JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014

RICHARD PECK

KELLY MURPHY

KAMIKINARD

FEATURING

Interview with 14-Year-Old Author Ravina Thakkar

Books for the New Year

Inside Cinco Puntos Press

What would you do if your parents weren’t watching?

It’s 1943 and eleven-year-old Les MacGregor is thinking of running away. He’s sick of his parents, who are

always fighting, and his three horrible brothers—perfect James, bitter Charlie and annoying Johnny.

With his parents focused on their problems, Les has plenty of time on his own to do what he wants. After being ostracized thanks to the school bully, Les spends time dissecting a dead cat in his secret science lab, scaling the attic roof and tapping phones lines, which seems like a great idea until the FBI comes calling. It’s time for Les to go, so he plans his escape.

While the family gathers at the station to ship his perfect older brother James off to war, Les figures it’s time to hop a train and go on a grand adventure. After all, there’s nobody looking—right?

www.victoryonthehomefrontbook.com Paperback and Kindle editions available on

COOL READS FOR KIDS

staff

Margaret Brown founder and publ isher

Laurisa White Reyes editor in chief

Christina Davidson creative director

Ben Minton ci rculat ion manager

Patricia McClain copy editor

Anne McCain associate editor

Kelly Bergh associate editor

Dorine White associate editor

Jane Miller accounting manager

For adver tising inquir ies: cal l 214.704.4182 or e-mai l margaret@shelfmediagroup.com

For editor ial inquir ies: e-mail laur isa@shelfmediagroup.com or wri te to Middle Shelf , 28020 Newbird Dirve, Saugus, CA 91350

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Nothing makes you smarter than reading.

But to become a strong reader, you need books. And many kids from low-income families don’t have books of their own at home.

First Book is a nonprofit that makes sure all kids have books of their own.Find out how YOU can get involved at firstbook.org.

NEW BOOKSFOR KIDS IN NEED

january/february 2014 contents

8 richard peck interview with the author of The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail

12 kami kinard interview with the author of The Boy Problem

14 debut author interview with ravina thakkar

29 under the covers with artist kelly murphy

38 character spotlight a visit with lin oliver and henry winkler, co-authors of Ghost Buddy

DEPARTMENTS

4 a word from the editor

6 reader’s challenge

16 themed books: new beginnings

20 cool reads for cool kids

34 novelty spotlight

36 non-fictionspotlight

37 graphic novel spotlight

42 reviews

44 publisher’s corner

46 bookshelf

52 best of the blogs

54 on our shelf

56 poetry

59 last words

60 contributors

On the cover: The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail by Richard Peck, illustrated by Kelly Murphy, 2013, Dial Bookswww.facebook.com/richardpeckauthor

Images from Maximillian and the Bingo Rematch by Xavier Garza, illustrated by Xavier Garza, 2013, Cinco Puntos Press and Dogs of War by Sheila Keenan, illustrated by Nathan Fox, 2013, Scholastic/Graphix

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 20144

a word from the editor

eclome to 2014 and the January/February issue of Middle Shelf: Cool Reads for Kids. Earlier this year I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Richard Peck, twice winner of the Newbery Award and author of more than forty books for children and young adults. I was so impressed with what he had to say I knew Middle Shelf readers had to meet him too. In this issue, Mr. Peck shares his wit and wisdom in a very special interview. Also, in Under the Cov-ers artist Kelly Murphy reveals how she created the cover for Mr. Peck’s latest book The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail.

In addition, special guests Henry Winkler (Hap-py Days’ The Fonz) and Lin Oliver stop by for a

hilarious look at their middle grade series Ghost Buddy. You’ll also meet 14-year-old debut author Ravina Thakkar and author of The Boy Problem, Kami Kinard. Finally, visit with Lee Byrd, founder of Cinco Puntos Press. Of course, we also have excerpts from six must-read books, as well as a host of other spotlight titles deserving of attention.

I wish you all a Happy New Year and hope that Middle Shelf will become your go-to resource for finding the best books of 2014.

Laurisa White Reyeseditor-in-chief

W

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Synopsis:    

When Casey and Johnny overhear assassins discussing “taking out” an Olympic gymnast just prior to the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, they team up with Chelsea and Samantha, and attempt to foil the crime. Suspense, action and lots of fun combine as the team puts their lives in harm’s way to identify and stop the assassins, before it’s too late.  

 

Some  blurbs  and  reviews  to  choose  from:  

"Gold Medal Threat is finely crafted and suspenseful, and gives kids an insider's look at the Olympic Games like no other story out there!" Tim Green, New York Times Bestselling Author

"A great novel, with twists and turns that take the reader on a ride with Casey after he finds himself at the wrong place at the wrong time. Once you start reading, it is hard to put down, with all the excitement that surrounds Casey's quest to stop killers from ruining the Olympics. A book that will have you on the edge of your seat the whole time." Tim Parker (age 13)

"Gold Medal Threat, was very interesting and hard to put down. It is a perfect book for teens and preteens. It is written exactly how a teenager would think, act, and speak. It's amazing how in this book teens are treated as adults with respect. The story was very suspenseful and mysterious. The crime was a great choice for the setting. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend. It was, without a doubt, one of the best books I have ever read." Breanna Gardner (age 12)

“This  book  is  very  thrilling  and  filled  with  suspense,  mystery,  and  action.  A  great  novel  for  kid  mystery  fans.  Humor  is  twisted  inside  every  chapter.  The  author  takes  you  on  a  journey  with  many  twists  and  turns.  The  main  characters  are  likable,  smart,  funny,  and  resourceful.  I  loved  every  chapter.”  Jacob  Tabs  (age  11)  

" Gold Medal Threat is one of those books that puts a big smile on your face and makes your day better. I truly recommend it to everyone, at every age. I bet my grandma would love it too, because you can't dislike a book like this. It’s so much fun! I loved it!" Bianca M. Calin (age 14)

” Gold Medal Threat is really good. I liked it a lot. I especially liked that the Olympic Games were involved in the story. The story was very thrilling and suspenseful. I would recommend the book to my friends.” Charlie  Weale  (age  9)  

“This  book  was  amazing.  When  I  read  this  book  I  could  not  put  it  down  and  I  was  on  the  edge  of  my  seat  the  whole  time.  I  can’t  wait  to  read  the  next  one.  I  would  definitely  recommend  this  book  because  it  is  one  of  my  favorite  books.    Josh  Madden  

 

When Casey and Johnny overhear assassins discussing “taking out” an Olympic gymnast just prior to the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, they team up with Chelsea and Samantha, and attempt to foil the crime. Suspense, action and lots of fun combine as the team puts their lives in harm’s way to identify and stop the assassins, before it’s too late.

“Gold Medal Threat is finely crafted and suspenseful, and gives kids an insider’s look at the Olympic Games like no other story out there!”

—Tim Green, New York Times Bestselling Author

“A great novel, with twists and turns that take the reader on a ride with Casey after he finds himself at the wrong place at the wrong time. Once you start reading, it is hard to put down, with all the excitement that surrounds Casey’s quest to stop killers from ruining the Olympics. A book that will have you on the edge of your seat the whole time.”

—Tim Parker (age 13)

www.balkindbooks.com

AVAILABLE AT

AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, SMASHWORDSAPPLE, KOBO, DIESEL, SONY

AND MOST OTHER EBOOK STORES

Michael Balkind is a member of Mystery Writers of America. His novels; Sudden Death, Dead Ball, and The Fix are endorsed by bestselling novelists: James Patterson, Clive Cussler, Wendy Corsi Staub, Tim Green, Andrew Gross, John Lescroart and John Feinstein.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 20146

reader’s challenge

White fluffy goodness falling from the skyUntil people come around and mess it up.William H. (11 years old)Bronx, NY

Colder than rain. Whiter than light. Falls to the earth with a heartbreaking sight. Harrison G. (14 years old)Santa Clarita, CA

Thank you to everyone who sent in a poem in response to our first ever Reader’s Challenge. We called for 2- to 4-line poems about or using the word “SNOW.”

NEW CHALLENGE: If you could have lunch with a character from any book, who would it be and what food(s) would you eat? Email your response to Laurisa@shelfmediagroup.com no later than February 1st. Be sure to include the title of the book in which your chosen character appears. Selected entries will be published in the March/April issue of Middle Shelf.

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Snow is falling fast. Trees and hills are blanketed, snowmen standing still. Allie G. (10 years old) Santa Clarita, CA

Snow is pretty and white.It makes our faces bright. Camille W. (11 years old) Marysville, WA

Snow is so freezing. I like it that way,because if it wasn’t freezing then we wouldn’t have any snow to play.Tyler W. (8 years old) Marysville, WA

Frozen rain falling from the sky.Covering the land with a blanket of white.Myer L. (11 years old)Stevenson Ranch, CA

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 20148

PeckRichard

The Mouse with The Question Mark TailDial

www.facebook.com/richardpeckauthor

Ages 8-12

feature author interview

The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail

The smallest mouse in London’s Royal Mews is such a little mystery that he hasn’t even

a name. And who were his parents? His Aunt Marigold, Head Needlemouse, sews him a uniform and sends him off to be educated at the Royal Mews Mouse Academy. There he’s called “Mouse Minor” (though it’s not quite a name), and he doesn’t make a success of school. Soon he’s running for his life, looking high and low through the grand precincts of Buckingham Palace to find out who he is and who he might become.

Queen Victoria ought to be able to help him, if she can communicate with mice. She is all-seeing, after all, and her powers are unexplainable. But from her, Mouse Minor learns only that you do not get all your answers from the first asking. And so his voyage of self-discovery takes him onward, to strange and wonderful places.

9

Middle Shelf: You started your career teaching junior high and high school. How did your experiences as a teacher influence your writing? Richard Peck: My students, particularly the middle-graders, made a writer out of me. They kicked the living autobiography out of me; they’d heard all those stories about being young in olden times, and they didn’t believe any of that could hap-pen in a free country. From them I learned that a novel had better be about the read-ers, not the writer. They also issued regu-lar reminders that a novel must entertain first before it can do anything else. That’s not the sort of thing you learn from major-ing in English.

MS: You have written more than 40 books. Do you have a favorite among them?Peck: My favorite book is always the new one. Its characters are the people I’ve lived with for a year as I try every stratagem to get them to tell me more about themselves and the story itself. Thus, my favorite book is The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail. It all came about when my sister and I were visiting the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace. The Mews with its evocative English smell of horse and leather is about the best place in England. We were lingering there one day, waiting to go into the palace because my sister wanted to see the Duchess of

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201410

Cambridge’s wedding dress, on display in the throne room. I looked down, and a mouse ran over my shoe. And I thought: he lives here. He’s a mouse of the Royal Mews. I wonder what his story is. That’s all it takes. I’d already written a novel in the voice of a mouse, Secrets at Sea. But this new one isn’t a sequel. And, as no reviewer has noticed, both these stories end on the same day in history, in the same building, two rooms apart.

MS: The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail is set in England. What other countries have you visited, and where haven’t you gone yet that you’d like to visit?Peck: Most of my novels have American settings, and they’re on the great Ameri-can theme of lighting out for the territory. But England is another country of mine, as my newest book points out. I went to college there, when I was young and impressionable, and part of me never

11

came home. But there’s another country I dream of seeing: Cuba…after it’s free.

MS: What is one of the most inter-esting things you’ve discovered while researching your stories?Peck: Researching is easier than writ-ing, and most of my stories are set in the past, for a reader-ship who haven’t lived long enough to see history repeat-ing and who aren’t learning much his-tory at school. Prac-tically everything in the past interests me. And my best day of research? In my library I came across a box of letters Civil War soldiers had sent to the folks back home. From this trove I found the voices to tell my novel, The River Between Us.

MS: You have said that reading is the last independent act. What does that mean?Peck: Until the day when your peer group leader can hack into your Kindle, reading actual books with pages you turn yourself does seem to be the last independent

act. Within the pages of a book, and only there, you can try on all those identities you dare not reveal at school. And a book isn’t Facebook or Kik Messenger or ask.fm. And you can’t be bullied by a book.

MS: Are there any books that continue to inspire you as a writer?Peck: Two books live on my desk. One is the novel that made me want to be a writer when I was in fourth grade: The Adventures of Huck-leberry Finn. In that book, I fell in love with language and long distance. The other book is Rob-ert Cormier’s The Chocolate War, a riv-eting portrait of the peer group leader the young always set up over themselves when adult authority at home and school

fails them. I can never be Mark Twain or Robert Cormier, but I’ll die trying. We all need our role models, writers or not. And all the best role models are dead. And all the worst role models are a year ahead of you at school.

“You can’t be bullied

by a book.”

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201412

feature author interview

KinardKami

The Boy ProblemScholastic, Inc.

www.kamikinard.com |

Ages 8-12

The Boy Problem

Twelve-year-old Tabitha “Tabbi” Reddy believes in signs. Like fortune

cookies. Magic 8 Balls. Shooting stars. And this year, she hopes, looking for the right signs will lead her to the right boy! Inspired by her BFF, Kara (star of The Boy Project), Tabbi starts her own “project” in the hopes of finding a cute crush. With the help of a math lesson on probability, Tabbi tries to predict who the right boy for her might be! Where is she most likely to meet him? What is he most likely to look like? Full of fun illustrations, hilarious equations, and lessons in cupcake-baking, life, love, and friendship, this book has a 100% probability of awesomeness. A perfect “next step” for fans of Dork Diaries.

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Middle Shelf: Tell us about The Boy Problem.Kami Kinard: Tabbi Reddy is an eighth grader who realizes that she has always liked the wrong kind of boy. She decides to do what her best friend Kara McAl-lister did the previous year in The Boy Project: take matters into her own hands to change her unlucky love life into a suc-cess story. The Boy Problem comically follows Tabbi’s attempts to use charts, surveys, fortune cookies, an 8 ball, and even her algebra project to predict who the right boy for her might be.

MS: How did keeping a diary help you as an author?Kinard: If I hadn’t kept diaries dur-ing middle school and high school, my first two books would not exist! That’s because I got the idea for The Boy Proj-ect from reading my old diaries. In them, my younger self talked about how much I wanted a boyfriend. Because that was a long time ago, and I’ve been married for many years now, I had forgotten what it felt like to want this. Also, I did a fair amount of doodling in my old diaries. So you will see my doodles in The Boy Problem too.

MS: Who is your favorite character in a book and why? Kinard: Fred Weasley! Because he’s funny. No, George Weasley! He’s funnier. I take

that back, definitely Fred. No, George.

MS: What other hobbies/interests do you have besides writing?Kinard: If it involves paint, glue, glitter, beads, fabric, wire, fringe, or any of the other supplies found in my huge cabinet (and chest of drawers, and shelf, and several boxes) of art supplies, I’m into it. I also have a small, but growing, art col-lection.

MS: What is the hardest part of being an author?Kinard: Writing stories, creating worlds and characters, and not knowing if my stories will be made into books. All authors deal with this, at least when they are first starting out. I was asked to write The Boy Problem, so I knew this book would find its way into the hands of readers. That is a great feeling! But we authors don’t always know for sure if our stories will evolve into books.

MS: Do you have any other books in the works? Kinard: I am just finishing a fantasy novel that I’m very excited about. After that gets sent out into the world, I’ll go back to working on another funny middle grade novel that I started last year but had to stop writing so I could complete The Boy Problem. It involves a vow of silence, a tuba, and a garage band.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201414

feature author interview

ThakkarRavina

The Adventure of a LifetimeSourcebooks

www.sourcebooks.com/store/adventure-of-a-lifetime.html

Ages 8-12

The Adventure of a LifetimeWhat happens when the story

comes to life?Nine-year-old Betty Hilmar thinks her

life couldn’t possibly be more boring. That’s why she’s always reading her favorite book, Amber the Brave. Amber gets to battle supervillains, slay dragons, and have incredible adventures that Betty only dreams of. But everything changes when Betty receives a mysterious new book.

Suddenly, Betty finds herself in the middle of one of Amber’s top secret missions. Together, she and Amber must stop the evil Doctor Sly from taking over the world, and as they race from one danger to the next, Betty learns that being a sidekick is no piece of cake.

15

Middle Shelf: Hi Ravina, and congratu-lations on your novel, The Adventure of a Lifetime. Can you tell us a little about the story?Ravina Thakkar: The story itself is about a nine-year-old girl named Betty, who, like most kids, longs to go on some type of adventure. To make up for her bor-ing life, she reads adventure fiction any chance she can get. Her favorite series includes a bold heroine by the name of Amber. In Betty’s mind, Amber lives the best life possible, going on exciting journeys every day. One day, when Betty gets to actually join Amber on one of her journeys, via supernatural means, she’s ecstatic...but Betty soon realizes that the adventurous life is a hard one—not to mention that she and Amber don’t get along very well either. All Betty wants to do is go home, but the real question is how.

MS: How old are you, and when did you start writing this book?Thakkar: I was eight when I began writ-ing the book, but I’m fourteen now. My birthday was actually a day after The Adventure of a Lifetime release date in December.

MS: At what point did you decide to become a writer?Thakkar: I’d have to say I was six. In my first grade classroom, we always had

‘free write’ time, and it was the part of the day I looked forward to most. I guess I’ve loved writing and reading my whole life.

MS: What has been the biggest chal-lenge along your road to publication?Thakkar: Sourcebooks did an excellent job of keeping me in the loop, especially when my final revisions were over, but every once in a while I’d feel kind of clue-less as to what was going on or how far they were in the publishing process. The hardest part has to be dealing with the anxiety that comes with knowing you’re out of the picture for a while. 

MS: What is your dream for the future?Thakkar: I definitely want to write more books, but I know becoming a full-time author can sometimes be an unreliable career. Anything in the same field—also known as ‘where I can sit and read and get paid for it too’—seems cool as well.

Ravina Thakkar suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, a terminal illness that requires her to undergo three 90 minute treatments to clear her lungs each day. The Make-A-Wish Foundation helped Ravina’s dream of becoming a published author come true.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201416

themed books:

Star Wars: Jedi AcademyJeffrey BrownScholastic www.jeffreybrowncomics.comages 8 - 12

R oan’s one dream is to leave home and attend Pilot Academy like his

older brother, father, and grandfather. But just as Roan is mysteriously denied entrance to Pilot School, he is invited to attend Jedi Academy—a school that he didn’t apply to and only recruits children when they are just a few years old. That is, until now...

This inventive novel follows Roan’s first year at Jedi Academy where, under the tutelage of Master Yoda, he learns that he possesses more strength and potential than he could have ever dreamed. Oh, and he learns other important things too—like how to make a baking soda volcano, fence with a lightsaber, slow dance with a girl, and lift boulders with the Force.

The Dirt DiaryAnna StaniszewskiSourcebookswww.sourcebooks.comages 10-14

Eighth grade never smelled so bad.

Rachel Lee didn’t think anything could be worse than her parents splitting up. She was wrong. Working for her mom’s new house cleaning business puts Rachel in the dirty bathrooms of the most popular kids in the eighth grade, which does not help her already loser-ish reputation. But her new job has surprising perks: enough dirt on the in-crowd to fill up her (until recently) boring diary. She never intended to reveal her secrets, but when the hottest guy in school pays her to spy on his girlfriend, Rachel decides to get her hands dirty.

new beginnings

17

The Accelerati: Tesla’s AtticNeal Shusterman & Eric ElfmanDisney/Hyperionwww.storyman.comages 10-14

A fter their home burns down, fourteen-year-old Nick, his younger

brother, and their father move into a ramshackle Victorian house they’ve inherited. When Nick opens the door to his attic room, he’s hit in the head by a toaster. That’s just the beginning of his weird experiences with the old junk stored up there. After getting rid of the odd antiques in a garage sale, Nick befriends some local kids—Mitch, Caitlin, and Vincent—and they discover that all of the objects have extraordinary properties. What’s more, Nick figures out that the attic is a strange magnetic vortex, which attracts all sorts of trouble. It’s as if the attic itself has an intelligence...and a purpose.

I Heart BandMichelle SchustermanPenguin Groupwww.michelleschusterman.comages 8-12

H olly Mead’s first day of seventh grade isn’t going as planned.

Her brother ruins her carefully chosen outfit, she’s almost late, and her new band director has some surprisingly strict rules. Worst of all, it seems like her best friend, Julia, has replaced her with Natasha, the pretty, smart, new French horn player! Holly is determined to get first chair, but Natasha is turning out to be some pretty stiff competition—and not just in band. Band might be a competition, but friendship isn’t—and Holly needs to figure it out before she loses Julia for good.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201418

themed books:

Flying With a Broken WingLaura BestNimbuswww.lauraabest.wordpress.comages 8-12

Cammie Deveau began life with a few strikes against her. She’s

visually impaired, abandoned by her mother at birth, her father was a casualty of the Second World War—and if all that isn’t enough, she’s being raised by her bootlegging aunt. No wonder she dreams of starting a brand new life. When Cammie learns about a school for blind and visually impaired children she becomes convinced a new life is waiting for her in Halifax, but how will she ever convince her aunt to let her go? With the help of her best friend, they devise a plan to blow up the local moonshiner’s still. But Cammie has not managed to change her luck, and things get worse than she ever imagined.

What the Moon SaidGayle RosengrenPenguin Young Readers Groupwww.gaylerosengren.comages 10-12

T hanks to her superstitious mother, Esther knows some tricks for avoiding

bad luck: toss salt over your left shoulder, never button your shirt crooked, and avoid black cats. But even luck can’t keep her family safe from the Great Depression. When Pa loses his job, Esther’s family leaves their comfy Chicago life behind for a farm in Wisconsin. Living on a farm comes with lots of hard work, but that means there are plenty of opportunities for Esther to show her mother how helpful she can be. She loves all of the farm animals (except the mean geese) and even better makes a fast friend in lively Bethany. But then Ma sees a sign that Esther just knows is wrong. If believing a superstition makes you miserable, how can that be good luck?

new beginnings

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Jessica Darling’s It List: The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & PerfectionMegan McCaffertyPoppywww.meganmccafferty.comages 10+

I hadn’t even gotten to homeroom yet and I’d already discovered five hard

truths about junior high:

1. My best friend had turned pretty.

2. She didn’t know it yet.3. It wouldn’t be long before

she did.4. That knowledge would

change everything between us.

5. And there wasn’t a thing I could do about it.

It’s the first day of seventh grade. Is Jessica Darling doomed for dorkdom?

Megan McCafferty’s hilarious new novel will have you laughing, cringing, and cheering for Jessica Darling as she learns that being herself beats being popular, pretty & perfect any day.

The Silver StrandL. J. ClarksonSelf-Publishedwww.facebook.com/ljclarkson7ages 10-14

E ver since twelve year old Isabelle Tresdon’s silver strand of hair

sprouted, it’s been nothing but trouble: bleeding pink dust and sparking like a firecracker. Refusing to be known as the girl with the freaky, grandma hair, she wishes it never grew and the hair withers and tarnishes. The only problem is, the strand is Isabelle’s source of magic, and she can transform particles of energy into matter. It’s also her ticket into Mastermind Academy, a secret school inside the earth’s core. Five days remain before the strand drains her magic and life, forcing Isabelle to enter into a deal with two trickster Masterminds to save it. But what she doesn’t count on is that there is more at stake than just her life.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201420

excerpts

COOL READS FOR

COOLKIDS

FANTASY

HUMOR

HISTORICAL

MULTI-CULTURAL SCIENCE FICTION CONTEMPORARY

Find your next favorite book right here.

1

2

3 4 5 6

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Next morning at ten minutes to six, Marianne stood in the hall, dressed and

ready to go, with the luggage label fastened around her neck. Her mother was in the kitchen, making a big lunch for Marianne to take on the train.

There was a knock on the door. Mari-anne opened it.

Ernest, dressed in the outfit he had worn on that first day when he arrived in Berlin from Freiburg, stood there. He was holding a small package. “I’m going back today,” said Ernest hesitantly. “Home to Freiburg.”

“I’m leaving too, in a few minutes,” said Marianne. “I’m going to England.”

“I bet it’s a long way on the train,” said Ernest.”Watch out for men in bowler hats.”

They both started laughing, remember-ing their first meeting.

Ernest said, “Well, I just came to say good-bye. I brought you something.” He handed Marianne an oddly-shaped pack-age, wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. “You can open it when I’m gone.”

A harsh voice called from downstairs, “Ernest, I forbade you to go upstairs again. Come down this minute.” Ernest straight-ened up, his arm flew out, and for a dread-ful moment, Marianne thought he was going to say, “Heil Hitler.”

Ernest stuck out his hand; Marianne took it. They shook hands.

“Good luck, Marianne. Perhaps you’ll

come back to Berlin someday.”“Good-bye. Thanks Ernest,” said Marianne.Ernest ran downstairs, two steps at a

time. The door of Number One closed behind him. Marianne went back inside her apartment and shut the door. She ripped open the parcel. Inside was Ernest’s most precious possession—the motor-horn.

Escape From Berlin. Copyright © 2013 by Irene N. Watts. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Tundra Books, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

historical

Escape From Berlin by Irene N. WattsTundra | www.tundrabooks.com

Ages 8-12

COOL READS FOR COOL KIDS

1

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201422

Penelope took a breath and glanced down at the trapeze net. Her fingers were so

sweaty they felt slimy on the trapeze bar. Even though only a few people were watch-ing, it suddenly felt as if all eyes were on her. When she glanced down again to see if she was right, she saw Molly giving her a thumbs-up.

Pen hummed and closed her eyes, trying to focus on something other than her own fear and embarrassment. She had to stop freaking herself out, or this whole trapeze thing was going to be a disaster.

“Hep!” Vivica yelled again. Then she whispered, “That means you can go ahead and jump, Miss Quirk. Just a tiny step and you’re off.”

Pen took one more deep breath, then hopped off the platform. She swung through the air, holding fast to the bar. She wanted so badly to do well.

Poof! Penelope’s sweaty fingers and palms went dry again. Rather than feeling as if she might fall, it suddenly felt like her hands were glued to the bar. She tried to lift a finger, and realized that she maybe—probably—was glued to the bar. At least she didn’t have to worry about plopping down into the net immediately, like most of her class had done during their first try on the trapeze.

Penelope had a sudden vision of herself as a circus star, her body gliding effort-lessly through the air. A moment later, she

felt herself swinging higher and higher. She heard her classmates gasp as she soared over the net, then back again. She felt free and fantastic, f lying through the air. It was almost as though her body had been wait-ing Pen’s whole life to do trapeze.

The Quirks in Circus Quirkus. Copyright © 2014 by Erin Soderberg. Excerpt reprinted with permission of Bloomsbury USA, New York, NY.

The Quirks in Circus Quirkus by Erin SoderbergBloomsbury USA | www.erinsoderberg.com

Ages 8-12

COOL READS FOR COOL KIDS

2 humor

23

I run us down the empty school hallway into the girl’s washroom and push us

into the big wheelchair stall at the end. I slam the bolt behind me then spin around and look at her. I must look a little scary, because she backs away from me until she bumps into the bathroom door. Her eyes get really big and her mouth falls open.

Yep. She’s scared. I know that look.“Okay, Jez. You can’t get that look on

your face or I’m going to lose it. Just calm down. Okay? Jez? Just shut your eyes for a minute, and I’ll explain.”

Jez shuts her eyes really tight and nods. “Uh-huh,” she manages to say, but she still keeps her eyes shut. “What’s going on, Gwen-nie?” She sounds really scared now. Poor Jez.

I slowly start to f loat up to the ceiling. There’s nothing I can do. I’m gone, f loat-ing, spinning slowly above the stall, look-ing straight down onto the top of my best friend’s head. I sigh.

There’s no easy way to do this. I just have to tell her.

“Okay, Jez. You can open your eyes when I say, but you have to promise not to scream. Actually, you have to promise not to make any noise at all. Okay? Just don’t do anything? Just look?”

She nods and I say, “Okay, you can open them.”

Jez starts breathing funny and jagged, but she bravely nods, and with a little whimper, she opens her eyes. She slowly

looks up, first at my dangling feet, then at my legs, then at my body and finally up into my face. It’s in slow motion, just like in a horror movie, when the camera moves slowly up to the horrifying thing hanging from the ceiling.

That horrifying thing is me.

The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden. Copyright © 2013 by Philippa Dowding. Excerpt reprinted with permission of Dundurn Press, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

fantasy

The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden by Philippa DowdingDundurn | www.pdowding.com

Ages 9-13

COOL READS FOR COOL KIDS

3

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201424

November 2013 ReleaseMONTOOTH 3: RED CROSS OF GOLD

3rd Novel in the Montooth Quintet

Teen friends battle to save our heroine, Carty, from charges of murdering her professor. Meanwhile, Smithsonian researchers trace the Canfield’s vast Florida treasure to its source: King Solomon and Knights Templar Crusaders.

Mystery and suspense build as 1950’s teens confront gator infested swamps, murderous thieves, school bullies, a rumored witch, and early stages of the Cuban Revolution. For a five minute movie excerpt of the first book in the series, Montooth and the Canfield Witch, go to www.montoothbooks.com

November 2013 ReleaseMONTOOTH 3: RED CROSS OF GOLD3rd Novel in the Montooth Quintet

Teen friends battle to save our heroine, Carty, from charges of murdering her professor.

Meanwhile, Smithsonian researchers trace the Canfield’s vast Florida treasure to its source: King

Solomon and Knights Templar Crusaders.

Mystery and suspense build as 1950’s teens confront gator infested swamps, murderous thieves,

school bullies, a rumored witch, and early stages of the Cuban Revolution. For a five minute

movie excerpt of the first book in the series, Montooth and the Canfield Witch, go to

www.montoothbooks.com

November 2013 Release

MONTOOTH 3: RED CROSS OF GOLD

3rd Novel in the Montooth Quintet

Teen friends battle to save our heroine, Carty, from charges of murdering her professor.

Meanwhile, Smithsonian researchers trace the Canfield’s vast Florida treasure to its source: King

Solomon and Knights Templar Crusaders.

Mystery and suspense build as 1950’s teens confront gator infested swamps, murderous thieves,

school bullies, a rumored witch, and early stages of the Cuban Revolution. For a five minute

movie excerpt of the first book in the series, Montooth and the Canfield Witch, go to

www.montoothbooks.com

Montooth 3Red Cross of Gold

Robert Jay

3rd Novel in the Montooth Quintet

Teen friends battle to save our heroine, Carty, from charges of murdering

her professor. Meanwhile, Smithsonian researchers trace the Canfield’s vast Florida treasure to its source: King Solomon and Knights Templar Crusaders.

Mystery and suspense build as 1950s teens confront gator

infested swamps, murderous thieves, school bullies, a rumored witch, and early stages of the Cuban Revolution. For a five minute movie excerpt of the first book in the series, Montooth and the Canfield Witch, go to

www.montoothbooks.com

25

“Whoa...” Ming stared at the stone door. It was intricately carved with

a dragon, lóng, and phoenix, fèng. A glint caught his gaze. “Is that ... is that jade?”

In the center of the door, a green ball the size of his fist was resting in the jaws of the menacing dragon. The ball had a hint of red at its core.

“Yes,” Shí answered proudly. Ming moved closer. The ball glowed

with a dreamy pinkish green light. He reached for it.

Shí suddenly pushed him on the shoul-der, shoving him out of the way. Startled, Ming fell to the ground. He yelped as his knee cracked against something hard. Gri-macing, he saw that he had landed on a small bronze frog, one of three that were nesting among the moss.

“Are you always so careless?” Shí huffed. “Did you not see the dragon’s eyes?”

Ming looked up. “What? I see...cobwebs in its hollow eyes.”

“There are more than cobwebs there, my young friend. If you touch that jade ball, Emperor Qin will welcome you with arrows.”

“Yeah—as if they’re still going to work after thousands of years.” Ming let out a nervous laugh. He stood up, brushing a few dead leaves off his pants.

Shí gestured over his shoulder with his thumb. “Why don’t you ask him? I think that’s where your lamp came from.”

Ming looked where Shí was pointing. With a moan, he sank back down to the f loor. Fear rippled down his spine. Oppo-site the door and leaning against the wall was the shriveled corpse of a man wrapped in a Mao-style jacket.

Secrets of the Terra-cotta Soldier. Copyright © 2014 by Ying Chang Compestine & Vinson Compestine. Reproduced by permission of the pub-lisher, Amulet Books, New York, NY.

multi-cultural

Secrets of the Terra-cotta Soldier by Ying Chang Compestine & Vinson Compestine

Amulet Books | www.yingc.com

Ages 10-14

COOL READS FOR COOL KIDS

4

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201426

Chase stumbled backward into the foyer, slamming the metal door shut. A siren

was blaring inside the house, though he hadn’t noticed when it started. He turned around to call for help and found himself face-to-face with Parker.

“What are you doing?” Parker shouted. “Are you insane? Defense, lock sequence!”

The siren cut off as the heavy thunk of a deadbolt falling into place sounded in the door behind Chase. His heart still ham-mered in his chest. “What was that?”

“You mean the Zinnjerha?” Parker ran a hand through his hair. “Good lords. If you don’t know what those are, there’s no way you’re from Trucon. If anything, anything, is burned into your memory, that would be it. The whole planet is full of those underground monsters. They could rip you to shreds.”

“Why did—it couldn’t get to me—”“There’s an electrified dome protecting

the house,” said Parker, waving his hand in a circular motion. “But you still can’t go walking around out there like bait. One or two or five can’t get through, but get two hundred of them riled up and I can’t prom-ise we’ll be okay. Especially with the way they’ve been acting lately.”

“Everyone here lives like this?” Why would anyone live on a planet where they couldn’t go outside?

“No, in the cities there’s a perimeter fence. But we’re pretty far from any city out here.”

An image formed in Chase’s mind of

where they were, in a solitary house out in the middle of nowhere. On a planet he wasn’t even from, apparently. “Where did you first find me yesterday?”

“Out there in the yard, setting off all the perimeter breach alarms. And, yes, the Zinnjerha were trying to break through and tear you apart.”

The Lost Planet. Copyright © 2014 by Rachel Searles. Excerpt reprinted with permission of Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

The Lost Planet by Rachel SearlesFeiwel and Friends | www.rachelsearles.com

Ages 9-13

COOL READS FOR COOL KIDS

5 science fiction

27

A rlo was thinking so hard that he failed to notice Darcy Meadows poking him

in the back with a tightly folded piece of notebook paper.

“Here, dummy,” she whispered.“Thanks,” Arlo whispered back.He recognized Sam’s handwriting right

away. Sam was Arlo’s best friend. Some might say his only friend. That was because of all the important things they shared in common.

1. They both loved anchovy pizza.2. They both preferred running to soccer.3. They both hated fractions.4. They were both afraid of Nick Halvorson,

though neither one of them liked to admit that.Sam lived with his great-aunt Betty in a

frame house in the old section of Marsh-boro, while Arlo lived with his grandfather a few blocks away.

When Mrs. Gretzky turned to write on the board, Arlo opened up the note and started reading.

Want to go for a run?Arlo looked over and mouthed, Yes. Sam gave him a nod. “Usual place?” he

asked.Arlo nodded.At least once a week he and Sam met on

the Boulevard near the college to run the two-mile path along the river. So far, it had rained every day this week. Until this afternoon.

“Don’t let me interrupt your conversa-tion, Arlo,” Mrs. Gretzky said.

Arlo whipped around to face the front of

the classroom.Mrs. Gretzky was staring at him. “Since

you don’t feel the need to pay attention,” she said, “perhaps you’d like an extra challenge.”

Lucy Ashcroft giggled from the front row.“Sorry,” Arlo said.“I’m glad to hear that,” Mrs. Gretzky said.

“Why don’t you stop by my desk on your way out? I’ll have something extra for you.”

All That’s Missing. Copyright © 2013 by Sarah Sullivan Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

contemporary

All That’s Missing by Sarah SullivanCandlewick Press | www.us.candlewick.com

Ages 8-12

COOL READS FOR COOL KIDS

6

W. ROYCE ADAMS

The Computer’s NerdBullied and mistreated by three schoolmates, Arthur thinks the computer he receives from his parents with a strange program called The Game may be the answer to his problems. The Game allows him to secretly get even with his tormentors. But when the Game begins to go too far, Arthur finds himself in a moral dilemma.

Mom’s Choice Award A ForeWord Magazine

Book-of -the -Year Finalist Moonbeam Children’s

Book Award

Available in Trade Paperback or special Library Case Binding with added information and a bibliography on combating bullying for parents or teachers.

JayA sequel to Me & Jay, young Jay is orphaned and “catches out” on a freight train to avoid placement in a foster home. Instead of a romantic hobo lifestyle, Jay discovers constant physical dangers, frequent hunger, and the fear of being caught by train gangs or angry railroad police. He is forced to examine his personal values and the friendshipshe’s left behind.

USABookNews.com Best Books Award Finalist

Available in Trade Paperback or special order hardcover library bound.

Rairarubia, Book 1Book 1 in the six-book series The Rairarubia Tales. Fun, easy reading, full of suspense, each chapter ends with a cliffhanger. When Molly Doogan asks her father to tell her a story, their combined imaginations create a mysterious, timeless land they call Rairarubia. But as Molly and her father develop the story over time, strange events and mysterious characters from Rairarubia begin slipping into Molly’s life. Soon she finds herself traveling into the story, meeting her main characters, and actually becoming a part of the story!

IPPY AWARD Finalist Independent Publishers

Finalist Children/Young Adult, ForeWord Magazine

All series books available in 6 X 9 Trade Paperback

Me & JayAgainst their parents’ wishes, thirteen–year-old Geri Thomas and Jay Thornton discover adventures they never bargained for as they foolishly hop a freight train to take them up the river, accidentally start a grass fire, find themselves chased through a mammoth cave by two desperate men willing to do anything to keep the teens from telling what they’ve discovered.The hard way, they learn that bad decisions can have frightful consequences

Writers Notes Magazine Legacy Award Winner Fresh Voices Award

Winner

Available in Trade Paperback or special order hardcover library bound.

www.rairarubiabooks.com

29

UNDERTHE COVERS

with Kelly Murphywww.kelmurphy.com

Kelly Murphy, illustrator of many well-known

children’s novels and picture books, started her career after graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design. While visiting the Society of Illustrators in New York, she handed out postcards of her artwork to various illustrators, art directors and agents. One postcard caught the attention of Wes Adams of Farrar, Straus and Giroux. After meeting in person, Adams hired her to illustrate her first book cover. She has illustrated twenty-five books so far and has received many awards and recognitions for her work.

Middle Shelf talks with Kelly about illustrating the cover of Newbery Award winning book The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail by Richard Peck. Come with us now as we go Under the Covers with Kelly Murphy.

Middle Shelf: How did you come up with the idea for the cover of The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail?Kelly Murphy: I was already comfortable with the drawing style of the mice from illustrating Secrets At Sea [also by Richard Peck], so sketch-ing for Question Mark Tail was really enjoyable. I knew that we needed a contrast between Nameless’ humble beginnings and the regal uniforms of the Yeomice, but I could not give away the ending of the story. I want-ed to be able to show his youthfulness but yet also his determination!

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31

MS: What mediums do you use?Murphy: I still paint traditionally, using oils, acrylics, and gel medium on paper.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201432

MS: How long did it take for you to complete this cover?Murphy: From sketch to finish, including editor feed-back, the cover took roughly one month. Being a free-lancer offers a lot of flexibility within your schedule, but it also means you can’t really take a vacation. You never know when a project may cross your path. I remember accompanying my mother to the seaside one week and I was able to brainstorm as the sea breeze crossed the kitchen table.

find us on facebookwww.facebook.com/middleshelfmagazine

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201434

Ages 8-12

novelty bookspotlight

In this second novel of the Nick and Tesla

series, the precocious brother-and-sister duo find themselves solving another baffling mystery. As the story opens, their Uncle Newt takes a consulting gig at a cut-rate amusement park, engineering animatronic figures for a cheap Hall of Presidents knockoff.  One perk of the job is that Nick and Tesla have unlimited access to the amusement park all summer long—but the kids quickly discover that one of the park employees has a sinister plan.  They’ll have to build a few robots of their own to foil him! Readers are invited to join in the fun as each story contains instructions and blueprints for five different projects. Learning about science has never been so dangerous—or so much fun!

NICK & TESLA’S ROBOT ARMY RAMPAGEBob Pflugfelder & Steve HockensmithQuirk Books | www.quirkbooks.com

35

THE STUFF:• 1 D-size battery• 1 strand of 24-gauge

plastic-coated wire• 1 3- to 4-inch (7.5 to

10-cm) iron or steel nail• Tape• Wire strippers or

scissors

THE SETUP1. Wrap the wire around

the nail, leaving about 8 inches (20.5 cm) loose at one end. Try not to let the ends of the wire overlap.

2. If necessary, cut the wire so that about 8 inches (20.5 cm) is loose at the other end, too.

3. Using the wire strippers or scissors, remove 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) of the plastic coating from both ends of the wire. Ask an adult if you have trouble with this step.

4. Tape one exposed end of the wire to the top of the battery and the other to the bottom.

THE FINAL STEPS

1. Once the battery’s connected, the flow of electricity through the wires creates an invisible magnetic field. The nail is now a magnet, and you should be able to pick up small metal objects with it, such as paper clips or nuts and bolts. The more times you wrap the wire around the nail, the larger the magnetic field and thus the stronger the magnetic force.

2. Don’t forget to disconnect the wires when you’re done. The wires and nail will get very hot over extended use, so never leave the electromagnet assembled!

TESLA AND NICK’SDO-IT-YOURSELF ELECTROMAGNET AND PICKER-UPPER

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201436

Ages 8 and up

nonfictionspotlight

How to Build a Hovercraft: Air Cannons, Magnet Motors and 25 Other Amazing DIY Science Projects

by Stephen Voltz & Fritz GrobeChronicle Books

www.eepybird.com

From the Coke and Mentos fountain makers who found initial fame via

Maker Faire and YouTube (more than 150 million views!) comes this collection of do-it-yourself science projects guaranteed to inspire a love of experimentation. Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz, also known as EepyBird, share their favorite projects: a gi-ant air vortex cannon, a leaf blower hover-

craft, a paper airplane that will fly forever, and many more. Each experiment features instructions that will take users from ama-teur to showman level—there’s something here for all skill levels—alongside illustra-tions, photographs, and carefully explained science. How to Build a Hovercraft is guaran-teed to engage curious minds and create brag-worthy results!

37

graphic novel spotlight

Dogs of War is a graphic novel that tells the stories of the canine

military heroes of World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. This collection of three fictional stories was inspired by historic battles and real military practice. Each story tells the remarkable adventures of a soldier and his service dog and is rendered with fascinating and beautiful detail, bringing to life the faithful dogs who

braved bombs, barrages, and battles to save the lives of countless soldiers.

Based on the real-life roles of mili-tary dogs that served as Red Cross rescuers, messengers, scouts, search-and-rescue teams, sentries, and mascots, Dogs of War captures both the adventure and the devastation brought on by war, as well as the celebrations of life and friendship between boys and their dogs.

Dogs of WarSheila Keenan, Illustrated by Nathan Fox

Scholastic/Graphixwww.scholastic.com/graphix

Ages 8 & up

Some war heroes heard the wind whistling over a hidden trip wire.Some war heroes sniffed out a sniper 1,000 yards away.Some war heroes stood tall . . . on four legs!

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201438

Ages 8-12

characterspotlight

Ghost Buddy: Always Dance With a Hairy Buffaloby Lin Oliver and Henry Winkler

Scholastic

39

Billy Broccoli is used to getting expert advice—wanted or not—from the ghost with the most, Hoover Porterhouse! The Hoove has smooth moves and a

silver tongue...and he isn’t shy about sharing his words of wisdom!

But when a night at the museum finds Hoover face-to-face with the ghost of a powerful Chumash Indian princess, his brain turns into mashed potatoes. Now the tables are turned and it’s up to Billy to help Hoover find the words he needs to make a new friend.

Ghost Buddy: Always Dance with a Hairy Buffalo is the newest release in the very funny Ghost Buddy series. Middle Shelf recently caught up with authors Lin Oliver and Henry Winkler—and had a surprise visit from the books’ namesake.

Middle Shelf: Hi Lin & Henry. Congratulations on the release of your latest Ghost Buddy book. What inspired you to write about a ghost?Lin Oliver: When we finished the Hank Zipzer series, which comprises 18 books, we knew that we had a great partnership and wanted to keep working together. We knew that we wanted to write comedy, because we love making kids laugh. And we knew we wanted to write about friendship, which is the central theme in all of our work. Henry: Instead of picking two friends who are similar in nature, we chose to write about two friends whose opposite natures complement one another, like Richie and The Fonz on [the TV show] Happy Days.  Billy Broccoli is shy and rather insecure. Hoover Porterhouse the Third (a.k.a. The Hoove) is full of confidence, the picture of cool.  Lin: He also happens to be dead.Henry: Well, he is the ghost of a fourteen-year-old boy, yes.The Hoove (interrupting): Wait just a minute there, folks. Watch what you’re calling me.  Most people call me a ghost, but I prefer phantom. Ghoul works in late October, gives it a kind of Halloween-y flair.  What really chaps my britches is when people call me a banshee.  I mean, that’s just rude.Henry:  You’ll have to excuse The Hoove.  He’s very fond of interrupting. Try to keep a lid on it, Hoove, will ya?  Next question.

MS: The series is about a boy named Billy Broccoli. Why Broccoli?Lin: Because neither of us likes cauliflower.

MS: How’d you pick the name Hoover Porterhouse the 3rd?Henry: Well, we thought between his name and Billy Broc-

coli’s, we’d have a complete meal. Steak and broccoli. The Hoove: Excuse me, Mr. Famous Author. You didn’t

pick my name. It was the handle given to me at birth, and I might add, a name almost as

handsome as myself. Wait a minute while I kiss myself on the arm.

MS: Tell us about the fourth book in series.Lin: In it, the Hoove finds a new friend, a Native American ghost girl

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named Anacapa.  Together, they set out to change the world.The Hoove: Whoa there, Miss Smarty Pants. Don’t go telling everyone the ending.  That’s the Hoove’s Rule #37. Don’t blow the ending for your readers.  And while we’re at it, don’t forget the Hoove’s Rule #243. Do not hang out with people who sound like an injured cat when they sing.Lin: Hoove, what does that have to do with what we’re talking about?The Hoove: Nothing, I just felt like sharing. You got a problem with that?

MS: What’s the most fun thing about writing books together?Lin: Henry and I love to make each other laugh. We figure that if we’re laugh-ing out loud when we write the book, then the kids reading it are sure to be laughing out loud too.Henry: Plus, we have very good lunches when we write. Chicken salad sand-wiches on toast.The Hoove: Which is highly annoying to me, since ghosts can’t eat. Man, what I wouldn’t give for a peanut butter and banana sandwich.

MS: In the Ghost Buddy books, how do Billy and The Hoove help each other out?   Lin: The Hoove teaches Billy that the best way to be really cool is to be yourself.Henry: And from Billy, the Hoove learns to become responsible.  Well, at least some of the time.The Hoove: Hey, who you calling irresponsible?  I happen to know, Mr. Win-kler, that you are the world’s biggest expert at losing socks.  I assume that’s why you’re wearing two different colored socks now. 

MS: What do you think your readers will enjoy most about the Ghost Buddy books?  Henry: (covering up his socks): We hope they’ll enjoy getting to know all the characters in these very funny stories.  Lin: We hope they’ll laugh so hard their eyes roll back in their heads.  The Hoove: I’ll tell you what they’ll enjoy most.  They’ll enjoy getting to know me, Hoover Porterhouse the 3rd? Why? Because I’m the ghost with the most.Henry: I think we better stop this interview now, because The Hoove always has to have the last word.The Hoove: You said it.  Boo!

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201442

TEAK recommends

Teak Balena is 12 years old and in the 7th grade. His favorite books are The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan. His other interests include chess and soccer. Teak wants to either be an architect or a lawyer. His dreams never end, and he is always looking for an adventure.

Spirit Animals, Book l: Wild Bornby Brandon Mull

Scholastic

[Review] When every child turns 11 they participate in a spe-cial ceremony where each child tries to summon a ‘spirit ani-mal,’ an animal that has come from the dead to give guidance and create a bond with their owner. Every 11-year-old must participate in this once in a lifetime ceremony. Some people will summon an animal, while most people will not. Four chil-dren, from all across the land of Erdas, have summoned an animal of legend, each with unique abilities. Conor, Abeke, Rollan, and Meilin have all been sent on a dangerous quest. Some of these children have joined the good and righteous greencloaks to protect all of Erdas. The other kid(s) have joined groups for darker reasons…

In my opinion, this is one of the best books I have ever read. The way it is written just captures me. I really love the struggle of all the four selected children to try and get affection from these brave animals. If you are a lover of action and fantasy, Spirit Animals is the way to go!

Ages 8-12

43

LARA’S reads

Eleven-year-old Lara Marcus runs a monthly book club in her home town, has her own book review blog, and writes for her school paper. In addition to being a professional actress (you might have seen her on your favorite Disney Channel show), she also hopes to publish her own books one day.

Lara’s Blog:

Ages 8-12

Confessions of a So-Called Middle Child

by Maria T. Lennon

Harper Collins

[Review] Charlie lived quietly in Malibu with her older sister Penelope and her younger brother Felix. Charlie used to have only one friend named Roxy who was always at her side, but a mean girl named Ashley swept her away from Charlie. Char-lie doesn’t like this very much and decides to seek revenge! However, Charlie’s plan goes horribly wrong and forces her family to make drastic changes.

I can’t believe that I read this book in just one day. Yes, it was THAT good. Charlie, the main character, is a funny, sar-castic, middle child prankster who has to tackle a new school and try and fit in. One of the many reasons I loved this book is because we can all relate to Charlie in one way or another. Not only is this book realistic, but it also has humor and has a touch of “craziness.”

There is something in this book for everyone to enjoy. I couldn’t put it down. In my opinion, this is a true realistic novel, and a fun quick read.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201444

publisher’s corner

How the Company Got StartedMy husband Bobby Byrd and I (Lee Byrd) started Cinco Puntos Press in 1985 out of our house. We were two writers with three kids, and we were tired of work-ing for other people. Bobby, a poet, had been published by North Atlantic Press, run by Richard Grossinger and Lindy Hough. We visited them in San Francisco and they told us they were making $25,000 a year as publishers. Well, it was the early 1980s and that sounded like a lot of money to us, so without really knowing anything about publishing except that we loved books, we started Cinco Puntos. Luckily we had a very good friend, Vicki Trego

Hill, who knew how to design books, and an equally good friend, Dagoberto Gilb, who had just finished a collection of short stories called Winners on the Pass Line, and so we had [our first] book. How Cinco Puntos Got Its NameWe live in the Five Points neigh-borhood of El Paso. Since El Paso is such a bilingual/bicul-tural city, we decided to have the name of our company be in Spanish. Cinco Puntos means Five Points. The People Behind the BooksBobby I are the owners and founders of Cinco Puntos. It

was Bobby’s idea to start Cinco Puntos. I am the main editor and the first reader for acquisi-tions, but we all have to agree on a book before we will pub-lish it. Our son, John Byrd, began working with us right from the start when he was in high school. All our kids did actually, but Johnny came back to work with us full time about eight years ago. Johnny does all our marketing, plus editing, and lots of IT work. Mary Fountaine does our shipping and inventory management. She also runs her own soap business, called Cac-tus Mary, and sells soap out of our store front. We have two great part-time long-distance employees. Elena Marinaccio, who lives and works in West-

www.cincopuntos.com

CincoPuntosPress

45

chester, New York, manages our website. Jessica Powers lives in San Francisco and helps John with marketing. Jessica is a wonderful author and we have been able to publish two of her books: That Mad Game and This Thing Called the Future.  We are really grateful for the people we work with.  Actually, we all do everything, including making coffee and doing dishes!

Awards and RecognitionsOur books have won national awards at every level, includ-ing two Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults, one in 2005, one in 2010; a Pura Belpe Honor Book; two Aesop Awards; a Pen/Faulkner award; Notable Books from ALSC; Notable Books for a Global Society.  Current and Future Middle Grade ReleasesWe just released Xavier Gar-za’s Maximillian and the Bingo Rematch, the sequel to Maxi-millian and the Guardian Angel, and Next, a young adult novel by Kevin Waltman. We don’t have any other middle grade titles planned, BUT we are always looking for middle grade books, especially those writ-ten by Native Americans and by Latino/a writers because we see that many middle graders aren’t seeing themselves and their culture in books.

Nextby Kevin WaltmanCinco Puntos Pressages 12 & up

Derrick Bowen has one thing on his mind

when basketball practice starts his freshman year: winning the starting point guard job. (Well, a girl too.) But his old-school coach makes him sit on the bench. An elite prep school wants him to transfer from his inner-city public school, but all the adults steering him there have ideas of their own.

Maximillian and the Bingo Rematchby Xavier GarzaCinco Puntos Pressages 8 – 12

Everybody’s fighting in Maximilian’s world: a

couple of cranky tías who, like lucha libre rudos, will stop at nothing to triumph in the church’s lotería game; his masked uncles going for the tag-team title of the world, and a green-eyed vixen named Paloma who challenges his love for Cecilia Cantú. Will good triumph over evil? Max sure hopes so!

books to check out

BOOK

www.theartamalegend.comAvailable at Amazon.

Dark Entitiesby R. Scott Campbell

A sci-fi adventure that focuses on a terrifying

life form that threatens the town of Boswell.

“Debut author Campbell has a knack for creepy and gory details, and

several ominous passages may give goose bumps to even the most level-headed readers. The Tor, with its soupy, sulfuric smog, and the surrounding town...are like something from The Twilight Zone.”

—Kirkus ReviewFull Kirkus review available on

author’s website at www.rscottcampbell.ca Available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon,

Chapters and Indigo.

Tayla Bayliss: Code Breakerby E.J. Gore

“Taya is a new age Nancy Drew” —Goodreads review

In this third book in the Taya Bayliss series,

a recurring dream, a series of lies and the discovery of a body

on the beach challenge Taya’s relationship with her father. Her keen eye for detail and quick thinking come to the fore as she wrestles with an emotional, environmental mystery.

www.tayabaylissbooks.com, www.ejgore.netAvailable at Amazon.

Dumb Luckby Tyrolin Puxty 

Stacey had everything

most girls dream of, including popularity. Then her friends move to another school and bet that Stacey won’t make any friends if she enrolls. Determined to prove them wrong,

Stacey goes to extremes to prove that she can fit in anywhere. After encounters with the police, an embarrassing public flash and a near death experience, Stacey is beginning to suspect that fitting in isn’t easy.

www.tyrolinpuxty.comAvailable at Amazon.

Artama & The Watchtower Portal: The Second Journeyby Bruce Paul

“Magical and mystical.”

“An imaginative, thought-provoking adventure for teens.”

Among the countless stars, there is but one decision to make.

Journey with Artama through the watchtower portal, on a quest for answers about dragons, other worlds, and matters of the heart.

Julius Caesar Brown and the Green Gas Mysteryby Ace Hansen

When a mysterious green gas

crisis breaks wind, the Global Air Group (GAG) offers a million-dollar prize to the person to discover the cause. Julius dreams

of winning the cash so he can pay off Jake the Snake, the bully who threatens to ruin his chances with the cutest girl in fifth grade.

BOOK

Janitors: Curse of the Broomstaffby Tyler Whitesides

The Bureau of Educational

Maintenance is after Alan Zumbro and this time they mean business, deadly business. Spencer, Daisy, and their little team of rebels must find the source of all

magical Glop and destroy it before it can destroy the world as we know it.

www.shadowmountain.comAvailable at Barnes & Noble,

Amazon, and Indiebound.

http://museituppublishing.comAvailable at Barnes & Noble,

Amazon, and Indiebound.

Promote your book in Middle Shelf in our Special

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and 62 countries around the globe. Our introductory ad rate for this section is $375/quarter

page as seen here. Contact publisher Margaret Brown

to reserve your space.

Margaret@shelfmediagroup.com214.704.4182.

*Maybe It’s Magicby K.L. Pickett

Pippy wants a horse more

than anything in the world. Plan One, begging her mom for one, doesn’t work. Plan Two, performing her own made-up magic spell, conjures up a tiny glass horse statue. Maybe it’s

magic! If it is, she can use its powers to get a real one.

http://museituppublishing.comAvailable at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

BOOK

www.shadowmountain.comAvailable at Barnes & Noble,

Amazon, and Indiebound.

Samantha Sutton and the Winter of the Warrior Queenby Jordan Jacobs

A secret society, a lost fortress, a

precious artifact only Samantha Sutton can protect.

Twelve-year-old Samantha Sutton isn’t sure she wants

to go to England with her Uncle Jay, a brilliant, risk-taking archeologist. But the trip seems safe enough—a routine excavation in Cambridge—and Samantha has always had a love for the past.

www.sourcebooks.comAvailable at Barnes & Noble,

Amazon, and Indiebound.

Glitter Girlby Tony Runkle

Forty-eight hours after she

blogs about the goodies in the new line of Glitter Girl cosmetics, every girl at Kat’s school is sporting the gear. Kat’s popularity skyrockets, but Jules—Kat’s BFF—

seems to be the only one who’s not buying into the Glitter Girl lifestyle. Is Kat willing to sacrifice her friendship for life in the fab lane?

www.sourcebooks.comAvailable at Barnes & Noble,

Amazon, and Indiebound.

The Candy Shop War: Arcade Catastropheby Brandon Mull

Something fishy is going on at

the new amusement center in Walnut Hills. The trouble seems to be linked to the mysterious disappearance of Mozag and John Dart,

who have spent their lives policing the magical community. “A rollicking adventure, sure to delight young readers—especially those with a sweet tooth.” —Midwest Book Review

Promote your book in Middle Shelf in our Special

Advertising Section for Authors. Each issue of Middle

Shelf is distributed to more than 125,000 people in the U.S.

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page as seen here. Contact publisher Margaret Brown

to reserve your space.

Margaret@shelfmediagroup.com214.704.4182.

*

The Dark Lady (Sherlock, Lupin & Me)by Irene Adler

While on summer

vacation, little Irene Adler meets a young William Sherlock Holmes. The two share stories of pirates and have battles of

wit while running wild on the sunny streets and rooftops. But the good times end abruptly when a dead body floats ashore on the nearby beach.

BOOK

ROOFTOPPERSby Katherine Rundell

There were no other recorded

female survivors from the shipwreck that left baby Sophie floating in the English Channel in a cello case, but Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help. Her

guardian tells her it is almost impossible that her mother is still alive—but “almost impossible” means “still possible.”

http://kids.simonandschuster.comAvailable at Barnes & Noble,

Amazon, and Indiebound.www.capstonepub.com

Available at.Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Promote your book in Middle Shelf in our Special

Advertising Section for Authors. Each issue of Middle

Shelf is distributed to more than 125,000 people in the U.S.

and 62 countries around the globe. Our introductory ad rate for this section is $375/quarter

page as seen here. Contact publisher Margaret Brown

to reserve your space.

Margaret@shelfmediagroup.com214.704.4182.

*Penny Dreadful and the Horrible Hoo Haaby Joanna Nadin

My name is not actually

Penny Dreadful. It is Penelope Jones. The Dreadful bit is my dad’s JOKE. Actually, I am not even dreadful at all. I didn’t mean for

Marlon, who is our school goat, to eat a mobile phone or do some poo that looks like chocolate drops.

www.usborne.comAvailable at Amazon.

BOOK

www.facebook.com/DSGrier.AuthorAvailable at Amazon.

Time Fetchby Amy Herrick

Edward picks up what he

thinks is a rock. He doesn’t know it is a sleeping Time Fetch—and touching it will release its foragers too soon and alter the entire fabric of time and space.

A fast-paced tale filled with mythology, danger, friendship, and a shocking centuries-old secret.

www.algonquin.comAvailable at Barnes & Noble,

Amazon, and Indiebound.

Owner’s Manual For Driving Your Adolescent Brainby JoAnn Deak and Freya Harrison

Think you know everything

about your brain? Think again! Get the goods on glia and the news about neurons, presented

in a fun and engaging format. Hang on to your hemispheres, and prepare to have your mind boggled as you learn about the workings of the brain in its second decade.

www.littlepicklepress.comAvailable at Barnes & Noble,

Amazon, and Indiebound.

Victory on the Homefrontby D.S. Grier

After being ostracized

thanks to the school bully, Les spends time dissecting a dead cat in his secret science lab, scaling the attic roof, and tapping phone lines, which

seems like a great idea until the FBI comes calling. It’s time for Les to go, so he plans his escape.

Promote your book in Middle Shelf in our Special

Advertising Section for Authors. Each issue of Middle

Shelf is distributed to more than 125,000 people in the U.S.

and 62 countries around the globe. Our introductory ad rate for this section is $375/quarter

page as seen here. Contact publisher Margaret Brown

to reserve your space.

Margaret@shelfmediagroup.com214.704.4182.

*

BOOK

Promote your book in Middle Shelf in our Special

Advertising Section for Authors. Each issue of Middle

Shelf is distributed to more than 125,000 people in the U.S.

and 62 countries around the globe. Our introductory ad rate for this section is $375/quarter

page as seen here. Contact publisher Margaret Brown

to reserve your space.

Margaret@shelfmediagroup.com214.704.4182.

*

Disneylandersby Kate Abbott

Casey is spending a

few summer days with her parents at Disneyland. Just like they do every summer. Except this summer is different. Standing in line for the Indiana Jones Adventure,

she bumps into Bert, but Bert’s parents are mysteriously absent. And he wears an old, broken Mickey Mouse watch. Bert has secrets.

The Dryby Rebecca Nolen

A deadly dry spell has left the earth

parched and souls desperate. Crops are failing. Cities are starving. A missing newspaper man doesn’t account for much in times so terrible, except to the twelve-year-

old son he left behind. When Elliot discovers the search for his father has been called off, he boards a train alone to find him.

http://skipjackpublishing.comAvailable at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

www.bambooforestpublishing.comAvailable at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Time Trappedby Richard Ungar

The high-octane sequel to

Time Snatchers. Caleb thought he’d escaped Uncle’s clutches and could have a normal life in 1968, but no such luck. After being forcibly returned to Timeless Treasures

and his old job of stealing valuable objects from the past, he learns that things have gotten even more sinister.

www.penguingroup.comAvailable at Barnes & Noble,

Amazon, and Indiebound.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201452

The Hoop Kid from Elmdale ParkTeko BernardElmdale Park Books

Ages 8-12

best of the

book blogs

Bernard is spending the sum-mer at his grandparents’ in Elmdale, and all he wants to

do is work on his basketball skills so he can join the ninth grade team in the fall. But when he learns of the plans of one greedy, ruthless busi-nessman to turn the once beloved Elmdale Park into a landfill, Bernard knows he must do something. The outcome of the Annual Elmdale Park Basketball Tournament will determine the fate of the park, and Bernard is determined to win…but first he must put together a winning team.

The Hoop Kid from Elmdale Park offers a fun, relevant story about determination, believing in yourself, the importance of teamwork, and what really matters in life. Bernard is a super likable, relatable, and plucky guy who isn’t obnoxiously perfect or too flawed. He’s some-one young readers will believe in and want to be friends with. There’s also a female character that is not

only smart and funny, but also athletic. The most unusual and interesting character isn’t human at all, but a talking, thinking, coaching basketball! At only 125 pages, The Hoop Kid from Elmdale Park can easily be read in one or two sittings by young readers, and the brisk pace and exciting sports action will easily hold readers’ attention.

Review byWORD SPELUNKING

53

I loved, loved, loved Magic Marks the Spot. Hilary, our heroine, has spent most of her life want-

ing just one thing: to be a pirate. Unfortunately, young ladies are not allowed into the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates. And when she makes the application, well, the league itself steps in to “do the right thing” and enroll her in Miss Pimm’s Finishing School for Delicate Ladies. And it is to fin-ishing school she goes, for a while at least, but she has no plans for staying there. She is waiting for the right opportunity to escape. And when the moment does come, she sneaks away to answer an adver-tisement [for a pirate crew].

Magic Marks the Spot is his-torical fantasy. Magic is very real in the world Carlson has created. It is not equally distributed, how-ever. Magic plays a definite role. Hilary’s gargoyle is magic. And he is a delightful part of the story! The action and adventure centers on finding magical treasure, and the mystery on finding the thief who has been steal-ing magical objects from the elite ruling class.

I enjoyed this one so much! The characters are quite fun. The story is just delightful with plenty of surprises! Would definitely recommend!

Ages 8-12

The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates:Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline CarlsonHarperCollins

Review byBECKY'S BOOK REVIEWS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201454

The Other Side of Freeby Krista RussellPeachtreeages 8 – 12

www.peachtree-online.com

T he Other Side of Free tells the story of a young boy rescued from

slavery and sent to live at Fort Mose, a Spanish settlement in 1739 Florida.

Jem’s story details an obscure event in American history surrounding the first free African society on American soil, a generation before the Revolutionary War. This book is a must read. I loved Jem and his efforts to raise a wounded baby owl. And learning about the slave uprising in the North that motivated so many to travel to Fort Mose and toward freedom was simply inspiring. The Other Side of Free is beautifully written, yet simple enough for younger readers to read on their own. It would make the perfect addition to any American History or Black American History curriculum.

Gadget Girlby Suzanne KamataGemmaMediaages 12 – 17

www.suzannekamata.com

Tired of being a muse to her sculptor mother, fifteen-year-

old Aiko Cassidy longs to see her own artwork, in the form of a manga she calls Gadget Girl, take the spotlight—even if the world doesn’t know she’s the author.

Author Suzanne Kamata’s bicultural, likeable protagonist is anything but dull to read about as readers follow her across the Atlantic Ocean and into a whirlwind emotional adventure. The beauty of France and the intrigue of Japan emerge flawlessly from within the book’s pages, sure to capture both the hearts and imaginations of readers.

I would recommend it highly to any young person with a passion for art looking for a short, inspiring read.

on our shelf

55

Ophelia and theMarvelous Boyby Karen FoxleeRandom House ages 8 – 12

www.facebook.com

To distract his daughters from sadness in the wake of their

mother’s death, Ophelia’s father accepts a job curating a sword exhibit at a very strange museum in a town where it never stops snowing. While exploring the museum’s countless collection-filled corridors, Ophelia finds a secret room in which the fabled Snow Queen has trapped a nameless young boy for 303 years.

Readers are sure to be captivated by the crazy ghosts, miserable monsters, and creepy museum workers lurking in this book. Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy is a dynamic, delightful tale of friendship and bravery that’s just the right adventure to read on a winter night.

Adventurers Wanted #4: The Sands of Nezzaby M.L. FormanShadow Mountainages 13 - 17

www.adventurerswanted.com

For the first time, wizard Alexander Taylor heads off on

an adventure by himself. A note of distress from a fellow adventurer brings him to Nezza, a land of sand, where people believe magic is evil. Readers will be entertained by this full-on adventure. There is an evil sorcerer intent on ruling the land. Wizard Alex accidently steps into the middle of things and rescues the rightful heir to the throne, Prince Rallian. The prince’s rescue brings about a series of long foretold prophecies that Alex unwittingly fulfills. There is plenty of action as warring armies battle each other and a great scene where Alex uses his dragon powers to devastate the enemy. Kids will love this book!

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 201456

Ages 8+

Gaby daydreams to tune out her parents’ arguments, but when her parents divorce

and she begins a new school, daydreaming gets her into trouble. Her mother scolds her for it, her teacher keeps telling her to pay attention, and the other kids tease her...until she finds a friend who also daydreams and her teacher decides to work a daydreaming-writing session into every school day. With a notebook “thick with daydreams,” Gaby grows more confident about herself and her future. This verse novel poignantly celebrates the power of writing and the inspiration a good teacher can deliver.

Words with Wings

Some wordssit still on the pageholding a story steady.Those wordsnever get into trouble.But other words have wingsthat wake my daydreams.They f ly in,silent as sunrise,tickle my imagination,and carry my thoughts away.I can’t helpbut buckle upfor the ride!

Words With Wingsby Nikki Grimes

Boyds Mills Presswww.boydsmillpress.com

poetry

57

Two of a Kind

Mom calls meDaddy’s girl’cause him and me,we’re both dreamers.“Close your eyes,” he used to say.“Tell me what you see.”I’d say, “Sky, shooting stars,rainbows wrappedround the earth.”“Now, it’s my turn.I see: you and mebundled up in silver space suits,bouncing on the moon.Race you!” he’d say.And we’d laugh,back before he movedacross the streetand we movedacross the city.Our laughterhas a lot fartherto travel now.

From Words with Wings by Nikki Grimes. Copyright © 2013 by Nikki Grimes. Published by WordSong, an imprint of Boyds Mills Press. Used by permission.

EST. 1972 HPB.COM

59

LAST WORDS

People settingoff on newlives can’t be sissies.

— from Esme Dooley, by Jane Donovan (Sky Candle Press)

“

”

contributors

cool reads for cool kids.

BERNARD, TEKOBernard owns and operates Elmdale Park, an original kids’ entertainment and cartoon company that pro-duces middle grade chapter books and active wear. He lives in Overland Park, Kansas.

BEST, LAURABest’s first book, Bitter, Sweet, was shortlisted for The Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People. Flying with a Broken Wing is the sec-ond book from the Nova Scotia resident.

BROWN, JEFFREYBrown’s art has been shown at galleries in New York, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles and Paris. Jeffrey’s work has also appeared in the Best Ameri-can Comics series and received the Ignatz Award in 2003 for ‘Outstanding Minicomic.’

BYRD, LEELee Byrd and her husband, Bobby, own Cinco Puntos Press, a very independent publishing company root-ed in El Paso, Texas. Their company and books have received many awards and recognitions.

CARLSON, CAROLINECaroline Carlson holds an MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She grew up in Mas-sachusetts and now lives with her husband in Pitts-burgh, Pennsylvania amidst many stacks of books.

CLARKSON, LOUISA J.L.J. ‘Fibber’ Clarkson tells everyone she gave up her Environmental Engineering career to write full time. But that’s not entirely true. She spends a good deal of her time sleeping in and running Indicated [www.indicated.com.au/], a promotional site for au-thors. The Silver Strand is her first novel.

COMPESTINE, YING CHANGOriginally from Wuhan, China, Ying Compestine never dreamed she’d write books in her second language, English. She spent many years as a teacher, writes for many magazines, and is a spokesperson for Nes-tle Maggi and Celestial Seasonings.

COMPESTINE, VINSONCompestine, a junior in high school, has edited sev-eral works and co-wrote Secrets of the Terra-Cotta Soldier with his mother. He is currently studying busi-ness at the University of Southern California. He is also an accomplished pianist, runs cross-country, and teaches chess.

DOWDING, PHILIPPAToronto native Dowding is a freelance copywriter, has published poems in various literary journals and has been nominated for several book awards. In March 2013 The Gargoyle at the Gates was named a White Ra-ven book by the International Youth Library in Munich.

FORMAN, M. L.Born and raised in Utah and now residing in the foothills of the Western Rockies, Forman is a full-time systems administrator. He enjoys fishing, camping and hiking. He is the author of the Adventurers Wanted series.

FOXLEE, KARENKaren Foxlee was born in Mount Isa, Queensland. She has worked most of her adult life as a registered nurse, has a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in creative writing, and lives in Gympie, Australia. Oph-elia and the Marvelous Boy is her third novel.

GARZA, XAVIERGarza is a prolific author, artist, and storyteller whose work focuses primarily on his experiences growing up in the small border town of Rio Grande City. Garza has exhibited his art and performed his stories in venues throughout Texas, Arizona and the state of Washington.

GRIMES, NIKKINew York Times best-selling author of many notable books for children and teens, Grimes received the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children in 2006 and the Coretta Scott King Award for her novel Bronx Mas-querade. Words with Wings is her latest release.

GROBE, FRITZHalf of the famed duo EepyBird, Grobe left Yale Uni-versity to become a circus performer. He won 5 gold

january/february 2014

contributors

cool reads for cool kids.

medals at the International Jugglers Championships and set a world record for the most objects juggled between two people: fifteen. EepyBird has appeared on many TV shows.

HOCKENSMITH, STEVEAuthor of several short story anthologies, Hocken-smith’s novel Holmes on the Range was a finalist for several awards including the Edgar. After being an entertainment journalist, he turned his attention to publishing. Nick and Tesla is his first children’s series.

KAMATA, SUZANNEKamata’s short stories, essays, articles and book re-views have appeared in over 100 publications. She is the fiction editor for the popular e-zine Literary Mama, and edits and publishes the magazine Yomimono.

KEENAN, SHEILANew York resident, Sheila Keenan, is the author of several books for children and collaborated with Da-vid Macauley on his How It Works non-fiction series. She and her husband, David Duggan, are currently working on a picture book about a whale rescue.

KINARD, KAMIA teaching artist on the SC Arts Commission’s Ros-ter of Approved Artists, Kami writes from Beaufort, South Carolina, where she lives with her husband and two children.

LANEY, BECKYBecky’s Book Reviews is a popular blog reviewing books for both children and adults. She has a MA de-gree and MLS degree from Texas Womens’ University. She loves to promote books and the love of reading.

LENNON, MARIA T.Lennon graduated with honors from the London School of Economics and taught English in Italy at the International School in Genova. She currently lives in California.

MATTESON, AEICHAAeicha, the personality behind the popular blog Word

Spelunking, is a proud self-proclaimed TV junkie and literature enthusiast. She has a B.A. in Literature and Language.

MCCAFFERTY, MEGANAuthor of the popular Jessica Darling novels and sev-eral other books and short stories, McCafferty is a volunteer for HiTops adolescent health services and education center in Princeton, New Jersey. Jessica Darling’s It List is the first pre-quel to her best-selling series.

MULL, BRANDONBest-selling author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series, Brandon Mull is contentedly living his dream as a full-time author. Spirit Animals is a new fantasy series with each book written by a different author.

OLIVER, LINPresident of The Society of Children’s Books Authors & Illustrators and prolific author, Lin Oliver is best known for her charm and humor—and her books, which in-clude the Hank Zipzer (co-authored with Henry Win-kler) and the Sound Bender series (co-authored with Theo Baker).

PECK, RICHARDMr. Peck was awarded two Newbery Awards: 2001 for A Year Down Yonder and 2013 for The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail. He has written more than 40 books and been given many honors. Raised in Deca-tur, Illinois, he currently resides in New York.

PFLUGFELDER, BOBScience Bob has been a fan of science since he was six years old. Bob has been featured on many TV shows. He turned an ambulance into a traveling science lab, and manages the website ScienceBob.com. [www.sciencebob.com]

ROSENGREN, GAYLEFormer copy editor with American Girl, Rosengren has published short stories with children’s magazines including Cricket, Jack and Jill, and Children’s Digest. What the Moon Said is her first novel.

january/february 2014

contributors

cool reads for cool kids.

RUSSELL, KRISTARussell holds master’s degrees from Seton Hill Uni-versity and The London School of Economics and Political Science. The Other Side of Free, winner of the 2013 Parents’ Choice award, is her second novel.

SEARLES, RACHELSearles has lived and worked abroad in Munich and Istanbul, but now resides in Los Angeles where she lives with her rocket science husband and two cats. The Lost Planet is her debut novel.

SCHUSTERMAN, MICHELLESteel Drum player Schusterman studied music ed-ucation at the University of North Texas. She has performed with several bands, was a band director, and taught kindergarten in Korea. Her next series of books, The Ex-Kat Files, launches in 2015.

SHUSTERMAN, NEALAward-winning author of more than 30 books, Shus-terman grew up in Brooklyn, NY where he began writing at an early age. He is a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer, having worked on such popular shows as Goosebumps and Animorphs.

SODERBERG, ERINMother, storyteller, and writer, Soderberg has lived in many places including New York, England, and Swe-den. The third book in her Quirks series, The Quirkali-cious Birthday, will be released in November 2014.

STANISZEWSKI, ANNABorn in Poland and raised in the US, Staniszewski was named the 2006-2007 Writer-in-Residence at the Boston Public Library and a winner of the 2009 PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award. She is the author of The Very Unfairy Tale Life series.

SULLIVAN, SARAHSarah spent fourteen years practicing law but was always secretly writing. Much of her book, All That’s Missing, is inspired by Tappahannock, Virginia where her grandparents lived and her family used to gather for Thanksgiving.

THAKKAR, RAVINA14-year-old Ravina Thakkar’s book, The Adventure of a Lifetime, is truly a wish come true. Thakkar suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, and The Make A Wish Founda-tion helped her achieve it’s publication.

VOLTZ, STEPHENVoltz earned a law degree from New York University and was a trial lawyer. But before that, he taught him-self to juggle at an early age and to eat fire when he was a teenager. The 2nd half of EepyBird, Voltz has always enjoyed performing, something his daughter enjoys as well.

WALTMAN, KEVINAuthor of four books for young people, Waltman teaches writing and literature and also does adminis-trative work at the University of Alabama. He lives in Alabama with his wife and daughter.

WATTS, IRENE N.Author of many historical books and plays, Irene Watts was a young girl in Berlin, Germany then was sent to England on a Kindertransport, leaving both her family and her love of theater behind. She now lives in British Columbia, Canada.

WINKLER, HENRYBeloved television and film actor, director, and pro-ducer, Winkler is also the co-author of the Hank Zipz-er and Ghost Buddy series. He earned his MFA from Yale School of Drama, and was also awarded honor-ary doctorates from Emerson and Austin Colleges.

Middle Shelf is published bimonthly by Shelf Media Group LLC, 3322 Greenview Drive, Garland, TX 75044. Copy-right 2013 by Shelf Media Group LLC. Subscriptions are FREE, go to www.shelfmediagroup.com to subscribe.

january/february 2014