May 30th, DESTINY, REWRITTEN BY Kathryn Fitzmaurice

     One of the ways I reach my middle grade students and some beyond those years is to talk story.  I tell them you are writing the story of your life.   I find it gives them distance from pain and confusion and empowers them to make decisions on their character’s behalf.  Kathryn Fitzmaurice brings this concept to life in her latest middle grade novel.

 DESTINEY, REWRITTEN by Kathryn Fitzmaurice is the perfect middle grade novel that captures coming of age through the eyes of a young want-to-be romance writer whose given destiny is to become a poet.   Emily Elizabeth Davis is destined to be a poet, or so she is told.  When little cousin Mortie turns the page of her life to an unexpected chapter, Emily begins to allow herself to rewrite her story to be her own.   

Destiny can be a difficult topic to write about but Fitzmaurice does a remarkable job making it look simple while creating such believable and loveable characters.  Crossing two developmental stages, DESTINY, REWRITTEN moves Emily from the stage that spans late elementary school solidly into early adolescence in which the themes, plot, and characters seamlessly match.  Fitzmaurice thoughtfully brings to life identity through several themes including the Emily’s search for the father she does not know.  DESTINY, REWRITTEN invites, holds, and satisfies the reader, chapter by chapter.

This is a five apple book, cream of the crop. Excellent characterization coupled with a unique plot which clarifies writing one’s own destiny to kids who are developing independence and identity makes this 335 page, middle grade novel a wonderful read for kids ages 8-12. I also recommend this book as a classroom or family read aloud.  It offers up great points to ponder and discuss and includes several mysteries to solve. It is a high interest book for girls and will also appeal to some boys.

     The themes in this book are destiny, independence, mystery, identity, family, change, and friendship.

     DESTINY, REWRITTEN is published by the Katherine Tegen imprint of HarperCollins Publishers and was edited by Molly O’Neill.  It is available on Kindle and in hardcover and can be found at bookstores and online.  You can find out more information about this book and Kathryn at Kathryn’s Website.  
   DESTINY, REWRITTEN is being given away this month to a lucky winner who posts a comment on this blog or signs up as a follower or likes the Book Wisdom by Diane Facebook page.  If you sign up as a follower please let me know you did, I do not have access to your name or use your information as I value your privacy. Drawing happens June 7th.

August 9th, KKCO News 11, Today, Summer Reads, Mysteries

 TO ENTER MY BOOK GIVE AWAY, PLEASE CHECK THE BOX ON THE RIGHT WITH THE INFORMATION ON HOW TO ENTER AND GOOD LUCK.  BOTH BOOKS WILL BE GIVEN AWAY ON AUGUST 24TH.

If you have not seen this list of teen novels put out by NPR, check it out, after you read this blog.  There are some great book suggestions on it.  

 NPRs Best 100 Teen Novels/Listener Favorites

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     Welcome to my August 9th post.  Is it really August?   Some schools are back in session.  Most of the Grand Valley schools start in seven days.  Where did the summer go?  It's a mystery.  As cliche as it is, I want to know why summer flies by when other parts of the year just seem to drag on.  I am thinking of calling on Slate Stephens for some help.

  
Today on KKCO, News11 Today, I shared two, fun mysteries in a series for kids ages 8 - 12, the tweens.  Why are mysteries important for kids to read?  Why are there so many fans of mysteries?  What does it take to write a very good mystery for children?  I could write a whole blog on that but I won't do that here.  What I can say is that a good mystery is about solving a problem in a clever way that keeps the reader engaged.  It also engages the reader in thinking about how to solve the mystery. It brings what educators work hard when they teach kids to read, making inferences and deducing. What might happen next?  How is this going to be solved?  A well written mystery does this naturally without the reader even knowing it.

      Sneed B. Collard III has brought his award winning, writing experience and his sense of humor into his newest fiction work, The Slate Stephens Mysteries, THE GOVENOR'S DOG IS MISSING! and HANGMAN'S GOLD.   He also brings his knowledge of child development into his characters.  Sneeds characters are very believable.  The humor, innocence, natural exploration balanced with doing the right thing captures this age group that Slate and his companion Daphne belong to. It's a perfect match for tween readers.  What else makes this series stand out?  Sneed is very good at all aspects of writing, and he carries it off with his great storytelling.  If you think you need zombies, vampires, dragons, or pirates to entertain your children, you will be pleasantly surprised because Sneed's writing will provide more than that and includes some Western history, biology, and geology. This is fun stuff and never a dull moment writing.

I rate both of these books, a 5 apple book, outstanding, cream of the crop.  Sneed uses his writing skills, ability to create believable characters, fun plots, and researched historical history to make the reader want more.

    The Slate Stephens Mysteries, THE GOVENOR'S DOG IS MISSING! and HANGMAN'S GOLD are for tween children ages 8 -12, both genders who can read chapter books. 

    The themes in this book are mystery, history of the West, friendship, and solving problems.

    You can learn more about Sneed and his award winning books and where to buy them at: Sneed's Website.

     You can find this book through the publisher, Bucking Horse Books.  Your local book store can order this book for you.  On the West Slope of Colorado, our local independent seller is Grand Valley Books. In addition it can be found online at Mountain Press and Amazon.