Heart of the Green Leaf by Carla Harrison is a touching young adult novel. It is about resilient courage in the face of family struggles and the power of loyalty. REVIEW Meet Maralee Truett, a 14-year-old North Carolina farm girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders. The novel takes place in the summer… Continue reading Exploring Family Struggles in ‘Heart of the Green Leaf’
INTRODUCTION This is my third MG time travel mentor novel I've reviewed. If you missed the other two, I reviewed Jane Yolen's class, The Devil's Arithmetic and Time Traveling with a Hamster. Today's book, The Retake is totally different. I am enjoying seeing how various authors handle the concept of time travel and am finding… Continue reading Middle Grade Fiction: Lessons from ‘The Retake’
INTRODCUTION Warrior on the Mound by Sandra W. Headen is a fictional story through the eyes of twelve-year-old, Cato Jones. Cato is the pitcher for the Pender County Rangers. He and his team sneak out of school to see the new baseball field for the white team. After getting caught for trespassing, events unfold and… Continue reading Exploring Segregation Through Cato’s Baseball Journey
INTRODUCTION FROM REVIEWER, KATE LUNDEEN Today I am introducing The Barbary Chronicles: The Lost Prince by Bobbi Miller. This middle grade adventure takes place in San Francisco in the 1870’s. Here is the publisher’s description: Eleven-year-old Jack London holds her own among rascals, ruffians, and thieves in this rollicking adventure story set in 1870s San Francisco.Oliver Twist meets Deadwood in… Continue reading The Lost Prince: A Tale of Courage and Kindness
Introduction As many of you know, I have been a part of the Write2Ignite team for many years. Last year I was "promoted" to the co-director of our biannual Master Class and as we gear up for our next class, I'm eager to share this great opportunity with those of you who want to write… Continue reading Unlock Your Writing Potential: Join Write2Ignite’s Master Class
INTRODUCTION There is so much to love about this novel. The characters, the story, the themes... REVIEW Mary Bella is famous. Everyone loves her, and everyone loves her voice. But despite the fame, the awards, and the glory, Mary knows that something is missing…she just can’t place her finger on what. Then she meets Presley.… Continue reading Discover Faith and Love in OFFBEAT by Jen Lowry
INTRODUCTION Time Traveling with a Hamster (Yearling, 2018) by Ross Welford, my second time travel mentor novel, is totally different than The Devil's Arithmetic . REVIEW At least that's what I initially thought. But then one night when I couldn't sleep because I was thinking about time travel and how I was going to incorporate… Continue reading Time Travel in Middle Grade Literature
Introduction Sometimes history has a habit of blurring the lines between enemy and friend. This is true in Dana Vanderlugt’s WWII novel in verse, Enemies in the Orchard. Can a teenage Nazi and a farm girl learn to treat each other decently and allow a friendship to blossom? Review Claire De Boer is the hardworking daughter… Continue reading Exploring Kindness Amidst War: ‘Enemies in the Orchard’ Review
Introduction As I mentioned in my last post, my middle grade work-in-progress, Out of the Flame, has morphed into a time travel novel. The reason is simple. I love sharing history with tweens and teens and time travel is more appealing than straight historical fiction. The execution is not. Now I have to learn how… Continue reading Exploring Time Travel in Historical Fiction
I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED My bio in my recent Writer's Digest article says, "When she’s not writing or teaching, Carol enjoys cheering at her grandchildren’s sporting events, twisting into ridiculous yoga contortions, and gardening." To be honest, like many authors, much of my "spare" time goes to "non-writing" writing work. Replying to emails or… Continue reading What Do You Do When You’re Not Writing?