Monica Edinger's Blog, page 15

Revisiting Edward Carey’s Iremonger Series

Betsy Bird’s forgotten favorites post immediately made me think of one of mine, the sorely overlooked Iremonger Series by Edward Carey. To my mind it has some of the same quirky and originality of Frances Hardinge, D. M. Cornish (Betsy’s forgotten favorite), Lemony Snicket, and — most of all — Mervyn Peake (as Gormenghast seems a certain inspiration for Carey’s books). The first book, Heap House, got stars from PW, Kirkus, SLJ, and many best of the year accolades. The second and third seemed...

A Q & A with Frank Cottrell Boyce about his new book Sputnik’s Guide to Life

I’m delighted to be the first stop on the blog tour for Frank Cottrell Boyce’s Sputnik’s Guide to Life  (which happens to be shortlisted for the 2017 Carnegie Award, similar to our Newbery). I’ve a long history with Frank starting with a long-ago Skype visit with my class when he had to go to a neighbor to do it. A few years ago, we met at the Edinburgh Book Festival. That was a golden moment for me!

[image error]

Additionally, Frank did

Megan Whalen Turner, Wonder Woman, and Thick as Thieves

This Wednesday I had a great time at SLJ’s Day of Dialog where, among other things (e.g. moderating the fabulous YA panel) I heard Megan Whalen Turner give a fascinating and wonderful talk on creating a map for her fictional world. I go way back with Megan, the person and the writer, and so we arranged to get together yesterday after her Books of Wonder signing. While I’d thought perhaps going somewhere quiet for drinks after a long (and happy) day at Book Con, it turned out what Megan really...

Hilary Mantel on Historical Fiction

As soon as we die, we enter into fiction. Just ask two different family members to tell you about someone recently gone, and you will see what I mean. Once we can no longer speak for ourselves, we are interpreted. When we remember – as psychologists so often tell us – we don’t reproduce the past, we create it. Surely, you may say – some truths are non-negotiable, the facts of history guide us. And the records do indeed throw up some facts and figures that admit no dispute. But the historian P...

Congratulations to the 2017 Boston Globe-Horn Book Winners!

The Boston Globe-Horn Book awards have been given annually since 1967.  Unlike many other awards, the eligibility period runs from June 1 to May 31 of the following year. As a result books from both years are considered. This year’s awards were announced on Wednesday by Kwame Alexander and Horn Book Magazine editor Roger Sutton at SLJ’s Day of Dialog (where I moderated a fabulous YA panel) and I was completely thrilled with them. Congratulations to the creators, editors, judges, and everyone...

In the Classroom: Let’s Talk: Teaching Race in the Classroom

Last week I visited the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. It was incredible and overwhelming and I have been yearning ever since for a way to return as I feel I barely skimmed the surface of what was there. Then,  perusing the website, I came across a page featuring Professional Learning Events, one a week-long workshop titled “Let’s Talk: Teaching Race in the Classroom.” It is being held July 10-14 and I registered immediately. While I have done other wor...

A Taste of Philip Pullman’s Forthcoming Book of Dust

The gentleman waiting gave him a start, though all he was doing was sitting still by the cold fireplace. Perhaps it was his dæmon, a beautiful silvery spotted leopard, or perhaps it was his dark, saturnine expression; in any event, Malcolm felt daunted, and very young and small. His dæmon, Asta, became a moth.

“Good evening, sir,” he said. “Your Tokay what you ordered. Would you like me to make up the fire? It’s ever so cold in here.”

“Is your name Malcolm?” The man’s voice was harsh and deep...

SLJ’s Day of Dialog

I’m very honored to be moderating a YA panel at School Library Journal’s Day of Dialog next Wednesday, May 31st. This is a stellar yearly event that is held in conjunction with Book Expo, one I have attended many times. It sells out quickly, but this year they are offering something for those who can’t be there in person — live streaming! More about that here.  If you need more encouragement to do this, here’s the schedule:

9:00-9:30AM
Opening Keynote
Gene Luen Yang, National Ambassador for Y...

Considering the Classics

Long, long ago I wrote a professional book for Scholastic called Fantasy Literature in the Classroom. After Harry Potter, they had me update it and then retitled it Using Beloved Classics to Teach Reading Comprehension.  Both books feature my E. B. White author study, my teaching of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and other works of classical fantasy literature for children. Since writing the book I’ve been attentive to others who write of the problematic nature of many beloved classics, es...

In the Classroom: Ralph Fletcher’s Joy Write

[image error]

Some may have read or heard this story before, but for those who haven’t here it is again. It is what made me passionate that no young writer I taught ever had the same experience.

So my story. I loved writing as a child — until something happened. This was my high school A.P. English teacher telling my parents I shouldn’t take a role in the school play (my passion at the time) so I could “work on my writing.” He never told me what was the matter, never met with me to show me what I needed t...