My teen blogger Elliott Kurta is now busy being a freshman in high school and doing his volunteer job at the library. So, we'll enjoy his book reviews whenever he has time to get them to me. ****REVIEW Young Elle is constantly shamed for being overweight;… Continue reading STARFISH: A Teen Review of a Middle-Grade Book
REVIEW Rick Riordan’s latest middle-school adaptation of mythology, Daughter of the Deep is a fast-paced, ocean-spanning tale, featuring protagonist Ana Dakkar. Taking inspiration from Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the novel features many of Captain Nemo’s inventions while still remaining engaging to a modern audience. Daughter of the Deep’s strong point—the witty dialogue accentuated… Continue reading DAUGHTER OF THE DEEP and 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA: Book Comparisons by Guest Blogger, Elliott Kurta
In April, Elliott Kurta reviewed Doreen Berger's science fiction middle-grade novel, The Captain's Daughters. In this post, he reviews the sequel and interviews the author.REVIEWIn Beyond the Stars by Doreen Berger, twin sisters, and troublemakers Robin and Diane are back, this time with a new friend. In this adventure, their father has asked them to welcome a… Continue reading BEYOND THE STARS: MG Book Review, Author Interview, and Giveaway with Guest Blogger, Elliott Kurta
In May Elliott Kurta reviewed the first four books in the lower middle grade series, Upside Down Magic. In this post, he shares his thoughts on the second four books written by Sarah Mlynoski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins.If you missed the first part, you can find it here. This is Elliott's introduction to the series: "The Upside-Down Magic series spreads a message of… Continue reading UPSIDE DOWN MAGIC -Part II by Guest Blogger, Elliott Kurta
Written by a Grammy-winning musician, Girl on Fire is Alicia Keys’ latest project. Aimed at mature middle-schoolers, this graphic novel is a good book for easing students into heavier reading with more complex themes. The book is illustrated by Brittney Williams. Girl on Fire stars Lolo Wright, a Black girl who lives in the Monroe Housing Projects. Lolo thinks… Continue reading GIRL ON FIRE: A Graphic Novel Review by Guest Blogger, Elliott Kurta
When I read Greg Pattridge's review of Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone, I recognized a book that Elliott, my teen guest blogger, would probably enjoy. As you'll see in his review, I was correct. Combining aliens, middle school, and bullying, Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone by Tae Keller is an insightful book with an important… Continue reading JENNIFER CHAN IS NOT ALONE– A Book Review by Guest Blogger, Elliot Kurta
A few weeks ago I posted my You're Almost in Labor! blog. I shared that the next step in my publishing journey was engaging Deborah Halverson to help get my "baby" ready to send to agents and/or publishers. As I waited for her feedback and editorial letter, I got nervous. What if she didn't like HALF-TRUTHS? Or worse, what if she… Continue reading The Next Step: The Editorial Letter
Please welcome back Elliott Kurta with his evaluation of an 8-book series by Sarah Mlynoski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins. REVIEW The Upside-Down Magic series spreads a message of positivity and acceptance by using magic as an analogy for individuality. Perfect for upper elementary and middle-school students, these novels capture a fifth-grade class as they make… Continue reading UPSIDE DOWN MAGIC- Part I by Guest Blogger, Elliott Kurta
If you're reading this and have been pregnant for nine long months, or if you've been close to someone during that-seemingly-endless amount of time waiting for a baby, then you know how pregnant mamas look forward to their delivery date.Many people compare publishing a book to having a baby. So, when I contacted Rebecca Kurta, Elliott Kurta's mom (my… Continue reading "You're Almost in Labor!" A Celebration of Stages
If you missed Elliott's review of The Captain's Daughters click here.INTERVIEWELLIOTT: What inspired you to write The Captain’s Daughters? DOREEN: The Captain’s Daughters was inspired by my life-long friendship with my best friend Robin. As kids, we were always getting into some kind of mischief. We met in the third grade and we both loved science-fiction and dreamed about living… Continue reading THE CAPTAIN'S DAUGHTERS- PART II: An Interview by Guest Blogger Elliott Kurta with Author Doreen Berger