Posts Tagged #WNDMG

The Liberation of Lefties

Lefty book cover

I grew up as the youngest of five very ordinary children. Well, we each had our individual personalities, preferences, and idiosyncrasies, but we were mainstream in the obvious ways — like being right-handed.

 

So, when my niece’s son turned out to be left-handed, it was a source of great curiosity and excitement in the family. This trait was viewed as unique. Cool. Special. And then his sister turned out to be left-handed as well. Then two of my three grandchildren turned out to be lefties. The excitement was almost too much to handle!

 

A Book Called Lefty

With love for so many lefties, you can imagine my delight when I learned about the book Lefty: A Story That is Not All Right (Union Square Kids, 2024), with words by Mo Willems and pictures by Dan Santat. Oh, how I smiled. Well, the work of these two creators often makes me smile, but this was different. This book evoked images of some children who are very dear to me, so I smiled for a really long time. In fact, I’m still smiling.

Lefty book cover

 

The book opens with a question: “Did you know there was a time when you could get into trouble…really, really big trouble…for being left-handed?” The question is being asked by a left hand, held puppet-style, who happens to be speaking to a right hand.

 

The right hand is incredulous, as many young readers might be. But the book goes on to explain that left-handedness was once feared, maligned, and viewed as something sinister…because it was a variation from the norm.

 

While that might sound crazy to children who are free to use the hand that feels naturally dominant, it wasn’t that long ago when people were still forcing children into right-handedness. I remember this happening to a few friends from my childhood. The rationale was that life would be easier for them as a right-handed person. 

 

To my horror, I later discovered that in some communities, left-handedness was interpreted to be a sign that the child had been “touched by the devil.” When I first started teaching, I actually had students who referred to a left-handed classmate as “evil-handed.”

 

According to a 2015 Time magazine article entitled “How Lefties First Gained Acceptance,” the association of evil with left-handedness goes back to the Middle Ages. (Believe me, I did NOT start teaching in the Middle Ages. These attitudes hung around for a LONG time.) The article goes on to identify some very famous and highly-regarded southpaws, including Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, Bill Gates, and Barack Obama.

 

A book like Lefty can be very powerful in helping us normalize a trait that, according to the National Institute of Health, has belonged to 10% of the population dating back to the time of Neanderthals. This made me wonder….Are there middle grade books that celebrate left-handedness? Yes, there are! Here’s a sample of some literary lefties middle grade readers can enjoy.

 

Middle Grade Books Featuring Left-Handedness

 

The Left-Handed Shortstop cover

The Left-Handed Shortstop (Yearling, 1989) by Patricia Reilly Giff

When fourth-grader Walter Moles is assigned the role of shortstop in the big rivalry game, he’s overcome with the fear of failure. After all, there hasn’t been a left-handed shortstop since 1892! This book was published just a couple of years after one of my students was referred to as “evil-handed.” I hope that in its time, it found its way into the hands of some kids who needed it.

 

Choosing Up Sides cover

Choosing Up Sides (Viking Books for Young Readers, 2000) by John Ritter

Lefty Luke Bledsoe discovers that he has a talent for pitching. It’s the first time he’s felt good about being left-handed. That’s because Luke’s dad is a pastor who believes that the left hand is the side of Satan. This award-winning book evokes empathy for lefties as well as for those who struggle to balance family expectations with personal passions.

 

The Clue of the Left-Handed Envelope cover

The Clue of the Left-Handed Envelope (Simon and Schuster, 2004) by George E. Stanley

Left-handedness is right there in the title. It’s a clue to solving the mystery of who sent Amber Lee Johnson an anonymous letter. This chapter book is the first in a mystery series that will delight young readers while building a bridge to longer texts.

 

Little Lefty cover

Little Lefty (Bella Rosa, 2009) by Matt Christopher

Despite his small size, Bill Bailey can throw harder than anyone else on the team. He’s encouraged when he hears stories about “Little Lefty,” a small pitcher who made it into the big leagues. However, a freak accident puts Bill Bailey’s dream in jeopardy. Matt Christopher has pulled many reluctant readers into the world of books with his sports stories, and it’s great to know that this one features a left-handed protagonist.

 

The Left-Handed Fate cover

 

The Left-Handed Fate (Henry Holt & Co., 2016) by Kate Milford

Lucy and Max try to end the war between their home country of England and Napoleon Bonaparte’s France. But then the plot thickens when their ship, The Left-Handed Fate, is taken by the Americans. Some exciting historical fiction with a twist of left-handedness makes for a highly engaging story. (And for some added trivia, Napoleon Bonaparte happened to be a lefty.)

 

Literary Liberation

How lovely to live in a time when lefties are liberated! And how wonderful to know that literature can build a sense of belonging by featuring characters and situations that help us become comfortable with our differences. In a world that finds solace in sameness and order in the ordinary, may we continually look to literature as a means of dispelling fear and building empathy.

Do you know of other middle grade books that feature left-handedness? Please share them in the comments! And remember to share all of these books with young readers who might identify with the characters, grow in empathy, or just simply enjoy a good book.

 

WNDMG – Anticipated Diverse MG Reads for January 2025

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#WNDMG

A new year often equates to new beginnings.
Everyone feels refreshed and ready to tackle grand adventures and daring challenges. We cast Happy New Year Fireworksaway the failures and mistakes of the previous year in exchange for new projects, goals, and resolutions. While I don’t always make new year’s resolutions (at least not ones that I announce aloud to the world), I think my goal for 2025 is to broaden my reading horizons and be more diligent about tackling my booklists to share with others.

As readers, writers, parents, and educators, we all seek to open our eyes to new worlds and opinions in order to grow as people. Learning about things that are different from us is critical to that growth and those lessons we learn should be shared with those around us. Being a member of the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade Authors is an exciting new adventure I’m happy to be a part of, and sharing my love of middle grade books ~ especially those from diverse backgrounds ~ is key.

So to tackle two tasks at once, for this opening post of the WNDMG 2025 series, I offer my top five anticipated 2025 releases for January.

 

Misfits - A Copycat Conundrum by Lisa Yee

Misfits – A Copycat Conundrum by Lisa Yee

 

#1: A Copycat Conundrum (The Misfits #2)

By Lisa Yee

Illustrated by Dan Santat

Release Date: January 7, 2025

ISBN: 9780593564226

As a fan of both Lisa Yee and Dan Santat, I am ready to laugh my face off with another zany mission of the Misfits! This sequel to A Royal Conundrum, this story is sure to keep you on your toes as these crime-fighters put their heads together and solve another mind-bending mystery.

 

 

 

Publisher’s Description:

Oof! After solving the case of the Royal Rumpus, Olive Cobin Zang and her elite team of underdogs are on top of the world. As the awkward, crime-fighting Misfits, they’re acing every mission thrown at them from NOCK (aka No One Can Know, the covert agency they work for).

But when their classmate Zeke starts receiving threatening notes, the Misfits are stumped. They’re no strangers to danger, but this case is a total head-scratcher. Who would target kind, friendly Zeke . . . unless he’s not what he seems to be?

At the same time, unusual earthquakes start shaking up San Francisco just as priceless art goes missing, and the Misfits are called to investigate. Is it a coincidence that the city is under attack while Zeke is getting mysterious messages? Or is it all just a cover for a scheme bigger than any they’ve faced before?

 

As You Wish by Nashae Jones

As You Wish by Nashae Jones

 

#2: As You Wish

By Nashae Jones

Release Date: January 14, 2025

ISBN: 9781665939911

 

Continuing with my need for a joyous January, I love a good rom-com which is why this sophomore novel of Nashae Jones is a must read for me! I love the concept and can’t wait to see what Anasi has in store for Birdie and Deve!

 

Publisher’s Description:

Birdie has big plans for eighth grade. This is the year that she gets a boyfriend, and since she and her best friend, Deve, do everything together, it makes sense that Deve will get a girlfriend. This is the kind of math Birdie doesn’t find intimidating—it’s Eighth Grade 101. (Birdie + Boyfriend) + (Deve + Girlfriend) = Normal Eighth Grade Experience. And normal is something Birdie craves, especially with a mom as overprotective as hers.

She doesn’t expect Deve to be so against her plan, or for their fight to blow up in her face. So when the West African god Anansi appears to her, claiming to be able to make everything right again, Birdie pushes past her skepticism and makes a wish for the whole mess to go away. But with a trickster god, your wish is bound to come true in a way you never imagined.

Before long, Birdie regrets her rash words…especially when she realizes what’s really going on with her and Deve. With her reality upended, can Birdie figure out how to undo her wish?

 

#3: Fiona and the Forgotten Piano

By Kate DeMaio

Release Date: January 14, 2025

ISBN: 9781958531815

Fiona and the Forgotten Piano by Kate Demaio

Fiona and the Forgotten Piano by Kate DeMaio

 

This book is my most anticipated read for January! I’m a biased fan of this debut author but trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to miss out on FIONA AND THE FORGOTTEN PIANO! Not only does DeMaio creatively weave a musical symphony with her debut, this book will have you rolling on the floor laughing for sure! If you’re a fan of roller coasters, talking frogs, and musical puns, then this debut will definitely be your favorite read of the month!

Publisher’s Description:

Eleven-year-old Fiona isn’t allowed in the Fermata woods. And though its unique trees are fascinating, Fiona has no problem following her mother’s rules. That is, until the trees begin to sing.

Suddenly, it feels as though long forgotten memories are being unlocked in Fiona’s mind. As she nears the woods edge, the trees fall silent, so silent even the leaves stop rustling. Fiona will finally break the rules and venture into the woods. She’ll soon find herself traveling through portals to undiscovered worlds. And she’ll have to trust her instincts and her quirky new friends to bring back the music or she may get lost within its notes.

 

Chickenpox by Remy Lai

Chickenpox by Remy Lai

 

#4: Chickenpox

By Remy Lai

Release Date: January 14, 2025

ISBN: 9781250863294

 

Surviving the chickenpox is a rite of passage for all of us. This story feels reminiscent of chickenpox parties of the past but with a dash of modern-day quarantine experiences. This book feels like it will be full of family antics with a lot of heart. But I know I’ll be fighting the urge to scratch my arms while reading this one!

 

Publisher’s Description:

All big sister Abby wants is to spend more time with her friends, far away from the sticky fingers and snooping eyes of her annoying brothers and sisters. But when a case of the chickenpox leaves the Lai kids covered in scratchy red spots and stuck at home together for two weeks of nonstop mayhem, Abby thinks this might be the end . . . of her sanity. Yet she feels responsible for the situation since her best friend was Patient Zero and brought chickenpox into their home.

Will the itch to escape her siblings overwhelm Abby or will she realize being a big sister isn’t all bad? Full of heart and hijinks, Chickenpox showcases what gets us through good times and bad: family.

 

 

Mixed-Up by Kami Garcia

Mixed-Up by Kami Garcia

#5: Mixed-Up

By Kami Garcia

Release Date: January 21, 2025

ISBN: 9781250840882

 

Rounding out the month, I can’t wait to catch these mixed-up feelings. (It wouldn’t feel right to leave this new release off our list given our blog name!) I’m looking forward to the representation of dyslexia and neurodivergent characters and was touched by the author’s personal inspiration. Throw in some online gaming girls and we’ve got ourselves a winner!

 

 

Publisher’s Description:

Stella knows fifth grade will be the best year ever. Her closest friends, Emiko and Latasha, are in her class and they all got the teacher they wanted. Then their favorite television show, Witchlins, announces a new guidebook and an online game!

But when the classwork starts piling up, Stella struggles to stay on top. Why does it take her so long to read? And how can she keep up with friends in the Witchlins game if she can’t get through the text-heavy guidebook? And when she can’t deal with the text-heavy Witchlins guidebook, she can’t keep up with her friends in the game. It takes loving teachers and her family to recognize that Stella has a learning difference, and after a dyslexia diagnosis she gets the support and tools she needs to succeed.

Bestselling author Kami Garcia was inspired to write this special book by her daughter’s dyslexia journey; her own neurodivergent experience; and the many students she taught over the years. With subtle design and formatting choices making this story accessible to all readers, Mixed-Up shows that our differences don’t need to separate us.

To make reading as comfortable as possible for dyslexic readers, the book has been lettered in Dyslexie.

 

Which of these recommendations are you looking forward to? Which will you be adding to your TBR?

WNDMG Author Interview with Raj Tawney on his book All-Mixed Up

WNDMG Author Interview

I’m so excited to be able to introduce you to author Raj Tawney today. Raj’s book is titled All Mixed Up  (Paw Prints Publishing), which was published November 26, 2024.

I absolutely love the description of this novel, a story about finding yourself and pride in your identity- and this sounds like a book every young reader needs!

I encourage everyone to buy a copy for themselves and their classrooms and libraries.

About All Mixed Up:

Description taken from online:

New York Times essayist, Raj Tawney, delivers a gripping story of a multi-ethnic American boy who forges a complex friendship with a Pakistani immigrant in the wake of 9/11. It’s 2002–less than one year after the September 11th attacks– and sixth-grader Kamal Rao is tackling a brave new world of challenges, including figuring out who he really is and how he fits in. Even with New York City in its backyard, the suburban town where he lives is anything but open-minded. That means Kamal – frequently picked on and feeling ostracized — usually spends his time alone, making mud pies in the backyard or cooking recipes with his mom and grandma from his family’s three cultures. Then, one day, a Pakistani immigrant named Jaz arrives at school, entering Kamal’s life and challenging his sluggish movement through the world. As the two boys forge a friendship over their love of exploring the outdoors and eating good food, the newcomer begins to show Kamal how being “different” isn’t a bad thing at all. For the first time, a fire is lit within Kamal – but what will happen when questions of Jaz’s origins and his intentions begin to come into question at school and in their town? Will Kamal– now on the cusp of discovering who he really is and who he wants to be — risk his own safety and his family’s trust help his new friend, someone he barely knows at all?

Based on the author’s personal life experiences, an insightful middle-grade novel from a fresh voice in children’s fiction that will be felt long after the last page.

Interview with Raj:

I loved getting to talk to Raj about his new book and I think you will enjoy meeting him as well.

SSS: What a description! This book sounds SO important, and I personally can really relate to how the world changed after 9-11 as an immigrant myself. What inspired you to write a book based in 2002?

 

RT: Thanks so much, Shifa. It means a lot that you personally relate, as difficult a time as it was for all of us in 2001. I think something that’s always bothered me is that we rarely view that period from the perspective of people of color or immigrants. I remember being 14-15 years-old in 2001/2002, in New York, and witnessing fear-mongering at the hands adults, the media, and bullies are school, as well as harassment and anti-Muslim (or anyone who appeared “foreign”) sentiment. As scary as that period was, there were also moments of just being a young person who was still interested in music, movies, and laughing at silly things. I wanted to go back and examine that period as I saw and felt it, but I made the lead character, Kamal, a sixth grader because that period in a young person’s life is even more wide-open and exploratory. There’s still this feeling of being a kid but you know it’s not going to last much longer.

SSS: How do you think 9-11 still impacts the world today? How can historical novels help young readers understand history and how it shapes the future?

RT: I think 9-11 made some Americans feel cynical for a long, long time. Maybe that cynicism is still lingering in our society, which is why the ‘90s has been having a nostalgic surge lately. We tend to long for the days before all of the “bad stuff” happened. Alternatively, in the post-9-11 years, many of us took more of an active stance in wanting to change our world for the better. As dark as it may have seemed sometimes over the past two decades, there have been many beacons of progress. The same can be said during the WWII and Vietnam eras. I think young readers can look to any tumultuous era and find light. I’m constantly searching for a light through all of the negativity. It’s there if we keep our eyes and ears wide open.

SSS: I love reading books with multi-cultural themes. How has your cultural background impacted the main character’s cultural descriptions?

RT: I’m glad you love multi-cultural themes! Kamal, the lead character, is a mixed boy of Indian, Puerto Rican, and Italian descent, just like me. My middle name is Kamal, which I also share with my dad and brother. Kamal, in the book, is directly influenced by my life, my family, our history, our food, my unique perspective on the world, and the compassion I believe I have for others. Though he is fictional at the end of the day, Kamal is definitely a version of my younger self. Growing up, I often felt lonely and like an outsider, but as time progressed, I’ve found that being mixed is actually an advantage and a superpower. I wanted to give young readers – especially boys who need more positive boyhood/friendship stories – more opportunities to see multi-cultural characters, whether or not they themselves are such. We’re part of a growing trend in America and it was essential that I capture the cultural complexities, and beauty, that come with being mixed.

SSS: The subject of friendship is so important in Middle Grade. How does Kamal’s new friendship help him find himself?

 

RT: The new kid, Jaz, a Pakistani immigrant, is much freer and sillier than Kamal and helps bring out the positivity that is aching to get out. I think that’s what a good friend does. They support the best qualities of you and want you to succeed. Though the story becomes complicated, Kamal finds self-worth thanks to his new friendship with Jaz.

 

Link to preorder here.

Writing Process:

SSS: When did you start writing this book?

RT: I don’t even remember. I’ve been working on it for so many years in my head and in notebooks. But I began writing it over three years ago now. It’s been quite a journey.

 

SSS: How is the process of writing a middle grade novel different from writing journalistically? How is it similar?

RT: It’s completely different. In journalism, it’s all about facts and getting straight to the point, though I always try to find ways to be creative and stylish. In fiction, especially in Middle Grade, you can take the story wherever you want! But the biggest challenge from writing for a young reader audience. I had to brush up on some of my classic favorite authors, like David A. Adler, Judy Blume, and Jean Craighead George, as well as revisit some newer favorites, like Jerry Spinelli, Amina Luqman-Dawson, and Lance Rubin, to understand how crucial it is to capture a young person’s sensibility. I had to remember what it was like to be in sixth grade, with all of the daydreaming, humor, and insecurities that come with age, and spend time in that mindset. It was fun but also quite challenging.

SSS: Any advice for fellow authors?

 

RT: No matter how ridiculous  an idea sounds, give it a shot and see where it takes you. You can always hit DELETE. And believe in yourself. Nobody will believe in you more than you, seriously.

Bonus!

SSS: Bonus question! Any more books from you we can look forward to in the future?

 

RT: I’m currently working on a manuscript for a YA novel while also pushing All Mixed Up as far as I possibly can. I’m excited to visit schools, libraries, bookstores, and conferences throughout the fall and next year. I want so badly for this book to reach and connect with young readers. I’m going to give it my all.

Thank you so much Raj for answering my questions! I hope everyone picks up a copy of your beautiful book.

About Raj Tawney:

Raj Tawney is a writer and journalist whose work largely reflects his multiracial American upbringing. Born to an Indian, Puerto Rican, and Italian American family, Tawney has explored his identity and family history through personal essays published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and other outlets throughout the country. His debut memoir Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience (Empire State Editions/Fordham University Press) has received critical acclaim and was recently awarded the Bronze Medal at the 2024 Living Now Book Award for Inspirational Memoir. His Middle Grade novel All Mixed Up (Paw Prints Publishing/Baker & Taylor) is already receiving praise before its pub date on October 28, 2024, National Immigrants Day.

Links to social media:

Website: rajtawney.com