Monday's Riddle: No Handle On It...

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? It'll fill you up! ; ) ~ F

I've a foot and stem below a cup. Cheers ring out when I'm held up. Inside may be cold or hot, full or empty matters not. Fancy, plain, wood or metal, I'm not a mug, plate, or kettle!

What am I? Stop by Wednesday for the answer.

I gave you a clue!

PICK UP A COPY OF BOOK 1 & 2

CT Children's Book Fair 2017: Part 2

Today we're featuring part 2 of our highlights from the 2017 CT Children's Book Fair at UCONN. We had a great time finding out the stories behind the stories, and the day was inspirational.

Here's a link to part 1 of our adventure, in case you missed it. :)

Happy reading!
~ Jess & Stephanie

GORDON KORMAN, Restart, Mastermind series, Titanic

Gordon Korman's presentation was interesting, and it was funny to hear about how the titles of his books translate into other languages. For instance, in one language the title of his book, "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire," translates to, "Speaker of Untruths, Your Pants Have Combusted." Another fascinating topic he touched on was the character research for Titanic. When the ship was going down, people today would say something like, "That water looks mad cold." But a hundred years ago, it'd have been more like, "Seems as though we're in a tight corner." It's important to get a character's voice right for their time period.

RESTART by Gordon Korman
Chase doesn't remember falling off the roof. He doesn't remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name. He knows he's Chase. But who is Chase? When he gets back to school, he sees that different kids have very different reactions to his return. Some kids treat him like a hero. Some kids are clearly afraid of him. One girl in particular is so angry with him that she pours her frozen yogurt on his head the first chance she gets. Pretty soon, it's not only a question of who Chase is--it's a question of who he was . . . and who he's going to be. From the #1 bestselling author of Swindle and Slacker, Restart is the spectacular story of a kid with a messy past who has to figure out what it means to get a clean start. ~Amazon

Gordon Korman on the web

CAMMIE MCGOVERN, Chester and Gus, Say What You Will

Cammie McGovern is delightful, and we enjoyed finding out more about her stories that deal with life issues. Her autistic son was the inspiration that sparked her journey to becoming a storyteller. Today she writes books and runs Whole Children, a creative center for kids learning how to understand their world. We're looking forward to reading her stories!

CHESTER AND GUS by Cammie McGovern
Chester has always wanted to become a service dog. When he fails his certification test, though, it seems like that dream will never come true—until a family adopts him. They want him to be a companion for their ten-year-old son, Gus, who has autism. But Gus acts so differently than anyone Chester has ever met. He never wants to pet Chester, and sometimes he doesn’t even want Chester in the room. Chester’s not sure how to help Gus since this isn’t exactly the job he trained for—but he’s determined to figure it out. Because after all, Gus is now his person. In the spirit of beloved classics like Because of Winn-Dixie, Shiloh, and Old Yeller, Cammie McGovern’s heartfelt novel—told from Chester’s point of view—explores the extraordinary friendship between a child and a dog with a poignant and modern twist. ~Harper Collins

Cammie McGovern on the web

Thanks for the fun book day, CT Children's Book Fair! 

See you next year. :) 

Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson, co-authors of the Fairday Morrow series. CASL/CECA conference 2017

CT Children's Book Fair 2017: Part 1

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! This week we're featuring highlights from the CT Children's Book Fair on the UCONN campus. We always have a fabulous time, and this year was no exception! It was fun to listen to the authors talk about the stories behind their stories. The day was inspirational, and we'll be back again next year.

Moments that arise may be a book's birth in disguise. There are those with eyes to see all a scene can really be. They ask, "what if?" or "where'd it go?'- this person will imagine it so. A blank page is the space where they'll shave the story's face. Stringing words in lines, meanings point to signs. Inner space cosmonauts, creating with inky thoughts.

What am I referring to? Answer: Authors!

Happy reading!
~ Jess & Stephanie

MARC BROWN, Arthur books/ PBS cartoon, Mary McScary

Marc Brown's presentation was fun, and it was interesting to learn about the evolution of Arthur's nose and how many of the stories and characters are based on real life. We also enjoyed hearing about Mary McScary. Watch out! She's looking to give you a fright!

Meet Mary McScary. Mary likes to be scary. She scares her mom, her dad, her pets, and even a balloon! But there's just one person Mary can't scare -- her cousin, Harry McScary. He's not afraid of the usual things, like spiders, snakes, and other creepy crawlies. But Mary doesn't give up that easily, and one way or another she'll find a way to give Harry the scare of his life. . . Beware of Mary McScary! ~Scholastic

Visit Marc Brown Studios













CAROL WESTON, Ava and Pip, Girl Talk, Speed of Life

As an active columnist, Carol Weston lends advice to girls living in the world today. She talked about how her own experiences influence her stories. When it comes to writing, she explained that there is always more than one draft of a story, and the best ones appear after many sloppy copies.

We're excited for the new book she's planning about the Spanish princess Infanta Margarita, a fascinating character, who must have had plenty of issues growing up as a royal young girl!

Visit Carol Weston on the web

Tune in Friday for part 2 of our highlights from the CT Children's Book Fair. Featuring: Gordon Korman and Cammie McGovern. 

See you all around the book block! 

Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson,
co-authors of the Fairday Morrow series

Monday's Riddle: Word Wranglers...

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? Look out! They can be watching from anywhere. ; ) ~ F

Moments that arise may be a book's birth in disguise. There are those with eyes to see all a scene can really be. They ask, "what if?" or "where'd it go?'- this person will imagine it so. A blank page is the space where they'll shave the story's face. Stringing words in lines, meanings point to signs. Inner space cosmonauts, creating with inky thoughts.

What am I referring to? Stop by Wednesday for the answer!

I gave you a clue!

Buy the books!
The next case in the DMS files is open! If you love riddles and solving puzzles, take a trip to Ashpot, Connecticut and stay for a spell at the Begonia House. Anything's possible!

Writing Mysteries...

Catch our feature articles about writing mysteries that pop up on every author's journey to binding a book. Watch out for the punctuation, it can be scary! 

I See Dead Quotes

Weaving in the Backstory

Boo-k Bones

Co-authors of the Fairday Morrow series, Jessica Haight & Stephanie Robinson

DMS CASE FILE #1: The Begonia House

The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow
Publish date: 12/1/15
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Illustrator: Roman Muradov
Ages: 9-12
Grade Level: 4-7
Available: Hardcover, Paperback, E-book, Library Bound

Read the reviews

FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED.

The Begonia House keeps its secrets. Everyone knows that. Everyone, that is, except for clever eleven-year-old Fairday Morrow, whose family has just moved in. Being the Senior Investigator in the Detective Mystery Squad, more commonly known as the DMS, she’s ready to uncover the mysteries hidden within the strange manor. As the investigation gears up and the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place, the DMS enters into a world where anything is possible, and the danger is most definitely real. Can they piece together the puzzle before it's too late? Or will whatever's causing trouble find Fairday and her friends first?

DMS CASE FILE #2: The Talking Library

Fairday Morrow and the Talking Library

Publish date: 10/23/17

Publisher: Willow Press

Illustrator: David SanAngelo

Age: 9-12
Grade level: 4-7
Available: Hardcover

Read the reviews

ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE.

Fairday Morrow had no clue that moving from Manhattan to the small town of Ashpot, Connecticut, would lead to an unsolved mystery. Her parents’ dream of renovating a crumbling Victorian, called the Begonia House, into a bed and breakfast had seemed like treachery at the time. But Fairday found out that her new house kept secrets, and once inside its twisted front gates, anything was possible. When mysterious notes start showing up warning that a librarian is in trouble and a bookworm is eating words, Fairday thinks the Begonia House has more skeletons in its closets. What happens to stories when their words get eaten?