Real Imaginary Characters

"But that’s where the power of writing comes in... Crafting ...Sentences that create what seems to be real people out of imagination."
—Beth Hill*

Art Nouveau Bookplate attributed to J. W. Simpson
Courtesy Antiquariat Rieger

*Via The Editor's Blog

MMGM: The Wedding Planner's Daughter

Today's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday pick

The Wedding Planner's Daughter,
 first in the series, by Coleen Murtagh Paratore

The Wedding Planner's Daughter

Written by Coleen Murtagh Paratore
Cover art by Barbara McGregor

Simon and Schuster Books For Young Readers, 2006
Ages 8 and up, Lexile 780
208 pages, 33225 words

Themes:
Humor, Growing Up, Parent-Child Relationships


Opening:
"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
     —Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass

If you hear my name, Willafred, and don't picture a princess, well, hooray for you. "There's the wedding planner's daughter," they whisper." She's nothing like her mother."
       My mother, Stella Havisham, is as glamorous as a queen. I'm string-bean skinny with horse-tail hair. My eyes are nice, though. Blue, like the sea.
       We moved here to the sea last year. Bramble, Cape Cod, where Mother was born. So far we've lived in seven towns. We move when Stella gets scared. But Nana kept on begging her "stubborn as seaweed" daughter to come home, and at last Stella agreed.
       After all those years, when Stella finally said yes, well, that gave me hope for impossible things.


Thoughts:
Willa and her mom move from town to town, running from the losses in their past. When they land in Bramble, Cape Cod, Willa is done running. She wants to put down roots, make a best friend, and be involved in her mother's planning business. But most important of all, Willa wants to spend her thirteenth birthday on Cape, because she is sure this will be the year her secret birthday wish comes true.

I fell in love with Willa's unmistakable voice on page one. Never mind she is a bookish romantic. She is also spunky, smart, awkward, unsure of herself, and lonely. This book spoke to my 11 year-old self. She lives on dreamy, storybook Cape Cod. Her world is peopled with her OCD mother, poetic next-door neighbor, her glam BFF and the cranky former friend, a sassy clergywoman, a mischievous grandma, and the elderly kindred spirit. The weddings are over-the-top. The setting authentic. The chapter titles are literary quotes which read like fortune cookies. The plot runs on Willa's drive to control her world, though she is often powerless to do so. Or is she. Willa finds the powers of love and honesty may succeed where her birthday wishes have failed.

As loathe as I am to stereotype, I can't find much that will interest boys in this book. Even sensitive romantics may find the wedding details, the tactful discussions of missing tween body parts, and the finer points of sleepovers out of their comfort zones. But for those brave enough to wade in, this book is as compelling as a sea shell, beckoning the discoverer to examine and cherish.


Bonus: 
1. If you enjoyed The Wedding Planner's Daughter, you can read some of the other books by Paratore. Here's my brief opinion of Book #3, Willa by Heart.

Cupid Chronicles, Willa book #2

Funeral Director's Son #1

Sunny Holiday #1

2. I also highly recommend Bloomability or Because of Winn-Dixie.

Bloomability,
by Sharon Creech

Because of Winn-Dixie,
by Kate DiCamillo

You can peruse the Marvelous Middle Grade Monday reviews of Because of Winn-Dixie below.
Greg on Always in the Middle
Joanne on My Brain On Books
Gabrielle Prendergast on her blog
Barbara  on Reading and Writing and Other Things


3. The Wedding Planner's Daughter takes place in the fictional town of Bramble, Massachusetts. I've got to wonder if Bramble is anything like Brewster, MA. After all, Brewster, Cape Cod is where you'll find the real Bramble Inn. And in the book, Willa lives next door to a former bed & breakfast.

The view from Paines Creek Beach, by Amy Mason

4. Curious where Coleen Paratore gets her ideas? Which is her favorite book? How she got started writing? Join TeenV during their video interview with the author.

 

 

Have you reviewed a Marvelous Middle Grade Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the Marvelous Middle Grade Monday recommendations for November 7, 2016.

MMGM started way back in 2010 by Shannon Messenger, author of Keeper of Lost Cities. Each week, participating bloggers review our favorite books for ages 8-12. Why not join us?

PPBF: The Great Leopard Rescue

Today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick

The Great Leopard Rescue, by Sandra Markle

The Great Leopard Rescue

Written by Sandra Markle
Cover photo by Tom and Pat Leeson

MillBrook Press, 2016
Grades 3-7, 48 pp, Lexile 1110

Themes:
Animals, Nonfiction, Conservation

Opening:
       Danger!
       In the fading light of an autumn day, a young male Amur leopard picks his way over a rocky ridge and sets off on his nighttime hunt. Earlier, in the morning, he caught a hare before finding a den to sleep in. But one hare isn't enough daily food for a cat nearly twice as big as a German shepherd. So, awake again, he's hungry and hunting.

Synopsis:
The Amur leopard is endangered. Incredible efforts have been made to bring this big cat back from the brink of extinction and reintroduce it into the wild. This book follows the reasons for the leopard's endangered status, obstacles to it's success, and the specific multi-national plan in place to help the species flourish.

What I Love:
Sandra Markle does an amazing job introducing the plight of the Amur leopard and chronicling it's recovery without forgetting her audience. She doesn't spend much time discussing the actual leopard's characteristics, but by the end, I felt like I knew all about the animals. There are many complicated steps involved in protecting the Amur leopards' habitat, overseeing their care and breeding, and helping captive animals succeed in the wild. The journey is fascinating, and detailed without becoming prosaic. The photography is gorgeous throughout. The back matter includes full resources, notes, timelines, etc. Best of all, the plan for the Amur leopards won't be completed until 2020, so this book has a long shelf life and plenty of potential as a classroom resource.

Bonus: 
1. Get an update on the status of the Amur leopard at the World Wildlife Federation site. It includes photos, video, and more.

2. View the gorgeous Amur leopard video of the mama and its cubs, available on WildScreen Arkive.

3. Visit the big cats upclose and personal. San Diego Zoo, St. Louis Zoo, and the Philadelphia Zoo are among the many parks trying to protect this species.

4. Wild Earth Guardians site posted a map of endangered animal candidates in the U.S.A.

5. For the adventurous, I've included a video for leopard print milk loaf by Vanessa Vie.

6. Learn Create Love offers a free printable leopard craft for young readers.

7. Join the fight. Give to the Phoenix Fund and learn more about the Kedrovaya Pad Reserve in Eastern Asia. Why not run a fund raiser in your classroom?

8. Prose and Kahn also reviewed this book. And check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.



Reviewed by Sue

Reviewed by Miranda



Reviewed by Beth

Reviewed by Kirsten

Reviewed by Julie

Reviewed by Susanna

Reviewed by Robyn

Reviewed by Joanne

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!
Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, November 4, 2016 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

Open a Book

"The magic begins when a child or grown-up reader opens up the book."
—Debbie Ridpath Ohi*

Designed by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
for International Book Giving Day

*Via Inkygirl

Picture Book Month 2016

Grab you promo kit, because November is


Check-in daily to hear what Kidlit creators have to say.

Why are picture books important?

As a child I spent hours staring at the pages of my favorite Golden Books, Whitman oversized stories, and Berenstain Bears almanacs. Later I lost myself in the pages of picture story books. These were my first windows on the world.

Picture books are beautiful. They show us beauty in many forms: nature, humanity, or art itself. Ernest Shepherd and Trina Schart Hyman shaped my artistic tastes, but I learned to appreciate Ezra Jack Keats and Marcia Brown, Quentin Blake and Marilyn Hafner.

Picture books inspire creativity. Honestly, I didn't read much. I used my books to make up my own stories. I loved the maps and double page spreads featuring complex scenes. I wanted to know who all those characters were, hiding in the background. Which house did they live in? Which path did they travel to school? Who worked at the bakery and what did it smell like? When I didn't like a plot point, I imagined a new one.

Picture books imitate life. I remember making lists of how to clean up messy rooms, like Goose's in Sweet Pickles. It was much more fun to procrastinate, thinking how I'd NEVER let the ice cream melt on her kitchen counter or throw dirty socks on the floor, all the while I lounged in a pile of school papers and discarded drawings, surrounded by stuffed animals.

Picture books prepare us for what is to come. It didn't matter that I wasn't a bear, or a pig, or a princess, I could imagine my life as if I were, down to the last detail. I still use those skills as a writer and illustrator, but I used them as a student, parent, teacher, and librarian. I was bookish and shy, but dominated the drama scene once I learned to project. I didn't study education, but was able to develop useful curriculum and worksheets. I was terrified by babies, but raised three amazing kids.

Were picture books really responsible for all those successes? Unequivocally, yes. They told me, not who I was, but who I could be if I dared. They still do.

MMGM: The Scourge

Today's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday pick

The Scourge, by Jennifer A Nielsen

The Scourge

Written by Jennifer A Nielson
Cover art by Tim O'Brien

Scholastic Press, 2016
Grades 4-7, 368 pages
about 66000-73000 words

Themes:
Adventure

Opening:
       Few things were worth the risk of my life, but the juicy vinefruit was one of them. Even more so today because I was long past hungry. If I didn't eat something soon, my life was in danger anyway.
       Not immediate danger. Mama had poor man's bread at home and, indeed, was expecting me back soon for supper. But I couldn't stand the thought of gnawing on those thick crusts for yet another meal. Especially not now, after spotting a vinefruit this close, in perfect ripeness.
       Getting it would be simple.
       Well, not simple in the traditional definition of the word. but simple, meaning that I intended to get that fruit if it was the last thing I ever did.


Thoughts:
I couldn't get enough of The False Prince the first time I read it. Although I spotted many of the twists ahead of time, I admired the author's skill in misdirecting the reader's attention, yet leaving the clues in plain sight. Is it any wonder Jennifer Nielsen lists J. K Rowling as one of her favorite authors?

So I went into The Scourge with pretty high (and perhaps unfairly unrealistic) expectations. To be honest, this book did not grab me in the first few chapters. The main character's voice is there, but something about the opening didn't glue me to the page the way her other books had. But I knew from experience that sometimes you have to come at a book more than once, or turn off the critical part of your writer's brain and read a little faster.

I am happy to report, after a halting start, the story takes off and Nielsen hits her stride. Readers will be swept into the chaotic runaway train that is Ani's story and laugh at her Puckish antics. Her character is brilliant, really. And the friendship that is revealed between her and her bestie Weevil is written with skill and sagacity.

I had a few nitpicks near the end, but only because Jennifer's earlier work is so blasted impressive.

After a bout of depression for feeling so critical, I read "the first 15,000 words of this story fought [Nielsen] like a cursed beast from the depths of Hades ..." She had "...at least a dozen failed starts for this story that kept leading me to dead ends. I wrote both my agent and editor to say I might not be able to write this. I quit sleeping. I ate a lot of ice cream. Then I took a deep breath and decided I needed to think about this story in an entirely different way. Only then did I start to put the right story down on the page."

For that reason. This book gets five stars. Without Jennifer's courageous perseverance and the insight of her supporters, we wouldn't have the entertaining roller coaster ride that is The Scourge.

Bonus: 
 1. If you enjoyed The Scourge, I recommend The Ascendance Trilogy, which is better in my opinion. But don't take my word for it, read reviews by the other MMGMers.


Ascendance Trilogy: The False Prince, The Runaway King,
and The Shadow Throne. Cover art by Ken Choi.

The False Prince
Reviews by Mundie Kids, The Hopeful Heroine, and Laurisa White Reyes.

The Runaway King
Reviews by The Hopeful Heroine, Geo Librarian, and Mrs. Yingling Reads.

The Shadow Throne
Review by The Hopeful Heroine

2. Literary Rambles and The Book Cellar have each posted interviews with the author.

3. If you want a peek into Jennifer's writing process, she has posted a 3-part look at editing The Scourge.

4. Other books by Jennifer Nielsen


Reviewed by Book Dreaming
Cover art by Gideon Kendall

Reviewed by Tales From the Raven
Cover by Larry Rostant

Have you reviewed a Marvelous Middle Grade Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the Marvelous Middle Grade Monday recommendations for October 31, 2016.

MMGM started way back in 2010 by Shannon Messenger, author of Keeper of Lost Cities. Each week, participating bloggers review our favorite books for ages 8-12. Why not join us?

PiBoIdMo...Not

Normally I would announce it's almost time for Tara Lazar's Picture Book Idea Month. I would give advice on meeting your goal, how to get out of your comfort zone, or even how not to starve during the thirty days of idea-generating mania. But . . .

Subscribe here to keep up to date on the latest.

So we'll have to find something else to do with our writing time.

Let me know how you'll be spending your November in the comments below.