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5 Ways to Remember What You Read: And Do You Need to “Remember” At All?

By on April 22, 2024   /   Articles, books, Cross-Curricular, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, Homeschool Resource   /   2 Comments

I wish I had a photographic memory. But I don’t. In order to remember something, I typically need to write about it. And as a children’s author, I want to remember the books that I read.

Through the years, I’ve tried several methods to chronicle the books I read. These techniques include the following:

A Reader Response Journal

This is where I note my immediate responses to a book. My writing is sloppy and comes out in a gush. In classrooms, teachers say they enjoy using this method as a way for students to learn how to become close readers. Readers organically engage with texts, and this feels very intimate. Additionally, you don’t have to write about an entire book, you can simply respond to particular passages or chapters.

For me, one of my flaws is that I tend to sometimes write  responses on my phone, sometimes in a journal and sometimes as a Word document and they are not collected in one place. But this is separate issue—more about my tendency to shirk from instituting routines/systems. How to organize everything could be its own separate post.

Craft Journal

This is very similar to a reader response journal in that you’re quickly responding to text, but the goals are different. In this sort of journal, I actively search the text for answers to a particular craft question. My reading itself becomes more strategic and less about pleasure. I might read for voice. Or to see how a particular author handles tertiary characters or how she folds in setting. The list goes on and on.

GoodReads

Sometimes I will post a quick review on GoodReads. Ha! I just fibbed. I’m not capable of writing something speedily that will be posted on a social media platform (even on X formerly known as Twitter). I’m not as active on GoodReads as I hoped to be. It seems like a smart way of chronicling books as well as boosting fellow authors. As an author, I really appreciate it when readers post their reviews on GoodReads as well as on retailer websites. However, I think that my ego gets in the way, and I want my review to be clever and it can stop me from posting here. I need to tame my ego!

Book Groups

In the past (pre-motherhood), I have been part of book groups. I love that these groups create community. I’m all in for circle time. As an author I have visited some book groups. I would like to get active in a book group again (but I also worry about time/commitment).

Reels/TikTok

Not me. At least yet. Now that TikTok will likely be banned, I suspect that the action will be on Reels.

How do you chronicle your reading? What works for you? And do you even need to chronicle the books you read? Is it enough to just enjoy them? Ponder them? Love them?

Hillary Homzie is the author of the Ellie May chapter book series (Charlesbridge, 2018), Apple Pie Promises (Sky Pony/Swirl, 2018), Pumpkin Spice Secrets (Sky Pony/Swirl, 2017), Queen of Likes (Simon & Schuster MIX 2016), The Hot List (Simon & Schuster MIX 2011) and Things Are Gonna Be Ugly (Simon & Schuster, 2009) as well as the Alien Clones From Outer Space (Simon & Schuster Aladdin 2002) chapter book series. She’s also a contributor to the Kate the Chemist middle grade series (Philomel Books/Penguin Random House). And her nonfiction picture book, If You Were a Princess: True Stories of Brave Leaders From Around the World is a look at historical and current princesses from many diverse lands who have made their mark (Simon & Schuster, August 2022). During the year, Hillary teaches at Sonoma State University. In the summer, she teaches in the graduate program in children’s literature, writing and illustration at Hollins University. She also is an instructor for the Children’s Book Academy.

She can be found at hillaryhomzie.com and on Instagram, her Facebook page as well as on Twitter

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Diversity in MG Lit #47 March & April 2024

By on April 15, 2024   /   Articles   /   Leave a comment
Here’s a round up of some of the many diverse books available for MG readers this spring. Please include any I’ve missed in the comments.
Books for kids about disability are rare and fiction about chronic illness even more so. I was delighted to find a book about Crohns disease by the always fabulous Kirby Larson and her daughter Quinn Wyatt who lives with Crohn’s. Gut Reaction (Scholastic) is about a girl who is grieving the loss of her father and coping with a new school. When her stomach troubles become worse than ever before, it becomes even harder to find new friends and achieve her hearts desire–winning a baking championship.Book covers for Gut Reaction and Running in Flip-flops from the end of the world
What if the apocalypse were funny, seems to be the jumping off place for Justin A Reynolds in his newest novel Running in Flip-Flops from the End of the World (Scholastic Press). Set in a beach town with a twelve year old friend group, it’s a fast paced romp perfect for summer reading.
Lyla Lee, the author of the chapter book Mindy Kim series, has a new series for older readers. Gigi Shin is Not a Nerd(Aladdin) is her homage to the Babysitter’s Club series. It fits the bill admirably. Gigi and her friends decide to earn money to attend a dream summer camp by tutoring kids in the library. The story has plenty of charm and the slightly larger and easy to read font will make it an appealing book for kids looking for a bridge between younger chapter books and more densely-written MG books.book covers for Gigi Shin is not a Nerd and Any Way You Look
Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger art by Rovina Cai (Levine Querida) is the follow up to her blockbuster debut Elatsoe. The story begins with a missing child in the heat and wilderness of south Texas, and it’s pace never flags over the next 300+ pages. It is a fantastical mystery thriller–not for the faint of heart but delightful in so many ways. Our lead character Shane can call on the ghost of her former dog the wonderfully faithful Nellie. She can also call on the ghosts of other long dead creatures to aid her in her times of need. This book is available in audio.book covers for Sheine Lende and The Things We Miss
It’s not at all unusual for a girl to be followed or even stalked in public. I remember it happening to me. But I don’t remember it ever being the focus of a novel for MG readers. In Any Way You Look (Scholastic Press) Maleeha Siddiqui addresses the issue along side a Muslim girls decision to wear the hijab. The issues are thoughtfully addressed but the story is far from a single issue book. Any young reader with an eye for fashion will find much to enjoy.
I’m always happy to recommend a book that champions mental heath and body acceptance. The Things We Miss(Bloomsbury) by Leah Stecher take the typical coming-of-age and growing-into-self story and adds a time travel twist. A convenient magical door in a neighborhood treehouse gives JP the option to skip the most agonizing parts of seventh grade and the most uncomfortable parts of grieving her father’s death. It invites the question what is the cost of magical escape and what is the value of a painful and difficult times? This is Leah Stecher’s debut novel.
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Cover Reveal!! The Winterton Deception 2: Fault Lines by Janet Sumner Johnson

By on April 8, 2024   /   Articles, Cover Reveal   /   1 Comment

I am beyond excited to share the cover of one of my most anticipated books this year:  The Winterton Deception 2: Fault Lines, by the wonderful writer (and my great friend), Janet Sumner Johnson.

 

Before we reveal the cover, please tell us a little bit about the Winterton Deception 2:  Fault Lines.

The Winterton Deception 2: Fault Lines has a kidnapping, a clue hunt, lots of family tension, and, of course, a treasure to find.

After the incredible events of the last official Winterton Bee, Hope and Gordon Smith have discovered that having an extended family isn’t so bad . . . and maybe their famous relatives’ lives aren’t so charmed. But Hope is still hiding a secret, and it’s a big one.

When Elizabeth Springer goes missing just before the Winterton’s big Thanksgiving celebration—their first reunion since the spelling bee—Hope knows it’s time to come clean. Her secret may be the only thing that can save Ms. Springer. But none of the Winterton clan want to hear it. Worse, they accuse Hope of making up the whole thing as an attention-grab.

Poised to give up on her new-found family, Hope gets a cryptic coded letter with instructions on how to find James Winterton—her long-estranged grandfather. What’s more, the letter hints that the Winterton’s secrets go well beyond a simple hidden treasure. Now Hope and Gordon face the impossible task of convincing their family to follow a shifty clue to find the man they want to see least, in order to save the woman who’s been lying to them for years.

I can’t wait for it to hit shelves!

 

And…The Reveal:

 

Cover Art by Francisco Fonseca

 

It’s gorgeous!!! I know that there’s a secret about the cover. Tell us about that.

I would love to! When my editor approached me about the cover for Book 2, we discussed all the possibilities, but really wanted to keep the mood and atmosphere that the cover of FINAL WORD offers. Happily, I had recently done some research for Book 2 and had taken some photos of a key location in the story. I sent off these photos, and the cover artist, Francisco Fonseca, created this brilliant work of art. It’s so fun to have had a part in the making of the cover (even if it’s a small part)!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You left us with a big reveal at the end of Book 1. What twists and turns do you have in store for us with Book 2?

I did! Of course, I can’t tell you all the twists and turns, because that would spoil it for you, but I will tell you that while I waited for the very end to deliver the big reveal in Book 1, in Book 2, I offer a big reveal early on. I’m so excited for readers to get to that moment! Writing a second book (which was not in the plan until it sold as a series) was so satisfying because I got to explore these characters a little more deeply. Unexpected emotions surfaced, and I learned things about them I hadn’t known when I started. Can I confess I still cry every time I read the ending? But they’re happy tears! It’s amazing to watch your characters grow and change.

Thank you so much for having me and for hosting the cover reveal for Fault Lines!

 

The Winterton Deception 2:  Fault Lines is available for pre-order now and will be hitting bookstores October 8, 2024.

 

Cover Reveal with Janet Sumner Johnson | MUF

Janet Sumner Johnson writes both picture books and middle grade novels. Her debut picture book, Help Wanted: Must Love Books, was the winner of the 2021 CLEL BELL Read Award and was nominated for the Children’s Choice Book Awards in Colorado (2022) and Washington (2023). The first book of her middle grade mystery series, The Winterton Deception 1: Final Word received starred trade reviews from Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, and Booklist. When she isn’t writing, she loves eating cookies, playing the piano, and singing along with the radio at the top of her lungs. She lives in Utah with her husband, three kids, and her dog. Visit her online at janetsumnerjohnson.com.

 

 

 

 

Are you excited about The Winterton Deception 2:  Fault Lines? Let us know in the comments below.

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