Thought for the Day:
“Mostly it’s lies, writing novels. You set out to tell an untrue story and you try to make it believable, even to yourself. Which calls for details; any good lie does.”
~ Anne Tyler ~
Gifts for My Writer Friends:
Our characters have to have relationships with other characters. HERE is a really good article by Lynette M. Burrows on Writers in the Storm that will tell you How to Write Irresistible Character Relationships.
We all want our beginnings to shine so people (readers, agents, and editors) will keep on reading. HERE is an article from Writer’s Digest by Abigail Owen with 4 Tips for Writing Great Beginnings.
Voice is always a kind of conundrum when talking about writing. HERE is a good article from The Institute for Children’s Literature by Jan Fields called Your Voice or Theirs?.
Another distressing week in the news, and no football to distract this week. (That said, I should mention I won’t be here next week. We treat Super Bowl Sunday as an official holiday at my house.) I guess I have never felt this helpless in my life. I sure hope our elected officials are figuring out a way to protect us and our government. On top of that news, my little dog Mango has been quite sick. She isn’t eating and is very lethargic. The vet did a bunch of tests last week and will do more this week. Hopefully, we can get her back on track soon. One thing that is keeping me distracted from these issues is planning for a big trip. I have long wanted to take my family on a trip to the UK. I finally was able to get everyone (both my daughters, my son-in-law, and my two grandchildren) to reserve the time for this. The first week of April, we will fly to Edinburgh, spend five days there, and then on to London for three days. I wish we could have more time, but getting everyone able to take that many days at the same time is something of a miracle, so I am grateful for that. We have our flights and VRBO apartments booked, and we are beginning to nail down our activities. Planning is almost as fun as going. Almost.
I gave away a pile of middle-grade books recently to a young friend, so I’m not doing many giveaways, but I will get back to that one day soon. In the meantime, I hope my reviews will keep you happy. I am always on the lookout for books that will help young people understand history. Finding THE GIRL WHO FOUGHT BACK: VLADKA MEED AND THE WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING by Joshua M. Greene is exactly the kind of book I’m hoping young readers will find. It is particularly important now for youngsters to understand what went on in Europe in the 1930s and 1940s, and this book will help. Here is my review.
In the midst of World War II, the Nazi Germans forced all the Jews of Warsaw into a ghetto. They were not allowed outside unless they had specific jobs important to Germany’s success. Vladka, a teenager, was an excellent seamstress, so she was allowed to work in a factory making uniforms for German soldiers. She watched in horror as Jews were deported to death camps every day, and finally found a group of people who were resisting the Germans, and she joined them. Since Vladka had light eyes and didn’t “look Jewish”, she was able to move around freely. She did a lot of valuable and dangerous work that helped make the ghetto uprising possible. Her survival of the war made this fascinating book possible.
Author Joshua M. Greene has clearly done great research to be able to tell the harrowing story of one woman who contributed much to Jewish success in undermining the authority of the Nazis in Poland during World War II. At this time in our history, it is more important than ever for young people to recognize the horrors of an authoritarian regime and how it can come into being. Don’t miss this book.
Please don’t forget to check for other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge’s blog HERE.
Rosi Hollinbeck 
Great choice in destination. I ❤️Scotland! The book is intriguing as well.
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Yes, it’s been a distressing week. And I’m sorry your dog is sick. At least you have the Superbowl and your family trip to look forward to.
This looks like a powerful book. Being Jewish, I read a lot of book about this time in history when I was a kid. It’s just as relevant now.
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I am sorry about Mango and hope the vet figures out her issues. The trip sounds amazing! The Girl Who Fought Back looks great also. We need these stories to get us through these distressing times. I haven’t seen Bonhoffer yet but I know I need to. We need role models like him and Vladka to help us realize there are things we can do!
Community helps and I’m grateful that you have continued to post reviews and give authors tips and links to benefit our lives. You are doing your part, Rosi! Hugs from the east coast!
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I am sorry to read that your dog is ill. Hope that it recovers. The novel sounds like a suspenseful story. Thanks for the review.
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I’m sorry to hear about Mango being sick! That’s so stressful (not what we need on top of all the other stuff). I’m glad you have a trip to look forward to. Thank you for sharing this review– you’re right about how important it is for us to remember the history from the 1930s and 40s.
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Hope Mango is feeing better soon! I’ve had the crud lately myself so she has my sympathy :).
This sounds like an excellent book, and sadly, yes, all too timely just now. I’ll keep an eye out for it.
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Hope Mango feels better! Your trip to the UK sounds wonderful and having family there makes it even better. I’ve had to bookmark the links again for reading later this week. They sound very interesting. I enjoy historical novels and have been reading quite a few from this era. I’ve added this one to my future read list. Thanks for joining us again on MMGM!
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Most definitely a distressing week. It will be good to be distracted by the Super Bowl next week. I don’t particularly care for either team, but I’ll watch because I love sports and competition.
I’ve read some terrific MG books set in World War II.
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You know I would love this book too! Thanks for the review. Edinburg is lovely–but it might strain your ears to understand the accent. So glad you were able to put this together for your family.
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This book is right up my alley, Rosi. Thank you so much for recommending it. I agree with you that these stories about the rise of authoritarianism in the 1930s are absolutely on point today. It’s important to spot the patterns in history so that we know what to watch for. There are many ways forward, and you are doing your part. (I think that spending time with family instead of getting hijacked by chaos is an act of resistance.)
As a Canuck, I hope that our American-Canadian connections and friendships can help keep us compassionate and empathetic towards one another. We truly are in this together.
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I love history and the book sound sounds great! What an amazing trip you have planned, fantastic to get the family together! I’ve never been to Scotland but I will some day. London is always great to visit. What a pity you couldn’t squeeze in Ireland!
Really sorry to hear about Mango! The poor little thing! I hope you have a good vet. Sending hugs to you both and hoping for better news next time. Enjoy the Superbowl & thanks for the links!
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I’ve asked my library to order it!
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I hope they get it. You will enjoy it. Thanks for the comment. Good luck in the drawing.
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