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It's summer time! Yahoo! And what better way to celebrate summer than to indulge in some summer time reading. It’s my favorite genre to write and read. Historical fiction is the coming together of two opposing elements: fact and fiction. But as the great Katherine Patterson once said, “…historical fiction [is] a bastard child of letters, respectable neither as history nor as fiction.” I’ve written before, how defining historical fiction shares similar idiosyncrasies as
Doctor Who.
When Patterson wrote historical fiction, she was often taken to task for writing stories that were considered not true to contemporary readers. But, said Patterson, “…In many instances, historical fiction is much more realistic than a lot of today’s realism…Nothing becomes dated more quickly than contemporary fiction.”
In the best of historical fiction, as with any story, a child becomes a hero who gains power over her situation, a theme that contemporary readers appreciate.
And summer time is the best time for savoring my favorite historical reads. An exciting read from Avi is
City of Orphans (2011). The book follows young Maks Geless, a newsie scraping a living on the mean streets of New York City in 1893. Maks’ sister Emma has been arrested and he has only four days to prove her innocence.
Paul Fleischman’s award-winning
Bull Run (1993) brings together sixteen distinct viewpoints in the
gripping retelling of the first great battle of the Civil War. This can be either an easy afternoon read or a fun summer performance for readers’ theater.
Laurie Halse Anderson’s Seeds of America Trilogy begins with
Chains (2010). As the Revolutionary War starts, young Isabel wages her own fight for freedom. The story continues in its sequel,
Forge (2012) with Curzon as an escaped slave serving with the Continental Army. A particularly moving and heart-stomping depiction of the struggles that the enslaved and the freemen endured during the country’s fight for its own freedom.
Laurie J. Edwards, under the pen name Erin Johnson, introduced Grace Milton in her Western for young adults,
Grace and the Guiltless (2014), Book One of the Wanted Series. When her family is murdered by the Guiltless Gang, Grace struggles to survive the wilderness and her grief. Her story continues in the sequel,
Her Cold Revenge (August, 2015), as Grace becomes a bounty hunter and hunts the gang that killed her family.
As one reviewer offered, this may just be the story that hooks a new generation of readers on the Western genre. For a summer treat, you can read the first chapters of
Her Cold Revenge here!
Another series that I have particularly enjoyed this summer is Iain Lawrence’ High Seas Trilogy. The Wreckers (1998) and its companion The Smugglers (1999) follows young John Spencer in a high-sea adventure complete with swashbuckling characters, salty dialogue and a spine-tingling cliffhangers. The story continues with The Buccaneers (2001). This series reminds me of another favorite, Robert Lewis Stevenson’s Kidnapped.
Let the adventure begin!
Bobbi Miller
I finished these books in the last few days:
Operation Bunny by Sally Gardner. This book is very "Matilda"-ish. Emily, a baby found in a hat box, is adopted by a quite fashionable couple. When the couple have their own triplets, Emily becomes the housekeeper, nanny and laundress - all at the tender age of 6 (?). Luckily, Emily's neighbors, a pleasant old woman and a large tortoiseshell cat, help Emily get her work done and teach her to read and write - in four languages - including Middle English. An accident, a daring escape and lots and lots of brightly colored bunnies add up to truly magical adventures.
Egg and Spoon by Gregory Maguire - An imprisoned monk tells a tale of swapped identities, witches, firebirds, ice dragons and Tsars. Historical fiction meshes with Russian folklore in this cautionary tale. It's hard to do this book justice in a few sentences.
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| I LOVE this cover. |
Catch You Later, Traitor by Avi. Baseball, hard boiled detectives and Joe McCarthy tangle with each other in this page turner. I loved it. Avi draws the period so well in this book, the mistrust, the bullying, the radio shows, the family drama. I think I will buy this book.
Where Things Come Back By John Corey Whaley. Just exactly what the large reputedly extinct woodpecker, the Lazarus bird, has to do with the other events in this book is a mystery to me. No matter. In the space of one summer, 17-year-old Cullen has to identify the body of his druggie cousin, figure out what to do with very attentive girls, and search for his suddenly missing younger brother. It is Gabe's disappearance that absorbs the reader's attention against the backdrop of Lazarus Bird mania. The way Whaley plays with timelines of different people's stories kept me turning pages.
The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy. Although this appears to be fourth-grader, Eli's, story, his three brothers get a lot of attention as well. This family of four adopted boys and two loving fathers deals with new schools, fractured friendships, secrets and grouchy neighbors in this fun family novel.
And I think there was another book!. More later.
Two days ago I arrived in Minneapolis for several reasons. I'll write about the panel I was on at St. Catherine University in another blog post. This one is about Avi.
Avi was on campus and gave a talk about his writing. He started by reading the opening pages of a work-in-progress:
He then invited those in attendance to ask him anything. No holds barred. Professor
Sarah Park Dahlen asked him about his thoughts on the We Need Diverse Books campaign. He started by saying he supports the campaign, and that he thinks any writer can write about anything they want to, but followed by talking about the writer's responsibility to do the research necessary to do justice to the people they're writing about... and how it is very hard to do that research. Doing it well is time consuming. I chimed in about resources people use -- how they're faulty, and he said that writer's have to find people they can trust.
At one point he talked about what Native people are willing to share and that there are things people might want to know about his family, and that he'd say "It's none of your business!"
I liked that comment. That's what a lot of Native people say, but far too many not-Native writers persist in "gotta tell their stories" ways of thinking. If we don't want to share it, it is because, to quote Avi, we think it is "None of your business."
I gotta run (I'm due at AWP) but may come back to this post later. There was much more said in the room that I'd like to share.
Nothing But The Truth Avi
Lest we think that "books in stuff" is a new narrative technique, let's turn to a classic-- one I read when *I* was a tween.
Phillip is a high school freshman whose English grads are keeping him off the track team. Phil's convinced it's because his English teacher hates him. It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact he doesn't try and disrupts class all the time. Trying to get transferred out of her homeroom, Phil hums along with the morning announcements playing of The National Anthem. Unfortunately, the rules state that students must stand as "silent and respectful attention" and so he's sent to the office. Given a pattern of behavior it escalates quickly. When his next door neighbor finds out, he uses it as part of his local election campaign and it quickly spirals into a national issue and no one's lives will be the same.
Told in memos, script-style dialogue, journal entries, speeches, newspaper articles, letters, phone messages, etc. The reader gets to see many sides of this story and draw their own conclusions about what really happened and who was at fault. Because of the documentary format, we also have much more information that any of the characters. We know why they do what they do, but we also know why their read of the situation is so incorrect. (And when it comes to why Phil's failing English, we get his teacher's true feelings on him, but also his answers to test questions.) Avi does a wonderful job of showing us the situtation through Phil's eyes (both in his journal entries and conversations with friends) but also how other people see the situation (conversations teachers have, the teacher's letters to her sister) but also some completely unbiased evidence (the test answer in question.)
I really liked this book when I first read it (when it first came out in 1991) and love it even more as an adult. (Partly because of life experience, partly because of the way politics and the news works today, it's just become more and more believable.)
It's heartbreaking and Phil is so infuriating (not as much as his father though. UGH HIS DAD.) This is a perfect book discussion book because there's so much there and so much in real life to tie it into.
There's a reason why it was a Newbery Honor. THere's a reason why it's still in print and still assigned reading in many schools.
Book Provided by... my local library for this rereading, but originally my parents bought it for me as part of my book order. Mmmmm... book order. I really miss book order. I can't wait until the Kung Fu Princess gets her book orders... They still do book orders, right?!
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#46 The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi (1990)
44 points
This is by far the best of Avi’s books. Non-stop adventure and a girl protagonist. Who could ask for anything more? – Martha Sherod
When I read this book for a children’s literature course I was completely blown away. I had never read anything like this written for children before. It doesn’t patronize or placate or sugar coat. It is an awesome adventure story for kids, the fact that it stars a feisty female as the main character is just a plus. It also has one of the greatest first lines of a novel ever! - Amy Miele
Well, naturally after Amy said that I had to find the first line. Here it is: “Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty.” Yeah. I’m gonna give her this one.
I run a bookgroup for kids between the ages of 9 and (now) 14 out of my library. One day one of my best readers came up to me, clutching a copy of The True Adventures of Charlotte Doyle in her hot little hand. “We HAVE to read this!” she insisted. “It is so good!” I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I hadn’t actually read it myself at the time. But I took her at her word and brought it up with the rest of the group. Charlotte Doyle is part award winner, part crowd pleaser, and altogether enjoyable. I tell you, man. Those Charlotte fans. They’re insatiable.
Publishers Weekly describes the book in this way: “Told in the form of a recollection, these ‘confessions’ cover 13-year-old Charlotte’s eventful 1832 transatlantic crossing. She begins her trip a prim schoolgirl returning home to her American family from England. From the start, there is something wrong with the Seahawk : the families that were to serve as Charlotte’s chaperones do not arrive, and the unsavory crew warns her not to make the trip. When the crew rebels, Charlotte first sides with the civilized Captain Jaggerty, but before long she realizes that he is a sadist and–the only female aboard–she joins the crew as a seaman. Charlotte is charged with murder and sentenced to be hanged before the trip is over, but ends up in command of the Seahawk by the time it reaches its destination. Charlotte’s repressive Puritanical family refuses to believe her tale, and the girl returns to the sea.”
Now according to Anita Silvey’s 100 Best Books for Children, “Avi first entered the realm of children’s books as a character. His fourth-grade class was portrayed in Bette Bao Lord’s book In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, and Avi made his debut as Irvie, the silent member of the group.” An auspicious beginning to say the least.
In terms of this particular book, Silvey says, “Avi had been working on another book, The Man Who Was Poe, when he began thinking about The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. At first he thought he would write a mystery, entitled ‘The Seahawk,’ set on the high seas. But as he wrote, he cared more and more about Charlotte – and ultimately decided that it should become her book.” On his website Avi also explains that, “As for the title, when I thought of it, I assumed it would not work because there must be a million books with a similar title. But when I checked, to my amazement, there was not one. Happy to grab it.”
For a moment there, it was thought that Danny DeVito would direct the cinematic version of this book. Indeed, they’d already cast Pierce
Attention students, teachers, and librarians: Check out this news from Winding Oak about an awesome Avi contest!
Children’s book author Avi, winner of a Newbery Award and multiple Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards among his many other high honors, is hosting an “American Idol” style video contest for young readers in fourth through ninth grade. The videos are to be inspired by Avi’s 2011 title City of Orphans (Richard Jackson Books), which has already garnered multiple starred reviews in journals such as Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus Reviews.
Any teacher or librarian is eligible to submit a City of Orphans video for a student or classroom in fourth through ninth grade. Options include formats such as live action, documentary-style, readers’ theater, costumed theater, and book trailers; the format is not as important as the entrants’ demonstration of creativity and their interpretation of City of Orphans.
An online voting process will help determine the winners, who will receive prizes ranging from an in-person visit and lunch with Avi (one Grand Prize) to Skype visits by Avi (nine Finalists). Five contest voters are eligible to win autographed copies of City of Orphans. Video submissions begin on Avi’s website or Avi’s Facebook page on March 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012. Videos will be shown on Avi’s website and Facebook page so that online visitors have the opportunity to vote on their favorites during the month of April 2012. The winners will be announced on May 7, 2012 at noon.
Kirkus Reviews gave City of Orphans, the latest of Avi’s over seventy titles for young readers, high praise in their starred review: “An immigrant family tries to survive crime, poverty and corruption in 1893 New York City. …Heroic deeds, narrow escapes, dastardly villains, amazing coincidences and a family rich in love and hope are all part of an intricate and endlessly entertaining adventure. Terrific!”
The idea of an online contest was inspired by the popularity of Avi’s Skype classroom visits. “Because of the technology now available, I’m able to interact directly with more of my readers than ever before,” says the author, whose first book was published in 1970. “Kids have tremendous insights about my books; they always ask great questions. This contest is a way to continue that dialogue by inviting them to demonstrate how one of my books has inspired them to be creative.”
Downloadable discussion and reading guides are available at http://www.Avi-writer.com for educators who want to use the book in their classroom. A poster is downloadable for schools, libraries, and local bookstores can post to encourage online voting.
Complete contest details are available at http://www.avi-writer.com or Avi’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Avi/216078981815167
By Avi
Scholastic Press, 2009
$17.99, ages 9-12, 272 pages
While trying to persuade his master to keep him on as his servant, a 10-year-old orphan named Fabrizio becomes entangled in a plot to overthrow the ruler of Pergamontio in this thrilling prequel to Avi's Midnight Magic.
Fabrizio, who was saved from a life on the streets to become the personal servant to Mangus the Magician, is finding it hard to hold onto his position. Mangus thinks Fabrizio is an idle chatterer, as well as a fool for thinking magic is more than illusion, and doesn't believe he needs him.
The magician's wife Mistress Sophia favors the boy, but she's leaving the city to care for her sick sister, which means Fabrizio will have to deal with his difficult master on his own. And if he doesn't convince Mangus that he's useful, Mangus will send him back to the streets to a life of begging.
But then the unimaginable occurs. The surly old magician is accused of plotting to depose King Claudio, the ruler of Pergamontio, and suddenly Fabrizio has a far greater challenge than pleasing his master. Unless he proves that Mangus is innocent, his master will be burned at the stake for treason.
His master's troubles begin when a mysterious figure in a hood shows up at Mangus' magic show and warns Fabrizio that the magician's life is in danger. Two days later the kingdom's chief prosecutor DeLaBina charges Mangus with producing leaflets that call for the king's overthrow.
DeLaBina claims the leaflets were duplicated too well to be hand-written and thus Mangus must have created them with magic, as news of the German invention, the printing press, has not yet come to the kingdom. Making matters worse, an informer at the magic show saw Mangus snatch images of the king from thin air and make them disappear then promise to create something from nothing and turn it into many things.
Though DeLaBina offers to spare Mangus' life if he rids the city of the leaflets and reveals who asked him to make the papers, these seem like impossible requests, even for the illusionist and his scrappy servant, and soon both are locked away in the king's castle for plotting against the king. But then Fabrizio remembers his master's lessons in logical thinking and proves he's more clever than anyone knows.
While awaiting execution for aiding Mangus, Fabrizio escapes from his cell, and with the help of a girl he calls a devil, begins to unravel a conspiracy within the King's court. Together they concoct a plan to save Mangus that pits the king's eldest son against his trusted count and requires a coffin to be delivered to the crypt where Mangus is being tried.
Master storyteller and Newberry Medal winner Avi creates another taut, suspenseful story that will have you reading faster with every page. What is particularly captivating about Avi's writing is that his characters come to life primarily through dialogue and actions. Avi doesn't pause long to describe people and yet you walk away feeling so invested in the characters that it's hard to let them go.
By Avi
Scholastic Press, 2009
$17.99, ages 9-12, 272 pages
While trying to convince his master to keep him on as his servant, a plucky underrated orphan named Fabrizio becomes entangled in a plot to overthrow the ruler of Italy's mythical kingdom of Pergamontio in this thrilling prequel to Avi's Midnight Magic.
With his only ally, his mistress, away visiting her sick sister, Fabrizio must rely on his own wits to persuade his surly master, Mangus the Magician, that he's not the ignorant, idle boy he thinks he is or risk being sent back to the streets of Pergamontio, where he lived until his parents died a year ago.
But 10-year-old Fabrizio only feeds into Mangus' view of him as a fool. He tells Mangus -- a magician who doesn't believe in magic -- that he believes in the supernatural and favors lessons in magic over the pursuit of reason. And soon, the naive, but devoted Fabrizio is in more trouble than he ever imagined as Mangus is accused of trying to depose King Claudio and only Fabrizio can save him.
The sinister plot begins to unfold while Fabrizio is collecting money at Mangus' magic show. A mysterious figure in a black robe warns him that Mangus' life is in danger. Then two days later Pergamontio's chief prosecutor DeLaBina accuses Mangus of producing leaflets calling for the the king's overthrow. DeLaBina claims the leaflets are too perfect to be hand-written and thus Mangus must have created them with magic.
Pergamontio has not yet received word of the German invention, the printing press, and superstition runs rampant in the King's court, as we saw in Midnight Magic, when Mangus was ordered to use magic to vanquish a ghost believed to be haunting the king's daughter. Making matters worse, an informer at the magic show saw Mangus snatch images of the king from thin air and make them disappear then promise to create something from nothing and turn it into many things.
Though practicing magic in Pergamontio is punishable by death, DeLaBina offers to spare Mangus' life if he rids the city of the leaflets and reveals to DeLaBina who asked him to make the papers. These seem like impossible requests, even for the illusionist and his scrappy servant, and soon both are locked away in the king's castle for treason. But then Fabrizio remembers his master's lessons in logic and proves he's more clever than anyone knows.
While awaiting execution for allegedly distributing the leaflets, Fabrizio manages to escape, and with the help of a girl he calls a devil, begins to unravel a conspiracy within the King's court. Together they concoct a plan to save Mangus that will pit the king's elder son against his trusted count, and require a new set of magical papers and his master's coffin to be carried into an ancient crypt.
Master storyteller and Newberry Medal winner Avi creates another taut, suspenseful story that will have you reading faster with every page. What is particularly captivating about Avi's writing is that his characters come to life primarily through their dialogue and actions. Avi doesn't pause long to describe people and yet you walk away feeling so invested in the characters that it's hard to let them go.
We have just received a new review, but I can't tell if it's from a boy or a girl. It's signed Anonymous, so I don't know. Let's hear it:
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Call To Arms!": I have a review for the blog. I just finished a very cool book called "Who Stole the Wizard of Oz?" It is by AVI. The story is all about a brother and sister who are twins, Toby and Becky. There is a very neat puzzle within the mystery of who stole a copy of "The Wizard of Oz" from a school library. There is both action and suspense. I'm now starting the second book by Charlie Fletcher,"Ironhand". The first book "Stoneheart" was hard to put down so I expect the same from this one.
Very good, Anonymous. Avi writes very good books. Click on the label below to see what other Avi books we've reviewed. Bill wrote about the Stoneheart book on May 30 and Ironhand on August 29. They sound good to me too!
But the big question is: are you on the boys' side or the girls' side? Or maybe you're not on either side. Maybe you're a peace-loving soul who just wants us all to read together in peace.Well, we boys are noble creatures and would not harm the tiniest fly. 
Even when we slice our enemies to bits with light sabers, it's all in good clean fun. But we were forced into this battle by a hostile takeover by the girls! So, until the girls cease this totally-unprovoked and vicious attack on us innocent boys, we will have to defend ourselves!! Can we hear it, guys? We need three more boys to write in to even the odds--four or more to win!!
Review by Becky Laney, frequent contributor.
Avon, the snail, and Edward, the ant, are back for their second book in Avi's newest: A Beginning, A Muddle, and An End. In our last adventure--their first adventure--Avon and Edward were out to have adventures. Adventures like they'd read about in books. What they found was that creating your own adventures--imagining your own adventures--was more enjoyable than seeking those adventures out. In other words, fiction tends to be more enjoyable than the truth. In this adventure, Avon is determined to write. He's a snail on a mission. Always a lover of books, now he seeks to write books for others to read. He's not quite certain WHERE to begin. Fortunately, or unfortunately as the case may be, Edward is always there to give his good friend advice.
The subtitle to this one is The Right Way to Write Writing. And writing is the focus of their twisted dialogue. Full of puns and twisted logic, it is an enjoyable, light-hearted read. Honestly, this one didn't charm me as much as the first. I don't know if it's because my mood has shifted from night to day. Or if what was charming the first time, loses a bit of its magic the second time around. Or perhaps it's just because I'm reading them back to back.
Still, I think the book is fun in its own little way.
By:
Emily,
on 8/6/2008
Blog:
Deliciously Clean Reads
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Review by Becky Laney, frequent contributor.
I honestly didn't know what to expect from this one. Not the most clever way to start out a review, but true nevertheless. The cover. I was not easily won over with the cover. It is ugly and unappealing. It doesn't shout out "read me, read me." But I'd heard good things about it, of course, and it did win the Newbery in 2003. So I knew that I had to get past my initial misgivings.
Here's how it begins:
England, A.D. 1377 "In the midst of life comes death." How often did our village priest preach those words. Yet I have also heard that "in the midst of death comes life." If this be a riddle, so was my life. The day after my mother died, the priest and I wrapped her body in a gray shroud and carried her to the village church. Our burden was not great. In life she had been a small woman with little strength. Death made her even less. Her name had been Asta.
Our narrator is a young boy. At first, we only know him as Asta's son. Later his real name is revealed, Crispin. Here is a young boy, a peasant, tied to the land for life. But the day after his mother's funeral everything changes. (Or maybe it's the day of his mother's funeral.)
Told by John Aycliffe (boo, hiss) that he must return the ox to the manor since his mother is dead (and he's now an orphan) he is told that he can starve. His life, his welfare is of no concern for this substitute lord-of-the-manor. Upset, he runs into the woods. He's working out his emotions--anger, grief, confusion, etc., but a fall and a bump on the head changes his life. Or you could say saves his life. He wakes up at some point during the night. He sees two men. One is John Aycliffe (boo, hiss) and the other is unknown to him at that time. What he hears confuses him. He can't make sense of it. But when he is seen, he gets a sick feeling that his life is in danger.
He is able to get away and hide for the rest of that night and the day. But the next night, he makes his way to his trusted friend, the priest, Father Quinel. What the priest tells him doesn't erase his questions. If anything, it just adds to his confusion. He's told that his mother could read and write. He's told that he was baptized (albeit secretly) Crispin. He's told that he MUST flee for his life. That John Aycliffe (boo, hiss) has started spreading lies about him. Accused him of theft. Is offering an award for whoever kills him. The priest gives him a few things to do on his own, and makes arrangement to meet him again before the two part ways forever.
His errand? To go to Goodwife Peregrine's house and pick up a cross of lead. But on his way to meet the priest one last time, the time where all would be revealed, he is met by another man instead. A man who claims he comes in the priest's place. But something doesn't feel right.
Crispin doesn't know who he is or exactly why John Aycliffe (boo, hiss) is out to kill him. Why Aycliffe (boo, hiss) wants him dead so very badly. He doesn't know who he is or where he needs to go, he just knows that his life is in danger and he is being pursued relentlessly.
Crispin's journey could have been a lonely one. But he meets an unusual friend, a man called Bear, who takes him under his protection. Together they try to make sense of it all. But the journey won't be easy.
I loved this book. I can easily see now why it won the Newbery. I definitely recommend this one to lovers of historical fiction. Also for those that love coming-of-age novels.
I woke up early this morning and decided to get started on the PPT for my presentation at the 2008 Fall NEATE Conference in Nashua, NH. The title is, “INSPIRING CHILDREN TO WRITE: Teaching Writing Workshop with Our Notebooks Wide-Open,” which is very similar to the title I used when I presented at [...]
I actually had the opportunity to meet Avi in person at a book talk and I told him that my absolute favorite of his books was The End of the Beginning. He sighed resignedly (clearly he has heard that before) and said it was a book he wrote over the course of several days. He was trying to help a friend and aspiring author by telling him how easy it was to write, saying that he could complete a book in one day. He said that although he wasn't quite able to finish it in one day, he did finish it within a week!
It makes complete sense to me that my favorite (sorry, Avi!) of Avi's books, The End of the Beginning, was written in a brief amount of time. The End has a sweet and light touch and there is no evidence of over-thinking and complicating. Its collection of vignettes contrasts with the more elaborate plot lines of his other books. It concerns a snail named Avon as he leaves his cozy home looking for adventures with his new friend, an ant named Edward. The events that follow, while adventuresome to the heros, are humorous to the readers: guarding a caterpillar in her cocoon, dueling another snail, teaching a cricket a new song and, biggest of all, discovering the end (the beginning?) of the branch they've set out on.
The language is clever and endearing and Tricia Tusa's illustrations are precious. The whole book has a Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet spirit and the illustrations even evoke Ernest H. Shepard's whimsical style. It's a quick, refreshing and delightful read.
Very highly recommended!
My Monster of the week idea worked
well with this week's challenge.
Trophiogrande
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Thanks for this review! I have never heard of this book before, believe it or not. Have to add it to the TBR pile.
(And yes, they still do book orders...my son is only 15 mos old, and we already get the Scholastic flyer every month in his daycare mailbox!)
I have to get the Kung Fu Princess into your daycare! She's 16 months!