OMG: The Spell Bind - Guest Post & Giveaway

For fans of Lacey Unger-Ware, the wait for the third book in the Oh My Godmother series will be over soon.   Those of us at Kid Lit Frenzy are fans of the books and their creators, James Iver Mattson and Barbara Brauner and we are glad to host them, well James' cat Fred on the blog today.

Hi. I’m Fred. It’s time for the world to know the truth: even though my name isn’t on the cover of the Oh My Godmother books, there wouldn’t be a series at all except for me.

      I’ve been here since the beginning. OMG’s main character, Lacey Unger-Ware, has an orange cat named Julius. Barbara and James deny it, but that cat is really me! Julius starts the whole story when he eats the fairy godmother, Katarina. I’ve never eaten a fairy, but I do eat a lot of bugs, and that’s where they got the eating idea. Don’t believe me? Have you ever seen them eat bugs?

Now there’s a third Oh My Godmother book called OMG: The Spell Bind. This time, Lacey has to help a boy named Martin Shembly who wants to invent a jet pack. That was my idea, too. One time I tried to jump up on top of a bookcase, and James said I was trying to fly. Then, bam! The very next book has a flying jet pack in it. Pretty suspicious, if you ask me.

Artwork by Abigail Halpern

I think the book turned out pretty well. There’s a funny part where Katarina accidentally gets turned into a little bear. (I like books about tiny animals, because they remind me of mice and mice are the best.) There’s a crazy part where Martin Shembly knocks over the water tower at his school and almost washes the cafeteria away. And at the end, Lacey creates a magic carnival where everything is about pickles: pickle rides and pickle games and pickle cotton candy. It would have been better if everything was about mice, but pickles are pretty funny, too.

I’m including a picture of me yelling at Barbara and James. If I don’t stay on the table and supervise, they just watch funny videos on YouTube instead of working. In fact, that’s what they’re doing right now, so I better stop being such a chattercat and tell them to get busy. But it’s been nice talking to you, and I do hope you like The Spell Bind, even if it doesn’t have enough mice in it.

About James and Barbara:
Barbara Brauner and James Iver Mattson have worked together ever since they sold a feature film script about a very, very, bad cat, “Fluffy,” to Disney’s Hollywood Pictures. Their romantic comedy film script, “Deliver Us From Eva,” was produced by Focus Features. “Oh My Godmother: the Glitter Trap,” is their first book.

Barbara grew up in a house that had so many books her father had to brace the floors. After she moved to Los Angeles to work in the movie business, she met James, who’s been her writing partner ever since. Barbara lives with her bite-y, scratchy, and yet still oddly lovable rescue cat Jeeves.

Before he started writing with Barbara, James worked in motion picture special effects, which, just like Oh My Godmother, often involved a lot of sparkles. James’ cat is named Fred, who is Jeeves’ sweeter-natured brother.

Giveaway: One lucky reader will have a chance to win a copy of OMG: The Spell Bind by entering the rafflecopter below. You must be 13 years old and have a US mailing address. 

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The Spiritglass Blog Tour: Interview with Colleen Gleason

Kid Lit Frenzy is hosting Colleen Gleason on her blog tour for The Spiritglass Charade, which is the second book in the Stoker and Holmes series. Having been enthralled whilst reading the first book, The Clockwork Scarab, I've been excitedly anticipating the release of the second book. Here are some questions Colleen graciously answered for us:

What inspired you to create the alternate Victorian-Steampunk world that serves as the setting in the Stoker and Holmes novels? Are there any specific historical events that you created that supposedly shaped that world (other than electricity being banned by the government)?

Other than the banning of electricity by the government, I didn’t have any particular historical event in mind when defining my steampunk world. I wanted to create a world that looked and felt very similar to the actual Victorian London of 1889, and so I started there.

I began to look around online for inspiration—there is a lot of steampunk art and fashion out there—and I found this image. I literally gasped when I saw it and I thought, “This is my London!”

I tracked down the artist and asked for his permission to use the image of Odysseus’ Departure on my website and/or as I spoke and wrote about the book (should the need arise), as long as I credited him. He graciously agreed, and I was so pleased I bought a print of the image. It hangs in my office and is also my computer desktop wallpaper, so I see it every day.

[Photo credit to: Olek Zemplinski. http://www.biolinia.com/odysseus-departure/]

What made you think of having your protagonists be the relatives of such famed literary figures? Are there any other characters from Victorian literature we can expect in any of the books?

A traditional element of steampunk is the juxtaposition of literary characters with that of real historical figures, so I knew I’d be starting with that concept. Then, being a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes, I knew I wanted to begin with a female version of the brilliant detective. When I learned that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Bram Stoker were actually friends, the idea of melding in a vampire element made a lot of sense—especially since I’d also written a series about a female vampire hunter during the time of Jane Austen.

Aside from Miss Adler, Mr. Holmes and Doctor Watson, there aren’t any other literary characters who’ve made an appearance yet. But I do have some ideas for other literary nods, though none have made appearances yet.

However, on the actual historical side, besides Bram Stoker, we do meet Olympia Babbage, the fictional granddaughter of the very real Charles Babbage—who designed but never built the first computer—in The Spiritglass Charade. We also meet Queen Victoria, Princess Alexandra, and we learn about Dr. Gray, who is the nephew of the author of Gray’s Anatomy.

Both books involve young women being taken advantage of in different ways. Do you think that the repression of women in Victorian society left women more vulnerable?

Women were vulnerable in Victorian society, there is no doubt about it. Think only of what they were forced to wear! They were literally and figuratively bound and restricted, protected and cossetted. Their clothing allowed for little movement, and surely the literal lack of oxygen from corsets and lack of exercise contributed to the repression and inability to do much of anything physical (including protect oneself).

However, whenever there is repression and restriction, there are those who are determined to rise above and beyond it—and it was those strict times, that sort of imprisonment, that inspired women like Millicent Fawcett and Emmeline Pankhurst to break out of that structure and create change.

The books explore time travel and the concept of there being an alternate world, but that's a secondary plot line. Any chance we'll see more of that in upcoming books?

Dylan remains a main character through the third book, which I’ve just finished writing (tentatively titled The Chess Queen Enigma, and due to be released October 2015). The whole concept of time travel is fascinating, and one that, of course, can be used to compare and contrast our society with that of Victorian England as well as raising moral questions. I’ve always loved playing with the idea of time travel and its implications, so I don’t foresee that element disappearing at all.

If you could live in any time period (including an altered historical time period), which would you choose?

Well, I’ve gotta be honest here…I pretty much love my heated blankets, automobile, air travel, and hot baths…so I think I’m just fine right here and now. However, to visit another world—knowing I could come back—I have a whole list of places—including Evaline and Mina’s London and the court of Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Any chance that there will be a book 3? If not, what are you working on that you can share?

Indeed. Book three is complete and centers around a missing chess queen…along with the return of the Ankh.

What is your favorite indie bookstore and why is it a favorite?

I love Schuler’s Books in East Lansing, Michigan. It’s exactly what a bookstore should be: well-stocked, staffed by book-knowledgeable people, it has a great coffee shop, and the store creates and hosts wonderful events that bring book-lovers and authors together on a regular basis. I love going in there…and I always come out with a huge bag of books! 

The Spiritglass Charade
By Colleen Gleason
Chronicle Books, October 2014
udience: Ages 12 and Up

After the Affair of the Clockwork Scarab, Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes are eager to help Princess Alix with a new case. Seventeen-year-old Willa Aston is obsessed with spiritual mediums, convinced she is speaking with her mother from beyond the grave. What seems like a case of spiritualist fraud quickly devolves into something far more menacing: someone is trying to make Willa appear lunatic using an innocent-looking spiritglass to control her. The list of clues piles up: an unexpected murder, a gang of pickpockets, and the return of vampires to London. But are these events connected? As Uncle Sherlock would say, there are no coincidences. It will take all of Mina's wit and Evaline's muscle to keep London's sinister underground at bay.

Read an excerpt of The Clockwork Scarab | Read an excerpt of The Spiritglass Charade

Additional Resources: Common Core Aligned Teacher's Guide | Steampunk Party Kit | Steampunk Costume 

About the author:
Colleen Gleason is a New York Times bestselling author with more than two dozen novels in print, including the international bestselling paranormal romance series The Gardella Vampire Chronicles—about a female vampire hunter who lives during the time of Jane Austen. Check out her Stoker & Holmes Tumblr

Follow the Tour:

10/7/2014   Esther's Ever After    http://everafteresther.blogspot.com

10/8/2014   Chronicle Books Blog   http://www.chroniclebooks.com/blog/

10/9/2014   Anna's Book Blog   http://annavivian.blogspot.com/

10/10/2014   Kid Lit Frenzy   www.kidlitfrenzy.com

10/11/2014   Caught Between the Pages   http://caughtbetweenthepages.wordpress.com

10/12/2014   Mother Daughter Book Club   http://motherdaughterbookclub.com

10/13/2014   Cracking the Cover   www.crackingthecover.com

10/14/2014   The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia   http://hauntedorchid.blogspot.com

10/15/2014   Forever Young Adult   www.foreveryoungadult.com

10/16/2014   SciFiChick.com   Http://SciFiChick.com

10/17/2014   On Emily's Bookshelf   www.onemilysbookshelf.com

Arcadys Goal Blog Tour & Giveaway

This week the Arcady's Goal Blog Tour kicks off right here at Kid Lit Frenzy with a review and giveaway. Check out the links for all of the stops in the blog tour and for a chance to enter to win a copy of Eugene Yelchin's newest book.

Arcardy's Goal
by Eugene Yelchin
Henry Holt and Company (October 14, 2014)
Audience: Grades 4 to 7
Historical Fiction * Soviet Union * Soccer
IndieBound | WorldCat
Reviews: Kirkus | Publisher's Weekly 
Teacher's Guide

Description from GoodReads:
From Newbery Honor–winning author Eugene Yelchin comes another glimpse into Soviet Russia. For twelve-year-old Arcady, soccer is more than just a game. Sent to live in a children’s home after his parents are declared enemies of the state, it is a means of survival, securing extra rations, respect, and protection. Ultimately, it proves to be his chance to leave. But in Soviet Russia, second chances are few and far between. Will Arcady seize his opportunity and achieve his goal? Or will he miss his shot?

Thoughts about this book:

In 2012, when Breaking Stalin's Nose won a Newbery Honor, I immediately went out and got a copy to read. It was fascinating to me to read a story set in the former Soviet Union.  There were not many novels that I knew of that seemed as accessible as Breaking Stalin's Nose and also gave readers some insight to life in the Soviet Union.

Yelchin is back with another novel, Arcady's Goal, set in the early 1940's in the Communist Russia. And as with Breaking Stalin's Nose, Yelchin finds a smaller story that will reach children while giving them some insight into what life would have been like for those living in the Soviet Union.  

For children with limited understanding of the time period and the significance of reporting others to the authorities, it is helpful to read first the author's note at the end of the book. I also find that both the length of the book and the complexity of the time period makes this book an excellent choice for a classroom read aloud. In addition to talking about the events happening in the story, and how children will relate to Arcady and his love for soccer, there are many possibilities for significant discussion.

I found as I read Arcady's Goal, I had a clear understanding of Arcady and how he took risks in an effort to protect himself and survive.  It was through his gifted nature to play soccer so well that other possibilities open up to him.  And though we often see Ivan through Arcady's eyes, we learn of the struggles and losses that Ivan has faced with the loss of his wife and more. 

If you have not read Breaking Stalin's Nose, I would certainly add it to your "to-read" list along with Arcady's Goal.  Yelchin's ability to write with emotion and  genuineness makes these must have's for the classroom.  Additionally, Yelchin's pencil illustrations add an additional layer to the story.

Eugene Yelchin talking about his 2012 Newbery Honor Book - Breaking Stalin's Nose

About the author:
Eugene Yelchin is the author and illustrator of the Newbery Honor Book Breaking Stalin's Nose. Bord and educated in Russia, he left the former Soviet Union when he was twenty-severn years old.  Mr. Yelchin has also illustrated several books for children, including Who Ate All the Cookie Dough? and Won Ton.  He lives in California with his wife and children.  
website | facebook

Check out the other stops on the blog tour:

10/6 – Kid Lit Frenzy

10/7 – Eat the Book

10/8 – Watch. Connect. Read

10/9 – Read, Write, Reflect

10/10 – Nerdy Book Club

10/13 – Librarian in Cute Shoes

10/14 – The Busy Librarian

Giveaway:
To enter to win a copy of Arcady's Goal, please complete the Rafflecopter form below. All participants must have a US Mailing address and be 13 years old or older. 

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The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine: Friendship Over: Interview with Julie Sternberg - Blog Tour & Giveaway

I am very excited to welcome Julie Sternberg to Kid Lit Frenzy. I loved her Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie Series and excited about sharing Friendship Over with students once I wrestle it back from my niece who absconded with it the other day.  Thank you Julie for writing such fun books and for stopping by to answer some questions.

The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine seems like the next step up in reading for your fans of Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie. Was it intentional to take this next step? And what was it like to write for a slightly older audience?

I wish I could say it was intentional. I’d feel like such a good planner! But I didn’t have a particular audience in mind when I started THE TOP-SECRET DIARY OF CELIE VALENTINE. I just wanted to create a story using the different writings in many kids’ lives: journal entries; notes passed in class; emails; notes scribbled down for family members; homework assignments; and the like. That structure is a little more complicated than the one in LIKE PICKLE JUICE ON A COOKIE, so it works well for slightly older readers. As much as I loved writing PICKLE JUICE and its sequels, it’s also been a lot of fun exploring a new format. I hope Celie’s diary, and the various writings she tapes into it, are as fun to read as they were to write.

Celie’s father received a punching bag when he was 10 and when Celie turned 10 her dad gave her both a punching bag and a diary. Did you keep a diary as a young girl and did anyone ever get into it and read it?

I was the kind of kid who loved the idea of keeping a diary, but never managed to actually do it. Now I wish I had! I’d love a record of my childhood thoughts and feelings.    

Friendships and sisters can seem like the most challenging thing whether you are 10 or well even as an adult. Were any of the scenarios in the story based on real experiences?

There’s a moment in the book when Celie is stuck in a long timeout after kicking her older sister, Jo. Jo did something bad, too, but Celie alone is punished. So Jo feels guilty. She writes an apologetic note to Celie and slides it under the door of the room where is Celie is having her timeout. Celie then slides an angry response back under the door. The girls continue to exchange notes this way, until the timeout is over.  

My daughters used to slide notes back and forth under their bedroom door, too, when one was in a timeout and the other felt at least a little guilty about it. I’ve always loved the idea of those notes, and the dynamic between sisters (both love and conflict) that they capture. My earliest drafts of the book started with that exchange.  

Do you have any special writing routines, and what is your writing space like (coffee shop, office, other)?  

I try to write between the time when I drop my younger daughter off at school and when I pick her up. I tend to drink a staggering amount of tea—iced tea and hot tea—as I write. I write in both coffee shops and at home, depending on my mood and the logistics of my day. Here’s a picture of my writing spot right now. Note the pot of hot tea, which I’ve already finished, and the practically empty glass that held iced tea before I finished it, too:

Are you working on any new books/projects that you can share with us? 

I just finished the latest draft of the second book in THE TOP-SECRET DIARY OF CELIE VALENTINE series, and I’m starting the third book now. I also have a picture book coming out in the spring. It’s called BEDTIME AT BESSIE AND LIL’S.  

What has been your favorite question or letter from a reader (either at a school visit or in a letter/email form)?

I once received this photograph of a big sister reading one of my books (LIKE CARROT JUICE ON A CUPCAKE) to her little sister. That moment feels magical to me. I can’t think of a better reason to write.

Photo Credit: Meredith Zinner

About the author:
Julie Sternberg is the author of the best-selling Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie and its sequels, Like Bug Juice on a Burger and Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake. Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie is a Gryphon Award winner and a Texas Bluebonnet Award finalist; Like Bug Juice on a Burger is a Gryphon Honor Book, a Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards Nominee, and an Illinois Monarch Award Finalist. Formerly a public interest lawyer, Julie is a graduate of the New School's MFA program in Creative Writing, with a concentration in writing for children. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York. For more information about her life and work and to download free activity materials based on her books, visit her website 

Check out the other stops on Julie’s blog tour!

Mon, Sept 29     Mother Daughter Book Club    http://motherdaughterbookclub.com/

Tues, Sept 30    5 Minutes for Mom   http://www.5minutesformom.com/category/feature-columns/5-minutes-for-books/

Wed, Oct 1      Sharpread   http://mrcolbysharp.com/

Thurs, Oct 2    KidLit Frenzy    http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/

Fri, Oct 3        The Hiding Spot    http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com

Sat, Oct 4       Booking Mama   http://www.bookingmama.net/

Mon, Oct 6     Ms. Yingling Reads   http://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/

Tues, Oct 7     GreenBeanTeenQueen   http://www.greenbeanteenqueen.com/

Wed, Oct 8     Great Kid Books   http://greatkidbooks.blogspot.com/

Thurs, Oct 9   Teach Mentor Texts   http://www.teachmentortexts.com/#axzz3DP0vkvgi

Fri, Oct 10        Unleashing Readers     http://www.unleashingreaders.com/

Sat, Oct 11       Bermuda Onion       http://bermudaonion.net/  

Giveaway!

One lucky reader will receive a copy of FRIENDSHIP OVER: THE TOP-SECRET DIARY OF CELIE VALENTINE in hardcover (U.S. addresses only). Please complete the rafflecopter form to enter.

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Review and Giveaway of Rory's Promise by Michaela MacColl

Rory's Promise
by Michaela MacColl & Rosemary Nichols
Calkins Creek Books (September 1, 2014)
Audience: Ages 9 to 12
Historical Fiction * Sisters * Orphans
Educator's Discussion Guide
Indie Bound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:
Twelve-year-old orphan Rory Fitzpatrick lives with her younger sister Violet at New York City's Foundling Hospital in the early 1900s. But when Rory discovers that Violet will be sent to the Arizona Territory to be adopted, her world is shattered. Although too old to be adopted herself, Rory--brave and smart--is determined to stay with her sister, even if it means hiding out on a train traveling west. When Rory and Violet arrive in Arizona, everything that could go wrong does go wrong. Will Rory give up? This uplifting novel about the power of faith and the true meaning of family launches the Hidden Histories series, spotlighting little-known tales from America's past, and the children behind those stories. Includes authors' note and further resources.

Reviews/Interviews/Giveaways: Kirkus | Kirby's Lane | Middle Grade Mafiaso | Mother/Daughter Book Club | Middle Grade Minded | Unleashing Readers

Thoughts about the book:
Historical fiction has always been my favorite way to enter into history. History can be fascinating when you study the stories behind the events. However, too often we make it about a list of events and dates. Not as fun, at least in my mind. 

Michaela MacColl has written several historical fiction novels and Rory's Promise is the first in a new series of Hidden Histories by Calkins Creek Books. In this middle grade historical fiction novel, readers learn about the Great Arizona Orphan Abduction through the eyes and lives of 12 year old Rory and her five year old sister Violet. When Rory's younger sister is going to be separated from her and sent out to Arizona to be adopted, Rory must act quickly. Though there was no known quick thinking 12 year old girls helping out the Sisters, the story still captures the emotions and general experiences that would have been part of the lives of children who had indeed been on an Orphan Train during this incident.

One of the things that I particularly found fascinating with Rory's Promise is the complexity of what was happening both from the perspective of the Orphan Trains taking children away from New York and sometimes from their families, as well as, the racial tensions and prejudice against Mexican families adopting Irish Catholic children.  As I was reading the book, I keep looking up information because I wanted to know more about this event in history that I had heard little of before reading Rory's Promise.  And any book that sparks readers to want to learn more about a topic or an event is great to include as part of the classroom curriculum.

The end of the book includes an author's note and additional resources. Though the book lends itself to further discussion on its own, there is a link above to the educator's discussion guide. 

Additional information about the Orphan Trains and New York Foundling Hospital:

National Orphan Train Complex

The Foundling/New York

Official Book Trailer:

About Michaela MacColl:
Michaela attended Vassar College and Yale University earning degrees in multi-disciplinary history. Unfortunately, it took her 20 years before she realized she was learning how to write historical fiction. Her favorite stories are the ones she finds about the childhood experiences of famous people. She has written about a teenaged Queen Victoria (Prisoners in the Palace, Chronicle 2010) and Beryl Markham’s childhood (Promise the Night, Chronicle 2011). She is writing a literary mystery series for teens featuring so far a young Emily Dickinson in Nobody’s Secret (2013) and the Bronte sisters in Always Emily (2014).  She has recently begun a new series with Boyd’s Mill/Highlights called Hidden Histories about odd events in America’s past. The first entry in the series is Rory’s Promise and will be published in September 2014. She frequently visits high schools and has taught at the Graduate Institute in Bethel, CT.   She lives in Westport CT with her husband, two teenaged daughters and three extremely large cats. 

Don't forget to enter to win a copy of Rory's Promise - Thank you Calkins Creek Books for sponsoring the giveaway. Participants must be 13 years old or older to enter and have a U.S. mailing address.

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