Posts Tagged middle-grade readers

Instagram Kids

By on October 4, 2021   /   Articles  

Breeding Followers

Facebook took a page out of marketing genius and book packager Edward Stratemeyer’s book and tried to use it. Back at the turn of the century and up until his untimely death in 1930, Edward was the inventive creator of many series for middle-grade readers, including the Bobbsey Twins, Hardy Boys, and The Nancy Drew Mystery Stories. Edward realized that if he released several volumes at once, called a ‘breeder set’, that he would “hook” readers from the beginning of the series. Once a reader was caught up in the stories, they couldn’t wait for the next volumes to be released.

Facebook Inc., which owns Instagram, was attempting to do the same with preteens. Instagram Kids would introduce children under the age of 13 to the social media platform. Although Instagram Kids would be ad-free and require parental permission to sign up, the reality is Facebook, through its Instagram outlet, is trying to “breed” followers and future marketing opportunities.

Facebook announced plans for the app in May of this year. No sooner did word get out than the fight against the effort to capitalize on young children began. Attorney Generals from 44 states and territories urged the company to reconsider.

Instagram/Buzzfeed

Headlines

The headlines screamed probably as much as parents, educators, and anyone involved in childhood welfare did since the announcement of the attempt to reach out to this new “market.” Kids.

This week the headlines reflected the pushback to this initiative.

“Facebook hits pause on Instagram app amid growing scrutiny“- The Washington Post

“Facebook’s Effort to Attract Preteens Goes Beyond Instagram Kids, Documents Show“-Wall Street Journal

“Facebook is Delaying ‘Instagram Kids’ Amid Criticism“-The New York Times

According to the Wall Street Journal, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri offered this during an interview on NBC’s “Today” show; “I still firmly believe that it’s a good thing to build a version of Instagram that’s safe for tweens, but we want to take the time to talk to parents and researchers and safety experts and get to more consensus about how to move forward.”

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has been presenting an investigative series, The Facebook Files, with an in-depth exploration of the impact of Facebook and Instagram on users. On September 14, the series presented an article with the title, “Facebook knows Instagram is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Documents Show.”

Facebook Internal Research

To the credit of Facebook Inc., the company has conducted studies for the last three years on the impact of their platforms on the millions of teens who frequent the sites. The Facebook team’s research revealed that Instagram is harmful to a huge portion of teenage users. The investigative reporters unveiled a slide presentation, obtained from a whistleblower, from March 2020 which was posted on Facebook’s internal message board. “Thirty-two percent of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse,” the researchers said. “Comparisons on Instagram can change how young women view and describe themselves.”

Another slide the WSJ investigative journalists discovered from 2019 stated, “We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls.” Another slide offered, “Teens blame Instagram for increases in the rate of anxiety and depression.”

But, despite the fact that Facebook Inc.’s own research was identifying these concerns, the company was continuing to move forward toward creating Instagram Kids for tweens.

“Instagram is well-positioned to resonate and win with young people,” stated one of the slides posted internally at Facebook Inc. Another presentation slide said: “There is a path to growth if Instagram can continue their trajectory.”

“Shake with fear”

Marcia Rutherford, Central Regional Coordinator for the Ohio Department of Education, shared, “While I love technology and teaching with technology, I can tell you that kids using Instagram should make everyone shake with fear. While serving as a principal of middle schoolers, who were kind and loving and thoughtful and smart, I suspended and expelled more children- 6th, 7th, and 8th because of content posted on Instagram than for any other reason. Fistfights were a far second. The anonymity allows children to forget their rules and ways they were raised and bully, malign and shame others as well as remove inhibitions allowing them to send and forward photos that should never be shared. So much good can come from online formats, but the dark underbelly is sickening.”

Senate Committee Hearing

On September 30, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Chair of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security convened a hearing titled “Protecting Kids Online: Facebook, Instagram, and Mental Health Harms.” Representing Facebook Inc was Antigone Davis, Director, Global Head of Safety.

Senator Blumenthal opened the hearing off by stating, “We are here today because Facebook, once again, is incapable of holding themselves accountable. We now have deep insight into Facebook’s efforts to recruit and exploit teens. Facebook researchers have been ringing the alarm for years. The question that haunts me is, how can we, or any parent,  trust Facebook.”

Senator Blumenthal went on to offer a quote from Facebook regarding teens’ usage of Instagram and Facebook “They have an addict’s narrative about their use-it can make them feel good, feel bad. They wish they could spend less time caring about it, but they can’t stop themselves.”

Ms. Davis, of Facebook, faced tough questions from the Senate committee. All in all, the hearing did not go well for Facebook, and Ms. Davis didn’t directly address many of the questions. As an example,  in response to Mr. Blumenthal’s comments about the findings of the investigative report, Ms. Davis replied, “What’s lost in this report, is that more teen girls find Instagram helpful than not.”

The outcomes from the hearing included a commitment from lawmakers that the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 would be updated. The committee is also hoping that Facebook will self-govern in taking measures to address the problems with teenagers using their social media platforms.

Unfortunately, based on Ms. Davis’ toeing the line that the company’s internal research was misinterpreted, the committees’ hope may be just that. Hope.

If Facebook Inc would only take a page from Edward Stratemeyer’s book and figure out a way to breed young readers versus young followers…

 

 

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THE WOLF’S CURSE ~ Interview with Author Jessica Vitalis + #Giveaway

By on September 24, 2021   /   Author Interviews  

Welcome to my interview with author Jessica Vitalis, where we chat about her debut middle grade fantasy THE WOLF’S CURSE.

In what Booklist calls a “striking debut,” Vitalis’ novel is a vivid, literary tale focusing on family, friendship, belonging, and grief, wrapped up in the compelling narration of the sly, crafty Wolf. Fans of award-winning titles like “The Girl Who Drank the Moon” and “A Wish in the Dark” are sure to be captivated by “The Wolf’s Curse.”

One intriguing side note about Jessica before we begin. Jessica’s journey to publication is an inspiration to readers, to writers, and to anyone working towards reaching a goal. This is taken directly from her press release: “After 13 years writing, debut author Jessica Vitalis lands six-figure, two-book deal.” 👏👏👏

THE BOOK

THE WOLF’S CURSE by Jessica Vitalis

The Wolf is not bound by the same rules as you are.

The Great White Wolf is very, very old. And she is very, very tired. For hundreds of winters, she has searched for someone to take her place. But she is invisible to most people. In all those years, only three have seen her. One died young. One said no. One is still alive — a 12-year-old boy named Gauge. Everyone in the village thinks Gauge is a witch. He’s been in hiding half his life, all because he once saw the Wolf — and right after that, the Lord Mayor’s wife died. Now his only protector, his beloved grandpapá, is dead, too. The Wolf visits the boy again, this time with an offer. She can save him the pain of growing up. Now that he’s all alone in the world, it may be the only way to escape the bounty on his head. If only his grandpapá’s last words hadn’t been, “Stay away from the Wolf.”

“Thoughtful, creative, and engaging. … Accessible and intriguing worldbuilding, particularly around the Wolf’s backstory, will pique readers’ interests, as will larger questions about life, death, truth, and tradition.” — Kirkus Reviews

“A lyrical tale of loss and survival, tradition and belief, in which tension and secrets build like a towering wave. The Wolf’s Curse is a story of many layers. Young readers will treasure this beautiful debut and hold it close to their hearts.”  — Diane Magras, author of “The Mad Wolf’s Daughter”

 

THE INTERVIEW

Hi Jessica! It’s wonderful to have you drop by. I have to tell you that I’m so excited for this book! Care to give our readers a quick peek inside THE WOLF’S CURSE? Maybe five words to give us an inside view?

Macabre, sweet Grim Reaper retelling

🖤💀🖤💀🖤

CHARACTER

The boy Gauge’s beginnings surely tug at the heart. If you would, share a thought or two from his heart with our readers.

Hello, readers––I’m a boy of twelve winters who would like nothing more than to invite you into the living quarters behind my grandpapá’s shop; there, we can sit by his feet in front of the fire as he whittles and tells stories of his travels far and wide.

Oh wow! Now that sounds intriguing and peaceful, yet adventurous.

Tell us. What about Gauge makes him unique and relatable to young readers?

I think part of Gauge’s appeal is that, despite his young age, he already possesses an impressive skill set in terms of his carpentry and whittling. At the same time, he’s relatable because he’s uncertain about the world and his place in it; young readers will recognize his longing to live up to his grandpapá’s expectations and make the old man proud.

What do you hope young readers of Gauge’s story take with them about death and the process of grief?

Childhood can be a frustrating time; kids want to have agency but sometimes feel trapped or like they don’t have a say in their own lives. This is especially true of kids living with or experiencing trauma; without the foresight that age and maturity brings, it can feel like things will never change. My hope they’ll walk away from this story with the sense that no matter how bad things feel, there’s always room for hope and healing.

A very important take-away.💚

Portraying the Grim Reaper as a Great White Wolf is clever. 🐺  Share how you capitalized on the darkness of a reaper contrasting with the ‘lightness’ of a white wolf to create such a wonderful character.

I’m glad she resonated with you! When I started writing the story, I didn’t have any sense of what kind of character she might turn out to be, so I was delighted when she revealed herself as something other than pure evil. That said, I knew before I started writing that she wouldn’t want to be doing her job––giving her a tangible and relatable personal goal helped create a nuanced and compelling character rather than a stereotypical Reaper. As to her coloring, I was troubled by the trope that Reapers are typically represented by black—this drove me to create a Great White Wolf, which doesn’t actually exist in nature (the closest thing is the Artic wolf, which are sometimes referred to as white wolves).

Interesting fact about wolves.🔍

If the Great White Wolf had a life (or death) quote, what would it be?

Follow your heart. It’s as true as any compass out there.

Which character from the book do you see yourself in most?

I’m 1/3 the Wolf’s snark, 1/3 Gauge’s sweetness, and 1/3 Roux’s practicality!

WRITER’S CORNER📝

You share in your press release how writing the Wolf as an omniscient narrator kind of just happened, evolved as you wrote and edited. How different was it writing in this POV for you? What pitfalls should writers who would like to try it for themselves look out for?

I was having so much fun writing that I didn’t worry about the POV as I drafted; it wasn’t until the revision process that I realized how big of a risk I’d taken. Writing an omniscient, first person, present tense narrator presented some unique challenges in that I needed an explanation for how and why the Wolf knew what was going on when she wasn’t around. The biggest challenge in writing an omniscient voice (especially one that often dips into close third) is to avoid head-hopping; that is, to only switch when you have a compelling reason and to clearly signal when you’re switching characters (usually by using their name at the beginning of the transition).

 Writers go from one idea to another, gathering them until they eventually take shape into a story. But there’s usually material that doesn’t make it into the final cut. Would you share one thing about the story that didn’t make it into the book, but the readers might find intriguing?

I threw out the entire first draft of this book—other than a Wolf, a boy, and a girl, the second draft shared almost no similarities with the first. In fact, Gauge was named Kipling and Roux was named Nyx, and instead of living in Gatineau, they lived in a non-descript country called Bantym. (Early readers said these names didn’t fit with the French-inspired feel of the rest of the story, hence the changes.)

READER’S NOOK📖

For our reading educators: what advice could you share for encouraging reluctant readers? For our reading writers: what writing or life advice has been the most valuable to you?

Educators already do such tremendous work, I’m not sure they need my advice. But if I had one thing to share, it would be to examine any preconceived notions of what reading might look like—picture books, comics, and graphic novels are all great as long as they foster a love of stories. For the writers out there, the advice that has been most valuable on my journey came from Chris Grabenstein, who reminded me that our first job is to entertain readers––if they aren’t engaged in the story, they won’t stick around.

Thank you!

Thank you for having me!

Oh gosh, you’re welcome. But honestly, thanks goes to you for sharing this beautiful story with the world. It’s been such a pleasure chatting with you, Jessica! Much congratulations to you!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica VitalisJESSICA VITALIS is a Columbia MBA-wielding writer. After leaving home at 16, Vitalis explored several careers before turning her talents to middle grade literature. She brings her experience growing up in a non-traditional childhood to her stories, exploring themes such as death and grief, domestic violence, and socio-economic disparities. With a mission to write entertaining and thought-provoking literature, she often includes magic and fantastical settings. As an active volunteer in the kidlit community, she’s also passionate about using her privilege to lift up other voices. In addition to volunteering with We Need Diverse Books and Pitch Wars, she founded Magic in the Middle, a series of free monthly recorded book talks, to help educators introduce young readers to new stories. She was recently named a 2021 Canada Council of the Arts Grant Recipient. An American expat, she now lives in Canada with her husband and two precocious daughters. She loves traveling, sailing and scuba diving, but when she’s at home, she can usually be found reading a book or changing the batteries in her heated socks. WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YouTube: MAGIC IN THE MIDDLE

GIVEAWAY

Enter to WIN one of five swag packs for THE WOLF’S CURSE! (US Only.) Ends October 4th. Winner announced via Twitter.

Packs contain: 1 bookmark, 1 postcard, 1 glass bottle w/printed letter from the author, 1 lollipop, & 1 feather

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BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA~Interview With Author Alda Dobbs + #Giveaway!

By on September 17, 2021   /   Author Interviews  

Thrilled to share my interview with Author Alda Dobbs and her recent middle grade release BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA – an inspired story about the Mexican Revolution and how one girl is set to keep her promise.

THE BOOK

Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna

BOOKSHOP | WEBSITE to other purchase links.

 

BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA by Alda Dobbs

Release Date: September 14, 2021

It is 1913, and twelve-year-old Petra Luna’s mama has died while the Revolution rages in Mexico. Before her papa is dragged away by soldiers, Petra vows to him that she will care for the family she has left―her abuelita, little sister Amelia, and baby brother Luisito―until they can be reunited. They flee north through the unforgiving desert as their town burns, searching for safe harbor in a world that offers none.

Each night when Petra closes her eyes, she holds her dreams close, especially her long-held desire to learn to read. Abuelita calls these barefoot dreams: “They’re like us barefoot peasants and indios―they’re not meant to go far.” But Petra refuses to listen. Through battlefields and deserts, hunger and fear, Petra will stop at nothing to keep her family safe and lead them to a better life across the U.S. border―a life where her barefoot dreams could finally become reality.

Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna was inspired by the experiences the author’s great-grandmother endured during the Mexican Revolution.

 

THE INTERVIEW

From the moment I read about this story, I knew I wanted to share it. It’s wonderful to have you visit us, Alda. Tell our readers a little about your main character Petra Luna.

Petra Luna is a twelve-year old girl who makes it her purpose to keep her family safe in the middle of war and chaos. Despite the turmoil and suffering around her, she remains faithful to her dreams of learning to read and write and to a promise she made to her father before he was forced to fight in the war.

💚💚💚

Why will young readers relate to Petra?

Petra’s dreams and her way of seeing the world are often at odds with her grandmother’s views. Young readers will see how differences in perspectives between generations is a universal theme that transcends time. Readers can also see how Petra’s journey to escape violence in her homeland and reach the safety of the United States is something that is relevant to today’s times or might have happened in their own ancestor’s pasts.

If Petra could pick three things to take with her on a deserted island, what would they be?

Petra would likely take her hatchet, her black rock, and maybe a pencil and slate?

What about you?

I would take pen & paper, my laptop, and an espresso machine. Not sure where I’d get the coffee, milk, and chocolate syrup for my mochas, though.

BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA is inspired by your great-grandmother’s experiences during the Mexican Revolution of 1913. How did it feel learning this information from real-life family experience?

I had always enjoyed listening to family stories but took them lightly most of the times. For one particular story, my favorite one, I embarked on a long research journey, and after many months, the day I found out that this family story had been true and accurate all along, is a day I will forever remember. Ever since, I became much more grateful for my family stories, knowing they were not exaggerations. Also, through the many photographs I came across in my research, I saw, learned, and appreciated all that my family had gone through – the harsh poverty, the prejudices, the violence – and the enormous effort and sacrifice they made to give me a better life. After completing my book, I felt closer to them than ever before.

Such a vital story and piece of human history to share with younger generations, but also because it’s so close to your heart.

Did you do much outside research for the book as well?

Yes, I researched many things, even the most mundane, and some never made it into the book but it allowed me to know the characters and setting intimately.

Ooh, that’s a super important fact of writing: Lots of researched information doesn’t make it into the book, yet it influences the writer.

I researched the Mexican Revolution, desert plants, curanderismo, Aztec mythology, Náhuatl, music from that era, etc. I also printed out segments of Sanborn maps and assembled them together like puzzle pieces to let me know what streets Petra Luna had walked on. When I cross-referenced the map with old photographs, I could see buildings she came across and even walked into. I kept a timeline handy that followed actual dates chronicled in newspapers to help weave in the fiction.

Why do you believe this story is important to tell?

The history of the Mexican Revolution is complex, but I believe young readers should be exposed to it in a way that they get a sense of its causes, its consequences and, most important, of what women and children went through. This is a part of history that isn’t taught in schools nor mentioned in books, yet it changed the landscape of both Mexico and the United States forever and still resonates in our current world.

What do you hope middle school readers take with them after they’ve read the book?

I hope that they learn that they too have the power and determination to be a leader like Petra. Sometimes we adults don’t give children enough credit yet they are capable of so much if we give them the space and confidence to grow and figure things out on their own. I also want them to realize that no matter the circumstances, they can look to their dreams for guidance and strength during dire times.

WRITER’S CORNER

For our writing readers, what is your writing routine like? And what is one piece of advice you can offer?

I’ve never really had a writing routine (after 10 years of writing, I’m still striving to find one!). Ever since signing my publishing contract, I’ve been more conscientious about writing time since I now have real deadlines. I’ve always been a night owl and tend to be more creative at night, but as a mother of two young kids, I’ve had to adjust my times. One piece of advice I’d say is to try to write every day, read books of fiction or on craft, listen to audio books, take workshops, attend conferences, in other words, always keep yourself immersed in words or on learning how to best put them together.

Are you working on a new project? If so, care to share?

I am! Right now, I’m working on Book 2, the follow-up to Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna. This story will follow Petra and her family to a refugee camp in Eagles Pass, Texas and then to San Antonio where 30,000 refugees settled during that time. I’m also working on the Spanish translation of Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna and will soon record the Author’s Note for the audio book. I’m also kicking the idea of a picture book and a historical YA. Stay tuned!

Wow! A picture book and historical YA . . . sounds great. Make sure you let us know so we can share it with everyone. All the best with this. Thank you so much for sharing this important story of history, hope, and resilience.

Author Alda DobbsABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alda P. Dobbs is the author of the upcoming novel Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna. She was born in a small town in northern Mexico but moved to San Antonio, Texas as a child. Alda studied physics and worked as an engineer before pursuing her love of storytelling. She’s as passionate about connecting children to their past, their communities, different cultures and nature as she is about writing. Alda lives with her husband and two children outside Houston, Texas. WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

 

GIVEAWAY

Enter for your chance to WIN a signed copy of BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA and some book swag! Ends 09/26/2021; US only. Winner announced via Twitter.

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