Posts Tagged middle-grade readers

Stuck in a Midwinter Rut? Middle Grade Journey Stories to the Rescue

By on February 7, 2019   /   Fiction  

The very words make one shiver: polar vortex. We were plunged into the depths of one last week, here in Pennsylvania and across much of the country. School was cancelled, the lemon tea was steaming, and the furnace was valiantly trying to tame the chill. With a few extra hours to peruse some middle grade novels, I knew where I wanted to go: long journeys to faraway places.

Even if you live in a warm-year-round kind of place, you might be ready for a good book to take you away. February is a short month by its count of days, but it can feel quite long, no matter the weather nor where you live. If you are a teacher, student, librarian, or homeschooling parent, this month might require some extra patience; the holiday season is over, signs of spring are stubbornly holding off, last summer is a nostalgic memory, and next summer isn’t countdown-worthy just yet.

Many students and adult readers alike appreciate a good book journey at this time of year: questing through a fantasy world, trailing a real-life athlete toward a championship, playing time-traveler to witness historical events through the characters who experience them. I crave books in which I can follow the character on actual traveling experiences, planned or spontaneous, with ocean settings or road trips to new lands—I suppose because I dream of travels, old and new, in late winter.

After some reflection, I think readers might also be drawn to journey stories for reasons like these:

  • Atmospheric settings are an important, teachable element of MG works. A descriptive passage lends itself to analysis of figurative language devices such as imagery and metaphor. Often a setting symbolizes a character’s emotions or foreshadows an event yet to occur.
  • A character “leaving the ordinary world” is an iconic plot device (see Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces or Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey for more) that pulls in a wide variety of readers of all ages, as it speaks to a questing spirit and curiosity about other places, times, and cultures.
  • The culmination of a journey to a new place—whether that journey is a literal traveling experience or an internal, dynamic shift of emotion or conviction—seems particularly fulfilling with a well-drawn MG character, and often provides inspiration to readers of many ages.

Here are a few journey-themed books from recent years on my midwinter reading table.

 Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm – Turtle is a strong-minded girl who bravely faces reality: in the Depression-era South, her mama must take a live-in housekeeper job with a no-children-allowed rule. Turtle tries to be positive about being sent to live with an aunt and cousins in Key West, Florida; however, she is out of her element there (scorpions like to hide in shoes, so be careful; also, alligator pear is what’s for breakfast—rather, avocado on toast.) Turtle tries to find ways to get along with the relatives who were not expecting her arrival, and to open her heart to a deeper meaning of family.

Stowaway by Karen Hesse – The first-person journal narrative of Nicholas Young, a stowaway on Captain James Cook’s ship in 1768, relates a historical sailing story through the perspective of a bold narrator. The opening of Stowaway pulls the reader in to join Nick in his tiny, cramped hiding place on the Endeavour, waiting through long days and nights, until the ship sails far enough away from England for him to be revealed to the Captain and crew. Nick’s story brings the reader along for adventure and excitement in long-ago days of exploration and discovery as Captain Cook pursues a secret mission to relatively unknown waters.

A Bandit’s Tale: The Muddled Misadventures of a Pickpocket by Deborah Hopkinson — In the mood for a picaresque tale? Think “I-voice” narrative by a roguish young person setting out on independent adventures in the face of daunting surroundings or social circumstances; examples include Moll Flanders, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Oliver Twist, to name a few. In A Bandit’s Tale, main character Rocco’s story begins with an actual journey from late 1800s Italy to America following a misunderstood misdeed in his hometown. In New York, the guardian supposedly responsible for him requires that he and other boys play street instruments for money. Rocco’s “journey” continues as he learns to navigate difficult living conditions, the challenges of early immigrants, and historic reform movements to improve the treatment of children and animals.

 

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell  — Baby Sophie is rescued after a ship sinks in the English Channel and brought up by Charles, an eccentric and loving guardian who quotes Shakespeare, serves meals on books, and allows Sophie to wear trousers and practice handstands. But once Sophie turns twelve, their enigmatic way of life catches the attention of the authorities, and Sophie is set to be sent to an orphanage for young ladies. Using only a few cryptic clues, the two set out on a journey to Paris to attempt to find Sophie’s mother–who may or may not still be alive.

Of course, the journey is just one theme that might interest midwinter snow day or “cold day” readers. What are your getaway titles, and do any themes connect them?

Thanks for reading!

 

 

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STEM Tuesday– Awesome Animal Antics– Writing Tips and Resources

By on January 22, 2019   /   Animals, Common Core & NGSS, Cross-Curricular, STEM Tuesday  

Let’s Get Organized!

When you are staring at a blank piece of paper, pulling your hair out because writing is so hard, I challenge you to do a double take. Is “writing” actually the hard part? For me, the hard part is:

  1. knowing what to write

or…

  1. knowing what not to write.

And if you’ve done your research and are boggle-eyed by a mountain of marvelous material, it can feel like you are facing Mount Everest. So what do you do?

You turn to your handy-dandy toolbox – the one labeled “Organization.”

When you are writing about STEM topics, you’ve got lots of organizational tools to choose from. It’s kind of like clothes in a closet; there are tons of ways to get organized.

Cubbies & Compartments

Some folks like those super-segmented organizers you can buy at the home improvement store. Those make sense because someone has already figured out what works for the standard items stored in a closet. There are shoe-sized cubbies, shelves for t-shirts, racks for slacks. And when you want to use the closet, you know where to turn for each type of item. Lots of expository nonfiction is organized like that. Pick up a field guide to birds and it’s super easy to find the range of a black vulture because you know where to look. With discrete chunks of information, those books make fun-fact lovers smile.

As for the writer, once you know what the sections are (and how much space you have in each one), pulling the right information from that mound of research becomes a whole lot easier! Organization is your friend. Of course there are still challenges. How do you handle pieces that don’t come in the “standard” size? What do you do when there’s a gap in the known information? Won’t that standardization be boring? A skilled writer knows how to handle that.

On Your Own

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.orgTake a look at any STEM book which uses this organizational tool. Animal Zombies: And Other Bloodsucking Beasts, Creepy Creatures, and Real-Life Monsters by Chana Stiefel is a great example. Compare the content provided on three different animals.  Make a list of the standard chunks of text. What are their labels? How long is each chunk? How do they vary in content?

Totally Traditional

For their clothes closet, other folks are choose a traditional clothes rack and hangers. A section for pants, one for shirts, shoes on the floor. Each section can be as large or small as needed, and there’s room within each section for items of varying sizes (i.e. a mini-skirt hangs just fine beside an evening gown). Need segments within the sections? No problem. Stick skinny jeans on one end of the rack and fancy pants on the other.

There’s a reason animal books have been relying on good old-fashioned, traditional chapters for years. They work. Readers know what to expect. Pick up a book about animals and most likely you’ll find chapters with headings and subheadings, grouped by animal type. This organization lets a reader get all the info about similar animals at one time, helping them mentally compare and contrast.

This strategy gives the writer lots of freedom. Material unearthed during research can be lumped together by similarities. Have a subject that needs additional explanation? There’s room for that. Want to be a get creative? You’re in charge of labeling the chapters!

On Your Own

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.orgFind a title with traditional organization. I got up close and personal with Death Eaters: Meet Nature’s Scavengers by Kelly Milner Halls. Looking at the table of contents, I saw that chapters 2 through 5 were organized by type of animal. One of the fun things about studying this book – besides all the ick appeal! – was that the author spiced up this traditional take on organization by using fun chapter titles. Boring old “Mammals” became “Furry Death Eaters.” Study the title you’ve chosen and ferret out the author’s unique twists on this traditional method.

Organized by Outfit

Snoop around in the closets of friends and you will find a few with unique organization. Some folks organize their closet by outfit. If you find that perfect combination – that sweater, scarf, and suede that set off your eyes just right – you might want to keep it together.

When a book works this way, the information in a chapter is integrated tightly to build to one point, cover one story, or address one discrete aspect of the topic. Each chapter is distinct, often focusing on an exclusive topic or category. Readers gain a more in-depth understanding of a single topic.

For the writer who is staring up at lots of single stories, anecdotes, or parts of a whole, this organizational took can be their ticket to free flowing words! Knowing that you can write just one piece at a time, crafting each chapter individually, can help you focus and get those words on the page.

On Your Own

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.orgPick up a book labeled “Field Guide” and you expect information in cubbies and compartments. But dive into Beavers (The Superpower Field Guide) by Rachel Poliquin and you’ll feel the power of this alternative organizational technique. Through a laser-tight focus on one body part – chainsaw teeth, paws of power, superstink – per chapter (plus a healthy dose of humor), Poliquin proves that adaptations are superpowers.  Find another book that uses this organizational tool. Why was this strategy chosen? Was it based on the type of information available? The content itself? Or, perhaps, the author’s purpose?

Looking at how other writers use their organizational toolbox gives us a peek into their writing process. Understanding these structures better can help us see our options. Every piece adds to our own writing toolbox, so that next time when we sit down to write, our words will spill (in an organized manner) onto the page.

Heather L. Montgomery writes books for kids who are wild about animals. The wilder, the wackier, the better. She’s tried on each of these organizing tools: Her Wild Discoveries: Wacky New Animals used chunked text that functions like cubbies and compartments; her Little Monsters of the Ocean used totally traditional chapters; her Something Rotten: A Fresh Look at Roadkill is organized by outfit. Learn more at www.heatherlmontgomery.com/books.html 

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O.O.L.F.

Random Fun Sites For STEM Writing Inspiration

Today I Learned: Today I learned that the bearded vulture’s diet is almost entirely made of bone! https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/

The Fibonacci Sequence in Nature: Photos and patterns to blow your mind! https://insteading.com/blog/fibonacci-sequence-in-nature/

Science News for Students: Current research written with kid appeal, such as a robotic jellyfish that spies on the sea. https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/

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Books on the Ground

By on December 7, 2018   /   Articles, Book Lists, Fiction, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers  

When I visit schools, I always like to ask what the students are reading. I think of this as my ‘books on the ground’ question. I know what middle grade books I love and I probably have a good sense of what the librarian is recommending but what are the kids actually reading?  It provides a little insight into what makes these middle grade readers excited when it comes to books. As an author, this is invaluable market research. Sure, I want to tell my stories but I also want kids to read them so knowing what they are carrying around in their overstuffed backpacks is important.

This year I’ve been participating in a program that pairs authors with classroom teachers. A typical author visit lasts for an afternoon and while it’s great to get even that much time with students, #KidsNeedMentors gives us multiple opportunities to interact with a specific group of kids.

Last month I sent my adopted class a video and at the end I asked them the ‘books on the ground’ question. And I was thrilled to get a stack of letters in response, all about what they are reading… and about their pets, siblings, families, sports, hobbies and favorite foods. There is nothing better than a stream of consciousness letter from an eleven year old. Seriously,  this stack of letters absolutely made my week!

Anyway, friends, I want to share some of the books my students are taken with right now – old, new, serious, fun, graphic, series’, sad, heartwarming and more. Maybe you will see something that will work for the middle grade readers in your life. (book descriptions from Amazon.)

 

Two-Faced (Almost Identical), by Lin Oliver

When Charlie compromises her values to help one of the popular girls cheat on a test, Sammie is inadvertantly pulled into the mess. Written from Charlie’s point of view, this story will let readers experience the lengths that wanting to be popular in middle school can take you to, the conflict it can cause, and the tough moral stands a girl sometimes has to take.

Amulet 8, by Kazu Kibuishi

Emily has lost control of her Amulet and is imprisoned in the Void, where she must find a way to escape the influence of the Voice. Meanwhile, Emily’s brother, Navin, travels to Lighthouse One, a space station where the Resistance is preparing to battle the approaching Shadow forces that would drain planet Alledia of all its resources. Emily and Navin must be smarter and stronger than ever to ensure Alledia’s survival.

 

Endling: the Last, by Katherine Applegate

Byx is the youngest member of her dairne pack. Believed to possess remarkable abilities, her mythical doglike species has been hunted to near extinction in the war-torn kingdom of Nedarra.

After her pack is hunted down and killed, Byx fears she may be the last of her species. The Endling. So Byx sets out to find safe haven, and to see if the legends of other hidden dairnes are true.

Along the way, she meets new allies—both animals and humans alike—who each have their own motivations for joining her quest. And although they begin as strangers, they become their own kind of family—one that will ultimately uncover a secret that may threaten every creature in their world.

Grenade, by  Alan Gratz

It’s 1945, and the world is in the grip of war. Hideki lives on the island of Okinawa, near Japan. When WWII crashes onto his shores, Hideki is drafted into the Blood and Iron Student Corps to fight for the Japanese army. He is handed a grenade and a set of instructions: Don’t come back until you’ve killed an American soldier.

Ray, a young American Marine, has just landed on Okinawa. He doesn’t know what to expect — or if he’ll make it out alive. He just knows that the enemy is everywhere. Hideki and Ray each fight their way across the island, surviving heart-pounding ambushes and dangerous traps. But when the two of them collide in the middle of the battle, the choices they make in that instant will change everything.

 

The Big Time, by Tim Green

Things couldn’t be going better for Troy White. The Atlanta Falcons’ football genius is at the top of his game, helping the team get to the playoffs. Agents and lawyers are knocking on his door with big-money offers for the upcoming season. And his own football team has just won the Georgia State Championship! Troy’s celebrating with his friends at linebacker Seth Halloway’s mansion when another lawyer comes knocking—and he says, “I think I’m your father.” In that instant, Troy’s life is changed forever.

 

Fish in a Tree, by Linda Mullaly Hunt

The author of the beloved One for the Murphys gives readers an emotionally-charged, uplifting novel that will speak to anyone who’s ever thought there was something wrong with them because they didn’t fit in.

“Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid.”

Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.

Rebound, by Kwame Alexander

Before Josh and Jordan Bell were streaking up and down the court, their father was learning his own moves. In this prequel to Newbery Medal winner The Crossover, Chuck Bell takes center stage, as readers get a glimpse of his childhood and how he became the jazz music worshiping, basketball star his sons look up to.

A novel in verse with all the impact and rhythm readers have come to expect from Kwame Alexander, Rebound will go back in time to visit the childhood of Chuck “Da Man” Bell during one pivotal summer when young Charlie is sent to stay with his grandparents where he discovers basketball and learns more about his family’s past.

Jedi Academy: The Force Oversleeps,  by Jarrett J. Krosczka

Victor Starspeeder is back at Jedi Academy for year two, but it’s not going the way he’d planned. He was thrilled about Drama Club and hoped to get the lead in this year’s musical… But a new kid got the role! What gives?! Plus, he keeps oversleeping and getting to class late . . . Worst of all, his big sister Christina is getting ready to graduate from Jedi Academy, and there are rumors going around that she’s a Sith! What’s a Padawan to do? In times when he feels more alone than ever, Victor will have to trust the ways of the Force and his friends if he’s going to survive year two in this all-new chapter in the Jedi Academy series.

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