Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: The Truth About Twinkie Pie

To find out more about Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, click here.  

Title: The Truth About Twinkie Pie
Author:  Kat Yeh (link)
Genre:  Contemporary
Pub Date: February 2015

Goodreads Synopsis:  Take two sisters making it on their own: brainy twelve-year-old GiGi (short for Galileo Galilei, a name she never says out loud) and junior-high-dropout-turned-hairstylist DiDi (short for Delta Dawn). Add a million dollars in prize money from a national cooking contest and a move from the trailer parks of South Carolina to the Gold Coast of New York. Mix in a fancy new school, new friends and enemies, a first crush, and a generous sprinkling of family secrets. That's the recipe for The Truth About Twinkie Pie, a voice-driven middle grade debut about the true meaning of family and friendship.

First Line: Truth is, I knew the lady with the green scarf was not Mama. But I followed her anyway.


I was so excited to score a copy of this middle grade debut by Kat Yeh at BEA that, out of all the books I was lugging in my heavy backpack, I picked this one to devour on my subway ride home from the expo. And it did not disappoint! 

First, can we talk about the cover? No wait -- first let's talk about the title. What's more fascinating than a dessert that has secrets, especially when you've never seen or heard of it before? From the cover, it looks as fun and kitschy and pink as I hoped. Food and the act of cooking with love and intention (and a lot of sugar) are woven throughout the narrative via recipes written in a most hilarious voice. 

Family and identity are both at the heart of this story. GiGi has just moved from the South with her lottery-winning sister DiDi to a wealthy Yankee town. Instead of splurging on their winnings, DiDi enrolls GiGi in a private school and continues to work as a hairdresser. As GiGi navigates this new suburban life, one that is a far cry from their old trailer park, she stumbles upon her first real crush, tries to win over an instant enemy, and begins to unravel the mysteries of her family.

DiDi and GiGi have a Gilmore Girls dynamic that will make you want to jump inside the pages and join their peculiar little family. The story takes fresh twists and culminates in a tear-jerker ending that magically captures the power of sacrifice and unconditional love -- so grab some tissues and a sweet treat or two before you dive in. 

If you want to hear more about the recipes and how this story came to life, check out this great podcast interview with Ms. Yeh on Publishers Weekly.

Why You'll Love Galileo / GiGi / Leia: You can tell a character is going through some major changes when she has that many names, and this gal does so with kindness, a level head, and spunk... until she doesn't. GiGi's deadpan observations and razor honesty perfectly serve up the characters at her fancy new school. And whether she's dealing with preteen politics or peering into her family's mysteries, her genuine worldview will simply charm you.

THE TRUTH ABOUT TWINKIE PIE Topics & Themes: family, identity, bullying, starting a new school, class, lgbtq issues, crushes, home cooking, friendship.

Want to read about more marvelous middle grade books? Check out my past picks, as well as these MMGM bloggers who feature recommendations every Monday!  

Sunday Writer's Treat: Amy Einhorn Opens Up

It's pretty rare to encounter a five-page interview on the internet that you'll want to read in its entirety -- but that's what I found the other day on Poets & Writers.

Check out this amazing interview with editor and publisher Amy Einhorn. You'll get the most forthright insight I've ever read on the editorial process, what it means to buy a book, and how the industry ticks. Enjoy!

Quotable Bite:

When you do your launch presentation and you say, “I love this book,” that’s almost completely meaningless to a sales rep. Every editor loves the books he or she bought. I know only a small portion of what the reps are up against, but related to the perception that everyone thinks that editors just read, a lot of what I do is sell. I have to sell the book to my reps, to publicity, to marketing, to booksellers, to reviewers.

Sunday Writer's Treat: Middle Grade On The Narrative Breakdown

This morning, I discovered Scholastic exec. editor Cheryl Klein's amazing writing podcast (hat tip Andrea Mack).

Episode 35 of The Narrative Breakdown features author and editor Jill Santopolo. She and Klein discuss everything middle grade, touching on topics from outlining to what makes a book middle grade to increasing writing productivity. They also chat a bit about the series that made me love reading as a kid: The Babysitter's Club.

If you have some free time this chilly Sunday, put the kettle on, pour a cup of tea, and have a listen! The conversation lasts about 30 min.

Listen: Episode 35: Middle Grade With Author-Editor Jill Santopolo

-- More About The Narrative Breakdown --

In The Narrative Breakdown, Cheryl Klein, James Monohan, and other guest co-hosts discuss storytelling tips and techniques of interest to any writer, student, or fan of quality creative writing, screenwriting, playwriting, fan fiction, English literature, etc. Each episode, Cheryl and James draw upon their respective experiences in publishing and filmmaking to analyze popular novels, movies, plays, television shows, short stories, and song lyrics. Featuring various co-hosts and writers, as well as material from Cheryl Klein’s book ‘Second Sight’ and James’ iPhone / iPad app ‘The Storyometer.’

World Book Night 2014

World Book Night is back! Well, not quite yet, but the 2014 books were announced recently, and there are some amazing choices this year.

If you are not familiar with World Book Night, get ready to smile. I participated in 2012, and sincerely loved every second -- even while carrying around a load of books.

Here's the full list of the 2014 books. The kidlit choices include
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, Hoot, Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, and Code Name Verity.

Until then... more free books!

My last Marvelous Middle Grade Monday featured Keeper Of The Lost Cities with a giveaway to a commenter. I used random.org to pick a winner from the comments. And without further ado, the owner of a shiny new paper book copy is...

Michael of Middle Grade Mafioso!

Congrats! I don't have a Marvelous Middle Grade Monday recommendation today, but you can find plenty of great picks from these bloggers.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Keeper Of The Lost Cities + A Paperback Giveaway

To find out more about Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, click here.  

Title: Keeper Of The Lost Cities
Author:  Shannon Messenger (link)
Genre:  Fantasy
Pub Date: October 2012

(Giveaway info below)

Goodreads Synopsis:  Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath—someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.  

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory -- secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans -- that other people desperately want. Would even kill for.

First Line: Blurry, fractured memories swam through Sophie's mind, but she couldn't piece them together.

What a fun, fun book! But before I gush some more, I want to disclose that the mastermind behind Marvelous Middle Grade Monday penned this novel.

Ms. Messenger signs her middle grade debut at BEA 2012

I've been reading Shannon's blog for a few years now. She provides great tips for new writers, and brings much needed humor to the ups and downs of publishing. I couldn't wait to read her debut novel, and was able to get an arc at BEA last year.

I'm so happy to report that I was not disappointed. The story follows Sophie, a 12-year-old high school student who discovers that there is an explanation to her advanced cognitive and telepathic skills -- she is an elf! From there, readers are whisked into a colorful new world where Sophie struggles to find her place with the help of a few friends. Fans of Harry Potter will especially enjoy this story of an underdog kid who is introduced to a magical sphere.

Why You'll Love Sophie: It takes a special kind of character to eat the news that she's an elf with grace and style. Sophie's transformation from the human world to her new elfin one oscillates from cringe-worthy to complete fun. Her determination and grit in the face of a new school, a new family, a dangerous mystery, and even droolly dinosaurs will keep readers rooting for Sophie throughout this trilogy.


Keeper Of The Lost Cities Topics & Themes: new schools/students, identity, fitting in, outcasts, friendship, crushes, bravery, family, hard choices.

Exile, book #2 of this series came out this month! Let's celebrate with BOOKS!:

Keeper Of The Lost Cities Giveaway: Can't wait to get your hands on this book? Well I have one paperback copy up for grabs -- and all you have to do is comment and Tweet (+1 entry) or follow me on Twitter (+ 1 entry) for a chance to win it! Go for it!

Want to read about more marvelous middle grade books? Check out my past picks, as well as these MMGM bloggers who feature recommendations every Monday!  

 

Which Book Would You Buy A 5th Grader?

One of my dearest friends recently moved back to NYC from San Francisco to teach fifth grade English at a charter school in the Bronx.

We were chatting the other day about the library she's putting together for her kids. A company donated books to her school, and she received a sizable share for her class. She created a really special nook with cozy chairs for her students to cuddle up and read.

Given how much middle grade I devour, this conversation was bound to inspire me. So I decided to donate some of my favorite modern middle grade books to her classroom.

This was a task I took on with utter seriousness. I wanted to find a range of novels for her library, ones with fully formed characters of color, as well as stories set in diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and settings. And most of all, books that encouraged bravery and adventure while stirring the imagination.

After a few trips to The Strand, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon, I got hardcover copies (for durability) of the following books for her kids:

1.)  Wonder by RJ Palacio
2.)  Waiting For Normal by Leslie Conor
3.)  Chained by Lynne Kelly
4.)  May B by Caroline Starr Rose
5.)  Where The Mountain Meets The Moon by Grace Lin
6.)  How Lamar's Bad Prank Won A Bubba-Sized Trophy by Crystal Allen
7.)  Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
8.)  When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
9.)  Counting By 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
10.) Inside Out And Back Again by Thanhha Lai
11.) Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
12.) Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective by Octavia Spencer
13.) Malcolm At Midnight by WH Beck

There were many more that I wanted to add to the list, but I had to stop somewhere! And since thirteen is my lucky number, I ended up going with a baker's dozen.

So, what middle grade books would you recommend to a fifth grader? If you could get every elementary schooler to read one book, what would it be?

'Counting By 7s' Galley Winner

Merry Labor Day, peeps!

Last week I featured a new favorite middle grade story, and promised to share my arc with a reader. Random.org has spoken, and the winner is...

Joanne Fritz!!!

Joanne is a terrific blogger and author who frequently posts middle grade recommendations on her site. You should check her out!

Happy reading, Joanne. Will be in touch to get your mailing address.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Counting By 7s + Arc Giveaway

To find out more about Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, click here. 

Title:  Counting By 7s
Author: Holly Goldberg Sloan (link)
Genre:  Contemporary
Pub Date: August 2013

(Arc giveaway info below)

Goodreads Synopsis:  Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life . . . until now. 

Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.


First Line: We sit together outside the Fosters Freeze at a sea-green, metal picnic table.

This story was chosen as one of five editor buzz books at BEA this year. And it's not hard to see why. From the start, the quirky, oddball voice grabs hold and doesn't let go through the very end. There were moments where I laughed out loud on one page, only to dab my eyes on the next. And I found myself reading full passages aloud to anyone caught in the same room as me while I devoured this book. Full of heart, humor, and characters that are both remarkable yet true to life, Counting By 7s has the makings of an insta-classic.

Why You'll Love Willow: Willow's deadpan delivery and unique world view completely enchanted me. Her voice makes the story hilarious and bittersweet all at the same time. Serious, super-smart, and spunky, Willow has a way of connecting people in subtle yet poignant ways that pay off in the end.

Counting By 7s Topics & Themes: family, community, overcoming tragedy, death, growing, counseling, gardening, geniuses, oddballs, school, making a difference, adoption, multiculturalism.

Galley Giveaway!
You must read this book! And to help spread the joy, I'm passing along an arc from BEA. Leave a comment below with your Twitter handle or contact info to enter. +1 Entry if you RT my post on Twitter. I'll pick a winner using random.org after Sunday, 9/1.

Want to find more marvelous middle grade books? Check out my past picks, as well as these MMGM bloggers who have more recommendations every Monday!  

Three Things I Meant To Blog About...

...but didn't quite get to.

So what have I been up to instead of blogging?

1.) Reading BEA Books.
Over the past few weeks, I devoured Counting By Sevens, Fangirl, and If You Could Be Mine (to name a few). So many amazing books will be hitting the shelves this fall/winter. Will post my favorite middle grade picks on upcoming Mondays. Pinky promise!

2.) Winning July's Camp Nano.
I've never participated in November's big NaNoWriMo kahuna before, but I liked the idea of setting a small goal this summer. And guess what? I won! I'm the proud owner of 25k words of a shiny new work-in-progress. The lighter version of NaNoWriMo happens twice a year, and I highly recommend trying it out!

3.) Learning At SCBWI LA.
So many writers rave about SCBWI's summer conference in LA, and I've wanted to attend for awhile now. Happy to say, it did not disappoint. Along with incredibly moving, motivating speakers like Richard Peck, Laurie Halse Anderson, and Matt de la Pena, I sat in on some great workshops that really got the wheels turning. Lots to say here, but I'll save that for another post.



While I was in LA, my blog turned two years old. Two?! Yup! Since this site is still a toddler, I'm figuring out how to balance writing and work with posting and other social media. But rather than submit to the terrible twos, I'm hoping to revitalize and keep chugging along. It's been so fun to meet other writers and connect over wonderful books here and on other blogs.

Will be back soon with some thoughts on LA and more marvelous middle grade recommendations. Xox!

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Three Times Lucky

To find out more about Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, click here. 

Title:  Three Times Lucky
Author: Sheila Turnage (link)
Genre:  Contemporary
Pub Date: May 2012

Goodreads Synopsis: Rising sixth grader Miss Moses LoBeau lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, NC, where everyone's business is fair game and no secret is sacred. She washed ashore in a hurricane eleven years ago, and she's been making waves ever since. Although Mo hopes someday to find her "upstream mother," she's found a home with the Colonel--a café owner with a forgotten past of his own--and Miss Lana, the fabulous café hostess. She will protect those she loves with every bit of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.

First Line: Trouble cruised into Tupelo Landing at exactly seven minutes past noon on Wednesday, the third of June, flashing a gold badge and driving a Chevy Impala the color of dirt.

If you haven't read Three Times Lucky, then I recommend that you stop reading this now and do the following:
1.) Request it from the library or run (at a safe pace) to the book store and get yourself a copy.
2.) Read it immediately!!! Seriously, immediately. You won't regret it.

I first heard about this fantastic contemporary mystery during Heather Alexander's Voice Lessons workshop at an SCBWI boot camp. And for good reason. Mo's voice steals the show in this book. Her quirky, charming perspective along with the colorful Southern setting and a page-turning mystery are all the right ingredients for a story sure to be read over and over. 

Why You'll Love Mo: Moses LoBeau is as unique and sassy as her name. This big fish in a small pond makes everyone's business her own. Kids will love her hilariously opinionated perspective and admire her fierce love for her family and community. 

Three Times Lucky Themes: family, friendship, community, crime, justice, mysteries, problem solving, class. 

Three Times Lucky Awards: Newbery honor winner, New York Times bestseller, Edgar Award Finalist, and E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor book. 

Want to find more marvelous middle grade books? Check out my past picks, as well as these MMGM bloggers who have more recommendations every Monday!  

BEA 2013 Editor Buzz Books: Get Excited For Fall!

What do pirates, oddballs, record-breakers, scientists, and time gobblers all have in common? The makings of great middle grade stories, of course.

Last weekend at BEA, five editors gushed over the middle grade books chosen by this year's buzz panel. Here's a summary of what they had to say about each book, as well as some photos I snapped during the conference.


1.) A Very Nearly Honorable League Of Pirates #1: Magic Marks The Spot
By: Caroline Carlson
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pub Date: September 2013
Based on the title alone, Toni Markiet knew this story would have a sense of humor. She soon found out it was also sassy and irreverent, right from page 1. Described as a "rollicking pirates yarn that grabs you and doesn't let you go," it follows the adventure of Hillary Westfield, who wants to join a band of pirates rather than go to finishing school. I mean really, can you blame her?

2.) The Fantastic Family Whipple

The Fantastic Family Whipple

By: Matthew Ward
Publisher: Razorbill
Pub Date: August 2013
Gillian Levinson fell hard for this book about a colorful family of record-breakers with a classic message -- that "caring for people is the most special thing of all." Arthur Whipple's twelve siblings have broken 49,521 world records. Only he hasn't broken a single one. Though he is the unlikely hero in a family overachievers, Arthur discovers he might be the only Whipple who can save his family when mysterious catastrophes begin to follow them.

3.) Nick And Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab
By: Science Bob Pflugfelder & Steve Hockensmith
Publisher: Quirk Books
Pub Date: November 2013
Jason Rekulak gave a nod to MacGyver ("the best show of all time") when introducing this book, with one caveat -- Nick and Tesla's inventions and contraptions actually work in real life. In this adventure story, Nick and Tesla use real fundamentals of science to get them out of jams (courtesy of co-author Science Bob, who is also an elementary school teacher). "It shows kids how to solve problems," said Rekulak. The book contains instructions on how to construct the contraptions in the story, such as a bottle rocket, using items found around the house.

4.) The Time Fetch
By: Amy Herrick
Publisher: Algonquin
Pub Date: August 2013
The smooth pacing and lyricism of this science fiction adventure made Elise Howard fall "head over heels in love." Set primarily in modern-day Brooklyn's Prospect Park, the story weaves classical mythology with an imaginative glitch in the time/space continuum, leaving eight grader Edward with a tricky problem. Along with two classmates, he needs to stop foragers from gobbling up time before it runs out for everyone.

5.) Counting By 7s

Counting By 7s

By: Holly Goldberg Sloan
Publisher: Dial
Pub Date: August 2013
"It touches you to the core," Lauri Hornik said of this contemporary story filled with deep familial themes. "It makes you love people more than you already do." Willow Chance, an "oddball" twelve-year-old genius who finds comfort in counting by 7s, finds her life thrown into upheaval when both her parents suddenly die. Taken on by a surrogate family, Willow shows readers that "everyone as the potential to be loved."

2013 Editors' Buzz Panel

Authors Carlson, Goldberg Sloan, Ward, Science Bob, & Herrick

Will preview some more middle grade books from BEA later this week. Check out more middle grade recommendations from the Marvelous Middle Grade Monday crew.

Tiger Eyes! Tiger Eyes!

It's not very often that my work life and my writing life intersect. But how fun when it does!

Today on HuffPost Live, we're having Judy Blume on at 3:30 PM EST to talk about the new 'Tiger Eyes' film with her son/director, Lawrence. Yes, Judy-freaking-Blume! Are you there god, because I might have a heart attack.

Come join the conversation, ask questions, or leave video comments for Judy before the interview begins and while she is live on the show. HuffPost Live is an interactive, community-centric livestreaming web and television show -- so we want Judy's fans to participate!

My lovely writing pal Ghenet and I are heading to the premiere tonight. Exciting to see another YA story on the big screen, right?  Will be back soon to post about BEA (and all the great kidlit coming our way), but wanted to drop this news first!

BEA 2013 Is Here!

The Super Bowl of books has arrived in New York! I picked up my press pass to BEA this morning and took a quick spin around the conference hall, but didn't stay too long.

I'll be attending tomorrow's children's book breakfast as well as other middle grade events Friday and Saturday. Will keep you posted on what's new and exciting in the booths!

Until then, here are a couple shots I snapped.

John Bemelmans Marciano signs his latest book in the Madeline series.

Cynthia Voigt poses with the first book in her new Mister Max series.

Marvelous MG Monday: Inside Out & Back Again

To find out more about Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, click here.  

 Title:  Inside Out & Back Again
Author: Thanhha Lai (link)
Genre:  Historical (Verse)
Pub Date: February 2011

Goodreads Synopsis:  For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, the warmth of her friends close by, and the beauty of her very own papaya tree.  

But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Hà discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food, the strange shape of its landscape,  and the strength of her very own family.  

First Line: Today is Tet, the first day of the lunar calendar.

Inside Out & Back Again is the second middle grade verse book I read this year (May B being numero uno), and man do I wish these stories were around when I was in elementary school! Thanhha Lai's poetry captures the sadness, sacrifice, frustration, and humor of Hà's story in a compact punch. Lai wrote that it took her fifteen years to get Hà's voice right. After exhaustively trying different methods, one day she jotted down the emotions that Hà would be feeling in short, clipped sentences. The quick phrases read like poetry, which she realized sounded more like Vietnamese, and the rest of the story unfolded quickly after that.

Why You'll Love Hà:  Lai doesn't sugarcoat Hà's anger at being forced to leave behind the things she loves in her homeland, as well as what she honestly hates about Alabama. Hà is full of spunk and fight, and the way she takes on her struggles with English and the strange customs of her American school gives a fresh and fabulous perspective to the proverbial 'new kid.'

Inside Out And Back Again Themes: family, identity, cultural identity, war, immigration, survival, loss, change, religion, bullying, new schools, ESL, kindness, hope.
 
Want to find more marvelous middle grade books? Check out my past picks, as well as these MMGM bloggers who have more recommendations every Monday!