Monthly archive for October 2012

Happy UN Day!

By on October 24, 2012   /   Book Lists  

You might not know that today is United Nations Day. I didn’t know it either, until my Mixed-Up Files calendar told me so. Now that you know this, you are probably asking, okay, what is United Nations Day?

According to the UN, this day was established to highlight the aims and achievements of the UN and marks the anniversary of the organization’s 1945 charter. But more specifically, the UN Secretary-General said recently that this is a day for everyone to resolve to do more — more to protect those caught in armed conflict, more to fight climate change, avert nuclear catastrophe, expand opportunities for women and girls, and more to combat injustice.

It seems an insurmountable task to fix all that’s broken in our world. And it’s easy to get caught up in how much is bad, especially since much of the news is overly negative and sensational. But the good stories are out there too, like an article I read about five women in their 70s who have been friends since kindergarten, or the man who had his lost wedding band returned by strangers. Those kinds of stories lift my heart, as do these favorite books with young characters who are determined to make this world a better place. We could all learn something from them!


My Life in Pink & Green, by Lisa Greenwald

Twelve-year old Lucy Desberg is a natural problem-solver. She’s started doing makeovers at her family’s struggling pharmacy, but all the makeup tips in the world won’t help save the business. Lucy dreams up a solution that can breathe new life into the business and help the environment too. But will her family stop arguing long enough to listen to a seventh-grader?

I love this sweet book, and Lucy is such an inspiring character. I was happy to hear that we’ll find out how Lucy’s story continues when the sequel comes out this spring — My Summer of Pink & Green.

 The Second Life of Abigail Walker, by Frances O’Roark Dowell

Seventeen pounds. That’s the difference between Abigail and Kristen. Between chubby and slim, teased and taunting. Abby is fine with her body and sick of seventeen pounds making her miserable, so she speaks out against Kristen and her groupies — and becomes officially unpopular. Then Abby meets Anders, who is homeschooled and different, plus worried about his dad, an Iraq War vet. Abby unexpectedly discovers that by helping someone else find hope in the world, she’s able to find some too.

 


Bully, by Patricia Polacco

Lyla makes the cheerleading squad and is suddenly part of the popular group. But when she sees the popular girls viciously teasing classmates on Facebook, including an old friend, she realizes it’s time to get out. But the popular girls aren’t so happy with Lyla’s decision and they’re out for revenge. This is a powerful story of cliques, online bullying, and the choice to stand up for a friend.

 

Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen

In this Newbery Honor book, Roy Eberhardt is on a quest to save endangered miniature owls when a pancake house is scheduled to be built over their burrows. Full of funny, interesting, quirky characters, as well as inspiration.

 

 

 Wonder, by RJ Palacio

This best-seller follows the story of Auggie Pullman, a boy with a severe facial deformity who is going to school for the first time. The book has prompted an anti-bullying campaign, choosekind.tumblr.com and its own Twitter feed, #thewonderofwonder. Full of heart and hope, the majority of characters realize that Auggie is someone they can be friends with instead of stare at.

 

Judy Moody Saves the World, by Megan McDonald
Judy sets out to win a contest for her Band-Aid design but after garnering only an honorable mention, she turns her attention to her family’s crummy recycling habits and an endangered species.

 

 

 

One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate

The story of Ivan, a caged gorilla living inside a circus-themed mall, is based on a true story, and the cool part is that it was heartfelt letters from kids that helped free the real Ivan. Applegate has written a poignant story in Ivan’s voice that has resonated with readers of many ages. The real Ivan was happily moved to the Atlanta Zoo (after 27 years at the mall!) and became a beloved celebrity there, living contentedly with other gorillas until he died at age 50.

 

Although these characters are fictional, their quests to set things right are very real — saving a small business, helping a war veteran, confronting bullies, rescuing an endangered species, and fighting for freedom. I hope that young readers (and old ones too) are inspired to get out there and change the world!

Talk about this and other issues on the weekly Twitter chat about middle grade fiction and nonfiction — #MGlitchat. This takes place every Thursday night at 9 p.m. EST.

Michele Weber Hurwitz, the author of Calli Be Gold (Wendy Lamb Books/Random House 2011), has way too many inspirational quotes taped up over her desk. Visit her at www.micheleweberhurwitz.com.

Back to Top

The Great Library Giveaway Spotlight #9

By on October 23, 2012   /   Book Lists  

Voting is underway for our Great Library Giveaway, so don’t forget to stop by our left sidebar and cast your vote for one of our three finalists.

And we can’t say thanks enough to the authors, publishers, readers, and our own Mixed-Up contributors for the books they have donated.  We are just a few books shy of our 100-book goal, so if you have a book you’d like to donate, please do!  See our Donation page for more information on how to do this.

Today we are highlighting ten more titles that have been donated for this giveaway.  All descriptions are from Indiebound:

The Emerald Casket by Richard Newsome

Description: It has only been a month since Gerald Wilkins be-came the richest kid on earth. One month since he found out his great-aunt Geraldine had left him all her fortune and, with it, a murder mystery, clues to a diamond heist, and a target on his back. One month since Sir Mason Green made off with the contents of the diamond casket, an object of unspeakable power. And you thought your school vacation was eventful.

As book two of the Archer Legacy opens, Gerald, Ruby, and Sam come upon papers, drawings, and reams of research, all indicating that Gerald’s family has been protecting a secret concerning nothing less than the fate of the world. Now Gerald and his friends are off to India to try to find out the truth. Friendships will be forged and broken. A city buried under the sea will be rediscovered. A whole mess of pigeons will be involved. And Gerald is going to have to make a choice between his love for his friends and the darkest desires of his heart.

It’s entirely possible that this month might be even more eventful than the last.

Evangeline Brown and The Cadillac Motel by Michele Ivy Davis

Description: Evangeline hates living in the dingy Florida motel with the pink Cadillac butt sticking out of the wall. With Pa absorbed in his drinking, she spends her days wishing that her mother was still alive to make the motel a real home. Then Evangeline meets Farrell, the one person who understands her. After a teacher threatens to expose their poor living conditions, the two friends decide to run away. But when Evangeline stumbles across her mother’s letters, she finds the courage she needs to seek her true home. This uniquely touching novel will inspire readers of all ages.

The Hanging Hill: A Haunted Mystery by Chris Grabenstein

Description: How serious is stage fright? At the Hanging Hill Playhouse, it can kill you.

After narrowly escaping a malevolent spirit in The Crossroads, Zack and Judy are hoping to relax during the rehearsals for a show based on Judy’s bestselling children’s books. Little do they know that the director is planning to raise a horde of evil specters from the dead, and to accomplish this, he needs a human sacrifice . . . and Zack fits the bill perfectly.

This second book featuring the intrepid Zack and his stepmother, Judy, is full of the same humorous and spine-tingling storytelling that has made Chris Grabenstein a fast favorite with young and old alike.

Guys Read: Thriller edited by Jon Scieszka

Description: A body on the tracks

A teenage terrorist

A mysterious wish-granting machine

The world’s worst private detective

The second volume in the Guys Read Library of Great Reading is chock-full of mystery, intrigue, and nefarious activity. Featuring some of the best writers around, and compiled by certified guy Jon Scieszka, Guys Read: Thriller is a pulse-pounding collection of brand-new short stories, each one guaranteed to keep you riveted until the final page.

The Healing Spell by Kimberley Griffiths Little

Description: Twelve-year-old Livie is living with a secret and it’s crushing her. She knows she is responsible for her mother’s coma, but she can’t tell anyone. It’s up to her to find a way to wake her momma up.

Stuck in the middle of three sisters, hiding a forbidden pet alligator, and afraid to disappoint her daddy, whom she loves more than anyone else, Livie struggles to find her place within her own family as she learns about the powers of faith and redemption. Livie’s powerful, emotional, and sometimes humorous story will stay with readers long after the last line is read.

It’s Hot and Cold in Miami by Nicole Rubel

Description: Rachel has theories about a lot of things – how she ended up with humongous beaver teeth, why tourists who visit Miami wear such ugly clothes, and why her father loves her identical twin sister, Rebecca, the most. Still, there are many things in Rachel’s life that even her best theories can’t really explain. Why, for instance, does her grandmother insist on feeding her honey cake every Sunday, when everyone knows it tastes disgusting? Why did Rachel end up with the most ancient fifthgrade
teacher in the school, a woman with amoeba-shaped stains under her arms? And why is Rachel always in trouble, unlike Rebecca?

My Very Unfairy Tale Life by Anna Staniszewski

Description: You know all those stories that claim fairies cry sparkle tears and elves travel by rainbow? They’re lies. All lies.

I’ve spent my life as an official adventurer. I travel across enchanted kingdoms saving magical creatures and fighting horrible beasts that most of you think are only myths and legends. I’ve never had a social life. My friends have all forgotten me. And let’s not even talk about trying to do my homework. So — I’m done I’m tired and I want to go back to being a normal girl. But then along comes “Prince Charming” asking for help, and, well, what’s a tired girl like me supposed to do?

A Smidgen of Sky by Dianna Dorisi Winget

Description: In this warm and witty middle-grade debut set in the deep South, ten-year-old Piper Lee struggles to accept her daddy’s death, her mama’s upcoming marriage, and the new step-family that will come along with it.

But when her plan to call off the wedding spirals out of control, Piper Lee must face the consequences and figure out how to fix things.

 

The Timekeeper’s Moon by Joni Sensel

Description:  
When Ariel Farwalker hears the moon talking to her, she thinks she must be going crazy. Then she discovers an ancient map, and learns that the moon is part of a mysterious summons that’s calling her on a new journey.

With her surly guardian Scarl by her side, Ariel sets out on an adventure that leads her to new friends-the beautiful Flame-Mage Sienna and the mute boy Nace, who captures Ariel’s heart. As the four travel on, strange things start to happen-fragments of Ariel’s past appear in the present, so that it seems that time itself is coming undone. At the end of the journey, Ariel will learn where her journey began, and have a chance to save her life as she knows it.

When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park

Description: Sun-hee and her older brother Tae-yul are proud of their Korean heritage. Yet they live their lives under Japanese occupation. All students must read and write in Japanese and no one can fly the Korean flag. Hardest of all is when the Japanese Emperor forces all Koreans to take Japanese names. Sun-hee and Tae-yul become Keoko and Nobuo. Korea is torn apart by their Japanese invaders during World War II. Everyone must help with war preparations, but it doesn’t mean they are willing to defend Japan. Tae-yul is about to risk his life to help his family, while Sun-hee stays home guarding life-and-death secrets.

Back to Top

Sciency Fiction — and a Giveaway

By on October 22, 2012   /   Book Lists, Giveaways  

What’s that, Mr. Spell-Checker? You say I’ve misspelled science?

I’m afraid you’re mistaken, Mr. Spell-Checker. My letter choice was entirely intentional.

I’m on a crusade. A sciency fiction crusade.

Sciency fiction is not science fiction. Sciency fiction is not at all speculative. It is not set in the future. Sciency fiction depicts actual current (or current for the time if historical) science. Although the characters and situations can be fictional, the science is not.

I made up the term, I admit, and Google is on my spell-checker’s team, misdirecting my searches every time. I have an ally across the pond in Tom Webb, who independently proposed the term for grown-up books.

Who reads sciency fiction? Kurtis Scaletta does. Back in August of 2011, he wrote a post on this blog about science fiction.

“To me, science fiction is fiction infused with science. … I quite like fiction that conveys some understanding about the workings of the universe.”

Kurtis is a fiction lover to whom science is an added bonus. He gains an appreciation of science through novels.

Then there are those who start out loving science. You know the kids—obsessed with dinosaurs, or rocks, or rockets. They love nonfiction. They eat up books like Guinness World Records or Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Novels are not their thing, and they only read them when assigned in school–and then grudgingly.

One day, one of these kids—my son, actually–got a look at The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages. It’s a novel set at Los Alamos during the development of the atomic bomb. The book is populated by scientists. Dewey, the young protagonist is smart and inquisitive, with a definite sciency sensibility. My son gobbled up this book and its sequel, White Sands, Red Menace, in five days. But he told me it got boring near the end. Why? Because the science aspect was downplayed and the focus was on Dewey’s emotional journey.



That observation was a revelation for me. While the emotional journey of the protagonist was compelling, it wasn’t enough for him. He needed more than emotion to hold his interest.  I stocked our bookshelves with more sciency novels, and then steampunk and science fiction and fantasy. Now he asks me to get novels for him from the library.

My son is a science lover who learned to appreciate narrative fiction through sciency fiction.

Good sciency fiction combines a compelling story with interesting science, and it can serve is a bridge between science and fiction. Got a student who only reads nonfiction about science? Got a student who doesn’t care for science class, but loves a good story?

Give them both some sciency fiction.

Where to start? Here’s a list.

Kurtis included some great titles in his post, including

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

The Apprenticeship of Lucas Whitaker by Cynthia DeFelice

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass

He also included some more speculative titles in his list and mentions Isaac Asimov several times.

“The paragon for me will always be Isaac Asimov, a knowledgeable science-minded author. Asimov made his work true to science the way a historical novelist would be true to history… Science was my worst subject in school, but authors like Asimov made science lucid and compelling while telling a good story.”

Some people like their science real, so I’m limiting my list to those titles where the science is not speculative at all.

101 Ways to Bug Your Teacher by Lee Wardlaw

Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything in It by Sundee T. Frazier

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Nerd Camp by Elissa Brent Weissman

Ninjas, Piranhas, and Galileo by Greg Leitich Smith

Phineas L. MacGuire . . . Erupts! By Frances O’Roark Dowell

Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head by Nancy Viau

Back in April, I wrote a post for this blog about sciency novels that address environmental sciences—Eco-fiction if you will. That list is here.

I like to call my debut novel, The Reinvention of Edison Thomas, sciency fiction. It just came out in paperback, and to celebrate, I’m giving away the remainder of my Advance Reader Copies in one big giveaway. If you would like your school or library to have a teaching set of up to 15 ARCs, leave the name of the library or school in the comments, along with the title of your favorite sciency novel (it can be one I’ve listed, or something else) and the number of copies you’ll need. Enter by 11:59 CDT Saturday October 27. Winner will be announced October 28.

 

Jacqueline Houtman spent 27 years in school so she could be a scientist. Now she’s a freelance science writer and middle-grade novelist–living proof that biology (or chemistry or physics) is not destiny. Find out more at www.jhoutman.com.

Back to Top