Posts Tagged middle-grade fiction

MG Novel and Nonfiction Study: Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Strategies

By on September 5, 2024   /   For Teachers   /   Leave a comment

Writing JournalDo you enjoy maps and diagrams more than directions told to you aloud? Do you love listening to an audiobook while driving, cooking, or gardening? Do your hobbies include crafting, sculpting, building models, woodworking, or jigsaw puzzles?

It’s been theorized that our interests, preferences, and hobbies may point to a “type” or “style” of learning we enjoy. Different theories about learning styles exist; for example, multiple intelligence theory discusses our different “intelligences” (pathways that help us learn) such as logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, and inter- and intrapersonal. And researchers continue to study the possible ways that areas of the brain might be responsible for different styles of learning.  

Another much-discussed learning styles theory is the VAK typology: visual, auditory, kinesthetic. While evidence has not proven that overall learning is greatly impacted by one particular style of gaining knowledge, offering a variety of learning strategies with visual, auditory, and kinesthetic components may promote interest in lessons and activities, including novel and nonfiction study.

The study of charts, graphs, and tables, for example, is generally considered a visual learning technique; taking notes, typing, and flipping flashcards can be ways to get “in touch” with tactile learning options. And individuals who prefer read-aloud time or a lecture may gravitate toward auditory learning techniques.

Teachers, parents, librarians, and homeschoolers of middle graders as well as writers looking for new ways to promote their MG works might consider kicking off the new school year with some reflection on the VAK model and how it relates to a middle grader’s experience with the text in their hands. Since some readers may enjoy different “types” of learning, a varied approach with options for strategies and assessment may be most helpful in promoting interest and engagement.

As with all classroom suggestions, be sure to account for sensitivity considerations for those with individualized learning needs.

Strategies and Activities for Kinesthetic Skills Practice:

  • Use sticky notes to handwrite annotations and reader reactions; peel and stick in place in a class copy of a novel. Trade copies with a partner to flip through their thoughts.
  • Build a model of a setting. What tactile materials might be used, for example, to represent the rocky desert conditions near Alamo Lake in Dusti Bowling’s Across the Desert? What objects could be used to show main character Jolene’s path to rescue Addie and escape from the desert?
  • Copy physical descriptions from the text onto paper, then cut and paste individual descriptive phrases onto a drawn or 3-D model of a key figure, an object, or a setting. Three-dimensional models work well to show different sides of a character and the ways they change throughout the story.
  • Construct prototypes or to-scale models for nonfiction units on inventions, planets, technology, and many other subjects.

Strategies and Activities for Visual Skills Practice:

  • Find, create, study, or model artwork associated with a text, such as select Vermeer works for those reading Blue Balliett’s Chasing Vermeer.
  • Study and compare the cover art for a novel with different editions.
  • Offer texts with some illustrations at the MG level, as well as texts with a typeface that offers a change of pace – think David Walliams’s Demon Dentist with its whole-page boldfaced character reactions, its use of page layout for onomatopoetic effects, and its use of bulleted lists.
  • Read, write, and share graphic novels. Kelly Yang’s Finally Seen may lead to exploration of several published graphic novels as main character Lina becomes a fan.
  • Chart or graph the visual context clues in illustrations from a graphic novel that are not included in the text.

Strategies and Activities for Auditory Skills Practice:

  • Turn dialogue into a script for dramatized oral readings.
  • Incorporate discussions and Socratic seminars for small and large classroom groups.
  • Record an exciting passage of a novel read aloud, using vocal tone, pace, and pauses to represent suspense.
  • Perform a radio show-style scene from the MG work, complete with sound effects and music cues. A spooky tale might work nicely here, or a paranormal adventure like Joe McGee’s The Haunted Mustache.

 

Thanks for reading, and a great school year to all MG readers, writers, teachers, and parents!

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Interview with New York Times Best Selling Author James Ponti and Book Giveaway!

By on September 4, 2024   /   Author Interviews   /   Leave a comment
We are thrilled that middle-grade Author James Ponti took time away from his writing, researching, and traveling to join us. His newest book, The Sherlock Society, was just released yesterday and is certain to be a hit with young sleuths.  Welcome to From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors, James! We are honored to have you with us to talk about The Sherlock Society.

 

In the first chapter, we are introduced to this unlikely cast, including Alex Sherlock, his sister, Zoe, their grandfather, and their
two friends, Lina and Yadi. All five of them are caught up in a scheme that leads to an exploding boat,
a rescue by a Miami Patrol Boat, and being detained by Special Agents. The fast-paced mystery never
lets up pace through the story. How did you come up with this cast and the exciting mystery?
I knew I wanted to come up with a new series, so I went out for a walk and decided to try an
experiment. There’s a lake near my house with benches all around it. As I walked around the lake, I sat
at each bench and asked myself a question. The rules were that I couldn’t get up until I had a good
answer and that each question had to be harder than the last. I started with basics like what type of
book I wanted to write (mystery) and where I wanted to set it (my home state of Florida). This
progressed for a dozen or so benches and I was on my second lap when I asked, “How do these siblings
come to be involved with solving mysteries?” That’s the key. How do you kickstart the plot? My answer
was a paragraph. “If our last name was Baker, we would’ve sold cupcakes. If it was Walker, we would’ve
taken care of people’s dogs while they were on vacation. But it’s Sherlock, so starting a detective agency
just seemed like the thing to do.” That was the point when I knew what I wanted to write. And
amazingly, it became the opening paragraph of the book.

The Nancy Drew Mystery Stories and The Hardy Boys, created by Edward Stratemeyer, featured
young, adventuresome detectives. Did these series inspire you?
My brothers read the Hardy Boys, but I was all about Encyclopedia Brown. I wasn’t a strong reader and I
loved the fact that in each book Encyclopedia solved a series of short mysteries rather than one really
long one. That said, the book that truly launched my lifelong love of mysteries is the same one that gave
this website its name, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. When I do school visits I
jokingly tell kids it’s the thirteenth greatest book ever written. I pause for a moment before adding,
“because I’ve only written twelve.”

The Sherlock Society initially consists of Alex, Lina and Yadi, yet you cleverly draw in the character of
Alex’s sister, Zoe. Tell us about your characters and the importance of the sibling dynamic.

I think for most middle schoolers, life is dominated by family, school, and friends; so, I wanted all three
to be the central ingredients of the book. The team is made up of Alex’s two best (and really only)
friends, his sister (with whom he has a typical tween love-hate relationship), and his grandfather. I really
wanted a strong sibling dynamic, but also a multi-generational one with Grandpa. As for the siblings,
they very go with the theory that “I can say anything I want about the other, but no one else can talk
about them without facing my wrath.”

You pay tribute to a number of classic books written for middle-grade readers in the library scene.
(Including our inspiration, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler). Were these titles
favorites of yours?
I love to namedrop personal kid lit favorites in my books. It’s like winking at the reader and saying, “I bet
we love a lot of the same things.” In this book, there are two chapters involving an escape room in the
school library. This lets me mention some all-time personal favorites.

I loved that Alex and Zoe’s parents serve supporting roles in The Sherlock Society. As parents are often
absent in stories for younger readers, why did you feel it important to feature their parents in the
story?
In real life, I never knew my father and had absolutely no connection with him. As a result, the dynamic
of a missing parent was key to my first three series – Dead City, Framed, and City Spies. I think many
people assumed I was just doing this as a plot device, but it really was a way for me to address and
explore some profoundly personal issues. That said, with The Sherlock Society, I decided to write about a
family not like the one I grew up in, but like the one in which my wife and I raised our children. It’s been
an interesting change of dynamics for me.

Without a spoiler alert, the story shifts about halfway through, as the team of detectives begin to
pursue solving a mystery other than the one they intended to, and for entirely different reasons. Tell
us about this plot twist.
I think there is a tendency in many of my books for the mystery to evolve and pivot mid-course. I like
doing that because it’s then not a mystery that’s thrust upon our characters but one that is uncovered
by them. That makes them more proactive and connected to the eventual solution. If done right, it also
raises the stakes, which is always good. In The Sherlock Society, the team starts off looking into an old
cold case involving Al Capone, which is fun and exciting, but they discover a current one that is affecting
the world right now that they can remedy. It goes from being an activity to a mission.

I’ve learned through my research of the creators and writers of The Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, that
creating cliffhangers at the end of chapters will hook and keep the reader engaged. You’ve
mastered this technique in spades! Does this come naturally to you as a writer?
My career started as a television scriptwriter for Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and PBS. Television
format is built on the idea of a cliffhanger at the end of each act. I think after years of doing it, it just
became second nature. Also, like I said, I wasn’t a strong reader and I loved it when the story would
compel me to keep going on. I get jazzed when parents and teachers tell me their kids get upset when
they have to stop reading for the night or the class because the cliffhanger leaves them wanting more.
Equally important to cliffhangers, but almost never talked about, are chapter openings. In the same way,
they need to be a springboard that propels the reader. I once read an interview with Garry Trudeau, the
author of the Doonesbury comics. He talked about how difficult it was to write and compose the first
panel of the comic strip, because it has to grab the reader, recap the story, and start the new story all
with a single image and a few words. I think about that a lot when I start each chapter. Probably more
than half of the time I spend writing is specifically spent on the first page and a half of the chapters.

This story is based in Miami, Florida. Your other works are based in Washington, D.C., Manhattan, and
around the world. Do you visit your story locales as part of your research?
I try to visit them as often as I can. I did research trips to New York (Dead City) and Washington (Framed)
all the time. I also try to visit the international locales from City Spies, but those are usually one offs
because of time and expense. After I wrote the first draft of Sherlock Society, I went to Miami and spent
an intensive three days visiting every single location from the book. The book starts with a rescue with
the Miami Police Department’s Marine Patrol, so I went for a ride-along with them. Alex and Zoe’s
father is a marine biologist at the University of Miami, so I hung out with a marine biologist at the
University of Miami. I even visited fictional places from the book. I reached out to a realtor and told her
about the kids, their family income, and history, and she helped me find likely houses and apartments
where they might live.

Here’s a little fun fact about setting. At Nickelodeon we kind of had a rule that each show had to have a
character who was at least sixteen years old so that in theory, that character could drive everyone
around. One of the biggest challenges in writing a kids’ adventure book is handling the logistics of how
the characters get around. That said, you can’t have 16-year-old characters in a middle-grade book
without turning it into Young Adult. That was part of why my first two series were set in New York and
Washington. Both have really good subway systems that kids can ride on their own. But there is not
good mass transit in Miami, and that was a problem. And that problem led to the inclusion of Grandpa
on the team, which I love. It’s amazing how often the problems turn into highlights.

A variety of subtle lessons are offered throughout The Sherlock Society, i.e. importance of respect of
authority and elders, surrounding oneself with good people, and doing the right thing. How important
is it to you as a writer and a father to impart these messages in your stories?
I do not want to preach, teach, or send a message. Young readers see right through this and it turns
them off. I want to write engaging stories with humor, adventure, and family. But I think young readers
are interested in real-world issues and problems, so I include them and try to present them in a way that
is accurate and interesting. I also want to write characters who model good traits and methodology. If
readers take that and run with it, I’m thrilled. But the story always has to come first.

Our audience, both younger readers and those who support them, often want to know about an
author’s writing process. How do you create your exciting tales?
I wish I had a better answer for this. My process is…messy. I write every day – weekends included – and
try to start early in the morning. I can really only get good writing done in my home office, which is set
aside for that one thing. (I find a dedicated writing location is essential.) My writing tends to go in fits
and starts through the first third of the manuscript before it picks up. I don’t outline, but I try to figure
out big picture elements up front and then outline a few chapters at a time. I write those chapters,
rewrite them, rewrite them again, and then outline the next few chapters. My wife is a great reader and
she reads each chapter as I go. I trust her instincts and know that things are going okay if she says they
are. During the last few weeks of the process, I tend to write virtually around the clock with breaks for
meals and streaming a couple of shows – usually mysteries – with my amazing wife Denise.

And finally, can we expect any further adventures featuring The Sherlock Society?

I’m currently writing Sherlock Society 2 and really love the series and the characters. I hope there will be
many more in the future, but that will all depend on how much readers enjoy the first two books.

Is there anything else you care to share with our readers?
I am thrilled to be writing The Sherlock Society, but no less excited about writing City Spies,
which is very much going full steam ahead. I have finished book six and have already signed to
write at least two more after that. It’s great for me to switch back and forth between the two
series, but I do wish there were eighteen months in a year, so I had a little more time to write each. LOL!

Get the Scoop! Check out our FREE GIVEAWAY of a copy of the Sherlock Society here: a Rafflecopter giveaway

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August 30 is National Frankenstein Day!

By on August 30, 2024   /   Articles, Book Lists, Fiction   /   1 Comment

Mary Shelley, the author of the classic novel Frankenstein, was born on August 30, 1797. Each year, she and her famous monster are celebrated on this day. Have you ever worn a Frankenstein costume for Halloween? That’s a celebration, too. If you’d like to learn more about the author who created this iconic monster, click here to read/listen to a brief biography or here to read about the original story.

Today’s post offers stories of all monster types. Ghosts, zombies, Sasquatch, mummies, myterious beings, a Frankensteinian dog, and something called a Grabber. Enjoy!

The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien.  320 ps.

frankenstein day august 30

Everyone knows Fall Hollow is haunted. It has been ever since Abigail Snook went into the woods many years ago, never to be seen again. Since then, it’s traditional for the sixth graders at Beckett Elementary to play the Bellwoods Game on Halloween night. Three kids are chosen to go into the woods. Whoever rings the bell in the woods first wins the game and saves the town for another year, but if Abigail’s ghost captures the players first, the spirit is let loose to wreak havoc on Fall Hollow … or so the story goes.

Now that it’s Bailee’s year to play, she can finally find out what really happens. Legend has it the game’s winner gets a wish. Maybe, just maybe, if Bailee wins, she can go back to the way things were before her grandma got sick and everyone at school started hating her. But when the night begins, everything the kids thought they knew about the game—and each other—is challenged. One thing’s for sure: something sinister is at play, waiting for them in the woods.

Black Sand Beach: Are You Afraid of the Light?  by Richard Fairgray. 192 ps. GN frankenstein day august 30

Twelve-year-old Dash and his best friend Lily are spending the summer at Black Sand Beach, where Dash’s family has a house. Lily can’t understand why Dash isn’t more excited. Three months of surf, sun, and sand. It should be a dream!

But Black Sand Beach is not that sort of vacation spot. The house is a shack, and all of Dash’s weird relatives are there. More alarming is the zombie ram that crashes through the front yard and the eerie voices calling out to Dash from the lighthouse … a lighthouse that hasn’t been operational in a hundred years.

Now, Dash has a new plan for his summer vacation … survival.

The Cursed Moon by Angela Cervantes. 224 ps.

frankenstein day august 30Rafael Fuentes does not scare easily. He loves writing ghost stories, reading scary books, and entertaining his friends with terrifying tales he creates on the spot. Rafa has come up against enough real-life scary situations that fictional hauntings seem like no big deal. His incarcerated mom is being released from jail soon, and will be coming to live with him, his sister, and their grandparents. For the first time in a while, Rafa feels a pit of fear growing in his stomach.

To take his mind off his mom’s return, Rafa spends an evening crafting the scariest ghost story he’s ever told. As an eerie blood moon hangs in the sky, Rafa tells a group of friends about The Caretaker, an evil ghost who lures unsuspecting kids into the neighborhood pond never to return. Rafa is proud of his latest creation, until strange things start happening around him. With a sinking feeling, Rafa realizes the Caretaker is real. Rafa brought the ghost to life―and only he can stop him.

Frankenstein’s Dog by R. L. Stine. 160 ps. frankenstein day august 30

Kat is reluctant to visit her uncle Vic Frankenstein because of all the rumors about him. However, she’s relieved to find that even though he lives in a dark, old castle-like mansion, Uncle Vic is a quiet, gentle man. A scientist interested in building robots with artificial intelligence. Plus, Kat loves Poochie, Vic’s small, adorable, fluffy white dog. Unfortuantely, an accident occurs in her uncle’s lab causing strange things to happen. Has Kat created a monster? Or is something else responsible for the unleashed horror?

The Ghosts of Nameless Island by Carly Anne West. 304 ps.

frankenstein day august 30After his dad goes missing and his mom gets a job restoring an old building called Rotham Manor, twelve-year-old Gus Greenburg and his mom move to a quaint, secluded island called Nameless. Although Gus was hoping for a new start on the island (despite throwing up twice on the boat ride there), a mysterious ghost has another idea.

Throw in a mean kid who hides rats in the manor, two new friends, an eclectic island chef who’s competing to be on a reality TV show, and Gus’s power to talk to the dead . . . yikes, that’s a lot of chaos for one kid!

Gus needs to find out the identity of the mysterious ghost – and fast – or else he might be doomed to the same lethal fate. That is, if the island’s signature “Heavenly Hash” dish doesn’t get to him first.

The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf. 288 ps. frankenstein day august 30

I am a dark spirit, the ghost announced grandly. I am your inheritance, your grandmother’s legacy. I am yours to command.

Suraya’s witchy grandmother gifts her a pelesit. Delighted, she names her ghostly companion Pink, and the two quickly become inseparable.

Unfortunately, Suraya doesn’t know that pelesits have a dark side—and when Pink’s shadows threaten to consume them both, they must find enough light to survive before being lost to the darkness.

The Lonely Lake Monster by Suzanne Selfors. 240 ps.

frankenstein day august 30Pearl Petal and Ben Silverstein can’t wait for their first official day as apprentices to Dr. Woo, veterinarian for imaginary creatures. That is until they have to clip Sasquatch’s toenails. Gross!

Soon after, Pearl spots a monster in the lake behind the hospital. Even though the instructions were to not leave the building for any reason, Pearl sets off for a closer look, with Ben trailing cautiously behind.

The outing goes awry when the creature captures Ben and holds him hostage on an island in the middle of the lake. It’s up to Pearl to hatch a rescue mission. Will she save the day or cement her reputation as the town troublemaker? And will the hospital’s secret patient be able to help?

The Monstrous Adventures of Mummy Man and Waffles by Steve Behling. 288 ps. frankenstein day august 30

Eleven-year-old Wen Wyler (aka Waffles) is forced to spend the summer in Maine with his grandpa, a former Hollywood makeup and special effects artist for classic horror films. Ever seen The Beast with a Thousand Toes, Glaarg!? Or its sequel, Glaarg! Again!?  If so, then you might be familiar with his work.

Wen, a horror movie enthusiast, decides to go when he finds out that for part of the summer he’ll be helping his grandpa sort and organize his basement filled with props. Grandpa’s young neighbor, Tanya, will be helping, too. Together the two dig in until Wen accidentally brings one of the props to life.

Mummy Man is a good guy. Not so the other creatures. It’s up to Wen, Tanya, and Mummy Man (and his pet turtle, Frank) to stop the creatures from turning the town into the headquarters for an all-out monster invasion.

No Place for Monsters by Kory Merritt. 384 ps.

frankenstein day august 30Levi and Kat are about to discover a very dark side to their neighborhood.

Nothing ever seems out of place in the safe, suburban town of Cowslip Grove. Neatly mowed lawns, tidy sidewalks, and ice cream truck music in the air. Nonetheless, kids have been going missing … except no one even realizes it, because no one remembers them.

Not their friends. Not their teachers. Not even their families.

But Levi and Kat do remember, and suddenly only they can see why everyone is in terrible danger when the night air rolls in. Now it’s up to Levi and Kat to fight it and save the missing kids before it swallows the whole town.

The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn. 160 ps. GNfrankenstein day august 30

Diana and her little brother, Georgie, know every inch of the land around the old Willis place, a crumbling mansion that some say is haunted. They climb the trees and swim in the pond. And they can do whatever they want, even stay up all night. They don’t have to change their clothes, brush their hair, or go to school. They have total freedom–as long as they don’t leave the grounds.

When Lissa arrives with her father, the new caretaker of the estate, Diana is overjoyed. She’s been wishing for a friend she can show her favorite spots to and share her favorite books. Maybe Lissa can even help her uncover the ghastly secret of the creepy old Willis house.

However, rules must be followed in order to keep the peace. Making friends is forbidden. If Diana makes contact with Lissa, she could unleash evil forces beyond her control . . . and then they’ll all be sorry.

Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker. 336 ps.

frankenstein day august 30The haunting season has arrived in the Antler Wood. No fox kit is safe.

When Mia and Uly become separated from their litters, they discover a dangerous world full of monsters. In order to find a den to call home, they must venture through field and forest, facing unspeakable things that dwell in the darkness: a zombie who hungers for their flesh, a witch who tries to steal their skins, a ghost who hunts them through the snow . . . and other things too scary to mention.

Featuring eight interconnected stories and sixteen hauntingly beautiful illustrations, Scary Stories for Young Foxes contains the kind of adventures and thrills you love to listen to beside a campfire in the dark of night. Fans of Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Auxier, and R. L. Stine have found their next favorite book.

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden. 256 ps. frankenstein day august 30

After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie, who only finds solace in books, discovers a chilling ghost story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who loved her, and a peculiar deal made with “the smiling man”—a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price.

Captivated by the tale, Ollie begins to wonder if the smiling man might be real when, during a school trip, she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she’s been reading about. Later, when her school bus breaks down on the ride home, the strange bus driver tells Ollie and her classmates: “Best get moving. At nightfall they’ll come for the rest of you.” Nightfall descends quickly when Ollie’s previously broken digital wristwatch begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN.

Only Ollie and two of her classmates heed these warnings. When the trio head out into the woods—bordered by a field of scarecrows that seem to be watching them—the bus driver has just one final piece of advice for Ollie and her friends: “Avoid large places. Keep to small.”

Where the Woods End by Charlotte Salter. 304 ps.

frankenstein day august 30Kestrel, a young huntress, lives in a seemingly endless forest crawling with dangerous beasts. But the most dangerous beasts of all are the Grabbers, beings born at the same time you are. They stalk you throughout your life, waiting for the perfect moment to snatch and eat you. No one has ever defeated their Grabber once attacked, and those that die from accidents or other creatures are considered “lucky.”

Kestrel’s mother, a powerful and controlling spell-caster, instructs her to hunt down the Grabbers in an effort to protect their village in the forest. Accompanied by Pippit, a hilariously bloodthirsty weasel, Kestrel hones her skills as she searches for a way out of the forest and away from the judgmental villagers who despise her. But her own Grabber is creeping ever closer, and nothing in this forest is what it seems … including her mother’s true motivations.

Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White. 256 ps. frankenstein day august 30

Meet the Sinister-Winterbottoms: brave Theo, her timid twin Alexander, and their older sister Wil. This summer, they’re under Aunt Saffronia’s care and she knows nothing about how often children eat or how to use a smartphone. And her feet never quite touch the floor when she glides—er—walks.

When Aunt Saffronia suggests a week pass to the Fathoms of Fun Waterpark, they quickly agree, but the park is even stranger than Aunt Saffronia. The waterslides look like gray gargoyle tongues. The employees wear creepy black dresses and deliver ominous messages. An impossible figure is at the top of the slide tower, people are disappearing, and suspicious goo seeps into the wave pool.

Something mysterious is happening at Fathoms of Fun. It’s up to the twins to get to the bottom of it. The mystery, that is. NOT the wave pool. Definitely NOT the wave pool. But are Theo and Alexander out of their depth?

Are you feeling the vibes of Frankenstein yet? If you’d like more monstrous stories, take a look at this post.

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