I just read about a Web site authors would be interested in, www.jacketflap.com. It's another helpful resource for children's book writers. You can register, search their database, and just read their blogs. If you visit, let me know what you think.
Read morePeople often ask me what children's and young adult books I like to read. This is always a fun topic of conversation for me because though I'm an avid reader of all manner of fiction (and among my favorites in the mainstream category are Anne Tyler, Sue Miller and Margaret Atwood), whenever I'm in the car (and that's often as I'm a suburban mom and do work that often takes me out of my office), I listen to young adult books on tape. The latest I enjoyed were Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock (www.catherinemurdock.com) and A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt (www.danareinhardt.com). Both have main characters who struggle with what they believe is their inability to effectively communicate with the adults and peers in their lives. Yet both girls are poignant in their capacity to tell more than they think they do. I thoroughly enjoyed both and want to learn more about these authors.
Meanwhile, for those of you who don't share my passion for YA fiction, here are some of my other favorites you may want to experience:
The Scrambled States of America (a picture book that's a clever take on geography);
Officer Buckle and Gloria (another picture book that will make you laugh);
Junie B. Jones (because her voice is so perfect); and
anything by Lois Lowry, Karen Hesse or Jerry Spinelli in the middle grade category.
That's just a few for today. Happy reading!
