I'm excited to be presenting at a gathering of teachers on the campus of Arkansas State University this week. I'll share MAKING FRIENDS WITH BILLY WONG and the story and history behind my book. Set in Arkansas, my novel shares a bit of immigration and civil rights history that's not widely known.
Whenever I talk to teachers I like to share books-- not just mine.
So I've been doing a LOT of reading this week!
First up,
A SKY FULL OF STARS.
Linda Williams Jackson and I grew up in neighboring Mississippi Delta towns, and we've both incorporated memories into our middle-grade novels. They are very different memories. Set against a backdrop of the Emmett Till murder, her story takes place in the mid 1950s, and young Rose Lee is discovering a world outside her small, insulated life. I frequently share MIDNIGHT WITHOUT A MOON with young readers when I talk about growing up in Mississippi during the civil rights movement, and now I have this. The characters are the same, but this is an even more powerful story, beautifully told.
(side note: I'll be moderating a panel at the MISSISSIPPI BOOK FESTIVAL in August and Linda is one of the featured panelists. Can't wait to hear more about this story.)
I can't remember who told me to read
SATURDAYS WITH HITCHCOCK. I've never read a book by Ellen Wittlinger, but I now look forward to reading more. This middle-grade novel kind of sneaked up on me. It seemed to be a sweet story of the love between a girl and her grandmother, and then it turned into so much more. Wittlinger masterfully handles several sensitive issues (dementia, emerging sexuality, friendship, adult siblings) in ways that are age-appropriate and caring.
My current (can't-put-it-down but need to do a few other things!) read is an Advanced Readers Copy of a book coming in August. Two friends highly recommended
NOWHERE BOY, or I might have missed it. I'll share this with the Arkansas teachers because of the connection to the author's inspiration. (Be sure to click on that link and go to Katherine Marsh's excellent website, with such good information.)
This middle-grade novel (but truly, it spans a lot of age groups) is set in Brussels and involves a young Syrian immigrant. So appropriate to our times.
Put this on your list. Don't miss it!
That's my Monday in books.
Oh! Almost forgot- I'm re-reading parts of MAKING FRIENDS WITH BILLY WONG to pick out passages to read with my new friends in Arkansas.
I know so many of you- and your kids- are finally enjoying the wonderful leisure of summer reading. What's on your list?
