Librarian’s Corner: More Hijinks With Author Lisa Doan, Part 2

Posted on 02/10/2015

We’re back with Lisa Doan, author of the hilarious middle grade series The Berenson Schemes: Jack the Castaway, Jack and The Wild Life, and coming in March, Jack at the Helm. In case you missed it, this is the first part of Lisa’s interview.

Berenson Schemes Book Giveaway! Leave a comment and you could win signed copies of Jack the Castaway and Jack and the Wild Life.

Here’s more of what makes Lisa tick.

FLH: Jack is the practical, responsible one, and clearly his parents are not, which is unexpected and hilarious. How have your young readers responded to this role reversal?

LD: Kids like that they are in on the joke. They can see that Richard and Claire’s ideas are bound to go wrong, and they know what they would do in a similar situation. And, it’s fun to imagine having parents like them – no rules and as much candy as you want!

The other appealing thing is the survival story aspect – kids can consider what they would do with the supplies Jack is left with each time he’s lost. There is no right or wrong way to use the supplies – Jack picks one way, but there are multiple variations on what might be done with each item.

FLH: What’s the most fun thing about writing about Jack and his parents?

LD: Well, it’s always fun to devise the new way that Jack will be lost. Richard and Claire Berenson really want to be good parents, so when they lose Jack they take steps to make sure that particular thing doesn’t happen again. But like a leaky dam, as soon as they plug one hole, another one bursts out.

FLH: Who are you most like… Jack or his parents?

LD: Oh, as I said, I’m Richard and Claire. I think everybody is born with a risk-taking temperament and mine has always been on the high side. I backpacked alone from Morocco to Kenya before cell phones, quit a good paying job to move to the Caribbean and teach scuba diving, and opened a restaurant without ever having worked in a restaurant (or cooked much). The times when I have been terrified are the times I’ve felt most alive.

FLH: Given his parental experience, do you think Jack will ever have kids of his own some day?

LD: Absolutely he will. And when he does, he will be torn between implementing what he learned about risk-taking, but also wanting to be the parent he wished for – the ultimate helicopter parent.

FLH: What’s your advice for someone who wants to write a funny story?

Strong humor seems loose and light, as if the writer just scribbled away with not a lot of revising and shaping, but humor is very structured and all about timing. I’m a fan of character-driven humor, so my best advice is to clearly define your humorous character’s worldview. That skewed view, whatever it happens to be, will be the basis for the wit of the story. Also, go back to a passage in any book you read that made you laugh out loud and really look at the structure of it. What was the set up? How did the writer lead you down a primrose path before blindsiding you with something unexpected? Often, a joke falls flat because the set up isn’t right. If you don’t allow the reader time to process the set up then it just doesn’t work. The brain needs to be mentally ready for the punch line.

FLH: What are some of your favorite humorous middle grade books that you’d like to recommend to us?

adrian moleLD: I love British humor, some are so incredibly witty – The Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ by Sue Townsend, and The Bagthorpe Saga series by Helen Cresswell are two of my favorites. For Americans, I would say my favorite, though the humor is dark, is The Canning Season by Polly Horvath.

Brilliant! Thanks, Lisa!

Now it’s your turn, Readers. What are some of your favorite humorous books? Leave us a comment, and you’ll be entered to win signed copies of Jack the Castaway and Jack and the Wild Life. Good luck!

Frances Lee Hall earned her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and writes middle-grade fiction for young readers. Find her at www.francesleehall.com and on Twitter @fleehall

Librarian’s Corner: Laugh Out Loud Hijinks, Shenanigans, and Global Adventures with Children’s Book Author Lisa Doan

Posted on 02/08/2015

Lisa Doan knows funny! She’s been in a few funny situations herself, being an avid traveller. She’s the author of the hilarious middle grade series The Berenson Schemes: Jack the Castaway, Jack and The Wild Life, and coming in March, Jack at the Helm. The books feature the ever-responsible and practical Jack, and his globetrotting and wacky parents, Richard and Claire.

Berenson Schemes Book Giveaway! Leave a comment and you could win signed copies of Jack the Castaway and Jack and the Wild Life.

We caught up with Lisa to see how she creates these jaw-dropping adventures.

FLH: Poor Jack! His parents are always leaving him behind in outrageous situations. How did you come up with the idea for the Berenson Schemes?

LD: First, I read an article about helicopter parents, which I thought was hilariously creepy. Then I noticed that in America, we seem to have two extremes – kids who are running around with no supervision at all, and kids who have parents who do their homework for them. (Because, you know, if the kid doesn’t get into an Ivy League school, life is OVER.) Then, as I was mulling over the sad state of parenting in America, it occurred to me that perhaps this was none of my business because I was not a parent. Then it occurred to me that if I were a parent, helicoptering would not be my strong suit and my kids would barely make it into community college. And that is assuming I didn’t lose them somewhere first. I could envision how I might lose track of the little buggers and then I’d be cleaning out a closet and thinking, “I don’t remember ever wearing shorts this small. Wait a minute. There was a girl here who wore those shorts. Where the heck did she go?” So then I thought, wouldn’t it be funny to have a helicopter kid saddled with parents who may or may not resemble myself.

FLH: What’s your process for coming up with Jack’s parents’ get-rich-schemes and Jack’s predicaments?

LD: My backpacking definitely inspired the get-rich-quick schemes. Expatriates are an enterprising lot, and in Jack the Castaway starting a snorkel business wasn’t such a bad idea, had they known anything about boats or snorkeling. And, of course, to miss the key ‘filling the boat with gas’ step and then decide to have their landlubber son drive the boat could only go wonderfully wrong.

Jack_and_the_Wildlife-330For Jack and the Wildlife, I actually thought their idea wasn’t that bad. In theory. They could build a Maasai tourist camp on the cheap, for the reasons they noted – no plumbing needed, no electricity, no kitchen. Really no anything except four walls. Naturally, they did miss some key details – like, you can’t just pick a spot in a game reserve and start building, but they never got far enough into the plan to find that out.

The third book, Jack at the Helm, was a little bit different. I had spent time in Nepal, but that wasn’t why I chose it. I chose it because of the symbolism. Nepal is primarily Hindu and Buddhist and eastern religions teach acceptance. Jack had to realize that he was never, ever going to reform his parents. Modify their behavior slightly – maybe. But like real life, people are who they are. Jack comes to accept what he cannot change, and in that way, finally comes up with a plan everybody can live with. (And stay alive with). So for that one it seemed natural that they would scheme to start their own religion. After all, they are the Berensons – they always think big.


 Jack the Castaway_ FLH: If your travels inspired ideas, can you give us examples of how your real-life traveling sparked an idea for a scene?

In Jack and the Wildlife, it might seem improbable that Jack finds himself alone on the Masai Mara, but it isn’t really so farfetched. I once traveled to the north of Kenya and my guidebook noted that there was a small game park that could be toured on foot or bicycle. I should have read ‘on foot in a game park’ and realized that was about the stupidest idea I had ever heard. As it was, I rented a bike, got lost in the reserve, I even stopped and sat down for a while to rest in a wooded area, then I soldiered on figuring I had better find the entrance before dark, then a jeep zoomed by and a guy hanging on the back shouted “Have you seen the leopard,” and sped off before I could ask for a ride. Why am I not dead? On the upside, that’s the kind of adventure that Richard and Claire Berenson would be proud to call their own.

FLH: One of my favorite characters is Seldie in JACK THE CASTAWAY. I wanted to hang out with her. How did she come about?

LD: Seldie is based on my Caribbean landlady, Ms. Mercele Connor. She is a wise woman who never allows anything to shake her up too much. One time I came up on her porch and there was a neighbor’s chicken there who had decided to roost. I would have begun immediately making plans to drive it off. Mercele looked at it and said, “Well, baby, it’s just tryin’ to live,” then sat down with her coffee and the chicken. Mercele is a master at rolling with life’s unexpected events. I wanted a character that temperamentally fell between Jack’s parent’s complete disregard for danger, and Jack’s extremely risk-adverse nature. The idea behind these stories is about managing risk – what’s too much and, the question asked less often, what’s not enough.

Thanks, Lisa!

Come back for part 2 of Lisa’s interview on Wednesday. In the meantime, leave a comment, tell us what tickles your funny bone, and you could win signed copies of Jack the Castaway and Jack and the Wild Life. Good luck!

Frances Lee Hall earned her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and writes middle-grade fiction for young readers. Find her at www.francesleehall.com and on Twitter @fleehall

Dinosaur Boy by Cory Putman Oakes

Posted on 02/04/2015

It was inevitable. The dinosaur gene skips a generation. Sawyer’s grandfather had transformed into a stegosaurus, and Sawyer would be next. It was just a matter of time before Sawyer would sprout plates down his back and drag a heavy tail tipped with dangerous sharp bones behind him. And that moment eventually arrived during the summer before fifth grade – a school year like no other.

Dinosaur Boy (Sourcebooks, 2015) is a funny and fantastical tale, complete with a Martian principal with a vendetta against bullying (or so it seems). In it, Cory Putman Oakes explores the need to fit in, true friendship, and self-acceptance in a lively, entertaining way. In the end, Sawyer’s trials demonstrate how perceived weaknesses can become personal strengths – an important life lesson for every kid, be they a dinosaur or not.

Let’s Laugh! Fun and Funny Times with Books

Posted on 02/01/2015

Let’s Laugh! Fun and funny times with friends, brothers and sisters.

AL and TEDDY, written and illustrated by Neil Waldman, captures the up-and-down relationship between big brother Al and little brother Teddy. Anyone who has grown up with a sibling or is parent to siblings knows the good times, fun times, and frustrating times shared by brothers and sisters.

Teddy gazes at his big brother’s drawing and smiles.

“Maybe someday,” he muses, “Big Al just might take me flying with him!”

But big brother Al is often not wanting his kid brother to come along on his real or imagined adventures. We all know that younger siblings can be a pain in the neck. Sometimes fun dissolves into jealousy, frustration and hurt feelings. Sometimes laughter turns to tears. Sometimes words get shouted… “you’re nothing but a BIG FAT LIAR!”

And sometimes forgiveness replaces anger and hugs replace tears. And one gets to have fun and fly!

 “You’re my big brother. I love you more than any old horse! Could you make me one more picture?”

Al went over to his desk, took out two pencils and handed one to me.

“So Prince Teodoro,” he said, with a smile as big as Saturn,

“wanna fly?”

 A special story is part of the “before the book.” The author and illustrator Neil Waldman, besides having created more than fifty books for young people and having won many awards, including the Christopher Award and the Parent’s Choice Award, created a place for young Bronx artists to reach their dreams. In 2006, Neil founded the Fred Dolan Art Academy, a free Saturday program for young local artists, designed to help them go to art college. Already over twenty students have graduated. Each of them received scholarships to begin their college careers.

 AL and TEDDY was awarded the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) Spark Award, given annually to recognize excellence in a children’s book published through a nontraditional publishing route. AL and TEDDY was published through funds raised through the crowd-funding platform Kickstarter. Waldman raised over $6000. – half of the amount needed to publish this picture book. Now for every book sold, half of the profits ($5.00) support the Fred Dolan Academy. The book’s earnings has provided a quarter of what is needed to keep the Academy running for a year! Watch a trailer that takes you inside the magic of Waldman’s paintings. Buy a copy of the book. Enjoy this heart-warming story – full of fun imagination – and support Good Works. Amazing what one individual can do, combining creativity and persistence to make our world a better place.

SNOW, SNOW, SNOW-BOOKS!

Posted on 01/28/2015

Let it SNOW, SNOW, SNOW-BOOKS!

Here, there, everywhere –

And while the snow pours, drifts, and piles,

Let’s snuggle with stacks of fun and cozy snowy books!

At ReaderkidZ, we began our January month of books with two snowy, wintry books and now here are three more new ones and several snowflake-shivery old ones.

FIRST SNOW written and illustrated by Peter McCarty welcomes young picture book listeners – reluctant or enthusiastic – to experience “first snow.”  Sancho, Bella, Lola, and Eva greet their cousins visiting from their southern home country where it never snows. Skeptical cousin Pedro states, “I don’t … like it…Because it is cold. And I don’t like cold.” But Sancho, Bella, Lola, and Eva describe the fun of sweeping their arms through soft tickly snow, making snow angels, or catching snowflakes on the tip of the tongue – or – best of all – sledding, ZOOM, down a snow-slick hill. FIRST SNOW is an inviting and engaging “first snow” book.

over and under the snow

OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal (and surprise – their new book will be out just in time for the snow to melt and spring to appear:  UP in the Garden and DOWN in the Dirt.

finding spring

FINDING SPRING written and illustrated by Carin Berger doesn’t sound like a snow book. But when little bear, Maurice, begins to think about hibernating all winter, what he really wants to experience is spring. Once his mother is asleep, he goes searching for spring but instead discovers many woodland creatures who are preparing for winter. And then he discovers winter, but mistakes it for spring. He scoops up a snowy handful of “spring” to bring back to his mother. When they both finally awake, his handful of “spring” has melted. Back out he goes and this time, Maurice discovers a beautiful surprise about seasons.STOPPING BY WOODS

Take a look at a wonderful old poem favorite that has been made into an exquisite picture book, Robert Frost’s telling of the magical mystery of a deep-snow wintry night:

Two classics!  THE SNOWY DAY by Ezra Jack Keats – to be read and enjoyed again and again on any wintery snowy day.

And WHOOO – YES!   OWL MOON by Jane Yolen, illustrated by John Schoenherr.

Read about snow. Share a snow cone with a snow man! Imagine – put on snowsuit, boots, mittens, and play in the snow…or read about it in a book.

If You Were a Dog by Jamie Swenson

Posted on 01/25/2015

If You Were a Dog (FSG, 2014) is crafted with active language that a creative child with a lively imagination will absolutely love. Illustrator Chris Raschka’s simplistic watercolors, comprised of pastel curves and lines, connect perfectly with the buoyant innocence of author Jamie Swenson’s energetic text. If You Were a Dog is fantastically suited for interactive read-alouds – the kind where kids are encouraged to crawl about the floor, giving their best HISSSSSSSS, CRIK! CRIK! CRIK!, or CHOMP, CHOMP, ROAR!

What about you?

If you were a dog, would you be a speedy-quick, lickety-sloppidy, scavenge-the-garbage, frisbee-catching, hot-dog-stealing, pillow-hogging, best-friend-ever sort of a dog?

Would you howl at the moon?

ARRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Some dogs do.

Librarian’s Corner: New Favorites

Posted on 01/22/2015

It’s a new year, so it’s the perfect time to find some new books to share! Here are three of my favorites:

For the youngest readers:

Froodle by Antoinette Portis (Roaring Brook Press, 2014) Everyone knows that cats go “meow”, dogs go “woof”, crows go “caw”, and little brown birds go “peep”. But what if a little brown bird decides to say something that isn’t “peep”, something silly like “froodle”? I love how this book celebrates creativity, and the rhyming game the birds play is a fun way to get kids to practice their rhyming skills.

For the transitional readers:If...mind bending way

If…A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers written by David J. Smith and illustrated by Steve Adams (Kids Can Press, 2014) Smith and Adams make huge ideas that are tough for kids (and adults) to visualize more accessible. For instance, a timeline of the last 3000 years is reimagined and condensed into one month. This calendar format gives a better sense of the relative time, like seeing how much of a gap there is between when the first Olympic games were held in Greece (day 3) and when paper was invented (day 12). Fantastic facts!

For the older readers: Phoebe and unicorn

Phoebe and Her Unicorn: A Heavenly Nostrils Chronicle by Dana Simpson (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2014) Yes it’s pink and sparkly and there’s a unicorn on the cover – but if you’re thinking this is going to be a sickly sweet story, fear not. Marigold Heavenly Nostrils (a vain and slightly snarky unicorn) is no one’s pet pony, and Phoebe is the right combination of feisty, clueless, and uniquely cool outsider. This is one of my favorite graphic novels of 2014.