Category: Empowerment

HEARTS UNBROKEN by Cynthia Leitich Smith

November 26, 2018

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Title: Hearts Unbroken Author: Cynthia Leitich Smith Publisher: Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2018 Genre: YA Fiction, #ownvoices Audience Age: 14 to 18 years Themes/Topics: Friendship, romance, Native American history and issues, racism Synopsis: Lou (short for Louise), is a high school junior in current-day Kansas. By the time the book ends, she is a senior. She and her family moved fairly recently from Texas. She’s a member of the Muskogee…

A Journey to America on NPR’s FROM THE TOP

November 5, 2018

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I shared this post on my other blog a couple of weeks ago, but its message is so important that I wanted to share it here, today, as well. Music can truly be like a candle lighting the darkness, whatever darkness might surround a person. This post will show how music created light in one young person’s life. Back in February of 2017, on my blog The Starborn Revue, I…

HARBOR ME by Jacqueline Woodson — Book Recommendation (plus thoughts on writing, Thanksgiving, and supporting each other)

October 8, 2018

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Today is Thanksgiving in Canada. Usually I would write a post about some of the things I am grateful for, and in a way, this post is about gratitude, for gratitude is important. But it’s a different kind of gratitude than the sort we usually think about on Thanksgiving. As you know, I write for kids (and adults) and I’m working toward being published one day. There are many of…

Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan — Book Recommendation

September 24, 2018

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Title: Amina’s Voice Author: Hena Khan Publisher: New York: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Children’s, 2017 Genre: Middle Grade Fiction Audience Age: 9 to 12 Themes/Topics: empowerment, racism, feeling comfortable with who you are, lifting up your voice Opening Sentences: Something sharp pokes me in the rib. “You should totally sign up for a solo,” Soojin whispers from the seat behind me in music class. I shake my head. The mere…

It’s International Dot Day! — ish

September 10, 2018

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Actually, International Dot Day is actually September 15th-ish, but I figured the 10th was ish-ish enough to celebrate. International Dot Day grew out of Peter H. Reynolds’ wonderful book, THE DOT, which my friend Patricia Tilton reviewed here. If you haven’t read THE DOT, please do, and also read the companion books ISH and SKY COLOR which comprise Peter’s “Creatrilogy.” International Dot Day was the brainchild of teacher Terry Shay,…

Where to find webinars — a boon for writers

July 2, 2018

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In the first half of this year (how can we be halfway through the year already?) I benefited from several webinars about different aspects of writing. A few were free, a few had a fee, but all were worthwhile. Among them were an Agents Day hosted by SCBWI Wisconsin, a webinar about writing first pages in middle grade and YA novels hosted by SCBWI-SouthWest Texas, one on writing the middle…

Fox Magic by Beverley Brenna — Book Recommendation

April 23, 2018

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I have been waiting impatiently to finish my alphabetical blog posts so I could share this book with you. Finally, I’m able to do so! It’s an important new book from my cousin, Beverley Brenna. I hope it will be widely read and taken to heart. Title: Fox Magic Author: Beverley Brenna Publisher: Markham, Ontario, Canada: Red Deer Press, 2017 Genre: Middle Grade Fiction for older middle grade kids Audience…

The Youngest Marcher by Cynthia Levinson — Book Recommendation

April 9, 2018

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Title: The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist Author: Cynthia Levinson Illustrator: Vanessa Brantley Newton Publisher: New York: Simon & Schuster/Atheneum, 2017 Genre: Picture book, nonfiction/biography Audience Age: 5 to 10 years Themes/topics: Audrey Faye Hendricks, civil rights movement, protest marches, The Children’s March Opening Sentences: Whenever Mike flew into town, Audrey and her momma COO-OOOKED! (Note from Beth: “Mike” refers to Martin Luther…