Thought for the Day:
“A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do.”
~ Bob Dylan ~
Gifts for My Writer Friends:
Our heroes are often underdogs, especially in middle-grade fiction. Charles Yellowitz has a good post HERE on Legends of Windemere with 7 Tips to Writing Underdog Heroes. https://legendsofwindemere.com/2020/06/26/7-tips-to-writing-underdog-heroes/
Angela Ackerman has a guest post on Writer in the Storm about character behavior that is terrific. Check it out HERE.
We all want to paint good pictures with our words. HERE is an article from Writer’s Digest that gives you 11 Secrets to Writing an Effective Character Description. Lots of ads pop up, but it’s worth getting past them. I particularly like #7 and #8.
The long, slow slog that is 2020 continues with Covid at the head of a very unhappy parade. At least the wearing of masks seems to have finally become accepted by people in both political parties and is no longer a political football. Maybe we can finally turn a corner on this nasty disease. Stay safe, everyone! I know I am hunkering down and staying as safe as I can.
I know a lot of people use e-readers and read books on their computers. I have a niece who reads novels on her phone. I like good old-fashioned books. I like the feel of them, the heft of them. I like turning pages. Heck, I even like the smell of books. I just don’t read ebooks. EXCEPT when it’s a new book by Kelly Milner Halls, and it isn’t available any other way yet. I love everything I’ve read by her, and when I was offered a peek at one of her new books that isn’t out yet, I made an exception to my own rule. It was so worth it. Here are my thoughts on Voices of Young Heroes by Kelly Milner Halls. It is coming out August 4, but you can preorder it now.
There were plenty of heroes in World War II, but many of them are not well known. Kelly Milner Halls has found the inspiring stories of twenty brave, strong, young people who resisted and fought against the Nazi regime and their nefarious missions. Taking on such powerful and truly evil people takes the kind of courage and intelligence few young people believe they have. The book opens with a 3-part introduction to WWII — How it Happened, Who was Involved, and The Major Events and the Outcome. Halls distills a lot of information into these few pages in language young people will understand. It is just enough to give them a good understanding without overwhelming them. The twenty accounts of mostly-unfamiliar names (most kids have heard of Anne Frank, but the others are unlikely to be known) will be eye-opening for readers as they see through other young people’s experiences what it was like to be faced with and coming to recognize Hitler and the Nazi party for what they really were. Many lost their lives in their fight against that evil regime. Today’s youngsters will be astonished at how very young some of these heroes were and the amazing things they did. They became forgers, smugglers, guides, spies, soldiers, sailors, and more, saving hundreds of lives as they did their work.
Kelly Milner Halls has her finger firmly on the pulse of young people, and her books reflect that connection. Her research is impeccable and it shines through on every page. Her writing is lively and fascinating to read. This is the kind of book that will make readers out of reluctant readers, turn kids on to history who think history is boring, and show kids how exciting non-fiction can be. This belongs in the hands of every middle-grader and up really through high school. It is easily interesting enough to keep older teens engaged. Don’t miss this one.
Be sure to check back next week. I plan on having a giveaway then. Don’t forget to check for other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at the Greg Pattridge’s blog HERE.
Rosi Hollinbeck 
I love the look, feel, and smell of real books, but arthritis convinced me to move to ebooks. Then I realized the book doesn’t keep trying to close if you’re eating as you read, and it’s a great way to pack along 40 books on a trip.
This book sounds like something I’d buy and enjoy, as I did with the ebook version of Rose Under Fire that you reviewed here. I recommend that one to friends all the time.
Thanks, Rosi! I always enjoy coming here.
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You’re welcome. It’s always nice to see you here. I’m glad you like the books you find here.
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I love print books too but have been reading more ebooks since the pandemic. It’s okay too and very helpful for getting library books through Libby. Glad you decided to read this book that way. It sounds like another great book about WWII.
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This really is a great book about WWII. I think this will inspire kids at a time when they need inspiration. Thanks for the comment.
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I’ll take a hand-held book any day if given the choice. I have to make exceptions and a WWII book for kids is too hard to resist. Spent a lot of time with your fantastic set of links today. So much food for thought which I’ll put to good use.
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So glad you like the links. I think you will really love this book when you get it. It would be great in your classroom — whenever you get to have a classroom again! Thanks for stopping by, Greg.
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This book sounds great! It’s really amazing (and, frankly, horrifying) how many young people had to stand up and did stand up to the Nazi regime. I love the week’s meme and quote—regarding the quote, being so stressed lately has made it surprisingly hard to just do what I want to do during each day! Thanks for the great post!
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It’s amazing how strong and smart young people are when called on to do the hard things. Thanks for your kind words and for the comment.
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I am fascinated by history and, lately, especially World War II history. I’d love to read about these young heroes. What a terrifying time in our history! Thanks, as always, for reviewing such wonderful books!
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You’re welcome. It’s a terrific book. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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I love to read stories about young heroes who made a difference during WW II. Never tire of their stories. This sounds like a resource book, too! Like you, I love to have a book in hand. Don’t like to review books on kindle or a pdf file — not easy. Spend enough time on the computer daily and I don’t like that much exposure to blue light. Strains my eyes. Finally got some anit-blue light glasses.
Stay happy and safe!
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Thanks for the comment. I didn’t know there were anti-blue light glasses. I will have to check into that.
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This sounds like such an inspiring book! When my oldest son was young, he always preferred nonfiction, so I was always looking for biographies. I think they can really provide kids with a mentor/hero.
Your links look interesting! Especially the one from Angela Ackerman!
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This book will inspire young readers. Your son would probably like this book even if he’s grown. It’s fascinating. Glad you like the links. Thanks for the comment.
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World War II always continues to fascinate me. I do like the idea of reading about “mostly-unfamiliar names.”
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It was a fascinating period in our history. This is a good one. Thanks for the comment.
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It really is hard to get young people to read history and nonfiction in general, so, being a lover of history, and especially that era, I applaud Kelly Milner Halls for what sounds like a terrific read. On another note, I love print books, too. I’ve downloaded lots of books on my Kindle for Mac, but I just can’t get into reading books in e form. I just love holding the real deal in my hands, turning the pages, etc.
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I couldn’t agree more. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
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Kelly Milner Halls is a new-to-me author whom I’m excited to read based on your blog post. I don’t have an e-reader either, but I manage to somehow find enough print books through the library, library book store, and publisher blogging/reviewer programs to keep myself occupied. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, quotes, and review for MMGM, Rosi! :0}
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You’re welcome. Thanks for always reading and commenting. I appreciate it.
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I prefer print books too. It’s easier to get lost in a story with a print book. Stepping away from a screen is also nice. But it’s great to have ebooks available for advanced copies of books and when you can’t visit a physcial library. Voices of Young Heroes sounds like a great book. I’ll have to check it out for my son. Thanks, Rosi!
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After your son reads it, grab it for yourself. It’s really terrific. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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This sounds like a great, informative book. Thanks for sharing!
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It is indeed. Thanks for stopping by.
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Thanks for the links, Rosi. And this book sounds interesting
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You’re welcome. Glad you like the links. Nice to see you here.
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Nice blog
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