A middle grade Adventure: Naya Nuki by Kenneth Thomasma (post by Paul Greci)

NayaNuki by Kenneth Thomasma came to me via an old friend in Hawaii who discovered it in a used bookstore, thought I would like it, and sent it to me. It is one of those books that sucks you in from page one and takes you on journey. I cracked the cover on a Sunday and by Tuesday morning was turning the last page as a very satisfied reader.

From the back cover:

Naya Nuki was only eleven when she was taken captive by a rival Indian tribe. She and her best friend, Sacajawea, were forced to march 1000 miles from Montana to a North Dakota Indian village, where Naya Nuki became a slave.

Escape and reunion with her Shonshoni people was the only thing on Naya Nuki’s mind. She secretly began to prepare for her escape along the Missouri River. All during the long march east she had been watching for landmarks and hiding places.

Finally the opportunity to run away came. Naya Nuki traveled alone in the wilderness for more than a month. Her journey presents an amazing story of danger, courage, and survival skills.

Published in 1991 by Baker Books.

Reading level: Ages 9 to 13.

I’d recommend it for girls and boys who are drawn to survival stories.

Naya Nuki was Kenneth Thomasma’s first novel. He has written and published nine additional novels, which you can learn more about here. He’s also the author of the nonfiction book The Truth about Sacajawea.

I feel fortunate that my friend sent me Naya Nuki. I can't wait to check out another Kenneth Thomasma book!

Thanks for stopping by.

Paul Greci is the author of Surviving Bear Island, a 2015 Junior Library Guild Selection and a 2016 Scholastic Reading Club Selection. Forthcoming soon is Follow the River, a sequel to Surviving Bear Island to be published by Move Books. In January 2019, Paul's first young adult novel, The Wild Lands will be published by Macmillan. It is available for pre-order here.

On My Reading List: The Last Panther by Todd Mitchell (post by Paul Greci)

I write survival stories and I totally gravitate toward reading them. Here’s the most recent addition to my reading list.

 This first paragraph of The Last Panther (seen below) grabbed me because it has an excellent mix of action driven by the setting, plus suspense. It makes me want to keep reading.

 "The netters were pulling something to shore. Kiri couldn’t see what they’d caught from where she stood on the beach with Paulo, but six or seven netters had waded into the surf to haul on the lines, so whatever the nets held, it must have been big."

About the book:

Eleven-year-old Kiri has a secret: wild things call to her. More than anyone else, she’s always had a special connection to animals. But when Kiri has an encounter with the last known Florida panther, her life is quickly turned on end. Caught between her conservationist father, who wants to send the panther to a zoo, and the village poachers, who want to sell it to feed their families, Kiri must embark on a journey that will take her deep into the wilderness. There has to be some way to save the panther, and for her dad and the villagers to understand each other. If Kiri can’t figure out what it is, she’ll lose far more than the panthers—she’ll lose the only home she’s ever known, and the only family she has left.

About the Author:

TODD MITCHELL is the author of a few other books for middle-grade and teen readers, including The Traitor King, The Secret to Lying, and Backwards. Currently, he teaches creative writing in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he lives with his wife, two wily daughters, and one very smart dog. You can visit him (and arrange to bring him out to your school) at ToddMitchellBooks.com.

If you’ve read or are planning to read a recently published survival story I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by.

 

Paul Greci is the author of Surviving Bear Island, a 2015 Junior Library Guild Selection and a 2016 Scholastic Reading Club Selection. Forthcoming in October 2018 is Follow the River, a sequel to Surviving Bear Island published by Move Books. In January 2019, Paul's first young adult novel, The Wild Lands will be published by Macmillan.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Beyond the Doors by David Neilsen

A Series of Unfortunate Events?

Check.

Coraline?

Check.

How about a hint of Monsters, Inc., Jumanji, and The Spiderwick Chronicles?

Check.

Check.

Check.

When Jim sent out an email and asked if anyone would be interested in reading and reviewing David Neilsen’s second middle grade novel, Beyond the Doors, as busy as I am these days, I couldn’t help but reply back with a yes. After all, the premise sounded fabulously intriguing.

A house with no doors? Or, as the publisher describes it: “Every doorway is a wide-open passageway--even the bathroom! Who lives in a house with no doors?”  

Busy or not, how could I pass that up?

Though it’s been compared to A Series of Unfortunate Events and Coraline, David Neilsen’s cleverly crafted novel also reminded me a little bit of Monsters, Inc., Jumanji, and The Spiderwick Chronicles. With that being said, I think that Beyond the Doors, itself, would make a great movie!

Now, if you are in any way concerned that Beyond the Doors is a been-there-done-that kind of book because of the comp titles, trust me, it is not. Some threads of the story might remind the reader of the comp titles, but its main story is unique. And did I mention that it is also clever?

To add icing on the cake (since it’s the holiday season), the illustrations are totally on point. I think that kids will fall in love with this book, and it would be perfect for reading over the winter break.

You can read Jim’s interview with David here. You can read more about Beyond the Doors here. To purchase a copy, hurry out to your favorite bookstore or grab a copy from your favorite online retailer. Did I mention that this book would be great for winter break reading?

Enjoy!

Survivor Diaries by Terry Lynn Johnson and More! (posted by Paul Greci)

Terry Lynn Johnson, award winning author of the middle grade adventure, ICE DOGS, has a new adventure series called Survivor Diaries. The series draws on Terry’s vast life experiences in survival situations. She lives and works in the wilds of Northern Ontario, Canada.

The four books, geared for ages seven to ten, are short (112 pages), fast-paced, high action stories.

The first in the series, which came out in July, is Overboard (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, Hardcover, July 2017, ISBN: 9780544970106):

Eleven-year-old Travis and his family are on a whale watch off the coast of Washington when their boat capsizes, throwing everyone into the ice-cold water. Will Travis and twelve-year-old passenger Marina have the grit and the know-how to survive?

The other three books in the series will be released over the next year and a half: Avalanche (January 2018), Lost (July 2018), and Dust Storm (January 2019).

In addition to the Survivor Diaries, Terry has two stand-alone middle grade novels coming out this fall, both of which are Junior Library Guild Selections!! Congrats, Terry!!

FalconWild (Charlesbridge, hardcover, September 2017, ISBN: 978-1580897884)

Thirteen-year-old Karma is lost in the backcountry of Montana with her falcon, Stark, and a troubled runaway boy named Cooper. She's desperate to find help for her dad and brother after they find themselves in a terrible accident on a back road.

Then, a month later, Sled Dog School (HMH Books for Young Readers, hardcover, October 2017, ISBN: 978-0544873315) comes out.

Eleven-year-old Matthew Misco just wants to fly—or should we say sled—under the radar. Things are hard enough at school with kids making fun of him for his parents' off-the-grid life-style, but life gets much worse when he is assigned a long-term math project: to start his own business. He has to ace this assignment to save his failing grade. But what is he even good at? The only thing he truly loves doing is running his team of dogs.

Having read and loved ICE DOGS, I am looking forward to devouring all six of the above mentioned books!!

To learn more about Terry, you can visit her website. Also, Terry was recently interviewed at Cracking the Cover.

Keep writing those adventure stories, Terry!!!

Paul Greci is the author of Surviving Bear Island, a 2015 Junior Library Guild Selection and a 2016 Scholastic Reading Club Selection.

Crafting The Second Story by Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson (Guest Post)

Planning on writing a sequel or expanding your story into a series?

Here are a few tips we’ve learned while working on Fairday Morrow and The Talking Library, the second book in the Fairday Morrow series- coming this October!

The Overall Picture:

●      Remember to weave in the backstory! It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised about what you assume readers will remember about the places and characters. Plus, the new readers will need to be filled in.

Tip: Finding a balance for how much backstory you include is important, and that’s why securing a good developmental editor is key. 

●      Scene setting is critical. Pulling returning readers back in, and giving new readers the experience for the first time is the goal. The Begonia House has lots of nooks and crannies, which give it depth and character, so keeping continuity for the second book was challenging, but also very satisfying and fun. Who wouldn’t want to re-visit a spooky old victorian house packed with secrets and magic! :)

○      Building the new world of The Talking Library into the foundation of the the Begonia House was hard work, but in the world of story, anything’s possible. When you let your imagination loose, you might open a whole new can of worms and not even know it. Letting ideas flow, even if you wind up tossing them, is part of the process of crafting the scene- like shaving down the story to reveal its face.

Tip: We set up an “Information Dump” file. This is where we put all the good sentences we write after we spend hours getting them just so, then decide to cut them. Again, a bit painful, but part of the process. Sometimes, we can fit them into another spot where they’ll work better. The less you are attached to the specific sentences, and the more you are committed to the whole picture of your project, the easier it is to let go.

●      Keep your clues organized! In our case, the first mystery in The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow (book 1) ties into the second case the DMS (Detective Mystery Squad) tries to solve, so there were a lot of pieces to fit into the puzzle, and keeping the clues straight was important. Having consistent details is what pulls together story magic.

Tip: We collaborate using Google Docs to organize our writing. It’s a great tool for authors. It’s easy to share ideas and keep the manuscript in order.

Writing the sequel, or the next book in the series, is harder than the first book because you need to paint a clear picture of your characters and past book(s), but you also need to keep everything fresh while introducing new ideas. Organization is the key! Putting the final touches in place will be a reward and although it doesn’t come easy, it will be worth it.

Are you working on a second book or working on a series? We’d love to hear your thoughts and tips. :)

Happy writing!
~Jess and Stephanie

Connecticut Authors, Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson

The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow

Middle grade mystery for ages 8 and up

Pick up a copy!

Fairday Morrow and The Talking Library

Book 2: COMING THIS OCTOBER!

Catch a clue at fairdaysfiles.com

Follow the DMS on Twitter: @DMSfiles

Find Fairday on Facebook

 Fear not the unexpected.

Anything’s possible.

Book News by Paul Greci

Doing research for the Sequel to Surviving Bear Island.

I’m thrilled to announce that there will be a Sequel to Surviving Bear Island coming out in 2018, and another middle grade adventure to follow!!

From Publishers Marketplace: June 14, 2017 – Paul Greci

Children’s: Middle grade

JLG winner for Surviving Bear Island Paul Greci‘s untitled sequel, pitched as another Alaskan Hatchet and Far North-like adventure/wilderness/survival tale, to Eileen Robinson at Move Books, in a two-book deal, for publication in 2018, by Amy Tipton at Signature Literary Agency.

Thanks to my agent Amy Tipton for finding a home for more of my middle grade adventure stories!! We’ve been working together for six years now!

And, I’m looking forward to continuing to work with Eileen Robinson and all the other fine folks at Move Books!!

The Sequel is set in Interior Alaska where there are many free flowing rivers.

The sequel (title forthcoming) took about a year to write utilizing the early morning hours before my teaching day began, plus some of the previous summer.

The second book in the two-book deal is a yet-to-be-written middle grade adventure (which I’ll share more details about at a later date), so I read with interest Caroline’s post last Monday. This will be the first time I have a contract for a book I have not yet written.

I’ll have a little more news to share regarding my young adult fiction writing sometime soon.

Thanks for stopping by.

Paul Greci is the author of Surviving Bear Island, a 2015 Junior Library Guild Selection and a 2016 Scholastic Reading Club Selection.

 

Writing Thrillers for Kids by Donna Galanti

Do you love to be scared? I do (when I know it’s safe)! Haunted houses. Hayrides. Rollercoasters. Adventure rides. (and yes, that's me with my family on a ride!).

I got so scared once in a haunted house that I whacked the “ghosts” with the teddy bear from my costume. The management turned on all the lights and asked me to leave. Oops.

Just last Halloween my friend dared me to do Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penitentiary, a haunted house at an abandoned prison. I was very proud that I didn’t whack anyone this time!

But I still get scared of real places as a grown up. Of our dark garage. Of our creepy old cellar. Of nighttime when taking the trash cans out. My heart pip-pops waiting for that creature or boogeyman to grab me. I know he could be. My imagination tells me so.

And thriller movies are fun to get scared by – but I think it’s even more fun for me to watch my son watching them. When he was younger he would yell at the characters, “save yourselves!” then jump up and down, cover his eyes, and hug me in fright – whether it was Jurassic Park, Twister, or Dante’s Peak. I think the same elements in thriller movies cross over into thriller books.

Basic elements of a thriller:

Incorporate plot twists to shock the audience

Tease viewers to keep them hanging on until the end

A hero, or band of heroes, opposing an enemy while on a quest

The threat of death or capture is always looming

Here is a snapshot of my favorite thrillers for kids:

The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen
The Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan
Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
Double Vision by F.T. Bradley

As my son became an avid and selective reader, I discovered that kids love to be thrilled not just in movies but in books too. I started reading some of the thrillers my son had on his bookshelf like Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan and Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo. In doing this I began to see patterns in these kid adventure tales – and I began applying what I learned, along with general thriller elements, to create my own stories.

10-steps I discovered for writing kid thrillers:

•  Put the kids in charge. Kids don’t want to read about grownups having adventures.
• Which leads into…have the kids figure out how to take the bad guys down – not grownups. Kids want to see themselves as the hero, not Mom or Dad or their teacher.
•  Whatever scary situations the kids find themselves in – they must navigate their way out.
• Don’t dwell on the dark stuff. Make it happen fast without gory detail – kids can use their imagination.
• Give them friends in their travels. Life is hard without friends! And a kid needs friends to help him along his scary adventure.
• Through story events have the kids discover their own strength and courage to overcome the bad things happening to them.
• Make all seemed lost! End the chapters on cliffhangers to encourage kids to keep turning the pages and find out what happens next.
• Have it work out in the end, or at least partially, even if all seems doomed for a while.
• Add humor! Interjecting a dollop of funny can alleviate the tension in the scariest of scenes and lighten the moment.
• Make it a series. Have a final resolution to the story but leave it open for more stories down the road for the characters. Kids love to follow their beloved characters into new adventures.

As you can see, I love to read and write thrillers for kids. And that’s just what I did with creating the Lightning Road series. Here’s the book trailer for book 2 in the series, Joshua and the Arrow Realm. Do you think the story has the elements of a kid’s thriller?

What are your favorite kid thrillers to read? If you write kid thrillers, what are some thriller elements you include?

Reading Out Loud to the Older Crowd by Paul Greci

Last month I was invited to read a chapter of Surviving Bear Island at the Alaska Literacy Council’s Annual Conference. As I dug into the themes of the conference I discovered that a big focus was the value of reading out loud to students of all ages. The keynote speaker, Steven Layne, had just published a book, In Defense of Read Aloud, exploring the benefits of reading out loud.

When I started teaching English at an alternative school program for at risk teens in the mid 1990’s, I had a classroom full of reluctant and struggling readers and writers in 9^th through 12^th grades, and I built my instruction around reading out loud.

I read whole novels, short stories and essays to my students and designed writing assignments around our readings. With some of the fiction I read, I’d often stop at a particularly suspenseful moment have the students write the next part of the story and then invite them to share what they’d written.

I did every assignment along with my students and it was then that I discovered that I liked writing fiction.

So, I thought it was fitting that I got read a chapter of Surviving Bear Island out loud to a conference focusing on the value of reading out loud, since the book’s creation is rooted in reading out loud.

Reading out loud to my older students helped some of them to connect with the written word and lessened their resistance to engaging in independent reading.

One of my most memorable read aloud experiences as a teacher was reading Anthem by Ayn Rand. I was team teaching with a very talented social studies teacher who suggested the title. While I read the book and did some writing exercises with the class, he put it in historical context for the students, and then played the Rush album 2112 for the class and did a few lessons on the lyrics as they related to the book.

Do you have any memorable read aloud experiences as students or as teachers?

Surviving Bear Island School Visit by Paul Greci

 

Signing a book for the Jackson Intermediate Library

Yesterday, I did my first Surviving Bear Island school visits. I visited two schools where I was student back in the 70’s, John Marshall and Andrew Jackson Intermediate Schools for grades five to eight in South Bend, Indiana.

I felt very taken care of at both schools. The visits were set up on really short notice and the school staff did a fantastic job of being prepared. And the kids were just awesome and full of questions about writing and about Alaska.

The Welcome Board at Marshall Intermediate

My brother, who lives in the town I grew up in, facilitated setting up the visits.

As a teacher my way of preparing for my presentation was to over-prepare, i.e. have more to do and share than there is actually time for. I also asked the teachers to have their students come with questions about Alaska and/or writing.

Reading at Marshall Intermediate School

I don’t have any words of wisdom to offer about how to do a school visit. Since I am a long time teacher I feel pretty comfortable in a school. If I had to add anything in addition to being over prepared it would be to be present with the students and staff and be flexible in your own presentation so you can switch things up to go with the energy of the situation. I’m sure I have a lot to learn so if you have some school visit tips I’d love to hear them in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by.

Surviving Bear Island comes out March 25^th and is available to order at Independent Bookstores, Barnes and Noble and Amazon right now.