Recent Reads

What have you been reading lately? Summer is always a great time of year to get caught up on all those books you said you'd "get around to reading." Crossed of my list so far are:
- Faith, Hope, and Ivy June
(Phyllis Reynolds Naylor)

- What Comes After
(Steve Watkins)

- A Walk To Remember
(Nicholas Sparks)

- Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
(Mindy Kaling)

Yet to be read are:
- Moon Over Manifest
(Clare Vanderpool)

- Dead End in Norvelt
(Jack Gantos)

- The Cuckoo's Calling
(Robert Galbraith / J.K. Rowling)

- Dandelion Wine
(Ray Bradbury)

- Letters From Skye
(Jessica Brockmole)

Yours Truly.
Bookgirl

Literary Meme Monday

A little literary fun to brighten your day!



























Enjoy!

Recent Reads

What good book have you had your nose in lately? For me it's been The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. These books are a little below my typical reading level, but my brother and I watched The Voyage of The Dawn Treader (5th book, 3rd movie) and I decided to read the series. Unfortunately, Mr. Lewis is long dead so don't expect to find an author interview on here but here's some interesting facts about this awesome author:
- His full name was Clive Staples Lewis, but he was known to the world of literature as C.S. Lewis and to his family as Jack.
- C.S. Lewis was good friends with fellow children's author J.R. R. Tolkien (author of The Lord of the Rings trilogy). They both served on the English faculty at
Oxford University.
- He died on November 22nd, 1963, the same day president JFK was assassinated.
- C.S. Lewis was a Christian and his books make it very evident. The entire Narnia series has an underlying theme of Christianity. From The Magician's Nephew where Narnia is created, to The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe in which Aslan, the creator, sacrifices himself to pay for Edmund's wrongdoing, to The Horse and His Boy where Aslan shows that he is Almighty but merciful towards his creation, as God is to us.
I would defiantly recommend this series if you enjoy fantasy!
That's all for now! Yours Truly,
-bookgirl


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm back!

After neglecting my blog for sadly almost 3 years, I'm back in business! I'm blogging from a mobile device now which means I will have access to my blog on the go! Yay! This new change will help keep me more connected to my blog. You'll be hearing more from me soon! Yours Truly,
-bookgirl <3

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

**Author Interview**

Below is my special interview with Author - Phoebe Stone.

About her book The Romeo and Juliet Code.

1.Why did you set your book in World War two time period?

World War II was a difficult and fascinating time and I have read a lot of books about it. I think whenever people work together for a great cause, great friendships and great loves are formed. It was a time of enormous tragedy and enormous horror and enormous love and enormous deeds. I think all that is extreme appeals to the writer in me. I am always looking to awaken my readers. No one sleeps or falls into dullness in extreme times.

2. Were any of the characters based on real people?

Well, all of my characters have snippets and threads of people I have known and loved. But I have decided that Uncle Gideon is reminiscent of a fifth grade teacher I had when I was in school in England. I had only just arrived in my new school and he was always teasing me about Americanisms. When I was just finished with a problem, I would say, "Mr. James, I'm through." And he would say, "Through the hedgerow, are you?" letting me know in a teasing sort of way that the British did not use "I'm through" for "I'm finished." Thinking back now, I realize my relationship with Mr. James played a huge part in "The Romeo and Juliet Code." I was very charmed by him and he taught me and showed me, with great humor, how things were done in England. All these years later, I'd love to have a chance to thank him. It's funny because when I wrote the book, I really didn't realize that he was even a part of it. It's only now, after the book has been published, that I recognize Mr. James in Uncle Gideon.

3. I was very interested in the thought of Queen Anne's secret voyage. Was the ship real? Did they really paint it all gray?

The ship was based on the ture maiden voyage of the great Cunard ocean liner, the Queen Elizabeth. That ocean liner was indeed painted all gray, including the portholes. They did this so that no light would escape and betray the ship's presence to a passing enemy airplane in the night. The Queen Elizabeth did steal across the ocean, evading Nazi submarines and airplanes. It was being moved from England to the U.S. for safekeeping. The Queen Elizabeth ended up being used as a troop ship later in the war. My ship, the Queen Anne, was a fictionalized version that sailed in 1941 instead of 1940.

4. I noticed the many references to The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. In both it and your book there is a mysterious, ill young boy. Were the similarites between Colin and Derek intentional?

"The Romeo and Juliet Code" is kind of homage to Frances Hodgson Burnett. It intended it to be a kind of nod to her, which is why Felicity dressed up as Frances Hodgson Burnett for Halloween, why she is in the middle of reading several of her books, and why there is kind of light interplay and various references among the characters.

5. For what age group do you recommend your book?

Scholastic has marketed the book for ages eight to thirteen. I always try to write for all ages, for everyone.

Special Question: What was your one favorite book to read growing up?

Picking one would be impossible! I loved so many. In seventh grade I began to read the Brontes, "Wuthering Heights," "Jane Eyre," "Villette." I have always loved the whole family and all their books. I also loved E.B. White's "Charlotte's Web" and "Stuart Little." And the E. Nesbit's books, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Beatrix Potter. Sometimes I think she may be the greatest of all.

Check These Out!

Hatchet ~ By Gary Paulsen ~ AR 7 points

Crispin : Cross of Lead ~ Avi ~ AR 9 points

The Westing Game ~ Ellen Raskin ~ AR 8 points

~Bookgirl~

Author Interview ~ Lisa Klein, Author of Two Girls of Gettysburg

Below is my Exclusive Interview with Author, Lisa Klein about her book Two Girls of Gettysburg. My questions listed in green, Her answers in blue.

1. What made you want to write about this specific time period? The nineteenth century seemed closer in time than the Renaissance setting I used for Ophelia,(Her other book)-- 150 years ago versus 400! I was also excited by how much evidence there is about women' s lives, letters, diaries, and photographs. My own Grandparents were born only 30 years after the Civil War, so they probably knew people who had lived through the war and even some who had been slaves. That amazes me!

2. Why the Civil War as opposed to other wars? Because it was such a terrible war, Americans

fighting one another, even fighting their own relatives. And because it's one war we study in school, so most people know something about it and are curious to know more.

3.Why did you base Lizzie on this real girl? I based Lizzie on Tillie Pierce because when I read about Tillie, I imagined what the the war would look like through her eyes. I thought my readers would enjoy character based on a real person, that it would make the war itself seem more immediate. I also identified with the photograph of Tillie. Any girl living today could have been Tillie!

4. Was your book originally named Two Girls of Gettysburg? I think that was the tittle I had all along. Sometimes the editor will change the title, but this one seemed to work for both of us. (Ophelia was originally titled-by me- "The True and Noble History of Ophelia" my editor wisely shortened it to just"Ophelia"!)

5. What age group do you recomened for your book? Ages 12 - 100. Seriously!

Signiture question:

What was your favorite book growing up?

Well, ONE of my favorite books was "Gone With the Wind," which I read ten times when I was a teenager. And so when I started writing fiction, In the back of my mind was the idea to write my own Civil War novel- because I loved so much reading about that war. I don't know if many teens would read GWTW tday, but I hope they find "Two Girls" interesting and exciting.

Also, be sure to check out Lisa Klein's newest book Cate of the Lost Colony, about the love story of an orphan girl banished to Roanoke.

~Bookgirl~