Bibliophile's Corner

My Own Lightning

by Lauren Wolk

Flap Copy Description:

It's been several months since the tragic events set in motion by bully Betty Glengarry, and the routine of daily life in Wolf Hollow has slowly returned. But for Annabelle McBride it's hard to move forward and make peace with what feels like thread-bare justice.

Newly warm summer days are about to bring a jolt of change on the winds of a powerful storm. In its wake, the search for her brother's missing dog will set Annabelle on a new path that brings her to unfamiliar doorsteps and reunites her with a too-familiar adversary - Andy Woodberry, who was complicit in Betty's most terrible acts. Growing up and blazing her own trail will soon force Annabelle to reexamine deeply felt truths - about people, about justice, about herself - that had once seemed so uncomplicated. 

My Thoughts:

With a touch of magical realism, author Lauren Wolk's My Own Lightning is a worthy sequel to her Newbery Honor winning novel, Wolf Hollow. This poignant tale includes a protagonist that is kind and courageous, and brave enough to examine her own prejudgments of others. Set in Pennsylvania during World War II, this lyrical slice of Americana is historical fiction at its finest. My Own Lightning is a middle grade novel not to miss. I highly recommend it to readers aged eight to eighty!

Click here to learn about the author, Lauren Wolk.

Storyteller's Journey

Friday the 13th!

If you're a writer of fantasy for children, myths, legends, and superstitions are critical elements in the drafting of your magical storyline. Long-held superstitious beliefs are important.

They can offer the writer a premise from which to launch her plot. Whether it's werewolves and a full moon, vampires' aversion for sunlight, or the proverbial black cat and our fear to cross its path!

For me, the myth (or is it?) that one can time-travel through the portal at Stonehenge (near Salisbury, England), prompted me to spend the last decade working on a middle grade novel in which my female protagonist unexpectedly travels through time while visiting the famous Standing Stones. My husband, Michael, and I were lucky enough to visit the World Heritage Site in 2014, on our three-week trip to Europe.

Michael, me, and a shapeshifting bird?

So, if you're a writer of magical stories for children, it behooves you to utilize strange and superstitious beliefs to your advantage. 

Whether you're superstitious, or not! 

Whimsical Word of the Week

Perfidious - (adj.)

deceitful and untrustworthy.

Example: The schoolmaster couldn't trust the perfidious pupil not to cheat on his examinations.

Bibliophile's Corner

The Ogress and the Orphans

by Kelly Barnhill

Flap Copy Description:

Maybe, the Ogress thought, this was a place where she could belong.

Stone-in-the-Glen, once a lovely town, has fallen on hard times. Fires, floods, and other calamities have caused the people to lose their library, their school, their park, and even their neighborliness. The people have put their faith in the Mayor, a dazzling fellow who promises he alone can help. After all, he is a famous dragon slayer. (At least, no one has seen a dragon in his presence.) Only the clever children of the Orphan House and the kindly Ogress at the edge of town can see how dire the town's problems are.

Then one day a child goes missing from the Orphan House. At the Mayor's suggestion, all eyes turn to the Ogress. The Orphans know this can't be: the Ogress, along with a flock of excellent crows, secretly delivers gifts to the people of Stone-in-the-Glen.

But how can the orphans tell the story of the Ogress's goodness to people who refuse to listen? And how can they make their deluded neighbors see the real villain in their midst?

My Thoughts:

Kelly Barnhill has written several novels for children; her best-known is The Girl Who Drank the Moon, which won the Newbery Medal in 2017. Her most recent release is The Ogress and the Orphans; once again, Ms. Barnhill has penned an extraordinary middle grade novel! Clean, crisp text bring the author's exquisite storytelling style front and center. The diverse cast of characters and old-world setting add to the mystique of this enchanting tale featuring themes of generosity and love. I highly recommend The Ogress and the Orphans to readers aged eight to twelve.

Click here to learn about the author, Kelly Barnhill.

Storyteller's Journey

An Author Interview with Deb Cushman

It's been a long time since I've interviewed a visiting author about her own storyteller's journey. So, today I have a very special guest with me: one of my critique partners, Deb Cushman!

Deb's middle grade novel Frigg's Journey to Anasgar will release in September.

Welcome to Writ of Whimsy, Deb! 

Deb: Thank you so much for having me, Victoria. I'm excited to be here.

WW: So, Deb, before we discuss your exciting new fantasy middle grade novel, I thought I'd ask you about your own journey as a writer. When did you first begin writing stories for kids? 

Deb: I've been writing stories since 2nd grade when we stapled together small journals and filled them with our tales. When I was in the 3rd grade, I wrote a historical play which was performed by my classmates for our parents. In 6th grade I wrote stories with my spelling words, that often included original songs and commercials. I guess you could say I've always enjoyed writing and was lucky to have teachers who fostered creativity.

WW: That's amazing! You're definitely a born writer. Since you've been writing for so long what one piece of advice would you give aspiring authors?

Deb: Never give up. That's rather cliché but it has been true for me. I've worked hard at my craft, found supporting writers, joined writing organizations, and kept writing. I've had success having short stories published in magazines, but the competition is strong, and you have to keep going when you feel the urge to give up.

WW: That's great advice, for sure. Deb, would share one or two obstacles you've encountered on your path to publication?

Deb: I've had many agents and editors tell me, "Your writing is good, but your story is not quite what the market is looking for right now." The "market" is a tough obstacle to get past. No matter how creative your story, if the gatekeepers feel it is too much like something else or is something that isn't the most popular trend right now, they don't think they can sell it. I do understand. Writing is a business, and they must look at the bottom line, but often my debut book is compared to The Hobbit because it is a quest and has dwarves and elves. People love The Hobbit and I think they will love Frigg's Journey to Anasgar as well.

WW: So, what inspired you to write Frigg's Journey to Anasgar?

Deb: I'm a great lover of adventure fantasy and I noticed that in most stories with dwarf main characters, the heroes are always male. I began to wonder what a female dwarf hero would be like. In Frigg's Journey to Anasgar, a young dwarf named after Frigg, the Norse goddess of all things domestic, dreams of adventure and wants to be able to do all the wonderful, active things that the boys do in her patriarchal society. I was a lot like Frigg when I was younger, so it wasn't a hard choice to imagine her story!

WW: I didn't even know about all that. Thanks so much for the interview, Deb!

Deb: You're very welcome. I appreciate the opportunity to share story.

Below is the cover and a short summary of Frigg's Journey to Anasgar, as well as the social media sites where you can connect with the author, Deb Cushman. I know she has some special activities and events planned for her book's release, so you won't want to miss following Deb's author sites. Enjoy!

Is there such a thing as too much adventure?

Captured by ogres! Exhibited in a freak show! When Frigg dreamed of adventure, this is NOT what she expected. After trolls attack Frigg's colony, the young dwarf and her friends escape and embark on a perilous journey to locate the legendary dwarf colony Anasgar for help. Blundering Bloodstones!

Can a dwarf, a faery, an elf, and a unicorn convince the defiant dwarves of Anasgar to help fight the trolls, or will her friends and family be enslaved forever?

Frigg's Journey to Anasgar is the first book of an exciting new middle-grade fantasy series, Chronicles of Nadavir, that will follow a group of magical friends on journeys of adventures and discovery. It will be released in September 2022.

Website: http://www.debcushman.com

I've created a set of FREE activities for children aged 8-12 to enjoy when you join my Nadavir Kids Club on my website. There are games, puzzles, crafts, stories, and other fun activities. Each month I will add a new activity and announce it in my newsletter!

Blog: http://debcushman.blogspot.com 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/debcushmanwriter  

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DebCushman

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cushmandeb/

Congratulations, Deb Cushman!

Whimsical Word of the Week

Droid - (n.)

a robot, especially one with an appearance resembling that of a human.

Example: The Star Wars convention was full of attendees dressed as jedis, droids, and stormtroopers.

May the Force be with you! 

Bibliophile's Corner

The Big Book of Blooms

by Yuval Zommer

Back Cover Description:

What does a Venus flytrap eat?

How strong is a giant water lily?

Do flowers bloom at night?

You'll find the answers to these thorny questions and many more inside, along with everything you need to know about how botanists are helping save the planet, and how you can grow your own garden!

As you meet all kinds of colorful, carnivorous, weird and wonderful flowering plalnts from around the world, you can play search and find in the pictures, too. Can you spot the special bulb?

My Thoughts:

This extraordinary book is both beautiful and big! It's full of Mr. Zommer's exquisite illustrations, as well as loads of information about everything to do about flower and plants. I highly recommend The Big Book of Blooms to gardeners (and gardeners-to-be) of all ages!

Click here to learn about the author/illustrator, Yuval Zommer.