Category Archives: Thoughts on Children’s Literature
SUGAR, Catalogue Copy & Writing News
Sugar Click on the link above for more info on my newest book, SUGAR! Like in NINTH WARD, SUGAR celebrates a spirited girl who through her courage and resilience, thrives and makes the world a better place. I haven’t been … Continue reading
Ten Tips: Writing for Kids
Oh yes, I’ve been writing many years and it’s true: just as being a child is different from being an adult, writing for children is not the same as writing for adults. The literary tradition is different (Charlotte’s Web vs. … Continue reading
Lanesha’s Listmania: Books from the Blog
Children’s Books from the Blog, Now on Amazon! Hello everyone! Lanesha (or rather her online avatar, me) has created a Listmania! list on Amazon dedicated to the books discussed on this blog. I love the Listmania service on Amazon. It’s … Continue reading
Hurricane Katrina in Middle-Grade Fiction: “I Survived”
I Survived: Hurricane Katrina, 2005 The I Survived series for the middle-grades takes a child’s perspective on disasters like the Titanic, The Shark Attacks of 1916, and, as I read recently, 9/11. The question raised on the back of the … Continue reading
Hurricane Katrina for Children
August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall and forever changed the lives of many. People suffered and people died. The wave hit the poorest areas hard, and so a storm became an issue of race and class. I highly recommend Spike … Continue reading
All Children Have Rabbit Ears!
“Now Ananzi, him teeny teeny. But him smart. How else he have all stories named for him? You see, Ananzi own all stories. When your mother tell you a story, or your grandfather tell you a story, them borrow Ananzi’s … Continue reading
What Animals Bring to History
More About Animals in Children’s Books… The Fantastic-Historical Have you (or your children) read and loved the Redwall books? As a historical fiction writer, these books strike me because they don’t take place in a set place or time. They … Continue reading
Animals in Children’s Books
The Role of Animals in Children’s Literature I remember the first time I read A Cricket in Times Square. I read it to my children, who were enraptured from the start. If you haven’t read George Selden’s masterpiece, do so … Continue reading
Children’s Literary Tour of England
If you watched the opening ceremony of the Olympics, you may have noticed a lot of familiar faces–from Lord Voldemort to Mary Poppins; from Peter Pan to Cruella DeVille. England rightfully celebrates its history of great contributions to children’s literature. I’ve always … Continue reading
Filed under Jewell's Projects, Other, Questions for You
Dear America Series Update
Recently, I began reading the Dear America series. I started with Standing in the Light, by Mary Pope Osborne, of the famous Babysitter’s Club series! The book was fascinating. Written in diary form, it falls under the genre of the … Continue reading
Filed under Authors, Book Reviews, Historical Fiction, Middle-Grade Novels, Questions for You, YA
