School Library Journal» Maggie Stiefvater

Connections That Count: Audiobooks that Highlight Kids’ Meaningful Relationships | Listen In

SLJ — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 13:00:25 +0000

Illustration by E. B. Lewis from Jacqueline Woodson’s The Other Side.
Courtesy of Weston Woods.

Another school year is on the horizon and our focus this month highlights the relationships that children and teens make—with other kids and with adults—to help them navigate the stormy waters of growing up. Teachers and librarians have always been savvy about connecting kids to stories that engage with what is going on in their lives. Current research from the Search Institute of Minneapolis, Minnesota, an organization that addresses critical issues in education and youth development to discover what kids need to succeed, zeroes in on developmental relationships “to understand how the connections that kids form with peers and adults influence their mastery of the skills and habits that are essential for success in school and in life.” (http://ow.ly/m6yNM)

The 10 titles we’ve chosen will be excellent for group listening and for generating discussions about what’s happening to the young people in the stories, from the poignant depiction of friendship in The Other Side to the real drama wrought by abuse in Eleanor and Park.

These audiobooks not only provide important group literary opportunities, they also help students understand how to develop the empathy necessary to build healthy relationships. If time for group listening is limited, have students select titles, listen to them on their own, and write about them; they will still develop that needed empathy, and they’ll also practice the critical writing skills found in so many state and national learning standards, including the following examples:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 5, 110.16 The student is expected to: (F) make connections (e.g., thematic links, author analysis) between and across multiple texts of various genres and provide textual evidence). (http://ow.ly/mkgJN)

English Standards of Learning (SOL) for Virginia, Writing, Grade 8, 8.7 The student will write in a variety of forms, including narration, exposition, persuasion, and informational. (d) Organize details to elaborate the central idea and provide unity. (http://ow.ly/mkggo)

Elementary

About Average. Written by Andrew Clements. Narrated by Celia Keenan-Bolger. 2 CDs. 2 hrs. Recorded Books. ISBN 978-1-4703-0082-1. $25.75. Gr 3–6

Sixth-grader Jordan is determined to discover one unique talent—something that can overcome her feelings of being a “no-more-than-average” kid. As Jordan learns to deal with a mean-spirited classmate, listeners are drawn into her awareness of others’ perceptions of her, and slowly but surely her confidence grows. When a tornado approaches the town, Jordan’s courage proves she’s a lot more than average, and her family, classmates, and community come together, demonstrating human connections at their best. Keenan-Bolger’s narration is quickly paced and delivered in a suitable childlike tone.

Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle. Written by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. Illustrated by Abby Carter. Narrated by Rachael Lillis. CD. 16:54 min. with paperback book. Live Oak Media. 2008. ISBN 978-1-4301-0323-3. $18.95. K–Gr 3

Andy Shane hates being interrupted and corrected by know-it-all Dolores Starbuckle every day in school. Help arrives when Andy’s Granny Web makes an unexpected visit to his class, enthusiastically modeling assertive behavior that Andy emulates, and neutralizing his foe and turning her into a friend. Lillis develops an array of distinctive, amusing voices and captures the frustrations and exuberance of Jacobson’s well-developed characters. Engaging line drawings by Carter enhance the text, which children may follow as they listen.

The Other Side. Written by Jacqueline Woodson. Illustrated by E. B. Lewis. Narrated by Toshi Widoff-Woodson. CD. 7 min. with hardcover book. Weston Woods. 2012. ISBN 978-0-545-44811-6. $29.95. K–Gr 3

Clover, who is black, and Annie Rose, who is white, spend their summer on either side of a split rail fence—a striking metaphor for their segregated lives. Clover’s mother tells her never to cross to the other side because it is dangerous, but the girls are intrigued with one another. Lewis’s shimmering watercolors evoke the heat of summer as the girls sit on top of the fence and talk. Widoff-Woodson’s youthful, understated narration and a subtle underbed of music give listeners a peek at life before the Civil Rights Movement. An interview with the author rounds out this excellent production.

Wonder. Written by R. J. Palacio. Narrated by Diana Steele, Nick Podehl, and Kate Rudd. 7 CDs. 8 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2012. ISBN 978-1-4558-4420-3. $64.97. Gr 4–6

August, nicknamed Auggie, is a 10-year-old with a facial deformity that causes others to avoid and even shun him. When he enters a mainstream school, Auggie must learn to cope with difficult new situations and new people. The narrative is told from the perspectives of Auggie, his new friends, his sister, and her boyfriend. Steele’s Auggie is raspy, quick, and delivered in a conversational tone, while Rudd and Podehl give a full range of vocal performances that bring the remaining characters to full light.

Middle School

Hidden. Written by Helen Frost.Narrated by Sisi Aisha Johnson and Maria Cabezas. 2 CDs. 2:25 hrs. Recorded Books. 2012. ISBN 978-1-4640-2099-5. $25.75. Gr 5–7

Darra and Wren meet at summer camp and discover a terrible shared secret. Years ago, Darra’s father stole a van and brought it home, not knowing that Wren was inside. When Darra saw Wren in the van, she tried, in her own way, to help. Darra’s father went to prison, leaving both girls scarred by the event. Stuck together in the same cabin, they must decide if they can talk about the past, forgive each other, and possibly become friends. Johnson and Cabezas skillfully delineate the emotional distress of teens caught in situations outside of their control and, through expert pacing and intonation, bring out the complex character development embodied in Frost’s spare text.

Hoot. Written by Carl Hiaasen. Narrated by Chad Lowe. 6 CDs. 6:29 hrs. Listening Library. 2002. ISBN: 978-0-8072-1595-1. $50. Gr 6–9

The endangered burrowing owl faces off against Mother Paula’s All-American Pancake House in this 2003 Newbery Honor book. Add an appealing protagonist and Lowe’s understated narration to the mix, and the themes of friendship, honesty, and child abuse are tempered with large doses of humor and a nice touch of mystery. Listeners will be rooting for Roy as he navigates being the new boy at Trace Middle School and finding friends in unexpected places. Lowe’s inflections and pacing make for engaging listening as Roy and his friends fight against animal and child abuse. Pair this with Hiassen’s other environmental mysteries: Flush, Scat, and Chomp (all Listening Library).

See You at Harry’s. Written by Jo Knowles. Narrated by Kate Rudd. 5 CDs. 6 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2012. ISBN 978-1-4558-8958-7. $49.97. Gr 6–10

It’s hard enough being the third child of four, especially when your petulant older sister is looking for romance, your older brother is trying to figure out his sexual orientation, everyone thinks your little brother is so adorable, and your parents seem oblivious to everything that’s happening in the family. When the unthinkable happens and your family really falls apart, you’re sure it’s all your fault. Kate Rudd mines every heartbreaking, deeply nuanced emotion with subtle vocal interpretations and pacing guaranteed to leave listeners mourning for what has been lost.

High School

Eleanor and Park. Written by Rainbow Rowell. Narrated by Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra. 7 CDs. 9 hrs. Listening Library. 2013. ISBN 978-0-3853-6828-5. $50. Gr 8 Up

Eleanor is an outsider, navigating her first day at a new school, taunted on the bus by the “cool crowd.” Park becomes her unwilling rescuer and, despite their differences, they become close friends. Told in two voices, the audio production emphasizes their journey from tenuous friendship to blossoming romance, performed by the narrators in understated yet powerful tones. As the teens’ relationship deepens, parental abuse, bullying, family resilience, and love combine for a realistic look at adolescents under duress. As the emotional turmoil builds, the counterpoint between the two voices becomes dancelike, driving the plot to a surprising yet inevitable conclusion.

Jerk, California. Written by Jonathan Friesen. Narrated by Andy Paris. 8 CDs. 9:30 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. ISBN 978-1-4498-0647-7. $87.75. Gr 9 Up

Sam is a high school senior who has lived with Tourette’s syndrome since age six. He has no friends and no prospects for college or employment when he graduates. His abusive stepfather has convinced Sam that he’s worthless, just like his dead father. When George, the town eccentric who hires Sam for the summer, dies unexpectedly, Sam sets off on a quest to learn the truth about his father, meeting family and making friends along the way, and discovering himself in the process. Paris’s steady pacing conveys Sam’s inner dialogue, mirroring his jerky muscles and keeping listeners engaged in the action.

The Raven Boys. Written by Maggie Stiefvater. Narrated by Will Patton. 10 CDs. 11:09 hrs. Scholastic Audio. 2012. ISBN 978-0-5454-6594-6. $79.99. Gr 8 Up

From the dramatic introductory music to the complexity of plot and characterizations, Stiefvater’s story of Blue, Gansey, and the Aglionby boys is masterfully performed by Patton. Listeners will be drawn into the world of Blue, her psychic family, and the mysterious group of boys who search for the ley line, a link to the long-dead Welsh king, Glendower. Even in this fantasy world, the bonds between Blue’s family, the strong friendships between “the boys,” and the depth of Blue’s relationship with Gansey mirror familiar emotions and connections in today’s world. This is the first book in “The Raven Cycle” (The Dream Thieves is due in Sept. 2013). Listeners will be entranced by the fully voiced narration. Even the minor characters demonstrate vocal excellence and make listeners admire the talent that drives a story to surpass the print version.

Sharon Grover is Head of Youth Services at the Hedberg Public Library, Janesville, WI. Lizette (Liz) Hannegan was a school librarian and the district library supervisor for the Arlington (VA) Public Schools before her retirement. They are co-authors of Listening to Learn: Audiobooks Supporting Literacy (ALA Editions, 2011).

Scholastic Launches New Multi-Platform Fantasy Series

SLJ — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 18:40:44 +0000

Scholastic has announced it will release Spirit Animals, a new multi-platform, multi-author fantasy adventure series for readers ages 8–12, worldwide on September 10, 2013. The story arc of the seven-book series and online game will be established by New York Times bestselling author Brandon Mull, who will pen Wild Born, the first book in the series. The second title, slated for a January 2014 release, will be written by New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater.

Spirit Animals is set in the fantasy world of Erdas, where children who come of age go through a ritual to determine if they have a “spirit animal,” a rare bond between human and beast that bestows great powers to both. The series focuses on four kids from different cultures who undergo an annual ritual and discover that they have been chosen for a greater destiny. Each book in the series will unlock expanded gameplay on the immersive Spirit Animals online game site, where kids can customize unique heroes, choose spirit animals, and go on quests to help save Erdas.

“Readers are transported into a whole new fantasy realm with Spirit Animals,” says Ellie Berger, president of Scholastic Trade. “This is 21st century storytelling at its best. We cannot be more excited about introducing this epic series to kids everywhere.”

Brandon Mull is the bestselling author of the Beyonders and Fablehaven series. Award-winning Maggie Stiefvater is bestselling author of The Shiver Trilogy, The Scorpio Races, and The Raven Boys.

Spirit Animals joins Scholastic’s first forays into the multi-platform space, The 39 Clues, a mystery series of books, collectible cards, and an online game that debuted in September 2008, and Infinity Ring, a travel adventure series for readers ages 8–12 that debuted in August 2012. The 39 Clues: Unstoppable, a spin-off cycle from the original series, launches in October.

Pick of the Day: The Raven Boys

SLJ — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:26:33 +0000

STIEFVATER, Maggie. The Raven Boys. Bk. 1. 408p. (The Raven Cycle). Scholastic. 212. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-42492-9; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-0-545-46979-1.
Gr 8 Up–Blue was born into a psychic family with the misfortune of having no psychic ability of her own. However, her presence helps others “see” more clearly, which has led to every psychic she’s ever met predicting that if Blue were to kiss her true love, he would die. Not interested in boys yet and especially repulsed by the snooty lot at Aglionby Academy, she decides to simply never kiss anyone. When she has her first clairvoyant experience, it’s not as thrilling as she had hoped. She sees that Gansey, a boy from Aglionby, will die within the next year. She can’t get him out of her mind, a task made impossible when she meets him and his three friends. The Raven Boys, as Aglionby students are called, rope her into helping them with their mission: to locate a ley line. The line of energy could possibly connect them to the past and to the legendary “sleeping” Welsh king, Glendower, who will grant the one who awakens him a reward. Their quest puts each of them in harm’s way, made more imminent when Blue finally starts to feel as if her kiss of death is going to be a real problem. First in a planned quartet, The Raven Boys is an incredibly rich and unique tale, a supernatural thriller of a different flavor. The cinematic feel paces the novel well, and the many pieces of the story unfold with grace. The complicated relationships between the Raven boys and Blue are not of the standard main character/love interest variety and makes the curious plot all the more enthralling. Fans have been salivating for Stiefvater’s next release and The Raven Boys delivers.–Emily Chornomaz, Camden County Library System, NJ

SLJ’s SummerTeen: The Rockin’ Women of YA

Mahnaz Dar — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 20:09:33 +0000

Maggie Stiefvater, A.S. King, and other YA authors came together August 9 to talk about possible sequels to their novels, the role of social media in their lives, and their different approaches to writing series.

Speaking on “The Rockin’ Women of YA” session during SLJ’s SummerTeen online event, the panelists—which also included Nina LaCour and Jackie Morse Kessler—emphasized the need to write from a universal, rather than a male or female, perspective.

LaCour, the author of Hold Still (Dutton, 2009) and The Disenchantments (Dutton, 2012), says she initially found adapting a masculine point of view daunting but concluded that, “Even though some experiences are probably uniquely boy experiences…really it’s all about the human experience.” King, who was a tomboy growing up, says she prefers using male protagonists. And Stiefvater explains that she particularly likes the fact that her book covers appeal to both male and female readers.

Both Stiefvater and Kessler contrasted their approaches to writing series. Kessler says her “Riders of the Apocalypse” series, which concludes next spring, was an accident. There were no plans to write a sequel to the first book, Hunger (Houghton/Graphia, 2010), but Kessler says her editor asked her to write additional books focusing on the other three Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Stiefvater, on the other hand, intricately plans the plot points of her series well in advance. Despite her love of the world she created in The Scorpio Races (Scholastic, 2011), she has no plans for a sequel because, she says, the story is complete.

LaCour and Stiefvater say they’re actively involved in creating their own book trailers. King and Kessler say they’ve had to slow down on promoting their work because of their heavy workload. Although social media has made marketing easier for the authors, King cautions against overdoing it, stating that, “The Internet is not a billboard.”

Several authors say they’re also branching out beyond YA, with King co-writing an adult novel, LaCour returning to an adult novel she started in graduate school, and both King and Kessler exploring options for younger readers.

Other SLJ SummerTeen Interviews:

SLJ’s SummerTeen Speaker: Maggie Stiefvater

SLJ — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 17:41:56 +0000

Photo: Robert Severi

Waitress, calligraphy instructor, and technical editor are just some of the jobs Maggie Stiefvater had before becoming a writer. Now the New York Times bestselling author is busy working on the sequel to The Raven Boys, the first in a four-book series.

Stiefvater’s Linger, the second book in the “Shiver” trilogy, debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list, and there are more than 1.8 million copies of the series in print. The Scorpio Races, Stiefvater’s latest novel, received five starred reviews and was named a 2012 Michael L. Printz Honor Book by the American Library Association.

Stiefvater, who lives in Virginia with her husband, two small kids, dogs, and one criminally insane cat, is an avid reader, an award-winning colored pencil artist, and plays several musical instruments, including the Celtic harp, the piano, and the bagpipes. Follow her on Twitter @mstiefvater.

Stiefvater is a is a guest speaker at SLJ‘s August 9 online event, SummerTeen: A Celebration of Young Adult Books. If you’ve signed up for SummerTeen, make sure to gather your teens to hear Stiefvater speak on the “Rockin’ Women of YA” panel from 3:45 p.m.–4:45 p.m. Registration is still open.

What do you like best about writing for a YA audience?

MS: I really love the idea that I might be the author who introduces a teen reader to the incredible world of folklore and mythology. I still remember novels from my childhood—The Dark is Rising, Fire and Hemlock, The Black Cauldron—that introduced me to myth, and they literally changed my way of looking at the world.

How did you end up writing fantasy novels?

MS: Oh, there was never a time when that was in question for me. Well, I take that back. I had a brief stint as a 16-year-old where all I wrote were IRA political thrillers, but we all have those phases, right? Right? I got a piece of advice when I was young—”Write the book you wish you could find on the shelf but can’t”—and what I love to read is fantasy set in the real world.

What’s one of the most moving things you’ve heard said about your books?

MS: I think I would have to say one of the most stunning letters I’ve received in the past year was from a teen who had just lost her father. She said that reading Shiver had made her think about the nature of love and loss and realize how purely her father had loved her and her mother, and that she could believe that that love carried on after he was gone, and she didn’t have to be afraid anymore—she could be a hero. Letters like that don’t ever leave you.

How valuable are librarians about getting the word out about your work?

MS: This is a trick question, isn’t it? Because of course they are invaluable—I have countless emails from readers saying that a librarian had been the one to put my novel in their hand. Word of mouth is beyond reproach. Isn’t that how we all love to find a book?

Do you ever worry about your books being censored or challenged?

MS: No. I write the story.

What are you working on now?

MS: I’m working on the sequel to The Raven Boys (September 18), which is the first in a four-book series. It’s about a wealthy private school boy searching for the body of an ancient Welsh king and the daughter of a psychic who has been told that if she kisses her true love, he’ll die. It’s mythology and boys behaving badly and fast cars and magic—so, the book that I wish I could find on the shelf but can’t.

Other SLJ SummerTeen Interviews: