Interview with Mat Heagerty, author of Lumberjackula

What's it about:

Jack is in a pickle. His lumberjack mom wants him to go to Mighty Log Lumberjack Prep to learn how to chop wood and wear flannel. His vampire dad wants him to go to Sorrow’s Gloom Vampire School to learn how to turn into a bat and drink blood-orange juice. And Jack has a secret: what he really wants to do is dance.

When he finds out about Tip Tap Twinkle Toes Dance Academy from new friend Plenty, Jack feels he’s finally found the place where he can be his true self. But he’s too afraid of disappointing his family to tell them. What’s a half-lumberjack, half-vampire boy to do?

To summon the confidence to pursue his dreams, Jack will have to embrace every part of himself—his lumberjack toughness, his vampire eeriness, and most especially his awesome dance moves.

The Interview:

 

1.     First of all, congrats about Lumberjackula! I loved this book so much!  But before we get into specifics about the book, would love to know your path to becoming an author!  How did you break into writing comics and graphic novels?

 

Thank you so much, Wendy! Sam and I are so proud of how it turned out!

 

I’m dyslexic, and like many dyslexics, comics were a huge part of how I learned to read. The smaller text blocks and images to help with context clues where huge for me. After reading my first Calvin and Hobbesstrips, I started making my own comics and never really stopped. There were some years where making comics took a backseat to being in punk bands, but it’s never not been a part of my life. 

 

A big moment early on for me was when Andrew Clements (author of Frindle and a ton of other great middle grade books) visited my second-grade class that his twin sons were in. Seeing a real person who was telling stories for a living was massively impactful. 

 

For almost a decade, while bartending, I self-published, crowd-funded, and unsuccessfully pitched a ton of books to every publisher in comics with open submissions. I eventually got a miniseries published by this now defuncted and loathed small comics press-- it was a huge learning experience. Biggest lesson of all was that, as corny as it sounds, I found my voice. In that, the miniseries I made was not my voice at all. I realized that I really enjoyed writing for younger readers and that most of the stories I loved were lighthearted and goofy. 

 

So, I made a light-hearted and goofy pitch for a middle grade graphic novel and submitted it to just one published, Oni Press (a publisher who put out some of my favorite books) and they took it! From there, the doorway inched open a bit and I’ve been trying to force it all the way open since, now luckily with the help of my amazing agent Maria Vicente.  

 

2.     Is one genre easier than another, both to write and break into?

 

I feel like breaking in as a writer for either floppy monthly comics or graphic novels can both be equally soul-crushingly hard, hehe. As for me personally writing them, graphic novels are much, much easier. I like telling stories in big chunks with a beginning middle and end. The lack of pages and serialized structure of monthlies would be really hard for me, I think.

 

3.     How long does it usually take you to write a graphic novel? How much input do you get re: the illustrations?

 

It really depends on the project and how full my plate is with taking care of my young kids, but generally, I can have a book finished in about three months with my schedule. 

 

As for art input-- I’ve only made original books so far and not done any work-for-hire, so I’ve been lucky enough to have a say in picking everyone I’ve collaborated with. I’ll certainly write my ideas in a script and have some thoughts throughout the process of the book being illustrated, but I don’t get too involved because that’s not my job. I choose collaborators because I love what they do, so I try not to get in their way too much, hopefully!

 

4.     Team Marvel or Team DC (or maybe just Team Mat?)

 

Mat’s great for sure. He’s a nice dude. So, I’m Team Mat definitely, but I have lots of love for all comics! No one team for me! Marvel was a huge part of my childhood, specifically X-Men and Spider-Man, but DC was really big too with Legion of Superheroes, Young Justice, and Batman: The Animated Series.

 

5.     Where did the idea of Lumberjackula come from?

 

It started with an idea I had for just a vampire in middle school called Backpackula. Then I just really liked the way that mash-up sounded, but the idea seemed too simple. So, I tried out others like Quarterbackula, Jetpackula, and Quackula, but they were either taken already or not fun enough for me. I landed on Lumberjackula and the visual just really made me laugh. The character for sure came before the story.

 

6.     One of my favourite things about this book is that even though Jack’s parents are trying not to pressure him into favouring their choices over the other parent’s, he still feels pressure to please them both. That’s a thing that every kid goes through. Why was that important to you to show that to your readers?

 

When I was just starting Lumberjackula, I found a picture I had drawn when my wife was pregnant with our first kid. It was of what I thought my daughter would look like as an adult. Even though both my wife and I have always made it a priority to encourage our kids to be whoever they are, I realized I was still putting pressure on my daughter unknowingly. In the drawing, she dressed and looked like my wife pretty much and had a Star Wars shirt on and was holding a guitar. Even as well-meaning and innocent as that was, I realize if she saw the sketch, she would internalize that and think that’s what I want her to be. When the truth is, I want both my kids, or any kid, to be whoever they want to be. 

 

After that, I thought about how my big excitement when my kids express interest in drawing or music puts a pressure on them too. So, I really wanted to work out my thoughts on all that in the story, for young readers, but also hopefully for some parents reading along too. I hope a parent or two realizes, even if they aren’t forcing their kid to be on the football team, they can still be unknowingly pressuring them down a path they aren’t comfortable with.

 

7.     Jack’s mom is a lumberjack, his dad a vampire, so clearly he is a product of a mixed marriage, an issue you handle with sensitivity and creativity in the story. Can you talk about whether that was a conscious decision from the get-go?

 

First of, I’m so glad to hear you feel it was handled sensitively. It was for sure a major concern for me. Even though it’s a fantasy story, I see that the correlation is very easy to draw.

 

When I started, everything was simply, I think Lumberjackula is fun to say and I wasn’t giving the idea of that he was the child of a mixed marriage much thought at all. But as the story shaped it became a very clearly part of everything. As I’m not a member of a mixed family, I made sure to share my work along the way with my friends and extended family that are to make sure I was handling everything with the proper respect and authenticity. My editors were also massively helpful with this too. 

 

Also, I really tried more than anything to focus on Jack’s parent’s interests being different. Something I can relate to in my own family. While I have lots of crossover with my wife of course, there are some things we are both very passionate about that the other doesn’t have much interest in. So, I viewed Jack’s conflict a lot through that lens instead, if that makes sense? 

Totally does!

 

8.     Jack has a special calling all of his own, one he doesn’t feel comfortable sharing with people, even though it fills him with joy. We all want to feel seen, even as we all want to belong. How hard was that to write? You did such a great job!

 

Thank you so much! It wasn’t too hard to tap into at all. While there isn’t much that I’ve ever really felt I needed to hide, I certainly can relate to Jack’s anxiety and fear of disappointing people. I’ve struggled with confidence most of my life and have a pretty unhealthy need to be liked. Well, at least by folks I think highly of. So writing an nervous, insecure kid was all too easy for me!

 

9.     Just as his family makes mistakes, so does Jack. Can you tell our readers about how you decided what and where to include those mistakes in the story?

 

The mistakes Jack and his folks, and his grandparents all make just all seemed so natural for the plot to me. I think pretty much everyone has lied at one point or another to avoid difficult talks. Jack’s biggest mistakes—lying and his treatment of his new buddy Plenty—both just felt needed for conflict in the story. There’s one particular mistake in the third act, where Jack keeps up his lie even though it’s really obviously time to come clean. My editors suggested that in the last round of edits, and I’m so happy they did. I think it just felt there needed to be one last hurdle, the flow was off.

 

10.  Finally, I am in LOVE with Jack’s world! Any chance of more books? 

 

Oh man, I really, really, really hope so! I have ideas for so many more books. I have a pitch for a sequel that should be going out any day now that I’m very proud of. Fingers and toes majorly crossed that our publisher is interested!

 

11.  What’s next?

 

I think the next book to come out will be, a middle grade sports fantasy graphic novel I’m making with Lisa DuBois called Indoor Kid. It’s being published by Oni Press. The dates are moving still on a few books, so maybe something else might be out first. But besides that, I’m pitching and hoping folks let me make more books!

 

Thanks Mat! 

 

Thank you so much, Wendy! This was a lot of fun!

Want to learn more about Mat? Go here!

Interview with Bridget Hodder, Author of The Button Box

Author Interview: Bridget Hodder

I'm a huge fan of Bridget, and absolutely adored her first book, The Rat Prince, so I jumped at the chance to read The Button Box, her latest middle grade novel with the genius who is Fawzia Gilani-Williams!

Let me tell you: the book does not disappoint! I adored all of the characters, and learning about the real history behind the story!

About the Book

After Jewish fifth-grader Ava and her Muslim best friend Nadeem are called hateful names at school, Ava's Granny Buena rummages in her closet and pulls out a glittering crystal button box. It's packed with buttons that generations of Ava's Sephardic ancestors have cherished. With the help of Granny's mysterious cat Sheba, Ava and Nadeem discover that a button from the button box will take them back in time. Suddenly, they are in ancient Morocco, where Nadeem's ancestor, Prince Abdur Rahman, is running for his life. Can Ava and Nadeem help the prince escape to Spain and fulfill his destiny, creating a legendary Golden Age for Muslims, Jews and Christians?

The Interview

Q1: First: hooray for a new book by you Bridget! But would love to know how you and the wonderful Fawzia Gilani-Williams came to work together?

 

Thank you, Wendy! 

 

Fawzia and I have waited so long to bring The Button Box to the world! It's a cross-cultural tale of modern children --one Sephardic Jewish, one Muslim--who are magically transported by an antique family button into a shared ancient past, full of danger and challenges they must face with courage. The kids bring that courage with them back to the present, newly empowered to solve their own problems.

 

To answer your question about how Fawzia and I became co-authors, I have to tell a little story. 

 

I met Joni Sussman, the head of Lerner Books' Kar-Ben imprint, at the Highlights Workshop for Jewish kidlit writers. The workshop featured an opportunity for authors to read aloud from their works in progress. After I read a few pages from my first draft of The Button Box, Joni told me she would be interested in acquiring the book for Kar-Ben. I was thrilled, but I told her the tale would be undergoing some major changes, first. I needed a Muslim co-author to make the book become what it truly needed to be: a celebration of the intertwined elements of the Sephardic Jewish and Muslim past, brought into the present through genuine modern perspectives from both cultural traditions.

 

Joni suggested Fawzia Gilani-Williams, who she'd worked with before on the classic "Yaffa and Fatima: Shalom, Salaam"...and a beautiful partnership soon came into being. 

 

 

Q2: Is co-authoring a book harder or easier than writing alone?

 

I wouldn't say the writing process is necessarily harder when co-authoring, but it does take longer. To achieve the necessary balance of voices and material in the story, and to maintain a good working and personal relationship, much care and thought and extra time is required. You can't rush trust, and trust is the sine qua non of creating art together. 

 

Working across several time zones, with Fawzia in the United Arab Emirates and me in the U.S., it took at least a day to get a response to every email or draft. We put in the "plus time" to make sure we were both okay with every change, and that neither of us felt under- or over-represented in the story. 

 

On the other hand, a co-authorship offers remarkable creative and emotional support! Each of us knows exactly what the other is experiencing. We're able to compare notes and back up each other's opinions. And when an edit comes that is difficult to execute, we can share the burden. Probably the best advice I can give if you want a great co-writing experience is to have Fawzia Gilani-Williams as your co-author.

 

Q3: The book begins with Jewish Ava and Muslim Nadeem being bullied in school because of their religions. How hard was that to write? It is such a painful experience.

 

It was hard, because we were channeling current distressing trends of ever more open and aggressive hate against Muslims and Jews in the U.S. But this theme was central to our purpose in writing the book: to support those children who experience harassment; to give them courage; and to provide empathy and modeling that can create allies among the readership. 

 

To that end, we strove to create the most classroom-friendly book possible, with a historical map, a cross-cultural glossary, definitions and extra resources in the back matter, to aid teachers and students alike as they search for more knowledge on the subjects we raise. The team at Lerner Books and Kar-Ben was simply amazing in how they made our vision come alive in the pages of The Button Box.

 

Q4: The use of the button box is such a lovely and powerful way to talk about the importance of honoring our ancestors traditions and experiences. Was it always a button box or did you have other options? And, did your family have one?  

 

Oh, there was never any question...it was always going to be a Button Box. My mother and grandmother had button jars that I spent fascinated hours with in my childhood...and in my adulthood, too! I buy old button collections whenever I see a really good one at a thrift store or a swap meet and add the loveliest ones to my stash. It's amazing to see the craft of the handmade antique buttons, and the fine materials like mother-of-pearl, burled wood, shiny black jet and even genuine sea pearls.

 

Q5: I’d heard of Sephardic Jews, but knew very little about them, so I loved the history. I also loved how the story uses historical truths to show that our religious differences don’t have to divide us, but can in fact, can build new and wonderful traditions and beliefs if we’re open to that. Are other readers as surprised as I was by this amazing piece of history?

 

They are! Fawzia and I are bowled over by the reaction we've gotten from readers. They are so eager to explore new, exciting eras of history, and our work provides a window into brand new worlds for them. That's one of the valuable things diverse books can provide so easily and so well: a sense of discovery and of wonder at the many precious life-ways our world holds...like shining magic buttons in the Button Box, just waiting for you to be open to experiencing them.

 

Q6: What are you working on now?

 

Fawzia and I have a picture book coming out next year, in 2023, called THE PROMISE! Once again, Joni Sussman at Kar-Ben is our editor. We just received the breathtaking sketches for the illustrations from artist Cinzia Battistel, and we're floored by their beauty. 

 

We can't wait to share it with you soon!

THANK YOU, BRIDGET!

Want to learn more about Bridget? Visit her here!

Want to learn more about Fawzia Gilani-Williams? Visit her here!

 

Coming of Age: 13 B'nai Mitzvah Stories + Interview

As a Jewish author I was excited to see a book aimed at kids during the time of their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs (the ceremony in which a Jewish child enters into adulthood). It's an exciting and sometimes confusing time in a young Jewish individual's life. I would have loved to have had a book like this to see myself in during that time in my life.

Coming of Age: 13 B'nai Mitzvah Stories is filled with vignettes about B'nai Mitzvahs and no two are alike. It covers everything from international experiences, pandemic bnai mitzvahs, exploring crushes, time travel, and even the Jewish customs on planet Latke with a race full of octopus-like aliens. And each story captures the range of emotions surrounding the important event in many Jewish children's lives as they are called to the Torah and transition into adulthood.

Whether you're Jewish or not, this is a great resource to help kids understand B'nai Mitzvahs in a variety of fun and interesting ways.

I have the pleasure of talking with one of the authors Nancy Krulik, about the anthology and some of the aspects of her story, The Contest.

Nancy it's so nice to chat with you today about Coming of Age: 13 B'nai Mitzvah stories.

Tell Middle Grade Minded readers a little bit about Coming of Age: 13 B'nai Mitzvah Stories and more specifically what your story is about.

Coming of Age: 13 B’nai Mitzvah Stories is a collection of stories about Jewish teenagers who are each havng having one of the most monumental and meaningful experiences of their lives—their bar or bat mitzvah. Some of the stories are funny, some are serious, and some are a little of both. Some take place in the past, some in the present day, and one even takes place in outer space. The one thing all the tales have in common is that they represent the true emotions 13-year-old Jewish kids feel. It is very much a book of shared experiences.  My particular story, T”he Contest,” is about a boy who has a very difficult time sitting still in synagogue.  He also has a whole lot of b’nai mitzvah to attend. So, to make things a little more interesting, he and his friends come up with a contest to see who can be the first one to be asked by the ushers to leave services.

 

How did you come up with the idea for your story? Have you ever been kicked out of synagogue before?

I was a bit of a chatterbox as a kid (I still am, but I can control myself a little better now).  I was definitely asked to leave services from time to time. But the whole concept of an actual contest is actually my son’s experience. The first line of the story is, in fact, the first line of his bar mitzvah speech: “Shabbat Shalom. Welcome to my Bar Mitzvah. Today I promise to make it all the way through the service without getting asked to leave the sanctuary.”  I was pretty mortified by that line when I first heard it, but the rabbi thought it was hilarious. Turns out the rabbi had a lot of trouble sitting still in synagogue when he was a kid as well. 

 

How did you get involved in this book?

I met Jonathan Rosen, one of the editors/authors of the collection, on a trip to Israel sponsored by PJ Library. We traveled with a group of children’s authors, which was a remarkable experience. To see Jerusalem with people who are like-minded and care about the same things I do was very important to me. I’d been to Israel before, but never in this type of setting. I made lifelong friends, and Jonathan was one of them. We had all been thinking of ways to reach out to Jewish kids and Jonathan, along with Henry Herz, came up with Coming of Age. When they asked me to be part of a project as important as this one, I jumped at the chance. 

 

What does it mean to you to be a part of a book that celebrates coming of age in Judaism?

I think it’s incredibly important for Jewish kids to see themselves in literature. It’s important for all kids to feel represented in the culture, particularly in books.  I think it’s also important for people of other faiths to understand what the experience is all about. I think the more we read about the lives and traditions of one another, the less hatred there will be in the world. Let’s face it, today’s 13-year-olds will be tomorrow’s leaders. So why not help them have pride in themselves and understanding for one another?

What do you hope readers get from this collection of stories?

I hope they laugh, and I hope they learn. As for Jewish readers in particular, I hope they take great pride in what they will have accomplished when they stand up at the bimah and read from the Torah. It takes a lot of work and a lot of guts to get up there in front of friends, family, and the congregation.

 

Is there anything else you'd like to share with readers about this story or your other work?

“The Contest” is actually the first Jewish story I ever wrote, and it has inspired me to play around with other ideas based on Jewish protagonists. Still, anyone who knows my books knows that I write funny. It’s just my thing. So although The Contest does take a serious turn, I kept it funny.  Kids who have read my Katie Kazoo Switcheroo, George Brown Class Clown or Princess Pulverizer series know no one loves putting a good burp into a story more than I do.  Kids who read “The Contest” will not be disappointed.

12 Great Resources for Writing (and Selling!) Middle Grade Fiction

Today's post features a blogroll of fabulous resources for middle grade writers. I've included a few notes, but be sure to click on those you links you want to dig into a little deeper!

Basics of Middle Grade

Middle Grade Novel Structure - Identifying the middle grade target audience and more!

Developing a compelling Middle Grade Fiction Premise - Remember what it was like to be 12 :)

3 Key Components of Middle Grade Novels - Characters on a mission, facing challenges, and growing!

Middle Grade Character Development

21 Characteristics of a Perfect Middle Grade Protagonist - Evokes sympathy, has a strong motivation, is complex....the list goes on!

Writing Your Middle Grade Character

Tropes & Tips for Middle Grade Fiction Writers: Great resource for ideas and for avoiding cliches.

The MG Voice

Marketing Middle Grade Books

Author-Tested Middle Grade Marketing Tips

How to Market Your Kidlit Book to Actual Kids and Their Gatekeepers

How to Learn the Market for Middle Grade Fiction - Read relevant middle grade literature, engage in complexity, make room for diversity, and remember what kids are reading for.

Darn Good Writing Advice

Dramatic Arc Archives from Kidlit - This website is chock-full of information, useful for any writer, but specifically targeting middle grade authors.

30 Tips to Make Writing Easier

Happy Writing!

Review: Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls Double Cross

 

Abby and her friends have entered into a prestigious Challenge to compete against other teams at Briar Academy. The winning team brings glory to their school and stakes claim as the best and the brightest. While there, they discover some mysterious activities that lead them on another spy filled adventure. In order to uncover the nefarious plans that lead back to their nemesis the Ghost, Abby and her friends will have to decide if they want to sacrifice the competition and all its glory to stop the notorious Ghost once and for all.

Reading this final installment of the Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls was like visiting with old friends. Toby, Izumi, Charolette, and Abby are at it again, and they reluctantly join forces with Poppy and Owen Elliot the other team from Smith to solve the mystery. Much like the previous two, Double Cross is a lot of fun filled with sarcasm, adventure, gadgets, and mischief. It's a blast to watch these characters get into trouble and figure out how they are going to get out of it. Even when the odds are stacked against them, they manage to work together and power through. I will miss this world and hanging with these characters and their fully formed personalities. Overall a great final wrap up to the series.

Rea and the Blood of the Nectar Cover Reveal

We are so excited to share that @mangoandmarigoldpress is launching its eighteenth book and first middle grade novel EVER! Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is written by debut #ownvoices author Payal Doshi. This novel tells the story of Rea Chettri, a 12-year-old girl living a simple, if boring, life on the tea plantations of Darjeeling, India. Without warning, Rea's life gets turned on its head when her twin brother goes missing. Determined to save him, Rea embarks on a secret, thrilling adventure into the enchanted world of Astranthia. There, Rea will make new friends, grapple with dark truths, learn the meaning of family and friendship, and discover her true self. Rea and the Blood of the Nectar is the first book in the series The Chronicles of Astranthia.

With this launch, @mangoandmarigoldpress is also continuing their #1001DiverseBooks program to help not only bridge the diversity gap but also the accessibility gap in children’s literature. With each new book launch, Mango and Marigold Press is committed to also raise the funds to donate 1001 books to literacy and advocacy nonprofits that are working across the country to help those in need.

We need your help to make our vision a reality. Will you be a part of the change to end the diversity gap AND accessibility gap? When you pre-order your copy of Rea and the Blood of the Nectar, you can also sponsor a copy for our nonprofit partner for only $10!

For all pre-orders placed between September 15th through September 22nd, 2020 you will have an exclusive chapter to read as a sneak peek into Rea’s adventure as well as receive limited edition character buttons, a bookmark, sticker, and a signed bookplate from the author!

Expected Ship Date: May 2021

 

Payal Doshi:

Payal Doshi has a Masters in Creative Writing (Fiction) from The New School, New York. Having lived in the UK and US, she noticed a lack of Indian protagonists in global children’s fiction and one day wrote the opening paragraph to what would become her first children’s novel. She was born and raised in Mumbai, India, and currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her husband and two-year-old daughter. When she isn’t writing or spending time with her family, you can find her nose deep in a book with a cup of coffee or daydreaming of fantasy realms to send her characters off into. She loves the smell of old, yellowed books. Rea and the Blood of the Nectar, the first book in The Chronicles of Astranthia series is her debut middle grade novel.

IG: @payaldoshiauthor

Twitter: @payaldwrites

Bev Johnson:

IG: @beverlylove

Twitter: @beverlylove

 

Riveting Back-to-School Reads During Covid

I don't know about you, but my kids are a little creeped out right now. Not to mention feeling unsettled about the idea of wearing masks to school or sitting at a desk surrounded by Plexiglas. My son's school has decided on a hybrid classroom, with in-person attendance two days per week and virtual study the other days. Some families are choosing all virtual (my son's not-so-secret dream). 

Regardless of the structure decided on, middle grade readers need something to take their minds off how strange school (and life) are right now, during the Covid pandemic.This back-to-school list features books with a variety of educational settings that range from magical to downright creepy. They're sure to entertain, while also reminding kids that life isn't quite so crazy after all. These are not all strictly middle grade; some may appeal to more advanced readers.

The Charlie Bone Series by Jenny Nimmo

This story features Charlie Bone and other descendants of the Red King, who attend the magical Bloor's Academy. Students focus on art, drama, or music, which sounds pretty cool until you hear some of the school's draconian rules. 

Silence in the hall,

Talking not at all,

Even if you fall,

Never cry or call,

Be you small or tall.

Not to mention the hypnotic powers of some of the students. Prepare to be spooked!

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

In Battle School, young Ender trains to fight hostile aliens. But his training is not what it seems. It's also quite a contrast to what kids might experience today!

The Magic School Bus Series by Joanna Cole

This book series has been around forever, but new installments have been released along with a Netflix adaptation. The story centers around Ms. Frizzle and her students as they explore the world of science, large and small, through the transforming powers of the magic school bus.

 The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling

Hogwarts, of Harry Potter lore, is a favorite fictional school the world over. Whether middle grades (or any of the rest of us) are reading them for the first time or the hundredth, Rowling will enchant and petrify in equal measure. There are tons of extras to read and activities to explore on the official Harry Potter website, https://www.wizardingworld.com.

The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

In this lyrical book, Miri and the other teenage girls from her mountain village are forced to attend an academy, where they are trained to become the potential princess. Needless to say, the competition is fierce, but not as harsh as the academy mistress or the bandits who invade the school. It is up to Miri to save them through a magic unique to the mountain dwelling people.

Matilda by Roald Dahl

The evil principal at Crunchem Hall terrorizes her students until Matilda discovers telekinetic powers and uses them to fight back.

What are some of your favorite fictional school tales? 

Shaped by Books

The other day I had a brief exchange with a writer friend about the movie You've Got Mail -- in particular, that quote from Meg Ryan's character, about how when you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of you.

That quote resonates with me. SO MUCH!😍 All the resonance, lol. I believe books shape us, and yes, that more than at any other time in our lives, the books we read as a child shape who we are and who we become. It's a significant part of why it's so important to put diverse books into the hands of kids (and adults, of course). Stories help us become empathetic, compassionate people. They help us understand our world. They create hope, and they fuel the belief that we can -- and should -- make a positive difference in the world.

Do we recognize this shaping, this becoming part of our identity, as it's happening? Do we notice the many ways books are equipping us for the future? Do kids feel themselves growing, changing, being shaped by the stories they take in?

Personally, I don't remember -- childhood was a looong time ago, lol. But giving it some thought, honestly I don't recall noticing the impact stories were having on my beliefs and values and priorities. I only knew I loved reading them. And that was enough.

I wonder, though, how different were other kids' reading experiences? Do middle-grade readers notice the impact books have on them? I'd guess only the very self-aware among them do, except occasionally, all readers might, when a specific book comes along that precipitates a dream or drive for them (I must adopt a shelter dog just like Character A did! I vow not to be a bystander when I witness bullying, just like Character B!). But more often, the power of stories is subtle.

I recall loving certain books as a child -- some that I love still -- and I wonder if those books in particular were the ones that most became part of my identity. It's something I want to ponder more. Tell me, do you remember the impact of specific books from your childhood?

Book Review, Q&A and a GIVEAWAY: A Trifecta of MG Goodness for Wendy McLeod MacKnight's, The Copycat!

What would you do if you could literally look like any living thing you wanted whenever you wanted…

I gravitate towards books with humor, heart and a bit of magic, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read The Copycat by Middle Grade Minded’s very own, Wendy McLeod MacKnight! (Make sure you enter our GIVEAWAY at the end of this post!)

Here’s what the publisher (Greenwillow Books) had to say:

A funny, unpredictable and heartfelt new novel from Wendy McLeod MacKinght, the author of The Frame-Up. Ali has always acted like a copycat to make friends, but when she unexpectedly inherits the ability to change her appearance at will, fitting in seems impossible! Luckily, with the help of her family, new friends, and touch of magic, Ali might just survive middle school after all. A great pick for fans of Dan Gemeinhart, Erin Entrada Kelly, and Diana Wynne Jones.

A Little Book Review...

Ali Sloane's family moves around. A lot! They've never had a lot of money, and now are living with great-grandma Gigi who's about to turn 100 in a place so shrouded in fog that it seems to shout out to the world, "We have secrets!" And Ali's family definitely has some of those. Ali's also starting 7th grade at her 10th school, which would be hard enough without having to worry about her family's special Copycat powers, a mysterious family feud, reuniting with estranged cousin Alfie, and making (and then saving) new friendships all while following the RULES. Because creating and following the rules for any situation is how Ali has survived her family's vagabond life. 

Ali's wise and often funny directives are interspersed throughout The Copycat, as are excerpts from a book Ali's Uncle Percy wrote about the fog in Fundy. These additions were welcome and original writerly devices that added depth, mystery and hilarity to the story. Still, Ali learns that sometimes the rules can backfire. Sometimes the rules can change. And sometimes the rules just don't apply.

This was a rich and satisfying story, filled with wonderful characters and so many layers that it kept you wondering and waiting until the very end. The Copycat is about all those things that middle grade readers care about; family, friends and navigating life...with a nice layer of magical possibility thrown in for good measure. I truly loved this book and can see MG readers finding a friend in Ali and her imperfect but loving crew. (Teachers and librarians...you'll want to get this for your kids!)

A Little Author Q&A...

Q: Where did you get the idea for this story?

A: I moved around a lot as a kid and sometimes, I really struggled to fit in. On top of that, I often went through a few friends until I found 'my people'. My main character, Ali, is so stressed from having to do this once or twice a year that she actually has no idea who she really is. 

I've always loved books with shapeshifter characters, but I didn't want to write a typical one. Then it hit me: what if Ali, who copies other kids' behaviours and likes/dislikes in order to fit in, actually starts to change into other people? The family feud idea followed shortly thereafter, because it made sense to me that not everyone would be happy to have that kind of power.

Q: The setting of the book, Saint John and the Bay of Fundy, are so important to plot...which came first - the idea or the setting?

A: I wanted there to be some kind of device that set the shapeshifting off, and I’ve always loved fog, so it seemed natural to set it in a city not far from where I live, Saint John, New Brunswick, which is often socked in by fog. It’s also where my mom was born and a place I visited all the time when I was a kid. I even made my grandparents’ old house the house where Ali’s great-grandmother, Gigi, lives! It is truly a magical place and well worth a visit! And the high tides in the Bay of Fundy are amazing!!!!

Q: There are so many interesting characters in this book at all different age ranges (I'm thinking of great-grandma Gigi down to Ali and her group of friends). Do you have a favorite? Is there a character you are most like?

A: I like to have different ages in my stories, because that’s what real life is like! And I also like showing parents’ vulnerabilities. Even when we parents try our best, we don’t always succeed!

As for a favourite character, that is hard! I love Gigi, because she reminds me of my grandmother, but I have a soft spot for Murray [a new friend of Ali's], who steals every scene he is in!

Q: Can you give a timeline of your writing process with this book from idea to acceptance? 

A: This was the second book of a two book deal with Greenwillow Books and it gave me SO much trouble. Even though it is technically my third book, it felt like a sophomore experience! I’d say it took about 10 months to get it from first draft to acceptance by my editor.

Q: Is there anything you WISH someone would ask you about the The Copycat or your writing process?

A: I don’t know about other authors, but I seem to forget how to write a book every time I start a new project. That’s a bit of a gross exaggeration, but only slightly! I think every book teaches you how to write better, and every book has a way it wants to be written. For example, Uncle Percy’s Book about Fog in the Bay of Fundy wasn’t in draft one, but Uncle Percy insisted it be included!

In other words: we are always learning as writers!

And p.s. Who would I want to turn into if I was a Copycat? Either of my two childhood heroes: Wonder Woman and Batgirl!

You can find a list of places to pre-order The Copycat here!

Wendy McLeod MacKnight lives in New Brunswick, Canada and loves to read, write, cook, root for the underdog, watch movies and sometimes pretend she's living in the South of France. 

You can find her on Twitter, her website, and Goodreads. And, of course, blogging here on Middle Grade Minded!

And, a Little Giveaway... 

Be sure to enter below for your chance to win a signed copy of The Copycat! (And, we'd love to hear in the comments who YOU would turn into if you could be a Copycat for a day.) Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Amanda