Author: Susan Uhlig

cover of How to Tell a True Story
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

How to Tell a True Story

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

How to Tell a True Story (Margaret Ferguson Books, Holiday House, 2025) by Tricia Springstubb is a fascinating story of dealing with trauma–a family home burning down.

Seventh grader Amber Price divides her world into Before and After. Before, hardly anyone noticed her. After, she’s the fire girl. And not only do students know her name, but they want to do a fundraiser for her family. However, she knows Dad would say, “the Prices don’t take charity.” Somehow the fundraiser goes ahead, and she’ll have to confess to Dad. Worse, though, her brother, the hero who saved Amber from the fire, is keeping secrets.

This book is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection.

Previously, I recommended her book Moonpenny Island. I need to find more of Tricia’s books. You can check them out here and read about the author here.

People on the outside think there’s something magical about writing, that you go up in the attic at midnight and cast the bones and come down in the morning with a story, but it isn’t like that. You sit in back of the typewriter and you work, and that’s all there is to it.
Harlan Ellison

People on the outside

Quote• Posted on by Susan Uhlig
cover of Best of All Worlds
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books, YA Novels

Best of All Worlds

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Best of All Worlds (Scholastic Press, 2025) by Kenneth Oppel was fascinating, mysterious, and a freaky story of survival.

Thirteen-year-old Xavier hadn’t wanted to go to the cottage with his dad and pregnant stepmom–he’d rather be gaming at home with Mom and his brother–but when he wakes up the first morning, it’s as if the cottage has been removed from one place and plunked down somewhere else. Have they been abducted by aliens, as Xavier expects, or by the government for a secret project?

Later in the story, three years have passed, and Xavier is 16, so this book may not be appropriate for younger readers. I don’t know how else the author could have ended the book, but it wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped.

Read about the award-winning author here and check out more books here. (Note: the website appears to not have been updated recently.)

Colored blocks (blue yellow, red, gold) each with one letter spelling WHAT
Posted in The Nitty Gritty of Children's Writing, Tools

Observations about a Manuscript

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Today I was so struck by one critique partner’s statements on another partner’s brand-new first chapter that I want to use them too. Here they are:

What I know.

What I think I know.

What I want to know.*

With What I know, one example was, “the girl wants independence from her mother.” She also commented on the story being “coming of age.” We all got that the main character is interested in a specific boy and the mom is a detective. We also know it’s the first day of eight grade.

Her statements about What I think I know included that the book was contemporary. We might guess the girl is an only child as no siblings are mentioned. We think we know she’s grieving.

What I want to know comments included sense of setting and what people are wearing. I personally wanted a hint of a bigger problem, as well.

I might add another: What it makes me feel. Sympathy for the main character? Amused? Curious? Sharing these thoughts could be helpful in a critique as well.

*Author Barbara Herkert learned these statements when taking Hamline’s MFA program. I’m thankful she shared them with us today.