Welcome to my Blog!
This is where I put my musings that don’t make it into my paper journal. I try to write about things that might interest other writers and readers, including reviews of MG books I’ve been reading.
The Power of Consistency
April 2021 Newsletter Book Reviews Over the last three years I’ve written about 50 reviews for middle grade readers for the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette. When I look back at the total list, it...
Skunk and Badger: A Charming Odd Couple
The main characters of Illinois author Amy Timberlake’s charming new book, “Skunk and Badger,” fall into the familiar and beloved genre of odd-couple friends. At 122 pages, it’s like the Frog and...
The Case(s) of the Flamingo Detective and the Custard Hippo
Fabio the World’s Greatest Flamingo Detective: the Case of the Missing Hippo, by Laura James, illustrated by Emily Fox (Bloomsbury) features, no surprise, a flamingo detective and cast of other...
A Character Who Doesn’t Resonate With Readers…
What to do for a character who doesn’t resonate with your readers?
“Prairie Lotus” a New Take on Laura Ingalls Wilder
Anyone who loved the Laura Ingalls Wilder books will want to read Linda Sue Park’s latest story, “Prairie Lotus.” Park is a Newbery-award-winning author who grew up in the Chicago area. She, too,...
A Tiger in the Basement: Tae Keller’s Amazing Book Wins the Newbery!!
“When You Trap a Tiger,” by Tae Keller, is for middle grade readers on the older end of the category. For those readers, I predict this story will whack many of them in the heart. It’s a story that...
Pauli Murray VS the Proud Boys
I have been working on a biography of Dr. Pauli Murray (1910-1985) for middle-grade readers for several years now. Dr. Murray was a remarkable human being who confronted white (male) supremacy all...
Thou Shalt Not Covet Your Neighbor’s Dog, Except…
Recently I’ve read two books that have dogs in their center. I realize dogs are not a new literary device, but these books made me especially appreciate the power of a dog in a child’s life and in a...
More To The Story: Saving Savannah
Savannah Riddle is bored, she is discontent. Fancy dresses, fine dining, charming young men paying her attention, none of it thrills her as it used to. Her parents expect her to be an ornament in...
The Power of Poetry: Nikki Grimes’s Latest
Nikki Grimes’s latest book, “Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance,” has many outstanding elements to it. Grimes features poems written by women during the Harlem Renaissance (roughly...
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