Tag: Oregon

cover of Olivetti shows a typewriter with flowers coming out of the basket area
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Olivetti

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Olivetti (Feiwel and Friends, 2024) by Allie Millington is told in two points of view–a twelve-year-old boy named Ernest and a typewritter named Olivetti. In fact, the opening lines are from Olivetti.

“It’s quite possible you’ve never spoken to a typewriter before. This is not your fault.”

How could one not read on?

Olivetti lives with the Brindle family and has been replaced with a laptop. But when Mrs. Brindle leaves the family, only Olivetti has clues and he breaks the typewriter code by typing back to Ernest. With a newfound friend, the two work together to find Beatrice Brindle, until disaster strikes.

This debut book is unusual and compelling. It’s been on the following lists: School Library Journal Best Books of 2024, Booklist Best Books of 2024, Boston Globe Best Books of 2024, Bookshop Best Books of 2024, and more.

Read about the author here. She now has two other books which you can read about here.

Although I like the cover, I don’t think it would appeal to middle grade boys.

seal of the State of Washington
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Middle Grade Books Set in States Where I’ve Lived

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Inspired by this list “50 States Reading Road Trip (Middle Grade Books Set in the USA)” posted on May 21st, I decided to share some middle grade books I’ve recommended (or read) set in my different states as well. Some may be on the above list–others are not. Some are more recent and others are older, but still good!

These states are in order of when I lived there:

OREGON (born and raised)

The Elephant in the Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry

Roller Girl (a graphic novel) by Victoria Jamieson

A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry

WASHINGTON (I’ve moved here three times! It’s the state I’ve lived in the longest.)

The Fences Between Us by Kirby Larson

I Can Make this Promise by Christine Day

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm

A Whale of the Wild by Rosanne Parry

COLORADO (lived here less than 3 years)

Alone by Megan E. Freeman

Away by Megan E. Freeman

Linked by Gordon Korman

NEW JERSEY (lived here less than one year!)

The Hike to Home by Jess Rinker

WASHINGTON (again)

KANSAS (lived here just over 8 years)

Airball, My Life in Briefs by L.D. Harkrader

Crossing the Tracks by Barb Stuber

May B. by Caroline Starr Rose

Moon Over Manifest by Claire Vanderpool

out of patience by Brian Meehl

Savvy by Ingrid Law

WASHINGTON (again)

Posted in Award Winners, MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Heart of a Shepherd

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

heart_shepherd.gifHeart of a Shepherd (Random House Books for Children, 2009) by Rosanne Parry is a lovely book. I enjoyed the intergenerational relationships, the faith of the main character, and a look into a military and shepherd family’s life.

12-year-old Brother (Ignatius) is not happy. His dad, who is in the Reserves, has to go to Iraq. His older brothers are away at school and he and his grandparents have to keep the ranch going. Brother thinks that keeping the ranch the same will help bring his dad home safely. But sheep ranching is not really his thing.

Here’s encouragement for other writers from Rosanne’s site: “It took me seven years to go from my first idea for Heart of a Shepherd to a finished book. But in those seven years I also wrote another novel, two mysteries, lots of short stories and many newspaper and magazine articles.”

I next plan to read Second Fiddle, another book by Roseanne about military families.