warrior (5 Worlds #1). Mark Siegel & Alexis Siegel. Ill. Xanthe Bouma, Matt Rockefeller & Boya Sun. 2017. Random House.

    5 WorldsOona Lee (clumsy young sand dancer), Jax Amboy (star athlete), and An Tzu (ingenious poor boy) band together to save their galaxy after the attack at the Starball Game on Beacon Day. Oona believes that her missing sister Jessa, a sand dancer extraordinaire, is the chosen one who, according to the Sand Warrior Prophecy, can save the Five Worlds from dying with her extraordinary summoning sand dancing to light the dark beacons. But as Oona, Jax, and An are hunted by Mimic and his minions, the trio gets a glimpse into their own unexpected destinies.
    Readers magically transported into the Five Worlds in this epic science fiction quest will be eager for the sequel.
    —NB

    Swing It, Sunny! (Sunny #2).Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm. 2017. Graphix/Scholastic.

    Swing It SunnyAfter spending the summer with Gramps in Florida in Sunny Side Up (2015), Sunny Lewin is back home and things are not terrific. She faces the challenges of first year in middle school and the absence of her big brother, Dale, who has been sent to a military boarding school. The short chapters (episodes in The Sunny Show, starring Sunny herself, “a regular girl in a regular world”) include some particularly effective wordless panels that express Sunny’s emotional turmoil as she deals with her problems. Jennifer and Matthew Holms have created a lovable and realistic character in Sunny. Humor lightens things up as Sunny and her best friend, Deb, do what kids did in the 1970s, and her upbeat sunny side continues to shine.
    —CA

    Ages 12–14

    Eagle Strike: The Graphic Novel (Alex Rider). Anthony Horowitz. Adapt. Antony Johnston. Ill. Yuzuru Takasaki & Kanako Damerum. 2017. Candlewick.

    Eagle StrikeSuperspy agent, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider (otherwise known as M16) is on vacation with Sabine Pleasure and her family when their villa is bombed, and her father ends up in a coma. M16 refuses to help him, so Alex is on his own as he searches for the hit man and, in the process, connects a pop star and designer of a video game to a heinous international scheme from which only he can save the world. The story is told through characters’ thoughts and dialogue in digitally colored, manga-influenced panels. This graphic novel adaptation with brilliant action sequences is based on book four of the original Alex Rider series.
    —NB

    Gods and Thunder: A Graphic Novel of Old Norse Myths. Carl Bowen, Michael Dahl & Louise Simonson. Ill. Eduardo Garcia, Tod Smith & Rex Lokus. 2017. Capstone.

    Gods and ThunderThis introduction to Norse mythology in graphic novel format includes four tales of the Norse gods, the Aesirs. In “Thor and Loki,” Thor (the son of Odin) and Loki (a sly, shape-shifting giant who has been raised with Odin’s children) journey into Jütunheim, the land of the giants. In “Thor vs. the Giants,” the thunder god outwits three giants in epic battles. “The Death of Baldur” tells the story of the tragic death of the beloved god of light, the son of Odin and his wife, Frigg. “Twilight of the Gods” chronicles the events of Ragnarök, the final battle that brings an end to the Nine Worlds. A glossary (with a pronunciation guide) is helpful in keeping track of the characters, places, and events in these ancient tales.
    —CA

    The Stone Heart (Nameless City #2). Faith Erin Hicks. 2017. First Second/Roaring Brook.

    The Stone HeartHicks’ manga-inspired, watercolor illustrations draw the reader into this imaginative political thriller set in The Nameless City in 13th-century China. Three months after The Nameless City, ends, Kaidu (staying with his father, a general at the Dao Palace) and Rat (an orphan living in the Stone Heart Monastery, which harbors secrets that can destroy or save society) are thrown into danger when the General of All Blades is assassinated by his son, Erzi. After Erzi takes command of the city, he steals the secret book Napatha (containing the lost formula for a powerful weapon) from the monastery, which he burns down. Kaidu and Rat hatch a dangerous plan to defeat this political takeover with consequences that may be deadly. Back matter includes an author’s note and a section on the concept art for The Nameless City series.
    —NB

    Ages 15+

    Shattered Warrior. Sharon Shinn. Ill. Molly Knox Ostertag. 2017. First Second/Roaring Brook.

    Shattered WarriorWhen the Derichets, an evil alien race, invaded the planet for its mineral rights, they killed all of Colleen Cavanaugh’s family—or so she thinks. While working in an oppressive factory controlled by the Derichets, Colleen learns that her niece, Lucy, survived. Reunited, along with Jann (a Chromatti rebel with whom Colleen has fallen in love), they must decide if they will choose enslaved security or fight against the Derichets in the underground Valenchi rebellion to reclaim their world. Created with a muted palette and environmental detail, the action-filled illustrations expand the narrative, thoughts, and conversations in this complex dystopian, sci-fi graphic novel.
    —NB

    Thornhill. Pam Smy, 2017. Roaring Brook.

    Thornhill2In 2017, Ella, who has moved with her father into a house next to derelict Thornhill Institute, a long-abandoned orphanage, spies a figure wandering Thornhill’s overgrown grounds. In 1852, Mary Baines, a selectively mute orphan beleaguered by bullying, spends her time in her isolated room creating dolls and puppets. Mary’s and Ella’s stories intertwine in alternating sections of text consisting of entries in Mary’s diary and wordless black-and-white graphic sequences of Ella’s exploration of Thornhill that lead to the discovery of Mary’s diary and her repairing of the damaged dolls she finds. Tension builds through both words and images as this engrossing, beautifully-crafted graphic novel/horror story comes to a chilling and disturbing end. 
    —CA

    Nancy Brashear is Professor Emeritus of English from Azusa Pacific University, in Azusa, California. Carolyn Angus is former Director of the George G. Stone Center for Children's Books, Claremont Graduate University, in Claremont, California.

     These reviews are submitted by members of the International Literacy Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) and are published weekly on Literacy Daily. 

    Graphic novels are visual ways of telling stories using dialogue, thoughts, and narration combined with artwork in sequential panels. Graphic novels belong in literacy-centered classrooms along with other trade books to teach essential skills...Read More
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