Guys Read: The Sports Pages Giveaway

Authors: Jon Scieszka, Dan Gutman, Tim Green, Anne Ursu, Dustin Brown, Jacquelin Woodson, Chris Crutcher, James Brown, Joseph Bruchac, Gordon Korman, Chris Rylander
Illustrator: Dan Santat
Publisher: Walden Pond Press (July 10, 2012)
Pages: 272
Audience: Grades 4 to 8
Source: Copy from the Publisher
Sports * Fiction * 

Description from Publisher:
A lineman with something to prove
A vendetta against a baseball legend
The rise of a real-life NHL all-star
The luckiest grapefruit in sports history

Open up The Sports Pages, the third volume in the Guys Read Library of Great Reading, and you're in for all of this and more. From fiction to nonfiction, from baseball to mixed martial arts and everything in between, these are ten stories about the rush of victory and the crush of defeat on and off the field. Compiled by kid-lit all-star Jon Scieszka, Guys Read: The Sports Pages is a thrilling collection of brand-new short stories from some of your favorite authors and athletes.

Check out the official book trailer for Guys Read: Funny Business:

 

My thoughts on the book/series:
Jon Sciezska, former National Ambassador of Young People's Literature, founded Guys Read to "help boys become self-motivated, life-long readers".  One of the ways that Sciezska is working to make this mission a reality is by developing a series of books containing a collection of short stories that appeal specifically to boys.  Sciezska has pulled together an all-star list of Middle Grade and Young Adult authors to develop stories around a theme.  The current book is Guys Read: The Sports Pages.  Each of the 10 stories in this collection celebrate or highlight some aspect of sports.  I particularly enjoyed Dan Gutman's recollection of the 1986 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Mets in the story "How I Won the World Series".  Probably because I remember watching those exact games.  Though I enjoyed many of the stories in this volume, as with the other volumes, there are definitely stories that I have to remind myself that I am not the targeted audience.  Some stories will be appreciated way more by a 10 or 12 year old boy than by me, and that is a good thing.  

What I have come to love about this series is that I can easily read one of the stories to a group of students as part of book talking the book and know that I will quickly have students (boys and girls) raising their hands to be the first to read a copy of the book.  Another aspect of the Guys Read Books is that many boys I know complain about sitting long enough to complete a book.  There is a lot competing for their time.  However, with a collection of short stories, readers can chose a story that appeals to them.  It doesn't have to be the first story either.  You can read the stories in order listed or jump around.  Additionally, one story can be read easily during a silent reading time at school providing the reader with a sense of accomplishment.   

Don't forget to check out the Guys Read Library of Great Reading Website.  There are lots of great resources and book recommendations on this site.   

Guys Read: The Giveaway:
To celebrate the release of Guys Read: The Sports Pages, Walden Pond Press will send out a set of all three (3) books in the Guys Read series.  This is a great way to increase your classroom or school library with a set of books that are sure to attract readers.

1. Though comments are very much appreciated, please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (including your email, website, etc.). If you do enter personal information, your comment will not be posted.
2. You must complete the entry form to official enter the giveaway.
3. The Contest runs from July 3, 2012 to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on July 10th.
4. You must be 13 years or older to participate.
5. If you are selected as the winner, you will be notified by email. If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.
6. US participants only.
 

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom Blog Tour, Interview & Giveaway

Artwork copyright © 2012 by Todd Harris

Today, I am so excited to welcome debut author, Christopher Healy to the blog.  His book, The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom was just released on Tuesday.  Christopher took some time out of his schedule to answer some questions.  Don't forget to scroll through the whole post because at the end there is a special giveaway thanks to Walden Pond Press.

One of the questions I sometimes ask is "If you could write a sequel to any book, what would it be?" - In some ways you did this with A Hero's Guide. What was the most fun for you in writing this book?

Yes, in a way, Hero’s Guide is a sequel to four different stories — Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel — since it takes place after all of those tales. But it’s also a completely new story unto itself — and that was the fun part. I really enjoyed taking these classic characters that most people think they know already, and moving them in unexpected directions — giving Cinderella a powerful right hook, making Prince Charming run shrieking for his life at the sight of some dwarfs, etc. It’s probably not what most readers will anticipate from these characters, but in this story, it all makes perfect sense.

Out of the 4 *Prince Charmings* - was there one of their stories that surprised you as you were writing about them? Did anyone change in unexpected ways as you wrote the story?

Before I started writing, I worked out the personalities of all the princes, crafting them from the scant tidbits of character we were given in the original fairy tales. But I never anticipated how these guys would then develop and evolve once they started interacting with one another. Sometimes I felt like I was just sitting back and watching to see what these guys did next. I wrote one scene for instance, where Duncan (Snow White’s silly little prince) asks one of his teammates to use him as a weapon — to literally throw him at an enemy. I thought to myself, “That’s insane.” But it’s totally what Duncan would have done in that moment. It was actually Gustav (Rapunzel’s big, burly prince), who surprised me the most, though. I never intended him to be a man of much emotional depth, but as the book went on, he ended up revealing more and more of his softer side. And that’s something that I never planned.

If you think back to being a child, what was the one book that seemed to be a turning point for you?

The one that hooked you into being a reader? Or the book that you kept coming back to over and over again? I was hooked on reading from the time I first cracked open Tikki Tikki Tembo. But the literary turning point for me was probably The Hobbit, which I read when I was nine. And as a kid, the books I actually re-read multiple times were the Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman. I was obsessed with that series. As books that were essentially Dungeons & Dragons game tie-ins, they were far, far better than they ever would have needed to be. The characters, pacing, and action scenes were awesome. And there was so much drama. It was like a fantasy soap opera in a lot of ways. Ooh, just talking about them is making me want to go find them again.

Did you always see yourself as a writer or storyteller? Or was there a moment in time when you decided "I want to be a writer"?

 I was telling people I was going to be a writer ever since I was seven. The first story I remember writing was a sci-fi epic (well, epic for second grade) titled “The Space Race.” It was about a sort of Cannonball Run through the solar system. I remember one of the racers getting tangled in Saturn’s rings.

What advice would you give to children who want to someday become writers?

Embrace revision. Whatever you initially put down on paper is never going to be as good as what you come up with after re-examining and reworking every paragraph. Once you write that final line of a story, it’s so tempting to sit back and say, “I’m done!” But if you do, you’re not bringing your story to its full potential. Think of your first draft as a cupcake — even if it’s a moist, delicious cupcake to begin with, isn’t it going to be so much better after you ice it?

 If you could show up in any book as a character, what book would it be and who would you be?

 I don’t know. Is there a book set in a magical land where nothing dark and sinister is going on? Where everybody is happy and there’s no evil menace threatening to destroy the world? Maybe some unwritten Lord of the Rings sequel where nothing happens except the hobbits drinking tea, having second breakfasts, and telling each other stories.

I noticed that A Hero's Guide is the first in a series. Do you have any idea how many books we can look forward to reading in the series?

There will be at least three. I’m in the fabulously fun and exciting process of revising the second book right now.

Some of us really nerdy book lovers have multiple "to-be read" bookstacks around our homes. Do you care to share what is in your bookstack or even a picture of your "TBR" pile?

My entire house is a TBR pile. I seriously don’t think I could make it through all of these books in a lifetime, especially since I keep adding new ones. But here’s the stack that is currently next in line (though it’s very likely several new titles will slip in between these as I read).

Don't Forget to stop by Walden Pond Press and check out all of the Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom Blog Tour stops.

Here is a chance to listen to The Hero's Guide prologue:




For more information about author, Christopher Healy: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Check out the book tour stops, just in case Christopher Healy is going to be in your home town in the next week. 

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom Giveaway:

One lucky teacher or librarian has the opportunity to win a complimentary 30 to 45 minute skype visit with Christopher Healy for his or her classroom or library and two copies of The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom with signed bookplates for your school/classroom library.

The Contest will run from Friday, May 4th to Friday, May 11th at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.

You are welcome to leave comments in the comments section but to enter the giveaway, please complete the entry form below.

BREADCRUMBS Blog Tour: Author Interview & Giveaway

Kellie from Walden Pond Press has organized a wonderful blog tour to celebrate the release of Anne Ursu's new book BREADCRUMBS.   To check out all of the different guest posts, interviews, giveaways and more, click here.   Today Anne answers some questions for the readers here at Kid Lit Frenzy. 

In looking at your website, I noticed that you wrote first for adults, and have now written 4 books (including Breadcrumbs) for Middle Graders. What do you like about writing for a younger audience or what is different about writing for a younger audience in your experience? 

I think there’s a lot more freedom in kids books. Kids just don’t have the same expectations about how a book is supposed to work. They happily accept magic, and are unfazed by storytelling methods that break with tradition. It just feels like in middle grade books you have so many more stories to tell, and so many more ways you can tell them.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit several authors' writing spaces. It was fun to see how they set up their space, and what they used as visuals or inspiration on the walls. If we were to come visit your writing space, what would we find? 

I have a small desk in my bedroom that looks out on a gate covered with ivy that is Sleeping Beauty-level thick. I have a lovely antique hurricane lamp that I really need to clean. Next to the desk is a radiator on which can usually be found a manuscript I need to read, mail I need to attend to, and a cat that might be sleeping on top of, knocking over, or chewing on the manuscript/mail. Right now my desk also has a sculpture of Poseidon’s head made out of floral foam that my artist friend made for me this summer. It eyes me disdainfully. I am told it will rot slowly from the inside.

When did you have that "aha" moment that you were going to be a writer or that you really were a writer? Did you come upon it on your own or were you mentored along the way?

I wanted to be a writer from the time I was a kid. I completely lost myself in books and stories. I remember I always wanted to be a writer and something else—a teacher, a lawyer, a professor, a flight attendant (that’s when I was six). And then all the other things fell away, and I just wanted to be a writer. After college I worked at a bookstore, thinking it would give me time to write, not realizing all I would be good for at the end of a day of retail was collapsing on the couch and watching ER reruns. And then one day my parents announced they were going to support me for a year so I could write. Follow your dreams, they said. And I wrote my first book. I am a writer because of them.

Recently, my niece (age 10) shared with me a story she had written. What I noticed most about her writing was her lack of inhibitions with "writing". I realized at that moment that teachers (myself included) can stifle this often by focusing so much on the mechanics of writing. Sometimes we need to just "let them write". What advice would you give to teachers in regards to supporting or developing children as writers?

That’s a great question. I wonder if the answer is to give kids space to work where it’s all about the creativity. Maybe that’s a specific notebook they write in where mechanics just don’t count. Maybe you assign first drafts where nothing else matters but the story, and the polishing comes later—whatever you can do to free them from the idea that it needs to come out perfectly the first time. And maybe it just helps them to hear that most authors revise extensively, and the mechanics are the very last thing they worry about—the whole point is to get the story figured out first.

In writing Breadcrumbs, did you have a story in mind and then looked for a way of integrating it into a fairytale? Or did it start the other way around? 

I was actually directly inspired by the fairy tale of “The Snow Queen.” I was really stuck in my writing, and a woman I teach with gave a lecture on setting in fairy tales and folktales. She said, “If you’re stuck, go read these stories.” I got about a fourth of the way through “The Snow Queen” and the friendship story grabbed me, and I saw a book lay itself out before me.

One of the things that impressed me with Breadcrumbs is how many real life themes you were able to successful weave into this fantastical story. Hazel and Jack are "real" children in that other children will be able to relate to their experiences. What was the most challenging aspect in blending the two (the contemporary story so to speak with the magical)? 

It might sound odd, but it wasn’t something I thought too much about until I was done with the first draft. I realized then that the contemporary section was much longer than they traditionally are in fantasies like this. And in revision it became even longer still. But it had to be; the story required it. And so I had to remind myself that there really aren’t any rules, that what matters is that the story works, and if that meant the book was half contemporary Minneapolis and half weird-fairy-tale-woods world, then that’s what it would be. I teach writing, and sometimes in that environment we all get hung up on rules. I tell my students, “You can do anything you want, as long as it works.” I just had to remind myself that my job was not to follow some self-imposed structure, but to do what the story needed and, in Project Runway terms, to make it work. My real problem was that in the first draft Jack mattered only as he related to Hazel—as the best friend who changes overnight and then disappears and needs to be rescued. But he needed his own story too—there had to be a reason that he needed Hazel, and that he went off with the Snow Queen in the first place. Otherwise the rest of the story simply wouldn’t make sense. Once I figured this out, both worlds of the book had much more depth and the book worked out much better as a whole.

Last question...do you have any favorite snacks or writing routines you must follow when working on a book? 

I consume an enormous amount of popcorn when I’m working—last year I moved on from the microwave cancer bags to the hot air popper. I also eat a lot of red grapes, and my veins run with coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper.

Thanks so much Anne for stopping by and answering some questions.  

You can learn more about Anne Ursu and her books on her website: http://www.anneursu.com/
and here http://www.anneursu.com/handbill/

You can follow her on twitter: @anneursu
And she is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anneursuauthor

Don't forget to join Anne Ursu and Laurel Snyder for a Twitter Chat on Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 8 p.m. EST.  Use the hashtag #Magicisreal to join in.  For more information on the chat, click here.

Now for the Giveaway:
Anne has agreed to Skype with a class, book club, group of homeschoolers, etc. for 30-40 minutes about Breadcrumbs.  The Skype visit will include a short reading, and Question & Answer.

Giveaway Rules:

1. Please do not enter any personal information in the comments section (including your email, website, etc.), you must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest.
2.  The Contest runs from 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time on October 1, 2011 to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on October 7, 2011.
3.  You do not need to be a follower of this blog to enter, but if you like what you see, feel free to subscribe.
4.  You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.
5.  Comments are not required but always welcome.
6.  If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail.  If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday - Juniper Berry

Author: M.P. Kozlowsky
Illustrator: Erwin Madrid
Publisher: Walden Pond Press (April 26, 2011)
Source: ARC for Review
Audience: Ages 9 to 12 years
Fiction * Modern Fairy Tale * Elementary

Description from GoodReads:
Juniper's parents have not been themselves lately. In fact, they have been cold, disinterested and cruel. And lonely Juniper Berry, and her equally beset friend, Giles, are determined to figure out why.

On a cold and rainy night Juniper follows her parents as they sneak out of the house and enter the woods. What she discovers is an underworld filled with contradictions: one that is terrifying and enticing, lorded over by a creature both sinister and seductive, who can sell you all the world's secrets in a simple red balloon. For the first time, Juniper and Giles have a choice to make. And it will be up to them to confront their own fears in order to save the ones who couldn't.

M.P. Kozlowsky's debut novel is a modern-day fairy tale of terror, temptation, and ways in which it is our choices that make us who we are.

Sometimes the key to writing something scary is to simply write the truth. M. P. Kozlowsky in his debut middle grade novel Juniper Berry combines just the right aspects of the truth with powerful storytelling for a novel that grabs you from beginning to end.  Juniper Berry has everything in some ways except for the attention and affection of her famous parents.  She wishes for friends, for a life outside of her family's home, and most importantly for her parents to see her again.  While exploring the woods around her home, she meets a boy named Giles.  It seems that Juniper's parents aren't the only one who have been changing.  Giles has been noticing a change in his parents as well. Together the two discover a secret that is both alluring and terrifying.  And how does a woodcutter, a raven, and a red balloon fit into this puzzle?

Kozlowsky plays with common themes of desire and hope and the consequences of getting what you asked for.  Juniper and Giles are likeable protagonists that you want to root for as they must address what is happening to their parents, the struggles in their own lives, and some attractive choices.  As I read through the story, I could feel tension that these two children are facing.  Layered with a secret underworld and a really creepy adversary, the two children must fight for their lives and the lives of those they care for.

Juniper Berry will appeal to both female and male readers.  The story maintains a steady pace culminating in a battle which will determine the winner.  Though I wondered at times if children would fully grasp the extent of the author's underlying message about temptation, I never doubted that it would be a story they would enjoy and one that would be easy to book talk.

Kozlowsky's debut novel is a winner and I look forward to future books from him.  If this is on your "to be read" pile, I would encourage you to bump it up or at least add it to a summer reading list for students.  Thanks to Kellie and Walden Pond Press, I have a hardcover copy of JUNIPER BERRY by M.P. Kozlowsky to giveaway. This contest is open to readers in the U.S. or Canada only. To enter to win, please complete the form below.   

To check out Juniper Berry Blog Tour Week 2, head on over to the Walden Pond Press blog here.
To read M.P. Kozlowsky's guest post The World Outside A Book's Cover, click here.
For more information on M.P. Kozlowsky, check out his website here.

Here is the Official Book Trailer for Juniper Berry:


* Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays were started by Shannon over at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe. You can check out her Marvelous Middle Grade Monday choice and Giveaway Post here.

Rules for the Contest:

1. Please do not enter any personal information in the comments section, you must complete the Entry Form to officially enter the contest. Comments with personal information will be deleted.
2. The Contest runs from 12:00 a.m. PDT on May 16, 2011 to 11:59 p.m. PDT on May 21.
3. You DO NOT need to be a follower of this blog to enter.
4. You must be 13 or older to participate in this contest.
5. If you are selected as a winner, I will notify you by e-mail. If you do not respond within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.
6. Only US and Canadian participants may enter the contest.

Guest Post: The World Outside a Book's Covers

Today, I would like to welcome Debut Author, M.P. Kozlowsky to Kid Lit Frenzy.  As part of the JUNIPER BERRY Blog Tour, M.P. has done several guest posts and interviews.  To check on all of the posts, head on over to Walden Pond Press for more details.

When I set out to build the world of Juniper Berry – or any world for that matter – I knew I had to create something larger than the book itself, something that would exist outside its pages, somewhere in the reader’s peripheral long after the story is over. This is what makes a book rich, fuller. So, when creating the underworld of Juniper Berry, as well as its cast of characters, I tried to establish a backstory that, barring a sequel, may never even be revealed. Where did these characters come from and what are their fates? What is the meaning behind certain markings and all the suggestions and asides sprinkled throughout? Is there more to Mr. Berry’s rants and notes? Details cannot be gratuitous. There has to be a reason for everything – readers can spot inauthenticity. I made sure to insert many details that are not quite necessary to the progress of the story, but hopefully, in the end, broaden the scope of the book. By doing so, I have answers, entire plotlines with which to extend the story if I ever choose. I believe a reader, whether subconsciously or not, picks up on this. They become further invested in the story, creating their own theory for each scenario, their own subplots. This is why, after so many books, we, as readers, always wonder what happens next, perhaps continuing the story ourselves or debating possibilities with friends and family.

As a writer, one should also create a world that came before as well as after, an entire globe of information. Where did Skeksyl come from, how did Theodore get there, what is the origin of the balloons, the doors and Roman numerals? I had to think this all through in order to make it authentic to the reader. A writer should also know the individual world of every character. Where they were and where they’re going. I never mention how the Berrys found the tree, but of course I know, just as I know how Dmitri came to work for them. Every tiny detail should be accounted for. This is world building and the reader demands it, expects it every time they open the cover of a book. Even if such aspects are not in the text, they pick up on it. The work certainly pays off – it is something I would definitely encourage to every aspiring author. If all of this is done correctly, the reader wholeheartedly buys into the world the writer establishes. Juniper Berry is very much set in the real world, but it also delves into the fantastical, which can get tricky, since the reader also has to venture there, along with the characters. If the reader does not feel like the underworld in my book is credible, if they don’t sense the depth of its creation, there will be no suspension of disbelief. In essence, by creating a world, the writer is trying to capture the reader’s imagination in full. I can only hope I have done so.

Thank you M.P. for stopping by Kid Lit Frenzy and sharing with readers about how you created your world for JUNIPER BERRY. 

M.P. Kozlowsky was a high school English teacher before becoming a writer.  JUNNIPER BERRY is his first book. He lives in New York with his wife and daughter.  For more information about M.P. Kozlowsky, check out his website: www.mpkozlowsky.com

Juniper Berry Writing Contest: To celebrate the release of M.P. Kozlowsky’s debut novel Juniper Berry, Walden Pond Press is inviting all writers aged 9-14 to write their own tales of terror and temptation in at least 500 words. One grand prize winner will receive an iPad, a library of Walden Pond Press eBook, paperback and hardcover novels, and his or her story published online at walden.com. Author M.P. Kozlowsky will select the winner. To learn more: www.walden.com/win/juniperberry.