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5 episodes with abby cooper
3 episodes with abby cooper
4 episodes with abby cooper
If you're listening to this right now, there's a good chance you're sitting in a hospital room or just a few days or weeks into your child's Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis. First, we want to say: We see you. This is hard, and you are not alone. In this episode, Abby Cooper, Director of Coaching at Risely, shares the five things she wishes she had been told six years ago when her own son was diagnosed. Whether you are feeling overwhelmed in these early days yourself or maybe you're months/years into your child's diagnosis, and this advice is long overdue– This episode is the soft place to land that T1D parents deserve. Quick Takeaways:Navigating those early disorienting and emotional days after receiving your child's T1D diagnosis Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune condition, not caused by parentingBecoming the expert and NOT doing it alone The importance of self-compassion with T1D parenting Making space for both hope and grief Timestamps:[01:21] Introduction into the episode [03:14] “You didn't cause this and you're not alone.”[05:29] “T1D is life changing, but it is not life limiting.” [07:56] “Don't let the learning process consume you.” [09:25] “With time, you will become the expert on your child's diabetes.”[11:09] “You don't have to choose between hope or grief or between strength or struggle."What to do now: Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop when new episodes drop.Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve. Listen to Abby's first episode on the pod & hear her personal story with T1DAdditional T1D parenting content: Listen to episode #161Download our parenting freebie and be entered to win FREE thimble product samples: www.riselyhealth.com/type-1-diabetes/newly-diagnosed-parent-freebie
Rob sits down with Abby Cooper from the award-winning Cooper & Riesterer Attorneys at Law to celebrate their 25-year legacy! Whether it's navigating complex business deals or guiding families through estate planning they're here to help. Abby shares how the firm has thrived through changing times. With a commitment to creative solutions and straight-shooting advice, they've built a powerhouse reputation while staying true to their client-first approach. Tune in for stories, insights, and a glimpse into their exciting future. 00:44 A 25-Year Legacy 02:59 The Evolution of Law Practice 05:32 Specializations and Expertise 07:08 Building a Strong Reputation 10:28 Looking Ahead: Growth and Mentorship 13:49 Contacting Cooper & Riester Show Links Learn more about the Brighton Chamber by visiting our website. Website: https://www.brightoncoc.org/ Guest Links Abby Cooper, attorney and partner/owner of Cooper & Riesterer, PLC Website: https://crlaw.biz/ Website: https://crlaw.biz/abby-h-cooper/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CooperRiestererPLC/
In this episode, author Abby Cooper takes us behind the scenes of her middle grade novel TRUE COLORS.
Today's episode with Abby Cooper our Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and Coaching Specialist at Risely, is dedicated exclusively to parents and caregivers of children with T1D! At Risely, Abby helps individuals and parents of T1D kids navigate diabetes so that they can feel more confident and have more peace of mind with the numbers, food, hormones, and all of the factors that often feel very overwhelming.Abby and her family live just outside of Nashville, Tennessee. In 2019, Abby's son, Shay was diagnosed with T1D at the age of seven. In this episode, Abby shares her experience with… The early days of her son's diagnosis The journey of parenting two adopted children with disabilitiesThe nagging guilt that some primary caregivers have of feeling like they're not doing “enough” for their childThe number one mistake Abby and her husband made in the first year post-diagnosis that created unnecessary tension in their marriage.Tips for getting in-laws and grandparents more comfortable taking care of T1D children on their own This episode covers more of the emotional, relationship, and self-care aspects of diabetes and having a type one in your family that you likely don't have the space to dive into with your current healthcare team. We are now enrolling for our Spring 2023 Decide and Conquer Group Coaching Program. If you are ready to transform your relationship with diabetes, learn more about the DCB and apply HERE. Hit the subscribe button and rate and review to help this podcast rise! Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop for when new episodes drop.Send me a DM to introduce yourself with any feedback, questions, or suggestions on topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes.RESOURCES FOR YOU: For T1D nutrition strategies and 7 day meal plan - HEREFor reducing highs and lows during exercise - HEREFor ways to lower your A1C starting now - HEREDisclaimer: Nothing you hear on the Reclaim your Rise podcast should be a substitute for personalized professional medical advice. Please always consult your physician or other medical professional before making any changes to your diet, insulin dosages, or healthcare plan.
Mark Coogan is an Olympian, the head coach of Team New Balance Boston and now he's an author. He just published "Personal Best Running: Coach Coogan's Strategies for the Mile to the Marathon.” In his book, Coach Coogan shares his secrets to success, revealing the physical and psychological strategies needed to be the best athlete possible. But it's not just about the training. Coach Coogan weaves in stories from his career and also has testimonies and accounts from some of his athletes on how all the physical and psychological training comes together perfectly. You'll read parts by Elle St. Pierre, Sam Chelanga, Abby Cooper and Alexi Pappas. If you enjoyed our past episode with Mike Smith, the book is Mike Smith-endorsed. He said it "grants you access to the philosophy, problem-solving and insight of one of the top distance coaches in the world." Get the book here >> https://amzn.to/40yOlLk SUPPORT THE SPONSORS OLIPOP is a prebiotic soda with only 2-5g of sugar that is actually good for your gut health. – and it's delicious. Use code CITIUS25 for 25% off non-subscription orders. Learn more at DrinkOlipop.com (click the link or use our promotional code for the discount) NEW BALANCE: You push yourself to go the distance – get the gear that helps you get the job done. Our FuelCell SuperComp Elite v3 men's running shoes are built for marathon runners who never let up. Get your pair at NewBalance.com starting Feb. 1. VELOUS FOOTWEAR: VELOUS is an active recovery footwear brand designed to help you restore, revive & Reenergize before and after you train. Two years in development, this team has created the world's most comfortable, supportive and lightweight active recovery shoe in the world. Get 20% off using code CitiusMag20. VDOT Adaptive Trainer: VDOT offers access to the highest quality, Olympic-style training for runners of all levels—right from any mobile device. VDOT is offering 20% off their Adaptive Trainer using the code citius at checkout. Download V.O2 in the app stores or visit vdoto2.com. HOW TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST
This week Sandy and I talk lights turning on and off mysteriously, promote the book Fatal Fortune from the Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series, AND take a deeeeeep dive into the horrific murder of Marilyn Sheppard, wife of the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard. Did he do it? We know!
This week Sandy and I talk lights turning on and off mysteriously, promote the book Fatal Fortune from the Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series, AND take a deeeeeep dive into the horrific murder of Marilyn Sheppard, wife of the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard. Did he do it? We know!
This week Sandy and I talk lights turning on and off mysteriously, promote the book Fatal Fortune from the Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series, AND take a deeeeeep dive into the horrific murder of Marilyn Sheppard, wife of the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard. Did he do it? We know!
This week Sandy and I talk lights turning on and off mysteriously, promote the book Fatal Fortune from the Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series, AND take a deeeeeep dive into the horrific murder of Marilyn Sheppard, wife of the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard. Did he do it? We know!
This week Sandy and I talk lights turning on and off mysteriously, promote the book Fatal Fortune from the Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series, AND take a deeeeeep dive into the horrific murder of Marilyn Sheppard, wife of the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard. Did he do it? We know!
This week Sandy and I talk lights turning on and off mysteriously, promote the book Fatal Fortune from the Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series, AND take a deeeeeep dive into the horrific murder of Marilyn Sheppard, wife of the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard. Did he do it? We know!
This week Sandy and I talk lights turning on and off mysteriously, promote the book Fatal Fortune from the Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series, AND take a deeeeeep dive into the horrific murder of Marilyn Sheppard, wife of the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard. Did he do it? We know!
This week Sandy and I talk lights turning on and off mysteriously, promote the book Fatal Fortune from the Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series, AND take a deeeeeep dive into the horrific murder of Marilyn Sheppard, wife of the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard. Did he do it? We know!
This week Sandy and I talk lights turning on and off mysteriously, promote the book Fatal Fortune from the Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series, AND take a deeeeeep dive into the horrific murder of Marilyn Sheppard, wife of the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard. Did he do it? We know!
This week Sandy and I talk lights turning on and off mysteriously, promote the book Fatal Fortune from the Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series, AND take a deeeeeep dive into the horrific murder of Marilyn Sheppard, wife of the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard. Did he do it? We know!
This week Sandy and I talk lights turning on and off mysteriously, promote the book Fatal Fortune from the Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series, AND take a deeeeeep dive into the horrific murder of Marilyn Sheppard, wife of the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard. Did he do it? We know!
This week Sandy and I talk lights turning on and off mysteriously, promote the book Fatal Fortune from the Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye series, AND take a deeeeeep dive into the horrific murder of Marilyn Sheppard, wife of the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard. Did he do it? We know!
In this week's episode my hilarious sister, Sandy and I discuss the 5th book in the Abby Cooper series (Crime Seen) before talking teddy bears, rainbows, and an update on Bunnygate. We then get into the absolutely fascinating case of the only men EVER to escape Alcatraz. Did they make it? Or did they drown int he frigid waters of San Fransisco Bay? Want to learn more about me, my books, or schedule an appointment for a psychic/medium reading? Click here: https://victorialaurie.com and here! https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581
In this week's episode my hilarious sister, Sandy and I discuss the 5th book in the Abby Cooper series (Crime Seen) before talking teddy bears, rainbows, and an update on Bunnygate. We then get into the absolutely fascinating case of the only men EVER to escape Alcatraz. Did they make it? Or did they drown int he frigid waters of San Fransisco Bay? Want to learn more about me, my books, or schedule an appointment for a psychic/medium reading? Click here: https://victorialaurie.com and here! https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581
In this week's episode my hilarious sister, Sandy and I discuss the 5th book in the Abby Cooper series (Crime Seen) before talking teddy bears, rainbows, and an update on Bunnygate. We then get into the absolutely fascinating case of the only men EVER to escape Alcatraz. Did they make it? Or did they drown int he frigid waters of San Fransisco Bay? Want to learn more about me, my books, or schedule an appointment for a psychic/medium reading? Click here: https://victorialaurie.com and here! https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581
In this week's episode my hilarious sister, Sandy and I discuss the 5th book in the Abby Cooper series (Crime Seen) before talking teddy bears, rainbows, and an update on Bunnygate. We then get into the absolutely fascinating case of the only men EVER to escape Alcatraz. Did they make it? Or did they drown int he frigid waters of San Fransisco Bay? Want to learn more about me, my books, or schedule an appointment for a psychic/medium reading? Click here: https://victorialaurie.com and here! https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581
In this week's episode my hilarious sister, Sandy and I discuss the 5th book in the Abby Cooper series (Crime Seen) before talking teddy bears, rainbows, and an update on Bunnygate. We then get into the absolutely fascinating case of the only men EVER to escape Alcatraz. Did they make it? Or did they drown int he frigid waters of San Fransisco Bay? Want to learn more about me, my books, or schedule an appointment for a psychic/medium reading? Click here: https://victorialaurie.com and here! https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581
In this week's episode my hilarious sister, Sandy and I discuss the 5th book in the Abby Cooper series (Crime Seen) before talking teddy bears, rainbows, and an update on Bunnygate. We then get into the absolutely fascinating case of the only men EVER to escape Alcatraz. Did they make it? Or did they drown int he frigid waters of San Fransisco Bay? Want to learn more about me, my books, or schedule an appointment for a psychic/medium reading? Click here: https://victorialaurie.com and here! https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581
In this week's episode my hilarious sister, Sandy and I discuss the 5th book in the Abby Cooper series (Crime Seen) before talking teddy bears, rainbows, and an update on Bunnygate. We then get into the absolutely fascinating case of the only men EVER to escape Alcatraz. Did they make it? Or did they drown int he frigid waters of San Fransisco Bay? Want to learn more about me, my books, or schedule an appointment for a psychic/medium reading? Click here: https://victorialaurie.com and here! https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581
In this week's episode my hilarious sister, Sandy and I discuss the 5th book in the Abby Cooper series (Crime Seen) before talking teddy bears, rainbows, and an update on Bunnygate. We then get into the absolutely fascinating case of the only men EVER to escape Alcatraz. Did they make it? Or did they drown int he frigid waters of San Fransisco Bay? Want to learn more about me, my books, or schedule an appointment for a psychic/medium reading? Click here: https://victorialaurie.com and here! https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581
In this week's episode my hilarious sister, Sandy and I discuss the 5th book in the Abby Cooper series (Crime Seen) before talking teddy bears, rainbows, and an update on Bunnygate. We then get into the absolutely fascinating case of the only men EVER to escape Alcatraz. Did they make it? Or did they drown int he frigid waters of San Fransisco Bay? Want to learn more about me, my books, or schedule an appointment for a psychic/medium reading? Click here: https://victorialaurie.com and here! https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581
In this week's episode my hilarious sister, Sandy and I discuss the 5th book in the Abby Cooper series (Crime Seen) before talking teddy bears, rainbows, and an update on Bunnygate. We then get into the absolutely fascinating case of the only men EVER to escape Alcatraz. Did they make it? Or did they drown int he frigid waters of San Fransisco Bay? Want to learn more about me, my books, or schedule an appointment for a psychic/medium reading? Click here: https://victorialaurie.com and here! https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581
In this week's episode my hilarious sister, Sandy and I discuss the 5th book in the Abby Cooper series (Crime Seen) before talking teddy bears, rainbows, and an update on Bunnygate. We then get into the absolutely fascinating case of the only men EVER to escape Alcatraz. Did they make it? Or did they drown int he frigid waters of San Fransisco Bay? Want to learn more about me, my books, or schedule an appointment for a psychic/medium reading? Click here: https://victorialaurie.com and here! https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581
In this week's episode my hilarious sister, Sandy and I discuss the 5th book in the Abby Cooper series (Crime Seen) before talking teddy bears, rainbows, and an update on Bunnygate. We then get into the absolutely fascinating case of the only men EVER to escape Alcatraz. Did they make it? Or did they drown int he frigid waters of San Fransisco Bay? Want to learn more about me, my books, or schedule an appointment for a psychic/medium reading? Click here: https://victorialaurie.com and here! https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581
Abby Cooper, Partner of Cooper & Riesterer PLC in Brighton, MI. speaks with Danielle and Vic on Real Estate Law, involvement in the community, and the Livingston County Association of Realtors. There are lots of stories and topics to talk about when it comes to real estate law. Show Links For more information follow the links below. Website: AssistMyRealtor.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/assistmyrealtor YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDSKvim5NsiiEUbm3kQVGqw Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/assist.my.realtor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/assist-my-realtor-8101a5133/ Victor Bals - Sales Manager, Sr. Loan Officer NMLS #162273 VictorBals.com Danielle Boote - Branch Manager/Sr. Loan Officer NMLS #170173 DanielleBoote.com Guest Links Abby Cooper, Partner - Cooper & Riesterer PLC Website: Cooper & Riesterer PLC Ph: 810.227.3103
This week Sandy and I dress in blue (no, we did not call each other beforehand) promote Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, talk about an AMAZING anecdote from one of my psychic-medium sessions with a client, and dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sabrina Aisenberg. To book a private session with me for a psychic reading, click this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581 or to discover more about my books, visit victorialaurie.com.
This week Sandy and I dress in blue (no, we did not call each other beforehand) promote Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, talk about an AMAZING anecdote from one of my psychic-medium sessions with a client, and dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sabrina Aisenberg. To book a private session with me for a psychic reading, click this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581 or to discover more about my books, visit victorialaurie.com.
This week Sandy and I dress in blue (no, we did not call each other beforehand) promote Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, talk about an AMAZING anecdote from one of my psychic-medium sessions with a client, and dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sabrina Aisenberg. To book a private session with me for a psychic reading, click this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581 or to discover more about my books, visit victorialaurie.com.
This week Sandy and I dress in blue (no, we did not call each other beforehand) promote Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, talk about an AMAZING anecdote from one of my psychic-medium sessions with a client, and dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sabrina Aisenberg. To book a private session with me for a psychic reading, click this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581 or to discover more about my books, visit victorialaurie.com.
This week Sandy and I dress in blue (no, we did not call each other beforehand) promote Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, talk about an AMAZING anecdote from one of my psychic-medium sessions with a client, and dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sabrina Aisenberg. To book a private session with me for a psychic reading, click this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581 or to discover more about my books, visit victorialaurie.com.
This week Sandy and I dress in blue (no, we did not call each other beforehand) promote Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, talk about an AMAZING anecdote from one of my psychic-medium sessions with a client, and dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sabrina Aisenberg. To book a private session with me for a psychic reading, click this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581 or to discover more about my books, visit victorialaurie.com.
This week Sandy and I dress in blue (no, we did not call each other beforehand) promote Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, talk about an AMAZING anecdote from one of my psychic-medium sessions with a client, and dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sabrina Aisenberg. To book a private session with me for a psychic reading, click this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581 or to discover more about my books, visit victorialaurie.com.
This week Sandy and I dress in blue (no, we did not call each other beforehand) promote Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, talk about an AMAZING anecdote from one of my psychic-medium sessions with a client, and dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sabrina Aisenberg. To book a private session with me for a psychic reading, click this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581 or to discover more about my books, visit victorialaurie.com.
This week Sandy and I dress in blue (no, we did not call each other beforehand) promote Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, talk about an AMAZING anecdote from one of my psychic-medium sessions with a client, and dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sabrina Aisenberg. To book a private session with me for a psychic reading, click this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581 or to discover more about my books, visit victorialaurie.com.
This week Sandy and I dress in blue (no, we did not call each other beforehand) promote Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, talk about an AMAZING anecdote from one of my psychic-medium sessions with a client, and dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sabrina Aisenberg. To book a private session with me for a psychic reading, click this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581 or to discover more about my books, visit victorialaurie.com.
This week Sandy and I dress in blue (no, we did not call each other beforehand) promote Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, talk about an AMAZING anecdote from one of my psychic-medium sessions with a client, and dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sabrina Aisenberg. To book a private session with me for a psychic reading, click this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581 or to discover more about my books, visit victorialaurie.com.
This week Sandy and I dress in blue (no, we did not call each other beforehand) promote Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, talk about an AMAZING anecdote from one of my psychic-medium sessions with a client, and dive deep into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Sabrina Aisenberg. To book a private session with me for a psychic reading, click this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22012581 or to discover more about my books, visit victorialaurie.com.
This week Victoria and Sandy delve into the the very mysterious 1966 case of who could've murdered the Briccas--a young, beautiful family of three from Bridgetown, OH and, also look into whether there was any connection to another murder/attempted murder of two stewardesses living in Seattle, WA. Were the two incidents separate or somehow connected, possibly a hit job with mafia connections? Were they retribution for the breakup of a drug cartel? Could it have been the flared temper of a Seattle Police Officer? Or maybe even a local veterinarian acting as the scorned lover? Or even something far simpler but just as tragic? We'll let you know! Victoria also gives a few anecdotes from previous psychic readings that's sure to "lift your spirits" and promote the 13th book in her Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mystery series - A Sense of Deception.
This week Victoria and Sandy delve into the the very mysterious 1966 case of who could've murdered the Briccas--a young, beautiful family of three from Bridgetown, OH and, also look into whether there was any connection to another murder/attempted murder of two stewardesses living in Seattle, WA. Were the two incidents separate or somehow connected, possibly a hit job with mafia connections? Were they retribution for the breakup of a drug cartel? Could it have been the flared temper of a Seattle Police Officer? Or maybe even a local veterinarian acting as the scorned lover? Or even something far simpler but just as tragic? We'll let you know! Victoria also gives a few anecdotes from previous psychic readings that's sure to "lift your spirits" and promote the 13th book in her Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mystery series - A Sense of Deception.
This week Victoria and Sandy delve into the the very mysterious 1966 case of who could've murdered the Briccas--a young, beautiful family of three from Bridgetown, OH and, also look into whether there was any connection to another murder/attempted murder of two stewardesses living in Seattle, WA. Were the two incidents separate or somehow connected, possibly a hit job with mafia connections? Were they retribution for the breakup of a drug cartel? Could it have been the flared temper of a Seattle Police Officer? Or maybe even a local veterinarian acting as the scorned lover? Or even something far simpler but just as tragic? We'll let you know! Victoria also gives a few anecdotes from previous psychic readings that's sure to "lift your spirits" and promote the 13th book in her Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mystery series - A Sense of Deception.
This week Victoria and Sandy delve into the the very mysterious 1966 case of who could've murdered the Briccas--a young, beautiful family of three from Bridgetown, OH and, also look into whether there was any connection to another murder/attempted murder of two stewardesses living in Seattle, WA. Were the two incidents separate or somehow connected, possibly a hit job with mafia connections? Were they retribution for the breakup of a drug cartel? Could it have been the flared temper of a Seattle Police Officer? Or maybe even a local veterinarian acting as the scorned lover? Or even something far simpler but just as tragic? We'll let you know! Victoria also gives a few anecdotes from previous psychic readings that's sure to "lift your spirits" and promote the 13th book in her Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mystery series - A Sense of Deception.
This week Victoria and Sandy delve into the the very mysterious 1966 case of who could've murdered the Briccas--a young, beautiful family of three from Bridgetown, OH and, also look into whether there was any connection to another murder/attempted murder of two stewardesses living in Seattle, WA. Were the two incidents separate or somehow connected, possibly a hit job with mafia connections? Were they retribution for the breakup of a drug cartel? Could it have been the flared temper of a Seattle Police Officer? Or maybe even a local veterinarian acting as the scorned lover? Or even something far simpler but just as tragic? We'll let you know! Victoria also gives a few anecdotes from previous psychic readings that's sure to "lift your spirits" and promote the 13th book in her Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mystery series - A Sense of Deception.
This week Victoria and Sandy delve into the the very mysterious 1966 case of who could've murdered the Briccas--a young, beautiful family of three from Bridgetown, OH and, also look into whether there was any connection to another murder/attempted murder of two stewardesses living in Seattle, WA. Were the two incidents separate or somehow connected, possibly a hit job with mafia connections? Were they retribution for the breakup of a drug cartel? Could it have been the flared temper of a Seattle Police Officer? Or maybe even a local veterinarian acting as the scorned lover? Or even something far simpler but just as tragic? We'll let you know! Victoria also gives a few anecdotes from previous psychic readings that's sure to "lift your spirits" and promote the 13th book in her Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mystery series - A Sense of Deception.
This week Victoria and Sandy delve into the the very mysterious 1966 case of who could've murdered the Briccas--a young, beautiful family of three from Bridgetown, OH and, also look into whether there was any connection to another murder/attempted murder of two stewardesses living in Seattle, WA. Were the two incidents separate or somehow connected, possibly a hit job with mafia connections? Were they retribution for the breakup of a drug cartel? Could it have been the flared temper of a Seattle Police Officer? Or maybe even a local veterinarian acting as the scorned lover? Or even something far simpler but just as tragic? We'll let you know! Victoria also gives a few anecdotes from previous psychic readings that's sure to "lift your spirits" and promote the 13th book in her Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mystery series - A Sense of Deception.
This week Victoria and Sandy delve into the the very mysterious 1966 case of who could've murdered the Briccas--a young, beautiful family of three from Bridgetown, OH and, also look into whether there was any connection to another murder/attempted murder of two stewardesses living in Seattle, WA. Were the two incidents separate or somehow connected, possibly a hit job with mafia connections? Were they retribution for the breakup of a drug cartel? Could it have been the flared temper of a Seattle Police Officer? Or maybe even a local veterinarian acting as the scorned lover? Or even something far simpler but just as tragic? We'll let you know! Victoria also gives a few anecdotes from previous psychic readings that's sure to "lift your spirits" and promote the 13th book in her Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mystery series - A Sense of Deception.
This week Victoria and Sandy delve into the the very mysterious 1966 case of who could've murdered the Briccas--a young, beautiful family of three from Bridgetown, OH and, also look into whether there was any connection to another murder/attempted murder of two stewardesses living in Seattle, WA. Were the two incidents separate or somehow connected, possibly a hit job with mafia connections? Were they retribution for the breakup of a drug cartel? Could it have been the flared temper of a Seattle Police Officer? Or maybe even a local veterinarian acting as the scorned lover? Or even something far simpler but just as tragic? We'll let you know! Victoria also gives a few anecdotes from previous psychic readings that's sure to "lift your spirits" and promote the 13th book in her Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mystery series - A Sense of Deception.
This week Victoria and Sandy delve into the the very mysterious 1966 case of who could've murdered the Briccas--a young, beautiful family of three from Bridgetown, OH and, also look into whether there was any connection to another murder/attempted murder of two stewardesses living in Seattle, WA. Were the two incidents separate or somehow connected, possibly a hit job with mafia connections? Were they retribution for the breakup of a drug cartel? Could it have been the flared temper of a Seattle Police Officer? Or maybe even a local veterinarian acting as the scorned lover? Or even something far simpler but just as tragic? We'll let you know! Victoria also gives a few anecdotes from previous psychic readings that's sure to "lift your spirits" and promote the 13th book in her Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mystery series - A Sense of Deception.
This week Victoria and Sandy delve into the the very mysterious 1966 case of who could've murdered the Briccas--a young, beautiful family of three from Bridgetown, OH and, also look into whether there was any connection to another murder/attempted murder of two stewardesses living in Seattle, WA. Were the two incidents separate or somehow connected, possibly a hit job with mafia connections? Were they retribution for the breakup of a drug cartel? Could it have been the flared temper of a Seattle Police Officer? Or maybe even a local veterinarian acting as the scorned lover? Or even something far simpler but just as tragic? We'll let you know! Victoria also gives a few anecdotes from previous psychic readings that's sure to "lift your spirits" and promote the 13th book in her Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mystery series - A Sense of Deception.
This week Victoria and Sandy delve into the the very mysterious 1966 case of who could've murdered the Briccas--a young, beautiful family of three from Bridgetown, OH and, also look into whether there was any connection to another murder/attempted murder of two stewardesses living in Seattle, WA. Were the two incidents separate or somehow connected, possibly a hit job with mafia connections? Were they retribution for the breakup of a drug cartel? Could it have been the flared temper of a Seattle Police Officer? Or maybe even a local veterinarian acting as the scorned lover? Or even something far simpler but just as tragic? We'll let you know! Victoria also gives a few anecdotes from previous psychic readings that's sure to "lift your spirits" and promote the 13th book in her Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye mystery series - A Sense of Deception.
Abby Cooper is a seasoned nutrition coach but brand new to using the Healthy Steps Nutrition platform. In this episode, she talks about how she and her gym owner worked together to launch a comprehensive nutrition program in their gym. Instead of wasting time building a nutrition program from scratch, Joe and Abby, owner and coach at CrossFit Spring Hill, have partnered with Healthy Steps Nutrition to offer nutrition coaching in-house! Within a few short months, they have over 30% of their members doing nutrition coaching and have truly built nutrition into the foundation of their gym. Abby talks about how she has established herself as the expert and how her gym owner supports her role as a nutrition coach. You will love her story, and you are guaranteed to be inspired to become a better coach. https://growyournutritionbusiness.com/grow-your-nutrition-business-podcast-episode-69-starting-crossfit-springhill-with-nutrition-as-the-foundation/
Abby Cooper is a busy woman. For more than 15 years, she’s owned Kennedy Douglas Consulting, where she works with federal, state and local governments and nonprofits to increase employment for individuals with disabilities. The reality is that one in four people in the U.S. have a disability, but states aren’t doing enough to help these individuals enter the workforce. “I think a lot of times, people have incredible difficulty seeing the person — they just see the disability,” Abby explains.Because the U.S. has squeezed a large portion of the country — and some of the most innovative problem-solvers — out of the job market, Abby has made it her mission to create more employment opportunities for them. She does this by educating companies on disability laws, employee etiquette and technology accommodations.Abby’s also a firm believer that states need to band together to create consistent messaging around this matter — that if you live in the U.S. and you want to work, you should have the opportunity to do so.
Episode 3 There’s nothing that warms Abby’s heart more than bringing together the splitboard community. In this episode, Abby shares her stories and great tips on gear, training, keeping up-to-date on snowpack and more. Her love of the sport runs deep. Listen and learn how she carved her own path in life and survived an avalanche with her boyfriend, a.k.a. her G3 Axle. Follow Abby: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbydells/ https://snowboardcanada.com/ https://www.instagram.com/snowboardcanada/ Her Sponsors: https://arcteryx.com/ca/en/ https://www.splitboardbindings.com/ https://www.smithoptics.com/ca/ https://www.genuineguidegear.com/ Gear links: Bivy stick https://www.bivystick.com/bivystick-1/ G3 Axle https://www.genuineguidegear.com/explore/splitboards/axle Descente socks https://www.descente.com/en-world/products/ski/men/DWBOGB02.html?cgid=ski-men Special thanks to: Visit our website for great deals from our sponsors: www.darkstarts.ca/partners Groundswell Marketing www.instagram.com/groundswell_fm/ Valerie Black The Artist Behind The Logo www.instagram.com/valerieblack.art/ Follow us: www.darkstarts.ca @ Darkstarts.podcast https://www.instagram.com/darkstarts.podcast/ @ Darkstarts.media https://www.instagram.com/darkstarts.media
Intro Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a teacher, a mom, and battling a cold this afternoon! So if I sound a little...off - that is why! This is episode #68 and Today I’m answering some questions about trends in middle grade and sharing with you some fabulous 2019 titles to look forward to this year! Q&A - Trends in Middle Grade Fiction Last month, my husband asked me some questions about trends in middle grade fiction. He teaches a class at Seton Hall all about trends in genre fiction and wanted some input on middle grade. So I thought I would share my responses with you. And I would be very curious about what YOU would answer. What genres or subgenres do you believe are the hottest right now? Well, it’s a format and not a genre but graphic novel memoirs like Hey Kiddo, Real Friends, and Be Prepared are still really popular. And also graphic novel adaptations of classics (like Anne of Green Gables) and popular novels (like Wings of Fire or Percy Jackson). And again, not genre, but I see more books that are based on the core experiences of the writer. Those novels that draw on the real-life backgrounds of the authors like Kelly Yang’s Front Desk, Tami Charles’ Like Vanessa, and Supriya Kellar’s Ahimsa. They’re not memoirs but they are books rooted in a very personal experience. To authors, I’d say - take those things that make you unique, that make you a bit quirky, that set you apart from most other people - and write THAT story. Like Kelly Yang taking the experiences of her family coming from China and running motels to write Front Desk. Jarrett Krosoczka writing the critically acclaimed graphic novel memoir Hey Kiddo about his life living with his grandparents after his mom lost custody of him due to drug addiction. Crack that door open and invite us inside. What genres or subgenres do you believe are passé or overexposed? I don’t know…. I do wonder how long the unicorn and narwhal craze will last but that seems to live more in picture books than middle grade. Magical realism - or rather realistic fiction with a magical twist - doesn’t seem to be slowing down. You know - anything can be new and fresh with the right spin. And also, authors from marginalized backgrounds are still underrepresented in just about every genre so those are stories that will likely have new points of view. I thought I was totally over zombie stories but Dread Nation popped up and whoa!! I’ve never read a zombie story like THAT before! If you had to predict, what genre or subgenre do you think is primed to be the next Big Thing in the next year or so? I would say stories about immigrants, refugees, and the unique experiences of marginalized groups (especially by #ownvoices authors) will continue to be popular. Over the last couple of years we’ve seen an explosion of critically acclaimed middle grade stories like Alan Gratz’s Refugee, Jacqueline Woodson’s Harbor Me, and Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai among many more. We also have more and more books coming out that tell stories of police violence in developmentally appropriate ways like Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes and Blended by Sharon Draper. I’m also really excited about a new crop of middle grade #MeToo stories on the horizon like So Done by Paula Chase and the upcoming Barbara Dee novel Maybe He Just Likes You. Any comments about where you see genre fiction heading? In middle grade, like everywhere else, #ownvoices books are still underrepresented - everyone has a unique story to tell or a unique POV to offer. EVERYONE. So my advice to authors, take the spark of your unique life experiences and let that burn throughout your story. My advice to educators - scour those shelves to find a wider variety of books. Also - if you write for a YA/MG audience, librarians and educators are more and more eager to the ditch the old canon and form partnerships with authors. Look for opportunities like #KidsNeedMentors or reach out to your local schools and libraries. Book Talk - Most Anticipated Middle Grade Books of 2019 The last couple of episodes were all about looking back on some of the best that middle grade had to offer in 2018. (If you missed those, go check out episodes #66 and #67.) But today is all about looking forward into the new year. Last year, when I did our Most Anticipated MG of 2018, I went chronologically by month. But this year I’m going about it a little differently and discussing the new releases by category. First, we’ll chat about the new graphic novels coming up in 2019. And then we’ll talk about new releases from authors who debuted in 2018 and 2017 and see what they’re up to now. After that, I’ll give you a peek at some of the 2019 debut middle grade authors. Then we’ll see what new books are coming out in favorite series and what sequels we have to look forward to. And finally, we’ll finish up with the 2019 releases from more established authors. So, buckle up and get ready to add to your wish list. And remember - no need to go hunting for a pen and paper. You can find every book mentioned AND a picture of the available covers AND a link to pre-order them right on the Books Between post for this episode, #69, at MGBookVillage.com. I’ve got your back, I know you’re busy, so it’s all right there for you. And as I’ve said before, I’ve come to really love pre-ordering - it helps out favorite authors and it’s like a little surprise to your future self. Before we jump in, just remember that this is just a sampling of all the incredible books coming out this year. I’ll add some links to some other great resources in the show notes and on the website where you can find more complete listings of titles to browse through and the MGBookVillage website has a great release calendar so that’s one to bookmark for sure. https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/111975.Middle_Grade_Novels_of_2019 http://novelnineteens.com/books/middle-grade-books https://mgbookvillage.org/2018releasedates/ http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2018/12/19-2019-middle-grade-books-to-have-on-your-radar/ https://www.readbrightly.com/middle-grade-books-2019/ https://www.bookish.com/articles/must-read-childrens-books-winter-2019/ http://www.popgoesthereader.com/target-audience-middle-grade/70-middle-grade-novels-i-cant-wait-to-read-in-2019/ Also - publication dates do occasionally change, so just be aware of that. Alright, get your Goodreads tab open, or your library website pulled up, or your Amazon/Indiebound shopping cart ready, or ….. print out the show notes and bring it to your favorite local bookstore! Alright - let’s get to it! The 2019 Graphic Novels This January, Lincoln Peirce, the author of Big Nate, has a new graphic/illustrated novel series set in the middle ages called Max and the Midknights that looks really, really cute. Also out on January 8th is Click by Kayla Miller - the story of 5th grader Olive who is having some trouble finding where she “clicks” in middle school. The sequel, called Camp, is being released this April so fans won’t have to wait long for the next one. A fantasy graphic novel that Mel Schuit recommended that I check out is The Chancellor and the Citadel by Maria Capelle Frantz so that’s on my radar now - and yours! Thank you, Mel! On January 29th another Hilo is coming our way! Hilo 5: Then Everything Went Wrong. And on that same day the 5th Bird & Squirrel is coming out called All Tangled Up. One graphic novel adaptation that has really piqued my interest is Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: A Modern Retelling of Little Women by Rey Tercerio and illustrator Bre Indigo. The classic is reimagined as a blended family living in modern-day New York City. I don’t think I’ve ever hit “pre-order” faster and will be eagerly stalking my delivery person on February 5th for that one! My mailbox is going to be brimming on February 5th because I also HAD to preorder New Kid by Jerry Craft! It’s about seventh grader Jordan Banks who loves drawing cartoons and dreams of going to art school. But his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school instead, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade. Looks amazing!! 90-Second Newbery was singing its praises on Twitter last night and said this about it: “The amazing graphic novel New Kid by @JerryCraft should definitely be on everyone's tbr list and it has a full-cast (and all-star cast) audiobook released at the same time….perfect for rich, nuanced convos abt race, class, identity, school systems, how we share books, code switching, starting new school, just so much!” So, yeah… I’ll just wait here for a bit while you hit pause and go order that! We also get the second Wings of Fire graphic novel, The Lost Heir, on February 26th AND the second Mr. Wolf’s Class book called Mystery Club. And a heads up that the graphic novel of The Hidden Kingdom (Wings of Fire Book 3) is out in October 2019. For those Minecraft fans in your life, this March we get another Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior graphic novel - Forging Destiny. And for older middle grade kids - maybe 11 or 12 and up - look for the new graphic novel adaptations of The Iliad and The Odyssey this March as well. And fans of Terri Libenson’s Invisible Emmie and Positively Izzie will want to get their hands on Just Jaime - coming out May7th. There were lots of smiles among my students today when I told them that news! Bad Guys #9 - The Bad Guys in the Big Bad Wolf is out June 25th. Perfect launch for a fun summer read. This August brings us Best Friends, the sequel to Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham’s Real Friends - out on August 27th. And have you seen the cover? It’s Shannon at the top of a rollercoaster with this vibrant purple background. Love it, love it, love it! And Dog Man fans (like my daughter) will be psyched this August because we are getting Dog Man #7: For Whom the Ball Rolls! The seventh graphic novel adaptation of the Baby-sitters Club, Boy Crazy Stacey, illustrated by Gale Carrigan, will be out September 3rd. That’s one of those no-brainer preorders for my classroom library. Also - I was interested to hear that R.J. Palacio is publishing her first graphic novel Wonder story this fall called White Bird. This one is Julian’s grandmother’s story about her life as a young Jewish girl hidden away by a family in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. So be on the lookout for that one September 3rd as well. You want another don’t-even-have-to-think-about-it-just-preorder-it graphic novel? Guts - the long-awaited new Raina Telgemeier graphic memoir is out September 17th!! September also brings the latest from Tillie Walden - Are You Listening. The peeks I’ve seen of that online look incredible, so that one is definitely on my radar this fall. And then….….. Drumroll please…… Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl!! Ahhhh!! I knew it! That last page in Mighty Jack and the Goblin King was just too good not to be followed up with a joint adventure. Yay! Jen Wang - author of last year’s hit, The Prince & the Dressmaker, has a new graphic novel coming out in September called Stargazing. This one draws on her personal experiences and is the story of two friends - Moon and Christine. And this November we’ll get The Midwinter Witch - the third and final book in the trilogy that includes The Witch Boy and The Hidden Witch. And - wow, I’m just going to start saving up now for September because the graphic novel adaptation of Kwame Alexander’s The Crossover is also coming out on September 24th! It’s going to be a pancakes and ramen noodles for dinner kind of a month if I want to keep up with all these awesome books coming out! (And I haven’t even gotten past the graphic novels!) And…. I think, maybe, possibly.. that Amulet #9 (the final one of the series) will be released late this year. But I can’t find much info on it. No title, no date, no synopsis - nada! So, I’m cautiously optimistic that it will arrive in 2019. Finally - another graphic novel to be on the lookout for later in 2019 is Twins by author Varian Johnson who you may know from The Parker Inheritance and illustrator Shannon Wright. The publication date isn’t yet announced, but apparently it’s about twin sisters struggling to figure out individual identities in middle school and it’s based on Johnson’s own childhood experiences as a twin. New Releases from 2017 / 2018 Debut Authors Early February brings us the second in Anna Meriano’s Love, Sugar, Magic series called A Sprinkle of Spirits and oh is that cover gorgeous! And definitely snag a copy of the sequel to Jarrett Lerner’s EngiNerds - Revenge of the EngiNerds out on February 19th. It is EVEN FUNNIER than the first one. And that’s saying something! Another book I’m looking forward to is Jen Petro-Roy’s Good Enough - about a young girl with an eating disorder. Game of Stars by Sayantani DasGupta - the follow up to The Serpent’s Secret is out on February 26th. And the end of February also brings us Bone Hollow by Skeleton Tree author Kim Ventrella. Also be on the lookout for The Hunt for the Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras on March 5th. That sequel is getting rave reviews so it’s definitely one to add to your library. Alyson Gerber, author of Braced, will have a new novel out called Focused. It’s about a middle school girl who loves chess and has been recently diagnosed with ADHD. Definitely a book a lot of my students will be able to connect with! In the last week of April we get the sequel to Roshani Chokshi’s Aru Shah and the End of Time called Aru Shah and Song of Death This April brings us the second novel from Rebecca Donnelly called The Friendship Lie. One book I’m excited to dip into this spring is Up for Air by Laurie Morrison. You might know her from last year’s Every Shiny Thing. From the author of 2017’s The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora and 2018’s Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish comes Each Tiny Spark. This is Pablo Cartaya’s third MG novel and this one features a young girl, a father recently returned from deployment, and… welding. So look for that one in August. And The Cryptid Keeper, the sequel to Lija Fisher’s 2018 The Cryptid Catcher is out this August as is Melissa Sarno’s A Swirl of Ocean. In September comes the sequel to Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling. It’s called Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus and follows Aven’s adventures as she heads into high school. At first I thought that might put it in the YA category, but from what I can tell, it’s still middle grade. This fall we’ll also be treated to Abby Cooper’s third novel - Friend or Fiction. Just like Sticks and Stones and Bubbles, this one is also magical realism. It’s about a girl named Jade. In the pages of her notebook, she writes all about Zoe--the most amazing best friend anyone could dream of. But when pretend Zoe appears in real life thanks to a magical experiment gone right, Jade isn't so sure if she likes sharing her imaginary friend with the real world. Another treat in store for you this fall is the third novel by Elly Swartz - Give and Take. This book is about 12 year-old Maggie whose grandmother’s recent death has triggered her to start hoarding things under her bed. 2019 Debut Authors So - I’ll just say right now that I could have had an ENTIRE show just dedicated to the amazing middle grade debuts coming our way this year but at some point, I had to cut myself off. So - I’ll include a link to the Novel19s website where you find many more middle grade debuts and discover some of your new favorite authors. The Whisperers is Greg Howard’s middle grade debut and one that has really caught my eye. Just listen to this description: “Eleven-year-old Riley believes in the whispers, magical fairies that will grant you wishes if you leave them tributes. Riley has a lot of wishes. He wishes bullies at school would stop picking on him. He wishes Dylan, his 8th grade crush, liked him, and Riley wishes he would stop wetting the bed. But most of all, Riley wishes for his mom to come back home.” Oooo…. This one is out January 15th. If you are looking for a new book for younger middle grade readers - something along the lines of Ramona Quimby or Stella Diaz - check out Meena Meets Her Match by Karla Manternatch. One book that keeps popping up into my radar is the middle grade debut of Padma Venkatraman called The Bridge Home about four children who discover strength and grit and family while dealing with homelessness. That one comes out Feb 5th so be on the lookout for that one. Another debut that I have been dying to read is The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo! Let me just read you the teaser: “Born in a dismal room in a pet store, Alastair the African grey parrot dreams of escape to bluer skies. He’d like nothing more than to fly away to a palm tree with his beloved sister, Aggie. But when Aggie is purchased by twelve-year-old Fritz, and Alastair is adopted by elderly dance-enthusiast and pie-baker Albertina Plopky, the future looks ready to crash-land.” My step-mother had parrots when I was growing up, so this one in particular I really am interested in reading! So I’ll be checking my mailbox for that one on February 12th. Another debut I am excited to read this year is Joshua Levy’s Seventh Grade vs. the Galaxy! Since one of my goals this year is to introduce my students to more science fiction, a story about a school on a spaceship orbiting Jupiter would be perfect! On March 12 we get Lisa Moore Ramée’s debut A Good Kind of Trouble about a girl who just wants to follow the rules. And sometime this spring we get rather the opposite in Bernice Buttman, Model Citizen by Niki Lenz. This one is about a “bully” who ends up living with her aunt who is a nun and tries to turn over a new leaf. This March is the debut of Julia Nobel with The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane about a girl who gets shipped off to a British boarding school and finds a box of medallions that might just be connected to the disappearance of her father. A graphic novel debut coming in March that looks fabulous is Red Panda & Moon Bear by Jarod Roselló. It’s about two Latinx kids who defend their neighborhood from threats both natural and supernatural. And in late April is the first book in a new MG detective series called Kazu Jones and the Denver Dognappers by Shauna Holyoak and a time-traveling action adventure that will transport readers to ancient Egypt called Jagger Jones & the Mummy’s Ankh by Malayna Evans. Hurricane Season by debut author Nicole Melleby comes out May 7th and oh how do I want to read this novel! On a recent #MGLitChat focused on the 2019 debut authors, the moderator asked, “What do you hope young readers take away from your book?” And Nicole Melleby said the following, “ I want them to take away that they’re not alone, that they’re seen, that mental illness is hard but manageable, and that love may have its limits, but help comes in all shapes and sizes. Also that Van Gogh was a brilliant man.” After reading Vincent & Theo last summer - uhhh…. gimme that book!! Another great middle grade debut to look for on May 7th is Just South of Home by Karen Stong which is described as Blackish meets Goosebumps. The story follows a rule-abiding girl who must team up with her trouble making cousin, goofy younger brother, and his best friend to unravel a mysterious haunting in their tiny Southern town. Also coming this spring is a book that I immediately knew I wanted to read. It’s called Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos. (So, I was pretty much ALREADY sold by the Bowie reference.) The book follows Nova, an autistic, nonverbal, space-obsessed 12-year-old who is awaiting the Challenger shuttle launch and the return of her big sister, Bridget, as she struggles to be understood by her new foster family. I was a 4th grader when The Challenger Disaster happened and vividly remember watching it happen live on tv, so I am really interested to see how that plays out in this book. Another debut to look for early this summer is All of Me by Chris Baron - a novel in verse about a 13 year old boy who is dealing with a big move, struggles in his parents’ marriage, and his own body image issues. So… if you are a close listener, you have probably figured out that I’m a sucker for books involving baking or cooking. Maybe that’s why Midsummer’s Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca just leapt out at me when I stumbled across it last month. This is a contemporary-fantasy retelling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream about an 11 year old Indian American girl whose father is a food writer and whose mother is a successful businesswoman. But when she adds some rather…. unusual (and maybe magical?) ingredients to her baking, things get out of hand. So look for that one on June 4th. And if your kids are looking for a fun spooky read this summer, Ollie Oxley and the Ghost comes out on June 18th and looks really cute. It’s about a boy who moves to California and ends up becoming friends with a ghost from the Gold Rush era. Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega is another paranormal middle grade coming this September and it’s described as Coco meets Stranger Things. So, uh… yeah...gimme that for sure! Also coming out this September is The Light in the Lake by Sarah Baughman - a book about a young girl who finds herself caught between her love of science and her late twin brother's belief in magic. Sequels and Favorite Series This January 29th we’re getting two awesome books: a 4th in the Crime Biters series - Fangs for Everything AND I Survived the Battle of D-Day, 1944 by Lauren Tarshis. And watching out for another I Survived book in September called I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919. Also in 2019 we are getting not one but TWO new Babysitting Nightmares books! The Phantom Hour this January 29th and The Twilight Curse on August 20th. February 5th brings another Stick Dog book - Stick Dog Gets the Tacos AND the third Frazzled book by Booki Vivat! This one is called Minor Incidents and Absolute Uncertainties. I just love her titles! In late February kids will be getting book 4 in the DC Comics Secret Hero Society - Science Fair Crisis! Lion Down by Stuart Gibb is out on February 26th. The second in his FunJungle series and the follow up to Panda-monium.) In March comes book five in The School for Good & Evil series: A Crystal of Time , a new Emily Windsnap novel called Emily Windsnap and The Pirate Prince, and another in the Fairy Tale Reform School series called Wished. In March we also get a seventh Jedi Academy Book called Revenge of the Sis. This one starts a new storyline and is written by Amy Ignatow with Jarret Krosoczka illustrating. And an as yet untitled 8th Jedi Academy novel is scheduled for September 2019. AND I’m really excited for the third BAT book: Bat and the End of Everything by Elana K. Arnold. My daughter’s 4th grade class read the first book and they - of course! - fell hard for this series! Jeff Kinney fans will be excited about Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid - a book told from Rowley’s point of view that is out this April. And that month also brings us another Unicorn Rescue Society novel - The Chupacabras of the Rio Grande. And my 9 year old is going to be thrilled when I tell her that Katherine Applegate’s sequel to The Endling is coming out May 7th. It’s called Endling: The First and is already in my cart. The second book in Laura Ruby’s York series - The Clockwork Ghost is also headed our way this May and so is Another Fenway & Hattie book - In the Wild! Natalie Lloyd’s sequel to The Problim Children - Carnival Catastrophe is due to be out June 25th. And not quite a sequel but more of a spin-off, is Dough Boys by Paula Chase - author of 2018’s So Done. Characters Simp and Rollie are the leads in this novel told in two voices. Also - Karina Yan Glaser’s third Vanderbeekers novel is coming this September - The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue! And finally - just announced this morning - is Kate DiCamillo’s new novel coming September 24th - Beverly, Right Here. And if you guessed that this is the Beverly from Raymie Nightingale - then you are correct! So now each of the three girls will have their own novel. By the way - if you haven’t seen it yet, the cover by Amy June Bates is stunning!! 2019 New Releases from Established Authors First up here is the book I am devouring right now - The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart which just came out on January 8th. And oh…. does this book live up to its hype! Brace yourself to hear lots more about this one later! Also out this January is a book my friend Sandy has been raving about - The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, U.S.A by Coretta Scott King honor nominee Brenda Woods. So I definitely need to add that one to my TBR list. This January readers will get a new Gordon Korman novel - Unteachables AND a new Andrew Clements novel - The Friendship War. January also brings us the first book in the really incredible Rick Riordan Presents Imprint - Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee. This is a space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits. (By the way - if you have kids who love Rick Riordan’s novels or who love adventure books with a dash of humor and myth - then check out his Imprint site. I’ll include a link in the show notes so you can check them all out. From those lucky enough to read advanced copies, I haven’t heard anything but praise.) Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas by Andrea Pyros is one to watch out for this February. And another upper middle grade February release that caught my attention is a joint novel told in letters by Counting by 7s author Holly Goldberg Sloan and The Interestings author Meg Wolitzer. It’s called To Night Owl from Dogfish and it’s about two very different 12 year-old girls named Averie and Bett who are sent off to the same sleepaway camp in order to bond after their single dads fall in love with each other. February also bring us another novel by Anne Urso (author of the critically acclaimed The Real Boy) This novel, The Lost Girl, is about identical twins Lark and Iris. On March 5th we get another Lisa Graff novel called Far Away about a girl, CJ, whose aunt is a psychic medium who claims that she carries messages from the dead. And I’m really psyched for We’re Not From Here by Tapper Twins author Geoff Rodkey. This novel is also out March 5th and is about refugees from planet Earth who need to find a new home on a faraway planet. I had the opportunity to read an ARC of this one and it’s quirky and hilarious… and timely. Definitely add this one to your pre orders. March also brings us another Rick Riordan Present’s book called Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez. I’ve been hearing lots of great buzz about this one, so I’ll definitely need to pre-order a copy. On March 19th we get a new Kevin Henkes novel called Sweeping Up the Heart and this one is the story of the spring break that changes seventh-grader Amelia Albright’s life forever. In late March Natalie Lloyd fans will be treated to Over the Moon - a story about twelve-year-old Mallie who lives in a mining town where boys leave school at 12 to work in the mines, and girls leave to work as servants for the wealthy. But of course with that quintessentially Lloyd magic interwoven. And another Cynthia Lord book is coming out this March! She is the author of Rules and A Handful of Stars. This one is titled Because of the Rabbit and is about a young girl who starts public school for the first time after being homeschooled. Where the Heart Is by Jo Knowles is coming out April 2nd and a really interesting looking book called Summer of a Thousand Pies by Margaret Dilloway will be released April 16th. It’s about a girl who has to save her aunt’s pie shop. I think this one would be a winner for kids who enjoy shows like The Great British Baking Show. In early May, we get to read Lynda Mullaly Hunt’s next novel, Shouting at the Rain about a girl named Delsie who lives with her grandmother, loves tracking weather, and who starts to wish for a more “regular” family and life. You can’t go wrong with the author of Fish in a Tree and One for the Murphys so… just pop this one in your cart now! And another novel that is getting all kinds of early buzz is the latest from K.A. Reynolds called Spinner of Dreams. It’s being called “inventive, empathetic, and strange in all the best ways.” Plus - it has a really otherworldly cover that I just want to stare at... And finally - I know you all have heard me rave about this one before - but Barbara Dee’s Maybe He Just Likes You is going to be AMAZING! My students and I got the chance to read the first chapter and we were all already hooked. But let me give you a little taste from the teaser: “For seventh grader Mila, it starts with an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. The next day, it’s another hug. A smirk. Comments. It all feels…weird. According to her friend Zara, Mila is being immature, overreacting. Doesn’t she know what flirting looks like? They don’t understand why Mila is making such a big deal about the boys’ attention. When Mila is finally pushed too far, she realizes she can’t battle this on her own–and finds help in some unexpected places.” I can’t WAIT!! Phew!! Alright - I am both energized and - I gotta be honest - a little daunted! But - I am reminding myself and I hope you’ll remember too that it’s not about a mad dash to read all of these books. But to give you a taste of what’s to come so you can match readers with books they might like and get them excited about new releases. I hope you have a wonderful year reading and I would love to know - what are the books that you and your students are most looking forward to in 2019? You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or jump into the conversation on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Closing Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can find an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org. And, if you have an extra minute this week, reviews on iTunes or Stitcher are much appreciated. Books Between is a proud member of the Lady Pod Squad and the Education Podcast Network. This network features podcasts for educators, created by educators. For more great content visit edupodcastnetwork.com Talk with you soon! Bye!
You can call her an outdoor renaissance woman. Abby Cooper - professional photographer, writer, media strategist, and athlete - talks about goal setting, creativity, work/life balance, and turning your passion into your profession. Follow Abby: @abbydells abbydellphotography.com
Between Katy's health (or lack of it we should say) and Frannie's...well...life, we haven't been able to put the time into creating the quality (ish) episodes you expect from us. Because we don't want to turn out crap episodes just to get them done, we have decided to take a 2 month hiatus to let Katy get her shit together and Frannie...well, nothing's going to actual change for her. We'll be back on Monday, May 14th, 2018 to discuss Better Read than Dead, the second book in the Abby Cooper series by Victoria Laurie. We both love this book and have so much to talk about, so make sure to check it out! Follow Chick Lit Murder Mysteries: Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chicklitmm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chicklitmm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicklitmm/ Email us at chicklitmurdermysteries@gmail.com Chick Lit Murder Mysteries Music Credit: Candy (c) by Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com) CC BY-SA Candy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution – ShareAlike 4.0 International License, available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Picking up where we left off, Abby is about to embark on the worst blind date in the history of blind dates, all in the attempt to track down the murderer of her former client, Allison. Katy has issues with sharing a bathroom, Frannie shares THE BEST CASTING for the disastrous date, "Mr. Hardbody", and we have a knockdown drag out fight over who should be cast as the hottie love interest, Dutch Rivers. Follow Chick Lit Murder Mysteries: Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chicklitmm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chicklitmm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicklitmm/ Email us at chicklitmurdermysteries@gmail.com Chick Lit Murder Mysteries Music Credit: Candy (c) by Jahzzar (betterwithmusic.com) CC BY-SA Candy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution – ShareAlike 4.0 International License, available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Hey everyone! This week we're discussing Abby Cooper; Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie. Abby is a psychic who gets drawn into a murder case after one of her clients is brutally killed. She also goes on a blind date with super-hot Dutch Rivers, who ends up being the lead detective on the murder case. We loved this book and had a lot of fun talking about it. So much fun in fact that we had to split it into two episodes! In part one Katy clarifies a super awkward comment from a previous episode and has a lot of feelings about sharing ice cream, Frannie wants everyone to get off her lawn, and we both test out our best newscasters voices. Join us on March 5th for part two! Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ ChickLitMM Email us at chicklitmurdermysteries@gmail.com
Intro Hi and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they will love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of two daughters and a 5th grade teacher in Central New York. My goal is to help you find fabulous books for your kids and help create a community where we all can support each other as we build those readers. This is Episode #36 and today is all about graphic novels! Before we start the show today, I am excited to tell you that this month’s episodes are sponsored by WriteAbout.com - a writing community and digital platform that is tailor made for students of all ages. Their school platform can connect all your classrooms for shared writing topics. So if your school is like mine and has certain themes for each week, Write About for Schools makes it really easy for every class to read and respond to each other’s published writing. So, if you or someone you know is looking for a way to bring your school together by celebrating student authors, definitely check out WriteAbout.com. And at the end of the show, I’ll share with you what my class plans to write about this week. Main Topic - CYBILS Before we jump into the book talks for the show - a little bit of news. I am so excited to be a round one judge for the CYBILS this year in the graphic novels category, so I am taking a deep dive into as many middle grade graphic novels published in the last year as I can get my hands on. Phew! So if you are not familiar, the CYBILS are the Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards. This award started in 2006 and aims to recognize the children’s and young adult authors and illustrators whose books combine the highest literary merit and popular appeal. There are about a dozen categories and subcategories within Picture Books to Middle Grade to Young Adult. Nominations take place from October 1st - October 15th so you still have time to go to cybils.com and nominate your favorite books. Finalists in each category are announced on January 1st and winners are revealed on February 14th. So be on the lookout for those. Last year’s middle grade winners included Ghost by Jason Reynolds, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan, Shadow Magic by Joshua Khan, and Lowriders to the Center of the Earth, Book 2 by Cathy Camper and Raul the Third. So, some pretty fabulous choices. I’ve been following the CYBILS for a long time and using their lists as a resource, but this is my first time participating as a judge, and I’m honored to be working alongside a great team, including our very own Mel Shuit from All the Wonders! So, in other words, expect to be hearing a lot more about the great graphic novels of the past year. Starting…. now. Book Talk - Three Fresh New Graphic Novels In this section of the show, I share with you three books centered around a theme and discuss three things to love about each book. This week - as promised - it’s all about graphic novels! And since my aim is to keep you up to date on what’s new and fresh and really good in the world of middle grade, here are three new graphic novels to introduce to your readers. They are Swing It, Sunny by Jennifer & Matthew Holm, Invisible Emmie by Terri Libenson, and All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson. Swing It, Sunny First up is Swing It, Sunny - the much-awaited sequel to Jennifer & Matthew Holm’s Sunny, Side Up. This book picks up with Sunny’s life in September 1976 - right after the summer she spent with her grandfather down in Florida in the first book. This story is all about Sunny’s life back at home, her complicated feelings about her brother Dale, who is now in boarding school, and the challenges of middle school. Here are three things to love about Swing It, Sunny: Seasonal Slice of Life stories. Unlike the first book which was set just in the summer, here we have Sunny starting school, getting fall allergies, reluctantly dressing up as nurse for Halloween, making loom potholders for Christmas gifts…. And small but poignant moments of that year in her life. My 10 year old was wishing for bigger events with a stronger resolution at the end. And for that reason she said she prefered the first book. But, personally, I liked the rhythm and pacing of this book with small moments told over the course of a year. How it explores a complicated relationship between siblings, and the impact that has on the rest of the family. After her older brother, Dale, ends up in a military boarding school for doing drugs and getting into big trouble - at one point Sunny says to her mom, “I miss him. But I don’t miss what it’s like when he’s here.” And I think a lot of kids - in some way or other - can connect to that. I LOVED all the 1970s details!! I will out my age here and say that I was born in November 1976, a bicentennial baby, so this book felt like stepping back into the avocado green and rust brown and orangey yellow shades of my childhood. When having a TV dinner (cooked in the oven by the way!) was cause for excitement. I’m sure that qualifies this book for “Historical Fiction” status, and kids are obviously not going to have that nostalgic feeling that I had, but I loved all the TV shows referenced - Six Million Dollar Man and Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch and General Hospital… there are so many tiny little details from the antennas on the tvs to the Jiffy Pop pan, to the vintage Golden Grahams cereal box… Ahhhh….. There’s so much more. But I’ll let you discover all of it. Swing It Sunny is absolutely a must-have graphic novel for kids 8-12. And they don’t have to have read Sunny, Side Up to enjoy this one, but if you have the first book on hand, I’d recommend starting there so you have the background about what happened the summer before. Invisible Emmie Another great new book is Invisible Emmie by debut author Terri Libenson. This book tells the story of the quiet, un-noticed, hero-in-waiting Emmie Douglass who is trying to deal with the challenges of seventh grade. Things like finding time to go to the bathroom between classes, the awkwardness of changing for PE class, not having a cell phone and feeling left out of things, and…. being completely embarrassed in front of your crush. Here are three reasons to love Invisible Emmie: How relatable Emmie is - especially for girls! From the frustration with your curly hair to that anger at yourself for not speaking up in your own defense. I think most girls (and boys!) feel that pressure of fitting in and comparing yourself to your peers, your friends, and to that perfect version of yourself that you wish you were. How this book alternates between the main narrative of Emmie and the story of Katie. And I loved how Emmie’s parts are text with lots of illustrations in softer blues, and tans, and mauves. And the sections from Katie’s point of view are a more traditional graphic novel format with panels and done in brighter yellows and pinks and greens. The blend of those two styles is really well done. How Emmie’s and Katie’s stories come together in the end! As I was reading, I kept theorizing how they were going to connect, and then I started to notice some of the same characters show up in both sections. That ending and the message of that ending was powerful. Loved it! Terri Libenson’s Invisible Emmie is funny, heartfelt, and great for kids who love books like Raina Telgemeier’s Drama or Bubbles by Abby Cooper. And I can’t wait to see what this author does next! All’s Faire in Middle School Our final graphic novel is one that my students and I have been anticipating for a long time - and oh was it worth that wait!. It’s All’s Faire in Middle School - by Victoria Jamieson. You might know Ms. Jamieson from her incredible Newbery Honor book - Roller Girl. This novel is about Imogene - an eleven-year-old girl who has grown up and been schooled at the Florida Renaissance Festival where her father works as a knight and she helps her mother run their family’s arts and crafts store. But - this year two things are changing. One - she starts her training as a squire, which mean more responsibility at the faire. And two - she’s going to public school for the first time and starting middle school. I loved this book so much I am completely breaking my rule of three things. So, here are six things to love about All’s Faire in Middle School: The behind-the-scenes look at the renaissance festival. The jousting, the human chess game, the mud pit, the juggling, and the sword play. And how Imogene is taught by the other actors to do what’s called “street” - how to walk and talk and pull visitors into the fun as though they were all REALLY living in a Renaissance village filled with colorful characters. The Elizabethan flavored talk at the fair is so much fun to read. Here, let me give you a sample for you.. This is from page 27. This is when Cussy, an actor who plays a hermit, is teaching Imogene how to interact with the shopkeepers as she walks around the faire. “Good Morrow, and well met, baker! Prithee, hast thou any fresh loaves this morning?” The gorgeous chapter introductions that are in the style of an illuminated manuscript. They are so beautiful! How this is a story about a family that is poor. Imogene is always a bit torn between her pride in her Ren Faire lifestyle and embarrassment that her family is picking her up in a beat-up old car. Or that she gets dropped of at the shabby apartment complex. Or that they can’t really afford those cool shoes and jeans that would help her blend in more at school. Yeah - relatable. For many many kids. The nuanced struggles and mistakes that Imogene deals with in middle school and at home. She makes BIG mistakes. At one point she harnesses her talent of drawing to be cruel in order to make others laugh. And has to deal with how much she hurt people. At point she lies to her parents about school work, and gets in huge trouble. And then - she does something so mean to her little brother that overcoming that one rash act is going to take a lot. But, you know - I see sibling conflict and peer conflict up close every day. And Jamieson gets it right. The small thread about the romance novel. There’s a scene where Imogene and her new friends sneak read part of a romance novel and later she writes the word sex in her journal and then quickly crosses it out. The words from the novel aren’t explicit at all but the context of that thread is so relatable for a lot of preteen and teenaged kids. That impulse to want to know more and yet not feeling really ready for that is handled so well here with a light touch that I’d say would probably be appropriate for most kids in grades 5 and above. Honestly, I could go on and on about all the reasons I loved All’s Faire in Middle School but instead I think that time would be better spent having YOU just go get it and read it and put it into the hands of kids who are going to love it. And if you ever have the chance to go to a Renaissance Festival - please do it!! My family always attends the Sterling Renaissance Festival in northern New York, and it is such a blast. We get our hair braided, enjoy a giant turkey leg, and just have fun transporting yourself to another era. And make sure you check out Matthew Winner’s interview with Victoria Jamieson on episode 386 of the All the Wonders podcast where they talk about All’s Faire and her inspirations for this story. It’s so good! Closing Okay - that wraps up our show this week. We have some great interviews and book talks coming up this fall. I’ll also be chatting about flexible seating, Shelley Johannes’ Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker, Shannon Hale’s Real Friends - and of course - even more great new graphic novels. Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get find a transcript of this show and all of our previous episodes at AlltheWonders.com. And, if you like the show, please help others find us too by telling a friend, sharing on social media, or leaving a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. And thanks again to WriteAbout.com for supporting the podcast this month - when you visit their website you’ll find fantastic ideas to get your students excited about writing. My school is doing the Positivity Project this year where each week we focus on one character strength. So my students will be writing about how they and others show Perspective. See you in two weeks! Bye!
Intro Hello everyone and welcome to the Books Between podcast! If you love to read, if you are a fan of middle grade, if you want to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love, then you have found the podcast for you! I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of an 8 and 10 year old, a 5th grade teacher, and lately - spending a lot of time on the sidelines of lacrosse fields and tennis courts. But - that gives me more time to read! This is Episode #29 and today I am welcoming author Corey Ann Haydu to the show to chat about her recent middle grade novel, The Someday Suitcase, and then in the book talk segment, I’ll be chatting about two fantastic new books about friendship. Main Topic - Interview with Corey Ann Haydu This week I am excited to welcome to the show Corey Ann Haydu. She is both a Young Adult AND Middle Grade author. Her most recent YA novel The Careful Undressing of Love was released just this past January. And you might know her from her debut middle grade book Rules for Stealing Stars. On today’s show, we chat about snow globes, guilt reading, cheese and - of course! - her latest middle grade novel The Someday Suitcase. The Someday Suitcase Tell us about The Someday Suitcase - what is this book about? One of the aspects of this book that I loved was how it shows that a true, deep best friend can bring a little magic into your life. Did you have a best friend growing up? Clover is a very science-minded person. Do you have a science background? There is often this mix and a bit of tension between magic & science in the book. Do you see science and magic as compatible? I loved all the metaphors in this book - like the snow globe! At one point Clover’s teacher says, “Sometimes you have to turn something over and upside down to really see it.” How did you pick the snow globe to be a central part of the story? This is a book about so many things! Friendship, and science, and codependency, and snow, and but maybe ultimately about realizing that a loss can also help reveal a different part of yourself that has been dormant. I don’t want to reveal too much of what form that loss takes for Clover and Danny, but… Can you talk a bit about how you decided on the ending? Writing Life You recently moved… I can imagine that a move might be fairly disruptive to writer. What were the top three things you had to have in place so that you felt like you had a writing space again? I saw somewhere (maybe Instagram) that you had posted this really inspiring quote from the book BONE by Yrsa Daley-Ward and it says, “If you’re afraid to write it, that’s a good sign. I suppose you know you’re writing the truth when you’re terrified.” Did any part of writing The Someday Suitcase scare you? When we first started talking a few months ago, you mentioned how your first school visits were a combination of exhausting and exhilarating. When you are visiting schools, how do you keep that balance between bringing your full passionate self and also maintaining your energy level? Your Reading Life What have you been reading lately that you’ve liked? How do you decide what to read next? Book Talk - Two Fantastic Books about Friendship In this part of the show, I share with you a few books centered around a theme and discuss three things to love about each book. (Yes - I love the number three! But also - I just need limits!) This week I can’t wait to share with you two books that have been on my mind lately. Both feature girls just venturing into middle school. Both are about what happens when friendships collide over crushes. And both are ultimately about reclaiming a part of yourself that was lost. So, they are - 14 Hollow Road by Jenn Bishop and Bubbles by Abby Cooper. 14 Hollow Road First up this week is 14 Hollow Road by Jenn Bishop. You might know her from her previous middle grade book, The Distance to Home. This novel is about Maddie. And the night of the sixth-grade dance, a tornado hits parts of her town and destroys her home. And the home of her neighbor and crush, Avery. So - it turns out that a kind couple in the area with rooms to spare lets both families stay in their home for the summer. So - Maddie has to live with her crush. And somehow convince him to like her back instead of that other girl he asked to slow dance with. Here are three things to love about 14 Hollow Road: The parts about Hank, her sweet dog who goes missing the night of the tornado. And I won’t reveal what happens there but even though things can’t get resolved exactly happily, how that situation plays out with the collar and with Avery was touching. When Maddie gets her period! Oh. My. Gosh. And - oh the aftermath when she wants to go swimming but thinks people will see the pad but she’s not ready for a tampon and then wonders if people will know why she’s not swimming. And then she doesn’t even want to go to the pool party at all! The gals reading will either really laugh in recognition or get a sample of what’s to come. And - I just want to say one thing. Please don’t discourage boys from reading this book just because it of the period thing. Guys need to know what’s up - and really, what better way than a light moment in a story to start to figure things out? Let’s please work to end that stigma. Throughout this book there are these small tender moments. I don’t want to say too much but, there’s a scene where one character is feeling devastated and vulnerable and the other character in that situation just holds their hand. And it was a small moment, but exceptionally sweet. 14 Hollow Road is a fabulous realistic fiction novel about friendship and change and resiliency. And - I wish I could remember who it was to give them credit - but I heard another author say that the last page of 14 Hollow Road is perfection. And, oh - were they right! Bubbles Our second book this week is Bubbles by Abby Cooper! (You might remember her debut novel Sticks & Stones from last year.) This book makes me appreciate the term “speculative fiction” because the premise of this is - what if you could see people’s thoughts above their heads? What insights could you gain? What obligations would that put you under? How accurate is it? And...do you even want to know? Even before reading this book, I was firmly in the camp of “I don’t want to know what people are thinking!” I’ve read those Sookie Stackhouse books - I know the bad is going to outweigh the benefit of knowing people’s thoughts. (By the way - Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire series - not middle grade! Do NOT get those for your 8-12 year old. But you, adult listener - they’re fun. Especially #4 when the witches erase Eric’s memory and he doesn’t realize he’s the bad guy/vampire! Ahhh…. Okay - I digress!) Anyway - on to Bubbles! This book is about 12 year-old Sophie Mulvaney whose life is in turmoil when her mom loses both her job and her boyfriend within a very short period of time. And then Sophie get assigned a school project to do something that pushes herself to take a risk at a time when she’s not feeling very adventurous. And then - she starts seeing thought bubbles above people’s heads - and everything takes off from there! So, here are three things to love about Abby Cooper’s Bubbles. The little nuggets of history and trivia! It’s a small thing, but makes this book clever and unique. And when Sophie starts to feel a little stressed, remembering and connecting her life to historical facts is a way she copes. For example, at one point she says, “I was crankier than Napoleon must have been after the battle of Waterloo, which he lost really bad.” And then, actually earlier - at the beginning of Chapter 7, Sophie is considering whether or not to go see a therapist about her bubble issue. The natural portrayal of characters working on their mental health. Sophie’s mother is dealing with some depression after leaving her job as a TV reporter and a tough breakup with a guy who still lives nearby. And that manifests itself in ways that will be familiar to some kids - tiredness and withdrawal from the things she used to love. Sophie and her mom were the Adventurous Girls and now, she would rather stay home. And the solutions to those struggles are not presented as quick or easy, but doable with help. I really think this is a type of book that could help lessen the stigma of mental health issues and a book kids can relate to either because they see themselves or they might recognize things their friends or family are going through. How this book helps you realize that even if you could read people’s thoughts, you still don’t know the backstory behind those thoughts. And what’s really motivated people. This book really gives readers a lot to think about in that way. It would be a great book club read. Bubbles and 14 Hollow Road both brought me back to those middle school days when your relationship with your friends is everything. And how threatening and scary and socially isolated you can feel when a friend seems to be slipping away from you. In Bubbles, Sophie’s friend Kaya seems to be taken over by another girl, Viv. And in 14 Hollow Road Maddie’s feel left out when her best friend Kiersten is spending more time with Gabriella. And then throw an in-common crush into that mix and ugh! It’s awkward and confusing and just one of those rocky experiences you have to figure out. Also - both of these books get that shaving your legs dynamic absolutely right! At least - it resonated with me. When suddenly your friends start shaving and you feel a hairy troll and how it’s just hard to talk to your mom about. I think I snuck my mom’s razor and shaved my legs like a year before she technically allowed me to. (My mom listens to the podcast, so… sorry mom!) These two books would be great options for a mother-daughter book club. My friend, Julie, did that with Abby Cooper’s first book Sticks & Stones and oh I just love that idea! Closing Alright - that wraps up our show this week. If you have a question or an idea about a topic we should cover, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or connect on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. There’s always lots of great conversations happening there so, please jump in! Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can find an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show along with all of our previous episodes at AlltheWonders.com. And, while you are there, please take a listen to Matthew Winner’s latest episode of the All the Wonders podcast (#372) where he chats with Hena Khan - the author of Amina’s Voice. And, if you like what you hear and value the podcast, I would really appreciate a quick review or rating on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks again and see you soon! Bye! Episode Links: Corey Ann Haydu's website Other middle grade books we chatted about: The Girls from Ames: A story of women and a forty-year friendship by Jeffrey Zaslow Braced by Alyson Gerber My Life with the Liars by Caela Carter The Remarkable Journey of Charlie Price by Jennifer Maschari A young adult book we chatted about: We Are Okay by Nina LaCour Author Leanne Shapton's website
Episode 15 of the PCS Reads podcast - a reading podcast for Parkview Center School.(Originally aired October 7, 2016)Episode features Abby Cooper, author of Sticks and Stones.For more information about this episode, visit pcsreads.blogspot.com
Intro Hi and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect middle grade kids to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a 5th grade teacher, a mom of two daughters, and happy to be DONE with 2016 and onward to 2017! Typically we have a New Year’s Eve party at our house - last year was a disco theme - but this time my kids were not feeling so great and instead we had a quiet night. I set up my new bullet journal with my reading goals, played canasta with my kids, crocheted, and just cuddling on the couch under the heating blanket. I know - NOT a very cool New Year’s Eve celebration. But - it was wonderful and I hope yours was as well. So - hello to 2017! This is Episode #14 and today we are discussing some fun reading challenge ideas to kick off your new year, the most anticipated middle grade books coming out in 2017, and I’ll answer a question about what books to recommend for a 5th grader who has a high school reading level. Main Topic - Reading Challenges for the New Year One of the best things about the New Year is the reset that happens when December flips over into January and you have a full twelve months laid out in front of you with all the possibilities in the world! You’re past the indulgences of the holidays and ready to refocus, make some resolutions, build better habits, and set some goals. So today I’m going to talk about a few fun ideas for reading challenges this year that can help you connect with your community, keep you motivated, and maybe spur you to stretch yourself as a reader in 2017. Now our conversation today is geared toward personal reading goals for you, but these same ideas can be shared with the students and the children in your life. And as the lead reader in your library or classroom or home, sharing your own reading goals shows that you take your reading life seriously and that we’re all in this reading community together. I know that my first day back with my class, I’ll be sharing my Reading Challenge list with my students and helping them set up their own. So - if you are thinking about doing a reading challenge this year, here are a few ideas for you: Challenge Idea #1 - Set a number goal. Maybe that’s forty books or sixty books or a hundred books! Something that’s a bit of a stretch but still doable for you. Last year, I participated in the #SixtyBooks Challenge - I happened to see the hashtag last January and I thought, “I can do that!” And it’s been fantastic. One thing that kept me motivated was connecting to others doing the same challenge on Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads. So - if you decide to do any kind of challenge, connecting with other readers through social media helps keep you stay excited about it through the year. And if you want to join me this year, just check out #SixtyBooks and we can support each other! Challenge Idea #2 - Set a goal based on type of book. These can be found all over the internet this time of year. They are usually focused on adult books but you can easily read middle grade books within those categories and maybe make just a couple adjustments. A really great one is Book Riot’s yearly Read Harder Challenge which this year features tasks like read a debut novel, read a travel memoir, read a superhero comic with a female lead, or read a book by an immigrant or with a central immigration narrative. Those last two are definitely going on my list. I’ll leave a link to that in the show notes and what’s nice about the Book Riot challenge is that they have suggestions for each category, a Goodreads group, and in-person meetups throughout the year. Another Reading Challenge that my friend Emily told me about is the one from PopSugar. They feature 40 book categories with this year’s theme of diversifying and expanding your reading - love it! Some of their reading prompts are a book involving a mythical creature, a book recommended by a librarian (I love that one), a book by or about a person who has a disability, a book with a main character who is a different ethnicity than you, and some fun ones like a book with a red spine or a book set in a hotel. PopSugar also has an extra twenty prompts for those hardcore readers who finish early. They also have a Goodreads group and printable lists, and I’ll link to their site too so you can check that out. Another 2017 Reading Challenge that I discovered last week is one hosted by a site called Modern Mrs. Darcy. (Now - already with that name - I’m in!) What I really like about this challenge is that there are two paths you can follow: Reading for Fun or Reading for Growth. Each have just 12 tasks so they are doable and you might even have time to do both! On the Reading for Fun list are topics like a juicy memoir, a book you chose for the cover, and a book by a new favorite author. Those all sound comfy and great. On the other hand, if you want to stretch yourself and go for the Reading for Growth path there are options like a book that addresses current events, a book by an #ownvoices or #diversebooks author, or a Newbery Award winner or Honor book. That all sounds exactly what I need this year. Challenge Idea #3 - Create a Reading Time Capsule for the year. I wish I could remember where I saw this so I could give them proper credit, but this idea is similar to the practice of families jotting down happy memories throughout the year and tucking them into a jar to read on New Year’s Eve. This idea is to jot down favorite quotes and inspiring ideas from the books you’ve read throughout the year. I’m thinking that a nice adaptation would be instead of putting it in a jar, write it down in a journal or if you want to go more 21st century - challenge yourself to post on social media one inspiring quote or idea about every book you’ve read this year. And that could also make a very cool classroom project. Challenge Idea #4 - Do a Library Crawl! Unlike a pub crawl, which is typically done in one night and you can’t bring your kids. Or well, you really shouldn’t bring your kids. A Library Crawl can span the whole year, the summer, or maybe just Spring Break. And it’s way better when you bring your kids! Basically you challenge yourself to visit a set number of libraries in a set amount of time. Last summer, I was looking for some inexpensive things to do with my girls that would be fun, educational, and get us all out of the house and away from the electronics. So we challenged ourselves to visit 16 libraries during the summer of 2016. And we almost made it! I have a lot more to share with you about Library Crawls, how to do them, some fun ideas, and the unexpected benefits that I think I need to do a whole episode on it. Challenge Idea #5 - Little Free Library Challenge. Oh how I love Little Free Libraries! They are popping up all over my community, my friends are all getting them, my school is putting one up this spring, and that is our family summer project. There are a couple ways you could go about doing a Little Free Library Challenge. One idea is to simply visit as many as you can this year and maybe document your travels on social media. If you go to the Little Free Library website, you can find listings of all your local registered libraries shown right on a map. If you wanted to extend that into a Pay it Forward challenge, you could donate one book to each Little Free Library you visit. Challenge Idea #6 - Design Your Own Reading Challenge! Think of it as a 2017 Choose-Your-Own-Reading-Adventure. Take the best ideas of the options out there and create something for yourself. And these ideas are easy to layer. So you can set a number goal, participate in say, the Book Riot challenge or pick your own categories to read from the options you like, and maybe pick up those books while you do your library crawl. Whatever you decide, get your kids and students involved, too and I’d love to see what you’ve got planned for the year! You can send me an email at booksbetween@gmail.com or connect on Twitter or Instagram with the handle @Books_Between. Book Talk - Most Anticipated Middle Grade Books of 2017 In this segment, I share with you a few books centered around a theme. This week I’m highlighting some of the most anticipated books of the upcoming year. Some are new books in favorites series. Some are by favorite authors. Some are by debut authors. And some just sound fantastic! So, get ready to add to your wish list. And just a reminder - that you can find every book mentioned here AND a picture of the covers AND a link to pre-order them right through the Books Between Podcast link at AlltheWonders.com. So, no need to scurry and write things down. I’ve got your back, I know you’re busy, so it’s all right there for you. One quick note before I start - publication dates do change, so while I’ve mentioned the month each book is expected to release - things sometimes change. All right - let’s get to it! http://www.readbrightly.com/middle-grade-books-2017/ https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/74235.Middle_Grade_Novels_of_2017 Coming in January… Scar Island - a new action adventure by Dan Gemeinhart. So if you liked his other novels The Honest Truth or Some Kind of Courage (which I know you did!) , definitely get this one. A new Jerry Spinelli novel - The Warden’s Daughter. It’s set in 1959 Pennsylvania and oh it looks fantastic! Also in January, we’ll get the third Terrible Twos book - The Terrible Two Go Wild by Mac Barnett & Jory John. And the second Audacity Jones Book - Audacity Jones Steals the Show. AND another Victoria Coe Fenway & Hattie book - the Evil Bunny Gang! If you were a fan of Counting by 7s, like I am - then look for Holly Sloan’s new novel called Short - it’s about a small-for-her-age girl who gets cast as a Munchkin in a production of The Wizard of Oz. So fans of Oz will have something to love in this book, too! One book I’ve been really looking forward to this year is the short story collection put together in partnership with We Need Diverse Books. It’s called Flying Lessons & Other Stories and features authors like Grace Lin, Matt de la Pena, Jacqueline Woodson and so many others. If you’re like me, and part of your Reading Challenge this year is to read more nonfiction and to read more diversely, then there’s two books to look for this January Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls by Tonya Bolden Loving vs. Virginia by Patricia Powell. It’s the story of the civil rights case set up as a novel in verse. That should be amazing. Coming in February … This time I’ll start with nonfiction: We have Bats: Learning to Fly - the newest volume in the nonfiction graphic novel series called Science Comics. Then we have Kwame Alexander’s latest called The Playbook: 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life. A great nonfiction pairing for fans of Booked and The Crossover. Also in February, the highly anticipated Judd Winnick graphic novel Hilo 3 - huzzah! And the debut middle grade novel by picture book author and All the Wonders friend Carter Higgins. It’s called A Rambler Steals Home and it’s about baseball, and family, and friendship, and sweet potato fries - it’s incredible - you absolutely need to get this one! In fact, if you preorder A Rambler Steals Home from the Once Upon a Time Bookstore, Carter has offered to sign it for you before they ship it out to you. It’s a win-win-win! You get a signed copy of an awesome book, you support an independent bookstore, and you support an author you know and love. So, I’ll include that link in the show notes for you. In March, there are four books I am really looking forward to: Gone Camping: A Novel in Verse by Tamera Wissinger, which is the companion book to the 2015 book Gone Fishing. Forget Me Not by debut middle grade author Ellie Terry featuring a science-loving main character, Calliope, who has Tourette syndrome. A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold This one is about a kid who ends up caring for a baby skunk and tried to convince his mom to let him keep it. What could go wrong? And - we get a new Nathan Hale book this year! It’s not a Hazardous Tale’s book. In fact, it’s almost the opposite of that. It’s set in the future and Earth is being attacked by aliens who suck up the energy from electrical devices leaving our civilization under threat. And there’s a robot pony. It’s so different from Hale’s work that I’m familiar with, but it looks original and fresh and amazing and I can’t wait to read it. In April we have: The first book in a new mystery series by Adrienne Kress called The Explorers: The Door in the Alley. My students are really loving mysteries this year so this will make a great addition to my classroom library. Tito the Bonecrusher by Melissa Thomson. This is the story of a boy who seeks out the help of his favorite lucha-libre wrestler / action star to save his father from being deported to Mexico. That sounds fantastic and funny and... timely! May is going to be a stellar month for reading: Georgia Rules by Swing Sideways author Nanci Steveson And a new Lisa Graff novel called The Great Treehouse War. So if you liked Absolutely Almost or Lost in the Sun, look for this one this spring. A new Gordon Korman stand-alone novel called Restart about boy who was a bully who loses his memory and gets a fresh start. What an interesting premise! Another May release that I am so so excited about is Posted by Ms. Bixby’s Last Day author, John David Anderson. I loved Ms. Bixby so much - I can’t wait to see what Anderson has in store for us next! Then there’s a nonfiction book about Hamilton! It’s called Alexander Hamilton: How the Vision of One Man Shaped Modern America by Teri Kanefield And finally - mark your calendars and pre-order Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder because this book has been getting all the buzz. This novel keeps popping up everywhere I look! In June we have: A 6th Ranger in Time book called Escape from the Great Earthquake The third book in Phil Bildner’s Rip & Red series! This one is called Tournament of Champions. My students are going to psyched about this one! And a second book from A Distance to Home author Jenn Bishop called 14 Hollow Road. It’s about a 6th grade girl whose town is torn apart by a tornado and her family ends up living with the family of her crush, Avery, after both their houses are destroyed. A fun book in a new non-fiction series called Two Truths and a Lie: It's Alive! So, basically the reader is presented with three stories about the natural world and you have to guess which one is the lie. Sounds fun - and good practice for life. It’s a good thing I have July off from school, because there are some seriously awesome books being released that month: Including a new Comics Squad! Comics Squad #3: Detention I love these! They’re fun, they’re quick, and they introduce kids to new writers. Another book to look forward to in July is Our Story Begins : Children’s Authors and Illustrators Share Fun, Inspiring, and Occasionally Ridiculous Things They Wrote and Drew as Kids Oh - now that should be good! And also in July, we’ll get Spirit Hunters - the first middle grade novel by Ellen Oh - this one is the first of a new ghost story series. Can’t wait for that! And - I am also excited for July because that’s when Abby Cooper’s second novel, Bubbles, comes out! In this one, the main character can see other people’s thoughts. Oh god - can you imagine? August August is going to be fabulous because we get a new Cassie Beasley book. If you liked Circus Mirandus, her new novel is called Tumble & Blue and it’s about a curse, a swamp, and a golden alligator. So after August, publication dates get a little hazy. BUT - I hear there’s a new Katherine Applegate book coming called Wishtree. Also - there’s a fourth Al Capone at Alcatraz book coming out in the fall called Al Capone Does My Dishes. And the Rick Riordon’s third Magnus Chase book: The Ship of the Dead . And the third Mr. Lemoncello's Library - the Great Library Race And of course - I’ll keep you posted about all the amazing books headed our way so we can stay up to date. Those were some upcoming titles to look forward to in 2017. But. If I had to guess - the one book that you fall in love with this year, that one new book that your kids can’t put down. Is one that isn’t on this list and isn’t even on your radar right now. Most of my favorites of last year, I wasn’t even aware of them this early. And that’s exciting! There is so much to look forward to! Q & A Our final segment this week is Question & Answer time. Question: After sharing our Top 20 Middle Grade Books of 2016 list last week, I got this question from Jane: “Do you have an idea what book to get a 10-yr-old boy who reads on a 12th grade level?” And she added, “He is currently into the Warriors series.” Answer: That can be a tough situation. He CAN read Young Adult or Adult books, but you’ve got to be careful of the content, which might not be okay for a 5th grader. A quick example / horror story about that: when I used to teach 6th grade in a middle school, one of the reading assessments we gave was a computer program that would determine a reading level and would then print out a recommended list of titles for each kid. Sounds great, right? Well. I noticed that the kids who scored the highest were being recommended A CLOCKWORK ORANGE! I never ripped a piece of paper out of kid’s hand so fast! (Can you imagine if that went home?) So - anyway - just because the reading level is a good match, does not mean the book is a good fit. But - there are lots of middle grade books that have a higher reading level. And if he likes Fantasy, then there are some great books that I think he’ll like. I might try the Wings of Fire series. It has some similarities to Warriors - there are clans and battles and shifting alliances - but it’s dragons instead of cats. He might really like The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz or maybe The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin or even The Lord of The Rings which is more “high” fantasy. Another option that a friend recommended is The Riverman Trilogy by Aaron Starmer. So, Jane - let us know how things go and if you’ve found something that hits the mark. Closing Alright, that’s it for the Q&A section this week. If you have a question about how to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love or an idea about a topic we should cover, I really would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get a full transcript of this show and all of our previous episodes at AlltheWonders.com. And when you are there, check out Matthew’s interview with Cozy Classics creators Jack and Holman Wang. I cannot stop reading and rereading these adorable little board books. And, if you are liking our show, I’d love it if you took a second to leave a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks, Happy New Year, and see you in two weeks! Bye!
In today's episode with nutrition coach Abby Cooper we talk about how it can be a challenge as we get older to drop those unwanted pounds or maybe you have lost the weight but your body composition is still not where you want it to be. Abby talks about a different way to view our food, and instead of starving ourselves and eating less than 1200 calories she is going to talk about how we can eat more and work toward the body and health we are wanting! I hope this show leaves you more inspired about your health journey and what you can do different to change things up. Let's go to the show! Guest Contact Info: templefitnessfranklin.com
Intro Hi and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect middle grade kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a teacher, a mom of two, battling a sore throat, but excited that I finally got to see the Fantastic Beasts movie last weekend! I gotta say - Jacob & Queenie were the best part for me. This is Episode #12 and today we’re talking about gift ideas for middle grade readers, three novels with incredibly brave protagonists, and I’ll answer a listener’s question about keeping kids engaged when you read out loud. Main Topic - Gifts Ideas for Middle Grade Readers December is here and for many, December brings holidays that involve gift-giving. So if you have a child between the ages of about 8 and 12 on your list this year, I have some bookish ideas for you. My first suggestion is, whenever possible, ask the child what they’d like that would be book related. And gift cards to local bookstores are always perfect as well so they can pick something they will love themselves. A friend of mine follows the philosophy of limiting holiday gifts to four categories: Want, Need, Wear, and Read. He gives each of his children a piece of paper divided into four sections and they list some items they want, some things they really need, some ideas of what they’d like to wear, and a list of things they want to read. Want, Need, Wear, Read. I really like that idea of giving children a focus, and of course the emphasis it places on reading. But - if you’re not sure what books they’d like or you want to surprise them, here are four suggestions for you. #1 - Try a biography that is connected to their hobbies or interests. For example, if they like art, you could get them the Who Was Frida Kahlo? Biography. (I haven’t read that one myself, but if my daughter sneak reading it under her blankets with a flashlight is any recommendation for you - it seems pretty good!) If they are into sports, a really great collection of real-life stories is Rising Above: How 11 Athletes Overcame Challenges in Their Youth to Become Stars. If you have a young dancer if your life, definitely get them the new Misty Copeland biography called Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina. That one is brand new and out December 6th. For the science-loving tweens and teens on your list, Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science is awesome! Who can resist a book with “gruesome” in the title? #2 - Build on a book they already like. For example, you could get a Diary of a Wimpy Kid calendar or one of the many fantastic Harry Potter coloring books. My girls loved those when we were listening to the audio books. You can also get their favorite book as a charm to put on a bracelet or necklace. I’ll link to that Etsy shop in the show notes. Another idea is to get them the audio version of a favorite book so they can experience the performance of that story. And hey - maybe even get them their own Audible account. #3 - Pair a book with another gift so you build on the excitement. What I mean by that is if you give your nephew a LEGO kit, also get him the bold and colorful book 365 Things to Do with LEGO Bricks. If you get your daughter a science kit, include a biography of Marie Curie as some inspiration. You might pair an apron and set of cookie cutters with Cooking Class: 57 Fun Recipes Kids Will Love to Make (and Eat!). If you are getting your child a telescope, maybe add a copy of The Everything Kids’ Astronomy Book. A hot gift for my 9 year old lately are those fashion kits where she can make her own headbands and bracelets - you know, the stuff that leaves beads scattered all over your house! But - a great book to pair with a present like that is The Fashion Book by DK Publishing. It connects historical trends with modern fashion - it’s pretty cool. That’s one of those books that I want to buy for my kids so I can read it, too. #4 - Get them a Mail Order Mystery. Now - I want to say upfront that I have no connection to this company. They are not paying me. I simply saw their ad online, got it for my girls as something fun to do over the summer, and it was great. Every week for about six weeks, my daughters got personalized wax-sealed letters describing the mystery they had to solve, artifacts connected to the story, riddles, and a code to crack that my whole family was working on together. It was so much fun - for all of us! The final package included a book that tied everything together. And if you have more than one child - no worries - they can share it and work together and the company will include all their names on the personalized items. So here’s how it works. You go to MailOrderMystery.com and pick one of three mystery options. The first two are Treasure Hunt (which is a pirate adventure) and The Enchanted Slumber (which is the mystery we did and it was fairy tale themed). The new mystery, which was revealed in their newsletter last week is called Spies, Lies, and Serious Badguys and will feature a secret safe disguised as a book, a personalized secret agent ID card, invisible ink pen, and so much other cool stuff. So after you’ve decided which of those three mysteries you want, you pick who it’s for, and then you get to decide when it will start. Also - if you are sometimes a last-minute shopper, this is a perfect quick gift. You just sign up online, print out a cool looking certificate to tuck in a card or roll up into a cool scroll, and BAM - awesome gift. It’s really tailor made for kids between 8 and 12. I hope you’ve gotten some fresh ideas for any middle grade reader on your list this year. And I would love to get your ideas and share them with everyone else! You can tag me on Twitter or Instagram or email me at booksbetween@gmail.com and I’ll share your ideas, too! Book Talk - Three Books Featuring Brave Girls In this part of the show, I share with you three books centered around a theme and discuss three things to love about each book. This week I’m featuring three books with courageous female leads: Finding Perfect, Sticks & Stones, and Rain Reign. Finding Perfect The first book this week is one that I have been wanting to share with you since - jeesh, I think June! Finding Perfect is by debut author Elly Schwartz. And actually, I should clarify that - this is Schwartz’s first published novel but not the first she’s written. This novel doesn’t read like a first effort - it’s crafted like a novelist at the top of their game. Okay - I could keep gushing, but you probably want to know what the book is about. So a quick summary. Finding Perfect is about 12-year-old Molly Nathans who is always striving toward perfect. Perfectly sharpened pencils, perfectly crisp white paper, perfectly aligned glass figurines, and a perfectly safe and together family. And that last wish for family perfection is the one that seems to set her on a downward path when her Mom moves out and Molly spirals into her OCD. So here are three things to love about Finding Perfect: Poetry - Molly is a poet and one element of her story is how she participates in her middle school’s Poetry Slam Contest. She gets past the first round with an incredible poem that starts with the word “Sorry.” And as Molly’s compulsions toward organization and neatness start to take over her life and she feels herself unraveling - her writing starts to reflect that. It’s so powerful. Here’s a line from one of her poems: “As time slips, it’s hard to hide To keep my crazy tucked inside.” Molly’s friends Hannah and Bridgett. Hannah is her best friend, cheering Molly on and waiting for her when Molly spends hours rearranging her room instead of meeting up like she promised. And Bridgette, who often says the wrong thing and is obsessed with obituaries. But - oh, when Molly finds out WHY Bridgette collects obituaries, she realizes that every person has something hidden. The thing is though that Hannah and Bridgette do NOT like each other. And this book really captures that difficult dynamic when you have friends anchored to the same person and they have to find a way to get along. Finding Perfect fills an incredibly important niche in middle grade fiction. A book that tackles anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder from the point of view of a kid. I love that this book is written in first person and we get to experience Molly’s challenges and dilemmas. She wants to be a good friend and go help Hannah with her bracelet business plan. But… she is compelled to straighten up her bedroom first - which starts to take longer and longer and longer until finally Molly does the brave thing and admits to herself that it’s a problem. I am not sure if the statistics really bear this out, but it does seem to me that I have more and more students every year who are trying to overcome some level of either anxiety or compulsion. This book would be perfect in their hands - and for anyone else who could use a look into another child’s experience to help them understand each other better. Finding Perfect reminded me a bit of Raymie Nightingale and I have to give a shout out to the cover design. It is simply perfect - and has the BEST spine design I have ever seen. Sticks & Stones Book number two this week is Sticks & Stones by Abby Cooper - another debut author who seems like she’s been around forever. This is the story of middle schooler, Elyse, who has this very unusual condition where the words that people say about her appear on her skin. It’s called, well, I can’t pronounce it - and honestly I don’t think Elyse can either. But it’s shortened, mercifully, to CAV. Now, I will say at first that the rational, scientific side of my brain had a hard time suspending disbelief about verbalized words getting etched into skin. BUT. Once I could shush that side, I just fell in love with this story and with Elyse. So, the main character has this condition, she’s starting middle school, her friendships are shifting (like they do in middle school), and with the encouragement from an anonymous person writing her mysterious notes, Elyse decides to be brave and go for this elite position in her school called Explorer Leader. And in the midst of all this, her disorder takes a turn and it’s not just others’ words that are etched into her skin, but her own thoughts about herself start to appear on her arms and legs. How powerfully symbolic is that? So, if you’re not sold already, here are three more reasons to love Sticks & Stones: Elyse’s notes to herself. Every month as part of an English assignment, she writes a letter to her future self in her journal. In her first September note, she jots down four goals. Which are: Stop thinking about the folded paper until I can finally open it after class. Stop obsessing over Liam, because he is done liking me. Instead, obsess over boys like Nice Andy who do seem to like me. Stop thinking about the folded blue paper until it’s time to open it! In each letter, Elyse reflects on how things are going and lists some new goals. I really loved how those letters anchored the story. The boy she calls “Nice Andy”. Because - there is a point in the book where he could have been not-so-nice. Now - I’m going to give a small spoiler here, which I try not to do - but this one isn’t so major. But, if you’d rather not hear it, just pause and fast forward about a minute. Okay? Alright, so - Elyse ends up dating Nice Andy for awhile. And he IS wonderful, but she realizes she just doesn’t feel THAT way about him. And I simply LOVED how he handles things when she tells him that she would rather be good friends. He says, “Oh! Okay, don’t worry about it.” That could have gone very differently. I think kids could use a model of a graceful and respectful breakup, so thumbs up for that scene! I really love how Sticks & Stones embodies this idea that having a bigger purpose in your life and striving for something important can break you out of self-doubt and worrying so much about yourself. For Elyse, it’s her goal of becoming Explorer Leader that starts to get her out of her own head a bit. And ironically, by getting busy and NOT thinking so much of what others are saying about her, she becomes more confident. In one of the later mystery notes that Elyse receives is this advice: “Remember, someone is always going to have something bad to say. But can you remember the good you’ve done? The good you ARE?” I think that message is so important for middle grade readers who are sometimes focused so much on other people liking them. I remember those years myself - they were rough. Sticks & Stones is about friendship, and boys, and learning what actions to take to be more comfortable with yourself. This book would be particularly powerful for middle grade girls. Rain Reign Our final featured book this week is Ann M. Martin’s Rain Reign. For the last two years, I don’t think there’s been a month that’s gone by where I haven’t been conferencing with a student who has been reading this book or reading it out loud to my daughters. One of the joys of being a teacher is getting to dip back into those favorite books. So, Rain Reign is a story told by 5th grader Rose Howard, who loves routines, collecting homonyms, and prime numbers. She lives with her dad, who is not the best care-taker for her. And she lives with her dog, who she calls Rain. And, in her own words says “My official diagnosis is high-functioning autism, which some people call Asperger’s syndrome”. One night, after a hurricane has caused flooding and destruction, Rose’s father lets Rain outside and now she’s missing. Because of that, Rose has to be brave, break out of her routine, and try to find her dog. And that’s just the beginning of her bravery. Alright, so - here are three fantastic things about Rain Reign. Rose’s straightforward storytelling. It’s astonishing how well we get into Rose’s head. For example, in the first chapter she says: “This is how you tell a story: First you introduce the main character. I’m writing this story about me, so I am the main character.” And later on she says, “ Some of the things I get teased about are following the rules and always talking about homonyms. Mrs. Leibler is my aide and she sits with me in Mrs. Kushel’s room. She sits in an adult-size chair next to my fifth-grade-size chair and rests her hand on my arm when I blurt something out in the middle of math. Or, if I whap myself in the head and start to cry, she’ll say, ‘Rose, do you need to step into the hall for a moment?’” I think most people who have spent any kind of time in a school will find that scene very familiar. Having it told from the point of view of the child with autism is so important. Rose’s Uncle. While Rose is very unlikely in who she ended up with as a father, she lucked out with her Uncle Weldon. It’s hard to believe that the two of them are brothers. Rose’s dad is impatient, an alcoholic, neglectful, and… worse. Thank goodness Rose has her Uncle who picks her up from school, patiently answers her many repetitive questions, and helps her deal with her dad. How much kids simply love this book. In fact, I decided that since I just happen to have two of those kids on hand right here in our house, I’d invite them to tell you what they liked about Rain Reign. Q & A Our third and final segment this week is Question & Answer time. Question: Today’s question is from Sarah in Arlington, Texas.( And Hey Sarah - thanks for listening!) She asks, “My kids don't seem like they’re paying attention when I read aloud. How can keep them more interested?” Answer: First of all, I hear ya! Between my own kids and “kids” at school - I feel like I am always assessing their attention and interest. So I have a few thoughts, and hopefully you, listening, might chime in as well. First, I’m wondering - did your kids get to pick out the book? If they have some say, that can help. At home, I usually book talk a few that I think would be winners and then let them decide. I do understand that with more than one child, that choosing process can be tricky. We’ve certainly had some drama and high stakes negotiations about that at my house. A second thought - give them something to do with their hands while they’re listening. I have adult friends who just can’t sit still for that long. So try giving them some paper and crayons or play-doh. Maybe tinkering with LEGO’s or doing a jigsaw puzzle. And finally - there is the possibility that they might be paying more attention than you think. I had this epiphany last year when I was reading aloud Matilda to my girls. And one of my daughters was driving me nuts because she was bouncing all over the bed, the book is shaking, she’s twisting around in the blankets - I could not get her to settle down. And I am getting annoyed - this is supposed to be our calm, mother-daughter time bonding over classic children’s literature. NO. So after a few nights of me getting mad, I thought, “Okay - I’m just going to ignore it and she’ll stop. Right?’” So I continue to read, but I’ve got one eye on her the entire time. And then suddenly it hit me - she was acting out what was happening in the book. She was SO involved in the book that she was physically experiencing it. SO I know sometimes that we have this idealized image in our mind of our loving children nestled in our lap, taking in every word of what we’re reading, but - truthfully that doesn’t always happen that way. The main thing is to not give up on that daily read aloud time. Closing Alright, that’s it for the Q&A section this week. If you have a question about how to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love or an idea about a topic we should cover, I really would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get a full transcript of this show and all of our previous episodes at AlltheWonders.com. And when you are there, take some time to read a great post about Raina Telgemeier’s Ghosts by Mel Schuit. And, if you are liking the show, I’d love it if you helped others find us by sharing on social media or leaving a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks and see you in two weeks! Bye!
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