Writing for Children

As I have never actually dabbled in the art of writing for children, I thought I should probably provide you, dear reader, with something other than my very limited experience as a voracious reader and one-time-child. So today I am delighted to introduce a real, live Middle Grade Fiction writer! Are you excited? Well. You should be.

This is the first ever interview published by Something To Write About and I’m really excited to finally share it with you! I had a lot of fun asking the questions and putting it together. And the author tells me she had a lot of fun answering the questions and participating. So it sounds like it was a win-win!

Now, without further ado ... please give a warm blogosphere welcome to Caroline Starr Rose!

Caroline, who recently snagged an agent of her very own, graciously agreed to spend some time answering various questions about Middle Grade Fiction and what it’s like writing for kids.

Her latest project May B (currently on submission to editors) is a historical novel-in-verse set in Kansas in the 1870s. Caroline describes May B as follows:

May wants nothing more than to one day become a teacher, but she struggles with even the simplest tasks of learning. When her family pulls her from school and sends her away to help a newly married couple settle in to their Kansas frontier home, May’s dreams are crushed. Shortly after May’s arrival, the new bride she’s been sent to help decides she wants nothing to do with the prairie and abruptly leaves. When the woman’s husband attempts to follow, May is left to fend for herself and must face her shortcomings head on in her solitary struggle to survive.

An excerpt from May B was published in Louisiana Literature’s 2009 spring/summer issue.

In addition to this project, Caroline has published several poems in various children’s magazine. She also dabbles in the art of writing picture books and all told has 4 middle grade manuscripts and 7 picture book manuscripts under her “writer’s belt”. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Caroline worked as a teacher.

Now that you all have been properly introduced, let’s move on to the interview, shall we?

***

What is your favorite part about writing Middle Grade fiction?

I love being able to validate children through story, their experiences, fears, and dreams. Books are a place we get to examine life intentionally, its big events and small. Writing for children allows me to share the profundity of the ordinary, small moments that make up our lives.

What is the hardest part about writing Middle Grade fiction?

It’s really important to make sure my voice is authentic and my tone is respectful. The writing must be super tight. Children’s authors don’t have the luxury of wandering through a story. The approach must be direct, crisp, and streamlined. That doesn’t mean the writing is bare bones, just that every word counts.

What is one thing people misunderstand about Middle Grade fiction?

A lot of people don’t realize mid-grade fiction has literary merit. I love it when I can convince an adult to pick up a mid-grade novel. It’s even better when I find out they love it. I convinced a book club I was once a part of to include a mid-grade title on every yearly list. I remember Holes and Carry On, Mr. Bowditch were particular favorites.

What’s so important about Middle Grade fiction?

These books are really the first children explore on their own. As independent readers, kids start to develop their interests and preferences in literature while growing into their own personhood. I know Young Adult (YA) fiction is often described as the genre for firsts: first love, first big decisions, etc. But to me, mid-grade is the ultimate genre for the first experiences and emotions that are all a part of growing up.

While we’re on the topic, what’s the difference between Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction anyway?

The differences between mid-grade and YA can feel pretty fluid sometimes, but here’s the essential one: a YA title must have a protagonist several years older than the youngest reader for the genre. Since YA is usually classified 12 and up, all protagonist’s should be at least fourteen. (At least that’s always been my understanding and experience.)

As for other differences, YA is usually longer and deals with more mature content, leading to larger emotional experiences.

Since you write picture books and YA as well as Middle Grade, what kind of agent were you looking for? What led you to Michelle?

I initially looked for someone who represented all aspects of children’s literature. This limited the number of agents I could approach. Eventually, I decided to make sure the agent represented mid-grade, as this is the genre I feel is my best fit.

Michelle deals with women’s fiction, YA, and mid-grade. When I got “the call,” I talked to her about picture books. She said she hadn’t yet had luck with any picture book manuscripts, but she was open to try. That worked for me!

How do you stay in touch with your “inner child” as a children’s book author?

The inner child part’s not tough for me. I have a special love for kids, having spent seven years in the classroom. A part of me still really relates to the way children see the world. All the exciting, scary, weird aspects of it, feeling strong and in control one moment and then an emotional mess the next.

Confession time. Do you have any toys at your desk?

No toys, but I do have a picture of myself as a ten-year-old hanging on my office bulletin board!

If you could only bring one Middle Grade book with you to a deserted island, which would it be?

Without a doubt, The Phantom Tollbooth. I have probably read it 30 times. It is witty, profound, strange, and a whole lot of fun. I love giving it as a gift. Everyone has to read this book!

What are some other Middle Grade books that you read as a child that you particularly enjoyed?

There are so many! The Little House on the Prairie series, the Anne of Green Gables series, the Emily Starr books, the Prydain Chronicles, Beverly Cleary books.

More specifically: Follow My Leader, Sand In Her Shoes, Charlotte’s Web, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, The Little Princess, The Secret Garden, Ginger Pye and Pinky Pye , The Yearling, Dancing Shoes, and the Mary Poppins series.

Were there any Middle Grade books that you feel shaped you as a writer?

I mostly discovered those books (both mid-grade and YA) in college. To name a few: The Giver, all things Katherine Paterson, Gary Paulsen’s Brian stories, and anything by Avi.

Finally. Tell us one random fun fact about yourself.

I’ve stayed in the room Hemingway rented while writing The Sun Also Rises. There are two beds in this room, and I slept in both, just to cover my “claim-to-fame” bases.

***

Thank you for sharing a bit of your self, your thoughts and your writing with us, Caroline!

Be sure to keep tabs on May B’s path to publication and Caroline’s other projects by following her blog: Caroline by line.

What's Normal? Depends on Who's Asking.

Well... hello, hello! I have received 2 Honest Scrap awards this week! (Blushes.) Now I've always claimed to be a little bit psychic and this kind of proves everything.

According to the rules of the Honest Scrap award, I have to tell you 10 honest things about myself and pass on the award to 10 other blogs.

Now, if you take a quick gander to the left of your computer screen, you'll see a link. See it? Right under my photo? Yup. Click there. 10 honest things. It's like I already knew I was going to get this award!!

Now, if you would all like 10 more honest things, I am more than happy to do another post for you. Just let me know in the comments. :) And I'm going to wait to pass out the award. Why? Because this week is jam packed and there's just no time. So thank you Catherine and Shannon!! I appreciate you thinking of me!

Moving on, back to Middle Grade mumbo jumbo ... author Natalie Whipple did a brilliant post yesterday on the difference between Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction. If you haven't read it yet, go there now and read it. Perfect timing Natalie! Thank you!

And last, but certainly not least... another book review, for those of you who might want something other than monsters and gods and such...

Anything But Typical
by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Book Jacket: "Jason Blake is an autistic 12-year-old living in a neurotypical world. Most days it's just a matter of time before something goes wrong. But Jason finds a glimmer of understanding when he comes across PhoenixBird, who posts stories to the same online site as he does. Jason can be himself when he writes, and he thinks that PhoenixBird--her name is Rebecca--could be his first real friend. But as desperate as Jason is to meet her, he's terrified that if they do meet, Rebecca will only see his autism and not who Jason really is."

Written in first person, this book took me right along with Jason's every day struggles. I was inside his head and, frankly, I was a little frightened. With a unique style and heartfelt sentiment, I think Baskin did a fantastic job exploring the lonely and painful world of an autistic child. There was a sense of disjointed frenzy in the writing that just worked well with Jason's character. An important book for parents and children alike; an important lesson in tolerance and understanding.

Want a little more? Check out this essay by the author where she tells a little bit about her journey to publication and her experience with writing for children.

(FTC disclaimer: Unless stated otherwise, the books reviewed have either been purchased from a bookstore or borrowed from the local library.)

Gods, Demi-Gods and Monsters

So. Have you picked out the two Middle Grade Fiction books you're going to read this month? No? Might I suggest something?

The Lightning Thief
by Rick Riordan

Book Jacket Description: “Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that’s the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he’s angered a few of them. Zeus’s master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.”

First in a series of five books about a boy who finds out his father is one of the great god’s of Olympus, The Lightning Thief hooked its claws into me from the very first chapter. This is a hard book to put down. If you or your child wants to read this book, I recommend you read it on vacation or Christmas break when there is nothing else to do. Otherwise, homework and/or chores may never get done!

Percy, who struggles with ADHD and dyslexia, is a likable twelve-year-old who makes friends with another half-blood (the daughter of Athena) and a satyr. The three are sent on a quest of magnificent, imaginative proportions, learning along the way that not everything is as it seems and friendship comes first before eons-old blood feuds. The pages are rife with humor; I found myself laughing out loud at several places and had to share the funny with my hubby. Riordan does a good job balancing the action with humor, the sword fighting with ridiculous mishaps.

Though some parts of the book were reminiscent of Harry Potter, the topics and writing styles are different enough for The Lightning Thief to stand on its own, without being redundant. Plus, who doesn’t love a good retelling of Greek mythology! And you never know, you might even learn something!

Don’t have anything really to say about the rest of the series (as I haven’t read them ... yet), but if their anything like the first one, then I believe I will find myself very much distracted sometime in the near future. In fact, I just checked out #2 from the library....

Apparently a movie version is coming out in February. Here’s the trailer (because it also works as a good trailer for the book); however, I am a big advocate for reading books before watching their big screen counterparts (actually, most of the time I never even get around to watching the movie) so I recommend to you the book first. Then, if you really liked it, or have a small child pulling on your pant leg, feel free to see the movie. And tell me how it is!



Over the next few weeks be on the look out for more reviews. Because of their short word count, I was able to blast through a bunch of Middle Grade novels and now you get to reap the benefits!

(FTC disclaimer: Unless stated otherwise, the books reviewed have either been purchased from a bookstore or borrowed from the local library.)

Another Creative Way to Use Books

I hope that by now you have all seen the wonderful videos of books cut into pieces and turned into beautiful works of art.

If not... Check it out.

This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo.

But wait... it gets better. Yesterday I stumbled upon another artist who uses books outside the norm of just reading and/or sitting on a shelf: Mike Stilkey.

He takes discarded books, stacks them and paints fascinating pictures on their spines and covers.

Check out a short interview with the New Yorker and some photos of his work here.

My favorite is this one:



(copyright is obviously the artist's)

I kind of want him to come to my house and make something for me...

Pink Elephants On Parade

"Are you ready to rumble??!!"

(Pauses for wild, maniacal roars from her dear readers.)

Well, let's get started then shall we?

December. Ah December. (Well... almost.) Where nostalgia abounds. As such, what could be more appropriate than choosing Middle Grade Fiction as the first genre we explore together.

Now, by Middle Grade I don't mean mediocre. Simply, Middle Grade Fiction is fiction written for 8-12 year olds. But it is much more than that, so much more.

Close your eyes. No. Wait. Then you can't finish reading this post. Okay ... don't close your eyes. Just think about the books that have changed you, the books seared into your heart, the books that made you want to read more or even, perhaps, become a writer. The books that inspired your imagination. Chances are, most of the books you thought of were books you read as a child: Middle Grade Fiction.

My list includes:

A Wrinkle In Time
Bridge To Terabithia
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
The Giver
Number the Stars

In fact, A Wrinkle In Time still holds a place in my top 5 favorite books of all times. I couldn't forget about these books, even if I tried. They are a part of me.

However, as I've grown so have my tastes and Middle Grade Fiction has plunged from my radar. In fact, unless you are writing middle grade fiction, are a teacher or children's librarian or have kids of your own, chances are you don't read a lot of Middle Grade Fiction anymore. Which--as I discovered in preparing for Middle Grade Fiction month--is quite tragic.

There is so much magic and innocence and curiosity in Middle Grade Fiction; things that are easily lost in the shuffle of adulthood. Reading Middle Grade Fiction can bring back some of that childhood delight, rouse your tired imagination and help you feel young again. Middle Grade books are veritable fountains of youth!

Plus, Middle Grade books are short, compared to adult fiction. Most times, I found myself plowing through a book a day!

So don't be afraid to browse the kid's section at your local bookstore and pick out a Middle Grade book ... even if you don't have kids. In fact, this month I encourage you ... nay ... I challenge you to read at least 2 Middle Grade Fiction books. Who knows, you just might stumble upon something delightfully unexpected ...



Now it's your turn to chime in ... what are your favorite Middle Grade Fiction books? Which books from your childhood made the biggest impression on you? What books would you recommend to your kids? And did anyone else get nightmares when they were a kid after watching this scene in Dumbo?