PLANTING MEMORIES: Ten Ways To Connect With Your Grandchildren

Spring is a wonderful time to make a meaningful connection with your grandchildren. Below you'll find ideas, links and resources for activities that will create memories and give you plenty to talk about. 

Ten Ways to Use Spring to Connect

1. Plant Vegetable Garden Together- What better way to spend time with your grandchild than planting something and watching it grow.

KC EDventures- Offers a resource page with huge list of ideas, links, books. Nourish Interactive- Offers free color sheets for journaling, gardening color sheets, etc. 
Parenting With A Purpose- Planting a sensory garden full of tasting a smelling opportunities. 

2. Read Gardening Books Together-There are many wonderful picture books about gardening, planting, seeds and how things grow. 
The Best Children's Books- provides a great list of picture books. 
Polliwog On Safari- Another great list of books. 

3. Plant A Container Garden- There are many ways you can grow something even if you don't have any outdoor space. 

Coffee With Us3- Shows some easy 
ways you can plant in ziplock bag, jars, etc. 
What We Do All Day?- Has an interesting way to grow a rood vegetable in a container and actually see it grow. 

4. Plant A Flower Garden- Flowers are a great way to watch the different stages of growth together. 

The Golden Gleam- Great way to grow sunflowers with kids. 
Putti's World- Great idea about planting seeds in the shape of the first letter of their name. 

5. Micro-Gardens Perfect For Limited Space- Using containers you already have around the house or apartment. 

Sun Hats & Wellie Boots- Some creative containers using things you have around the house. 

Reading Confetti- Cute handprint garden markers. 

3 Boys=Blessed- Using those plastic strawberry containers.

The Full Circle Gardner- Check out this gardening in a glove idea!

Rockin' With Gramps!

6. Make Elf and Fairy Houses and Gardens- This is a fun activity anytime of year and can use existing materials or you can plant some. 

Growing Green Fingered Kids -Idea for a fairy home. 
Flicker Miniature Backyard Fairy Gardens- A whole group that is dedicated to pictures of Fairy gardens. 
The Magic Onions - I love this fairy garden in barrel! This blog also has several links to great ideas. 

7. Plant A Garden For Imaginative Play- This is a cool idea for creating a world for Lego figurines, dinosaur, bug, animal and other small action toys. Frugal Fun For Boys- Check out the great ideas and then make your own.
Child Central Station- Dirt not your thing, here are some fun art projects for outdoors.
8. Butterflies, Bugs and Beetles- This is great for those that love watching nature and a great way to teach respect for living animals. 

The Kids Garden- Watching a catapillar change into a butterfly is a fascinating activity. 
The Flight Of The Butterflies- A 3-D IMAX movie. A must for anyone that likes butterflies. Check your community for where it's showing. 

9. Do Some Outdoor Science- Learning together about the world is a great way to convey how important our world is.
Housing A Forest- An article about regrowing celery. 
Nature Science- Amazon has a great selection of projects about nature. 

For The Children- Bugs, Worms and Slugs
10. Long-Distance Gardening Ideas- When miles separate you from your grandchildren, it's often difficult to think any of these activities could work. With photo cell phones and Skype many of the activities above could shared. Each week a picture or Skype visit could show each other how the gardens are doing. If they know your doing it too, there's a connection!

You can always send a small package full of activities, pictures, seeds, that you can then talk about over the phone, Skype or email. The Kids Garden- Free printable puzzles about gardening. 
The Best Children's Books- Choose the perfect Spring book to send. 
Live Butterfly Garden- Order your grandchild live caterpillars that will cocoon and become butterflies. You can keep track of the progress long distance. 
Cozy Seaside Homestead- How to grow a garden in baseball card sleeves, light weight and easy to send! They just have to add the dirt.



When thinking about what to do with your grandchildren, keep in mind their age and attention span. Short and fun is far better than long and laborious. It's about making happy and fun memories. Parents teach, grandparents play!

What ideas are you going to try? If you've already done something fun, share it with us? 

MMGM: A Week With Fiona Wonder by Kelly Huddleston

Caution: This book is actually YA. I believe depending on the upper middle grade reader, it could be appealing to them. This book deals frankly with real issues: single parenthood, healthcare, economics, class, etc. There is profanity, but it is not superfluous. 

Date Published: Feb 1, 2013

ISBN: 0615722822
Genre: Upper Middle Grade, contemporary fiction
Publisher: Open Books
Themes: friendship, family, home, cultural diversity, class, healthcare
Add it on: Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Smashwords

About The Book: It is exactly one week until sixteen-year-old Mercy Swimmer is to play out a dream scenario: to spend an entire week with movie star Fiona Wonder, the prize awarded to the winner of a contest staged by a teen magazine.
Mercy is kind and compassionate and always tries to see the best in everybody, even when those around her do not respond similarly. For example, her mother’s snippy, hot-tempered friend Nikki is a kleptomaniac who constantly belittles her boyfriend. Her best friend Valerie has anger issues and a weight problem. Beautiful but cold Lady Redding, Valerie’s mother, feels entitled to everything even as others go without. And Mercy’s mother, a severe asthmatic who works two menial jobs in a “dead mall”, seems to care more about Fiona Wonder and Mercy’s upcoming week with her than the pressing issues in their own lives.
       Everything is on track for Mercy’s upcoming week with Fiona Wonder, but when her mother’s asthma flairs up, Mercy’s world turns upside down and she is faced with a decision that will ultimately challenge her own capacity for compassion.
        A Week with Fiona Wonder shines an intense light upon the dire consequences of social exclusivity and suggests the alternatives of inclusion, empathy and, indeed, mercy.

What Others Are Saying:  "An ageless lesson told in a wonderfully contemporary way. Highly recommend!"—Susie Duncan Sexton, author of Secrets of an Old Typewriter: Stories from a Smart and Sassy Small Town Girl

"As the novel progresses and Mercy's frustrations with the people around her increase, however, another side of her character begins to emerge, one which surprises and disturbs her. She's sucked into new feelings of hurt, anger and vengeance, and before she knows it, it's too late - there can be no return to innocence. As Mercy herself tells us, 'No one knows what goes on inside a black hole unless you're actually in one, and if you're in one then you're already gone.' "  —Gregory Heath author of The Entire Animaland Thoughts of Maria

Some Blogger Reviews:Belle's Book Bonanza
Charles Ray's Ramblings
Minding Spot

What I Thought: Whenever I find a book with reviews across the board high and low, it almost always turns out there are many issues at play. And more often than not, I find myself drawn in with a desire to discern the writers intent, what is he/she really trying to say. That was the case with this book. 
     At the risk of sounding presumptuous, I'm going to  say, I get it. One of the biggest complaints about the book was that the title was misleading, the book addresses the week before the appointed movie star prize. Most Americans, especially teens, are caught up in the daily lives of celebrities. They focus on them, schedule their lives around their performances and clamor to read the latest gossip. The author is shinning a light on the underbelly of all that hero worship, the realities that face the majority of Americans. The 99%, struggling everyday to stay ahead of the bills, put food on the table and take care of their families. 
     The book follows Mercy, a fifteen year old who is faced with the daily tension of healthcare issues, poverty, prejudice and neglect. Each page is full of tension of her everyday life. Many reviewers said they found the book depressing, I see that. I saw something deeper, an amazing teenager dealing with adult issues, a young girl forced into adulthood and responsibility and then almost exploding under the pressure. You may not "like" the characters, their selfish self-preservation. There is no argument that they are real, complicated and all of them are scratching their way to survival in a world of high housing costs, skyrocketing tuition, low income, joblessness, lack of healthcare, etc. It becomes clear why the thought of a future and what that will look like is a luxury, only the rich can afford. 
    I applaud Huddleston for taking this head on. It is rare that anyone speaks honestly about the lives many of American teenagers face everyday of their lives. I thoroughly enjoyed the brash honesty, no punches were pulled here, characters difficult to like, let alone connect to. I believe this perspective is important to give voice to.

About The Author: Kelly Huddleston
Website
Google+
Interview on Moronic Ox
Twitter
Facebook
Online Article Worth Reading
Blog


Who: 
Kelly Huddleston is the author of the novels A WEEK WITH FIONA WONDER, ALONE IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS and THE PERFECT PEARL. Her work has been called original, accomplished and well-crafted.

Five Reasons I Wrote The Book- If you don't read anything else about the book, read this!

Next Week: Back to strictly fun with Cloneward Bound by M.E. Castle the second book in the Clone Chronicles.

Please stop by the other MMGM bloggers, you can find their links in my sidebar.

MMGM: Joy of Apex by Napatsi Folger

Date Published: May 15, 2012

ISBN: 1926569474
Genre: Middle grade fiction, contemporary
Publisher: Inhabit Media Inc.
Themes: friendship, family, home, cultural diversity
Add it on: Goodreads / Indie Bound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble 

About The Book: Joy is ten years old, living in Apex, Nunavut—a suburb of Iqaluit—and loving life. Her little sister Allashua may be annoying, but all in all Joy loves living at the top of the world in Apex. But when Joy begins to notice her parents fighting a lot more than usual, and her mom staying with her sisters in Iqaluit more than she is home, Joy’s perfect life soon becomes a lot more complicated. As Joy navigates her parents’ separation and its affect on her family, she learns some valuable lessons about how to cope when life gets tough. Told in the wry, funny voice of a smart and savvy ten-year-old girl, this book will appeal to young readers everywhere.

First Line: My name is Joy Magnussen and I live in Apex, or Niaqunngun, which is the Inuktitut name for my hometown.

What Others Are Saying: "This is a well-written volume and an engaging read. The work is clearly rooted in the author’s personal experience growing up in the Eastern Arctic. Pre-teens through adult readers will enjoy this book. Highly recommended for public libraries and school libraries everywhere" —The Deakin Review

"Folger is careful at letting the story go first, working in sensory reminiscences from her own childhood in Iqaluit without creating a setting that outweighs plot or character." —Scoop It

Bloggers Weigh In:
Paper Tigers
Beverly Brenna
Pigeon Peas Booknook

What I Thought: Joy of Apex is a slice-of-life contemporary novel about a ten year old girl who's parents split up. Folger does a great job of injecting cultural detail without sacrificing plot pace. I think this would be a great choice for a cultural diversity discussion. It shares interesting peeks into Inuit life while demonstrating common threads all middle grade students share. 

Photo Credit: Nunavut Online

About The Author: Napatsi Folger

Who: Napatsi Folger was born and grew up in Iqaluit, Nunavut, She lived there until her family moved to Vancouver in 1991. Napatsi returned to Iqaluit in 2004, to work for the Department of Education, Government of Nunavut. In 2010 she moved to Toronto to continue her education at the University of Toronto. Joy of Apex is Napatsi Folger's first novel.

Next Week: 
A Week With Fiona Wonder 
                  by Kelly Huddleston







Check out the awesome books the other MMGM bloggers are highlighting:

- Natalie Aguirre is interviewing author Kelley Armstrong and giving away a copy of LOKI'S WOLVES. Click HERE for all the fun.  

- Flash, the Feline Extraordinaire, (and Professional Mews to Cindy Strandvold) recommends THE YEAR THE SWALLOWS CAME EARLY. Click HERE to see what that's all about.    

- Michelle Mason is cheering for PLASTIC POLLY. Click HERE for her review. 

- Sue Heavenrich is captivated by THE UNIVERSE OF FAIR. Click HERE to see what she thought. 

- Gina Carey is singing praises for INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN. Click HERE to read her review.  

 - Barbara Watson is highlighting the classic MRS. FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH. Click HERE to see what she thought.  

- Mark Baker is spotlighting ALCATRAZ VS. THE SHATTERED LENS. Click HEREto see his review. 

- Michelle Isenhoff is spreading the love for THE SILVER CHAIR. Click HERE to see why she loves this classic. 

- Xander is rooting for MILA 2.0. Click HERE to see why he thinks it's not just for YA Readers. 

- Susan Olson is raving about THE SILVER TREE. Click HERE for her review.   

- Laurisa White Reyes is featuring THE SCORCH TRIALS--with a GIVEAWAY. ClickHERE for details 

       - Rosi Hollinbeck is championing NEW LANDS--with a GIVEAWAY! 
          Click HERE for details.

- Michael Gettel-Gilmarten is making sure you all REMEMBER DIPPY. Click HERE to see why.   

- Chelanne Green is caught up in NAVIGATING EARLY. Click HERE for her review 

- Annie McMahon is soaring for THE BOY WHO FLEW WITH EAGLES. Click HERE to see what she thought. 

- Dorine White has an introduction to THE EMERALD RING blog tour. Click HERE to see what that's all about.

- Deb Marshall is an MMGM regular. Click HERE to see what she's featuring this week. 

- Joanne Fritz always has an MMGM for you. Click HERE to see what she's talking about this week. 

- The Mundie Moms are always part of the MMGM fun (YAY!). Click HERE to see their newest recommendations. And if you aren't also following their Mundie Kids site, get thee over THERE and check out all the awesome!    

- The lovely Shannon O'Donnell always has an MMGM ready for you! Click HERE to see what she's featuring this week.

  - Karen Yingling also always has some awesome MMGM recommendations for you. Click HERE to which ones she picked this time!

Anyone Can Be A Teacher...What's The Big Deal

I posted this a couple of years ago and sadly nothing has changed. If you support teachers and the hard work they do, please tweet and share this post. 

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     What on earth can teachers be whining about? How difficult can it be to work only nine months out of the year and get off work at 3:30pm? Right? 

     During the last 30 years I have spent hours volunteering, working and spending time in the education system. My children have graduated and now my grandchildren have entered the public school system and I'm taking time out again, to lend a hand.  I find myself in awe of what a teacher is required to do on a daily basis.

    These challenges would never be tolerated in a normal work environment. The amount of extra time and money spent outside of school in any other profession would be reimbursed or rewarded by overtime pay or merit increases and bonuses.

What would happen if people in other professions faced the same realities teachers do on a daily basis...

1. You manage 28 employees that all talk at once, won't stay at their desks, aren't catching on to the expectations of the job, stop you every 5 minutes to ask a question completely unrelated to the project at hand or don't finish their work. What happens? THEY'RE FIRED.

Teachers don't choose their students nor can they terminate being their teacher. 

  2. You're a doctor and you have 28 patients that all need to be screened, evaluated and appropriate treatments found all at the same time in the same exam room. 
RIDICULOUS?  Teachers do it everyday. 

3. You are an hourly sales employee and a big event is coming up that requires extra preparation and training which means you are working longer than 8 hours. YOU'RE PAID OVERTIME.
  Teachers on average spend two hours each evening correcting papers, calling parents or planning curriculum.

 4. You're a lawyer and you have a client that insists on discussing the progress of their case on a daily basis through email and phone calls, another client needs to be coached for tomorrows trial, you win a settlement for one of your clients. HOURLY CHARGES APPLY AND YOU TAKE YOUR PERCENTAGE OFF THE TOP.

Teachers may receive an apple, coffee mug, maybe even a brownie,  usually they are lucky to receive a thank-you. There's no bonus for students that are successful on tests or graduate.

5. You work for your company long enough to earn six to eight week paid vacation so you plan a trip to Europe and maybe a cruise. YOUR VACATION IS YOUR TIME.
Teachers summers are filled with learning new curriculum, continuing education(at their expense) and running summer programs. And besides, who can afford a cruise on a teachers salary.

6. Banks take our money and invest it, create a sub-prime crises, shatter the economy and create the highest unemployment rates in years.  THEY GET A BAILOUT. (Still our money.)

  Teachers spend at least 10% of their own income supplementing their classrooms: paper, pencils, art supplies, hats and gloves, books, lunch money, materials, snacks, student awards, special programs...where's their bailout?

7) The average salary in the U.S. is $52,029 the average teacher salary in the U.S. is 42,225.  
      NO ONE GETS RICH ON A TEACHERS SALARY. 
  More and more quality teachers are leaving the profession in order to support their families. 

I challenge anyone to spend an entire week in the classroom and see how easy-breezy it is. When was the last time you visited a public school? 

MMGM: Alligators Overhead by C. Lee McKenzie

Date Published: July 1, 2012
ISBN: 1432784730
Genre: Middle grade, fantasy,
Publisher: Outskirts Press, Inc.
Themes: fantasy, friendship, magic, ecology, mystery, wildlife
Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / Barnes & Noble 

About The Book: Alligators, witches and a spooky mansion aren't your average neighbors unless you live at the edge of the Ornofree swamp in the backwater town of Hadleyville. The town's bad boy, Pete Riley, may only be twelve, but he's up to his eyeballs in big trouble, and this time he isn't the cause. This time the trouble arrives when a legendary hundred-year-old mansion materializes next door and the Ornofree alligators declare war to save their swamp from bulldozers. Things only get worse when Pete's guardian aunt and several of her close friends vanish while trying to restore order using outdated witchcraft. Now Pete must find the witches and stop the war. He might stand a chance if his one friend, Weasel, sticks with him, but even then, they may not have what it takes.

First Line: Pete chewed on what was left of his right thumb nail, stared up at the round-faced clock above Aunt Lizzy's and watched it tick off his last minutes of freedom.

What Others Are Saying:  "McKenzie pens a swampy middle-grade story full of humor, hauntings, quirky characters and a mystery that continues to develop to the very end.

"The folksy diction and lyrical, verb-heavy storytelling will leave readers turning the pages all the way to the end, where big surprises await and the real villains are revealed. A short, fun story that will excite both young and old imaginations." —Kirkus Reviews

Book Bloggers Weigh In:
Annie McMahon
Novellarella
There's A Body In The Library
Teach Mentor Texts

What I Thought: I always like to share when I find a great boys read. The action is very fun with lots of twists and turns. I really liked the messages of environmental responsibility and respecting habitats. It was difficult imagining talking alligators but I believe that is just my own weakness in the imagination department. It was a fun read.

My Analysis:

1. POV: Third-person limited omniscience: participant
2. 210 pages
3. The Hook: Mysterious things begin happening, the crowning incident being a mysterious call telling him that said, "Today is the day, Peter Riley."
4. Inciting event: A mansion appears in the vacant lot.
6. Voice: In spite of the fact it is in third person, Pete's voice comes through in the way he describes things and his thoughts.

About The Author: 
C. Lee McKenzie
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog

Who:  In her other life--the one before she began writing for teens and younger readers--C. Lee was a teacher and administrator at California State University, San Jose. Her field of Linguistics and Inter-cultural Communication has carried her to a lot of places in the world to explore different cultures and languages. She can say, “Where’s the toilet?” and “I’m lost!” in at least five languages and two dialects.

Her idea of a perfect day is one or all of the following: starting a new novel, finishing writing a blockbuster novel, hiking on a misty morning trail in the Santa Cruz Mountains, saying Namaste after a great yoga practice, sipping a cappuccino topped at a bustling café, reading in front of a fire with snow outside, swimming in an ocean someplace.

Check out the other MMGM reviewers in my sidebar!

Next Week: Joy of Apex by Napatsi Folger

Author Interview: Matt Peterson

I'm very excited to today to have Matt Peterson, author of the middle grade book, The Epic Tales of a Misfit Hero, on the blog today. 

Here's a quick blurb about the book: From passing the sacrament with his fly down to failing miserably at capture the flag, Andrew knows he'll never be able to fulfill his duties as a deacon. But when tragedy strikes on his Boy Scout backpacking trip, Andrew's whole troop must become stronger than they ever imagined. —Goodreads

1) Why do you write for children?

Well, probably because I still feel like a child myself. :) I love the energy, excitement, and honesty of kids. If they don't like something, or something doesn't make sense, they'll tell you. But more often than not, they just love to be entertained. They don't care about plot structure or character development (they actually do, but they don't talk about it in those terms). They just yearn for a great STORY. And I love to tell stories.

2) Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you became a writer.

I have always loved reading...stemming back to the carefree days of sitting in my room and reading Beverly Cleary and Matt Christopher books. In high school, I found that I was pretty good at expository writing, and decided to major in English with the end goal of attending law school. Well, law school wasn't the right choice and I started doing copywriting for a living. I had never been great at creative writing (in fact, I think I got a C in the one creative writing course I took in college), but decided to write this story that was in my head. And now I am forever a writer.

3) What was the inspiration for The Epic Tales of a Misfit Hero?

For the past 12 years I've been involved with the Boy Scout program and other youth organizations, and that alone makes for some pretty interesting fiction material. You can't make up the stuff these boys do on a daily basis. :) But I noticed that there weren't a lot of exciting books for boys that had a good moral message. I wanted to change that. I know so many boys that may not love to read yet and feel I can give them something they will love. Hopefully this is a book that both kids and their parents can get excited about. And by the way, the girls that have read the book like it just as much as the boys...who knew?

4) Tell us about your process.

Wow, I wish I had a great process! Truth is, I kinda have everything jumbled in my head at first, and it takes some effort to coax it out onto paper. Usually I start by writing down some very specific scenes that I'm imagining. Then I try to sketch out the story around those scenes. Once the rough timeline is done, I start writing from the beginning. I'm the type that doesn't like to move on until I nail the chapter or scene I'm working on, but I've been learning to keep moving on and to be okay with coming back to fix things. It's all still fairly new to me, but I love it.

5) What does a typical writing day look like?

I finish work at my "day" job, come home and take care of family responsibilities like baseball practice, kids' homework, yardwork, dinner, and school events, then try to find time to write. If I'm lucky (and I don't get distracted by Netflix), I will write for about an hour in the evening. I tend to write in spurts, too, so I'm trying to get more consistent.


6) Where is your favorite place to write?

Honestly, it's my kitchen table. I have 5 kids so there's always some commotion going on, even late at night when I usually write. Someone's always coming out to get a drink, ask a question, or otherwise stall going to sleep. I like the distractions, actually, and it helps me think of new things.

7) What did or do you find most challenging in creating the story and getting it published? What do you wish you would have known?

The hardest part, bar none, was allowing my manuscript to get out in the "wild." I was (am?) pretty self-conscious, and allowing other people to read it (and perhaps hate it) scared me to death. I only had to send 2 query letters, but the first rejection stung quite a bit. Luckily, I am surrounded by people who believe in me and convinced me to send it out again. I got an offer from the 2nd publisher and here we are. That never would have happened if I just held on to the manuscript like I wanted to.

8) What is the best writing advice you have ever received?

"Rejection always stings, but it's not permanent." I don't know that anyone put it exactly that way, but this thought was key in helping me try new things. I was conditioned to expect "A's" (well, maybe some "B's" too) on my college papers, and it was hard to move into the much more subjective world of creative writing. This quote helped me be okay with rejection, and to know that it happens to everyone. And it's true, the sting always goes away...eventually. :)


9) Are you working on a new project? Can you tell us about it?

YES! I'm writing the second book in the series, where the main character goes to junior high (arguably much more dangerous than a camping trip in the wild). I'm also plotting out a young adult-ish book with a school and time travel and quirky relationships and adventure, so we'll see where that one takes me. Should be fun!

10) What advice would you give others that write for children?

Just have fun with it! The best part of writing for children is hopping in their shoes while you write. It's so fun to live like a child again. Also, don't be afraid to write words and ideas that may seem a little above your target demographic. You'd be surprised at how much they understand if given the chance. Oh, and don't ever give up! :)

Watch for my review sometime in July!

MMGM: Destiny Rewritten by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

Date Published: February 19th 2013
ISBN: 0061625019
Genre: Middle grade, contemporary
Publisher:Katherine Tegen Books Harper Collins Children's
Themes: self-discovery, friendship, poetry, Emily Dickinson, middle school, destiny 

Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N

About The Book: Eleven-year-old Emily Elizabeth Davis has been told for her entire life that her destiny is to become a poet, just like her famous namesake, Emily Dickinson. But Emily doesn’t even really like poetry, and she has a secret career ambition that she suspects her English-professor mother will frown on. Then a seeming tragedy strikes: just after discovering that it contains an important family secret, she accidentally loses the special copy of Emily Dickinson’s poetry that was given to her at birth. As Emily and her friends search for the lost book in used bookstores and thrift shops all across town, Emily’s understanding of destiny begins to unravel and then rewrite itself in a marvelous new way.
In her third novel, Kathryn Fitzmaurice again weaves a richly textured and delightful story about unexpected connections, about the ways that friends can help us see ourselves for who we truly are, and about the most perfect kinds of happy endings: those that happen just on time. —Goodreads

First Line: My destiny was decided in a secondhand bookstore the day before I was born when my mother, Isabella, found a book of poems.

One Great Line: Aunt Nora— "Her poems were like gifts to us. We never wiped them off. We'd find a section of the mirror with nothing written on it to brush our teeth or comb our hair rather than erase them." 

What Others Are Saying: "Aptly set amid the hippie ambiance of Berkeley, Calif., and peopled by offbeat, but believable characters, Fitzmaurice’s story deftly mingles Dickinson, Danielle Steel, a budding crush, and protesting tree sitters while maintaining suspense that leads to a satisfying ending." —Publishers Weekly

"Emily’s engaging first person narrative chronicles her daily life, her wonderfully quirky family, her musings on fate, her growing sense of self, and her one-way correspondence with her favorite write, Danielle Steel. The books idyllically happy ending may have its critics, but most young readers will find it entirely satisfying." —Booklist

Book Bloggers Weigh In

twenty by jenny

Waking Brain Cells

Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

What I Thought: Awesome! I'll say it again, awesome. If you haven't had the chance to read one of Fitzmaurice's books you are missing out on some of the most sensitive and insightful middle grade authors. She might as well use a paintbrush because the images her words create are incredible. Add to that complex characters, not just the protagonist but all the characters that surround Emily are fascinating people and I would know them if I met them on the street. This is definitely, going on my list of favorite reads for 2013!

My Analysis:

1. POV: First person: Emily Elizabeth Davis
2. 335 pages
3. The Hook: She hooks the reader right from the first line by putting the question into the head of the reader, What is her name? How did her mother decide on her name? You want to know...
4. Inciting event: Emily Dickinson's book of poems goes missing and her mother told her that is where she could find the name of her father.
5. Plot and Pace: Every chapter is full of mischievous action and emotion. The humor also adds to the pace. The plot had several sub-plots creating complications all along the way.
6. Voice: Emily's voice is very distinctive and she has several quirky ways of communicating and describing things. I also loved Emily's perspective, always unique and age appropriate. 

About The Author: 

Kathryn Fitzmaurice

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Who: When Kathryn was thirteen years old, her mother sent her to New York City over the summer to visit her grandmother, who was a science fiction author. After seeing how her grandmother could make the characters in her books into whomever she wanted, Kathryn decided that she, too, wanted to become a writer someday. Years later, after teaching elementary school, and taking many classes, she now writes full time and lives with her husband, two sons, and her dog, Holly, in Monarch Beach, California.

Check out my review of The Year The Swallows Came Home Early and interview from 2011, here.

Find more great reviews by clicking on the other MMGM reviewers in my sidebar.

Next Week: Alligators Overhead by C. Lee McKenzie