Book Lists

What does getting a Starred review from Kirkus mean?

By on July 17, 2017   /   Book Lists, Diversity, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers  

I was enjoying an evening of golf and dinner with my husband and friends. I left my phone at home. When we got home to walk our lovable two-year-old Labrador (who has the incredible literary name of Luna), I grabbed my phone. As I fired it up, I had several texts from my editor, Michelle Houts.

“Hey! I’m so very excited and happy for you, the shining star (think emoji) of our series!! Congratulations! (Another emoji.)

I sent a text back. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Julie…you got a Kirkus STARRED REVIEW for Virginia Hamilton.”

At which point I called Michelle and had a memorable, fun conversation about this good fortune that has been bestowed on my recently released middle-grade biography of the most honored author of children’s literature.

Wow.

Even though this all occurred about a month ago, I’m still pinching myself. My third book published, just my second biography, and I’ve received this incredible validation of my writing abilities. And to be honest, from the outset, I didn’t really know the significance or the impact the glorious review meant. So, being the true-blue, nonfiction writer I am, I did my research.

Kirkus is one of four magazines that review books for publishers, for a fee.

Publishers Weekly is considered the leading magazine covering every aspect of “creating and selling the written word…” Over 7,000 book and media reviews are conducted each year. Subscribers shell out $250 annually for the benefit of reading the magazine. Kirkus gives individuals in the industry a preview of the most notable books being published, weeks before they are released. Kirkus sends out weekly emails to subscribers, doling out their reviews. Digital and print subscriptions cost $200 a year.

Library Journal and Booklist are the other two, and geared mainly toward librarians.  Booklist reviewers are affiliated with the American Library Association and reviews over 8,000 books annually. Library Journal reviewers are librarians and library experts who review a similar number of books as Booklist.

All four offer Starred Reviews.

But getting one from Kirkus is a whole different level, so I’m told. Kirkus has a reputation in author’s circles as being, well, let’s say persnickety. Harsh was another adjective used.

So, getting a Starred review is even more significant. It symbolizes excellence in writing. As the Kirkus website offers, “The Kirkus Star is one of the most prestigious designations in the book industry.”

When I shared the news with Arnold Adoff, the late Ms. Hamilton’s husband, he shared that in all the many years he and Virginia wrote, “getting a star from Kirkus was the hardest.”

So, what does that review mean? For me, that little star hopefully shines a big light on Virginia’s life journey, and ultimately creates new readers and fans of her work.

Virginia Hamilton Cover

She’s the real star.

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Start with a Bang–Or Not: Story Openings

By on July 14, 2017   /   Fiction, For Librarians, For Writers, Writing  
     “Begin with a bang!” Is the advice I’ve heard as a writer over and over from the very beginning.
     “Kids attention spans are short.”
    “Grab them from the very first line and don’t let them go!”
     It seems like sound advice. Certainly there are clear advantages to beginning a book with a scene of physical action, high suspense or emotional intensity. It establishes what’s at stake at once and sets up an expectation for a fast paced, high energy plot. It can create an element of mystery or suspense. It can highlight a distinctive voice

 

     A splashy opening is lots of fun to write and who doesn’t love a gripper of an opening line? And yet in my own writing I’ve come across a few limitations to the big bang beginning. For example, If the reader doesn’t identify with the MC right off the bat, the stakes you create won’t matter to your reader. Also there is a danger that the reader
 may not know who the MC is and feel sympathy for and loyalty to a character you don’t intend them to. A power house opening can feel manipulative & jarring at best and over-wrought & silly at worst. And sometimes a very intense first scene sets an expectation that’s nearly impossible to top.

     So what’s a writer to do? I have always been drawn to a high action beginning, but more and more often I’ve found myself editing out my zippy opening paragraphs or moving them a page or two into the story.
As I often do in a quandary I turn to the books of authors I admire, to stories I’ve found moving. In a quick search on novel beginnings. I chose 12 books, 10 of which were published in the last 15 years. They were all award winners and strong sellers. To my complete shock only one of the 12 had an action opening. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry begins with the main character and her friend racing home from school only to be stopped and questioned by a Nazi soldier. Two others had action scenes that started within the first 3 pages, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and Heart of a Samurai by Margie Preus. And in the case of Speak the it’s a scene of great emotional intensity rather than one of action in the classic sense.
But by far my sample of best selling and award winning books did not begin with action. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie begins with an explanation of encephalitis, and its repercussions in the life of the narrator Junior. The first scene that has anything resembling action is actually a moment of incredible emotional power in which Junior’s father shoots Junior’s dog because they can’t afford to take him to the vet. The scene occurs on page 9. Holes by Louis Sachar maybe the most popular MG novel ever to win the Newberry, but it does not begin with action either. Stanley doesn’t start digging a hole until page 26.
So what are those authors doing in those precious first pages?

In every book I looked at they were introducing me to a character so unique and compelling that I cared about what happened when the high stakes action finally came into play. They opened not with a bang but with a voice–a choice well worth emulating.
So here’s my reading challenge for the week. Pick up 5 of the books you’ve read in the last year that you admired the most. Go look at the opening scene and analyze what you see there? You might be surprised. I’d love to hear about your favorite opening scenes in comments below.

 

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A Wonder Women Summer

By on July 12, 2017   /   Book Lists, Fiction, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, New Releases  

This will always be the summer of Wonder Woman. Finally, a superhero with box office clout who just happens to be…female. I left the theater buzzing with the thrill but also with my fingers crossed that this opens the door to more strong female characters making it to the screen.

Because what girls and boys see up there matters. And what they read matters, too.

I’ve been feeling lucky on behalf of middle grade readers these days because there is an abundance of adventure stories out there with girl protagonists. No longer the side kicks, these mighty girls are driving the story. Full of thrilling action, whip smart characters and a touch of good old fashioned chaos to keep things interesting, this is summer reading at its best.

I have lots of favorites but I don’t want to blow up the blog so I’m limiting my list to a few recent releases:

 

Holly Farb and the Princess of the Galaxy

by Gareth Wronski

I laughed out loud at this adventure of mistaken identity. Holly is determined to do well in school so she can enter the prestigious Falstaff Academy. This does not endear her to her classmates. When three strangers show up and ask Holly if she’s ‘important’, she says yes. This results in kidnapping by space pirates, not your everyday kind of problem. They think she is a princess and whisk her away into a world of aliens and other bizarre space creatures. School Library Journal describes it as ‘An intergalactic romp filled with humor and adventure.’ And I couldn’t agree more. A perfect addition to your summer reading.

 

A Dash of Dragon

by Heidi Lang and Kati Bartkowski

A novel written by sisters has to be fun and this one delivers. Lailu Loganberry is an expert at hunting dangerous beasts. And she’s even better at cooking them. At thirteen years old, this master chef has a lot to prove as she tries to run a five-star restaurant, cook the perfect dragon cuisine, repay a greedy loan shark, and outsmart the Elven mafia in a novel full of fantasy, humor, adventure and action. Lailu is just the sort of feisty heroine that goes perfectly with summer reading.

 

Rules for Thieves

by Alexandra Ott

Another novel full of action and adventure and featuring a smart, resourceful girl in the lead. A recent escapee from an orphanage, twelve-year-old Alli Rosco is just getting by on the streets. But after a run-in with one of the city’s Protectors, she’s marked by a curse that’s slowly working its way to her heart. And the cost of the cure is well beyond her reach. Her only hope lies in the legendary Thieves Guild. To join, all she has to do is pass a trial assigned by the King of Thieves. And this is where it gets really interesting! Alli will add heart pounding excitement to your lazy days of summer.

Happy #SummerReading Everyone!

 

 

 

 

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