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Q & A with emily danforth: “Start with Story”
After I contacted emily (and yes, she prefers her name in lowercase letters,) and initiated this exchange with her, I could see a little bit better why someone like her would come up with an amazing, eye-opening, stereotype-shattering book like “Cameron Post.” I hope that after reading her answers to my questions, you will see that’s…
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“The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” by Emily Danforth
Balzer & Bray, 2012 The reviewers have been raving, the readers have been buzzing, and someone in the industry whose opinion I respect very much fell in love with this book. So when I picked it up, I hoped to fall in love, too. Well, I’ll be honest, the beginning — the first chapter or so —…
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“Inside Out and Back Again,” by Thanhha Lai
Harper, 2011 The winner of this year’s National Book Award for the best YA title of the year just happens to be another great find for my Best Contemporary Historical Novels list, and I couldn’t be more excited! This aching and spare novel in verse (which totally deserves the honor!), tells a story of a ten-year-old girl,…
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“Soldier X” by Don Wulffson: A Book Impression and My Own Take on the 1940s History
Speak (Penguin) 2001 I usually try to stick to new books when reviewing, but I couldn’t keep silent about this one. My 12-year-old son recommended this book to me, and the concept totally intrigued me. A teenage German soldier gets sent to the front in 1944, at a time when German supplies ae dwindling and…
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Carolyn Yoder: “I am here to tell you that historical fiction is alive and well.”
This is coming in so late, but here it is nevertheless — yet another update from that fabulous New Jersey SCBWI conference. Yes, if I could, I would blog about it forever, but in fact, I only have one more post after this one to share with you. This one was from a wonderful workshop…
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To Freedom!
So this is Passover week. Tonight, we’re going over to my mom’s house to celebrate the freedom of the Jewish people from the Egyptian pharaoh’s slavery. In remembrance of the struggles of the Jews who had to leave their homes quickly — with no time to leave the dough for the bread to rise — we Jews must not…
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Another Title for My Awesome Recent Historicals List
“Bitter Melon,” by Cara Chow, Egmont USA 2011 There is so much to love in this unique YA story, I can only be glad that it happens to be set in 1989-1991, falling very neatly into the category of Recent Historical Fiction, which, of course, makes it a perfect candidate to be included on this…
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How to celebrate the New Year, Russian-style
Since Soviet Russia wasn’t allowed to officially celebrate Christmas, we had to have some other major holiday. And it had to be big. Huge. BETTER than Christmas. Thus was born the Soviet New Year, honestly THE BEST holiday EVER. Think Halloween with its costumes and candy. Add to it Christmas with its dressed-up evergreens and…
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Best Contemporary Historical Fiction YA/Middle-Grade
1. “The Disappeared” by Gloria Whelan Dial Books, 2008 (set in 1977, Buenos Aires, Argentina, YA) Here is what I thought about it: https://katiaraina.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/the-disappeared-by-gloria-whelan/ And here is my interview with the author: https://katiaraina.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/no-country-is-safe-from-totalitarianism-an-interview-with-author-gloria-whelan/ 2. “When You Reach Me,” by Rebecca Stead, this year’s Newberry! Wendy Lamb Books, Random House, 2009 (set in the 1970s New York City,…
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Katiaesque 