The weather isn’t all that’s hot! Take a look at these titles.
How I Came to Be a Writer by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
The Newberry Award winner describes her journey to authorhood, from her beginnings as a child poet and storyteller, to her first attempts at publication while in high school, to success as a full-time writer. Naylor includes some of her early creations and shares her frustrations (at one point she asked all publishers to return the stories she submitted because she felt she was a failure as an author) and triumphs (one publisher kept the story and sent her a check instead). Budding authors, and anyone who enjoys a tale of success, will be inspired by her story.
Ella’s dream has come true: she went to the ball, captured the heart of Prince Charming, and is soon to become his bride. But as she is forced to take tedious lessons and endure unbearable restrictions, and she discovers that her prince is not nearly as perfect as he seemed when he proposed, the dream is beginning to look more like a nightmare. Can Ella find a way out of her dilemma?
Once you’ve finished Just Ella, you’re sure to love Palace of Mirrors. Cecilia has always known that she is not a peasant, but the princess of the kingdom, hidden until those who killed her parents are defeated. A decoy sits on the throne to prevent her enemies from seeking her. However, as time passes, it becomes more difficult to learn royal lessons secretly at night and during the day pretend to be nothing more than a simple girl–so, when her village is threatened, Cecilia decides to escape to the capital city and claim her throne. (Fans of Ella will be delighted at her appearance in this companion novel.)
If you like novels that are full of thrills, adventure, and nonstop action, with a touch of humor and characters you will want to meet again, the sky’s the limit in this trilogy! Airborn, introducing Matt Cruse, has been featured in a previous post, but the sequels are so outstanding it’s worth a second look. 15-year-old Matt (who feels more at home in the air than on the ground) is a cabin boy aboard the airship Aurora. After he rescues a stranded hot-air balloonist, the old man tells him of mysterious winged creatures he saw near a remote island. Matt is unsure if he believes the old man’s story–until a year later, when the ballonist’s wealthy granddaughter, Kate De Vries, arrives on board with the goal of finding the animals. Reluctant at first, Matt finds himself caught up in Kate’s quest–and you will be, too! The excitement continues in Skybreaker and Starclimber, in which Matt and Kate (who feel to the reader like old friends) climb to even greater heights (literally) to achieve their goals.
