SECRETS OF THE DEAD — Review

Thought for the Day:

“I’m always aware of writing around things I can’t do, and I’ve come to think that that’s actually what ‘style’ is – an avoidance of your deficiencies.”

~ George Saunders ~

Gifts for My Writer Friends:

More on comp titles, this time from Phoebe Morgan at the Honest Editor. HERE you can find her article, ‘Comp’ titles – what are they, why do we use them, and how to find yours…

We all really like our main characters, or we wouldn’t be able to spend soooo much time with them. But we need to Be Prepared to See Characters Suffer, as the excellent post HERE from Jan Fields at the Institute for Children’s Literature.

Make ‘em laugh, make ‘em laugh — as Donald O’Connor reminded us all in Singin’ in the Rain. Humor is always a good tool to have in your writer’s toolbox. HERE is a great article from Writer’s Digest by Jessica Marie about Using Humor to Write Children’s Books That Are Relatable for Both Children and Adults.

The U. S. Open had a lot of heartbreak for me this year. No American players made the finals. Coco Gauff was out early as she struggled with her serve and re-learning things with her new coach in the middle of a tournament. She asks a lot of herself. I have no doubt she will be back, stronger and better, for next season. My beloved Giants are nibbling at the edge of the Wild Card spots, but I’m not sure they can pull it off. They had too big a mid-summer slump. But it’s baseball, so anything can happen. I probably won’t be able to see most of the games left in the season though, because I am leaving Thursday to take a cruise I have long dreamed of taking. My granddaughter, Gracie, and I will make our way to Quebec City, where we will meet my daughter Maggie. We will board a ship there to explore the eastern provinces of Canada, visit the Anne of Green Gables house, and continue to New England, where we will follow the coast of Maine, visiting towns along the way, and end up in Boston. We will then go to West Springfield. Maggie is doing a show there — ONCE — and Gracie and I will see that before we come home. This is all my way of saying, I won’t be here for one or two weeks. I will be home that second Sunday, but I might be too wiped out from travel to post. And I probably won’t even be able to read blogs because wi-fi is ridiculously expensive on the cruise. See you back here soon.

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know that I have a soft spot in my heart for picture books for middle-graders. I think they draw in reluctant readers as well as bring information to all MG readers in an attractive format. I think they also help to develop lifelong learners. When I saw SECRETS OF THE DEAD written by Matt Ralphs and illustrated by Gordy Wright on the review list for the Los Angeles Book Review, I knew the title alone would grab a LOT of young readers. I know it grabbed my attention. This is a book that hits all the reasons I love MG picture books. Here is the review I wrote for LABR.

When kids hear the word “mummy,” their interest is invariably piqued. This wonderful book will take young readers on a trip back through time and all around the world, introducing them to many of the ways ancient cultures in Africa, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia honored and preserved their dead. It gives overviews of the process of mummification and discusses some well-known and not-so-well-known mummies, including animal mummies.

The thorough and extensive research by author Matt Ralphs shines through on every page. His writing is accessible and conversational, and he never talks down to his young audience. Though some vocabulary will be challenging for middle-graders, it is always appropriate for the subject matter. A good glossary in the back will help young readers increase their mastery of the language.

Beautiful illustrations by Gordy Wright may fool the eye at first, as many are so detailed they look almost photographic. He has clearly done a good deal of deep research as well to be able to create such fine illustrations. This is a book that youngsters interested in archaeology and ancient cultures will want to read over and over. Don’t miss it.

Please don’t forget to check for other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge’s blog HERE.