Westing Game Treasure Trove

For all you Westing Game junkies (the 1979 Newbery Medal winner), this post is for you!

Ellen Raskin, author of The Westing Game, very graciously donated all her early writings, thoughts, editor's notes and musings about her wonderful book for all the world to enjoy.They are housed in Wisconsin, but nearly everything is available online.

If you haven't yet read The Westing Game, pick up a copy and settle in. It's an amazing ride. For me, it was the bridge that connected the incessant playing of the board game *Clue* with my brothers to reading the wonderful world of mystery-genre novels.

The nutshell version with no spoilers goes like this: The sixteen heirs of magnate Sam Westing were all called upon at the reading of his will to unravel the secret of his death. They all lived together at the Sunset Tower and were given $10,000 just to play the game, with the hopes of solving the mystery and ultimately winning $2 million dollars.

I haven't read this wonderful book for several decades, but I remember loving young teenage Turtle and her skillful ability to deduce logical conclusions from the evidence.There was a lot to love (and hate) about the other 15 players too, but young Turtle sticks out in my mind.

When you visit this site you will see the extravaganza of fun:  copies of early drafts,  later copies of final manuscripts, working notes, book design and even an audio-tape of Ellen herself talking you through all her stuff. A treasure trove for book-nerds and writers alike! Awesome!

Freshly-Brewed Monday Book Recommendation !

Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur





I just have to warn you from the get-go, this book is sad. Sad, sad, sad. But I beg you, give it a chance. The writing is so beautiful, Aubrey's voice is so sweet and ultimately, it is a book of hope, resiliency and triumph.




Amazon has a good summary that doesn't give anything important away so I'll start with that: Something terrible has happened. 11 yr old Aubrey is on her own. She's determined to hide away, and take care of herself because facing the the truth is too much to bear. But will the love of her Grandma and the letters she writes to her family help Aubrey to see that even though she has lost everything not all is lost?

Suzanne LaFleur writes about loss and grief brilliantly. I was reduced to tears more than a few times and I'm not sappy like that. The shattered innocence of Aubrey really takes your breath away and even though its so sad (I mentioned that right?), it feels so authentic you want to keep reading to see how this precious little girl fares. I've heard a few people say this book is more of a YA, I really don't get that at all. Aubrey is 11 and LaFleur has written her perfectly there. There are no issues or storylines that would take this into a YA subject matter, it all feels very middle grade to me. I think because it is, let's all say it together now, sad- some people may think it is more suited to an older audience. I disagree. I know a few fourth grade girls who would appreciate and enjoy this book.

**if you are considering this as an audio book, I know someone who both read it and listened to it on a trip with their children, she thought the "audio book Aubrey" had an overly-depressed tone to her voice that took away from the writing. I haven't heard the audio book, but I can imagine that would be annoying. Aubrey is a resilient optimistic girl by nature who was thrown into awful circumstances, I don't think the tone of her voice would bring you down. She's not that girl.

Drum Roll Please

And once again, I give you Betsy Bird...

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Betsy is counting down the top 100 middle grade novels of all time. Today Betsy lists my favorite book of all time- Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson in the #13 spot. Not even in the top ten! For shame!

Betsy found a copy of the original cover (how does she do it?) This one I believe is the current paperback.

I couldn't bring myself to see the movie. I didn't want it to mess up the movie that already lives in my head. Did you know that's why Madeline L'Engle books have never been set to film? She didn't want to do that to her readers. Love Madeline.  

I was one of the three- only three!?- who put this life-changing book in the number one slot. I can't wait to see what the remaining twelve are. Will my life be changed yet again? We shall see!

I love some of the quotes Betsy includes:

"It made me cry in fifth grade. And again in high school, and again and again and again each time I read it" (me too!)

"It made me feel older and wiser." (Again, me too!)

*An interesting note in Betsy's post is that Bridge to Terabithia is on the librarian's *death list*, meaning the book addresses the topic of death and as such, it falls on this list. (in the good company of Charlotte's Web) What makes Bridge different from Charlotte is you don't see it coming, which I think contributes to the young reader's feeling of being "older and wiser" upon completing the book. I think 5th grade is a perfect time for this one.  

Click here for the post

And check back with Betsy over the next few weeks for the remaining 12, SO FUN!!!!!

Three Quotes to Float your Boat

When you're in a rut, sometimes a great quote can really inspire. To me, when you combine a great quote with an old black and white photo, it's like being visited by an other-worldly muse. A muse who can push you on to greater heights in your belief that all this pen-to-paper stuff really matters.

I present, your muses- a few of my favorite legendary children's writers:

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to save the world and a desire to savor the world. This makes it difficult to plan the day."
-E.B. White
author of Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little and Trumpet of the Swan

"We write by the light of every book we've ever read."
-Richard Peck
author of A Season of Gifts, A Long Way from Chicago, A Year Down Yonder

"You have to write whichever book it is that wants to be written. And then, if it's going to be too difficult for grown-ups, you write it for children."

-Madeline L'Engle
author of A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet

Now get to work, whatever beautiful work that may be!

Won't Sit Down, Won't Shut up

So apparently having 3 boys under 10 is affecting me, because I love this video and I like to play it loud and I feel it in my bones. And I'm singing from the perspective of the boys, not the shutter-upper. Go ahead and crank up the volume, you will love it too!

Freshly-Brewed Monday Book Recommendation #10

My Life in Pink & Green

by Lisa Greenwald

Twelve year old Lucy is a natural problem solver. When the distraught homecoming queen comes crashing through the doors of the family pharmacy with a hair disaster, Lucy knows just what to do. But if she is such a problem-solver why can't she help Gram and Mom get the pharmacy back on its feet, back to when it was the center of town and where everyone used to shop? Once news of the homecoming queen's salvaged hair hits the streets, girls start coming to the pharmacy for all sorts of help- makeovers, proms, bat mitvahs.  Will Lucy be able to capitalize on this and save the pharmacy? 

I loved girly girl books and this is one of them. And I love the cover! Lucy's spunk and optimism permeates the whole book and I think this book will be a huge hit with young girls. There is also a very sweet friendship between Lucy and her closest friend Sunny. I love books with tight gal pal friendships on a mission!   

Freshly-Brewed Monday Book Recommendation #9- Also Known As Harper

Also Known As Harper by Ann Haywood Leal

Winnie Rae Early followed ten steps behind me the entire way home from school. It was hard not to fall into rhythm with the noisy sniff she took every third step. I knew without turning around that she was doing what she'd done all day long at school, lifting her arm up and wiping at the chapped underside of her nose with the underside of her wrist.

And so begins Also Known As Harper in one of the many complicated yet tender relationships in this book. The lives of Harper (named after Harper Lee) and her brother Hem (Hemingway) have been recently turned upside down. Hem sits on the porch each day waiting for Daddy's truck to pull in the drive, and big sister Harper knows that it won't but the worst part is, she doesn't want it to.

Harper is a poet. Words come to her unexpectedly and she has to get them down on paper. She loves her poetry and wants to share it with the world. Last year she missed the annual poetry recital because her Dad refused to sign the permission slip. Missing the recital broke her heart and this year her family's eviction and the fact she needs to be with Hem while her Mom works, will most likely mean she'll miss it again. What will their new homelessness do to the dreams that mean so much to Harper?

I've read several books this year dealing with families experiencing economic difficulties, but this one seems to take it a step deeper. Real issues of poverty, homelessness, its affect on children, are all grappled with in a very authentic way. It's a fresh take at looking at our belongings (all that stuff!) and our physical place in this world. If all our stuff is gone, and even the roof over our heads disappears, who are we? Who are we as individuals? Who are we as a family? It is an important book and I really grew to love the characters. I think you will too.