What's Up With The Mayhem? by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

Hi folks! Here's hoping you've all been having a great summer, full of adventures and activities, and just plain fun with families and friends. Summer always seems to whizz by, doesn't it?

Here at Project Middle Grade Mayhem we've been doing some summer-inspired soul-searching. When we look back at the past eight years--yes, we've been bringing you the very best of middle-grade for eight, wonderful years!--we see over 1000 blog posts, myriad page views and comments, and an ever-evolving gang of some of the best middle grade writers on the planet.

But we've also noticed a trend. Plainly speaking, blog reading is down. As more short-forms of social media have evolved (think Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and all the rest), people have even less time to interact with long-form blogging. I mean, who among us really wants to stare at a screen all day?

As writers, it's always a struggle keeping up the social connectivity and working on promotion of our work, and doing what we all love doing best: immersing ourselves in the worlds of our stories. More and more of us feel the tug to take a break from social media, and reconnect with our own creativity. (One of our founding members, Caroline Starr Rose, has written persuasively about this on the blog: Deep Work and a Digital Declutter.)

So basically, we've come to a crossroads, and our membership has decided it's time to put our blog to bed. That's not to say you'll never hear from us again. Our plan is to migrate to Facebook, where we will be setting up a group page where conversations can continue and mayhem can flourish. In essence, we'll be growing our Project Middle Grade Mayhem family as we invite you to share your thoughts, promote your books, and celebrate all the wonderful things about middle grade fiction and nonfiction.

So please stay tuned for things to change in September--and thank you all for your support during these eight magnificent mayhem-filled years. May the Mayhem be with you!

Book Trailer Premiere: RIDERS OF THE REALM by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

Guys, this is so exciting. We're on the red carpet, with Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, author of the amazing GUARDIAN HERD quartet. Jennifer is one of the most gracious and professional authors I know, and so I'm fanboying and pretty much swooning that she chose Project Mayhem to be the space for the book trailer premiere of her new RIDERS OF THE REALM  trilogy. The first book in the series, Across the Dark Water, releases on May 1st, 2018. (Swoon again!)

Even more exciting, Jennifer will be giving away a signed copy of the finished book for ONE lucky reader chosen from comments on this post. (US readers only.)

Without further ado, let's settle in our seats, grab the popcorn, and turn down the lights. I present to you the book trailer for RIDERS OF THE REALM:

 

I love the illustrations, the music, the drama: basically everything about this! (For future consumption: I'll be reviewing Across the Dark Water on Project Mayhem in a couple of weeks!!!)

Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

Thank you, Jennifer, for honoring Project Mayhem with this premiere. We're big fans of yours!

EVOLUTION REVOLUTION: SIMPLE LESSONS by Charlotte Bennardo (review by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin)

Back in October 2016, I came across book one in author Charlotte Bennardo's Evolution Revolution trilogy. Simple Machines introduced me to the intrepid and fiendishly clever squirrel, Jack, who won my heart by leading a band of woodland critters to defend and preserve their natural habitat from development.

Book 2, Simple Plans, came out in early 2017, and now we have the culmination of the story in Simple Lessons. This is a bitter-sweet tale because, although Jack once again triumphs, it is not without cost. (I won't spoil it for you. Suffice it to say that, in victory, Jack suffers a couple of grievous losses.) Here's the plot from the back cover:

Even though his woods are safe from the construction machines, Jack, the squirrel can't go back. The scientists who captured Rat, and his sister's mate Jerk, are searching for him and show up at his human friend Collin's house. To save Jack, Collin and his mother take him to an animal sanctuary. There, Jack meets Addy and other rescued squirrels, along with Horse and a group of barnyard animals. Collin visits, bringing Mina the talking bird and teaches Jack the last simple machines: the pulley, the lever, and the gear. Jack shares what he learns with Addy, but Hawk and the scientists are hot after him. One final battle between humans and animals erupts. If Jack wins, he'll have to run away from everything he knows. If he loses, he'll never be free.

 All the strengths of the first two books are in evidence in the culmination of the series. Jack is a winning character who shows great leadership. The supporting cast is full of lively personalities--my new favorite is the loquacious Mina, the talking bird, who is a mimic of great skill. (I would love to do her voices in a classroom read-aloud!) There is danger from all corners--but also tender moments when Jack says goodbye to characters that are dear to him. The choice is stark: he could live caged, either by the scientists or, to a lesser extent, at the sanctuary. Or he could roam free. The reader will be delighted by the ending, with Jack at his defiant best.

As always, the illustrations by Cathleen Daniels are top notch!

Now that all three books have been published we readers don't have to wait: we can read them (again!) in one sitting! Yippee!!!

Once again, I invite you to visit Charlotte Bennardo's blog, Author on the Loose, for insights into the writing life.

Charlotte Bennardo's Goodreads author photo

Celebrating the launch of THE DANGER GANG AND THE PIRATES OF BORNEO by Stephen Bramucci

One of the greatest thrills for a blog manager is to celebrate a fellow blogger's book debut. The thrill climbs to stupendous level when that blog debut takes place in one's own city, and at one of one's favorite children's bookstores!

I knew The Danger Gang and the Pirates of Borneo's publication date was August 1st. I've been waiting for this day for a long time. What I wasn't prepared for was the throng of people at Green Bean Books in Northeast Portland--and the fact that the novel was all sold out when I got there. Son of a gun! But who should I bump into but a longtime friend, whom I learned is Stephen Bramucci's mother's best friend. Soon my friend Linda was introducing me to various uncles and aunts and friends, and I felt like I was a honorary member of the Bramucci-Parker family. How cool is that!

I met Stephen in person too. Can I tell you how great it is to meet members of Project Mayhem in the flesh? We're a pretty tight bunch, and communicate fairly regularly. But nothing beats meeting face-to-face!

Because of the 'sold-out book' situation, and my desperate need for a signed book, Stephen and I agreed to meet at a coffee shop. I raced to Annie Blooms (my neighborhood bookstore) and put in my order. 36 hours later, The Danger Gang and the Pirates of Borneo was in my hot little hands. (And boy were they hot. It's been 105 degrees for the past couple of days in our fair city.)

Chatting with Stephen was an unadulterated joy. The man is whip-smart, funny, and a born storyteller. He's also a natural in front of the camera, so I decided to make Project Mayhem a Vlog-For-A-Day. I know you'll enjoy hearing about The Danger Gang and the Pirates of Borneo, part of its publication journey, and also about the planned sequel. Three Cheers for Stephen Bramucci, and Three Cheers for The Danger Gang and the Pirates of Borneo!!!

EVOLUTION REVOLUTION: Simple Plans by Charlotte Bennardo (Review by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin)

Back in October, I wrote about the first book in Charlotte Bennardo's appealing series EVOLUTION REVOLUTION. I admired the adventurous and resourceful squirrel, Jack, and his quest to protect his woods from a human development project. I praised the style, and the illustrations. And I hoped that Jack's adventures would continue.

Well, continue they did. In this second book, we once again see Jack in action--but this time his efforts go to save a friend. I have to say, Charlotte Bennardo does a magnificent job of making us feel sorry for a rat!

Here's a summary of what the novel is about:

After leading the battle against the construction machines to save his woods, Jack the squirrel continues visiting his human friend, Collin. He brings Sister, and Bird, who can copy Collin's words. This allows Jack to 'talk' to Collin. When Jack shares what he learns with the other woodland animals, Fox wants no part of learning anything human. Rat is too busy teasing the humans who spy on the animals. When Rat gets tagged and caged, Jack has to figure out how to save him while avoiding the humans who want most to capture him--and won't stop until they do.

 I want to concentrate on the way Charlotte Bennardo elicits our sympathies for Rat. Her characters openly state that rats are abhorrent to humans. In fact, in one scene, when Rat and Jack harass the human characters who are spying in the wood there are plenty of screams! Rat is full of himself--his favorite appellation is "King Rat." Despite this, Jack feels gratitude for Rat's help battling the humans, and he introduces Rat to their human ally, the young boy Collin.

Collin, though unnerved by Rat, strokes him. Rat enjoys this, and suddenly we see Rat as not just a repulsive and aggressive creature but as a sentient being who has feelings too. The worst scene is when Rat is captured and caged, and a metal tag is pushed through his ear. At that point, I actually shuddered. Rat had my sympathies entirely.

Evolution Revolution: Simple Plans is smaller in scope than book 1, Simple Machines. But there is a deepening of characterization as we get to know the animals better. There is one more book in the trilogy, Simple Lessons. I can't wait to see what Jack and his animal friends will get up to next.

Here's the cover for the next book. (Once again, I think the art work by Cathleen Daniels is exquisite.)

FIVE FABULOUS FINGER-TINGLING NOVELS TO LOOK FORWARD TO by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

Nothing gets me more excited than a new middle grade novel (well, maybe chocolate does, but I'm trying to be cerebral here.) Recently, I had the honor of a cover reveal for Michele Weber Hurwitz's latest, and decided that I needed to share the love for Michele's new novel with y'all--as well as sharing some other notable upcoming novels. The Mayhem hive mind came to my rescue, and I have a list of five novels, including Michele's, that I'm positively salivating over. Here goes:

Michele Weber Hurwitz's ETHAN MARCUS STANDS UP

From Michele's WEBSITE:

ETHAN MARCUS STANDS UP will be published on August 29th, 2017 by Simon & Schuster/Aladdin, with a sequel to follow in 2018.

Seventh-grader Ethan Marcus is fed up with sitting in school, and one day, enough is enough. He doesn't cause trouble or wander around, he just refuses to stay seated in class. His spontaneous protest doesn't go over so well with his rule-oriented teacher so Ethan is sent to the principal's office, and then is given two days of "Reflection" -- McNutt Middle School's answer to detention. When the faculty advisor suggests Ethan channel his energy into the school's Invention Day, at first Ethan says thanks but no thanks. He's never been a science-y kid. That's his Irish twin sister Erin's department. Except when Ethan and his friend Brian decide to give it a try, they realize they might have something. And it's good. Maybe great. But can they actually pull it off?

Ethan Marcus Stands Up -- narrated by five different kids -- shows how we all may have labels that define us, but that doesn't mean we can't step out of our comfort zone and attempt a new challenge. And, along the way, we may just learn from someone who sees the world from a different perspective.

See my cover reveal post on Middle Grade Mafioso for more fun!

THE DANGER GANG AND THE PIRATES OF BORNEO by our very own Stephen Bramucci, coming August 1st, 2017

Ronald Zupan is a daring master adventurer! But he actually hasn't experienced any grand adventures . . . YET! When his world-traveling parents are kidnapped on his twelfth birthday, Ronald seizes the chance to prove himself with a dazzling, danger-defying rescue operation.

Teaming up with his trusty butler Jeeves, his quick-witted fencing nemesis Julianne Sato, and his pet cobra Carter, Ronald sets course for the jungle of Borneo where his parents were last sighted. If they can crash-land a plane and outrun a hungry snow leopard, surely they can find the secret lair of Zeetan Z, the world's most ruthless pirate! But as their adventure becomes more and more dangerous, can Ronald and his companions muster enough courage to see this adventure through? (From Bloomsbury site)

Visit Stephen's new website!

LEMONS by Melissa Savage, coming May 2, 2017

Lemonade Liberty Witt’s mama always told her: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But Lem can’t possibly make lemonade out of her new life in Willow Creek, California—the Bigfoot Capital of the World—where she’s forced to live with a grandfather she’s never met after her mother passes away.

 Then she meets eleven-year-old Tobin Sky, the CEO of Bigfoot Detectives Inc., who is the sole Bigfoot investigator for their small town. After he invites Lem to be his assistant for the summer, they set out on an epic adventure to capture a shot of the elusive beast on film. But along the way, Lem and Tobin end up discovering more than they ever could have imagined. And Lem realizes that maybe she can make lemonade out of her new life after all. (From blog tour material, Penguin Random House)

Lot of buzz about this one--I will be part of the blog tour on Middle Grade Mafioso, coming soon to a blog near you!

BEYOND THE BRIGHT SEA by Lauren Wolk, coming May 1st, 2017

Crow has lived her whole life on a tiny, starkly beautiful island. Her only companions are Osh, the man who rescued her from a washed-up skiff as a baby and raised her, and Miss Maggie, their neighbour across the sandbar. But it is only when a mysterious fire appears across the water that an unspoken question of her own history forms in Crow's heart, and an unstoppable chain of events is triggered. Crow sets out to find her lost identity - and, ultimately, to learn what it means to be a family. (From Penguin UK)

THE GAUNTLET by Karuna Riazi, (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, published March 28, 2017)
When twelve-year-old Farah and her two best friends get sucked into a mechanical board game called The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand—a puzzle game akin to a large Rubik’s cube—they know it’s up to them to defeat the game’s diabolical architect in order to save themselves and those who are trapped inside, including her baby brother Ahmed. But first they have to figure out how.

Under the tutelage of a lizard guide named Henrietta Peel and an aeronaut Vijay, the Farah and her friends battle camel spiders, red scorpions, grease monkeys, and sand cats as they prepare to face off with the maniacal Lord Amari, the man behind the machine. Can they defeat Amari at his own game…or will they, like the children who came before them, become cogs in the machine? (From Goodreads)



I'm so excited to welcome all these novels in the coming months. Please add any novels you are excited about too. I'm going for a Guinness World Record of a TBR list.

The Artist's Way (and reading) by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

A couple of Mayhemmers have recently blogged about their experiences of  either The Artist's Way (Caroline's Morning Pages One Year In) or going on a reading fast (Joanna's Fasting Story.) Since I am currently working my way through The Artist's Way, part of which requires giving up reading for a week, I thought I'd share my own progress report.

Caroline's piece actually was the boost that got me back to the practices Julia Cameron writes about it her book, the subtitle of which is "A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity." Towards the latter part of 2016, I was in a complete creative funk--a lot of which I trace back to the election and its aftermath. Add to this that, after parting ways from my agent, I had been having no luck querying my latest novel (lots of full requests and nice rejections, things like "not for me, but I can see this being a smash hit with the right agent,") I was finding it hard to hang on.

Intellectually I knew that the sun would rise again tomorrow, but my creative child was really feeling the slings and arrows. I'd had a similar creative crisis in 1997, after the birth of my first child, and the knowledge that I was soon turning THIRTY-FREAKING-FIVE (!) and that my creative dream of being a published author was still in embryo. (Fast forward 20 years, and here I still am.)

My wise wife gave my a Christmas gift, paying for me to attend a 12-week course on The Artist's Way. There were about twenty of us, and we met weekly in the back room of a music store. Our facilitator was funny and down-to-earth, and soon we were engaged in all sorts of kooky things, like making collages, writing affirmations, and bidding farewell to negative messages.

Week 4 of the course, however, was tough. That was the week where we had to give up reading and watching of any sort for one whole week. (The internet wasn't ubiquitous then so, looking back, it was not so tough.) But I freaked out. The Winter Olympics were being held in Nagano, Japan, and I really wanted to see a couple of my favorite skaters--Elvis Stojko and Michelle Kwan--compete. But, being the rule-follower I am, I buckled down. I also kept my wife busy: she had to remove the newspaper off the front porch in the mornings so I wouldn't be tempted to read the headlines, and then she had to videotape the events for later viewing. (Yes, after Week 4's dastardly task was over, I did binge watch hours of the Olympics!)

Here we are in 2017, and I am older and maybe just a smidge wiser. Week 4 was hard yet again, not because of The Olympics, but because I had to come face to face with my social media obsessions. Although a late adapter of Facebook and the like, I find it's a little like a morphine drip for me--a squeeze here, a squeeze there throughout the day and whoops! Where did the time go? (Twitter's even worse.)

What did I discover with my week off from reading screens and magazines and other people's books? First, my worry-levels dropped dramatically. (The media-free week coincided with the Inauguration, and during that blackout I was as happy as a clam.) Also, since I wasn't losing myself in others' stories, some of my own started to emerge. I'm not quite back at my fighting weight yet, but I'm getting there.

The creative life ebbs and flows. We all have wounds and scars, but we also have champions and companions on the road. (My friends on this blog are part of this support.) Julia Cameron is also a firm believer in serendipity and the opening of doors when we are ready. And that is happening to me now too. A young, highly creative friend from church has invited me to write the script for an animation series he's creating. We're having a lot of fun brainstorming ideas together. As Julia Cameron says, "Artists like other artists."

I've got three more weeks to go on The Artist's Way. I've been religious about my Morning Pages, and have done Artist's Dates most of the time. (I've put links to Julian Cameron's website, where you can find explanations of what these two practices are.) I'm sitting with and pondering these words in Week Ten:

"In a creative life, droughts are a necessity. The time in the desert brings us clarity and charity. When you are in a drought, know that it is to a purpose. And keep writing morning pages."

Have you ever read The Artist's Way? If so, what were your experiences? Do you think you could go a week without consuming text or media? Are you willing to try?

Project MG Mayhem: What the Mayhemmers are up to in 2017, compiled by Michael G-G

We're back from our short hiatus--and boy did the time fly by! I thought I'd bring you up to speed about what several Mayhemmers plan for our new year of 2017. Here we go:

Kell Andrews: In 2017 I want to finish writing and revising my current novel, which is the book of my heart. My goal next is to write something for my daughter. She has a hard time finding enough of the books she loves, so I want to write the book of her heart.

Caroline Starr Rose: February 7: Jasper and the Riddle of Riley's Mine publishes!!!!

Jim Hill: I'm teaching a workshop at NESCBWI called "So You Want to Write a Graphic Novel." April 21-23, 2017, Springfield, MA.

Mary Cronin: I'll be teaching two workshops at the New England SCBWI conference in April--
"World-Building: The Power of Setting for LGBTQ Characters" and "Writing about Characters with LGBTQ Parents."








(Looks like this will be a great conference to attend if you want to see Jim and Mary in action!)

Eden Unger Bowditch: I have MG/YA two books coming out in 2017:
May-The Strange Round Bird (Book 3 of The Young Inventors Guild)
October- Fun Things to Do With Dead Animals with my friend, Egyptologist Salima Ikram

Yamile Saied Mendez: My good news is that I'll be graduating from VCFA in January. I'll also be teaching a casual diversity class at the Storymakers conference in Utah in May. Storymakers is the largest writing conference in the state.

Michael Gettel-Gilmartin: Inspired by Caroline's recent post on The Artist's Way, I'm planning to work through the course once more. I was in an Artist's Way group way back in 1998. It'll be interesting to see how my inner artist responds to revisiting Julia Cameron's "spiritual path to higher creativity."





I hope you all have a magnificently creative and wonderfully fulfilling New Year. Thanks for reading and supporting Project Middle Grade Mayhem (now in our 7th year!!!)

Hey Writer, What Are Your Strengths?

As the year comes to an end, we thought we'd run an "oldie but goodie" here at Project Mayhem. This post first ran in 2013, but it is always a good reminder to follow one's strengths and manage one's weaknesses!

The other day at my critique group, one of my writer friends brought in an article published in The Rumpus by poet David Biespiel. It's a long article, but worth the time. After all, it's titled "Follow Your Strengths, Manage Your Weaknesses and Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys." FULL TEXT HERE.

Broadly summarizing, David Biespel argues that in workshops and critique groups we tend to focus on trying to improve each other's weaknesses, in the process paying hardly any attention to each other's strengths (I mean, they're strengths, so they're working, right?), and end up by reinforcing our writer's negative self-talk. As an example, he tells the story of his son's report card. His son came home with 3 As, 1 B, 1 D,and an F. As Biespel puts it "Which grades do you suppose we discussed for an hour? Of course! We talked about how to bring his weak grades up to the strong grades, the A’s. We talked about his need for improvement. We talked about: you can do better if you work harder. We talked about how to make his weakest results equal to his strongest results. We did not talk about the A’s except to say, don’t let them slip." (As the father of a high school junior, I totally empathize, Mr. Biespel.)

Biespel goes on to give many examples, including the example of himself, of people who fixated on trying to improve their weaknesses to the ultimate detriment of their strengths. What we really all should be doing is working on making our strengths even stronger which will, Biespel argues, help us to manage our weaknesses. Here's Biespel again:

You’ve got strengths and you’ve got weaknesses. What I want to say to you is, follow the strengths and manage the weaknesses. Better yet, get assistance with your weaknesses, but for your strengths…make that the study of your life.

For example, you’re not good at dialogue. Be like the shoemaker who is great at making shoes but not great at marketing or collecting bills. He hires a salesman, a marketing person. You should “hire” a dialogue guy. Better yet, befriend one! Show him your piece and say, “don’t worry about the plot or the imagery. I’m good at that already.” Just read for dialogue. Help me manage that. Help me fix that. So I can invest more of my time developing my talent for plot and description (which I love doing and enjoy more!)—and less time focused on a weakness that, in the end, risks making me feel bad about my writing, and perhaps not writing at all.

One of the exercises Biespel asks each writer to do is list his or her strengths. "I want to ask you to consider your talents as a writer, honestly, without self-deprecation or self-hatred. But with clear assessment. In a moment I want you to scribble down two of your strengths as a writer and two of your weaknesses."

My critique group is planning to do this exercise next time we meet. It will be interesting seeing if people's self-assessments agree with the assessment of the group. If you are struggling with self-confidence in your writing--and my contention is that each of us struggles with self-doubt at some stage or another--I recommend reading David Biespel's article and doing the exercise above. Manage your weaknesses, but above all follow your strengths!

David Biespel is a poet and the founder of the Attic Institute in Portland, Oregon.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: EVOLUTION REVOLUTION: Simple Machines by Charlotte Bennardo (review by Michael G-G)

EVOLUTION REVOLUTION: Simple Machines by Charlotte Bennardo, illustrations by Cathleen Daniels (2016)

I am delighted to have found a new author to support. Charlotte Bennardo seems to be the epitome of professionalism (I encourage you to read the post at her blog titled Ms. Book Manners Says.) Writing for publication is a profession, and Charlotte does a great job of explaining what the standards are and what constitutes good manners.

Ordinarily, I am not a huge fan of stories about animals (shameful confession: I have not yet read Watership Down) but I did enjoy Mrs. Frisby and The Rats of Nimh and now I can add EVOLUTION REVOLUTION to the list. Read on to learn why.

What It's About:
In a quiet wood, a common gray squirrel will start a war. First he learns words and how to use simple machines like the wheel. Named Jack by the boy who teaches him, Jack sees construction machines invade his wood and threaten his nest and tree. Sharing what he's learned with Sister, he calls a Gathering of the woodland animals to convince them to fight. Most of the animals, like Beaver, Bird and the Rabbits are afraid. Fox and Rat do not want to learn anything from a human, until Jack tells Fox his den will be the first destroyed by the machines. The animals unite: Beaver, Owl, Fox, Rat, and even Sister join the fight. They win one battle, but they may not win the war because the humans have become especially interested in them.

Why I liked it:
The character of Jack, the squirrel: Can you say spunky? Jack is intrepid and intelligent, and he is able to understand the young boy who befriends him. Despite Jack's fear of the machines, he also grows into a leader as he gathers his fellow woodland creatures to prevent a subdivision being built in his forest. Go Jack!

The easy-to-read style: As a writer, I like to study how other writers construct their stories. Evolution Revolution is written in close third person, mainly through Jack's point of view. I kept thinking, as I read, that it would be a good novel to read in an elementary classroom. The novel has some humor, and lots of heart, and it is just the right length for a read-aloud book. Plus, there's plenty of action: who doesn't like a story about underdogs (although dogs are looked down upon by the forest-dwelling animals) who are able to put a big crimp into the plans of man and their machines?

The illustrations are great. This novel was produced with a lot of care. The cover art is appealing and the inside illustrations in black-and-white are tremendous. (I love the drawing of Jack rolling a nut on page 18!)

(To learn more about the illustrator, check out Cathleen Daniels website HERE.)

About The Author (from Goodreads bio):
Until Hollywood calls, Charlotte Bennardo lives in NJ with her husband, three children, two needy cats and sometimes a deranged squirrel. Evolution Revolution: Simple Machines is her first solo novel. She is also the co-author of Blonde Ops (St. Martin’s/Dunne) and the Sirenz series (Sirenz, Sirenz Back In Fashion, Flux), and one of 13 authors in the anthology, Beware the Little White Rabbit (Leap). She’s written for magazines and newspapers, and has given presentations and workshops at NJ SCBWI conferences. Currently she’s working on sci fi, historical, fantasy, and time travel novels and loves to hear from fans. WEBSITE

Win a copy of EVOLUTION REVOLUTION on Goodreads!

Charlotte Bennardo's Goodreads author photo

#MGGetsReal! The Conversation Continues--Books on ADD/ADHD by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

On Thursday here at Project Mayhem, Dianne Salerni's post introduced us to a team of MG writers, posting under the hashtag of #MGGetsReal, who are doing a significant service. Their goal, as they state it, is to "spotlight middle grade books with tough topics, in hopes that kids who face real issues such as these will be able to see themselves within the pages of a book."

I have a personal connection to tough topics. My eldest son (now 20) was born significantly prematurely and weighed only 1 pound and 6 ounces at birth. His early life consisted of early interventions, including speech and occupational therapy. (He didn't speak until he was three.) However, with a lot of hard work, he started school and did very well. (He never had a problem reading, and was reading in Kindergarten.) By 4th grade, however, the "dreaminess" was beginning to cause concerns. He wasn't paying attention to his teacher's instructions, and there were also reports of "perseveration." (ghastly word!)

He was assessed and put on an ADD medication. The change (as reported by the teacher) was remarkable. His focus improved, and he was no longer taking up so much of her time. He ended up going to a high school for kids with learning differences, found his place in the world, and is now starting his sophomore year at college, majoring in theater.

Time and again, we heard stories from my son's friends about how they were treated by teachers and other adults in their earlier years. They were labeled "stupid" and told they wouldn't amount to much. Peers called them the "R-word," and they were often overlooked or, in worst cases, shunned. However, by and large, these children have incredible creative gifts. Many are gifted artists or musicians. When given the right backing and support, many kids with ADD/ADHD can excel. (Often, their intelligence is off the charts.)

If you have a child with ADD/ADHD in your life, here are several middle grade books recommended by friends or featured in #MGGetsReal:

JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWED THE KEY by Jack Gantos (Harper Trophy 2001)
"They say I'm wired bad, or wired sad, but there's no doubt about it -- I'm wired."

Joey Pigza's got heart, he's got a mom who loves him, and he's got "dud meds," which is what he calls the Ritalin pills that are supposed to even out his wild mood swings. Sometimes Joey makes bad choices. He learns the hard way that he shouldn't stick his finger in the pencil sharpener, or swallow his house key, or run with scissors. Joey ends up bouncing around a lot - and eventually he bounces himself all the way downown, into the district special-ed program, which could be the end of the line. As Joey knows, if he keeps making bad choices, he could just fall between the cracks for good. But he is determined not to let that happen.
In this antic yet poignant new novel, Jack Gantos has perfect pitch in capturing the humor, the off-the-wall intensity, and the serious challenges that life presents to a kid dealing with hyper-activity and related disorders. (There are several other Joey Pigza books in this series.)

ELIZA BING IS (NOT) A BIG FAT QUITTER by Carmella Van Vleet (Holiday House 2014)
Eliza Bing, 11, is not a big, fat quitter, or is she? Her track record isn't great. She has a history of not following through with activities—Junior Scouts, gymnastics, tap, piano…. So, when she wants to sign up for a cake-decorating class with her bakery loving friend, her parents flat-out say no. Eliza strikes a nearly impossible deal with her parents: if she can finish a tae kwon do class over the summer, she can take cake decorating in the fall. For Eliza, this is easier said than done. She has ADHD and no interest whatsoever in martial arts, Master Kim is strict, she can't remember all of the Korean words, and mean girl Madison is in the class. As the summer progresses, Eliza finds it difficult to focus in class and she contemplates quitting, but she is determined not to be a loser. With family support, she finds internal strength she didn't know she had, but an injury threatens her completing the class and earning a yellow belt... Feisty Eliza will have readers, especially those with ADHD, rooting for her. (From School Library Journal)

BOUNDERS by Monica Tesler (Aladdin, January 2016)
Bounders have always known they were different, but they never suspected they were the key to saving Earth.
Thirteen years ago, Earth Force—a space-military agency—discovered a connection between brain structure and space travel. Now they’ve brought together a team of cadets, called Bounders, to be trained as elite astronauts able to pilot ships that can travel across the galaxy in an instant.
Jasper Adams can’t wait to join the first class of Bounders, but when he arrives at the space station, nothing is as it seems. Security is sky-high, and Jasper and his new friends soon realize that Earth Force has been keeping secrets—one of the biggest being a powerful, highly-classified technology that allows the Bounders to teleport through space without a ship. Only Bounders can use this tech, which leads Jasper to a sinister truth—humanity is facing a threat greater than any they’ve ever known, and Bounders are the ones standing between their planet and destruction.
Will Jasper and his friends rebel against Earth Force for hiding the truth, or fulfill their duty and fight for their planet? The fate of Earth may rest on their choice.

TROUT AND ME by Susan Shreve (Yearling 2009)
Ever since first grade, Ben’s been in trouble, even though he’s really not a bad kid. He just can’t seem to stop doing things that get him sent to the principal’s office. His parents and wise older sister, Meg, swear he’ll be fine in his own time, but when a new kid shows up in Ben’s fifth-grade class, he’s not so sure. Trout sticks to him like glue, and it’s clear from the start that Trout is a much bigger troublemaker than Ben ever was. So when Ben gets diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), just like Trout, and then has to take Ritalin, just like Trout, he’s not sure what to make of his friendship–especially when he starts to get a bad reputation. Is Trout’s badness rubbing off on him? Can Ben make people understand it’s the ADD, not Trout, causing the problems before it’s too late?

ADHD IN HD: BRAINS GONE WILD by Jonathan Chesner (Free Spirit Publishing, 2012)
From an early age, actor Jonathan Chesner knew he had the kind of brain that would wear a Hawaiian shirt, bright red pants, and cool painted shoes to a wedding while most other people’s brains would wear three-piece suits. He also knew that if he learned how to manage the difficulties of ADHD and harness its awesome powers, he would help other “special brains” by sharing this knowledge in a book to slay all other books.

This is that book. ADHD in HD: Brains Gone Wild is a kinetic collection of frank personal stories of failure and success, hilarious anecdotes, wild ideas, and point-blank advice that will resonate with teens and young adults. While most books on the topic are written to parents and educators, this is written to hold the attention of the teen and young adult ADHD reader: more than 60 short essays, interesting topics, wacky illustrations—all stamped with Jonathan’s irresistible humor.

The book addresses the four main characteristics of ADHD: hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, and indecisiveness. It provides positive advice about school, family life, social life, dating, careers, medicine, and how to be like Mr. T—even if you don’t have a Mohawk, lots of gold chains, or huge muscles.

I hope you will bookmark the list at #MGGetsReal. Also, if you have other titles about ADD/ADHD to share, please leave them in the comments. Thanks!

Guest Post: Life Lessons from the Tony Awards: What Children Can Learn from Broadway's Winners (and Losers) by Braden Bell

I am very fortunate today to be able to repost a blog post written by Project Mayhem alumnus, Braden Bell (with his permission.) Braden teaches theater and chorus to middle school students in Tennessee, and is also the author of "The Middle School Magic" trilogy.  As you can see from his post below, he is a wonderful writer. You can find his latest novel, ORISON, on sale through KindleScout. (ORISON skews YA, so Braden is using a pen name--Brandon Gray--to publish it.)

During the summer, he tells me, he is "teaching some summer camps, doing a few early rehearsals for The Sound of Music, and working on the prequel and sequel for Orison, and a few other projects in various stages. Oh, and querying a middle grade fantasy-adventure."
Take it away, Braden!

Since watching the 2016 Tony Awards earlier this week, I’ve been thinking of Irving Berlin’s line: “There’s no people like show people…”

Theater has been one of my greatest joys since childhood. James Corden’s opening number — “That could be me” — brought those memories back in a rush: the mounting excitement of sitting in the audience next to my mother as a little boy, wondering what magic awaited us behind the closed curtain; the years I spent as an adolescent playing the smallest possible named roles, a testament to the kindness of my sweet directors, who saw my diligence, dedication, and inability to dance, but still found somewhere to put me. I felt sure then that my calling was to be on Broadway — as a performer, and then later as a director. I believed deeply in the power of that particular dream, convinced in my youth that my biggest problem would be fitting my name in so many places on a single marquee.

Spoiler alert: I did not end up on Broadway. I am a middle-aged middle school theater and chorus teacher, and dad living out a story different from the one I once imagined, but no less joyful. My masterpieces are not plays but students. They have names, not titles. They’re on loan to me during a period of their lives best described as a messy dress rehearsal, and will hopefully have running times close to eighty or ninety years. I am their director, but only for a little while. So I try to make the time count, to teach them as much as I can about not only the theater, but also about life.

I worry about whether they’ll remember their choreography on opening night, but I worry more about whether they’ll remember to be kind to one another. I want them to make authentic choices in the moment onstage, but I care far more about the decisions they make off-stage. I want them to create memorable characters in our plays, but I am infinitely more concerned about the content of their own character.

Because these things are always on my mind (even during summer), I hope my students were watching the Tony Awards or that they’ll find some time to watch the program online (available at this link). That’s right— your teacher wants you to enjoy two hours of screen time. Because in more ways than I can count, all the lessons I strive to teach my students played out in that show, gracious and generous acts shining among the lights and glamour of Broadway.

The importance of persistence? Consider Jayne Houdyshell’s poignant remarks about winning her first Tony at age 62. Or her co-star, Reed Birney, who quipped that the beginning of his forty-year career — the first thirty-two years or so — had been a bit rough.

Prioritizing what matters most? Look at Lin Manuel-Miranda. He had the night every theater kid dreams of, the kind of monumental triumph few people ever experience. But instead of taking a perfectly justified victory lap, this gentle man used his time at the microphone to read a sonnet to his wife about the power of art and love to change the world.

Being part of a team? Renée Elise Goldsberry gave a stunningly beautiful speech paying tribute to her Hamilton cast-mates: “When one of us wins, we all win, because we are one.” Then in a moving moment, she held her award aloft and expressed her awe and gratitude for the blessings of both career and family: “God gave me Benjamin, he gave me Brielle, and he still gave me this.” She seemed to realize what will remain important long after the final curtain on her last performance.

Losing your ego? How about watching Steve Martin, Lin Manuel-Miranda, and Andrew Loyd-Weber play "Tomorrow" in a spontaneous band with other composers outside the theatre.

Amid the showtunes and glitz, the participants demonstrated a deep, fundamental humanity.

And that brings me to my last thought. In a different year, any of the nominated musicals might have been Tony winners. But these shows all happened to open the same season as an out-of-the-box, hip-hop retelling of an 826-page book about America’s first Treasury Secretary.

As the Hamilton tidal wave swept through the theater, winning well-deserved award after award, the other nominees grinned and clapped with genuine enthusiasm, even as they pushed their own carefully prepared speeches a little deeper into pockets or purses.

Life can be hard. Heaven knows theater can be. You work and practice, you dream and hope, then work some more—and someone else gets the part. You sing your heart out and still, you might not win the award this year. Or even next.

Of all the lessons my students grapple with, dealing with disappointment is among the most difficult. That’s why I hope they watched the Tony awards. Because if they did, they saw people being generous in victory and gracious in disappointment. They saw people sharing in one another’s joy even though life is unfair.

They saw big stars say, “I didn’t do this alone,” and rising stars say, “This is wonderful—but it’s not what’s most important.”

If my students learn these lessons, they have a shot at genuine happiness in adulthood even if their Broadway dreams don’t come true. Or even if they do.

Braden Bell, PhD, is an assistant middle school principal, youth theater director, author of middle-grade and YA fantasy fiction, and lifelong theater geek. He blogs intermittently about teaching adolescents. Follow him on Twitter @bradenbellcom or on Facebook: Braden Bell, Author

GREENHORN is now a movie (Posted by Michael G-G)

GREENHORN, based on the novel by Anna Olswanger

Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day, a fitting day to feature the short independent film Greenhorn: A Story of Friendship in the Aftermath of the Holocaust, based on the novel GREENHORN, which I reviewed on Project Mayhem in 2013.

GREENHORN tells the story of the friendship between Aaron, a stuttering boy in a boarding yeshiva in Brooklyn, and Daniel who is one of twenty boys sent to the yeshiva from Poland--boys whose parents died in concentration camps. Both boys are outsiders, and both are subject to bullying from some of the other boys in the yeshiva.

GREENHORN's author, Anna Olswanger, is both a writer and a literary agent. There is a great interview with her on Darcy Pattison's blog, where she answered questions about her role as the co-producer of the movie. The movie went on to be named the 2015 Audience Award Winner for Best Short Film Drama at the Morris and Mollye Fogelman International Jewish Film Festival in Memphis, and subsequently aired on public television in Memphis and Kentucky. In February, 2016, it was part of the Festival Internacional De Cine Judio en Mexico and in March was screened at the International Children’s Film Festival at L.A.’s WonderCon.

I was hugely impressed by the performances of the young actors, particularly the boys playing Aaron and Daniel as well as Herschel, the loudest of the antagonists. The cinematography was tremendous (the film was shot in New York City as well as Louisville, Kentucky) and the musical score was evocative. It would be an excellent resource for a unit on The Holocaust. TMW Media has just started distributing the film so that libraries and schools can purchase the DVD with public performance rights and show the film in classrooms.

 TMW is also distributing the film on Amazon to individual viewers.

A fabulous and very comprehensive Discussion Guide is also available, which I highly recommend taking a look at. Here is the movie's trailer.

I loved reading GREENHORN three years ago, and it is a joy to see Anna Olswanger's story make it to the screen. The horrors of The Holocaust will never be forgotten, but GREENHORN, with its epigram from Proverbs 17--"a friend loves at all times"-- is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of friendship.

ANY ONE FOR TENNIS? by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

I've been a tennis fan since I was 11, when the young Chris Evert came upon the scene. I thrilled to Bjorn Borg's five consecutive Wimbledon wins, supported Edberg over Becker, and watched Andre Agassi go from bad boy to elder statesman. I've marvelled at Monica Seles, been wowed by Venus Williams, and have fanboyed Roger Federer shamelessly. 

Why am I admitting all this? Because it's been a bit of a rough year, writing-wise. Forgive me for getting personal, but in the past nine months (enough time to birth a baby, I remind myself) I've parted from my agent and set foot once more in the tumultuous waters of querying. Although I've had a smattering of full requests for my middle grade ghost story, I've often felt I'm beating my head against a wall (or off the frame of a tennis racket.)

Everybody counsels the querying writer to write something new, and when I was casting about for a new idea I thought "What the heck! Why not write about something which you're passionate about?!" My "tennis novel" was born.

There aren't many tennis novels around. Mine features a 12-year-old Mexican-American girl, Abbi Cortez, whose father is convinced she is going to be the next tennis phenom. Abbi is good, but does she really have what it takes to make it in the world of pro-tennis? I'm certainly enjoying myself trying to figure out what the future holds for her.

In other news, I'm featuring Tricia Springstubb's novel, MOONPENNY ISLAND, on my Middle Grade Mafioso blog--and I invite you to hop over and take a look. I was captivated by Tricia's gorgeous writing.

And, in honor of the US Open which ended yesterday with a surprising victory on the women's side for Italian veteran, Flavia Pennetta--and a not-so-surprising victory for world number one, Novak Djokovic on the men's, I invite you to play a little game.

Yesterday was 9/13, so go to page 9 of your current manuscript and share line 13 in the comments. Here's my 9/13:

"You could play for fun," Mama says. "Spend more time with your friends."

Here's to playing/writing for fun! Have a great week, everyone.

Would Harriet The Spy Fly Today? by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

The other day, on a road trip with my wife and without our kids, my wife groped in our book bag and pulled out her old copy of Harriet The Spy. "Oh," she exclaimed. "I used to love that book."

"Um," I replied, wondering whether to confess. "I don't think I've ever read it..."

Of course, it was soon decided that my wife would read it aloud to me--a real-live audio book!

It was, I admit, quite humorous in places because, well, Harriet is quite the character. But I did find several things discomfiting about the novel (which was published in 1964) from a modern standpoint.

For one, Harriet is very mean. She often refers to other people as 'fat.' Even when her notebook is discovered by the other children, and all the mean things she has written about them come out into the open, she feels herself wronged, and decides to get revenge. In her revenge list, she writes things like
"Laura Peters: Her hair. Cut it off. Or make a bald spot.... Janie: Break her little finger... Sport: call him a sissy and tell everyone he reads cook books..."

Maybe I'm just being too sensitive, but I do wonder if a novel like Harriet the Spy would be published today.

Have you ever reread a classic, or a favorite story from your youth, and seen it with new eyes? If so, leave a comment about the experience.

How To Run A Top Notch Blog Tour in Seven Easy Steps by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

Although my ultimate goal in life is to be the second coming of J.K. Rowling, I am currently only known for my efforts at blogging--both as the fearless manager of this here Project Mayhem, as well as the Don's reluctant sidekick at Middle Grade Mafioso. As such, I often get invitations from both authors and publicists to review books or to take part in blog tours.

In my first flush on enthusiasm, back in 2010, I would often jump at every chance. No request for a review was turned down; no blog tour ignored. It got to the point where blogging was becoming a full time job--except I was unpaid and my own novel writing was being shoved on a shelf to look pretty and sparkly and very obviously untouched. Something had to give.

As a result, I have now become exceedingly picky in accepting requests. (In fact, I feel a bit like an agent winnowing her query list and only showing interest in topics she really loves.) As for blog tours, I will take them on--on one condition: they are well-run, and I pretty much have to do no heavy lifting.

One of the best blog tours I have participated in recently was Jennifer Lynn Alvarez's cover reveal for book three of her Guardian Herd series--LANDFALL. Let me break down what Jennifer did that made it so easy for me to say yes.

1. She contacted me early, about five weeks before the blog tour was set to start. In her email, she showed familiarity with my blog, and addressed me by name. I therefore knew I wasn't part of a mass mailing--a technique which always makes me feel good.
2. She told me the dates of the blog tour, and asked for my top two tour dates.
3. She offered a selection of articles I could use in the blog tour: an interview with the illustrator, or an interview with the voice actor in the audiobook version, or a fan art showcase. (In other words, Ms. Alvarez was producing the content, which is balm to a busy blogger's weary soul.) 
4. To sweeten the deal, she included a swag pack I could give as a prize to a "winner" on my blog.
5. She promptly and professionally emailed me everything I requested, as well as links to her social media, and sent jpegs I could use in my post, as well as links about where to buy her books.
6. On the day of my post, she went on social media (Facebook and Twitter) and drew attention to my post. As a result, I had huge blog traffic on that day, along with many new commenters. She retweeted my own tweets, creating a pleasant buzz around the event.
7. After the blog tour had ended, she sent a very kind email thanking me for my hard work, and telling me she was looking forward to sending the prize pack to my winner, once I had one. (This reminded me that I actually needed to pick a winner.)

The thing is, I had not heard of the GUARDIAN HERD series before Ms. Alvarez contacted me. But you can bet your bottom dollar I'm a fan now, given that the author was so pleasant, personable, and professional. In fact, I'm linking to the original blog tour post, so you can see for yourself what a great cover Book 3: LANDFALL has, and read about David McClellan, the wonderful illustrator who created it. 

Let me know if there are other things which make it easier for you to take on blog tours. And let me know if you, or a young reader in your life, has read the GUARDIAN HERD books! I'd love to know what you think.

THE SATURDAY COOKING CLUB Series--Sure To Be A Middle Grade Favorite (by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin)

Back before Spring Break, I spent three weeks being a literary circle facilitator in my 6th grade son's school. (I wasn't able to volunteer for his class, but ended up in the morning block with 6 girls and 1 boy discussing The Hunger Games. If you want a blow-by-blow account, you can find it on my personal blog, Middle Grade Mafioso.)

I tell you this by way of bringing up the fact that when we got to talking about other books, we invariably meandered to movies, and from there to TV shows. And guess what? All the students were enamored of cooking shows on TV. Think Cake Boss and Chopped.

So, it came as no surprise to read in Publisher's Weekly that there's something of a publishing trend in novels about cooking. As Sally Lodge writes: "Kids’ fascination with celebrity chefs they know from TV cooking programs and with cooking competition shows that pit aspiring chefs against one another – an offshoot of perennially popular reality show contests – and society’s and the media’s current focus on healthy eating and childhood obesity all appear to be helping to shape a new generation of foodies – and feeding a budding publishing trend."

Personally, being quite the foodie myself, I am enjoying the trend. I loved Tara Dairman's All Four Stars and, when the publisher of The Saturday Cooking Club series contacted Project Mayhem for a review, I ate it up. (Pun very intended.)

THE SATURDAY COOKING CLUB: KITCHEN CHAOS (Aladdin, January 2015)

Here's what it's about (from the Simon and Schuster website):

Can their friendships take the heat? A trio of mothers and daughters will find out when they sign up for a cooking class from a famous chef in the first book of the Saturday Cooking Club series—it’s mother-daughter bonding and so much more!
Liza and Frankie have always been best friends. But when new girl Lillian arrives from San Francisco, suddenly three’s a crowd. Especially after the trio is grouped together for a big sixth-grade social studies project—can they put aside their animosity long enough to succeed? When Liza suggests they all take a cooking class with the chef from her favorite cooking show for the project, the girls are on board, but they need an adult to take the class with them. It seems like the perfect opportunity to snag some quality time with their overscheduled, overstressed mothers…if they can convince them to sign up!
Several headaches and close calls later, the girls at last find themselves in Chef Antonio’s kitchen with their mothers in tow—but the drama is only just beginning!

My Take: The co-authors of this novel must have been parked outside a middle school classroom. The voices of the girls, and what they are all interested in, are spot-on. Frankie, especially, comes from a family full of brothers whom she calls The Goons--and her descriptions of them are hilarious. The novel is told in alternating first person chapters, and each one of the voices is distinctive.

There is a ton of diversity. Liza is part African-American and part Jewish; Lillian is Chinese-American; and Frankie is Italian-American. There are the inevitable petty jealousies around friendships, harried adults, a father who's an excellent chef, and a bona fide cooking disaster. The novel is funny, authentic, and just plain enjoyable. Give it a whirl.

About the Authors: Deborah Levine's writing for children, adults, and everyone in between has appeared in books, magazines, and online. She lives, works, eats, and occasionally cooks in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, two kids, and two cats. Twitter

JillEllyn Riley is a writer, editor, and fledgling drummer. She lives in Brooklyn with her family within a few steps of great pasta, pizza, and pastries in all directions.

(You can read an interview with them on the Smack Dab in the Middle blog.)

Best of all, a second book is scheduled for September of this year!

Any other cooking books for kids you like? Drop me a note in the comments.

Celebrating a Classic: Katherine Paterson's BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA (post by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin)

I have to admit that I came late to reading middle grade classics. As a kid, I was into books like the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, and the various series by British author Enid Blyton. Then I graduated to Agatha Christie and Georges Simenon. I had my John Le Carré phase and then became an English major: Shakespeare, Milton, Dickens were my daily fodder for many years.

When I started writing, I wrote adult books--humorous tales, or mysteries set in Japan. It's only when my kids were born and I was reading to them that I became enamored of middle grade. Roald Dahl, Philip Pullman, and J.K. Rowling entranced me.

I read Bridge to Terabithia a couple of years ago, and it was like a punch in the gut. As a parent, anything involving the death of a child makes me cry, and this novel brought out the tears in buckets.

Things I Loved about the Novel: 

1) The friendship between a boy and a girl. It starts off as a rivalry--Jess wants to be the fastest in fifth grade, but is beaten by Leslie, the new girl at school--and ends up as a deep friendship in which the imagination reigns supreme.

2) Paterson does an amazing job of depicting children's lives--the meanness, the struggle, the triumphs. She also does an incredible job of mining grief, with all its anger, and blame, and hurt.

3) The writing itself is simple and elegant. This is a slim book, but its ripples go on and on, lasting a long time after you close its covers.

What other middle grade classics would you celebrate? Leave a comment, so as I can add to my reading pile.

My Love For Tracy Holczer's THE SECRET HUM OF A DAISY (And A Giveaway)

THE SECRET HUM OF A DAISY by Tracy Holczer (G.P. Putnam's Sons, May 2014)

"Writing would help me through it, just like it always had. And where I used to think that writing was like the little hole in a teakettle to let out steam, I figured it was more than that. I hoped the hundreds, thousands, maybe millions of words I wrote down would help me fill the empty place left by Mama and make me whole." (The Secret Hum of a Daisy, pages 282-283)

The words above are those of 12-year-old Grace, the narrator of Tracy Holczer's luminous debut novel. Every writer, I'm sure, can embrace such a sentiment. For how many times does writing fill our empty places and make us whole? I know it does for me.

Grace has lost her mother in a freak accident. It turns out to be the biggest loss of many losses in her life. Her father and her grandfather were killed in a car accident before she was born, which had a connection with her grandmother sending her mother (pregnant with Grace) away. How could anyone find forgiveness in all this? Especially since now Grace has ended up with the very grandmother whom see believes to be the cause of all her troubles?

The novel starts with Grace's mother's funeral, and her being taken home by her grandmother. There are many humorous scenes, where she tries to put a "Plan B" into effect, trying to force her grandmother to send her back to the friends she lived with at the time of her mother's death. (Laundry detergent being sneakily replaced by dishwashing soap, anyone?) The emotional heft of the novel feels intensely realistic, as Grace moves through her anger and resentment to some understanding of her mother, her grandmother, and herself.

The setting--a small town an hour away from Sacramento--and the cast of characters are captivating. All of them figure in the treasure hunt (a hunt both literal and figurative) which leads Grace to a greater knowledge of herself.

Finally, I loved the way the characters were so richly realized. It would have been easy to "let them off the hook," but each character is flawed--and therefore alive--in their own way. This is the sort of novel that resonates with a reader long after the final page is read and the cover closed. I wouldn't be surprised to hear the words "Newbery" whispered about it.

As for me, in my other blogging life, I am a tough old prune of a Middle Grade Mafioso. You wouldn't expect a 50-something, former Brit like me to be dabbing my eyes with a handkerchief--but believe me, I did so a number of times while reading this glorious book. (I did the same during A Bridge to Terabithia and at the ending of Charlotte's Web.) As a result, I am going to send one lucky winner a copy of this novel, so you can laugh and cry as much as I did. I'm also hoping to have Tracy Holzcer send me an inscribed bookplate for the winner. (You can learn more about Tracy Holczer at her website. There's also a great interview with her by Natalie Aguirre of Literary Rambles.)

All you have to do to be a winner is comment on this post. To add to the fun, choose a number between 1 and 312 and I will gift you with some lines from your chosen page. And believe me, each page has at least one line, if not several, which made me go "Wowzers!"

Thanks for supporting the Mayhem. You have until one minute before midnight PST on Monday the 28th to leave your comment and have a chance of winning. Winner will be notified on the blog on 7/29. U.S./Canada entries only, please.