SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2010
Kate DiCamillo is another one of my favorite authors. She tells
her stories in an honest and non-apologetic way through characters who are
likable, hated, pathetic, etc.
I read this book then purchased the excellent production of the unabridged audio book for my daughter when she was nine. She loved it too, but was extremely disappointed (as was I) in the horrible distortion of the novel in the 2009 movie.
I read this book then purchased the excellent production of the unabridged audio book for my daughter when she was nine. She loved it too, but was extremely disappointed (as was I) in the horrible distortion of the novel in the 2009 movie.
This is
another one of my favorite books. It won a Newbery Honor in 2007 and shows (not
tells) how twelve-year-old Cathrine deals with her autistic brother and the
family dynamics between herself and her parents.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2010
I've met this author several times at different SCBWI So. Ca
conventions and she is one of the nicest, approachable people I've ever met.
This book is a quiet, but sweet novel about an eleven-year-old girl who learns
to deal with the flaws and quirky behavior of her parents.
[A story about the author...] I met Ms Woodson at the Los Angeles Book Festival in 2013. She was one of a panel of children's authors along with Maggie Stiefvater, and two other women I can't remember now. Anyway, after the discussion the authors were going to sign books at the other end of the USC campus. I don't think I'd ever ran so fast in my life to be the first in line for my book signings--and I brought every book she ever wrote. When I got to YA author signing booths Maggie's line was already long, but I was the only person who was in Ms Woodson's line and I was dancing around like a freaking five-year-old waiting to sit on Santa's lap. A father asked me who I was waiting for and I told him she was the author of Feathers and After Tupac and D Foster and a few girls switched lines and fell in behind me. Anyway, Jacqueline arrived at the table and signed all of my books and as she did I freaking cried. Yep, I cried. I've met a lot of authors, but I never cried before!
I've already said how much I love this author. The novel Locomotion is another reason why.
This book is written in verse, the voice of the eleven-year-old Lonnie is
strong and his character is endearing. This book was a National Book Award
finalist in 2003.
Feathers, once again, seals this author as one of the great contemporary children's writers of my generation. This book was a Newbery Honor book in 2008.
Show Way is one of my favorite picture books and it happens to be written by one of my favorite authors. Woodson received a Newbery Honor medal for this book in 2006.
Feathers, once again, seals this author as one of the great contemporary children's writers of my generation. This book was a Newbery Honor book in 2008.
Show Way is one of my favorite picture books and it happens to be written by one of my favorite authors. Woodson received a Newbery Honor medal for this book in 2006.
Won the 1931 Newbery Medal. Told in third person, past tense it
is a Japanese folk-tale type of story. It was interesting to read an Newbery
book that was written almost 80 years ago and notice how much more demanding a
fast moving plot is necessary in the publishing world of today.
This book was given to me during a drawing at the 2008 Editor's
Day. An editor from Milkweed Press attended and gave a talk. I love this book!
It is sweet and endearing had handles several different issues within one
novel. The self-conscious fears of thirteen-year-old m/c Lauren experience are
real and believable along with the family dynamics to which she is subject.
This is one of my favorite books because I could experience a gamut of emotions within it's 149 pages.
This is one of my favorite books because I could experience a gamut of emotions within it's 149 pages.
[A story about the author first...] Richard Peck gave me the most wonderful compliment during a break-out
session he taught at the 2009 SCBWI Summer Conference. He had given an
assignment to write a paragraph (three sentences) after he provided the first
sentence for the first page of a book. His talk had been about setting the
stage on your first page. His sentence went something like this: It was always
there and I would see it every time I would visit... . After giving the class
five minutes to scribble something down, he began to call on some incredible
published writers (i.e. Linda Sue Park and Jay Asher) to share what they wrote. I timidly raised my hand and shared my three sentences. On the way back to my
seat, Richard Park actually said out loud and in front of all of these really
great writers, "Someone should tell that gal she should be a writer."
I almost wet my pants. Sometimes it is little things like this that can give a
writer the inspiration stick to it despite any disappointment.
I read A Long way from Chicago before I attended the conference and what I enjoyed most was the way he adds humor into the everyday life and quirky personalities of his characters. This book won the 1999 Newbery Honor and I'm so honored to have him sign the copy of his award winning novel.
I read A Long way from Chicago before I attended the conference and what I enjoyed most was the way he adds humor into the everyday life and quirky personalities of his characters. This book won the 1999 Newbery Honor and I'm so honored to have him sign the copy of his award winning novel.
Olive's Ocean won a Newbery Honor in 2004. It is a fast easy
read, but a quiet type of book. Even though it is a sweet story and I enjoyed
it, the story did not leave a strong impression on my reading experience.
I had
the honor of hearing this author teach a break-out session the 2009 SCBWI
Conference. She spoke on how she researches for her historical novels and she
took the time to sign my copy of The Midwife's
Apprentice, which won the Newbery in 1996.
I had previously read The Midwife's Apprentice and listened to the excellent unabridged audio production of the same book with my daughter--she was in forth grade. As both a reader and listener the author transported me easily to Medieval England where I was engrossed in the language and superstitions of the time period. She is a brilliant writer and I can see how important her research was to the believability of this novel.
I purchased the novel The Ballad of Lucy Whipple before I started my serious reading/study of children's literature and I purchased it only because the m/c was named Lucy--my daughter is Lucy and I purchase anything with her name in it.
I had previously read The Midwife's Apprentice and listened to the excellent unabridged audio production of the same book with my daughter--she was in forth grade. As both a reader and listener the author transported me easily to Medieval England where I was engrossed in the language and superstitions of the time period. She is a brilliant writer and I can see how important her research was to the believability of this novel.
I purchased the novel The Ballad of Lucy Whipple before I started my serious reading/study of children's literature and I purchased it only because the m/c was named Lucy--my daughter is Lucy and I purchase anything with her name in it.
It sat on the bookshelf for three years until after I met the author. It was interesting how she captured the essence of a whinny teenager There were times when--maybe because I am an adult and mother--I wanted to smack the m/c Lucy and tell her to grow-up and stop feeling sorry for herself.
Isn't that what makes a good book? How realistic an author can make the characters? What child today wouldn't act the same way, if not worse, if put in the same circumstances as Lucy Whipple. I dare say all of them would.
Karen Cushman is a brilliant author and her books should be a must read for not only children, but for anyone attempting to write for children.
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