Do you have a reluctant reader who gravitates toward comics or graphic novels? Alexander and the AmazingWide-Awake and Wordquake are both lightly illustrated, humorous, and fun, and make great bridge books to helpyour reader transition from comics to non-illustrated novels.
Alexander and the Amazing Wide-Awake
Alexander Gum, the best inventor in all of Eastwood Elementary, is naturally good at everything. He never misses a word on any of his spelling tests, his shoelaces are always neatly tied, and he never colors outside the lines.Actually, truth be told, Alexander is not naturally clever or talented—at least, no more so than any of his classmates. Alexander’s hiding a secret. He’s getting help from the most unexpected place…Have you ever wished for a magical wand that could make everything in your life—homework and tests and pre-algebra and jumping rope in p.e. and drawing tigers for art class—as easy as flicking your wrist?And what would you do if your magic wand broke?Alexander and the Amazing Wide-Awake uses a humorous yet thought-provoking storyline to show that “easy” isn’t everything. Alexander, the main character,discovers both joy and friendship when he loses his mental crutch (an old hat foundin his grandfather’s house), and is forced to dig deep and work hard. Perfect for readers in the middle years ofelementary school who find themselves faced with the monumental task of learning how to study, practice a musicalinstrument, or master a sport.
Wordquake
IT'S A TOTAL DISASTER!
Fourth grader Izzy Ashby is an outside kind of girl. She dreads her Monday morning reading class like she dreads nothing else.One day, Izzy accidentally shakes every single word out of its rightful place in every textbook, worksheet, and bulletin board throughout Eastwood Elementary.At first, it seems like a dream come true!At least, until utter chaos breaks out...How will Izzy get out of this mess?Find out in Holly Schindler’s Wordquake.
Junction of Sunshine and LuckyFolk Art / Contemporary Realism
“How Auggie and Gus save Serendipity Place andfind their true calling.
Auggie Jones thinks she’s an ordinary girl. She lives with her grampa Gus, a trash hauler, in an old house. And even though most of her friends live in the same poorer section of the town of Willow Grove, it seems like everyone has a “shine”—a talent or special ability. Everybody but Auggie, that is.But winds of change begin to blow—a storm tears through Willow Grove, Auggie’s best friend ditches her for a new girl who lives in an upscale house on the well-to-do side of town, and the House Beautification Committee targets Serendipity Place, Auggie’s neighborhood, with fines and threats of demolition.Auggie insists she and her grampa aren’t run-down people. She uses the items from Gus’s trash pickups to reinvent their house and convince everyone (including her old best friend) that she’s every bit as worthy of notice as anyone from the fancier side of Willow Grove.Along the way, Auggie finds her voice, her ability to stand up to those in power, and uncovers an artistic talent that goes far beyond decorating her house. But how could a yard filled with items ready for the junkyard change an entire town’s idea of beauty? How can it save Auggie’s aging neighborhood? And how can rusted, recycled pieces of metal ever become Auggie’s special way to “shine”?
Check out my MG site, where you’ll find industry news, writing and teaching tips, and ongoing MG bookdiscussions:
What's a wide-awake? Only the world's best thinking cap!
Finalist or Master List nominee for:Mark Twain Readers Award Bluestem Award South Carolina Children’s Book Award Alabama Camellia Children’s Choice Book Award Oklahoma Sequoyah Book AwardAlso chosen for the Scholastic Book Fair
Nobody Sang Like Katy Did: A Rock Poem
Introduction to Poetry / Story in Verse
A picture book that rocks! Introduce your MG reader to formal poetry andencourage them to share their own unique “song” with the world.Learn more on my picture book page.
Invent Your Own SuperheroNonfiction / Writing Instruction
Create a brand-new superhero with never-before-seen powers and the perfectarch-enemy. Learn to tell an exciting story!Psst: And it’s fun, too!~Award-winning author Holly Schindler turns her attention to helping young writerslearn the craft of storytelling. Yes, this activity book is a guide for creating a newsuperhero, but it also uses brainstorming prompts to take young authors through theprocess of constructing a story with solid characters, plenty of pulse-poundingconflict, and a satisfying ending. Great for individual or classroom use. Suggestedgrades: 3-8.
The Adventures of Super Susan
Award-winning author Holly Schindler turns her attention to superheroes in this shortadventure story. Using a character Schindler created when she was eight(a hero whose superpower is kindness), The Adventures of Super Susan offers ahumorous, fast-paced read in which Susan is forced to face-off with a newarch-enemy, Blaze, a boy with super-jealousy who threatens to keep anyone at SouthWestport Elementary from outshining him...for good. Can Super Susan melt Blaze’s heart? Or will he simply be too much for even the mostpowerful kindness on planet Earth? A great read-aloud for grades 3-6, and a perfect companion piece for Schindler’sInvent Your Own Superhero.
Kindness is a superpower!
Or, try the Deluxe Edition of Invent Your Own Superhero
Includes the full text of the original Invent Your Own Superhero as well asThe Adventures of Super Susan. Reading questions show young authors how theconcepts introduced in the superhero journal can all come together to create a newadventure story.
Junction of Sunshine and Lucky Activity Book
Did you read The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky? Did you cheer for Auggie asshe stood up to the House Beautification Committee? Did you wish you were therewith her, going to McGunn’s in Old Glory, coming up with sculptures you couldcreate with Gus?Now you can!This activity book is filled with puzzles, pictures to color, and sculptures to finish. Ideas for getting involved in your own community. Ways you can become a folkartist yourself.This book extends the fun of The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky. Makes the story last just a little bit longer. But in many ways, it’s also just the beginning of youfinding creative ways to beautify your own world every day.
Alexander Gum, the best inventorin all of Eastwood Elementary, isnaturally good at everything. Henever misses a word on any of hisspelling tests, his shoelaces arealways neatly tied, and he nevercolors outside the lines.Actually, truth be told, Alexanderis not naturally clever or talented atleast, no more so than any of hisclassmates. Alexander’s hiding asecret. He’s getting help from themost unexpected place…Have you ever wished for a magicalwand that could make everythingin your life—homework and testsand pre-algebra and jumping ropein p.e. and drawing tigers for artclass—as easy as flicking your wrist?And what would you do if yourmagic wand broke?Alexander and the Amazing Wide-Awakeuses a humorous yet thought-provokingstoryline to show that “easy” isn’teverything. Alexander, the maincharacter, discovers both joy andfriendship when he loses his mentalcrutch (an old hat found in hisgrandfather’s house), and is forcedto dig deep and work hard. Perfectfor readers in the middle years ofelementary school who findthemselves faced with themonumental task of learning how tostudy, practice a musical instrument,or master a sport.
Wordquake
IT'S A TOTAL DISASTER!
Fourth grader Izzy Ashby is anoutside kind of girl. She dreadsher Monday morning reading classlike she dreads nothing else.One day, Izzy accidentally shakesevery single word out of itsrightful place in every textbook,worksheet, and bulletin boardthroughout Eastwood Elementary.At first, it seems like a dream come true!At least, until utter chaos breaks out...How will Izzy get out of this mess?Find out in Holly Schindler’s Wordquake.
Junction of Sunshineand LuckyFolk Art / Contemporary Realism
“How Auggie and Gus saveSerendipity Place and findtheir true calling.
Auggie Jones thinks she’s an ordinarygirl. She lives with her grampa Gus, atrash hauler, in an old house. And even though most of her friendslive in the same poorer section ofthe town of Willow Grove, it seemslike everyone has a “shine”—a talent or special ability. Everybody butAuggie, that is.But winds of change begin toblow—a storm tears through WillowGrove, Auggie’s best friend ditchesher for a new girl who lives in anupscale house on the well-to-do sideof town, and the House BeautificationCommittee targets Serendipity Place, Auggie’s neighborhood, with finesand threats of demolition.Auggie insists she and her grampa aren’trun-down people. She uses the items from Gus’s trash pickups to reinvent their houseand convince everyone (including her old best friend) that she’s every bit as worthyof notice as anyone from the fancier side of Willow Grove.Along the way, Auggie finds her voice,her ability to stand up to those in power,and uncovers an artistic talent that goesfar beyond decorating her house.But how could a yard filled with itemsready for the junkyard change an entiretown’s idea of beauty? How can it saveAuggie’s aging neighborhood? And howcan rusted, recycled pieces of metalever become Auggie’s special wayto “shine”?
Check out my MG site, where you’llfind industry news, writing and teachingtips, and ongoing MG book discussions:
What's a wide-awake? Only theworld's best thinking cap!
Finalist or Master List nominee for:Mark Twain Readers Award Bluestem Award South Carolina Children’s Book Award Alabama Camellia Children’s Choice Book Award Oklahoma Sequoyah Book AwardAlso chosen for the Scholastic Book Fair
Nobody Sang Like Katy Did:A Rock Poem
Introduction to Poetry / Story in Verse
A picture book that rocks! Introduceyour MG reader to formal poetryand encourage them to share theirown unique “song” with the world.Learn more on my picture book page.Do you have a reluctant reader whogravitates toward comics or graphicnovels? Alexander and the AmazingWide-Awake and Wordquake areboth lightly illustrated, humorous,and fun, and make great bridgebooks to help your reader transitionfrom comics to non-illustrated novels.
Create a brand-new superhero with neverbefore-seen powers and the perfectarch-enemy. Learn to tell an excitingstory!Psst: And it’s fun, too!~Award-winning author Holly Schindlerturns her attention to helping youngwriters learn the craft of storytelling.Yes, this activity book is a guidefor creating a new superhero, but italso uses brainstorming prompts to takeyoung authors through the processof constructing a story with solidcharacters, plenty of pulse-poundingconflict,and a satisfying ending. Great forindividual or classroomuse. Suggested grades: 3-8.
Invent Your Own SuperheroNonfiction / Writing Instruction
The Adventures of Super SusanKindness is a superpower!
Award-winning author Holly Schindlerturns her attention to superheroes inthis short adventure story. Using acharacter Schindler created when shewas eight (a hero whose superpower iskindness), The Adventures of SuperSusan offers a humorous, fast-pacedread in which Susan is forced to face-offwith a new arch-enemy, Blaze, a boywith super-jealousy who threatens tokeep anyone at South WestportElementary from outshininghim...for good. Can Super Susan melt Blaze’s heart?Or will he simply be too much for eventhe most powerful kindness on planetEarth? A great read-aloud for grades 3-6, and aperfect companion piece for Schindler’sInvent Your Own Superhero.
Or, try the Deluxe Edition ofInvent Your Own Superhero
Includes the full text of the original InventYour Own Superhero as well as TheAdventures of Super Susan. Readingquestions show young authors how theconcepts introduced in the superherojournal can all come together to createa new adventure story.
Junction of Sunshine andLucky Activity Book
Did you read The Junction of Sunshineand Lucky? Did you cheer for Auggie asshe stood up to the House BeautificationCommittee? Did you wish you were therewith her, going to McGunn’s in Old Glory,coming up with sculptures you couldcreate with Gus?Now you can!This activity book is filled with puzzles,pictures to color, and sculptures to finish. Ideas for getting involved in your owncommunity. Ways you can become a folkartist yourself.This book extends the fun of The Junctionof Sunshine and Lucky. Makes the story last just a little bit longer. But in manyways, it’s also just the beginning of youfinding creative ways to beautify your ownworld every day.