Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday - Family Reunion Edition!

I'm out of town for hubby's family reunion so no review from me this week. But please check out the other great bloggers and reviewers!

ALTHOUGH! My all-time favorite book about families and family reunions is this one. Love. This. Book! Believe me, the synopsis below does not do it justice. The characters are so real and funny and flawed you'd think they were part of your own family.

When the invitation to the Preffyn family reunion arrives interrupting a perfectly decent summer vacation, 15-year-old Shelley Wollcott is anything but enthusiastic. It’s not that Shelley has anything against her relatives, she just can’t stand it when they give her that “what a pity” look. It’s not her fault that her real mother walked out on the family or that her father has remarried yet again. With Dad away on business and her older sister visiting their mother in Paris, Shelley must face the “perfect” Preffyns’ reunion with only her prankster younger brother and her insecure new stepmother at her side. It’s an opportunity to uncover the family’s secrets, but Shelley isn’t sure whether, when she discovers the truth, she’ll laugh or cry.

In this funny and poignant novel by Caroline B. Cooney, Shelley learns to appreciate all the members of her unusual family—including herself!—in ways she never anticipated. And she discovers things are often not as perfect as they seem.

You may be able to find this book in your local library, too, with this original cover.

Enjoy!

xo,
Kimberley

P.S. I'm in the *wilds* of Arizona, outrunning heat and fires and thunderstorms galore. . . :-)  

- Jess from Reading Nook Reviews joins the MMGM fun with a feature on MY BASMATI BAT MITZVAH! Click HERE to welcome her to the group. 

- Laurel Holman also joins the MMGM fun with a feature on THE BOOK OF STORY BEGINNINGS. Click HERE to welcome her to the group.

- 11-year-old Xander is gushing about KEEPING SAFE THE STARS. Click HERE to see what he thought.   

- Joni Patterson is back with a feature on THE WIG IN THE WINDOW. Click HERE to see her review.  

- Mariah Lyons is cheering for THE FALSE PRINCE. Click HERE to see why. 

- Rosi Hollinbeck has two features, WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD and PRINCESS ACADEMY--with a GIVEAWAY. Click HERE for all the fun. 

- Alex Baugh is spreading the word for ROMEO BLUE. Click HERE to see why. 

- Heidi Grange is raving about CLONEWARD BOUND. Click HERE to see what she thought. 

- Flash, the Feline Extraordinaire, (and Professional Mews to Cindy Strandvold) recommends THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE. Click HERE to see what that's all about.   

- Jennifer Rumberger has chills for DEAD END. Click HERE to see what she thought.

- Natalie Lorenzi is interviewing Ammi-Joan Paquette about RULES FOR GHOSTING. Click HERE for all the fun 

- Maria Selke is championing ZERO TOLERANCE. Click HERE to see her review. 

- Medeia Sharif is sharing some love for ANASTASIA, ASK YOUR ANALYST. Click HERE to read her review. 

- Michelle Mason is totally addicted to ONCE UPON THE END. Click HERE to see her review.  

- Kimberley Griffiths Little also has an MMGM feature. Click HERE to see what it is.

- Barbara Watson has a double feature this week: HATTIE BIG SKY and HATTIE EVER AFTER. Click HERE for both reviews.

- Dorine White has a review of NATHANIEL FLOOD, BEASTOLOGIST: FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX. Click HERE to read more. 

- 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!

- Pam Torres always has an MMGM up on her blog. Click HERE to see what she's spotlighting this week.

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

If you would like to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count--but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you're featuring and a link to your blog at SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com. (Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so I see it)

NOTE: I used to not have a cut-off time for adding links to the post, but with how insane my schedule is right now, if you don't email me by Sunday evening (usually around 11pm PST is when I put the links together) I can't guarantee I'll have a chance to add you. BUT, you are welcome to add your link in the comments on this post so people can find you!

*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen posts ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me ahead of time

While Cynsations is out of the office . . . Friday's Fun Links!

One of my favorite writers, bloggers, and friends is on Summer hiatus from her site/blog Cynsations. Yes, THE Cynthia Leitich Smith! A wonder of a woman, a wonder of a writer, and a wonderful friend to all writers and authors in the children's lit world.

Check out all her marvelous books right here: Cynthia Leitich Smith's Amazon Author Page

Cyn does an amazing Friday round-up of Links and News for Writers and while I can't even BEGIN to do what she does, here are a few links from blogs/articles that I've particularly enjoyed the past month or two.


THE WRITING LIFE: 

Writing and Motherhood by Shannon Hale

10 Things I wish I Would Have Done Differently by Natalie Whipple

Lessons in Bigotry and Bravery by Augusta Scattergood, including an NPR interview with Augusta - the link you'll find when you click *this* link! 

Ten Deadly Marketing Mistakes by Penny C. Sansevieri

10 Steps to Finding Your Writing Voice

Forty Questions for Stronger Manuscripts by Martina Boone

PERSONAL LIFE: 

Women and Success: 26 Thing Every Woman Should Know by Margaret Wheeler Johnson

Go Beyond Simple Networking and Organize Your Own Mastermind Group by Barrett Brooks

30 Quotes about Personal Fulfillment

FOR TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS:

List of Authors who Skype with Classes and Book Clubs for Free on Kate Messner's website.

Pinterest.com Skype an Author Visit

Please include me, your humble blogger. This link will take you to my Author and School Visits + *FREE* Skype for classes and Book Clubs!

What Makes a Great Book by Mikey Brooks - or How to Write a First Chapter Worthy of a Bidding War

Enjoy and Happy Weekend! I'm off to a family reunion . . .

xo,
Kimberley

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday - DOLL BONES by Holly Black

I've been hearing about this book from places like Goodreads, Nerdy Book Club, various bloggers, as well as Newbery Predictions List - and the consensus is lots of raves over DOLL BONES by Holly Black.

Creepy cover, eh?

 

I'm a doll lover and I was a doll maniac as a kid so anything about dolls intrigues me (I also saved every single doll I ever got, Barbies included, for the daughters I would one day have - and then I got only sons! Grand-daughters, right??)

So I would have picked this book up even if I wasn't hearing buzz about it. Of course, Holly Black gets buzz on everything she writes nowadays! (Did you see the book trailer on her new YA, THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLD TOWN? Yikes! CREEPY TIMES A THOUSAND!)

But I digress . . . 

DOLL BONES is a well-written suspenseful novel. And yet, it's not all plot and danger and creepiness. It's much, much more. 

Jack and Alice and Poppy are three best friends who have spent their childhood playing games of make-believe and going on pretend quests and making up adventure stories using their own dolls and action figures who are featured as pirates, knights and princesses. 

The doll in the book is "Queen of the Land" and when odd things start happening the kids discover the back-story of how the doll was created from the bones of a girl who died "accidentally" almost a hundred years ago - and she's haunting the kids. They believe that in order to help the spirit of the little girl find peace (and quit haunting them!) they need to find the graveyard where she should have been buried. The graveyard where her parents are now buried. Yep, restless spirits and unhappy souls . . .

In order to find the graveyard of the town where the girl used to live with her father who was a ceramic pottery maker, the kids run away from home for two days, get in a lot of scrapes, miss buses, have accidents on the Ohio River, go hungry, and almost tear their friendship apart.

This novel has got a lot of emotion, especially considering the MC is the boy, Jack, who is torn between childhood and adolescence and his mixed feelings about playing make-believe and what his parents are pressuring him to do. Jack's pain is palpable when he is forced into giving up his adventurous game of make-believe due to the actions from his father (no spoilers, but how it happens BREAKS MY HEART!)

This is a story that I couldn't put down and thoroughly enjoyed. It's gotten starred reviews everywhere and there is also Newbery buzz. I'm not sure it will maintain its status as the best Newbery contender (only time will tell) and it's *not* as creepy as the synopsis or some readers have maintained, but it is a well-written book with several growing up themes that are perfect for this age group. 

Maybe I didn't find it that scary because I personally adore mysteries and suspense AND weirdly enough I just finished revisions with my editor at Scholastic for a book that has a creepy doll in it! (I just saw cover art this last week and it's FANTASTIC! Wish I could share . . . maybe in a few months . . . :-))

If you have a child on the young spectrum between 8-12 years old I'd recommend reading this book ahead of time - or reading it with them. But honestly, only super sensitive or kids/students who have not been exposed to any sort of spine-tingling story before should have any problems with this book.

The rest of the MMGM links are below!

Enjoy!

xo,
Kimberley

- Kate Hannigan joins the MMGM fun with a feature on Stephanie Burgis' series. Click HERE to welcome her to the group. 

- Michelle Mason has chills for VANISHED. Click HERE to see her review.  

- Kimberley Griffiths Little is shivering for DOLL BONES. Click HERE to see what she thought. 

- Mark Baker is talking about ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN, BOY DETECTIVE. Click HERE to see why he thinks this classic deserves another read. 

- 11-year-old Xander is gushing about HORTEN'S INCREDIBLE ILLUSTRATIONS. Click HERE to see what he thought.  

- Gina Carey is singing praises for THREE TIMES LUCKY. Click HERE for her review! 

- Michael Gettel Gilmarten is spotlighting HAVE A HOT TIME, Hades book 1. Click HERE to see why.

- Medeia Sharif is championing ANASTASIA ON HER OWN. Click HERE to read her review. 

- Natalie Lorenzi is interviewing author Melanie Crowder. Click HERE for all the fun

- Andrea Mack is captivated by THE AVIARY. Click HERE to see why.  

- Rosanne Parry is cheering for SEE YOU AT HARRY'S. Click HERE for her feature.

- Flash, the Feline Extraordinaire, (and Professional Mews to Cindy Strandvold) recommends HALF UPON A TIME. Click HERE to see what that's all about.  

- Dorine White has a review of PENUMBRAS--with a GIVEAWAY. Click HERE for details

- 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!

- Pam Torres always has an MMGM up on her blog. Click HERE to see what she's spotlighting this week.

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

If you would like to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count--but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you're featuring and a link to your blog at SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com. (Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so I see it)

NOTE: I used to not have a cut-off time for adding links to the post, but with how insane my schedule is right now, if you don't email me by Sunday evening (usually around 11pm PST is when I put the links together) I can't guarantee I'll have a chance to add you. BUT, you are welcome to add your link in the comments on this post so people can find you!