MMGM: If You Love Dickens: 4 Middle Grade Gems + 1 Cozy Adult Series

Did you know Charles Dickens was born February 7? I’m celebrating by sharing what I love (and don’t love) about his writing—and a few Dickens-style picks for kids and grown-ups.

If you love classics and want kid-friendly ‘Dickens vibes,’ read on.

(This post is an update from a post that ran February 2014.)

I like to read one Dickens book a year. At Christmas, I read Cricket on the Hearth, a romantic comedy set at Christmas. I also tried The Chimes (think A Christmas Carol at New Year's with darker themes), but realized why it is not so famous. :) Now I've started on Pickwick Papers, which is known for being humorous, exactly my kind of book.

I've been thinking about Dickens (who after Austen, is my favorite classic author for adults) and what he’s taught me as a writer.

What I love about Dickens:

    1. Voice-y dialogue: Dickens is a master at making each character sound unique.

 

See if you can guess who said these lines:

📝 Mini-Quiz: Can you name the character?

See if you can guess who said these famous lines before you scroll to the bottom for the answers!

A. “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen six, result happiness...”

B. “I’m a very umble person.”

C. “Barkis is willin’”

D. “It is a far, far better thing that I do...”

E. “Please, sir, I want some more.”

(Drop your guesses in the comments!)

     2. Memorable tags & motifs Along with dialogue, Dickens gives all his characters a physical attribute, mannerism,   dialogue tic, or repeated word or image. For example, Tiny Tim has his crutch, Mr. Micawber has a shiny bald head and a monocle, and Miss Havisham wears that ghastly wedding dress.

 
3. Names with meaning: Dickens's character’s names can sometimes be a little bit over the top, but they telegraph something about the character. Like Uriah Heep (which rhymes with creep) would not be the same with another name.

     4. Threads that braid into one plot: Dickens's plots are masterful, the way he weaves in so many different plot strands into a unified whole. You never meet a character once in Dickens, and even the smallest characters are important. 

Alas, I do have a few Dickens pet-peeves (gasp!):

1.  Sometimes he uses types or roles as labels. In many of his stories the characters are not named, but they are only referred to the as the “traveler” or the “little lady”. This only leaves a reader (like me!) confused. 

 

2. Like most Victorian novelists, the “show don’t tell” rule is not adhered to. This reminds me how modern fiction trusts the reader a bit more.  

 

3.  Dickens' Female Characters: Although most of Dickens's minor women characters are interesting (Nancy, Betsy Trotwood, Maggie, Peggoty), I prefer his vivid minor characters to his idealized heroines, like Little Dorrit or Agnes from David Copperfield). 

If you like Dickens’s style, but want to read something modern or to introduce him to kids, here are a few titles:

 

A Boy Called Dickens by Deborah Hopkins, great for ages 4-8

 

 

With Deborah's fine attention to detail, rich research, and kid-friendly prose, she tells the story about Dickens. Although a picture book, I think older readers would enjoy this and the beautiful art. I didn't know that Dickens once worked on The Strand, which is something that turns up in The Wingfeather Saga. 

Update: When I shared this post on Instagram, Hopkinson commented that she has a forthcoming book about Dickens and his dogs!  "Mr. D and his dogs Turk and Linda play a role in Lucky's Home for Lost and Hungry Dogs, out in 2027!" 

 

Independent Reads or Read Alouds: 

 

 

The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, The Great Blue Death, and a Boy Named Eel, also by by Deborah Hopkinson 

 

Eel is a character who’d be best friends with Oliver Twist. He has spunk, charisma, and a lot of heart. Hopkinson’s style and the way that unconnected characters ended up connecting in the end reminded me a lot of Dickens.  Content note: There is some gruesomeness in describing the Blue Death, so not for squeamish readers. 

 

 

The Traitor's Gate by Avi is also told in the Dickens style. I loved how Avi emulated Dicken-style language and plotting in this. This involves John Huffman whose father has just been sentenced to Whitecross Street Prison. This was based on Dickens's early life.

 

  

 

The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

 

If your family loves quirky names + big-hearted humor, this one scratches the Dickens itch—even though it’s fantasy. I couldn't help but wonder if Peterson was inspired by Dickens in naming a group of wanderer characters The Strand. The harsh elements of the Fork Factory (in Book 2) are pure Dickens. I reviewed the first book here. There is also an animated series out that is perfect for the whole family.

 

Start Here with Dickens 

• If you want light and funny: Cricket on the Hearth.
• If you want short and classic: A Christmas Carol
• If you want a longer, coming-of-age: David Copperfield

 

 

Masterpiece Adaptation of David Copperfield with a young Daniel Radcliffe. 

For adults, but so wholesome that these could be used as a read aloud or teens could read:

 

The Moosepath League Series by Van Reid

 

  

Set in Maine in the late 1800s, these novels follow a club of five gentlemen who solve various mysteries. The author, Van Reid, is like Dickens with a splash of Garrison Keiller. These novels are funny, poignant, and although there are antagonists, the characters are fine people that you would love to have as friends. Recently in Friends of the Moosepath League, Reid mentioned how Pickwick Papers--and the desire to write something humorous--inspired these books. I dare you not to read these and not walk away smiling.

 

L.M. Montgomery (author of Anne of Green Gables) also has nods to Dickens in her work (like the twins Davy and Dora). That’s part of the joy of reading classics: the conversation keeps going. 

Happy Birthday, Dickens!

Thank you for the legacy you’ve left to English literature.

Max’s Take (out of a 5 bone scale)

Max, the Reading Dog

 

 

 

 

 

Rating: 🦴 🦴 🦴

Dickens didn't produce many heroic dogs, but I’ll give him three bones for trying.

I’m not a fan of Bull’s-eye, the mean dog belonging to Bill Sikes in Oliver Twist, and Jip (from David Copperfield) is just a spoiled lap dog. Where are the brave, book-loving rescues like me? Dickens was a master of characters, but I think he could have used a few more 'Good Boys' in his plots!

Did I hear there's going to be a book about Dickens's dogs? Count me in! 

Your Turn: 

 

Do you like Dickens? Have you read any book ones that emulate his style? 

 

For more friendship-filled middle grade picks, visit Always in the Middle Always in the Middle! 

 

 

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Did you guess them all? Here are the answers to our Dickens Mini-Quiz:

    A. Mr. Micawber (David Copperfield) — The master of the "Micawber Principle" regarding happiness  and debt!
    B. Uriah Heep (David Copperfield) — The most "umble" (and creepy) villain in literature.
    C. Mr. Barkis (David Copperfield) — A man of few words, but very clear intentions.
    D. Sydney Carton (A Tale of Two Cities) — One of the most selfless and moving endings in all of fiction.
    E. Oliver Twist (Oliver Twist) — The famous request that started it all.

MMGM: How to Celebrate an Author’s Birthday: Ideas Inspired by L.M. Montgomery

Have you ever celebrated your favorite author’s birthday? On Sunday, November 30th, it’s L.M. Montgomery's  (author of Anne of Green Gables, Emily of New Moon, Pat of Silver Bush, and many others) birthday. I thought it’d be fun to share some ideas on how to celebrate if you’re an Anne fan (like me)!

Party Food

For any party, you must have food. For Anne, I would use recipes from the Anne of Green Gables Cookbook by Maud’s granddaughter, Kate McDonald. Complete with quotes and explanations from the books and photos from Prince Edward Island, The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook’s recipes are simple to prepare. A middle grade reader could make most of the recipes with a little help if using the stove or oven is required.

Raspberry cordial (photo by Jenni Enzor)

Here are a few recipes I’ve tried that would be perfect for a birthday party:

Diana Barry’s Raspberry Cordial
Tantalizing Raspberry Tarts
Coconut Macaroons

If you’d like birthday cake, Anne’s Liniment Cake (no actual liniment included) would be perfect, and Poetical Egg salad sandwiches would be great to balance out all the sweet.

Imagine how you could adapt this to your favorite author:

Homemade butter and pig skins for Little House in the Big Woods
Willy Wonka chocolates and blueberries for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Turkish Delights for The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe 
Lush Berry Juice for Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger (MMGM's founder!)

Crafts/Activities

 

Now, every party must have some kind of entertainment. The Anne of Green Gables Treasury, published in 1991, is a wealth of information about what life was during the time period of the books. I heard one of the authors, Carolyn Strom Collins, speak at the LMM Days. (Yes, I’m such a fangirl I attended the virtual version of this conference all about Montgomery!) The authors initially wrote it for their daughters to explain the backgrounds of the books. I enjoyed seeing maps of Avonlea (Anne’s made-up village), actual maps of Prince Edward Island, a timeline of world events and their correspondence to the Anne books, recipes, and ideas for crafts.

For example, one fun craft was making a straw hat like Anne’s. I got the supplies from my craft store so I could make a mini one and use it as an ornament on my tree this year.

Anne of Green Gables Treasury, p. 97 (photo by Jenni Enzor)

 

Books and Films

For entertainment, you could watch the Anne of Green Gables miniseries or films. My favorite is the one by Sullivan Entertainment with Megan Follows, but then, you are always partial to the adaption you watched first.

 

Recently, I also reread Rilla of Ingleside, the last of the Anne books, about her youngest daughter. Fourteen-year-old Rilla isn’t ambitious, doesn't want to go to college, and only cares about dressing up and going to parties. But when World War I is announced at her first party, her world changes. She ends up adopting a war baby and must endure her brothers’ enlistment in the war. 

 

As an American, I really enjoyed reading about World War I from the Canadian perspective. There is so much that I don’t know about this period that I spent a lot of time looking up famous people and events as I read. If you want to learn more about this time period, start with this book. Although it is fictional, the author lived during this time period.

Although Rilla starts out at fourteen, the book covers four years, so it definitely leans more YA in parts. I don’t think it would be inaccessible to a middle grade reader if perhaps used as a read aloud. 

Max’s take (out of a 5 bone scale)

Max, the Reading Dog*

 

 

 

 

 

 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴

Dog Monday (from Rilla) is my favorite literary hero! After Rilla’s oldest brother, Jem, leaves for the front, he spends the  war at the railway station waiting for him to return. He is fiercely loyal like me.  

Your Turn: 

 

Have you ever celebrated a favorite’s author’s birthday? How would you celebrate?

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

 

 

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#ISWG: What Would You Never Not Ever Write?

September 7 question - What genre would be the worst one for you to tackle and why?

At the beginning of my first writing class, the wonderful Meg Jensen asked, “What kind of books do you like to read?”

I thought it was a bit of an off-topic question. Most people shared a genre that they liked: romance, sci-fi, mystery.

I, a former English lit major, answered in my hoity-toity voice, “I like the classics.”

“Well, that encompasses a lot of genres,” Meg said. “What kind of books do you really like?”

I couldn’t give her a clear answer.

Later she explained that she asked that question because we tend to know the genre we read the best. It tends to be the genre we write.

What did that say about me? It’s not like I’m Dickens.

I’ve thought about that question over the years and realized something. The reason I couldn’t answer is because I’m an eclectic reader. I read a lot of things, and not surprisingly, write in a lot of different genres.

This fits my personality. I get bored easily and always like trying new things.

This month’s question was hard to answer. What genre would be the worst one for me? I’m not sure. I’ve tried almost all of them, but I have to say, the one I least enjoyed was dystopian.

I’ve never written a straight sci fi, though, and due to my lack of interest in outer space, maybe that’s another contender.

Dystopian was just too depressing for me. It made me live in “worse case scenario” land. And after that experience, I decided something. I want to write books that give people hope. Not that dystopian cannot give people hope. It should, and often it does.

Wading through the darkness in the middle was just too much for me.

Is there a genre you would never write?

 

If you'd like to read more ISWG posts or sign up, please go HERE. You won't be disappointed.

ISWG: Why I Read Outside My Genre

 

At the writeoncon conference a few weeks ago, one of the presenters talked about reading outside your genre. I’m not sure if I’ve quoting correctly, but something like: “Read romance for character development. Read mystery for plotting. Read sci fi and fantasy for world building.” I love that. 

And Gail Carson Levine, one of my writing heroes, said that she didn’t read much anymore except for research. She tends to analyze books too much, so she can’t get lost in the story. I can relate. 

While there was a time when I read almost exclusively middle grade and YA fiction, I find I now alternate that with other books. I’d like to say it’s to learn from other genres, but mostly my mind just gets tired and on a weekday the last thing I want to do is read books that feel like work.
 

Here are the categories I read now:

Comfort reads: These are generally mysteries from the Golden Age (Dorothy Sayer, Patricia Wentworth) or old-fashioned romances (Austen, Georgette Heyer, or Grace Livingstone Hill). These are the books that don’t require a lot of thought, and I can get lost in. Weekday reads.
 

Just finished: Friday’s Child by Georgette Heyer

Hard books: These are either tough-to-read classics or books that tackle difficult topics. I tend to read more of these in the summer, and it generally takes me a long time to get through these books as my brain can only handle them in small bites. Also in this category are non-fiction books I’m reading for research. Weekend/summer reads.

Currently reading: The Autobiography of Frederick Douglass and God is Red: The Secret Story of How Christianity Survived and Flourished in Communist China by Liao Yiwu

Books in my genre (kid lit): I always have at least one from this group going and I alternate between these and my other books. I tend to read these when my mind is fresh, because not only do I analyze these as a mentor text, but I write reviews for my blog. Anytime reads.

Currently reading: Echo Island by Jared D. Wilson (YA Speculative Fiction) and Young Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud by Andrew Lane (MG Mystery)

What have you been reading lately? If you’re a writer, do you read in your genre or outside of it?

What is Insecure Writer's Support Group?

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

March 3 question - Everyone has a favorite genre or genres to write. But what about your reading preferences? Do you read widely or only within the genre(s) you create stories for? What motivates your reading choice?  

The awesome co-hosts for the March 3 posting of the IWSG are Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen Jacqui Murray, Chemist Ken, Victoria Marie Lees, Natalie Aguirre, and JQ Rose!

A Few Titles for Grown Ups #IMWAYR

Happy Martin Luther King Day! Usually I just feature middle grade reads on my blog. But over Christmas break, I had time to catch up on some longer reads. One of these was  light and entertaining, but the other two are books I will be thinking about for a long time.

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs

This book is hard to put into words. I picked this up as a classic I’m reading as I work my way through the  Well Educated Mind reading list.

Much of the account takes place before 1850 when the Fugitive Slave Law was passed. This book pulled me immediately me from the beginning with Harriet’s descriptions of her early childhood, which was relatively happy to her sexual harassment by her “owner” and her flight and concealment (for seven years!) in her grandma’s shed. She lived Patrick Henry’s statement, “Give me liberty or give me death.”  Wanting something better for her children was the driving force in the many dangers and sacrifices she made. I liked how she highlighted people who helped her (both black and white) and how she considered someone buying her freedom an abomination. God had created her free.

Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas by Stephanie Bannon

This was a fun read I enjoyed over Christmas break. Stephanie Bannon captured Jane’s voice so well that I felt like I was reading an Austen novel. I loved seeing how many of Jane’s relatives (her brother and sister-in-law especially) were like Austen’s characters. The mystery was intriguing, and I liked Jane’s sidekick sleuth, the mysterious Raphael West. Lots of other interesting parts: the story is framed by the doll clothes Jane and her sister give to their niece and the mystery itself ties in the Treaty of Ghent and the war of 1812. I always find it interesting to hear about American wars from a British point of view. This is a great winter read, especially as snow plays a prominent part and most of the action happens just after Christmas.

 

Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick

This title comes from a North Korean song that children learn in school, which sums up how the regime wants its people to think about their country. This book reads like fiction, but it’s actually based on interviews with several defectors. I was amazed by the way women found ways to provide for their families during the famine, despite capitalism being banned and electricity sporadic. One woman was born the same year as I. How different our lives have been despite us both being teachers and entering college the same year. I didn’t know a lot about North Korea before, although I’ve studied a lot about the Russian brand of communism. This book, especially the poignant love story, will stay with you for a long time. Highly recommended.

What books have you been reading lately?

Why I Read Old Books

Graphic from http://www.djedwardson.com/quote-old-books-new/

I don’t completely follow Lewis philosophy. I probably read one old book to every 5 or perhaps 10 modern books. But I still try to punctuate my modern reading with selections from the past.

A few summers ago, I stumbled on the Well Trained Mind reading list that I’m slowly working through. I'm finished with the novels (except for 1,000 Days of Solitude, which I'm still working myself up to). I’m currently on Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography in the Biography list and plan to read Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl next. I don’t read every book, because there are a few I couldn’t get through or have already read. I particularly like this reading list, because its selections are not just your typical classics.

But why even bother? Aren’t Moby Dick and War and Peace just a waste of time?

Here are a few reasons I’ve tackled those books and others.

1.  It’s a challenge. I can’t say that I loved every minute of Moby Dick, especially the chapters on whale biology and the whaling industry. Old Books require more concentration than modern books, because you don’t get as “caught up in the story.” But finishing an old book feels like completing a marathon--its own reward.

War and Peace is not on the Well Educated Mind list--but it's one of my favorite old books that gets a bad rap.

2.  I form my own judgments. It’s interesting when you look at this list, what you think you know about these books. A lot of these books have been banned for various reasons. But if you read the book yourself, you get to decide if this book is as dangerous or boring as everyone says it is.

3. People haven’t changed.  This particular struck me when reading Augustine’s Confessions, maybe because it was so focused on his thoughts. It was hard to believe this man was writing in the 300s. Except for some differences in cultural mores, his thoughts were not that different from a person of our day.

4.  It keeps me humble. If you read the whole of C.S. Lewis’ quote, you find this is the reason he advocates for old books. We all have blind spots, and the problem with reading only contemporary writers is they have the similar blind spots as your own. If you read from the past, you will definitely find many errors in their thinking, but that helps me remember that I probably have errors in my thinking too.

5. Reading old books is participating in a long, ongoing conversation. Lewis talks about reading modern books as entering into a conversation at eleven o'clock that’s been going since eight o'clock. Every time I read an old book, I am acutely aware of what a privilege it is. If I had lived at the time of many of these books were written, I wouldn’t have been able to read them, considering that a classical education was rare for women. By reading old books I am giving myself the education I never had—and getting to listen and converse with intelligent thinkers throughout the ages. I can’t see how that doesn’t inform the conversation I am building through my own books and stories.

“Those who can’t remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana

Do you ever read old books? Have they changed your outlook on modern books?

MMGM: MG Comfort Reads

With all that's going on, I thought I'd post some links to some MG books that either make you laugh or take you to another world. Books can heal. They can also take you to other worlds when travel is not an option. I've also added a few classics at the end of this list that are in the public domain should you not be able to access your library.

Funny MG:

Alvin Ho--This kid who is afraid of everything will appeal to the younger middle grade set. My favorite is his book about traveling to China.

Ungifted--I've enjoyed all Korman's books I've read so far, but this one about an ungifted boy who ends up in a gifted school is especially hilarious.

Watsons Go to Birmingham--This is a serious book about the civil rights movement, but it has many funny moments. I especially enjoyed how this family dealt with their teenage son. :)

A Whole Nother Story--I'm always surprised this title is not more well known. How can you not chuckle about this family with their ever changing secret identities, a pet sock puppet, and a narrator doling out unsolicited advice? A favorite of my senior in high school when he was in late elementary school/middle school.

Take Me Away MG:

Penderwicks: I've enjoyed this whole series. This is a great title for anyone who likes to live with a family who's creative and intelligent and has adventures in our ordinary world. Great inspiration for ways to have fun that's not digital.

Gail Carson Levine Books--This link will take you to The Two Princesses of Bamarre review, my favorite, but all of her books take you away to another world with intricate languages, customs, fairy tale elements, and cultures.

Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place--This series about children raised by wolves and their governess reminds me of The Series of Unfortunate Events, but not as dark. It has a lot of literary humor woven throughout by the omniscient narrator. And its settings include the seaside, London, the English countryside, and Russia!

Bloomability: I don't have a review posted for this book yet, but it's my favorite Sharon Creech. A girl unwillingly goes to a Swiss international school and learns to "bloom." If you have had to cancel travel plans due to the epidemic, this book might help ease the pain.

Classic MG:

Railway Children or The Five Children and It by Edith Nesbit

Nesbit was one of the first writers to write for children. These are my two favorites. Railway Children, like the Penderwicks, will inspire you to find fun in the ordinary. Five Children and It is a fantasy about a creature who grants whatever you wish with hilarious results! (However, I don't recommend the movie. The book is so much better!)

The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I include this one, because Sara is a great example of how to keep your dignity when your life is turned upside down. She acts like a true princess, being kind to everyone no matter her circumstances or how she is treated.The ending of the book is different (and more believable) than the movie.

Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

Pollyanna gets a bad rap for being too perfect at times. But personally, I needed this book to remind me to play the “Glad Game” and count my blessings right now.

I hope that you are finding solace in stories right now. What are your favorite comfort reads? What you watching right now? Let me know in the comments!

To join the MMGM fun or read more MG reviews, go to Always in the Middle.