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Truly a manic Monday

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 7:13 PM
Having sent what has turned out to probably be the last revision of my picture book to my editor on Saturday, I had planned to not only blog today but also work on a new book.

Unfortunately, instead of merely one previously-scheduled doctor's appointment, I ended up with four: the planned one, then a trip to the pediatrician, the radiologist, and the orthopedist.

Yep, the Pace family has its first broken arm. It belongs to the twelve-year-old male child, otherwise known as #3.

Bummer.

Also unfortunately, I had to miss a Virginia Festival of the Book planning meeting with [info]franslayton and the Festival director. Fran and Nancy met without me and have come up with something absolutely fabulous. I'm so excited -- it's bigger and better than ever with kidlit at VABook -- and we'll have deets coming soon.




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Smell the Flowers

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 10:32 PM

I finished the second draft of my novel today. After such an enormous task, my only advise is to stop and enjoy the beauty of the world around you. Smell a flower, watch a butterfly.

Monarch of the Sasanqua Camellias

MonarchofCamellias

When I left my office, I noticed that the sasanqua camellias (it’s a fall-blooming variety) were full of bees and butterflies! This Monarch looks ragged: he’s only halfway to his migration destination in Mexico and still has to face flying over the Gulf of Mexico. I’m glad he stopped at our flowers for some R&R and to brighten my day.

Sunset on October 30

And this sunset was taken on October 30, the first real sunset after about ten days of rain. Because of the prolonged rain, it reminded me of Ray Bradbury’s classic short story, “All in a Summer’s Day.”
Oct30Sunset

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Growing Bookworms Newsletter: November 9

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 1:52 PM

Jpg_book007Today I will be sending out the new issue of the Growing Bookworms email newsletter. (If you would like to subscribe, you can find a sign-up form here.) The Growing Bookworms newsletter contains content from my blog focused on children's books and raising readers. It is sent out once every two weeks (if you are getting daily Feedblitz updates, you might prefer to sign up for the Growing Bookworms newsletter instead, and only receive one email every two weeks). There are currently 961 subscribers to the newsletter. (I know that it's just a number, but I'm really hoping to get to 1000 by the end of the year.)

Newsletter Update: In this issue, I have three book reviews, two children's literacy round-ups (one here and one at The Reading Tub) and three posts with Kidlitosphere news. I also have a post about a nice list of children's literature blogs from School Library Journal. Not included in the newsletter, I have:

Reading Update: In the past two weeks, I read two middle grade and two young adult titles:
  • Angie Sage: Queste (Septimus Heap, Book 4). Katherine Tegen Books. Completed November 3, 2009. My review.
  • Angie Sage: Syren (Septimus Heap, book 5). Katherine Tegan Books. Completed November 6, 2009. My review.
  • Diana Peterfreund: Rampant. HarperTeen. Completed October 29, 2009. My review.
  • Jordan Sonnenblick: After Ever After. Scholastic. Completed November 1, 2009. My review.

I have a trip for work coming up later this week which means that A) I'll probably get some reading done on airplanes; but B) posting on the blog will be sparse for the next few days. Hopefully I'll be able to get back up to speed on reviews after that. I have a huge stack of picture books awaiting my attention.

How about you? What have you been reading and enjoying? Thanks for reading, and for growing bookworms!

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. All Amazon links in this post are affiliate links, and may result in my receiving a small commission on purchases (with no additional cost to you).

Book: Queste (Septimus Heap, Book 4) and Syren (Book 5)
Author: Angie Sage
Illustrator: Mark Zug
Pages: 624,
Age Range: 9-12

I recently read the fourth and fifth books in Angie Sage's Septimus Heap series. I never reviewed books 1 through 3, although I enjoyed them, because I listened to them on audio (and I find I need to be able to flip back through flagged passages to write a proper review). The Septimus Heap books are a solid middle grade fantasy series, well-suited to kids who like the early Harry Potter books or Sarah Prineas' Magic Thief series. They are light and fun, filled with lush descriptions and humorous moments. While the characterization isn't as deep as, say, that of the Harry Potter books, Sage has a knack for capturing bad guys and characters of decidedly mixed motives.

The Septimus Heap books are set in a wholly fictional country with castles and wizards and ghosts and a series of ice tunnels that run below ground. Book 1, Magyk, introduces the Heap family, their adopted daughter, Jenna, and the seventh son, Septimus, who was spirited away at birth, and is believed by the family to be dead. Parallel story lines follow Jenna, an orphan called Boy 412, and a young apprentice to a dark wizard. There are assassination attempts, secret identities, diabolical villains, and, of course, magical spells and potions. Other books in the series flesh out various characters and add elements such as time travel, dragons, and alchemy. While major elements are resolved in each book, other threads are left open, to be continued from story to story.

9780060882075 Book 4, Queste, begins as Septimus, Jenna, and Septimus' friend Beetle set out to rescue Septimus' brother Nicko and his friend Snorri, who were lost in the past after an incident with a time-travel mirror. A time-traveling alchemist is able to give them a clue as to Nicko and Snorri's whereabouts, but a dangerous quest is required.

I found Queste to be a bit darker than the earlier books in the series. There's a long, bleak trek through a winter wood, for example. And Septimus' fate lies under a cloud for much of the book. However, there are also lighter elements, such as Beetle's growing crush on Jenna, and another character's addiction to licorice. Here are a couple of passages that I flagged as representative of the feel of the book:

"He stopped and took a last look at the broad sweep of the Castle below him before he descended once more into his bright basement. It was breathtakingly beautiful. The moon was riding high in the sky, casting its cool, white light across the rooftops and sending long shadows down the streets far below. A myriad of pinpoint candlelights glittered across the vast expanse of the Castle, in a way that Ephaniah had never seen before." (Page 318, paperback edition)

"Septimus sat next to Beetle and looked through his Physik tin with anticipation. At last he was getting a chance to try out the Physik he had learned on a real patient. Beside him his unwitting patience dozed peacefully on the floor of the tree house, pale but breathing steadily." (Page 488, paperback)

9780060882105 Book 5, Syren, picks up the very day after the end of Queste. While returning from their previous quest, Septimus, Jenna, and Beetle find themselves stranded on a mysterious island, an island inhabited by a Syren. They eventually cross paths with Septimus' old friend Wolf Boy, traveling unexpectedly with Lucy Gringe (girlfriend to Septimus' bad apple of an older brother), and have to fight off multiple terrifying enemies.

I liked Syren better than Queste - there's a bit  more character development, and I preferred the island setting to the forest of the previous book. It's a nice combination of idyllic and menacing. I enjoyed Jenna's relationship with her usually absent father ("Jenna fought back the urge to kick him" - Chapter 17), as well as the baby steps taken by prior bad guy Simon towards rehabilitation. Here are a couple of quotes that caught my eye:

"It was a bright, blustery spring day in the Marram Marshes. The wind had blow away the early-morning mist and was sending small white clouds scudding high across the sky. The air was chilly; it smelled of sea salt, mud and burned cabbage soup." (Chapter 2) (Can't you just feel this scene?)

"Spit Fyre had flown a very agitated Marcia Overstrand all the way to the House of Foryx without a single mistake. Given the fact that Marcia had got the basic dragon-direction instructions completely backward, this was quite an achievement. Marcia naturally believed it was her innate dragon-riding skills that had gotten them safely there, but in fact it was down to Spit Fyre's innate ExtraOrdinary Wizard-ignoring skills." (Chapter 13)

In general, the adults in this series are presented with a sort of benign, affectionate ridicule, while the kids, though flawed, too, are the real forces to be reckoned with. This is as it should be for this type of book, I think. Sage's writing style is a nice combination of light-hearted humor and multi-sensory description.

Both books featured a wrap-up chapter at the end, with sections giving some additional background, and filling in details of what happened to particular characters. I found these sections anti-climactic and distracting (and I don't recall whether or not the first three books did this, too), though some useful information was conveyed. There's also a tendency for the plotting in the Septimus Heap books to rely on coincidence (Oh look, there's Wolf Boy, turning up on the deserted island that we're stranded on. How fun!). But those are minor points. I still think that the Septimus Heap books are fun, kid-friendly stories that will please middle grade fantasy fans. Recommended.

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: March 31, 2008 and September 9, 2009
Source of Book: Review copies from the publisher
Other Blog Reviews: The Bookette, Melissa, Bookworm Blogger

© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. All Amazon links in this post are affiliate links, and may result in my receiving a small commission on purchases (with no additional cost to you).

Nov. 9th, 2009

  • 8:35 PM
Worked on Menelaus today. Towards the end of the writing session I made a sizable deletion (sizable at this stage in the process, anyway) and started welding together two pieces that had been separated by the deleted portion and by some other stuff that's been moved out of the way. However, I ran out of time and didn't get to finish putting it together. Now I've got family stuff to do, which is too bad, because I would have liked to get those two pieces at least basted to each other, wordwise. I had to go off and just leave them in the same general page area.

I ought to mention . . .

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 3:31 PM
. . . that my new Meter Readers column for KidMagWriters.com went live as of November 1st. It's all about rhymed couplets: what they are, how to write them, and a good number of examples (including dialogue from The Princess Bride - hence my icon, which is part of dialogue in rhymed couplets between Inigo Montoya and Fezzig the Giant).

Clickety click.

Kiva - loans that change lives




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Lions are . . .

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 12:38 PM
The New York Times Best Illustrated Books list is out, along with my review of The Lion & the Mouse. What a great book--I wish they had given me twice the space. When I sat down with it and my two young neighbors, the two year old boy announced, looking uncertainly at the cover, "lions are scary." His more intrepid four-year-old sister took over the narration from there ("Look out for the bird!") until the end, whereupon the two-year-old said, "lions are NOT scary." Now it's his favorite book, so we gave him a copy for his birthday, along with a little plastic lion he can carry around in his hand. What's your talisman?

Jpg_book008 This week’s children’s literacy and reading news round-up, brought to you by Jen Robinson’s Book Page and Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub blog, is now available at the Reading Tub. This week Terry Doherty and I have collected plenty of content for you about literacy & reading-related events; literacy and reading programs and research; 21st century literacies; and grants, sponsorships & donations.

Terry_readingtubfinal_1Terry's added a special section to the roundups, which we'll have for the rest of the year: Literacy & Book-centric Holiday Events and Activities. I'm guessing that this section will expand as we move forward. Especially interesting in this week's 21st Century Literacies section is a new service that Terry found called the Storybook Research Project. Terry says:

"Well, Nokia just blew my idea for making a personal digital recording reading a book out of the water. It seems that they have partnered with the Sesame Street Workshop to “create an interactive reading experience that can involve grandparents and grandchildren no matter how far apart they may find themselves. The Storybook research project melds the tactile and visual pleasures of reading a real book with video conferencing technology which allows distant relatives to take an active part in a child’s literacy development.”"

Booklights I have some additional links for parents focused on raising readers at Booklights today, in my Literacy 'Lights from the Kidlitosphere column. Next week, I'll have Item #2 in my Tips for Growing Bookworms series (Tip #1, about reading aloud, is here).

I'll be traveling later this week, so Terry is going to host next week's children's literacy and reading news roundup at Scrub-a-Dub-Tub. How I ever kept up these roundups before I started partnering with her, I do not know. Thanks for reading, and for growing bookworms!

These are books Publishers Weekly named as the best YA novels of 2009. Which have you read? I have read Catching Fire, If I Stay, The Ask and the Answer, When You Reach Me, and Lips Touch. And I’ve got more in my TBR pile.

Wintergirls
Going Bovine
Fire
Catching Fire
If I Stay
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
Purple Heart
The Ask and the Answer
A Season of Gifts
When You Reach Me
Shiver
Marcelo in the Real World
Tales from Outer Suburbia
Lips Touch: Three Times
The Uninvited

Which have you read?

Which of the ones I haven't read yet do you think I should read right away?



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The Multiplying Menace is on Amazon!

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 1:51 PM
It's always exciting when your book first pops up on Amazon--found book one of Magic Repair shops books up there today.

SOOOOOOO close to finishing book two!!!!!! Got waylaid last week by sick kids, doctor appointments and mega-carpooling.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/141699033X




Remember, remember the 9th of November

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 11:11 AM
A salute to my friends in Germany. 20 years ago you took the first, dramatic steps toward reunification. The journey has sometimes been painful, but look how far you've come.

I was so wrapped up in toddler care and pregnancy that I barely noticed the news that autumn of 1989, so now I read the articles about the fall of the wall and marvel at the brave men and women who made it happen. (Give your parents a hug for me, [info]eretria.)

REVIEW Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 8:28 AM

Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews is no stranger to the Cybils, and this year she's a round I judge for the Middle Grade Fiction category. Her book review blog has been going for over three years, looking at children's, MG, YA, and adult books and hosting numerous fun reading challenges as well as author interviews.

Chains Becky reviewed one of our MG fiction nominees that was published in late 2008--too late for the 2008 Cybils contest, but eligible this year. That book is Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, a historical novel about Isabel and Ruth, two slaves freed in their recently deceased master's will. However, their master's nephew ignores the decree of freedom and sells them to an unscrupulous Loyalist family in New York City. Nevertheless, Isabel, the book's narrator, still dreams of freedom. Says Becky:

Set in New York City during circa 1776-1777, the story is vibrant and heartbreaking. It's a story rich in detail and emotional and powerful in nature. Isobel's story--her struggles--resonates so deeply that I think this one is a must-read.

Read the full review here.

From Page to Publication program

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 10:00 AM

If you've ever wondered about the publishing process you might consider attending my From Page to Publication program this Thursday night at the Smoky Hill Library in Centennial, CO. The program is open to adults and teens. You can register for this free event at arapahoelibraries.org.

From Page to Publication
 
Event Type: Adults & Teens
Date: 11/12/2009
Start Time: 7:00 PM
End Time: 8:30 PM
Description:
 Terri Clark, author of Sleepless (HarperCollins), will demystify the publishing process. Learn about the many stages a manuscript goes through before it hits the shelves as a book - revisions, copy edits, line edits, etc. From page to publication, contract to book shelf, Terri will share her experience and answer questions from interested writers.
Library: Smoky Hill Library
Location: Smoky Hill Room A
Registration Ends: 11/12/2009 at 7:00 PM
Status: Openings
 

Join me

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 8:41 AM


for a latte while I fiddle with the end of chapter seven.

My Best Frenemy cover art

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 8:54 AM

Orange you glad to see this? It's the cover art for my third book, My Best Frenemy. The banner across the top ("Friends for Keeps") is the brand new series name. I'm pretty amazingly thrilled to have a series name:


My Best Frenemy
Dial Books for Young Readers
May 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3501-9 

The book is another friendship tale told by our fourth-grade heroine, Ida May, who is not necessarily as brave on the outside as she is on the inside. In this story we get to play a little Truth or Dare, do a little geometry (this made me sweat a bit), contemplate the work of Picasso, meet Ida's new pet, and peek inside her diary.  There is also a frenemy. And a few surprises along the way. 

Dare I mention that My Best Frenemy is already available for pre-order here and here? :)

Nov. 9th, 2009

  • 3:10 PM

2009 World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement for Jane Yolen! CONGRATS! http://ow.ly/zSTs

Posted in News

The Dangers of Writing YA

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 7:53 AM
I'm not talking about censorship/sex/drugs/your neighbor thinking you act like a teenager.

I'm talking about ZOMBIES.

So last night I became one.

Seriously.

I was in Spain. At least I think it was Spain because everything was red-roofed and red streets and there were a lot of yummy smells in the air.

Smells like BRAINZ.

I was bit almost immediately and then knew (because I read THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by [info]carrie_ryan) that I would turn. Quickly. And I did.

A useful side character came up (like a good side character should) and warned, "Don't look in the mirror."

So of course I spent the rest of the dream --between diving out of windows/infecting other people/hiding from [info]watchmebe who was chasing me with a bow & arrow (SISTER'S RED style?)--looking for a mirror.

When I found one it was blurred and cracked like all good story mirrors are. My reflection looked something like this:

But you know, with blue eyes.

I grabbed a roll of TP (which was handy, natch) and wiped off some of the blood and brainz and got back to work doing what zombies do.

That's about when I found my family casually picnicking on green grass apparently unaware of my current state.
I watched from afar as a wolf. Who looked just like Sam from SHIVER by [info]m_stiefvater

Except, you know with yellow eyes
So he waltzes out of the woods and BITES MY YELLOW LAB ON THE BACK OF THE NECK KILLING HIM INSTANTLY.

Am I upset?

Not really. I casually think, "He's going to morph into a werewolf later--he'll be fine."
As I am OOZING BLOOD AND BRAINZ.
I blame said authors mentioned above. And YA in general.
Needless to say, I escaped unscathed.
I had to tell The Boy all about said dream before school this morning. His comment?
"That's great nobody cut your head off--you know that's the only way to kill a zombie."

Lesson learned? YA is a world I never want to stop visiting.

Notes on my refrigerator

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 7:48 AM
When we visited my in-laws a few weeks ago, they gave us their nearly-new Subaru Forester. Very exciting, but hmmm, how to get it home? I enjoy traveling, don't get me wrong, but epic car rides give me claustrophobia. (Are you surprised?) But my husband adores road trips. Long story short, he drove the Subaru back to Orange County via the backroads and byways of America.

On this sunny Monday morning, two quasi-related thoughts: 

1) Our new silver steed is sturdy, shiny, safe. Just a few tiny scratches -- beauty marks, let's call them -- and that new car smell still lingers. I am grateful for this unexpected blessing, but honestly? I'd like to give it a little makeover. It's a sensible car, which is all well and good, but a little frivolity never hurt anyone, right? So...how can I transform my Granola Mobile into something a little more girly-girl? (No offense to those who prefer the former to the latter.)

2) My husband visited the International Bluegrass Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky, where he was fortunate enough to see a live performance by Bill and Maggie Anderson, I would have liked to see them in person, but my husband brought me a CD as a consolation prize. Now, I'm not all that fond of bluegrass, but trust me: it's a toe-tapping, hand-clapping platter o' down-home goodness. My favorite song on the album is "God's Refrigerator." This video features a different artist, but I think you'll get the picture. 


Yeah, it's as corny as all get-out, and maybe a bit too twangy for my ears. But the metaphor's kinda cute, don't you think? No matter your religious beliefs, I think everybody understands the significance of love made visible. And--please forgive me for this shallow interpretation--I'm wishing my story was ready to tape to the refrigerator. You too? Well, let's get cookin'!

2nd Official Update coming SOON!

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 11:05 AM
Hi Everyone,

Just a reminder that the next official check-in is THIS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11.

Yes, that's the day after tomorrow!!!!

Go go go!!!!

:-)

Chicago Recap

  • Nov. 9th, 2009 at 11:03 AM

I went to Chicago last week -- I had a school visit and then a book signing at Anderson's Bookshop with the lovely and amazing Wendy Mass.  On the plane from Laguardia to O'Hare, I sat next to a woman who sneezed for basically two hours straight.  I've always been impressed with my best friend's tendency to sneeze in threes, but this woman's sneezing was epic.  She blew her nose and still kept sneezing.  So then all I was thinking about was swine flu, and the regular flu, and all the other airborne diseases out there, as I was trapped on the plane with the sneezed-in air circulating around me.  I turned my face toward the window.  Oh, how I wished I could open it.  I wished for some sort of bubble around me to keep out the germs.  I wanted to slather myself in Purell, but I didn't want to offend the sneezer.  What's the etiquette for situations like that? 

When we landed, I practically burst out of the plane and went to visit my friend Melissa and her one-year-old daughter.  Later that night, I met up with Wendy and we had dinner – we ordered about six different meals between us, just so we could taste everything (reminiscent of trips to Kate Mantilini in LA with Arielle).  The next morning I headed to Jefferson Junior High in Naperville.  The first thing I saw when I arrived was a sparkly sign hanging on the front door that said WELCOME COURTNEY SHEINMEL.  I pulled out my camera to take a picture.  The librarian was waiting for me in the lobby.  She said she knew I must be Courtney Sheinmel; after all, who else would be standing there taking pictures?  There was another sign in the parking lot that said RESERVED PARKING FOR COURTNEY SHEINMEL, which really made me feel like a rock star.


I met with a few different eighth grade classes.  The kids really blew me away with their questions.  One class made bookmarks inspired by the book, with words like “hope,” “friendship,” and “family” on them. I wanted to take the bookmarks home with me, and a couple of the kids did give me theirs, but most of them wanted to keep them – which is more meaningful, because I felt like the book meant something to them.  A few of the teachers asked me about Elizabeth Glaser, and I love when she is remembered.  The whole day was incredibly rewarding.  That night, Wendy and I had a book reading/signing at Anderson’s Bookshop.  I read the passage from Chapter 5 that I always read – I think I’m getting better at reading without rushing through.  A bunch of people came out to see us (well, to see Wendy), and everyone at the bookstore was so lovely and welcoming.  They let us each pick out a book to take home, and I took a copy of JELLICOE ROAD, which a number of people have said I will love, so I’m excited to read it.  It was one of those perfect, exciting, exhausting days.    

We flew home on Friday – the flight was packed but uneventful, and no one sneezed on me.  I’ve been proactively loading up on Airborne, and so far I still feel healthy (hope I’m not jinxing myself!) – I leave for California on Wednesday.

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2009 Appearances

March 7, 2009
3:00 pm
BookSpring (formerly RIF) VIP program and signing
BookPeople
Austin, Texas

April 1, 2009
Beth Yeshurun Day School
Houston, Texas

April 2, 2009
2:00 pm signing, Author’s Area
Texas Library Association
Houston, Texas

April 16, 2009
Mid-Rivers Council IRA
Main Street Books
St. Charles, Missouri

April 23, 2009
West Clayton Elementary School
Clayton, North Carolina

May 30, 2009
11:00 am
10th Anniversary Celebration
St. Louis County Library, Headquarters

September 13, 2009
St. Louis Art Fair
12:45 pm
Reading with Ridley Pearson

October 3, 2009
Missouri Literary Festival
Springfield, Missouri

October 6, 2009
Southwest Middle School
Manchester, Missouri

October 7, 2009
3:15 pm speaking
4:30 pm signing
Missouri Library Association Conference
Columbia, Missouri

October 10, 2009
The Big Read
St. Louis, Missouri

October 13-23, 2009
15 Schools, Northeast Independent School District
San Antonio, Texas
October 13 – Redland Oaks Elementary
October 14 – East Terrell Hills and Camelot Elementaries
October 15 – Wilshire and Serna Elementaries
October 16 – West Avenue and Harmony Hills Elementaries
October 19 - Wilderness Oak Elementary
October 20 – Castle Hills and Dellview Elementaries
October 21 – El Dorado and Clear Spring Elementaries
October 22 – Fox Run and Regency Place Elementaries
October 23 – Colonial Hills Elementary

November 5, 2009
Mini-Skype Session
4th & 5th Grade Book Clubs
Patton School
Arlington Heights, Illinois

November 10, 2009
Skype Session
Children's Lit Students
University of Central Washington

December 1-4
8 Elementary Schools
Frisco, TX
December 1 - Rogers and Fisher Elementaries
December 2 - Curtsinger and Robertson Elementaries
December 3 - Spears and Shawneed Trail Elementaries
December 4 - Bledsoe and Smith Elementaries
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