Fiction

Dog Days: A Canine Collection of Reading

By on August 17, 2015   /   Book Lists, Fiction, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers, Nonfiction  

There’s a reason these sultry days of July and August are called “dog days of summer,” but it has nothing to do with your canine companion.

The phrase gets its name from long ago when people associated the hot weather with the star Sirius, the brightest in the sky. Sirius is part of the Canis Major (Large Dog) constellation. And because of this, it became known as the Dog Star.

In late summer, in the Northern Hemisphere, Sirius rises and sets with the sun. As a result, early stargazers believed the star’s heat added to the heat of the sun, creating a stretch of stifling weather from July to August.

Turns out they were wrong. The heat is actually the result of the Earth’s tilt. Still, what better way to celebrate these dog days than to take a look at books about man’s (and woman’s) best friend.

Below are a few that have been published in the last five years. (Dates are for first year of publication.)

For a look at some older dog books, click on this classic MUF post: No Dead Dogs

9780062122209A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean (2012)

Cally Fisher knows she can see her dead mother, but the only other living soul who does is a mysterious wolfhound who always seems to be there when her mom appears. How can Cally convince anyone that her mom is still with the family, or persuade her dad that the huge silver-gray dog belongs with them. With beautiful, spare writing and adorable animals, A Dog Called Homeless is perfect for readers of favorite middle-grade novels starring dogs, such as Because of Winn-Dixie and Shiloh.

9780544339125Dog Days: The Carver Chronicles, Book One by Karen English (2013)

It’s tough being the new kid at Carver Elementary. Gavin had lots of friends at his old school, but the kids here don’t even know that he’s pretty good at skateboarding, or how awesome he is at soccer. And when his classmate Richard comes over and the boys end up in trouble, not only does Gavin risk losing his one new friend, he has to take care of his great aunt Myrtle’s horrible little dog as punishment. To make matters worse, Gavin seems to have attracted the attention of the school bully. Will he be able to avoid getting pounded at the skate park? And how is he ever going to prove he’s cool with a yappy little Pomeranian wearing a pink bow at his side?

9780316043977Smells Like Dog by Suzanne Selfors (2011)

Homer Pudding, an ordinary farm boy, has big dreams of following in the footsteps of his famous treasure-hunting uncle. But when Uncle Drake mysteriously disappears, Homer inherits two things: a lazy, droopy dog with no sense of smell, and a mystery. Why would his uncle call this clumsy dog his “most treasured possession?” And why did he put a gold coin on the dog’s collar? Join Homer, his sister Gwendolyn, and Dog on an adventure that will test their wits and courage as they leave their peaceful farm and head into a world where ruthless treasure hunters hide around every corner. Where they discover that Dog has a hidden talent and that treasure might be closer than they ever imagined. This is the first in a series of books about Homer and Dog.

9780545639149Rescue on the Oregon Trail: Ranger in Time #1 by Kate Messner (2015)

Ranger has been trained as a search-and-rescue dog, but can’t officially pass the test because he’s always getting distracted by squirrels during exercises. One day, he finds a mysterious first-aid kit in the garden and is transported to the year 1850, where he meets a young boy named Sam Abbott. Sam’s family is migrating west on the Oregon Trail, and soon after Ranger arrives, he helps the boy save his little sister. Ranger thinks his job is done, but the Oregon Trail can be dangerous, and the Abbotts need Ranger’s help more than they realize! See also: Danger in Ancient in Rome: Ranger in Time #2, also by Kate Messner.

9780545554510Lucky Dog: Twelve Tales of Rescued Dogs (2014)

This collection is full of heartwarming and hilarious stories about the Pawley Rescue Center, where rescued dogs find their way into hearts and homes. You’ll meet Foxtrot, a feisty Pomeranian who can’t bear the thought of leaving her best friend. And Beatrice, whose bark is definitely worse than her bite. And then there’s Pumpkin, one of the 101 Chihuahuas who turn life at the center upside down. Lucky Dog features sweet and silly stories about playful pups and the kids who love them by some of your favorite authors: Randi Barrow, Marlane Kennedy, Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, Kirby Larson, C. Alexander London, Leslie Margolis, Jane B. Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens, Ellen Miles, Michael Northrop, Teddy Slater, Tui T. Sutherland, and Allan Woodrow.

9780545643313Woof (A Bowser and Birdie Novel) by Spencer Quinn (2015)

There is trouble brewing in the Louisiana swamp — Bowser can smell it. Bowser is a very handsome and only slightly slobbery dog, and he can smell lots of things. Like bacon. And rawhide chews! And the sweat on humans when they’re lying. Birdie Gaux, the girl Bowser lives with, also knows something is wrong. It’s not just that her grammy’s stuffed prize marlin has been stolen. It’s the weird rumor that the marlin is linked to a missing treasure. It’s the truck that seems to be following Birdie and the bad feeling on the back of her neck. When Birdie and Bowser start digging into the mystery, not even Bowser’s powerful sniffer can smell just how menacing the threat is. And when the danger comes straight for Birdie, Bowser knows it up to him to sic ’em.

9780545416382Duke by Kirby Larson (2013)

With World War II raging and his father fighting overseas in Europe, eleven-year-old Hobie Hanson is determined to do his part to help his family and his country, even if it means giving up his beloved German shepherd, Duke. Hoping to help end the war and bring his dad home faster, Hobie decides to donate Duke to Dogs for Defense, an organization that urges Americans to “loan” their pets to the military to act as sentries, mine sniffers, and patrol dogs. Hobie immediately regrets his decision and tries everything he can to get Duke back, even jeopardizing his friendship with the new boy at school. But when his father is taken prisoner by the Germans, Hobie realizes he must let Duke go and reach deep within himself to be brave. Will Hobie ever see Duke, or his father, again?

9781599906904Girl’s Best Friend (A Maggie Brooklyn Mystery) by Leslie Margolis (2010)

Dogs are disappearing in her neighborhood, and Maggie Brooklyn Sinclair knows all about it. After all, she has a semi-secret after-school gig as a professional (ok, amateur) dog-walker. Maggie hates to see a pup in trouble, so she’s even willing to help her ex-best friend Ivy recover her rescue-dog, Kermit. Kermit’s being held for ransom, and Maggie has noticed some suspicious behavior lately. But she never suspected her crush Milo could be involved.

9780374380083Boy’s Best Friend by Kate Banks and Rupert Sheldrake (2015)

Eleven-year-old George has a dog, Bart, who seems to know everything about him—from when he is feeling sad to when he will arrive home from school. George’s new neighbor and classmate, Lester, also has a dog, Bill Gates, and Lester thinks he is the smartest animal in the world. When their teacher assigns a school science project about animal behavior, George and Lester decide to conduct an experiment based on the world-famous Rupert Sheldrake’s experiments about dogs. George even has an email exchange with Dr. Sheldrake to help him with the project—and he and Lester soon find out that, through a few simple experiments, kids can make scientific discoveries, too. This middle-grade dogs story is inspired by Rupert Sheldrake’s bestselling adult book, Dogs that Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home.

9781419714818Dog Beach Unleashed: The Seagate Summers Book Two by Lisa Greenwald (2015)

Remy, Micayla, Bennett, and the C Twins are back on Seagate Island for another summer of beach traditions, new and old. A new tradition: keeping Remy’s dog-sitting business going. Remy loves seeing her dog friends (and her real friends, too), but the doldrums start to sink in when it turns into the rainiest summer on record, with evacuation constantly threatening to ruin the world’s most perfect vacation spot. Tempers are short and dogs are bored. What can one 12-year-old do to create summer magic when the summer doesn’t seem to be showing up? See also: Welcome to Dog Beach: The Seagate Summers Book One, also by Lisa Greenwald.

9780545416351Dash by Kirby Larson (2014)

Although Mitsi Kashino and her family are swept up in the wave of anti-Japanese sentiment following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Mitsi never expects to lose her home—or her beloved dog, Dash. But, as World War II rages and people of Japanese descent are forced into incarceration camps, Mitsi is separated from Dash, her classmates, and life as she knows it. The camp is a crowded and unfamiliar place, whose dusty floors, seemingly endless lines, and barbed wire fences begin to unravel the strong Kashino family ties. With the help of a friendly neighbor back home, Mitsi remains connected to Dash in spite of the hard times, holding on to the hope that the war will end soon and life will return to normal. Though they’ve lost their home, will the Kashino family also lose their sense of family? And will Mitsi and Dash ever be reunited?

9780544088931Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (and Their Noses) Save the World by Nancy F. Castaldo (2014)

Anyone who has ever spent time with a dog knows that dogs love sniffing! They sniff out hidden food, dirty socks, and the visitor who comes to the door.  But some dogs work with police officers, soldiers and even scientists to put their “sniffers” to work. Sniffer dogs make use of the amazing biology behind their noses to protect people from bombs, catch criminals smuggling drugs, or help researchers locate a hard to find snail in a forest.
In Sniffer Dogs you will meet many dogs and their handlers and learn all about their jobs. Some of these dogs are raised from birth to detect blood sugar levels in their owners.  Others are rescued from animal shelters and their boisterous personalities help make them excellent sniffer dogs. Featuring a balance between science and social science, Sniffer Dogs will appeal to dog lovers and science lovers alike.

Dorian Cirrone has written several books for children and teens. Her middle-grade novel, The First Last Day, which takes place on the New Jersey Shore, will be out in May 2016 from S&S/Aladdin. You can find her on Facebook and on Twitter as @DorianCirrone. She gives writing tips and does occasional giveaways on her blog at: http://doriancirrone.com/welcome/blog/

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Adult Books for the (Advanced) MG Reader

By on August 12, 2015   /   Book Lists, Fiction, For Parents  

The other day, my ten-year-old son, who would remind you that he is almost eleven, declared that he was also almost an adult. As such, he will no longer touch a book with a cartoonish cover, illustrations, or talking animals.

He loves being included in adult conversations, being given new responsibility, and feeling like he’s doing adult things. For all his whip-smart poise, he’s still a sensitive, innocent ten-year-old on the inside.

One way we’re helping him experiment with this new-found quest for adulthood is through letting him test the boundaries of his reading list.

We’ve had mixed luck with YA. He doesn’t like romance. At all. And the Maze Runner books were too scary/violent for him. I’m making him wait on Hunger Games, although I will admit that he is currently reading V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic and LOVING it and also devoured both China Mieville’s Un Lun Dun and Michael Scott’s Alchemyst series. And of course, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents will be my recommendation for the follow-up to Terry Pratchett’s hilarious MG Wee Free Men.

I remember the first “adult” book I read when I was about his age: Little Women. I felt so grown up and I want to give him that same feeling. So here are my recommendations for books that are technically adult, but clean enough, more or less, for the advanced middle-grade reader. Most of these are classics, with a few sci-fi/fantasy favorites thrown in because, well, that’s what we read in my household.

Cat's Cradle by Kurt VonnegutCat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

From Indiebound: Cat’s Cradle is Kurt Vonnegut’s satirical commentary on modern man and his madness. An apocalyptic tale of this planet’s ultimate fate, it features a midget as the protagonist, a complete, original theology created by a calypso singer, and a vision of the future that is at once blackly fatalistic and hilariously funny. A book that left an indelible mark on an entire generation of readers, Cat’s Cradle is one of the twentieth century’s most important works—and Vonnegut at his very best.

The Odyssey by Homer – For all those Percy Jackson fans that want to read the myth behind the popular series.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare – Although schools seem to teach Romeo & Juliet first, I find the humor and absurdity of this particular play a little more appropriate for a younger audience and there are a variety of “young reader” editions for those who might struggle with the more complex language of the original.

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen – Although my son wouldn’t touch this one (romance, ewwww!), I remember loving it when I was in elementary school. Mr. Darcy was indeed my first literary love.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

From Indiebound – Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.
Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker’s Guide (“A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have”) and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers.

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens – This classic coming-of-age story was a favorite, along with Oliver Twist and Great Expectations.

Animal Farm by George Orwell – OK, it’s got animals, but this is nothing like Dick King-Smith.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan-Doyle – All the recent reboots of this series have put Sherlock Holmes firmly back in the center of pop culture, so I’m anxious for my son to read the original.

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

From Indiebound – With its rousing cry of “One for all, and all for one,” Alexandre Dumas’s thrilling adventure novel has captivated generations of readers since its initial publication in 1844. Action, intrigue, and romance abound in this swashbuckling epic, which traces a country lad’s path to the French court of the early 1600s and the glorious fraternity of the king’s men, the Musketeers.

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

From Indiebound – This chilling portrait of an all-boys prep school casts an unflinching eye on the pitfalls of conformity and corruption in our most elite cultural institutions.

One of the most controversial YA novels of all time, “The Chocolate War” is a modern masterpiece that speaks to fans of S. E. Hinton’s “The Outsiders” and John Knowles’s “A Separate Peace.”

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark TwainThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

From Indiebound – Tom Sawyer is as clever, imaginative, and resourceful as he is reckless and mischievous, whether conning his friends into painting a fence, playing pirates with his pal Huck Finn, witnessing his own funeral, or helping to catch a murderer. Twain’s novel glows with nostalgia for the Mississippi River towns of his youth and sparkles with his famous humor, but it is also woven throughout with a subtle awareness of the injustices and complexities of the old South that Twain so memorably portrays.

What adult books did you read as a kid? Which ones are you dying to share with your children/students?

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Interview with Léna Roy, Master Writing Teacher

By on August 7, 2015   /   Author Interviews, Book Lists, Fiction, For Teachers, For Writers, Writing  

I’m delighted to chat today with inspiring writing teacher, Léna Roy. Léna began teaching Writopia Lab workshops in Manhattan in 2009, then went on to bring the program to New York City’s northern suburbs in 2010. The author of the YA novel, Edges, published by FSG, she co edited the award-winning Girl’s Write Now anthology, First Lines. Her writing was featured in the essay collection for middle school kids and their teachers: Breakfast on Mars and 37 Other Essays to Devour: Your Favorite Authors Take on the Dreaded Essay Assignment. In 2014, Léna was recognized by the Scholastic Awards “as an outstanding educator whose dedication, commitment, and guidance are represented by student work selected for national honors.”

Mentoring has long been the connective tissue in Léna’s life, whether through her work with at-risk adolescents in Utah, California, and New York; or through her own writing discipline, as fostered by her late grandmother, author Madeleine L’Engle. It was her grandmother who taught Léna to transform the solitary nature of writing into a sacred sense of community, where her art and the art of others can flourish.

Writopia Lab is a national community of young writers, ages 6 to 18. Founded in New York City in 2007, Writopia Lab has now spread to Greater New York, Greater Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles. www.writopialab.org

1-What’s hardest for most middle grade writers you teach? Developing characters? Coming up with a plot? Finding a voice? Something else?

It depends upon the writer! Plot usually isn’t the problem, because that’s always fun for them to brainstorm. Depending on their emotional maturity, it can be a challenge to develop a strong character arc (how is the character flawed?)  and for some it can be a challenge to move them away from fan fiction to find their own original voice.

2-When you get a motivated, ambitious middle grade writer who wants to write the next Harry Potter or Hunger Games series, and has the whole plot all mapped out in her head, how do you keep her focused on developing a good short story?

This comes with time. I find that by seventh grade, most middle schoolers who are devoted to writing want to master the short story, because they see writers just a little older than them winning awards and having their work published. (Having deadlines, such as the Scholastic Writing Awards can be an excellent motivator, where the word limit on short stories is 3000 words.) But if they are writing a “novel” we still focus on having its own plot and character arc.

3-What’s the best way to turn on a reluctant middle grader to creative writing?

If they think that they don’t like reading or writing, I ask them if they like “story”. The next step is to ask them if they like TV shows and/or video games, and this is what hooks them – those are stories too! Part of our human experience is ingesting and telling stories – in several different mediums. I break down an episode of Spongebob (Or whatever their favorite is) and demystify the process – every story has a main character, an objective (something that they want) and then obstacles that get in their way.

4-Are there fiction authors whose techniques you recommend for aspiring young writers? Any books on the craft of writing you find especially helpful  for aspiring writers and/or their teachers?

All of Writopia Lab’s teachers are professional writers.  Founded and developed by the incomparable Rebecca Wallace-Segall in 2007, Writopia has an original and evolving tool kit full of writing games to help with character, plot development, and sparking that writing mojo!

5-How do you encourage middle grade kids to constructively critique a classmate’s writing? How do you teach young writers to calmly accept constructive criticism from  peers– or from you?

We create a warm, inclusive culture where everyone feels that their voice matters. When we workshop, we train our writers to make two positive comments, and then ask a question about a specific part that isn’t clear. Once we build trust, each writer only wants to improve.

6-Can you share some of your favorite writing prompts?

Always use prompts that have a strong action with middle schoolers. I make them up on the spot, depending on the kid. And let them know that it can be in any genre! I’ve had success with this one: “I climbed the tree for a better look.” My favorite: “The glass shattered.”

7-How do you see the role of the teacher in a creative writing workshop? Do you always provide prompts and exercises, mostly help develop the kids’ own writing, or some of both? What do you do if a young writer resists your exercises and only wants to work on his own writing?

The role of the instructor is to be a guide, a mentor, a cheerleader. We are half camp counselor, demonstrating passion and energy, and half serious writing professional. We always ask the writers what their own writing goals for the day are, as the ultimate goal for the end of a workshop series is to have something completed, whether it’s a short story, or Part 1 of an epic novel! So all of the above. If most kids want to do a short exercise/game to begin the workshop, I ask the one who is resistant to give it a shot for just five minutes so that he/she can still feel part of the group.

You can visit Léna at www.lenaroybooks.com.

Barbara Dee is the author of  The Almost Perfect Guide to Imperfect Boys, Trauma Queen, This Is Me From Now On, Solving Zoe, and Just Another Day in My Insanely Real Life. Her next book, Truth or Dare, will be published by Aladdin/S&S in Fall 2016.  

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