What if Your Best Friend Were Blue?

WHAT IF YOUR BEST FRIEND WERE BLUE? by Vera Kochan, Illustrated by Viviana Garofoli
PUBLISHER: Marshall Cavendish (September 2011)
PAGES: 24
AGES: 4-8

ISBN-10: 0761458972 

ISBN-13: 978-0761458975

A book review by Bookshelf Detective Kim Tomsic
WHAT IF YOUR BEST FRIEND WERE BLUE? by Vera Kochan offers a delightful way for children to learn colors while at the same time discovering it's what's inside a person that counts. The book features a yellow doctor, an orange babysitter, a blue best friend and more.
Author Vera Kochan provides sweet and simple big-concept text while iIllustrator Viviana Garofoli makes your eyes stretch wide. Her rich and captivating scenes marry the whimsical atmosphere of color with a powerful theme, "it's what's on the inside that matters."

WHAT IF YOUR BEST FRIEND WERE BLUE? is a great reading choice for the classroom. Teachers can follow up with coloring projects where their students compose their own "What if" projects (What if my brother were pink; What if my mom were silver?).  The book also makes a lovely bedtime story and opens light opportunities for parents to discuss tolerance.

Whether at home or in the classroom, the fantastical charm of the cast of characters (including the green policewoman!) will have kids begging for another read of WHAT IF YOUR BEST FRIEND WERE BLUE?


Boulder Bookstore
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Tattered Cover Bookstore

Mister Lemur Combines Cultural Literacy with Seuss/Silverstein Style

Mister Lemur’s book, TRAIN OF THOUGHT features short stories in rhyming verse. Many of the tales have clever educational twists. Clever, I say, because while the reader has fun, he/she never feels manipulated into learning. How? The author avoids talking down to children and freely throws in words like ‘phylum’ or ‘symbiotic’. Science words appear in the heart of adventurous and crazy stories with definitions highlighted at the bottom a respective page. While memorable images are conjured up in the midst of a wild story scene, the words stick like superglue right to the child’s mind. Voila, education transpires.  Mister Lemur stories are cute, whacky and wily with learning as an added bonus.

Although I was a bit bugged by some of the rhyming meter, I easily got over myself. The amusing stories are different from the norm; in fact, I’d categorize them as a hip version of a classical style. It’s easy to see why kids in the twenty-first century love Mr. Lemur.  The tag line on Mister Lemur’s homepage is, “Moving kids forward, taking parents back.” It’s a balance they brilliantly accomplish. Although the stories are modern, they evoke memories from a parent’s childhood.  Old PBS songs come to mind…remember Conjunction Junction, What’s your function? Mister Lemur’s Threeple feels like a shout-out to Norton Juster’s Phantom Tollbooth while 2043 has a lovely Seuss-ish feel. Furthermore the book is structured like a Shel Silverstein work. Some pages feature short poems while others include short stories and sweet black-line illustrations. Although I’ve grown to love my Kindle, the quality of this book felt luxurious in my hands.

Kudos to the creators of Mister Lemur. Their passion for children, education, science, philanthropy, wordplay and the Mister Lemur project shines. Mister Lemur's caretakers offer school visits (a Stanford, Wharton educated pair) and they provide a kid-friendly web page where children can ask Mister Lemur questions. Mister Lemur also offers writing contests, music, games, and a regular Mister Lemur newsletter. A portion of all proceeds is donated to wildlife.  

Some of my favorites from Mister Lemur include: Summer Vacations, Den Head, Threeple, Eyeball, Continental Plates, 2043

Book Buying Link

Thirteen Fast Facts With Jay Asher

After a brief chat with Jay Asher at the SCBWI summer conference, I learned thirteen fast-facts including details on his next project:

13. We all know THIRTEEN REASONS WHY is being made into a movie, but I didn't know the deal happened because Selena Gomez pursued it;

12. Although roles for the film have not yet been cast, Gomez will play Hannah;

11. Asher thinks Gomez is very cool to work with;

10. Asher did not write the screen play, but he served on the committee to interview screenwriters;

9. Asher's next project is called THE FUTURE OF US;
8. He co-wrote THE FUTURE OF US with Carolyn Mackler. Mackler is the author of the Printz award winning book THE EARTH MY BUTT AND OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS.

I interrupt this count-down for a brief Interviewer Intrusion:With this dream-team, THE FUTURE OF US has to be amazing!

7. I asked if the book was written in a similar fashion to DASH AND LILY'S BOOK OF DARES. Asher said that although they took turns writing chapters, they also dug into one another’s work, edited and even revamped chapters;

6. Asher has been a regular at the SCBWI conference for years. Thirteen Reasons Why is no comedy, but according to Lin Oliver, Jay Asher is one hilarious guy; in fact he was the regular winner of the annual joke contest held during the summer conference. It was during one of these SCBWI conferences prior to Asher getting published when he briefly met Carolyn Mackler (he says he was a big fan). After he was published, Asher blurbed Mackler's name and something regarding TANGLED (Mackler's last novel)...hmmm, I met Asher at a conference...I'm blurbing his book...this must mean that Jay Asher and I have a co-authored book in our future!

5. After seeing what Asher wrote, Mackler contacted Asher and initiated the idea to co-write a book. Asher agreed and they began sending chapters back and forth to create THE FUTURE OF US;

4. They met "live" for the first time at the 2010 SCBWI summer conference where they dressed for the theme evening (Along with Rachel Vail) as the ____ Bo Peeps (you'll have to fill in the blank with your imagination);

3. THE FUTURE OF US is set in 1996. When two teens take their AOL disc and toss it into their computer, the 2011 internet page of Facebook pops up hence releasing a crystal ball into the future;

2. THE FUTURE OF US releases in November, 2011;

1. THE FUTURE OF US has already been optioned for a movie deal.

Diversity in YA Fiction

"Diversity in YA Fiction is a website and book tour founded by two young adult authors, Malinda Lo and Cindy Pon, to celebrate diverse stories in YA."

I came across Diversity in YA Fiction on Twitter (@cindypon). She posted a challenge to take the DiYA reading challenge:

" What to read: You can read whichever diverse books you like! By diverse we mean: (1) main characters or major secondary characters (e.g., a love interest or best friend kind of character) who are of color or are LGBT; or (2) written by a person of color or LGBT author. If you need some suggestions, check out our monthly lists of new books, and these book lists at Black Teens Read."

My "Diversity" Reading Experience:
I grew up in a military family. We moved from base to base and diversity was the consistent norm. Although the classroom rosters included a good number of students who were Latino, Korean, Vietnamese, Black, White, etc., I only saw--Hong, the prettiest girl in school;or Addie, oh, so funny, or Nanae, super-good at basketball... I want on her team; or Jason, will he look at me today or is he crushing on Hong. Sure, attention was given to labels like rich and poor, but we never wasted time on color. I honestly thought my school, my world was a microcosm of how all communities functioned. It wasn't until after I graduated college that I discovered my experiences were unique.  By taking the Diversity in YA challenge, I enjoyed getting lost in the texture and color of different worlds now that I live in a white-washed community.   Reading expands teens' horizons and experiences. Just like I thought everyone grew up with diversity, there are those who may have limited exposure to diversity and in turn they believe their world is the norm. Thank goodness for authors like Matt de la Pena and Sherman Alexie (and Cindy Pon and Malinda Lo) who set us straight while entertaining.

Some recommendations to add to the suggested reading list include:
We Were Here by Matt de la Peña
How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy by Crystal Allen
A Single Shard by Lin Sue Park
Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Peña
Ball Don't Lie by Matt de la Peña
Paris Pan Takes the Dare by Cynthea Liu
The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Same Kind of Different As Me (not technically a YA or MG read, but still recommended) by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

What are additional titles that should be added to this list?

Review and Interview with Matt de la Peña, author of WE WERE HERE

In author Matt de la Peña's young adult book, WE WERE HERE, three troubled teens believe their crimes and the cost of their damage leave them with nothing left to lose. The boys, Miguel, Rondell and Mong, begin their relationship with spit and fists flying. But somehow this group of teens form an unlikely team and escape their group home to make a daring dash to Mexico. Along their journey of pain, humor, rejection, adventure, love and brutality they find friendship as well as some redeeming value in life.

WE WERE HERE is packed with crazy violence combined with deep and often bizarre conversations and circumstances. It reminded me of a YA version of the movie Pulp Fiction, both disturbing and hilarious. I laughed, I cried, I Googled the author. I had to know more. This book had such a hold on me after I read the last page that I was reluctant to open my next novel, because I knew that would mean the experience I just invested my heart in with Miguel, Rondell, and Mong would fade.

Here's what I learned. WE WERE HERE won the following awards:

*A Junior Library Guild Selection
*ALA/YALSA Best Book for Young Adults*ALA/YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers
*2011/2012 Texas TAYSHAS Reading List

After googling, I tweeted:

@bkshelfdetectivKim Tomsic

@mattdelapena I had to Google you to see if WE WERE HERE had been nominated for the Printz...it's really amazing!

the reply that came only made me more curious:

@mattdelapenaMatt de la Pena

@bkshelfdetectiv Thank you so much. That was a special book for me! Thanks for reading!

So of course I requested a brief interview. Matt graciously agreed.

The Interview:

Kim: Hi, Matt! Thank you so much for agreeing to a brief interview. I was moved by your book WE WERE HERE, so much that when I read the final page, I wanted more and immediately turned to Google for answers. As you know, I sent a tweet to you, singing your praises and wondering if WE WERE HERE had been nominated for the Printz. In your reply you indicated that this “was a special book for you.” Of course that piqued my interest, but I didn’t want a Twitter answer of 140 characters or less, so please give me the Oprah interview answer and tell me why. What made this a special book for you?

Matt: First of all, thank so much for reading the book. I’m so happy you liked it. WE WERE HERE was special because the voice came so naturally. It was the first novel I wrote in first person, and I really kind of locked in with Miguel right away. I feel like I could’ve written that voice for a long time – I guess that’s why so many authors write series. Also, Miguel’s crime was something inspired by one of my basketball teammates in college. It was such an awful crime, yet the guy was a genuinely good guy. I wanted to explore that complexity, as well as the concept of survivor’s guilt. It kind of breaks my heart just thinking about it. And if something breaks my heart (I was raised as a tough, machismo dude) I know it’s a good place to start a book.

Kim: Your characters Miguel, Rondell and Mong truly came to life. I feel like I know these boys…I went to school with them, I’ve seen them at the beach, I’ve passed them on the street. How did they get inside your head and how did you get in the mind of a Juvi? Please tell me more about your research.

Matt: Miguel was the easiest. He sounds a little like I did when I was younger. Rondell ended up resembling a troubled teammate I had, but he was originally inspired by Lenny from OF MICE AND MEN. In fact the Miguel/Rondell relationship is sort of my new-ish, urban version of the George/Lenny relationship. At least that’s how it started. In terms of research, I worked in a group home in San Jose for two years when I graduated college. It was a really rough job. But one of my biggest takeaways was: many of these kids are not what their file says they are. Not exactly.

Kim:  My next question is based on playing make-believe. Let’s pretend this book is non-fiction and Miguel, Rondell, and Mong exist as real teens; if you had the power to help one, to change only one of their lives, who would you help, how, and why that guy?

Matt: Hmmm, maybe Mong wants to do what he does. He seems dead set on it actually. I feel like he’s already there in his mind. And that’s hard to flip. I believe Miguel will be able to take care of himself. I’d just tell him to watch out for girls he meets on little league fields. But Rondell. I’d help him. Because he’s got a great heart and he’s soulful and loyal and talented. But he’s never had a chance. He’s never been exposed to basic education. I would teach him to read and blow his mind with the possibilities that exist for him.

Kim: The fight scenes in WE WERE HERE are pretty intense, graphic, and perfectly messed up (I know Miguel would choose different descriptors, but since this is a PG blog, just go with it). Were you a scrapper or a writer growing up? Please paint a picture of your high school self?

Matt: I’ve been in four fights in my entire life. I’m 2-2. I’ll never fight again because I don’t want to drop below .500. I was a baller who didn’t find books until college. I knew the only way I was gonna get to college was on a hoop scholarship so I gave everything to that pursuit. Wrote secret poetry. Never went to parties. Had two cool girlfriends in HS, really nice girls who believed I could make it. Luckily I did. In college I felt like I woke up and discovered literature and discovered psychology and discovered myself.

Kim: WE WERE HERE was an incredible reading experience—there was tension on every page, the adventure was riveting, my laughter and tears flowed freely, but the most captivating element was Miguel’s dynamic voice. It had a pulse. An NPR program I'd once heard featured a radio announcer who read single lines from various unidentified authors’ work. Even though no additional information was provided, some voices were so strong that the listener could guess who the character was simply based on that one line. Miguel’s voice was that solid. Enough gushing…my question: With your experience as a creative writing teacher at NYU, do you believe writers can learn “voice” or do you believe it’s one of those things—you either have it, or you don’t (and please, no teacher-y answers saying, “everybody is special”)? What steps can a writer take to gain an authentic voice? 

Matt: Great question. Look, there are some writers out there who are brilliant and hilarious and when inspiration hits they can sit down and produce something amazing. I’ve met some here in NY. But I’m not one of them. I’m a working class writer. I clock in early every day and stay late. I revised my first book over a hundred times. Plus my books are all about rhythm. And it takes a lot of tinkering to find the right balance.

I’m not answering the question am I? No. Okay, here’s what I think. This idea that some people were born to be writers is false. I don’t buy it. There are, however, some people who are born with a slightly different way of seeing the world. And if these people are willing to work hard, they’re going to have an easier time locking in on a unique voice. In terms of writing courses, I think you can learn about 90% of the tools you’ll need in your writer’s toolbox. That other 10% is the magical stuff that I don’t even know how to talk about. Voice sometimes slips into that part.

Oh, and I think voice is WAY easier if you’re 100% honest.

Kim: Who is Spencer Figueroa other than the dude to whom you dedicated the book?

Spence is this punk-ass dude living in LA. He’s been my best friend since high school. He put up with a lot hanging out with me back when I refused to work full time and swore I was gonna make it as a writer and bartered with him to pay lower rent.

Kim: I see your agent, Steven Malk from Writers House, will be at the SCBWI’s 40^th anniversary Summer Conference and teaching a break-out session “No Holds Barred: An Agent and an Author Give Outspoken Advice on Writing, Submitting, Promoting and Everything in Between”. Will you be at the SCBWI Summer Conference and if you were teaching this class with Steven Malk, what key pieces of advice would you give?

Matt: Sign with Steve Malk. He’s seriously the best move I’ve ever made in publishing. Also, be 100% honest when you sit down to write. Don’t fake it. Don’t chase trends. Be real. If it hurts, it’s gold. If it embarrasses you, it has to go in. If it shames you, it’s the most important ingredient.

Kim: One of the “Events” listed on your webpage includes a September speaking engagement at the detention facility in San Mateo, East Palo Alto, a high school, boys’camp in La Honda. I don’t have the goods to earn a seat in that gym, but if I did, what would I hear?

Matt: I do a lot of these. And I always tell them the truth. I was a reluctant reader when I was their age. I was a punk who got in trouble. I chased girls. The only reason I got to college was because I had a goal and my goal kept me moving forward. Oh, and I’ll be completely honest with them.

Kim:  Last but not least, who would win my fictional b-ball game: the real-life today, 2011 retired Charles Barkley pitted against the back-in-the day, University of the Pacific Matt de la Peña?

Matt: My college coach called me Matt No D la Peña. I wasn’t a big fan of playing D. So maybe it’d be tough to stop the big guy. But if I got the rock I’d do my best to keep it. And I could shoot it pretty good!

Bonus Bonus Bonus...Matt's answers were fun and insightful. I would have loved to have asked a million more questions, but here's a bonus free throw:  Matt mentioned that he revised his first book over a hundred times. That book called BALL DON'T LIE was made into a movie with director Brin Hill. Brin Hill and Matt de la Pena wrote the screenplay together (release date September 2011). The all-star cast includes Ludacris, Nick Cannon, Rosanna Arquette, and Grayson Boucher.

EASY BOOK BUYING LINKS
Bookstores:
Boulder Bookstore
Tattered Cover
White Rabbit Bookstore
Amazon
Indie Bound
The Strand
Barnes and Noble

New York City: Nine Shows Reviewed and Ranked, A Guest Post by Marlo Berberian

A Guest Post by my beautiful niece Marlo Berberian

 

I guess I'm here to tell you about my amazing week with my mother. Oh, and mom, if you're reading this, THANK YOU!

Sunday: We met up with my cousin and aunt and had molecular engineered food (yum) at WD 50.

Monday: Spent the day in Central Park, row boated(got terrible blisters) and saw Hair. We got tickets last minute and I'm so glad we did. The cast was excellent, hilarious, and naked. Overall, I really enjoyed the show, my only problem was that for the first act the orchestra overpowered the actors, it was a shame. But for Act two the sound was much better and the show was very enjoyable. I kind of want to be a hippie now.

Tuesday: Went to the Strand bookstore (amazing Shakespeare collection and rare $900 copies of certain plays). Later that evening we saw Harry Potter himself in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Such a great show, and the work Daniel Radcliffe put into his role was incredible. There was no hint of an English accent and his dancing was spectacular, as good as the ensembles, which is impressive because he had never danced before the production. His singing was good, nothing special, but still impressive. Now, here's something I think some of you may disagree with: I thoroughly enjoyed this production and I completely enjoyed John Larroquette’s performance, but I think Joel Grey should have won the Tony for Anything Goes.

Wednesday: We saw the matinee of Anything Goes. Yes Sutton deserved best actress, and yes she belted for us(no words can describe). The cast was so on top of their game. Really an impressive show, although I have to agree with Mr. Becker, the swinging doors on the nationals set was a great idea and I actually wish this production had it as well. Later that night, my mother and I caught Catch Me if You Can, another fun show. Not my favorite, but a really great cast. Norbert Leo Butz also deserved his Tony and Aaron Tveit is just really frickin' hot. In fact this whole show is kind of a great big pile of hot, what with the showgirls and Aaron...need I say more?

Thursday: A nice simple day. My mother and I just kind of walked around all day in the Columbus Circle and Central Park West area. It was refreshing, and I had the best spicy edamame at Sushi-a Go Go. We went to this thrift store called Housing Works, and then in the evening we saw Sister Act. I was a little scared for this one. I hadn't really heard anything about it and I was afraid it wasn't going to be good, but it was. I mean, it took a little while to pick up, but once it did...WOW, it really picked up. The talent was incredible and I'm sure some of my enjoyment from this show came from being raised Catholic and having seen absurdly strict and stiff nuns and priests. Also, you'd be surprised by how much a costume designer can accomplish with simple nun habits.

Friday: Good day. My mother and I headed over to 40th to go to The Drama Book Shop. What a wonderful place. We were probably there for 2 hours looking for scenes and monologues for my intimidating junior year. We saw Harry Potter at the Ziegfeld Theatre (which used to be a Broadway theatre, but is now a movie theatre) and the house was practically empty. The movie was excellent, but there were like 900 empty seats, so when people clapped it felt kind of awkward. Later that night we saw the controversial Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark. Well.............it was..............something. Visually, it was amazing, so interesting to watch, the $65 million dollar set and the fly system blew my mind. WARNING: THE NEXT FEW THINGS I"M ABOUT TO SAY ARE GOING TO BE VERY BLUNT. The music was terrible, what the heck was Bono thinking? He should've been the one to get fired. The dancing was practically lifeless, there was no energy. The costumes were, in my opinion, distracting. They were creative, yes, and I liked about half of the sinister six's costumes. Peter Parker had no transition and transformation into spider man, there was no arch, it was like, "I'm not Spiderman, I am Spiderman." Both leads however had excellent voices. I'm not sure if I liked when they sang together, but individually they had great voices. This is just one girl’s opinion; some people actually really liked the show. The show has a good message and again, visually it's a masterpiece.

Saturday: We went to the matinee of Priscilla Queen of the Desert . Three drag queens road tripping through Australia. It was certainly entertaining and it won best costumes for a reason. The story was engaging in the beginning of the show, but not carried out very well. It was a flashy, glitzy, and glamorous production, but it's not one of those shows that you would want to see again. It was fun, but only fun. Later that night we went and saw War Horse at the Lincoln Center. All I have to say it that this was the most beautiful, engaging, inspiring, tear jerking show I have ever seen. Brilliant theatre, brilliant production, amazing show, it deserved best play. I wish I could share this production with everyone I know. This show is why I do theatre and it's this kind of show that gives me inspiration.

Sunday: Our last day in the city and my mother and I desperately wanted to see Book of Mormon, so like a week before we left we searched the internet everywhere for seats that weren't $800 each. Finally, we came across two seats, that weren't next to each other, and that had partially obstructed views. We figured, why not try our luck at the seat drawing lottery? We had to get to the theatre 2.5 hours before the performance, stand around with 300 other people trying to win tickets, and put our name into this huge basket. The first 14 seats drawn would be given the front row, and the next 8 would be given slightly obstructed box seats. Believe it or not my name was drawn 3rd and my mother and I received 2 tickets front row center! I never win anything, so this was a miracle to be sure! The show was crude, crass, hilarious, brilliant, and wonderful. It was everything I thought it would be and I'm so happy that I got to see it. Really a great show! It's the kind of show that just puts you in a good mood.

So, that was my trip. It was really lovely and I'm so glad that I can write about theatrical things here. I want to thank my mom again for such a fantastic time.

My show ranking in order of favorites:
1: War Horse
2: Book of Mormon
3: Anything Goes
4: How to Succeed
5: Sister Act
6: Hair
7: Catch Me if you Can
8: Priscilla
9: Spiderman
Nothing was bad at all, but if I had to order them, that's how I would rank them.
-Marlo :)

Have book will travel...whisked away to St. Barth's

Suitcase St. Barth's: a travel video by Renee Berberian

I regularly suggest great books, so load those pages in your luggage and let my sister guide you on an adventure to St. Barthelemy.
Click here for the video: Suitcase St. Barth's

July 14th, Bastille Day...a perfect day to read REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly

Happy Bastille Day, La Fete Nationale! Although I've celebrated in the past by standing on the Champs-Elysees, waving at Jacques Chirac, I've decided to do something less royal this year. In the spirit of giving back, I labor for the people and produce a book recommendation (dramatic military drum roll please)...REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly.
WINNER - 2011 Young Adult Book of the Year - American Booksellers Association.

High School senior Andi is a brilliant musician as well as an academic genius, but the tragic death of her brother has caused her to spiral into a depression. She's failing school, her mother is hospitalized, and her Dad forces her to spend her holiday in Paris (poor dear). In France Andi's father conducts DNA research to determine if a small heart sitting in a medical jar once beat in the chest of the child king, Louis Charles, son of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI.  Meanwhile, Andi has a find of her own: a 200 year-old diary written by a seventeen-year-old girl who lived with Louis Charles and the family from their time at Versailles up until the parents' beheading. Because Andi pops a ton of feel-good pills, it's hard to distinguish what "really" happens in Andi's world. This historical fiction cleverly weaves the 21st century with the 18th century. The uncertainty is part of the joy of this novel which is packed with adventure, mystery, drama, romance, and comedic relief.

Positives and Negatives:
The story hints at a beautiful message, one of no longer standing by and watching as injustice takes place. There are fabulous secondary characters (like Vijay). There's also a great leap that ties the Green Man of Paris and the girl in the diary (Alex), almost like Phillipa Gregory's THE QUEEN'S FOOL. I found the use of music lyrics and music references heavy, but I still wanted to belt out George Michael's Praying for Time (or even the Black-Eyed Pea's Going Gone...see, now I'm carried away). In regard to the music references, I did enjoy the discovery, inclusion, and clean wrap-up angle on the 18th century musician Malherbeau. Bravo!
Like the dark and winding uncertainty of Paris's catacombs, this historical fiction takes the reader on many exciting twists and turns that keep the pages turning. Tragedy, comedy, romance, history, music...what more could a reader want? A perfect read for Bastille Day, or any day.

Hardcover October 2010 (18.99 Delacorte Books for Young Readers); Paperback release, July 26, 2011 (Ember) $9.99.

ISBN-10: 0385737645

ISBN-13: 978-0385737647

ISBN-10: 0385737637
     ISBN-13: 9780385737630
Published: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 10/12/2010
Pages: 496    Language: English  

Buy at...
Boulder Bookstore
The Strand
Amazon

Bonus:
Click here to link to Discovery's Curiosity.com for the best slide show of art inspired by the French Revolution (Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI, the escape and capture in Varennes, Guillotine, storming of the Bastille, Robespierre, etc.)

How to Frame Past Perfect Tense: a guest post by Will Limón

A brief word from Kim: I describe past perfect tense as the past of the past. Grammar Girl, Mignon Fogarty, says to write past perfect you use had + past participle. That's excellent information for a line or two, but a bunch of "had's" on a page gets cumbersome. I had to check in with my friends, Will Limón and David Deen, to learn how to introduce past perfect tense in the framework of a story.

Q: Will Limón, friend, critiquing partner, and go-to guy for the rules (other than David )...how the heck do you frame a situation in past perfect tense?

Will:  Here's my understanding of how past perfect works.

You're cooking along in a piece, using past tense consistently.

A character remembers an action that happened in that character's past, and you (the author) want to recount it within the story.

As you begin the character's memories, you use "had" two or three times to begin the past perfect frame. Then, you simply continue in regular past tense, dropping "had."

As you approach the end of the recounting, you pick up "had" again and use it two or three times in the last few sentences. That completes your past perfect frame.

 You continue on with your story, using past tense as before.

Here's a rather overwrought example off the top of my head. Let me know if it's clear for you.

A short excerpt by Will Limón for your past perfect entertainment privilege:

She sat down at her desk and opened the drawer. The ivory invitation stared her right in the face, its fancy letters mocking her like the echo of his voice.

“After all this time you're finally invited,” he had said. “I bet you won't go.” He had slumped onto the sofa, smirking, and daring her to fight.

She hadn’t looked at him. Instead she gazed out the window at the roses. They were just about to bloom. She stared hard as if the bursting buds were the only thing that mattered in the world.

“Well?” he said.

“Well, what?”

“Are you going?”

She turned away from the window and back to the room, avoiding his eyes. But she felt them. They pricked at her more sharply than the thorns on those rose stems. Something had to give. 

“I don’t know.”

He had laughed. Before he had the chance to say anything else, she’d had him thrown out.

She picked up the invitation and dropped it into the wastebasket. There, that's better. Much better.

David Deen, the Research King, recommends the following websites (just click on the link):

Writing Genre Fiction: A guide to Craft

Writing the Flashback in Fiction

Past Perfection at Writer's Relief Blog

Fantasy Fiction Cliche's to Avoid

Book Review: As If 12 3/4 Isn't Bad Enough, My Mother Is Running for President

The word, H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S.
As If 12 3/4 Isn't Bad Enough, My Mother Is Running for President (Delacorte Press/Random House Children's Books 2008) by Donna Gephart is about seventh-grade Vanessa Rothrock who has a few wishes in life:
5. win the spelling bee;
4. discover her secret admirerer's identity;
3. receive a gift (the gift!) from the boob fairy;
2. snag another wink and phone call from Reginald;
1. keep Mom safe and out of the election.

It's easy to see why As If 12 3/4 Isn't Bad Enough, My Mother Is Running for President won the 2009 Sid Fleishman Award presented at the SCBWI's national convention. The Sid Fleishman is the prestigious award granted to honor an author "whose work exemplifies the excellence of writing in the genre of humor." Translation: the book is snort-out-loud funny.

As If 12 3/4 Isn't Bad Enough, My Mother Is Running for President

5 out of 5 lollipops

ISBN-10: 0440422116

ISBN-13: 978-0440422112

Hard cover list price $11.99/ Kindle $7.99

Rating 5 out of 5 lollipops!

Book Jacket: "As if being 12 3/4 isn’t bad enough, Vanessa Rothrock’s mother is running for president and it’s ruining her life. Isn’t it enough that her enormous feet trip her up all the time, even on stage during the school spelling bee? Isn’t it enough that Reginald Trumball, love of Vanessa’s pathetic life, read her personal and private list of deficiencies to some boy she doesn’t even know? And that the Boob Fairy hasn’t visited her even once?! Doesn’t Mom realize that Vanessa needs her more than the rest of the country? More importantly, doesn’t she realize that she may be in grave danger? Vanessa's receiving threatening notes at school–notes that imply some psycho has it out for her mother at the Democratic National Convention. Vanessa might be the only person who can save her. But does she have the courage to do what that requires?"

A Quick Quirky Question for Holly Schindler author of PLAYING HURT

KIM: Welcome Holly Schindler. Thank you for visiting my blog to answer one quick quirky question . If you were to have a FREAKY FRIDAY switcharoo moment that lasted just for a day, would it be with your mother, your Pekingese, or with one of your characters (and if so, which character)?

HOLLY:  My knee-jerk reaction is to say my Peke, Jake. That dog should truly be crowned World’s Most Spoiled. He gets the steak while we eat the hamburger. And he’s truly the most loved little thing on the planet. I’m sure everybody thinks that of their animals, though...

If I could switch places with one of my characters, I’d switch with Brandon , Chelsea ’s brother in PLAYING HURT. 

In the first place, I really love the way that Brandon just is who he is…He’s probably the most open of any of my characters. There’s such a joy about him, as he dances onstage in Pike’s to his music. 

… Brandon also never sits on anything, lets anything fester inside. He speaks his mind. He lets Chelsea know exactly what he thinks—when he suspects she’s hurt during her last game, or when he suspects she’s having a love affair with Clint.  

           

He’s also really trustworthy—the kind of person Chelsea knows she can rely on. He’s the person she reaches out to, after Gabe’s learned the truth about Clint and has stormed out of their hotel room. And even though Brandon doesn’t like how Chelsea ’s handled Gabe, he does rush to The Carlyle to help her out...

In a lot of respects, Brandon ’s the kind of person everyone strives to be: honest, dependable, totally unashamed to put himself out there.

So, yeah— Brandon . If I could be anybody, I think I’d be him.

PLAYING HURT Jacket Copy:

Star basketball player Chelsea “Nitro” Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone’s admiration in her hometown. But everything changed senior year, when she took a horrible fall during a game. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.

As a graduation present, Chelsea ’s dad springs for a three-week summer “boot camp” program at a northern Minnesota lake resort. There, she’s immediately drawn to her trainer, Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player who’s haunted by his own traumatic past. As they grow close, Chelsea is torn between her feelings for Clint and her loyalty to her devoted boyfriend back home. Will an unexpected romance just end up causing Chelsea and Clint more pain—or finally heal their heartbreak?

A BLUE SO DARK Jacket Copy:

Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura’s dad left them. Convinced that “creative” equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears.

How Lamar's Bad Prank won the NEWBERY a book review by Kim Tomsic

Middle schooler, Lamar, is an Indiana boy trying to convince the Hoosier-cult community that bowling is better than basketball. But he's also trying to achieve a lot more...

Synopsis"Thirteen-year-old Lamar Washington is the maddest, baddest, most spectacular bowler at Striker's Bowling Paradise. But while Lamar's a whiz at rolling strikes, he always strikes out with girls. And his brother, Xavier the Basketball Savior, is no help. Xavier earns trophy after trophy on the basketball court and soaks up Dad's attention, leaving no room for Lamar's problems.

Until bad boy Billy Jenks convinces Lamar that hustling at the alley will help him win his dream girl, plus earn him enough money to buy an expensive pro ball and impress celebrity bowler Bubba Sanders. But when Billy's scheme goes awry, Lamar ends up ruining his brother's shot at college and every relationship in his life. Can Lamar figure out how to mend his broken ties, no matter what the cost?


From debut author Crystal Allen comes an unforgettable story of one boy's struggle to win his family's respect and get the girl of his dreams while playing the sport he loves."

Author Crystal Allen definitely handled her business and  HOW LAMAR'S BAD PRANK WON A BUBBA-SIZED TROPHY seems like a no-brainer for the Newbery (ALA's top award for children's literature). This middle grade novel is laugh-out-loud funny, full of heart and drama,  and packed with voice, v o I C E, VOICE. I can picture writing coaches using Crystal Allen's style as an example of snappy writing, because she is outrageously clever and the master of  many creative elements, like a  Spunk and Bite How-To. The zippy language of Allen's debut book will entertain you on the level of Savvy (a previous Newbery winner) while tugging the same emotional cords as When You Reach Me (oh, what?...another Newbery winner).

PREDICTIONS: Not only do I predict a Newbery nod (as well as a Sid Fleishman Award), but I also predict a blockbuster movie. Lamar has the flavor of Chris Rock's Everybody hates Chris and will win the same audience as Wimpy Kid.  Anyone who reads Lamar's tale and actually claims they don't love it must be drinking  "Haterade." Why? Because How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy is "shut-yo' mouth" good.

5 out of 5 lollipop rating

It's "shut-yo' mouth" good!

How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Bubba Sized Trophy (Balzer and Bray February, 2011) by Crystal Allen $16.99 ISBN-13: 9780061992728 and ISBN: 0061992720
Purchasing Links:Barnes and Noble
Tattered Cover
Indie Bound
Boulder Book Store
Amazon

MY INVISIBLE BOYFRIEND a YA Book Review

The Hook: 

"Heidi has the perfect solution to her popularity problems - a fake boyfriend. She's even made him an Internet profile that makes him look like a motorcycle-riding, poetry reading bad boy. *swoon* Heidi's friends are so impressed they start emailing Heidi's fake boyfriend with their problems . . . including their problems with Heidi."

MY INVISIBLE BOYFRIEND by Susie Day is a YA reader's must-have. It's packed with a fun hook and creative writing. Susie Day has an M.T. Anderson-ish style (not Octavia Nothing-ish, more Feed) and brings additional writer's spice to the table. Day blends imaginative elements  such as bizarre recipes, imaginary friends, enigmatic characters, and an element of mystery to create a perfect recipe of plot and drama. YA readers will love this book. 

3.75 out of 5 lollipop rating

My Invisible Boyfriend (Scholastic Press April 1, 2010) by Susie Day earns a 3.75 out of 5 lollipop rating.
ISBN-10: 9780545073547


ISBN-13: 978-0545073547

Available at list price of $16.99 from many Indie providers (i.e. Tattered Cover, Boulder Books) or from Amazon.

BOOK REVIEW: Playing Hurt

Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler will be this summer's YA go-to romance novel.

When broken basketball star, Chelsea, is forced into a Minnesota Lakes boot camp, she discovers her trainer, Clint, has some wounds of his own. The story is packed with enough heat and tension to ignite the hormones, but can greater healing come about? Author Holly Schindler answers this question in her spicy YA novel,  Playing Hurt (Flux, March 2011).  Playing Hurt is not for the feint of heart reader, meaning it's not for the tween/teen just leaving their middle grade reader in search of a juicier read. It's an older YA novel that promises sexual tension.

Schindler has a smooth writing style and can turn a phrase in a clever way. Although I would have preferred that the author use only half the metaphors and similes, I couldn't help but love when I read certain hyperboles like, [we were] "so close our eye lashes almost tangled." Schindler did a fantastic job revving up tension. The summer romance between Chelsea and Clint is so steamy that Playing Hurt could easily become this decade's version of Dirty Dancing.


ISBN-10: 9780738722870


ISBN-13: 978-0738722870

Playing Hurt, Flux (March 2011) Available for $9.99 through independent book sellers, Barnes & Noble, Amazon