Author – Page 50 – Unleashing Readers

Blog Tour with Author Guest Post and Giveaway!: “Be Brave!” by Charlie Alder, Author of Daredevil Duck

September 25, 2015May 17, 2015 by Kellee

“Be Brave!” by Charlie Alder, Author of Daredevil Duck

As I sit here, looking at a blank computer screen, trying to think of the right words for my first ever guest blog post I realise I need to take some advice from Daredevil Duck. What would he tell me…?

Be Brave!
Have a go!
You never know till you try!

Ok, I’ll try, here we go…

Daredevil Duck is my first author-illustrated picture book. The story actually started as a simple sketch of Daredevil Duck. Looking at the timid little bird smiling out of the page, I thought it would be funny to have a superhero that was also a bit of a scaredy-duck. As I began writing I realised this little character felt very familiar to me, he was just like my 5-year-old son! I started to think about the hopes and fears of a five year old, starting school, making friends, or playing a new sport. I thought it would be lovely to include this in the narrative.

The main premise of my story, and the most important idea that I wanted children (and adults!) to take away with them was twofold. I wanted to show them that being fearful is ok, it’s a positive emotion in some respects, but sometimes it can stop you in your tracks. The fear of failure can prevent you from embracing your hopes and dreams. Daredevil Duck wants to be brave, but time and again he gets scared. Secondly, I wanted to show the reader that the hardest step to take is often the first one. If you really want to achieve something, it’s up to you, start with the first step and you may surprise yourself.

It was also important to illustrate that the road to bravery is a bumpy one for Daredevil Duck. There are characters in the story that support and cheer him on, and there are those who mock and belittle him, much like life. However, it was vital for me to demonstrate that there is a positive resolution to this, and in the end his critics become his biggest fans!

Another key point that I wanted to convey towards the end of the book was that just because Daredevil Duck had performed one brave deed, it didn’t make him a huge invincible superhero. He was still the same Daredevil Duck, and still scared of the same obstacles in his life. Now however, he tried the things that had scared him before, sometimes with friends for support, sometimes on his own. He still looks concerned about various tasks, but at the back of your mind you know he’s going to try his Daredevil Duck best!

Summary: Meet Daredevil Duck.
He is afraid of everything. But that doesn’t stop him from DREAMING of being brave.
Then one day he is given the biggest challenge of all . . .
Can Daredevil Duck prove that he is the bravest duck in the whole wide world?

This delightful picture book is filled with bright, playful illustrations and cleverly placed interactive flaps and gatefolds. Daredevil Duck is a lovable hero who, despite having a long list of fears, isn’t afraid to dream big. Alder brings this character to life with her expressions, humorous narration, and one big adventurous story. At its heart, Daredevil Duck shows that enjoying the moment and believing in oneself can open up a whole new and exciting world.

About Charlie Alder: Charlie Alder has illustrated many books for children, including Toot! and Express Yourself! Daredevil Duck is her first authored and illustrated picture book. She lives in Devon, England, with her husband and son, whose exploits on a squeaky red tricycle inspired the creation of her feathered hero. When not drawing ducks, Charlie can be found in her studio drinking coffee, arranging her crayons, and inventing more accidental superheroes. You can visit her at charliealder.com and on Twitter @chuckie346.

Giveaway!

Stop by another stop on Daredevil Duck‘s blog tour!

5/4 Wife Hat, Mom Hat
5/5 Geo Librarian
5/6 In The Pages
5/7 Stacking Books
5/9 Bea’s Book Nook
5/10 ReaderKidz
5/11 Coffee for the Brain
5/12 The Picture Book Review
5/13 Mrs. Brown Loves Bookworms
5/14 Mom Read It
5/15 Unpacking the POWER of Picture Books
5/16 Cheryl Rainfield
5/17 Unleashing Readers

Thank you to Charlie Alder for stopping by! We adore what Daredevil Duck stands for!

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**Thank you for Cassie at Running Press for hosting the blog tour and giveaway!**

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors We’d Love to Meet

May 12, 2015 by Ricki

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because The Broke and Bookish are particularly fond of lists (as are we!). Each week a new Top Ten list topic is given and bloggers can participate.

Today’s Topic: Top Ten Authors We’d Love to Meet

[beyond those we’ve already met]

We are very fortunate to have met some of our favorite authors at the NCTE convention and the ALAN Workshop. The ALAN Cocktail Reception allows members to sip wine as they chat with the authors! But these lists include authors we haven’t had the chance to meet personally.

Ricki

1. Kevin Brooks

This man’s work is incredible. Every year, I cross my fingers that he will be at the ALAN Workshop. I suspect this is because he lives in a different country.

2. Harper Lee

This is an obvious choice. She is one of the most intriguing authors in history (IMO).

3. Jennifer Niven

After reading her book (following the last ALAN Workshop), I am hoping to meet her! I am crossing my fingers she is at the next ALAN Workshop.

4. Elizabeth Wein

She must be a genius. Her work is so complex, I would be nervous to talk to her!

5. Geneva Gay

I greatly respect her work about culturally responsive teaching. She is a professional role model for me.

Kellee

I have been so lucky to meet most of the people on my “author bucket list,” but here are some authors I still cannot wait to meet!

1. Patrick Ness

After reading the Chaos Walking series and A Monster Calls, I have been fascinated with Ness’s work and would love to meet him.

2. Rick Riordan

Um, he wrote Percy Jackson!!

3. Doug TenNapel

Doug TenNapel’s graphic novels are some of my favorite because of how unique they are. I would love to meet the man who made them.

4. Neil Gaiman

I don’t think I have to explain this one. He is a genius.

5. Mo Willems

I love Mo Willems’s picture books, and would love to have him sign my Elephant & Piggie books!

Which authors would you love to meet?

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Blog Tour with Review, Giveaway, and Author Guest Post!: Go Pea Go! by Joe Moshier and Chris Sonnenburg

October 12, 2015May 1, 2015 by Kellee

Go, Pea, Go!
Authors and Illustrators: Joe Moshier and Chris Sonnenburg
Published April 28th, 2015 by Running Press Kids

Goodreads Summary: Pea Junior has to go, go, go, go! The end feels so far away, but with his family and friends cheering him on, Pea knows he can make it and go number one!

My Review: This is a perfect book to use during potty training! The fun illustrations, which remind me of Wreck-It-Ralph, make the whole activity seem like a game instead of a chore. The book comes with a chart and stickers which make the whole training even more fun! Anyone with small children, enter below to win your own copy of Go, Pea, Go! and a prize pack that includes a pea plush, pea beach ball, pea tote bag, pea hair clips, stickers, and a copy of the book. THREE people will win a pack including a pea beach ball, pea postcards, stickers, and a copy of the book. FIVE runners up will receive a copy of the book and stickers.

A Message From The Authors: Everyone loves to cheer and root someone on!

It is in our nature as humans to cheer for someone to win a race, to hit a homerun, to score a goal, to ace a test, or even to be brave and make a new friend. As parents, we cheer on our children from day one from their cute little coo’s to their first roll-over and then to their first steps and on and on and on it goes. It feels good for everyone involved. Cheering is a positive feeling, and happiness, like a smile, is contagious.

Our new book, Go, Pea, Go! is all about cheering and rooting on Pea Junior as he races towards the giant Pea Bowl, ignoring all the fun distractions along the way. Children who read the book get to interact and yell out the phrase “GO, PEA, GO! “at the end of every page to show their support. Just like in real life, there is a point in the book where Pea Junior starts to loose his focus and doubt himself. It’s during these times of struggle and difficulty that cheering from loved ones and friends has an even stronger impact.

As with Pea Junior running the race, there will be obstacles, there will be distractions but there will also be victories and there will always be someone who loves you to cheer you on!

Make sure to visit the other stops on the blog tour:

4/22 A Girl and a Boy

4/23 Stacking Books

4/24 Geo Librarian

4/25 Art, Books, Coffee

4/27 Coffee for the Brain

4/28 Mrs. Brown Loves Bookworms

4/29 Unpacking the POWER of Picture Books

4/30 Booktalking #kidlit

5/1 Unleashing Readers

Giveaway!

Review and Author’s Guest Post!: “Josh, Harrison & Dad’s Excellent Adventure” by Henry L. Herz, Author of Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes

March 27, 2015 by Kellee

Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes
Authors: Henry, Josh, and Harrison Herz
Illustrator: Abigail Larson
Published February 7th, 2015 by Pelican Publishing Company

Goodreads Summary: Enter an enchanted land of mythical creatures where manticores reign and ogres roar-a land of mystery and fright. A unique twist on traditional rhymes of everyone’s youth, “Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes” presents a more sinister approach to these childhood classics, and yet the sing-song nature of the poems renders them playful and jovial at the same time. Little Witch Muffet is not frightened by a silly, little spider; she simply adds him to her stew!

Rotten zombies, giants, dwarves, and goblins mingle with werewolves, centaurs, and fauns. Follow along the skeleton stepping stones, scale up a palisade, claw at the window of a tasty child and bake him into a pumpkin shell. Monsters cook up delicious elvish pie, too! Every kid who has an eensy weensy bit of sense wants a pet with feathers white as snow, who flies like an eagle and bleats like a goat-a hippogriff, of course!

Six forest sprites with four times as many pixies escape from a loaf of bread atop the elaborate table of the fey queen; her feast has flown away! If you enjoy mischief and have a penchant for the morbidly hilarious, the Herzs’ rhymes will satisfy your mythological curiosities.

Larson’s illustrations give new life to these ancient figures, and her artistic style employs the bold lines and colorful movement of an action-packed comic book. The author also includes a “bestiary” with information about the book’s legendary creatures, which hail from Scotland, Germany, Italy, Persia, Haiti, and Scandinavia.

Kellee’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Really like the creativity of mashing monster/mythology and nursery rhymes. A great intro to all things traditional lit and fantasy in a rhyming, fun way. I especially liked that the creatures hail from a variety of places and that the author included an appendix that includes information about each of them. I think this book would be a great way to introduce mythology as well as give students an opportunity to make their own parody of a nursery rhyme using a creature.

One thing that makes this book special is that Henry Herz wrote this book with his two sons. I am happy to share with you a post about their collaboration:

Josh, Harrison, and Dad’s Excellent Adventure

The astute observer will notice that there are three author credits for Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes. That’s because my young sons were involved in its creation. This is the tale of how two boys became traditionally published authors.

A few years ago (in a galaxy far away), I wanted to share my love of fantasy with my young sons. They were too little for watching most of the fantasy and sci-fi movie classics, and there are only so many good fantasy books available for that age range. Struck by inspiration one day, I came up with a way to share the joy of entering the magical realms of fantasy. I would write a fantasy book for them.

What I did not anticipate was that my boys would give me feedback on the story. They devised some of the character (Nimpentoad) and creature (Neebel) names and made plot line suggestions. And who better to help make the story appealing to kids than other kids? So, the goal of interesting my sons in fantasy transformed into also encouraging them to write.

Originally, I only shared the story of Nimpentoad with family, for their own enjoyment. I had no thoughts of having the book published. But one day, my sister-in-law suggested that I consider publication because she felt the story was much better than many of the books she was seeing for her similarly-aged kids. I thought about it for a while, and decided to give it a try.

The first step was to find the right artist. Once again, my sons were involved, this time in providing art direction. We would explain in words what each illustration should contain. Collaborating remotely via email and DropBox, our artist would give us a rough sketch, and we would provide feedback on details and color palette. Nimpentoad came to life, while my boys added another dimension to their experience.

Given the amount of time that had passed, as well as the anticipated challenges with finding an agent or publisher willing to take a chance on an unproven writer, we decided to indie-publish. The response to Nimpentoad was encouraging, and we subsequently indie-published Twignibble (an easy reader about a mechanically-inclined sloth, who travels the world helping his endangered animal friends), and How the Rhino Got His Skin (an updated picture book version of Rudyard Kipling’s classic).

We’ve done book readings and signings at schools, libraries, museums, farmer’s markets, book fairs, and bookstores. My boys are now experienced sales professionals! They know how to handle themselves with new people, and easily sell more books than I do.

Like any good author, I am committed to honing my craft. I belong to critique groups, participate in Tara Lazar’s annual Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo) event, and took a picture book writing class at UCSD. Part of the class curriculum was to draft some picture book manuscripts. Kids love monsters and I love monsters (being a big kid myself), and so the idea for Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes was born.

As with our other collaborations, I drafted the book, and then had my sons review it. Then it went through my critique group and more revisions. I subsequently attended the Orange County Editor’s Day event hosted by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes won best picture book. After that, it was time to query agents and editors. Happily, several editors expressed interest. We chose Pelican Publishing, and the rest is history.

Writing rhyming picture books is very challenging (see why at http://wp.me/p31Xf4-K0). I jokingly encourage newbie writers to visit www.DontDoRhyme.com (not a real website). The irony is not lost on me that my debut traditionally published picture book is in rhyme. My only excuse is that I didn’t have to invent the meter, I just had to twist the words to fit the existing meter.

If you want to interest your kids in mythological creatures, or fantasy literature in general, give Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes a look. Just take care – Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes is a gateway book to The Lightning Thief and, eventually, to The Lord of the Rings.

Learn more about Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes at http://www.birchtreepub.com/mgnr.htm.

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Henry L. Herz for providing a copy for review and for the guest post!**

Author Guest Post!: “A Love for Reading Begets Passionate Writing” by Jake Marcionette, Author of Just Jake

March 22, 2015 by Kellee

Jake Marcionette was 12-years-old, he decided he wanted to write middle grade fiction for kids, by a kid, from a kid’s perspective. It’s been over two years since he signed with a literary agent, landed a book deal with Grosset and Dunlap (Penguin USA) and then saw Just Jake #1 make the New York Times Best Sellers list.

Today, he does a lot of motivational speaking to elementary and middle school kids.

Jake OOTM

His message is simple: He’s no different than you but, success, in anything, is predicated on hard work, relentless determination and doing what you love. Here are a few video clips of him speaking:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6eVgLIdYmo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqqTSJjHHy4

Today, we have Jake here at Unleashing Readers to share how he got to where he is now.

A Love for Reading Begets Passionate Writing

You can say I’m a big proponent of literacy. But I think a lot of people forget there are two components to the literacy equation: reading AND writing. I’m passionate about the latter but understand the critical importance of the former.

Let’s face it; reading is the glory boy of literacy. Reading is fawned over, hyped…it even has its own catch phrase “Reading is FUNdamental.” How do you compete with that? The answer is you don’t. Because reading is the cornerstone on which all learning and education rests and without it, future Shakespeares are unlikely to emerge.

As kids, we all have stories that need to be told. Our crazy thoughts, wild dreams, and creative interpretations reflect our individualism and personal journeys. I know there’s an inner author inside every kid but without first discovering the love of reading, the joys of putting pen to paper (or fingers to a keyboard) will be elusive.

So what about those students who have yet to discover the limitless world of reading? Are they precluded from becoming the next Patterson? Most likely YES but it doesn’t have to be that way. Perhaps all they’re looking for is the FUNNY!

As shocking as it may sound, I was once “that kid” who didn’t enjoy reading. Although I was indeed writing a lot at a young age, my writing didn’t turn the corner to “Passion Town” until I found books I didn’t want to put down. Thank you, Mr. Kinney!

I can personally attest that not every kid wants to read about gossiping mean girls, vampires, or books that encompass serious, teachable moments recommended by well-intentioned adults. A lot of kids just want to laugh.

When I discovered the not so nice Greg Heffley, his abusive older brother Rodrick, and gullible Rowley I went from a reluctant reader to a voracious consumer of books overnight. It was the spark that ignited the creative fire that had eluded me. I knew immediately that was the kind of real story I wanted to tell. And considering there weren’t many books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid (still aren’t) my focus became to put forth a comical, middle grade fiction series about school and life from a kid’s perspective.

Today, as the published author of the Just Jake series and a New York Times Bestseller, I’m provided with an incredibly rewarding platform. Being a firm believer that every kid can achieve greatness, I love visiting schools and getting everyone psyched up about life, finding your passion and putting in the hard work that it takes to be better every day. But the best part is when I hear from another kid that they now want to write their own book.

It being March and National Reading Month, I think it’s appropriate to keep in mind all the “reluctant readers” in your life and try to find the right spark to ignite their interest in the printed word. I’m no different than many other kids out there but without opportunity, potential is rarely discovered.

And if you’re looking for that one series that accurately (and hilariously) captures elementary/middle school life in a highly relatable context, perfect for grades 3rd-8th, Just Jake #1 might by the ticket. Forgive me! March is also the month of my shameless self-promotion as Just Jake #2: Dog Eat Dog‘s publication date is March 31st. Oh man…sorry! There I go again.

For all the teachers out there, you’ll be interested to know we’ve partnered with BigIQKids.com to create some awesome (and free) interactive learning lessons based on Just Jake #1 in the form of spelling and vocabulary lists and quizzes found here: http://bigiqkids.com/SpellingVocabulary/justjake.html

And, a very cool reading comprehension quiz with built-in game rewards found here:
http://www.bigiqkids.com/games/ReadingRewardGamePage.php

Thank you Unleashing Readers (Kellee and Ricki) for this incredible opportunity. You guys rock! And if you’re interested in more information about me please visit www.JustJake.com . Lastly, I hope everyone can follow me on Twitter @Jake Marcionette!!!!!

Thank you Jake! You are such an inspiration!

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Author Guest Post!: “Three Bowls of Porridge…” by Lisa Heathfield, Author of Seed

July 27, 2015February 15, 2015 by Ricki

“Three Bowls of Porridge…” by Lisa Heathfield, Author of Seed

When I write, I have a ‘writing spirit’ that takes over. I sit for hours at the kitchen table, pen in hand and time sort-of stops. I don’t really know what I’ve written until I read back over my words. So I was surprised when reading a day’s work on my book, Seed, to see the line: ‘There are three bowls on the table, the porridge still warm.’ It seemed lifted straight out of the fairytale ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’.

A few days later, it happened again. When I read how Bobby was making a tiny house out of sticks, it made me think of the tale of ‘Three Little Pigs’. I then realised who Nana Willow reminded me of – tucked up in her bed, with blankets pulled up to her chin, she was the image of Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother. And outside, the wolf, in the guise of Papa S, was waiting.

In so many fairytales, there’s a wicked character that the protagonist must overcome – could this be Papa S? A handsome prince swoops in to save the day – is Ellis inadvertently walking in these shoes? Am I clutching at straws to say that Pearl leaving her slippers in Papa S’ chamber is reminiscent of ‘Cinderella’? I don’t think I am. Because since seeing references to fairytales scattered amongst the lines of SEED, I can see their influence everywhere. I wonder if the roots of fairytales are in every book we read?

The writer and child psychologist, Bruno Bettelheim, said that fairytales were ‘consoling’ to children, yet having re-read many of them recently, I think I sit more squarely in Angela Carter’s camp, seeing fairytales as violent and menacing. Many fairytales have true horror at their core. Take ‘The Juniper Tree’ – in it, a woman cuts off the head of her step-son, attempts to hide her crime by tying his head back onto his neck, before chopping him up into a stew which she feeds to his father. I could hardly bear to read it, yet it began its life as a story for children! Perhaps it’s a natural progression then, that teenagers go on to devour so-called ‘dark’ books. Is any theme ‘off-limits’, when they’ve been fed a literary diet of kidnapping, murder and corruption from such a young age?

With the memory of fairytales unintentionally at SEED’s core, it’s perhaps unsurprising that parts of it are dark. Unsettling themes weave in and out of the pages. It appears that my ‘writing spirit’ was definitely paying attention and taking notes all those years ago. However, she seems to have missed out something crucial – the ‘happily ever after’ part. Maybe she can sort it out in SEED’s sequel…

About Lisa:

Lisa always dreamed of being a writer. She wrote her first book when she was nine – set in a haunted house, in the middle of a dark wood! And she’d sit for hours at her typewriter, creating stories to send off to magazine competitions (none of which got close to winning, but it didn’t put her off trying).

She was always reading. Lying in the grass, on her bed, up a tree, there was always a book in her hand. It was only natural that she would study English at university and go on to become an English teacher in a secondary school. An early fascination with Helen Keller followed her to the classroom and she began teaching hearing-impaired children.

Lisa and her husband settled in Brighton, on the south coast of England, where she concentrated on raising their three wonderful boys. After an ill-advised stint running a cafe, the need to write became too difficult to ignore. And her debut novel, Seed, was born.

About Seed:

Fifteen-year old Pearl has lived her whole life protected within the small community at Seed, where they worship Nature and idolize their leader, Papa S. When some outsiders join, everything changes. Pearl is forced to question everything she’s ever known and all she’s ever believed in. As she prepares to become Papa S’s Companion for the first time, she begins to realize that there’s darkness at the heart of Seed, a darkness that she must escape, before it’s too late.

Excerpt from Seed:

I look at Elizabeth. In the candlelight her cheeks look sunken, her eyes hollow. Is there fear hidden within her?

“I’ve seen it now,” I say quietly. My voice sounds flat as it catches in the earth. “Can I go?”

“We have all done this, Pearl. Every woman at Seed. I promise you will be all right.”

“What do you mean?”

“When you get your first Blessing, when you first start to bleed, you must stay with Nature so that she may give you the gift of a healthy womb,” she says.

I don’t understand. I just stare at her in the flickering light.

“You must stay deep in her womb, so your own womb may become fertile.”

“What do you mean, fertile?”

“So that when it is your time, you will be able to have children.”

“I don’t want to be here, Elizabeth.” My voice cracks as I start to cry. I look at the earth circling me and I’m suddenly filled with terror. Does she want me to stay here?

She puts the lamp down and wraps her arms around me, her face hidden in the shadows. “You know that you must not cry. Your life spirit will leave you and without it, you are nothing.”

I can smell the sweetness of her vanilla scent. It masks the smell of the blood and the damp earth that is blocking the air.

“It won’t be for long.”

“So you’ll shut the trapdoor?” The words fall from my mouth.

Elizabeth steps back and nods. She’s trying to smile.

“But how will I breathe?”

Elizabeth picks up the lantern and shines it on the bottom of the curved earth walls. Tiny black pipes stick out all around. “I have been here, Pearl. It’s all right.”

“It’s not,” I say and I start to cry again. “I don’t want to stay.” My voice is getting louder and Elizabeth looks up the steps toward the light above.

“Shh, now. Papa S must not hear you cry. And Nature is hearing every word.” Then she puts down the lantern once again and turns to go up the steps.

I can’t move. Something holds me to the ground. I want to run after Elizabeth, pull her back, to escape, but I just watch as she goes up towards the air. The last thing I see is her blonde hair as she quickly lowers the trapdoor. It shuts with a muffled thud.

Thank you so much to Lisa for being our special guest this Sunday!

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Author Guest Post!: “Beyond Setting: A Couple of Thoughts and Some Fun Writing Prompts” by Tricia Springstubb, Author of Moonpenny Island

February 1, 2015 by Kellee

Beyond Setting: A Couple of Thoughts and Some Fun Writing Prompts

Setting: the time and place where the story happens. Yawn. Compared to characters and plot, setting can be a snoozefest. What happens next? That’s what most readers, young or old, want to know.

But here’s what genius writer Katherine Paterson has to say on the subject: “Setting for me is not a background against which a story is played out, but the very stuff with which the story is woven. The characters will not determine the setting, but the setting to a great extent will determine both what they will be like and how they will act.”

Think of “Bridge to Terabithia” and you’ll immediately understand what she means. Could that miraculous, heart-wrenching story be set anywhere but the kingdom Jess and Leslie create together? Not only is that place enchanted, it’s secret, a spot where they feel all-powerful and safe from the real world–which of course makes the book’s tragedy all the more devastating.

Setting can be a catalyst. It can make things happen. Stanley Yelnats gets sent to Camp Green Lake where, instead of a lovely lake, he finds a desert full of strange holes, and the die is cast. (“Holes”, by Louis Sachar). Ditto what happens when Brian Robeson’s plane goes down not on the edge of a corn field, but in the middle of the Canadian wilderness (“Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen).

Full confession: sense of place is all important in my work. “What Happened on Fox Street” pivots on how much Mo Wren loves her home. Everything she treasures is there–her friends, her secret hide-out, her fox-quest and her memories of her mother. The discovery that her adored father means to move away makes her furious and sets the rest of the story in motion.

In “Mo Wren Lost and Found”, Mo has had to move away after all. Here the setting reflects and enhances her feelings of confusion and lonesomeness. “East 213^th . Their new street didn’t even have a name. Just a number. That was only the beginning of how different it was. Being a dead end, where Fox Street began and where it stopped were perfectly clear. Once Upon a Time and The End. But if East 213^th was a story, it’d say To be continued…with those three dots that mean anything might happen.”

My newest book, “Moonpenny Island”, is about how living on a small lump of limestone surrounded by water is paradise for some, prison for others. The very stuff of the story!

I always encourage young writers to think about setting. Think, I tell them, how important place is to “Harry Potter”, “Percy Jackson” or “The Giver”. Think how much you love stepping into a story’s new, amazing and compelling world. Experiencing a great setting is the closest we can come to teleportation. When you’re a writer, you have the power to build a world!

Below are some writing exercises to help kids understand the power of setting–and have fun too!

Take a familiar story and set it in another place or time. What if Little Red Riding Hood lived in New York City? How would the plot change if Cinderella was set in the present day?
Without naming it, describe some place you know as fully as you can. Use all five senses. Trade descriptions with someone else, and use each other’s place as the setting for a new story.
Draw a map of an imaginary place. Go wild! Use it as the setting for a story.
Describe the room you’re in right now. Just the facts please. Messy classroom desks, windows onto the street, one kid asleep in the corner.
Now describe the room through the eyes of a fictional character. A shy, nervous new kid entering for the first time. An ant on the floor. A girl with a crush on the boy sitting next to her. An alien whose saucer has just landed outside. (It’s up to you. Remember, when you’re a writer, you’re the boss of your story!) Will they all see the same setting? How will past experiences and present feelings influence the way each of them perceives the room?

Tricia Springstubb is a frequent speaker in schools and libraries. When she can’t get there in person, she enjoys doing Skype visits. Her new middle grade novel, “Moonpenny Island”, publishes with HarperCollins on February 10. “Cody and the Fountain of Happiness”, the first book in her new series for readers ages 7-10, publishes with Candlewick in April.

Tricia lives and writes in good old Cleveland. You can learn more about her and her books at triciaspringstubb.com

Moonpenny Island Summary: Moonpenny is a tiny island in a great lake. When the summer people leave and the ferries stop running, just the tried-and-true islanders are left behind. Flor and her best, her perfect friend, Sylvie, are the only eleven-year-olds for miles and miles—and Flor couldn’t be happier.

But come the end of summer, unthinkable things begin to happen. Sylvie is suddenly, mysteriously whisked away to school on the mainland. Flor’s mother leaves to take care of Flor’s sick grandmother and doesn’t come back. Her big sister has a secret, and Flor fears it’s a dangerous one.

Meanwhile, a geologist and his peculiar daughter arrive to excavate prehistoric trilobites, one of the first creatures to develop sight. Soon Flor is helping them. As her own ability to see her life on this little lump of limestone evolves, she faces truths about those she loves—and about herself—she never imagined.

Tricia Springstubb tells a warm and deeply affecting story about what it means to see, and why the biggest feat of all may be seeing through someone else’s eyes.

Cody and the Fountain of Happiness Summary: For whimsical Cody, many things are beautiful, especially ants who say hello by rubbing feelers. But nothing is as beautiful as the first day of summer vacation, and Cody doesn’t want to waste one minute of it. Meanwhile, teenage brother Wyatt is moping over a girl, Mom is stressed about her new job as Head of Shoes, Dad is off hauling chairs in his long-distance truck, and even camp has been closed for the summer. What to do? Just when all seems lost, Cody bumps into a neighborhood boy named Spencer who is looking for a runaway cat. With a new friend and a soon-to-be-found cat, Cody is on her way to the fountain of happiness.

Thank you so much to Tricia for being our special guest this Sunday!

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