My interview with fellow YA author Stephanie Engelman!

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

My interview with author Stephanie Engelman recently aired on Shalom World TV and is now available for viewing on YouTube and the Shalom World TV website.

For your convenience, I’m sharing it here!

If you’ve read Stephanie’s wonderful book A Single Bead or if you’re just wondering why Catholic fiction is important for young people, then check it out.

A total of nine episodes of BOOK.eD have aired so far.  Here are links to the rest:

Dying to be Happy by Chris Stepien (Chris writes about learning to be happy through his wife’s cancer diagnosis)

Heads Bowed: Prayers for Catholic School Days by Lisa Mladinich

Catholic Street Evangelization by Steve Dawson

A Sacred Look: Becoming Cultural Mystics by Sr. Nancy Usselman (how to view popular media through a Catholic lens)

Reawakening by Barbara Mangi (a spiritual memoir about forgiving her daughter’s murderer)

Every Day with Mary edited by Dr. Mary Amore

The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit by Kevin Vost

From Star Wars to Superman: Christ Figures in Science Fiction and Superhero Films by Dr. Jim Papandrea

Be sure to follow me on Instagram for behind-the-scenes work and updates!

 

First episode of my new TV show “BOOK.eD”!

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

On Thursday, October 20, 2018, the very first episode 0f my (very first ever) TV show aired on Shalom World TV.

Shalom World is a Catholic, commercial-free television network that streams all of its shows for free online and on its app. Shalom can also be watched on Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV, Android TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.

If you’re a member of my Insiders Club, you already know that my new show is called “BOOK.eD” and features interviews with authors about their books as well as feedback from readers who have already read the book. There will be twelve episodes for this season, so tune in weekly on Thursday nights at 8:00 p.m. ET to find out which author I’m interviewing next.

If you miss a show, you can also catch the archived version on Shalom World’s YouTube channel or on the web page for “BOOK.eD,” which is located here. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page, where it says, “Latest Episodes.”

If you missed the premiere episode last week, you can watch it below or by clicking here! Let me know what you think!

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this new series, so drop me a line!

 

Monday Book Review: Refugee by Alan Gratz

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Today I’m sharing with you one of my favorite reads from my doctorate program studies this summer. If you want a sense of what it’s like to be a refugee (both currently and historically), then check out this book by Alan Gratz. It’s been so popular that I couldn’t even get it at my library. The wait list was so long that I ordered it online in order to read it before my summer class ended.

Title: Refugee

Author: Alan Gratz

Genre: historical and contemporary (Yes, combined–and yes, I know that’s weird. Hang with me.)

Age group: young adult

In this novel, the reader follows the journey of three refugees, each from a different era and country but with remarkably similar stories. Josef is a Jewish boy whose father is captured and then released by the Nazis in 1930s Germany. When the Nazis release his father, it is under the stipulation that the entire family must leave the country. Isabel is an eleven-year-old girl living in Cuba in the 1990s. When Fidel Castro temporarily allows any Cubans the right to leave the country right after her father is wanted by the police for protesting in the streets, she and her family board a neighbor’s newly made boat and head over the dangerous sea to Miami. On the other side of the world in 2015, Mahmoud has been avoiding war and bullies in his hometown of Aleppo, Syria, for too long. When his family’s apartment is destroyed by bombs, they begin a long trek across Europe hoping to find a country that will take them in.

This is a gripping novel that beautifully shows how horrifically history keeps repeating itself. Even though these refuges are of different faiths and different countries of origin (Jewish, Catholic, and Muslim), we see how similar their stories are and how so many people across cultures have been forced to flee their homelands in order to save their lives. Because of the three different tales, this would be an excellent book to examine the similar challenges that all refugees (and often other immigrants) face when leaving their homeland and trying to enter a new one. Gatz beautifully ties the stories together and, with common themes and plot points, is able to show the connections across the stories.

I hear the audiobook is phenomenal, so I have checked that out of the library as well and hope to listen while on my commute to work.

Monday Book Review: Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez

/0 Comments/in , /by

With recent talk about building a wall between the United States and Mexico, this middle grade novel gives the reader some insight into the hardships some immigrants go through to provide for their families.

Title: Return to Sender

Author: Julia Alvarez

Genre: contemporary realistic fiction

Age group: middle grade

This novel, labeled for ages 8-12, is told from two different perspectives.  The first part of each chapter is written in present tense from a third person limited perspective. This means that the reader “follows” the character of twelve-year-old Tyler, whose family has been farming the same land in Vermont for generations. However, after Tyler’s father is injured in a tractor accident, he is unsure if he can keep the farm going. As the story opens, Tyler learns that his father has hired three Mexican workers, one of whom is father to three daughters. The second part of each chapter is written from the perspective of the eldest of those three daughters. Her name is Mari, and each of her entries is written in the form of a letter, usually to her mother who returned to Mexico when Mari’s grandmother was dying but who has now been missing for many months. From Tyler’s perspective, we see him struggling to understand why his very patriotic family has broken the law in order to hire these three undocumented workers, and from Mari’s perspective, we see what it is like to live in constant fear of being deported. She prays often to the Virgin of Guadalupe to protect her family.

The stories of undocumented Mexican workers in the United States is important to tell, and Alvarez’s novel may help shed some light on this topic. However, I think this book could be challenging for younger readers. First, the novel is rather long at over 300 pages and a little slow at the beginning.  Also, while Mari’s letters are written in first person past tense and are easy to read, Tyler’s sections in third person limited with present tense can be very challenging to follow. Sometimes it seems like we are in Tyler’s head, and other times we are not. Present tense is a very challenging tense to pull off as a writer, and unless it is done extremely well can pull the reader out of the story. I felt myself pulled out of the story several times during the first half. On the bright side, I was happy to see that Mari’s Catholic faith as well as the Christian faith of Tyler’s grandmother are both presented positively. There’s a nice scene in which Mari and her sisters teach Tyler’s grandma about the Mexican tradition of the Day of the Dead, and this helps the grandmother to grieve over the loss of her husband who had died a few months earlier.

Also, I wish this novel would have gone further into why immigrants are unable to immigrate legally. There is a scene at a public meeting where a teacher confronts an older citizen who is against the undocumented workers. However, the teacher’s speech seems to win over the old man too easily. Often when people complain about undocumented workers, their response is “Well, if they want to live here so badly, why don’t they immigrate legally like my ancestors did?” The answer is that there is often no way for them to do it legally. However, that is not explained at all in the book. I wish the book had explained more of what this article has to say about why immigrants aren’t able to pursue the citizenship they want–or even gain legal resident status, which is a necessary precursor to applying for citizenship.

Monday Book Review: Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan

/0 Comments/in , /by

As I continue to read YA and middle grade books on immigration for my doctorate program this summer, here’s another story that fits the bill.

Title: Amina’s Voice

Author: Hena Khan

Genre:  contemporary realistic fiction

Age group: middle grade

Synopsis: Sixth grader Amina is coping with adjusting to middle school. It doesn’t help that her best friend Soojin has suddenly become friendly with Emily, a girl who used to tease both Amina and Soojin about their ethnicities. Complicating the situation is the arrival of her father’s elder brother from Pakistan who has very traditional ways and may not be impressed with how “Americanized” Amina and her family have become. Meanwhile, Amina struggles to overcome her stage fright so that she can sing in front of others as well as compete in the Quran competition at the local Islamic Center. As she struggles to juggle all the changes in her life, the Islamic Center is attacked, and Amina questions whether or not her family is even welcome in the community anymore.

This novel is very engaging and told in a style that will appeal to most middle school students. Amina is portrayed as a very relatable character as she tries to adjust to all the changes that middle school can bring—something all middle school students can relate to. At the same time, we see her family wrangle with how to maintain their Muslim and Pakistani cultures while also enjoying being part of the broader American community. Since Amina’s best friend Soojin is a Korean Christian, there is also a good depiction of positive interfaith relationships, especially after the Islamic Center is vandalized and Soojin’s church offers to host the carnival that the Islamic Center had planned prior to the attack. Students will find this to be an engaging read, and there’s much “food for thought” that teachers can use to discuss topics such as fitting in, remaining true to yourself and your culture, and working with people of other faiths.

 

Monday Book Review: How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

/0 Comments/in , /by

This summer I’m reading a bunch of young adult and middle grade books that involve immigrants and refugees as part of my doctorate program. I can’t tell you how exciting it is to be able to read these books as part of my independent study class, but it’s also going to be really integral for my dissertation.

The good news for you all is that this should mean lots of Monday Book Reviews coming up!

Title: How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child

Author: Sandra Uwiringiyimana with Abigail Pesta

Genre: Memoir

Age group: Young adult

Synopsis: In this memoir, Sandra Uwiringiyimana tells the true story of how she grew up as a war refugee. As the member of a minority tribe in her home country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sandra and her family often had to flee from those looking to harass or destroy her family. At the age of ten, she is forced to enter a refugee camp in the neighboring country of Burundi. One night, some radicals enter the camp with guns, machetes, and torches. They sing Christian songs that Sandra recognizes from her church and chant that God has delivered this minority tribe to them. What follows is nothing less than a massacre, one that not all of Sandra’s family members survive. Following the attack, her family flees to Rwanda, where they once again face prejudice and discrimination. Eventually, her family applies for asylum in the United States. However, even after it is granted and her family immigrates, they still encounter difficulties and racism.

This is an important story that needs to be read by both teens and adults. Often we have stereotyped images of what refugees are like. We hear only bits and pieces of particular stories from certain countries. Sandra’s story is heartbreaking but also uplifting as we follow her efforts to speak up on behalf of other war refugees. Despite how she entered the world stage speaking on major platforms (including speaking to the UN), her story (and other refugees like her) is still widely unknown. Given the current climate in the U.S. regarding immigrants and refugees, I think this is an important read that can help us really humanize the situation and empathize with those people who are fleeing horrendous conditions in their own countries and are looking to us for shelter.

Monday Book Review: One Beautiful Dream by Jennifer Fulwiler

/0 Comments/in , /by

As many of you know, I appear on The Jennifer Fulwiler Show (SiriusXM Channel 129) a few times a year to talk about books for kids and teens. When I was asked by her team to help her launch her new book One Beautiful Dream, I was thrilled. In fact, I’d already pre-ordered a copy when it was on sale. Last I checked, it was still deeply discounted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, so I recommend you grab yourself a copy before they raise it back to full price!

Title: One Beautiful Dream

Author: Jennifer Fulwiler

Genre: memoir

In this memoir, Jennifer Fulwiler recounts how she pursued her dream of becoming an author while having six kids in eight years. And in some weird way, I totally related to this book.

At first glance, many of you may wonder how can that possibly be. Jennifer and I are such opposites (and not just in height!). She was an atheist who later converted to Catholicism. I’m a cradle Catholic. She grew up as an only child in a quiet home. I grew up with four brothers in a not-always-so-quiet home. She wanted a career and no kids. I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom with a large family. She married. I didn’t. She has six kids. I have none. She now lives in a small home surrounded by the noises of a large family. I’m about to move into a sizeable condo (large enough to have my big extended Italian family over for dinner) where I will be surrounded mostly by silence except for the soft whishing of traffic from the busy street below.

How on earth could I possibly relate to this book? And not just relate to it, but thoroughly enjoy it and relish in it?

Three reasons:

  1. Jen and I are both workaholics who are also introverts. That means we both have to-do lists that are a mile long, but we also need time alone to recharge.
  2. For both of us, writing is our “blue flame.” You can read more about this in chapter 2 of her book, but basically, when we write, it’s like a fire has been lit inside us. It’s how we connect to God and his creation.
  3. We’ve both experienced guilt over trying to pursue our blue flames while tending to our other responsibilities.

Let me expand a bit on this third one since I think it’s crucial to my admiration for Jen’s book. Some may think that because I’m single and childless that I have gobs of time for pursuing my writing. People who really know me know that this is not true at all. My day job requires nearly 50 hours a week. On top of that, I’m pursuing a doctorate degree. These are things I need to do in order to put food on my table, to pay my mortgage, to plan for retirement, etc. When you’re single, every household responsibility falls on you.

Outside of work, I have a large extended family with thirteen nieces and nephews, which means lots of birthdays, graduations, Confirmations, First Communions, and all those other wonderful things that come with family. So even though I don’t have kids of my own, I still have plenty of kids in my life. Then I’ve got my volunteer work with the Order of Malta and my church. And I’ve got multiple circles of friends I try to keep up with.

When all is said and done, it can be hard to carve out even an hour a week during the school year in order to write. And often that hour can come with guilt. I should be cleaning my house. I should reach out to that friend I haven’t talked to in a while. I should help my aging father more. I should offer to bring something to that dinner my sister-in-law is hosting. I should grade those papers sooner rather than later. I should work more on that group project for my doctorate class. 

As a workaholic, I realize I have brought most of this on myself, but that is why I appreciate Jen’s book. Through her writing, she helped me acknowledge that this is simply the way God made me and I can carve out pieces of time to pursue my blue flame precisely because that will make me a better person in all my other activities. When I write, I’m energized. A sense of order is brought back into my world for a little while. Simply put, it makes me happy. And when I’m happy, I’m a better teacher, student, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and co-worker.

So if you’ve found yourself not pursuing your passions or if you’ve found yourself feeling guilty over pursuing your passions while trying to tend to your other responsibilities, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of One Beautiful Dream. Then carve out a little time for your blue flame this week.

Monday Book Review: Healer by Susan Miura

/1 Comment/in , /by

On Wednesday night, we’ll be celebrating the release of my friend Susan Miura’s latest YA book Healer on Facebook. Come join us for the party here (There will be lots of giveaways including a copy of Angelhood). In the meantime, here’s a bit about Susan’s book.

Title: Healer

Author: Susan Miura

Genre: Christian contemporary

Age group: young adult

Summary & Review: Late one night, Shilo Giannelli discovers she has the gift of healing, a gift her great grandmother also has. However, the power to heal comes at a cost. She can only heal when God wills it, and she must keep the gift to herself if she’s to avoid being hounded day and night by people who want her to heal them. So what’s she going to tell her boyfriend Kenji? Can she even maintain a relationship with him while keeping such a big secret?

Meanwhile, a young woman named Misty faces abuse at the hands of her boyfriend and must find a way to protect her two-year-old son. Shilo can heal the boy’s wounds, but that only leaves Misty with a whole new set of questions. Misty and Shilo’s growing friendship brings with it a new set of dangers, including a gang bent on getting revenge. Shilo must find a way to protect the ones she loves, trust in God’s plan, and still keep her spiritual gift a secret.

Author Susan Miura brings up a number of great spiritual questions in this book. How do we learn to trust in God’s plan? What do we do when our prayers aren’t answered, or at least not the way we want?

This is an engaging young adult tale about the power of faith, family, and friends.  Teen readers will delight in the romance and suspense woven into the story.

Don’t forget to join us online for the release party on Wednesday night! You could win books, chocolate, and an Amazon gift card! Click here to RSVP.

Monday Book Review: The Other Side of Freedom by Cynthia T. Toney

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Here’s another book from one of the CatholicTeenBooks.com authors!

Title: The Other Side of Freedom

Author: Cynthia T. Toney

Genre: historical fiction

Age group: middle grade

Summary: (from author’s website)

In a southern farming community in 1925, thirteen-year-old Salvatore and his Italian immigrant father become involved against their will in a crime that results in the murder of an innocent man and family friend. Will Sal keep the secrets about that night as his father asks, or risk everything he and his family cherish in their new homeland, including their lives?  Amidst bigotry, bootlegging, police corruption, and gangland threats, Sal must discover whom he can trust in order to protect himself and his family and win back his father’s freedom. Sal’s family, their African-American farmhand, and the girl who is Sal’s best friend find their lives forever changed as dreams are shattered and attitudes challenged in a small community called Freedom.

Those of you who have seen my previous reviews of Cynthia’s Bird Face series might be surprised to hear she’s taken a little break from her usual young adult contemporary genre to write a middle grade historical. The Other Side of Freedom is an engaging and suspenseful tale that will have you hoping poor Sal and his family can find a way out of this mess they’ve gotten into. This book is a quick read with likable characters. Sal’s friendship with his best friend Antonina is the kind of friendship all kids want–a buddy they can be open and honest with, the kind of person with whom they can share all their secrets.

As a work of historical fiction, this story offers some insight into what it was like for Italian immigrants who tried to be law-abiding citizens but were often harassed and coerced by some of their fellow Italian Americans who were mobsters. If you’ve enjoyed Cynthia’s other books, be sure to check out this one.

Monday Book Review: Playing by Heart by Carmela Martino

/2 Comments/in , , , /by

I’m so excited today to introduce you to a brand-new YA romance from my good friend Carmela Martino. I met Carmela through the Catholic Writers Guild and soon discovered that we have many things in common: we are both Chicagoans, we are both members of SCBWI, we both write young adult and middle grade novels, and we are both Italian Americans. Carmela is also a writing teacher who earned her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College.

Therefore, when Carmela asked if I’d read an early copy of her book, I jumped at the chance. Thankfully, I was able to squeeze it in during my “slow” season this summer. 🙂

Monday Book Review: Playing by Heart by Carmela MartinoTitle: Playing by Heart

Author: Carmela Martino

Genre: historical romance

Age group: YA (young adult)

Summary: Emilia Salvini dreams of marrying a man who loves music as she does. But in 18th-century Milan, being the “second sister” means she’ll likely be sent to a convent instead. Emilia’s only hope is to prove her musical talents crucial to her father’s quest for nobility. First, though, she must win over her music tutor, who disdains her simply for being a girl. Too late, Emilia realizes that her success could threaten not only her dreams for her future but her sister’s very life.

Playing by Heart is inspired by two amazing sisters who were far ahead of their time—one a mathematician and the other a composer.

I loved this story for several reasons. First of all, you know I’m going to love a story set in Italy, right? 🙂 At the time this story takes place, Italy wasn’t a unified country yet, but this story set in Milan still made me feel like I was back in good old Italia! There’s a good sprinkling of Italian words throughout, but don’t worry if you haven’t studied any Italian. There’s a glossary of terms at the back.

Second, I love that this story is based (albeit loosely) on two real-life sisters, and that Carmela works historical events into the story. For example, she includes an actual visit that the Archduchess Maria Teresa made to Milan at that time and makes it fit perfectly with the tale of these two sisters.

Third, I love that this story shows a little “girl power” at a time when girls had little power over their own lives. It’s true that their father is using them for his own gains, but the girls are well educated and trained at a time when most were only taught “housekeeping” skills.

Finally, who doesn’t enjoy a sweet romance with a quiet but handsome young man and a beautiful and talented girl who is up for the challenge of proving herself worthy?

Playing by Heart is a beautifully composed tale of love, faith, and family!

The book is now available in paperback and ebook through both Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Want a chance to win a free copy? Then check out the giveaway on Carmela’s blog as part of her blog tour. Click here.

Also, come join the fun at the Facebook Launch Party for Playing by Heart on October 17, 2017, from 7-9 p.m. Central Time.

There will be many great prizes, including a copy of my YA novel Angelhood, so come join us!

Click here to R.S.V.P.

Join the Facebook launch party for Playing by Heart and you could win a whole bunch of prizes, including a copy of my award-winning YA novel Angelhood!

Save

Save

Save

Join the Insiders Club!

Sign up here for exclusive info and giveaways!

* indicates required




Home
About
Books
Speaking

Blog
Teacher Resources
Contact