Sylvia Patience, the author of The Double Crossing (Paper Angel Press, 2023), reached out to me with a request to review her historical middle-grade book. She suspected that it was a book that would interest me and she was right.REVIEWI first learned about the ocean liner, the St. Louis in Barbara Krasner's picture book, Liesl's Ocean Rescue.… Continue reading THE DOUBLE CROSSING by Sylvia Patience: A Middle Grade Historical Fiction Review, Author Interview, & Giveaway
Congratulations to Danielle Hammelef who won BLACK GIRLS LIKE ME from last week's blog. ******** I always enjoy sharing amazing books and a young adult author who I'm unfamiliar with. That's what you'll find if you read, or listen to, Carrie Arcos' book, We Are All That's Left (Philomel, 2018). Both narrators, Laura Knight Keating and Elisabeth Rodgers, perform… Continue reading We are All That's Left: A Review and a Great Audio CD for You
I am honored to share the cover reveal for DRIVE, Joyce Hostetter's newest middle grade book that will be released in September by Calkins Creek. In this interview she gives you a glimpse of the backstory behind the latest in the Bakers Mountain Stories as well as the nitty gritty research she did. Take it away, Joyce!… Continue reading You Heard it Here First: Cover Reveal for DRIVE by Joyce Hostetter
One of my blogging joys is introducing an author or illustrator who is making her debut. It is my pleasure to review Like A River by Kathy Cannon Weichman which makes its official debut in April. At the end of this blog you'll find directions on how you can win my ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). Doc… Continue reading You Heard it Here First: Introducing "Like a River" by Kathy Cannon Wiechman
Time travel. The Civil War. Multi-cultural. Horses. Romance. There aren't many books that fit such a wide variety of categories--but Turning on a Dime by Maggie Dana does just that. Samantha DeVries' father is Lucas DeVries, a third-generation American of Dutch descent and master horseman; her mother, Gretchen, is an African American and a history buff who… Continue reading Turning On a Dime- A Review and a Giveaway!
Congratulations to Jeannie Smith who won Deanna Klingel's book, "Cracks in the Ice." Writers have ongoing debates as to which is better, a character-driven story or one that is plot-driven. Obviously, both well developed characters and engaging plots are vital for a successful novel. As Rebecca Petruck said in a recent post, "Character and plot… Continue reading Character + Plot = Pinned