Monday's Riddle clicked, and we opened up the topic of books and blogs. Lizzy's review of Millicent Marie is Not My Name by Karen Pokras Toz took us on a fun adventure into the life of an the anonymous blogger caught up in the drama of the sixth grade- thanks to her brother! Friday, we will be hosting a special guest that will really catch your attention. Also, the Fall into Fantasy Book Giveaway Hop will be running until October 21st, so be sure to enter for your chance to win a copy of the spooky middle grade novel, The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow by J. Haight & S. Robinson, plus a $10 gift card to Amazon.com, and fall into any fantasy that you wish, our gift to you! Saturday we are participating in the Millicent Marie book tour, as well as asking all of you what your thoughts are about blogging on The DMS Wants to Know. It's going to be an excellent time.
Today, we thought it would be great to tell you about a few of the amazing authors that we have had the privilege to chat with. It has been fascinating as readers for us to get the chance to talk to these wonderful writers, and we were thrilled to be able to share a little more about their stories with all of you. We hope that you will enjoy our re-cap of these awesome books! See you all around the book block ; ) ~ F
This week's top of the heap: Excellent middle grade authors we have hosted!
Where The Mountain Meets The Moon by Grace Lin is an extraordinary book that magically weaves chinese folk lore into an exciting adventure of a young girl who is discovering herself and her place in the world. A twist to the classic tale The Wizard Of Oz, this book would be adored by anyone who loves to read a good story. The artwork is enchanting and truly captures the feeling behind the words. It is definitely one for my book shelf and I am thrilled to have stumbled upon it. Read more of our review...
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| 2011 UCONN Children's Book Fair |
We were lucky enough to get to meet with Grace Lin at the 2011 UCONN Children's Book Fair! It was an honor to meet this author, and exciting to get my copy of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon signed!
We were also very pleased for a chance to interview Grace Lin and bring the story behind the story to all of you. Check out the interview!
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| Author, Grace Lin |
*I am so excited to get my hands on Grace Lin's latest novel, Starry River of the Sky, which I'm sure is just as magical!
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Belle Teal by Ann M. Martin is a wonderful book about a fantastic girl. Belle stands up for what she believes in and tries to make the world a better place. It is a super book for people of all ages and I think kids in fourth through seventh grade will especially relate to Belle. The book touches on issues in history, social problems, and emotional problems. Watching the family struggle through the grandmother's illness is hard and touching. I found myself totally engrossed in the lives of the people in the story. This is a book that is easy to relate to and the characters come alive. I really like Belle and think she has many qualities that make me want to be friends with her. Without a doubt, this is a story that made me want to make a difference in the world! If you have not read it, I highly recommend it. It just may remind you to be extra kind to those around you. Read more of our review...
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Wonder by R.J. Palacio was one of the best books I have ever read. I instantly liked the main character, Auggie, and my heart went out to him. Getting to know him was fun because he is just like a lot of my friends and I love his sense of humor. Auggie’s story made me think about how the kids at my school would treat someone who looked so different from everyone else. The book was broken into sections and we got to learn about Auggie’s fifth grade experience through the eyes of some of the other characters. At first I thought I wouldn’t like this, but it actually turned out to be quite fascinating. I liked the change in perspective and it really made me think about how everyone close to him felt. If the author had only told the story from Auggie’s point of view then I really wouldn’t have been able to see the whole picture. I think anyone from fourth grade and up should read this remarkable book. If everyone read it they would know how important it is to be kinder than necessary. I know, if starting today, we were all a little kinder- the world would be a better place for everyone. When you read this book you will laugh out loud and you will cry. You will discover what it means to be a better person and you will find out some universal truths. You will learn how to deal with the mean people you encounter. One thing is for sure- you will not be the same person when you get to the end of the book. You will be better! Read more of our review...
It was excellent to host R.J. Palacio, and we were thrilled to bring her inspirational story to all of you! Check out the interview!
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I just finished reading The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel by Gregory Slomba and it was a wonderful story. I liked Eric because he was smart and braver than he knew. He also had to rely on friends to help him solve the problems that arise and this seemed very real to me. The action started right in the first chapter and continued to pick up from there. I think that kids in fourth grade through eighth grade would really like this book- older kids and adults would also find it to be an interesting read! A story that includes pirates, talking animals, dwarfs, and ancient magic will appeal to anyone that enjoys The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings. A great way to introduce kids to the fantasy genre! Read more of our review...
*We were excited to get to meet Greg, and Stephanie welcomed him into her classroom. The kids all had a fabulous time!
We also hosted Greg here on Fairday's Blog! It was great to learn a little more about his fun middle grade novel! Check out the interview!
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| Happy Reading! |
What a great group of smiling faces! :-D Looks like everyone had a fun time.
ReplyDeleteHi E.J., It was really great to meet Grace and Greg- truly an honor! Thanks so much for stopping by : ) ~ F
DeleteI was just thinking the same thing - all those smiling faces put a big smile on my face, too! Really awesome, truly beautiful! <3
ReplyDeleteHi MAD, Thanks so much! We were feeling the love- lol! Always lovely to hear from you : ) ~ F
DeleteThanks for the mention! I'm honored to be included in the same post with such awesome authors. You do such a great job with your blog--always so much ffun to get together with you both! :)
ReplyDeleteGreg
Hi Greg, Thanks! It's fun to look back at who we've met and where we've been! Thanks so much for stopping by : ) ~ F
DeleteI'm into reading MG novels lately so I'm going to check out the titles you've posted and reviewed on. (Did I tell you about 'Breadcrumbs?') Awesome authors here!
ReplyDeleteHi Claudine, That's excellent! I cannot wait to hear your thoughts on Breadcrumbs! I loved it. Thanks so much for stopping by- always a pleasure to hear from you : ) ~ F
DeleteSuch fun, fun reads. And how wonderful that you got to meet the authors.
ReplyDeleteDonna- I always enjoy meeting an author whose books I have read. :) ~L
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