Who knew a simple science field trip could turn into such a whale of an adventure? Jenni Kershaw and her classmates can’t seem to find the bus for the return trip to school. Then they notice the landscape has changed, the vegetation is unfamiliar, not to mention the peculiar talking wildlife. They’ve been brought to […]
Taylor Davis: Elmina Slave Fortress
This is the first in a three-part series featuring the research that went into my newest book, Taylor Davis and the Clash of Kingdoms. Every time I write a new book, I enter the world in which my characters reside. Sometimes they bring me to places and events I’m not very familiar with. Sometimes I […]
Seymour Finney Barn
Seymour Finney was a Detroit innkeeper and a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad. He hid runaways in his barn, pictured at left and below–often while housing the slavecatchers in his hotel! The barn stood on the NE corner of State and Griswold Streets. There is a historical marker placed at that site that reads: “Seymour […]
Holes, by Louis Sachar, 1998
Want a nicely wrapped package with a few twists and turns? Try Holes, by Louis Sachar. This one won the Newberry back in 1999, and for good reason. Why haven’t I read this one before now?? Stanley Yelnats (love that!) isn’t very lucky. He was arrested for something he didn’t do and sent to Camp Green […]
The Dreamkeeper, by Mikey Brooks, 2013
Never fear to dream… Parker just wants to master his video games and maintain a degree of coolness at school. He never asked to be sucked into Dreams. He didn’t want to be paired with a “loser” or discover a plot with the potential to destroy both the world of Dreams and the world of […]
Heirloom (Seed Savers, book 3), by S. Smith, 2013
I was thrilled to be invited as a participant in the Heirloom book tour. In fact, I was thrilled to find the series for my tween son, who loves nothing better than to help me in our large garden on a warm summer morning. It’s sufficiently scary for tweens without being overwhelmingly so. It’s definitely middle grade, […]
Princess Kandake, by Stephanie Jefferson, 2012
Historical fiction is still one of my favorite genres, and Princess Kandake is a real treat. Stephanie Jefferson has created a strong teen female lead and set her within ancient Nubia. Kandake knows exactly what she wants, and she’s determined to go after it. Then life throws her a curve. How can she meet her obligations and […]
Magian High, by Lia London, 2012
I have about a dozen posts from my self-hosted site (now closed down) that I’d like to save on this one. I’ll be adding them on Fridays. If you were subscribed to that site, you can just ignore them. All three high schools in Kincaid Riley’s town are being desegregated, which means the Mages will […]