MMGM: Margaret Haddix: Suspense with A Lot of Heart

Today I’m featuring one of my favorite middle grade authors in the mystery genre. Margaret Haddix writes contemporaries, dystopian, fantasy, and mysteries. She shines at writing books that make you want to turn the page and have emotional depth.

I first encountered her when I was on a fairy tale retelling kick and read Just Ella a few years ago. Last year, I discovered her first book, Running Out of Time, a must-read if you like middle grade suspense.

In addition to Running Out of Time, I’m also featuring my favorite stand alone by Haddix, The Remarkables. As a bonus, for those who enjoy YA, I’m adding a short bit about my favorite Haddix YA.

Running Out of Time (1995)

 

 

Jessie lives with her family in the frontier village of Clifton, Indiana, in 1840—or so she believes. When diphtheria strikes the village and the children of Clifton start dying, Jessie’s mother reveals a shocking secret —it’s actually 1996, and they are living in a reconstructed village that serves as a tourist site. In the world outside, medicine exists that can cure the dread disease, and Jessie’s mother is sending her on a dangerous mission to bring back help.

But beyond the walls of Clifton, Jessie discovers a world even more alien and threatening than she could have imagined, and soon she finds her own life in jeopardy. Can she get help before the children of Clifton, and Jessie herself, run out of time? (from the author's website)

My Take:

This book has everything I love: a Little House on the Prairie feel with the twist of it being a dystopian-type village that’s being watched. Jessie is a fabulous character with boldness and daring. Her understanding of the modern world is limited, which adds to the tension. It’s a short book, and I dare you to put it down. I don’t want to give any spoilers away, but there are so many twists and turns that lead to its incredible ending.

The Remarkables (2019)

 

 

One minute they’re there: laughing and having fun at the house next door. The next minute, the teens are gone. Like magic. Marin can’t believe her eyes. Who are they? Can anyone else see them? What makes them so happy?

Marin is lonely in this new town of hers and eager to figure out more. Then she meets Charley, who reveals that he knows about these teenagers, too.

He calls them the “Remarkables.” Charley warns her to stay away from the Remarkables—and him. Charley and Marin both have painful secrets they’re holding on to, but could solving the mystery of the Remarkables help them both? (from the author's website)

My Take:

The synopsis doesn’t do this book justice. The mystery of who the Remarkables are was gripping, but what I loved about this book was how seamlessly the external mystery tied in with Marin and Charley’s friendship and character growth. Marin’s father, who loves football and is a doting father to her and her new baby brother, is one of my favorite fathers in kidlit. This book didn’t just grab me with its interesting time-bending twists but moved me with its theme of appreciating the what you have now.

Extra:

Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey (1996)

 

 

Everyone has to keep a journal in Mrs. Dunphrey’s English class, but the teacher has promised she won’t read any entry marked “Do not read this.” It’s the kind of assignment Tish Bonner, one of the girls with big hair who sit in the back row, usually wouldn’t take very seriously. But right now, Tish desperately needs someone to talk to, even if it’s only a notebook she doesn’t dare let anyone read.

As Tish’s life spins out of control, the entries in her journal become more and more private…and dangerous. Is she risking everything that matters to her by putting the truth on paper? And is she risking more by keeping silent? (from the author's website)

 My Take:

This YA contemporary is not for the faint of heart, and I wouldn’t recommend it for younger kids or sensitive readers. But it’s a powerful novel, and leaves the reader with hope. A reminder that there are teachers out there who truly save kids’ lives. 

Max, the Reading Dog*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Max’s take (on a five bone scale):

No dogs! Again. Just think of how I could sniff out the bad guys and protect those kid sleuths! Opportunity wasted.

🦴 

 Your Turn: 

Do you like mysteries or suspense? Have you read any books by Haddix? 

Check out other fabulous middle grades at Always in the Middle!  

 

 

 

MMGM: Unlocking Secrets at Sinclairs: The Clockwork Sparrow

 

As I continue my mystery read-a-thon for the fall, I pulled out one I discovered a few years ago, but I wanted to revisit. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I love a good historical mystery like The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency series or Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen.

Today I’m featuring The Clockwork Sparrow, the first novel in the four book Sinclair Mysteries.

If you like the Edwardian period, heroes and heroines with a lot of pluck, dastardly villains, and ciphers and codes, you will love this book!

The Synopsis:

In The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow, just as recently orphaned fourteen-year-old Sophie is settling into her new life as a shop girl at the newly opened Sinclair's Department Store in London, a priceless object is stolen, a young man is attacked and Sophie is implicated in the crime. An absolute joy of a book combining mystery, adventure and friendship with a sumptuous Edwardian setting, transporting the reader to a world of heady glamour offset by a murky criminal underground. It's Nancy Drew with a PBS twist, and readers of all ages will adore the cast of exceptionally likeable characters. (from Amazon)

Highlights of Clockwork Sparrow:

1.    An incredible setting! I loved reading about this incredible department store with its strict rules for staff and sumptuous décor. Because Woodfine used omniscient narration, we get more of a cinematic view of this incredible place, which was based on famous London stores of the time like Selfridges.

Illustration from page 2 

 2.    Incredible characters! Each character brought something to the team. Sophie was level-headed, newly adjusting to being working class, and Lil, lit up the room with her exuberant personality and acting skills. Billy, the porter, knows codes from reading about detective stories, and Joe, who recently escaped from the villain’s gang, understands how criminals think.

3.    Endearing friendships! I really enjoy when authors show the strength of same sex friendships, as it seems so rare in middle grade. I loved that although all four got along and the boys each had a crush, that their emotional bond between the two girls and the two boys was exceptionally strong.  

4.    Interesting tidbits of newspapers and clues throughout. Woodfine starts each section with a description of a hat from the time, which contributes to the atmosphere. There are also newspapers giving important information and a copy of letters or clues, which allows the reader to participate in the mystery and not just read a summary of how it was solved.

p.16: Newspaper article about the Clockwork Sparrow

5.    An interesting villain! You can’t have a good mystery without a good villain. The Baron is evil, exceptionally intelligent, and able to blend right in to high society. Sophie catches a glimpse of him near the end, and although The Clockwork Sparrow's mystery is solved, there’s a lot left open for the rest of the series.

What I learned a writer: 

Often writers are told to avoid omniscient point of view because it’s too old-fashioned or hard to pull off. Woodfine used it beautifully, however, in this series. It allowed her to tell the story from all the main characters’ points of view and dip into minor characters’ heads when it suited the story. She used it to good effect to allow the reader to see things that none of the characters noticed, which added suspense.

Max, the Reading Dog*

 

 

 

Max’s take (on a five bone scale):

There was one dug: Lucky, the pug, the dog of Miss Atwood, Mr. Sinclair’s secretary. He played a small part, but maybe he’ll do more in the other books. I also liked Blackie, the cat. And Joe seems like a dog person. 
🦴🦴🦴🦴

Your turn:

Do you like historical mysteries? Yay or nay on omniscient narrators?

MMGM: Cracking Cases with The T.O.A.S.T. Series by James Ponti

I'm glad to be back to MMGM after a busy August! Unfortunately, I had a lot of do-not-finish books last month, so I've been waiting for a good one to share with you. Now that it's fall, my tastes tend toward mysteries. Nothing like curling it with a good whodunit, watching the leaves fall. Are you like that too?

I read the first of the Framed (or T.O.A.S.T.*) series way back in 2016. I love art history and that book became a quick favorite. Recently, I picked up two more books by James Ponti to complete the series, and although neither of these books have anything to do with art history, they touched on a couple of my other interests: classical music and Russian. Two more outstanding titles to share with you today!

*For those who haven't read the series, T.O.A.S.T. stands Theory of All Small Things. As Florian explains: "The idea is that if you look for little details, you can add them up to discover otherwise hidden pieces of information." (p.7 of Trapped  by James Ponti) 

  

Synopsis for Vanished (Book 2):

 

After helping the FBI solve an art theft at the National Gallery and uncovering a DC spy ring, Florian’s finding life at Alice Deal Middle School a little boring. Then his FBI handler, Marcus, finally has a job for him. Florian can’t wait! Is it a bank robbery? Counterfeit ring? International espionage? Not even close.

 

The mission is even more middle school. There’s been a series of pranks happening at a prestigious private school attended by the president’s daughter who may—or may not—be involved. So Florian and Margaret go undercover to see if they can use their TOAST skills to figure out what’s going on before the media gets hold of the story.

 

However, once the crime-solving pair arrive at the school, they discover that there’s a lot more than a few pranks going on, and the conspiracy of silence reaches all the way to the top. Then things take a sinister turn when a student vanishes in the middle of a concert at the Kennedy Center!

 

Can Florian and Margaret save the day? Or are they about to get toasted? 

 

 

 

Synopsis for Trapped (Book 3)

Florian Bates—the only kid on the FBI Director’s speed dial and several international criminals’ most wanted lists—must clear the name of a friend being framed for a crime he didn’t commit in this hilarious third novel in the Framed! series.

 

When Florian and Margaret’s FBI supervisor, Marcus Rivers, is accused of a crime, it’s up to the mystery solving duo to jump into action and clear his name. After all, Marcus is more than their boss—he’s family.

 

The case involves one of Marcus’s first investigations for the FBI and a Russian spy ring. But the spy they’re chasing learns what they’re up to and turns the tables. Now, Marcus is implicated in a variety of crimes, including theft, corruption, and espionage.

 

For Florian and Margaret, it just got personal. They’re going to catch the spy and clear Marcus’s name…even if they have to break into (and out of) the Library of Congress to do it.

 

What to love about this series:

 

1. Well-drawn and fun main characters: I love Florian. He’s like a 12-year-old Sherlock Holmes in the way he notices small things. It's so fun watching him best adults with his skills! Margaret is the perfect crime-solving partner with her ability to people instincts, musical knowledge, and killer soccer skills, which do come in handy throughout the series. 

 

2. A friendship that grows and deepens throughout the series: These are friends who aren’t afraid to be honest with each other and value each other’s differences instead of expecting a friend to be a clone of themselves. What a great model for this age group!

 

3. The adults are well-rounded and play a part in the story. Sometimes in the desire to let the kids solve the crime in most middle grade mysteries, adults are unrealistically absent or are cardboard characters. But in Trapped, Florian’s mom drives them around and uses her Italian background to benefit the team. Nic the Knife and Marcus had depth and their own stories, which is refreshing.

 

4. A bigger story arc beyond the individual books. Every successful series has a story arc that continues throughout the books, and Ponti develops the story of Margaret trying to find her birth parents and Florian keeping that a secret (for a good reason!) throughout all three books. It made for a very satisfying ending to book 3.

 

5. Fun topics! Just like with Framed,  I learned so much from each of these books. Vanished delved into music theory, prep schools, and secret societies. Trapped taught me a lot about the Library of Congress and as a Russophile, I enjoyed the Russian spy element. (Ponti got his Russian correct!)

 

Max’s Take (on a 5 bone scale): 

Max, the Reading Dog*

 

 

 

There should be a spy dog in these books! Couldn’t they have used someone like me to protect them from getting Trapped in the Library of Congress! I would’ve been able to sniff out the bad guy right away. 

🦴

Your Turn: 

What do you like to read in the fall? Have your read the T.O.A.S.T. series?  If you like mysteries, which are your favorites?

Check out other fabulous middle grades at Always in the Middle!  

 

 

 

#ISWG: How Do You Tell the Difference Between Opportunity and Distraction?

 

Photo by Paul Skorupskas on Unsplash

Saying Yes

 

Many years ago, I read an article by an agent who advised you to say yes to every opportunity as a writer, especially if you were trying to build your audience.

I suppose that we might all agree it’s not wise to say yes to everything, but I see in the writing community the pressure to constantly say yes to things that can take away from creating:

Critique groups

Book reviews

Conferences

Speaking engagements (not that I get invited to do that yet!)

I do say yes to some things besides just writing. I keep this blog up, my favorite way to be social online. I enjoy writing reviews, and it helps me as a writer because I’m learning to analyze what works and doesn’t work in the books I love. When I can, I attend conferences, although I pour over the session descriptions to make sure I will learn something new. Although sometimes I’ve just attended to see writing friends, and that’s okay too.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

 

 

 

Saying No 

However, every time I say no, I feel like I’m sitting at the not-so-cool kids’ table. I worry about missed opportunities or that if I turn down something, I might be burning a bridge or not building a community.

But my writing time is so precious. I struggle to make time for my writing, and I struggle to concentrate and show up. It’s also important to me that my family isn’t the last in line for my time or attention. 

There is no local writing group in my town. I usually have to drive an hour to attend most local events. Sometimes I think maybe I should start a group here in my rural town. But I know the time commitment that would take, and I know that means saying no to something else. And that almost always means my own writing.

Photo by Alexis Brown on Unsplash

 

 

 

Talking Instead of Writing 

I’ve been thinking recently about something my first writing teacher and mentor told me: “Be careful of writing groups. Sometimes it's easier to talk about writing than actually do it.”

And that can be true of other writing opportunities as well.

That’s why I’m so careful about letting my yes be a whole-hearted one when I give it.

As I was writing this post, I came across this article about saying no as a writer. What I loved about it was determining your top three goals and using that as a filter for how you filter what you say yes to.

My three goals:

1.  To finish editing this manuscript and start querying.

2.  To research and start my next project.

3.  To continue to grow my writing community through my blog, attending SCBWI events, and writing and encouraging other writers.

Your Turn:

How do you balance your own writing with other demands on your time? What are your three goals? How do you know when to say no?

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