Read, Write, Repeat.

We’ve Got a Job  (Peachtree, 2012) by Cynthia Levinson tells the little-known story of the 4,000 black elementary-, middle- and high school students who voluntarily went to jail in Birmingham, Alabama, between May 2 and 11, 1963.

Their protest efforts succeeded where adults had failed, and they helped desegregate one of the most racially violent cities in America. Focusing on four of the original participants, who participated in extensive interviews, this book recounts the amazing events before, during and after the Children’s March.

There was such a lovely interview with Cynthia on Audrey Vernick’s Literary Friendships blog about how she got the idea to write this book, that I couldn’t possibly compete with it.

So, I decided to ask Cynthia about a topic that always fascinates me – the writing process.

Once you decided this was a story you had to tell, how did you start?

I read. This may sound obvious or old-fashioned because, these days, there are many sources of information. But, I made a concerted effort to read just about every nonfiction book I could find—for both adults and children—on civil rights and on the history of the South. Several of the books for adults had won Pulitzer Prizes and were, literally, voluminous. Periodically, I interspersed my fact-finding with wonderfully evocative historical fiction.

After a couple of months, when I started seeing the same information in multiple sources, I realized that I had covered the terrain as best I could. Still, I kept reading for another month. When I began to detect inconsistencies and contradictions in what I was reading, I knew that I had finally learned enough about both civil rights and its coverage to be able to evaluate the sources.

Without this depth of book-learning and, finally, analysis, I wouldn’t have known what questions to ask when I ventured from the library to the site of the events.

How did you find the children – now all grown up – that you interviewed for your book? And were they eager to participate, or did you have to convince them?

Fortunately, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute has been conducting video interviews with civil rights activists for the past 15 years. Portions of the recordings are posted on the BCRI’s website. And, many complete transcripts of these interviews are available for purchase. So, I contacted the interviewer, Dr. Horace Huntley, and the archivist, Laura Anderson, and asked for guidance on which transcripts to read. In addition, I contacted many of the people who were quoted or discussed in all those books I had read! Ultimately, it was a matter of making cold calls, just like a pre-Internet Encyclopedia salesman.

Most people I contacted—I considered dozens of people before settling on the final four—were very generous with their time and information. Audrey, for instance, invited me to her home where I got to see where Dr. King discussed strategy with her mother and the piano where her father’s choir leader practiced the song “We’ve Got a Job.” Another person offered to participate but, then, stopped responding to my inquiries; after many months of futile effort, I honored her ambivalence and stopped stalking her. A third person interviewed me—for good reason!—before agreeing to participate.

I knew it was important to show the events from various perspectives because history is not a single story. The second to last paragraph of the book summarizes the role that each of the four children played during the March. Finding the right mix of people who were willing to spend hours and hours being interviewed and then vetting what I wrote was a major undertaking.

What was the hardest part about researching this book? Did you ever despair that you wouldn’t be able to find all the information you needed?

The research was intense and prolonged but I despaired more about the writing than about the research. (Maybe this just says more about me than about the general process of writing nonfiction.) The reason for this gets back to the inconsistencies and contradictions I mentioned before. I also discuss this issue in my Author’s Note at the end of the book.

As we know from recent research on court trials, witnesses’ and participants’ perceptions of events differ, not only from each others’ but also over time. Some of the memories my interviewees shared with me did not accord with the written record or with other people’s memories. Sorting through these multiple perspectives required very fine-grain and sensitive probing and cautious writing.

An area that confounded me for months was the relationship between the civil rights protests and Birmingham’s mayoral election, which was going on at exactly the same time. As with the rest of the research, though, I found an amazing book on internal politics in three Alabama cities, including Birmingham, which sorted out for me how the election and the civil rights movement were integrally related.

Then, I certainly despaired about being able to write about municipal politics in an engaging way for ten-year-olds. As with the rest of the writing, my indefatigable editor helped me explain the issues clearly and succinctly.

What was the most interesting thing you learned while gathering your information?

Everything was fascinating! But, the areas that, perhaps, interested me the most were the ones where I—and many other people—wanted to resist the truth.

The first of these was the fundamental discovery that it was children, not grown-ups, who were jailed, attacked by dogs, and hosed. The second, related to this, was that extremely few white people in Birmingham knew about the marches, attacks, hosing, and jailings, even while they were going on. How could they not know what was happening in their downtown every day for almost two weeks? The answer, I discovered, is that the newspapers buried the information, and the city was so segregated, their lives did not intersect.

These were hard-to-accept but riveting truths.

How was fact-checking done? By you? By the publisher? By outside experts? All of the above?

Yes! I sent the manuscript to the people I interviewed, for vetting, as well as to several scholars. Peachtree’s editors also probed the “facts” in detail, to be sure they were actually facts, and also sent the draft to an outside reviewer.

We discovered several errors, which was both relieving and dismaying. I also revised some statements to make them less assertive and more nuanced. I’m immensely grateful to everyone who read the drafts, though I fear that errors may remain.

I am especially grateful to Jane Ann Baggett, a 10-year-old reader and writer who told me exactly what she thought of the manuscript from a reader’s perspective!

How long did it take you from your first forays into research and interviewing until you finished your final, submission-ready draft?

I never had a “final, submission-ready draft.” What my agent, Erin Murphy, submitted to publishers was a very extensive proposal.

Getting from the initial idea to the point of sending out the proposal took about eight months. Then, everything lay fallow for about a year while the proposal was rejected by 18 or 20 publishers. From the point that Peachtree bought the proposal to the time that the final manuscript, complete with photos and source notes and index, etc., was sent to the printer took another two years. During some of that time, I researched and wrote intensively; for many months in between, I had to allow my editor to work on other people’s books!

Did researching and writing this book change how you will approach future books? Do you have a more refined, clearer writing process now?

Although I thought I kept scrupulous source notes, fact-checking took an inordinate amount of time because I had to re-trace several research routes. So, I’m trying in my next projects to be more careful about foot-noting.

The writing process, however, has not, yet, become more streamlined. The reasons are that I’m trying my hand at picture book manuscripts, which require an entirely different style from long-form narrative, one that I need to learn. Also, each subject and its intended audience requires its own approach, its own format and voice. Perhaps if I muster the energy for another middle-grade or YA book, I’ll be able to apply the lessons I learned from We’ve Got a Job. Meanwhile, the lesson I learned is to take a break!

What advice would you give to writers who want to create in-depth nonfiction books? What should they keep in mind?

Love your subject. Love it so much that you have to pull yourself away from the research and writing to feed your family and see your friends. Keep loving it so that, when you get to the copy-editing stage, you’ll actually care whether or not the commas are consistent. Love it so that when it sees the light of day, you’ll be proud to share the story only you could tell.

Thanks for visiting us, Cynthia!

You can learn more about Cynthia and her book by visiting her website. The book is officially released on Feb. 1. And, if you visit the EMU’s Debuts blog that week, you’ll learn even more.

The book featured on today’s blog has one of the most beautiful covers I’ve seen since the original cover of Cindy Pon’s Silver Phoenix.

And, happily, the story inside Nowhere Girl (Walker Books, 2011) by A.J. Paquette is just as lovely.

It tells the story of 13-year-old Luchi Ann, who knows nothing of her American heritage and has spent her entire life in a Thai women’s prison with her mother. But, after her mother’s death, Luchi Ann must set off on an uncertain journey to find her place in the outside world.

Publishers Weekly said, “The highly atmospheric setting and thoughtful, determined narrator create a memorable thriller about identity and belonging.”

But don’t take our word for it.

Listen to today’s guest reviewer.

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Our reviewer: Rebekah

Age: 12.5

Things I like to do: Read just about anything. I can only think of two books that I have ever read that I didn’t like.

What I thought of this book: Nowhere Girl is about Luchi Ann Finn, an American born in a woman’s prison in Thailand. Her mother was secretive, and so Luchi Ann only knew a few things about her life: her name, which she wasn’t supposed to tell anyone, and that her mother, Helena Finn, was the only family that she had.

But when Luchi’s mother dies, the warden of the prison decides it’s not healthy for a girl to grow up in a cell and sends her away to learn about the world that, so far, she had only read about. The only item that she keeps is a strange letter that she is given by one of the women that she grew up with. It’s addressed to Helena Finn and from someone called Regina Finn — Luchi’s grandmother who lives in America.

Suddenly, Luchi’s journey has a purpose — to find the grandmother that she never knew, and also find the monster of a man who made her mother so afraid and secretive. It will be a hard journey, but Luchi is determined to unravel the tangled web of secrets that make up her life.

I got this book on Christmas Eve from my aunt. I started reading it that evening and had finished it by Christmas morning (probably staying up too late in the process.) From the very beginning, this book had me hooked. Luchi Ann’s story is a mystery that wraps you up in it and isn’t solved until the very end, so I found Nowhere Girl impossible to put down.

I would recommend this book to: Everyone, including adults, because it is such a real and touching story. I felt as if I’d known Luchi forever by the end of the book because of how much personality and life she had. Nowhere Girl is an amazingly powerful book, and I think anyone wanting to curl up with a good book should read it.

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Thanks, Rebekah!

If you’d like to learn more about the author, you can:

• Visit her website.
• Read this interview on Kissing the Earth.
• Read this interview on Cynsations.

Fantasy lovers discovered Sarah Prineas in 2009 when the first book of her Magic Thief series debuted.

It was an instant success with readers and reviewers, earning starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist and the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books and also being named to the New York Public Library’s list of 100 Books for Reading and Sharing.

Two equally successful books followed in the series. And now, Sarah has released another fantasy, Winterling (HarperCollins, 2012).

Today, we’re honored to have Sarah visit Read, Write, Repeat to talk about her brand-new book.

Was it difficult to start another story after the success of The Magic Thief series?
It wasn’t difficult, no.  Writing is a real joy for me, so I was very excited to meet some new characters and find out about their story.

Are their any similarities between your three Magic Thief books and Winterling? Are they for the same type of readers?
Both the Magic Thief books and Winterling are similar in that they’re for upper middle-grade readers, ages 10+, and they’re both fantasies.  They’re different in three ways.

One is that the Magic Thief books are “secondary-world fantasy;” that is, they take place in a world not our own.  Winterling is what’s known as a “portal fantasy,” because it starts in our world — in Iowa, actually! — and then takes the reader into another, magical world.

The second difference is that the Magic Thief books are in the first person; the books are narrated by the main character, a street-kid/wizard named Conn. Winterling is a third-person narration.

Finally, the main character of the Magic Thief books is a boy, and the protagonist of Winterling is a girl.

Winterling refers to Norse and Celtic mythology. What kind of research did you do to incorporate those myths into your story?
It’s kind of funny, actually. I went to the University of Iowa library and did a lot of research into fairy lore, especially the fairies of Ireland and Scotland and the Scandinavian countries.  But I never actually use the word “fairy” in the book.

An early review mentioned Winterling‘s many female characters. I was excited to hear that. Tell us how you “cast” the book and what you hoped to achieve?
That review (from Kirkus) made me laugh, because I hadn’t realized how girl-power the book ended up. I was really glad about it, though, because I certainly intended to write a book with strong female characters. There are strong girls and women in the Magic Thief books, too, but it’s a lot more obvious in Winterling.

What do you think Winterling readers might be most surprised by?
There are some turns in the book that I think are surprising, but I don’t want to give any of them away. Let’s just say that the main character, Fer, makes some unexpected choices at key moments in the plot.

What are you working on now?
I’m revising the companion novel to Winterling, which is called The Summerkin.

Anything else you’d like to share?

• For any of your blog readers in Iowa, the landscape of our beautiful state was a huge inspiration to me as I was writing Winterling.  You’ll recognize the farms and the soybean fields, and the patches of wildness hidden in folds in the land.
• Oh, and my publisher did a terrific book trailer for Winterling.
• And for readers in the Iowa City area, there will be reading/signings at the Iowa City Public Library on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 1 p.m., and at Prairie Lights on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 1 p.m.

Thanks for stopping by, Sarah!

If you’d like to learn more about Sarah and her books, you can:

• Visit her website.
• Check out her blog.
• Read this interview on Cynsations.

If there’s a tween girl in your life, you might want to introduce her to the Goddess Girls books by Suzanne Williams and Joan Holub.

This six-book series — with more installments on the way — takes a lighthearted look at what the lives of Greek and Roman gods and goddesses might have been like when they were growing up.

The most recent book in the series is Aphrodite the Diva (Aladdin, 2011). Previous books have been about Athena, Persephone and Artemis.

Today, we’re joined by the series’ authors, who share some insight into these delightful books and how they came to be.

What inspired you to start writing these books? Did you have a strong knowledge of mythology before you started? What kind of research do you do for each book?

Suzanne (That’s her on the left.): First of all, thanks for having us at Read, Write, Repeat today, Pat! The Goddess Girls series began with a conversation over dinner. Joan asked if I might like to collaborate on something, and I said yes.

Goddess Girls was Joan’s idea — one of several ideas we came up with — and about the time Rick Riordan’s Lightning Thief debuted, we were putting the finishing touches on a proposal.

Joan: (Seconding Suzanne’s thanks, Pat!) It was my lucky day when Suzanne agreed to write with me. She is the best co-author ever. I really enjoy building the fictional Goddess Girls stories on the frameworks of existing mythology. I’m a history and mythology fanatic, and I’ve always been partial to Greco-Roman mythology.

It’s fun to update the stories, but for the most part, we try to stay true to the myths — or at least the spirit of the myths! I have a long list of book ideas and book titles. I often start a book or series with only a title, and think … What could that be about? What if this happened or that happened? That’s how Goddess Girls was born.

Suzanne: Because our goddess girls and our readers are tweens, we adapted the myths to make them age appropriate. It was fun to imagine the personalities and predicaments of our young goddess girls and god boys, based on their mythical adult counterparts.

I’ve heard some of your readers have started their own Goddess Girls clubs at schools where they pretend to be the characters. Who seems to be the favorite goddess? Did you expect the books to get such a positive response?

Joan (That’s her on the left.): I’m not sure if our fans have any clear favorite — maybe Athena, since our fans tend to be avid readers like her. But Aphrodite, Artemis, and Persephone have their cheering sections, too! We have the best fans in the world and have dedicated many of our books to them. Aphrodite the Diva just got an awesome video review from tween reviewer, Reagan, of Reading Tween.

Suzanne: I agree. Athena may have the edge, but some girls identify more with one or two of the other characters. We didn’t really know what kind of reaction to expect when the series pubbed. The positive response has been very gratifying. And we love that teachers have told us the books get girls excited about Greek mythology.

Joan: And excited about reading!

How many books are planned for the series?

Suzanne and Joan: Well, we have many of them planned in our heads, but we don’t really know for sure how many will be published. Goddess Girls started out as a four-book series. Now we’re up Book 6. And Books 7 and 8: Artemis the Loyal (December 2011) and Medusa the Mean (April 2012) are in the works. We know there will be 12 for sure — more about that below.

Joan, you started your career as an illustrator, then were an illustrator and writer and now — I think — only write. Tell us a little about how that evolution happened. What was your path to writing, Suzanne?

Joan: You’re right, Pat. Even before illustrating, I was a graphic designer in advertising, then in children’s publishing in New York City. I became a freelance children’s book illustrator next. When I realized I loved writing even more that illustrating, I gradually I segued into writing full time. I’ve written and/or illustrated over 130 books at this point. Everything from board/novelty books, early readers, picture books, and chapter/middle grade.

Suzanne: I was an elementary school librarian before I began writing for children. It was reading all those wonderful children’s books I purchased for the library that made me want to try my hand at writing too. I’ve published more than 30 books now — all fiction — mostly chapter book and middle-grade series, but also six picture books (including Library Lil, illustrated by Steven Kellogg).

You both write fiction and picture books and middle-grade novels, and Joan also writes nonfiction. What parts of your writing process are the same no matter what you’re working on, and what parts vary depending on genre?

Suzanne: Revision is the most important part of the writing process, and that’s universal! I brainstorm a fairly detailed chapter-by-chapter outline before beginning the first draft of a novel, but a sentence or two is the only planning I’ll do before drafting a picture book. Even fiction — especially Goddess Girls since it’s built on existing Greek myths requires some research. We use books like Edith Hamilton’s Mythology as source material, and also Internet resources like Wikipedia.

Joan: I learned to outline from Suzanne when we began Goddess Girls. When you’re writing with a co-author, outlines really helps to work out plots before you go too far down a road that’s not really a good direction. Suzanne and I talk over broad plot ideas, then outline on our own, and then we have long conversations about the outlines.

I don’t outline for any other books, but I do often make book dummies for picture books and easy readers, even though I’m not illustrating them. Dummies help me figure out the flow of the book and art. I don’t dummy nonfiction, but I usually break the manuscript into the number of pages the book will be. Artists and editors often change what I’ve suggested, which is fine with me. Every book is a team effort, and it’s all about making a book the best it can be.

On your website and your Twitter account, Joan, you ask, “Did you bring me a cookie?” What’s your favorite kind?

Joan: I love that you read that tagline, Pat. Are you perhaps a cookie monster as well? Chocolate chip!

Suzanne: Mine would be chocolate chip, too.

What projects do you have under way now?

Suzanne: Our publisher recently asked us for four more Goddess Girls books — our very first “Super Special,” and Books 9 – 11. We post updates about the series and answer questions from fans on all things Goddess Girls at our Goddess Girls Facebook page. (Editor’s note: You can also learn more about Suzanne’s projects at her website.)

Joan: Wagons Ho! is just out with co-author George Hallowell illustrated by Lynne Avril (Albert Whitman & Co, picture book). Two girls travel the Oregon Trail in comic-book style. One takes five months in 1846, and the other takes five days in 2011. Also coming up is a lift-the-flap magnetic-hand (ages 2-6, Scholastic, September) book titled A Kiss for You! And last but not least a picture book titled Zero the Hero (February 2012, Macmillan Christy Ottaviano Books, illustrated by the fab New York Times bestselling Tom Lichtenheld.) Visit my website for links and info.

Thanks again, Pat. This was fun!

I often interview authors on my blog.

But today, I’m interviewing a teacher with a commitment to providing inclusive books to her students.

Meet Abigail Swetz, a mother, teacher, dog owner and (lesbian) wife who lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

During her first year teaching, Abigail taught anti-bullying lessons, integrated lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) books into her curriculum and helped found the Indian Mound Middle School Gay Straight Alliance (GSA).

The GSA raised awareness about anti-LGBTQ bullying by participating in the Day of Silence, when students across the nation take a voluntary vow of silence for a day to commemorate and honor all those throughout history who have been silenced by hatred and discrimination. Students could choose to wear a black ribbon and be silent, wear a rainbow ribbon in support, or not participate at all. Between students and staff, the GSA handed out more than 400 ribbons.

Today, Abby is an eighth-grade reading/language arts/social studies teacher at Georgia O’Keeffe Middle School in Madison.

And, I’m thrilled to have her visit Read, Write, Repeat and share her views on building an inclusive classroom or school library.

Why is it important for teachers and librarians to make sure their collections are as diverse and inclusive as possible?

I think Bonnie Augusta, who used to be the LGBTQ Resource Teacher for the Madison Metropolitan School District, said it best. Her argument was that students must see themselves reflected in the curriculum for them to learn. For example, if a primary school teacher is teaching a unit on families and only reads books with families that have two heterosexual married parents, then that teacher is ignoring the experiences of many of his or her students.

What about students with divorced parents who share custody? Or parents who aren’t married? Or single parents? Or same-sex couple parents? When a student see him or herself reflected in the curriculum, it creates an automatic buy-in.

The, “Wow! That’s exactly how I feel!” factor is, I believe, even more important during the middle-school years, when all kids are going through identity transformations and need to know there are all kinds of people out there in the world, and the world will accept you for whomever you figure out yourself to be.

What process should a teacher or librarian interested in developing a more inclusive collection follow? What resources should they consult?

There are a great many resources out there, I am happy to report, from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center and the American Library Association. Here are two links.

• CCBC’s list for Elementary School Children and Adolescents.
• ALA’s Rainbow List.

These lists are a great place to start. But I would make sure that adults who are looking to suggest books to children and young adults really consider how the LGBTQ aspect of the book is being presented before they do so, especially if a young person is questioning.

Some of these books are really quite brilliant; some of them are also quite heavy. Many books with LGBTQ characters deal with their struggle, and that’s accurate and I’m thankful those books exist. I’m also thankful that other, more positive, books exist. We don’t want to mislead adolescents into thinking life is all rosey, but if every “gay” book you have in your library includes anti-gay violence, then it’s time to add some different books.

What makes a library collection inclusive? How would a teacher or librarian know they’ve succeeded?

Covering the entire LGBTQ acronym (with more than a single book for each letter). When a student comes asking you for another suggestion after having read one of the books, you know you’re on your way.

How willing are children and teens to read about characters different than themselves?

Very willing! This might sound contrary to my previous statements about students needing to see themselves in the curriculum, but this is really just the flip side of that coin. When you think about it, reading a novel or memoir is really just legal identity theft. For a few hours while you read that book, you get to become someone else! Without any of the consequences of actually living that life? How amazing! And also, how important for adolescents trying to figure themselves out.

Are there any pitfalls to watch out for?

Yes, like I said before, try to avoid being overly negative.

Thanks, Abigail!

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Here is Abigail’s list of starter books she thinks well-equipped libraries should have on hand. All are appropriate for high school, and many for middle school. The letter in parentheses corresponds to the part of the LGBTQ acronym that the book represents.

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan (G, with a bit of T)
The adorable story of a boy meeting a boy, courting that boy, messing up and losing that boy, and then gaining that boy back again. It’s so sweet that it almost smells like bubblegum, but don’t let that fool you, there’s some deep stuff in here about trust and friendship and what it feels like to be falling in love. Levithan is an inspired author. I routinely laugh out loud when reading his books, or I can be found scrambling for a pencil, wanting to copy down some amazing turn of phrase he’s made. Best for both middle and high school. (Editor’s note: This book was also featured on my blog as a GLEE-ful read recommendation for Kurt Hummel. Full review here.)

Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger (L)
Another book with an alternative structure, Hard Love intersperses its chapters with articles from the characters’ zines. (I described these to my students as “blogs before the Internet.”) The story follows Marisol, a “rich spoiled lesbian private-school gifted-and-talented writer virgin,” and Gio, whose name is really John but he was trying to impress Marisol so he changed it to sound more foreign and interesting. Marisol expands Gio’s world; Gio provides Marisol support. And falls for her in the process. Best for both middle and high school. (This book has a sequel, but I wouldn’t recommend it.)

Hero by Perry Moore (G)
In Moore’s world, superheroes exist. They form The League, an arm of the police force designed to deal with the supervillans who also exist. A coming-of-age story, Hero follows Thom as he discovers two key facts about himself — he is gay, and he has superpowers. Neither of which would make his father too happy, if he were to find out about them that is. Action-packed, and appropriate for both middle and high school.

Luna by Julie Anne Peters (T)
Luna tells the story of a transgender teen through the eyes of sister Regan. Liam is a senior, seemingly on his way to the Ivy League with fame and fortune to follow. But all he wants is to be Luna, the woman he truly is at heart. Regan has seen Liam dress as a woman for years in the privacy of their shared basement. This is the year Luna decides to climb the stairs for the rest of the world to see. Sad and yet hopeful, this book is appropriate for both middle and high schools.

So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez (Q, with a bit of G)
Frederick is the new kid in eighth grade. He’s also the short kid and the kid with asthma … and he definitely doesn’t want to add “the gay kid” to that list. But what if it’s true? As his relationships with Xio, his best friend who wants to be his girlfriend, Victor, the school’s gorgeous soccer star, and Iggy, whose brother even calls him the F-word, all develop, they lead Frederick down a questioning road. Will he ever figure himself out? Or let himself admit it? Best for middle school or an easy (and sweet) high school read.

The Misfits by James Howe (G)
The story of a lovable group of seventh-grade outcasts — the fat kid, the smart girl, the gay boy and the troublemaker — who try to make their school a better place by running for student council on the “No Name Calling Ticket.” This book was actually the inspiration for Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) No Name Calling Week, a nationwide event that promotes acceptance and builds anti-bullying allies at the beginning of the school year. Best for middle school.

Totally Joe by James Howe (G)
Joe is “the gay boy” from The Misfits, and this is the sequel to the other book, picking the story up after the group loses the election but succeeds in creating a No Name Calling campaign in their school with the help of staff. It chronicles Joe’s first (secret) relationship and his journey towards coming out. Best for middle school.

Wide Awake by David Levithan (G, with a bit of L)
The time is the very near future. America has just elected her first gay Jewish president. Plausible, right? Actually, the way Levithan writes it, seems so. No summary could do this story justice, so I’ll just say that if you need to restore your faith in humanity and people power, this is a truly brilliant read. Best only for high school.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green (G)
Each chapter of this book switches back and forth between two characters, both of who are named Will Grayson. Sound confusing? It’s not. The two writers have such skill and the two characters have such voice that the story of these two Wills who meet by happenstance unfolds seamlessly. The two young men share a friendship with Tiny, a very large gay high school actor/football player, who, in one fell swoop, shatters all gay stereotypes. Hilarious, and best for high school.

Two books I’d add to the list — with Abigail’s blessing — are:

Absolutely, Positively Not by David LaRochelle (Q and G)
Steven, 16, likes square dancing, his male health teacher and keeping International Male catalogs under his bed. But he is determined that he is absolutely, positively, not gay. To prove this, he tries to buy a Playboy magazine, tries mingling with the meathead jocks and has a series of disastrous dates with girls in his school. When Steven finally outs himself to his best friend, Rachel tells her entire family and urges him to form a gay-straight alliance. This book won the Sid Fleischman Humor Award the year it was published. Best for high school.

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger (G, with a little bit of L)
Russel Middlebrook is a sophomore at Goodkind High School. He has a secret crush on Kevin Land and soon discovers Kevin is also gay. The boys become friends and set up the “Geography Club” with three other gay students, one of whom is Russel’s closest friend, Min. Eventually, however, peer pressure and insecurity take their toll. Russel’s relationship with Kevin ends, but the “Geography Club” becomes the “Goodkind High School Gay-Straight-Bisexual Alliance,” and the protagonist gains new insight into himself and his place in the world. Best for high school.

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I hope this list gets you started reading and exploring. And, if you’re looking for more resources on LGBTQ literaure, I’d recommend:

• Lee Wind’s blog I’m Here. I’m Queer. What the Hell Do I Read?
• This forum, blog and fansite: Gay YA: GLBT Characters and Pairings in YA Fiction.

Today is a very special day for middle-grade literature enthusiasts and tea lovers everywhere. Laura Schaefer has a new book out.

The Secret Ingredient (Simon and Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2011) is a follow-up to Schaefer’s first novel, The Teashop Girls. It chronicles what happens to Annie and her friends, Genna and Zoe, the summer before they all start high school.

As in the first book, much of the action takes place in Annie’s grandmother’s tea shop, The Steeping Leaf. When Annie’s not serving tea, she’s blogging about food, baking scones in hopes of winning a contest and trying to decide if kissing a boy in the tea shop’s stockroom meant anything.

Read, Write, Repeat is honored to have author Laura Schaefer on hand to answer important questions about the book, her writing process and life in Madison, Wisconsin where she, I and the book’s characters all live.

This book is about blogging, tea and scones. Of the three, which is your favorite? Why?

Of the three, I have the most knowledge and experience with tea. I’ve tried lots of different varieties. I’m currently drinking a lot of Pu-erh, which is a type of earthy tea from China. When I started writing The Secret Ingredient, I was a scone newbie. (Although I had eaten lots of them, I’d never baked them.) That changed in a hurry. Many a Saturday I spent in my kitchen working on new recipes for the book. I’m proud of how they turned out, and I think my friends enjoyed all the samples.

How much of Annie is inspired by you?

Quite a bit. She’s more gregarious than I was at 14, but I think we have a lot of qualities in common. She’s very loyal to her friends and family, she’s got that entrepreneurial streak, and boys confuse her. I could say all the same things about myself.

Annie hopes to win a trip to London by coming up with a wonderful scone recipe. What’s your favorite scone recipe? Have you ever been to London?

My favorite recipe at the moment is the apple toffee scones I invented for the book. But other than that, I can’t get enough of the lemon cream scones from Lazy Jane’s cafe on Willy Street in Madison. I honestly don’t know what they put in them, but I’d like to find out. They are gooooooood.

Yes, I went to London about nine years ago, after I graduated from college. I loved it. The city has such a rich culture and history. I adore the fact that the museums there are free. I really want to go back.

Annie has ambivalent feelings about Zach, but she does kiss him. What was your first kiss like?

Haha, I’ll never tell!

What kind of research did you need to do while you wrote this book? What was the most interesting thing you learned?

The research happened very naturally, and was driven by my own interests in tea and food. I tried a lot of new and interesting teas after The Teashop Girls came out at the end of 2008, and I found it very easy to weave references to them into the new book. One example of this is matcha, a powdered green tea that I adore. Cha Cha Tea here in Madison introduced me to it.

I had some things to learn about the local food movement and people’s efforts to get healthy local foods into school lunches. I spoke to the organization REAP to get some perspective on the challenges involved in getting local produce into schools. They do amazing work, and I’m grateful to them for helping me out.

I also turned to my long-time best friend Aimee Tritt, who is currently at work on a master’s degree in dietetics. She is a foodie through and through and really knows her stuff. She helped me to make sure all the produce I referenced in the story is actually in season during the timeline of the book.

The book is set in Madison, Wisconsin where you (and I) live. What favorite Madison landmarks were you able to include in the book?

I love writing about Madison. The book opens with Annie at the Farmer’s Market on the Capitol Square. I also reference Lake Monona, State Street and Vilas Park. There’s no place like Madison in the summertime. Our city shines right now.

Much of the action in both your books is set in Annie’s grandmother’s tea shop. Have you ever thought about opening a tea shop of your own? Is the shop inspired by an actual tea shop?

I haven’t really considered opening a tea shop of my own, because I’m too busy with my writing. But I love, love, love hanging out in them (and in coffee shops). The shop in the story is a mish-mash of lots of places I like to hang out, from Barriques here in Madison, to this place in Florida called Sherlock’s (now closed … boo!), to the Tea Lounge in Brooklyn, New York.

My daughter is starting high school this fall. What advice would Annie, Genna and Zoe have for her?

Great question! All three girls would probably have different advice. Annie’s would be something funny or friendly like, “Don’t forget hair products,” (she always struggles with her frizzy red curls) and, “Stick close to your best friends.” Genna would say, “Try out for a play … drama club is FABULOUS.” Zoe, ever the practical one, would say, “Don’t get behind on your homework and ignore Genna when she insists on finding you a boyfriend.”

What would I say? “Have fun, try different extra-curricular activities to find out what you love, and don’t take anyone too seriously!”

Is the book the end of the series? Or do you have more adventures planned for the girls?

I think there will be a TSG3 eventually, but I don’t have any immediate plans.

Several of your author biographies mention that you like to dance the lindy hop. Tell us more about that.

The lindy hop is a vintage swing dance invented in the 1920s. It’s really fun and athletic. I started learning in 2005 and I still try to go out a few times per month now. Some of my friends are truly awesome at it … they travel and compete. I’m a bit more of a spectator these days, but I love it. If you’re interested, we dance on Wednesday nights after 9:30 p.m. at the Brink Lounge, and you can find out about lessons at www.uwswing.com.

What other projects are you working on?

I’m working on a stand-alone novel for older readers called Notes to Self. I’m also in the midst of launching a line of non-fiction travel guides for kids aged 8-12 called Planet Explorers. These guides will be published in ebook form only, for kids to read on Kindles, Nooks or smart phones before they go on family vacations. I’m really excited about it. My first two titles are Chicago and Walt Disney World. Thank you for asking!

Thanks for stopping by, Laura!

If you’d like to know more about Laura, visit her website.

If you’d like to know more about illustrator Sujean Rim, visit her website.

And, finally, to read a teen review of Laura’s first novel, The Teashop Girls, check out this link.

Lucy Wu thinks she has her school year planned out perfectly.

She’ll play basketball, her favorite sport, and lead her team to victory. And, she’ll finally get her own room now that her annoyingly perfect older sister is heading off to college.

But nothing goes as planned.

First, her great-aunt arrives from China for a visit. Yi-Po doesn’t speak much English and Lucy doesn’t speak much Chinese. Even worse, Yi-Po looks different than anyone in Lucy’s friends’ families. And, she ends up sharing Lucy’s room.

Next, Lucy’s parents say she can’t play basketball because practice times conflict with her Chinese language lessons. Even when the practice time changes, they aren’t thrilled that she’s playing a sport instead of studying.

And if that weren’t bad enough, a mean girl at school decides to take on Lucy for team captain.

Debut author Wendy Wan-Long Shang tells Lucy’s story in The Great Wall of Lucy Wu (Scholastic Press, 2011).

Does Lucy find a way to salvage her sixth-grade year? Let’s ask today’s reviewer.

Today’s reviewer: Abby

Age: 10

I like: Reading, chocolate, baseball, bowling, sheep and dogs.

This book was about: A girl named Lucy who thinks she is going to have the perfect year, but then, she finds out that her grandmother’s sister, Yi Po, who she never knew existed is going to live with them for a while, and Lucy has to share her own room with Yi Po and is angry at first.

The best part was when: They were playing basketball with eleven seconds left in the game and Talent Chang got the ball and made the winning shot.

I laughed when: It said Kenny had been eating the dumplings for the party as a nightly snack.

I was worried when: Paul passed the ball to Talent in the basketball game and Talent had never played basketball before.

I was surprised that: Yi Po got Lucy a brand new basketball net and backboard for her birthday.

This book taught me: That you can get to know someone new and then be really close to them as if you had been friends forever.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: All the different ways Lucy reacts to Yi Po throughout the book.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Realistic.” “Funny.” “Interesting.”

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: “I thought I was going to have the perfect year …”

You should read this book because: It’s very realistic, and it teaches you a lot about family and friends. It is also a very fun book.

Thanks, Abby!

If you’d like to learn more about Wendy Wan-Long Shang, you can visit her website. Or, you can read this interview on Madelyn Rosenberg’s blog, The Furnace.

You can read other reviews of this book on these blogs:

The Happy Nappy Bookseller.

Reading in Color.

Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup.

When a book gets starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and the School Library Journal, chances are it has something good going on.

And when it wins a Newbery Honor award that sort of seals the deal.

Heart of a Samurai (Amulet Books, 2011) by Margi Preus is based on the true story of Manjiro (later John Mung). Manjiro is 14 in 1841 when his fishing boat is shipwrecked in a storm.

An American whaling ship eventually rescues him and his shipmates, and while his fellow fishermen are afraid of the “barbarians,” Manjiro is curious about them. He travels to America, learns about the country and then finds his way back to Japan where, against all odds, he becomes a samurai.

The book features illustrations by Manjiro himself as well as new art from Jillian Tamaki.

Now, let’s hear from our guest reviewer …

Today’s reviewer: Jordan   

Age: 11

I like: Legos, Pizza, sports, and reading.

This book was about: A Japanese boy who got stranded on a deserted island and was rescued by Americans.

The best part was when: Manjiro became a samurai.  

 I laughed when: Manjiro didn’t understand the captain’s sarcasm.

I was worried when: Manjiro almost got killed by Jolly. 

I was surprised that: Manjiro became a samurai because he was just a simple fisherman.  

This book taught me: That good can sometimes come in bad situations. 

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The Japanese spellings. 

Three words that best describe this book are: “Funny.” “Dramatic.” “Realistic.” 

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: “We are the Samurai of Bird Island.”  

You should read this book because: It is based off of a true story and is a very good book.

Thanks, Jordan!

Other reviews of this book can be found at:

• The Wall Street Journal.
• Becky’s Book Reviews.
• Library Lounge Lizard.

If you’d like to learn more about author Margi Preus, you can read this interview or visit her website.

If you’d like to learn more about illustrator Jillian Tamaki, visit her website or check out her blog.

You just can’t ignore a good book.

And based on some anecdotal evidence, it seems Justin Case: School, Drool and Other Daily Disasters (Feiwel and Friends, 2010) is a very good book indeed.

Here’s what happened.

When Niki, today’s guest reviewer, got the book, she started reading and — according to her dad — didn’t stop.

And after she’d given the book and her questionnaire back to me, my daughter grabbed the book and read straight through supper. She was so focused, I even had to remind her to eat.

I have yet to read this book myself, but based on the interest it’s generated so far, you can be sure I’ll start as soon as my daughter is finished.

Now, let’s hear from Niki.

Reviewer: Niki

Age: 10 

I like: Horses, dogs, reading, Irish dance, jazz dance, playing with my friends, golf, winter, computers, watching television and eating breakfast.

This book was about: Justin Case. He was a boy who was afraid of everything. But by the end of the book, he was no longer afraid. In Justin’s mind, his old stuffed animal (which was a dog) told him to face his fears.

The best part was when: Justin climbed a rope and was scared when he looked down. The picture showed Justin was sweating and shivering. 

I laughed when: Justin said the boiler in his basement was a big bad monster.

 I was worried when: Justin said he would never be friends with Daisy (his best friend) again.

I was surprised that: Justin actually climbed the rope and overcame his fears.

This book taught me: That it’s okay to be scared and that you can still conquer your fears.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: All the ways Justin conquers his fears. 

 Three words that best describe this book are: Funny, hilarious, hysterical.

 My favorite line or phrase in the book is: When Justin says, “What the heck?”

 You should read this book because: It’s an awesome book because it will make you laugh and teach you how to conquer your fears.

Thanks, Niki! You weren’t the only reader who liked it. There’s another great review at Kid Lit Blog.

Author Rachel Vail writes for little kids, tweens and teens. You can learn more about her books here. Or read a great Publishers Weekly interview with her here.

This book has charming spot illustrations by Matthew Cordell. A website full of his wonderful work is here.

Halloween seems to get more popular each year.

In fact, the National Retail Federation expects Americans to spend more than $5.07 billion on costumes, cards, candy and decorations for the holiday, with the average consumer shelling out $64.82. (I’m a little behind the curve. I’ll probably spend around $40.)

With all that money going to ring in the holiday, it seems some of it ought to be spent on books.

So if you’re looking for a good, nonscary Halloween read for yourself or a middle-grader in your life, consider Callie’s Rules (Egmont USA, 2009) by Naomi Zucker.

Callie is an 11-year-old trying to figure out the rules of middle school. Not the official school rules, but the unwritten social ones — like that boys and girls need to sit on opposite sides of the cafeteria or that you really shouldn’t eat what’s served for lunch.

And she’s finding it hard to fit in because most of the rules don’t make sense to her. Why should you wear a scarf when it’s 80 degrees outside? And what’s the point of pretending not to know the answer when you do?

Just when Callie thinks she’s making progress at blending in, a decision to turn her town’s annual Halloween celebration into a more politically correct Autumn Fest puts her back in an unwanted spotlight.

Callie’s family is all about Halloween. Her dad makes special Toasty Ghosties for treats, her mother, who’s an artist, builds huge creations that flash lights and spew smoke. And her six brothers and sisters enjoy the parade, window-decorating and trick-or-treating.

As Halloween approaches, Callie learns how to creatively work within the new set of rules, decides which rules aren’t worth following at all and politely stands up for what she believes in.

You can learn more about this book and its sequel — Write on, Callie Jones — at Naomi Zucker’s website.

I’ll feature more Halloween-inspired books as the day approaches. But here are two others to consider right now:

Midnight Fright (Cartwheel Books, 2008) by Wisconsin authors Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook. This book lets children set the hands on a built-in clock to match what’s going on at various times throughout the story.

The rhyming text is fun, and the story is suitable for the youngest spooks in your house. (For an interview with these authors, check out this link.)

The Perfect Pumpkin Pie (Atheneum Books, 2005) by Denyz Cazet. This wonderful read-aloud is full of pumpkins, ghosts, pie and a memorable refrain. It will carry you through Halloween and Thanksgiving. And you’ll likely find yourself quoting odd bits of it throughout the rest of the year.

The illustrations might be a tad too creepy for some younger readers, so use your best judgement.

What are YOUR favorite Halloween books? And how much do you think you’ll spend on the holiday this year?