Thought for the Day:
“Don’t watch the clock: do what it does. Keep going.”
~ Sam Levenson ~
Gifts for My Writer Friends:
K. M. Allen has a good post HERE with 5 Writing Ideas to Transform a Boring Scene.
For me, excellent examples are such a terrific help. Writer’s Helping Writers has just such examples HERE on this show-don’t-tell post.
Janice Hardy at Fiction University has a terrific post HERE with wonderful examples of 5 Ways to Hook Your Readers.
Last week I offered a gently-used copy of Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson to one of you. This week’s winner is Beth Schmelzer. Congratulations, Beth! I will get your book out to you soon. Our winner ruminates about reading and writing children’s books on her blog and has a special love for mysteries. You can see her blog HERE. I don’t have a giveaway this week, but I will next week. I do have a terrific book to review, so please keep reading.
If you read books and magazines for children, you will often run across Eileen Spinelli‘s name. She is a very prolific writer. I heard she had a new book out called Birdie, and it sounded good to me. I was able to find it at my local library, so I don’t have a copy to give away.
Birdie Briggs is twelve. She has such a great love for birds, she chronicles every bird she encounters, even if she only hears and identifies their call. They help fill a big hole in her heart since her father, a firefighter, died in the line of duty. Now it’s just Birdie and her mom and her grandmother, Maymee, at home. At school, she has her best friends Nina and Martin. Birdie is starting to have feelings for Martin, but suddenly Nina and Martin are holding hands and spending time together, leaving Birdie feeling left out. Then Maymee starts dating a nice man and isn’t around quite as much. And then there is a police officer who is spending a lot of time at their house, and Birdie realizes he is interested in her mom. It’s a lot for a young girl to deal with.
This is a terrific story and really nails how a girl that age would be affected by all these happenings. The writing is really fine, but it is structured in verse, and I didn’t feel like it was very lyrical. I wondered if it was just me, so I went over to Goodreads to read some other reviews. I was not alone. One of the reviewers there wrote, “The book is prose trying to play dress up and be something it’s not: poetry.” Perhaps all that white space will encourage reluctant readers to pick this one up. I really loved the story, so maybe it will garner more readers because of that structure. It’s a short book and can be easily read in one sitting. And isn’t that cover beautiful and evocative? I recommend Birdie, but I feel like I have to mention I don’t think it is really a verse novel.
No giveaway this week but check back next week. I am planning to have a giveaway then. And don’t forget to check for other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at the Greg Pattridge’s blog HERE.
Rosi Hollinbeck 
Thank you for including my blog post. I’m happy to hear you found it helpful 😊.
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You’re welcome. I appreciate your blog and all its good advice.
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😊
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This sounds like such a beautiful book to read. I agree with you on the cover too – to me it has beautiful color choices that make it feel soft and gentle and full of emotions.
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It really is a lovely book. Thanks for the comment.
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Thank you for continuing to look for the good ones. See you next week…onscreen.
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You’re welcome. Thanks for the comment.
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This sounds like a touching story with lots of great characters. I will definitely look for this one at our library. Thanks for sharing another gem with us for MMGM, Rosi!
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Very touching story. You will enjoy it. Thanks for the kind comments.
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Thank you for reviewing this emotional book. It’s going on my TBR.
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You will enjoy it. Thanks for the comment.
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I really enjoyed reading this book and have a review copy in my drafts. But, I enjoyed your review. I do think it is perfect for reluctant readers and I wasn’t bothered by the white space. Always enjoy your reviews.
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Thanks for the kind comments. Always nice to see you here.
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Count me in. I like Eileen’s writing.
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Thanks for stopping by.
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I haven’t come across this book and have never read a Eileen Spinelli book—mostly because she usually writes picture and chapter books. I’ll be on the lookout for this one. I have read many of her husband Jerry Spinelli’s stories like Maniac McGee.
Thanks for the great links and two helpful posts by Janice Hardy.
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Glad you like the links. I think you will enjoy the book. Thanks for the comment.
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I so LOVED this book! Just reading your review made me happy all over again 🙂
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Awww. What a nice thing to say. Thanks!
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This sounds like a wonderful book! The topics you say the book discusses are things I’m sure many readers are dealing with and would want to read about. Thanks for the review!
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Yes, this book will touch a lot of lives. Thanks for the comment.
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Thanks for sharing this book. I’ve heard of it, but not what it was about and now it sounds really interesting. I’ll be on the lookout for it.
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Thanks for your kind comment. This is a book worth finding.
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This was another good review. It’s funny, but I have a hard time reading novels for any age if they are written in verse. I have read a couple and found I liked them, but some I just haven’t been able to get into. I suspect this book would be one of them.
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Verse books can be off-putting. This one is really prose set up to look like poetry. I don’t know why they do that. Thanks for the comment.
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The story sounds great. I might like it more since it’s really told in prose vs. verse.
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You would probably like it. It’s a great story. Thanks for the comment.
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I hadn’t heard of Birdie before, but I have read other books by this author. Glad to hear you enjoyed this one so much. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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You’re welcome. Thanks for the comment.
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I’ve been itching to read this one and your review just solidified things for me. It’ll be my first Eileen Spinelli — can’t wait!
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Glad to hear it! Thanks for the comment. Nice to see you here.
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