When You Reach Me

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead is a "Wrinkle in Time" type middle grade novel. It's set in New York City in the 1970s. A girl named Miranda finds herself in the middle of a mystery after her friend gets punch, her apartment key gets stolen, and strange notes, written to her, start arriving. The author of the notes knows specific things about Miranda that no stranger should know. Miranda is scared, but she tries to get to the bottom of the mystery on her own.


This book is great! It won the Newberry Award in 2009. I read the first chapter over again after I finished the last chapter because all the answers were planted there for the reader at the very start. I love books like that. A Wrinkle in Time, one of my all-time-favorite books, is cleverly sewn throughout the plot. I loved it.


I recommend this book and A Wrinkle in Time for fourth -sixth grade students.

The Seventeen Second Miracle

The Seventeen Second Miracle, by Jason F. Wright, is about a tragedy that turns into a beautiful lifetime of service to others. The story is told by Cole Conner. He is the son of Rex Conner, who felt responsible for the accidental drowning of his girlfriend's younger sister. Rex's escape window out of the dark year that followed the drowning was to do at least one small act of kindness for someone each day or perform a "seventeen second miracle." The impact on Rex, his girlfriend and future wife, his son, his son's wife, and countless friends and strangers is profound. Rex and his family proved to themselves and those around them that a miracle can be performed in as little time as seventeen seconds.

The book had me crying out of sympathy and sometimes joy. Serving others is a beautiful thing. This book was an inspiration.

This book is categorized as an adult book, but many of the characters are teenagers. I recommend this book to YA readers. Two great and lasting life lessons can be taught through this book, forgiveness and love.

Newest Publication

My next publication will be in Crafts N' Things magazine Pack-O-Fun kid crafts section in June 2011. It's called "Paper Link Headband." And that's what it is, a headband made from paper links. This is my first magazine publication. I'm really excited.

The Wanderer

The Wanderer, by Sharon Creech is a story about a 13-year-old-girl remembering her difficult past as she travels across the Atlantic Ocean on a sailboat with her three uncles and two cousins. The story is told alternately from the point of view of Sophie, the girl, and Cody, her 13-year-old cousin though their journals. They each shed new light on the scenes by giving their version of things. Cody sees that Sophie is remembering her difficult past before Sophie realizes what is happening. The book is written like a puzzle and each of these characters take turns placing a piece until in the end, the reader sees the full picture.

I found the story and it's delivery intriguing. Sharon Creech is a gifted and creative writer. Creech gives a lot of interesting detail about sailing in the story.

I recommend this book for 5th and 6th grade students and any boating enthusiasts, young or old.

Publishing News

Things are moving along well with my mid-grade novel, Most Beautiful (Royal Fireworks Press). I received my copy of the manuscript for editing yesterday. It looks great and I'm excited that this manuscript is on its way to book form. It won't be long now!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I just finished reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. What a delightful classic story. It's sweet and fun. It's also mouth-watering. I found myself snacking as I read often!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is about an extremely poor boy, named Charlie, who lives near a chocolate factory. Just when things look the bleakest for Charlie, he wins a chance to tour the chocolate factory. Four other retched children tour the factory along with Charlie. One by one, the tour ends for the mean and nasty children until only Charlie remains. Mr. Willy Wonka, owner of the chocolate factory, chooses Charlie as his heir.

This is a great story to read aloud to younger children as well as a great story for second or third graders to read to themselves. I highly recommend reading this book - Don't just watch the movie!

Ship Breaker

Ship Breaker, by Paolo Bacigalupi, is a YA novel about earth in the future after the oil age. Ships in this future run by wind and solar energy. The main character, Nailer, works the dangerous and dirty job of light crew, breaking down old oil tankers. He lives a lowly disadvantaged life and has to choose between saving a rich girl's life or changing his own. He chooses to save the rich girl and ends up changing his life for the better anyway.

This is a great book for boys, ages 14 and up, interested in technology and gritty adventure stories.