Jessica Haight's Blog, page 149

Just What is Paradise?

It is 1935, and eleven year-old Turtle’s only parent, her mama, has found a live-in housekeeping job that doesn’t allow children. Luckily, Turtle is strong and doesn’t flinch when her mama tells her she is sending her to go and live with an aunt she has never met down in Florida. Turtle is tough and doesn’t cry; she has been let down too many times before by the men who come courting her mama to let things upset her. She does dream of a “Daddy Warbucks” coming along and changing her life like Little Orphan Annie, but she doesn’t think she will get her Hollywood ending. After the long drive to Florida and the ferry ride to Key West, she and her cat are ready for some comforts and a good meal. Unfortunately, when Turtle finds Curry Lane, the address her mom gave her, the house looks tiny and worn. The snotty boy sitting on the front steps doesn’t make things any easier. Then, her aunt is so shocked to see Turtle standing there that it is clear that her mama’s letter explaining everything hasn’t arrived yet. After a rough start, Turtle begins to settle into Curry Lane. Florida sure is a strange place and she can’t get over walking barefoot, the strange names for everything, and the intense heat. She learns the ways of her ancestors and hangs out with her three male cousins and their friends, who are part of The Diaper Gang. They won’t let Turtle join because she is a girl, but they let her go with them when they walk their wagon taking care of cranky babies. Still, Turtle is determined to earn some money so that she can see her mama sooner. Will she find a job or a way to make money? What will happen when she meets her long lost grandma who hates children? Is there any way that Turtle will get to see her mama again? Is there a Hollywood ending in her future? You will definitely root for Turtle all the way and will be captivated by the twists and turns of her life.

I would recommend Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm to anyone who enjoys historical fiction in grades three and up. I was lucky enough to listen to the audio of this wonderful book narrated by Becca Battoe. She did an excellent job capturing Turtle’s spunky, sassy, and strong personality. The variety of voices for the different characters helped the book come alive for me. I loved the references to old movies, actors, and comics from the funny pages. This book reminded me how hard the Great Depression was for people and how brave kids needed to be during that time. I know I would have a difficult time leaving my family to live with relatives that I have never met. I could easily connect to Turtle and enjoyed her personality and amusing comments. She is someone I would like to be friends with because she is so refreshing and says what she thinks. I'll tell you one thing- she is no Shirley Temple! This was a heartwarming story with lessons that ring true for all of us. I only wish I had more time with Turtle and her fascinating family.

Has anyone else read Turtle in Paradise? Or have you read another book by Jennifer L. Holm?

Happy Reading!
~ L

FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Answer to Monday's Riddle! It's All In the Family!

Fabulous job guessing everyone! Enbrethiliel is correct! This week, we're keeping it all in the family. Lizzy will be reviewing a a book that you will definitely want to share with your next of kin : ) and we are looking forward to telling you some interesting things about our family on Top of the Heap . Friday, we are excited to chat with Elise Broach , author of the middle grade novel, Shakespeare's Secret . So, be sure to check back! ~ F

A star is born, we will say, then we guide you on your way. From the heavens, passed along, fly the colors of our song. You share our looks and our name. We hope for you to win the game. We hand you tools and point the way; teach you lessons every day. On this fleeting ride with us, you won't miss the cosmic bus. We hold you deep in our hearts, and wish for you the leading parts. 

Who are we? Answer: Your family ♥
The Morrow family embarks on their latest adventure into the Begonia House. ..
FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Monday's Riddle! Who's on the Bus?

Hello Monday Riddlers! Here's this weeks puzzle. Can you guess the theme? The answer is probably closer than you think ; ) ~ F

A star is born, we will say, then we guide you on your way. From the heavens, passed along, fly the colors of our song. You share our looks and our name. We hope for you to win the game. We hand you tools and point the way; teach you lessons every day. On this fleeting ride with us, you won't miss the cosmic bus. We hold you deep in our hearts, and wish for you the leading parts. 

Who are we? 

Here's a fun clue!  



FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

The DMS Wants to Know!

Monday's Riddle  set our course, and we followed the directions on the map. Fairday reviewed the swashbuckling new middle grade novel  The Mapmaker's Sons by V. L. Burgess , and on  Top of the Heap , we shared a couple of our favorite maps with you. Friday, we were excited to learn a little more about author  C. Lee Mckenzie  and the story behind her exiting new story  Alligators Overhead . Plus, from Sept. 1st- 7th, Fairday's Blog! is participating in the Back to Books Giveaway Hop . Enter for your chance to win a $25 Gift Card to Amazon.com , as well as a signed, hardcover edition of the mysterious middle grade novel, The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow by J. Haight & S. Robinson . We pointed the way all week long. Today, it's your turn to set the sails...

The DMS wants to know: If you had a magical map, where would it take you? What powers would it possess?   

We told you ours, now let's hear yours!


Public domain image/ Map of the Center of the Earth: 1698
FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

It's Time to Get Back to the Books!

Welcome to the new school year! 
Time to hit the books...





Thanks to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Buried in Books for hosting the Back to the Books Giveaway Hop!  Fairday's Blog! is featuring a giveaway prize pack, including a $25 gift card to amazon.com and a signed, hardcover edition of the middle grade novel,  The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow by J. Haight & S. Robinson.
The Back to the Books Giveaway Hop will run from Sept. 1st -7th, so, join in the fun! This is a huge hop, and there are lots of wonderful blogs participating, giving away all sorts of great books and other fabulous prizes. Be sure to visit the hopping blogs! ( click here for the list ) 
Enter to win:1) Follow Fairday's Blog!2) Leave a comment and let us know: 
What are you interested in learning about this year?3) Fill out the Rafflecopter form below 


Enter for a chance to win a $25 Gift Card to Amazon.com, then find a great book and get lost in the story! 

The Begonia House keeps its secrets. Everyone knows that. Everyone, that is, except for clever eleven-year-old Fairday Morrow, whose family has just moved in. Being the Senior Investigator in the Detective Mystery Squad, more commonly known as the DMS, she’s ready to uncover the mysteries hidden within the strange manor. As the investigation gears up and the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place, the DMS enters into a world where anything is possible, and the danger is most definitely real. Follow along with Fairday and her friends, as spooky meets lovely in this twisting tale of dark secrets and hidden pasts. 
Read the first seven chapters online
Read the reviews for The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow




Thanks for popping by! We hope that you will stay and visit with us for a while. Below, you will find an overview of the topics that we discuss on Fairday's Blog! They range from riddles, to reviews, to just things that we like to shout out about : ) 





What Fairday's Blog! is all about...




Fairday's Riddles  are posted on Mondays- they can be written about anything, and everything, all at the same time : )
Lizzy's Book Reviews  are posted on Wednesdays. Lizzy has read just about every middle grade novel out there, and she loves to share her thoughts and, of course, her opinions.

The Top of the Heap  is a post we put up on Thursdays. We thought it would be fun once a week to put up two things that we appreciate and have been thinking about during the week. I enjoy doing this post because I love the google hunt for the perfect image to accompany the topic of discussion.

Margo's Musings  Fridays belong to Margo, Fairday's little sister. This post focuses on reviewing local children's book authors, which we follow up with an  Author Interview .

The DMS Wants to Know  was a post we came up with for Saturdays because when we get together to hang out on the weekend, we always chat about different situations and ideas that are floating around in our brains and we like to listen to what other people think about them- some of the comments we've gotten have been absolutely fascinating! We'd love to hear yours!

Book Review Index
Submission Guidelines for a Review/Interview on Fairday's Blog! 








a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Author Interview with C. Lee Mckenzie

The DMS was lucky enough to interview  C. Lee Mckenzie , author of the middle grade novel  Alligators Overhead.  Lizzy recently reviewed this exciting book, and it was great to share our thoughts about it and hear yours! We are excited to learn a little bit more about the story behind the story. So, without further ado... take it away, Lee! 



What inspired you to write Alligators Overhead?


I needed a story to go with a title I'd been carrying around in my head for years. I used to stare up at my knotty pine ceiling and find all kinds of alligators staring down at me. Somehow, that didn't totally warp my young mind, but managed to stick a title into it. It took me quite a while to come up with a way to fly alligators, I can tell you that. 
How long did it take you to write Alligators Overhead?
I'd have to add the time up from different writing spurts because I wrote this a while ago--at least a version of it--then I set it aside and wrote a young adult novel before going back to Alligators. If I'm counting right, I'd say about a year. Somehow it seems longer, but when I checked my research notes I saw that I started looking up alligators and swamps about this time in 2011.
What are some of your favorite books from childhood? Were there any specific authors who inspired you?
The books I loved were the pretty traditional ones for girls.  Alice in Wonderland and Anne of Green Gables really stand out in my memory of that time. My earliest identification with an author was E.B. White. I fell in love with his stories, then later I read his essays. His style is so easy, and it communicates so directly to the heart that I still enjoy opening a collection of his essays and reading, even though I've read them before. I could keep writing about authors who inspire me, but let's talk about those another time.
Where did you come up with the characters Weasel and Pete?
Ah my rascal, Pete. He's as close to an "Everyboy" as I've ever written. I wanted a kid who was ordinary, that readers could identify with easily. I wanted him to be slightly bad and slightly damaged by life, even though only twelve, and highly redeemable. I also wanted him coming into maturity and being blindsided by his powers--sort of a "warlock unaware." Weasel had to be very different, so he became the brainiac, the logical kid who'd rather not be in trouble or danger. Their friendship had to be tight in the story, so I had Pete save Weasel from bullies before the real story began. I thought that would be the bond to keep them together no matter how bad the situation became. 
If you could befriend a character from any of your books, who would you befriend? Why?
I've always really liked the grandmother in Where do you like to write? Do you listen to music while you are writing?
I usually write at my desk in my office. It's a room with lots of light from a wall of windows that lets me look out at that forest I love. I stare outside and daydream when I need to, which is whenever I can't make the words do what I want them to.
No music. I've just never been able to listen to music when I'm concentrating on something else, especially writing. I love music while cooking or eating, and of course dancing! Music helps a lot then.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?


I'm very lucky. I've found the exact spot I want to live. It's on the edge of a forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I used to move a lot when I was a kid, so I thought that I'd always be here and there and everywhere, never in one place. When I married, we both had the travel bug, so we indulged that a lot before we settled here in California and built our home. Now we like to visit other places, but we have no desire to pack up and leave permanently. Kind of a huge change from my childhood!

Do you have a favorite animal or an animal that you would want as a familiar?

Oh, now you've touched a sore spot! I don't suppose you've read about the cat protests or you might have avoided this question. They're up in paws over my letting alligators be the familiars in this book. They've threatened to have my book banned unless I rewrite the story and reinstate them in their traditional role. They'll be returning to the negotiating table next week and I'm very worried that I may lose this battle. So about your question . . . I used to be very fond of cats, and I never considered having a familiar other than a feline, but I'm rethinking my position on that. Sorry to go on like this, but you can imagine the state I'm in. The Howl Ins alone are driving me crazy.
Where can we purchase your books? 

So glad you asked THAT question! 

Amazon ☞ Amazon Kindle ☞ Smashwords ☞ Barnes and Noble
Connect with C. Lee Mckenzie 
Author Website ☞ Blog ☞ Facebook  ☟


Read the Reviews!  




FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Top of the Heap!

Monday's Riddle set our course of direction this week, and we have been chatting about the many wondrous maps out there. Wednesday, Fairday reviewed  The Mapmaker's Sons by V.L. Burgess , which took us far into the Beyond. Friday, we will be chatting with C. Lee Mckenzie about her exciting middle grade novel  Alligators Overhead . So, be sure to check back! Today we want to take a minute to point you towards some pretty cool maps that we have come across : )

This week's top of the heap: Great Maps ⚑ 

Fairday: I have been racking my brain about what map I want to talk about- there are so many! I knew Lizzy was going to chat about the Marauder's Map from Harry Potter, and I wanted one that would be as cool as that. I thought about all the maps I know of: Middle Earth, Hogwarts, Faerie realm, and so forth. Then I thought of The Mapmaker's Son's by V.L. Burgess . I enjoyed both the story and the illustrations of the five kingdoms. I decided that it would be fun to make up my own map using some of my favorite places from stories. Check out Fairday's Fantasy Story Map...



Lizzy: There are maps to buried treasures and faraway places, but the map I think is the most amazing is the Marauder’s Map from the Harry Potter series. Imagine having a map of a magical place! It would be fantastic to hold in my hands a picture of every inch of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I would love to see little footprints appearing letting me know where everyone was. I know I would pour over the images trying to soak it all in. A lot of credit should go to its creators, Padfoot, Moony, Prongs, and Wormtail! Who knows- maybe one day I will find something as special ; ) ~L


FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Into the Beyond...

"There is another world, but it is in this one." ~ William Butler Yeats
Tom is an orphan and somewhat of a devious student at the Lost Preparatory Academy for Boys. Unfortunately, he is also quite well known to the strict headmaster, Mortimer Lost. Headmaster Lost runs a tight ship, using the school bells to signify the day's long drudgery. There are only three rules at the academy; no fighting or rough play of any kind, no climbing buildings or trees, and lastly, no leaving the dormitory after lights out. So, when Tom finds himself at an untimely hour scaling the bell tower, it seems like a perfectly natural mischievous act. After all, he had been climbing up there quite a bit lately- searching for something that he can't seem to find. He slips into the belfry and continues on his quest to silence the dinging bells. A whirlwind of bats take flight just as two large, hooded men emerge from the shadows and attack. Tom has no time to think. He jumps into the rafters, fleeing from what he knows is certain danger. As the two men gain measure, Tom is sure that it's going to be lights out for him. Just in the nick of time, help comes in the form of a pirate, who tells him a tale about a magical map that leads into the Beyond. Hidden there is a sword that has the power to destroy the five kingdoms. Tom is the legend to the map by birth right, and only he can point them in the right direction. Once transported, Tom discovers that he is one of the mapmaker's sons, and that the fate of the world lies within his hands. Will Tom be able to find the sword? Will the world survive the cruel grip of Keegan? Could the prophecy about the Hero Twins be true? What lies in the Beyond? You will be on the edge of your seat with this swashbuckling story!

I have to say, I loved this book! The Mapmaker's Sons by V.L. Burgess is as exciting as a fun adventure should be. The writing is excellent and the pacing is perfect. This story would definitely be great for boys, as there is a lot of action and adventure. I can relate to Tom and particularly enjoyed the back story about his childhood. I would recommend this book for ages 10 and up. For all of you thrill seekers out there- this book is for you!

This book will hit the shelves October of 2012! You can preview it here - Be sure to check it out!

Happy reading! ~ F


FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Answer to Monday's Riddle! Seek and Find...

The Mapmaker's Sons by V.L. Burgess
Fabulous guessing everyone! Simply speaking, the riddle points us to a map- however, how exciting that you guys thought of the sextant, which is a fabulous instrument used for navigation and a perfect match to lead our topic in the right direction. We will be revealing a few secrets about maps on Wednesday, and we are looking forward to sharing our thoughts with you on Top of the Heap . Friday, we will be chatting with C. Lee Mckenzie , author of the exciting middle grade novel, Alligators Overhead. So be sure to check back! 

When at last your trip embarks, follow me by my marks. Sail the voyage learned from past- use my guidelines and secure the mast. Where you go and what you see, all depends on reading me. 

What am I? Answer:  A Map



* A sextant is an instrument used to measure the angle between any two visible objects. Its primary use is to determine the angle between a celestial object and the horizon, which is known as the objects altitude. FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Monday's Riddle! Oh, Where to Go?

Here's Monday's Riddle for all of you puzzle solvers out there! Can you guess the direction of the theme this week ; ) ? ~ F




When at last your trip embarks, follow me by my marks. Sail the voyage learned from past- use my guidelines and secure the mast. Where you go and what you see, all depends on reading me. 

What am I? 


I gave you a clue!



FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED