In honor of July 4th, I’ve collected a bevy of interesting, informative, and entertaining books to share with the children in your life. Kick back and enjoy!
Author: Laura Fineberg Cooper
Laura Cooper loves books! When she manages to tear herself away from reading, she writes about dragons, tree frogs, math-loving kids, and more. Laura is also a Copy Editor, licensed English Teacher, and experienced College Essay Coach who has often been referred to as a walking, talking dictionary. For grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary in short, easy-to-swallow doses, check out her blog, A Spoonful of Grammar, at www.laurafcooper.com/grammar-blog.
When to Use THAT (Which and Who, too!)
When I ask writers which word confuses them the most, the most common answer is THAT! There are some complicated grammar rules, but rest assured, I waded through them and strove to make my explanations as clear and understandable as possible. I promise we’ll ease into this slowly, starting in the shallow end and moving progressively deeper.
MG Book Talk with Jessica Brody, talented (and prolific!!!) author of AMELIA GRAY IS ALMOST OKAY
Jessica Brody is a superstar in the kidlit world! With her incredibly busy schedule, I’m thrilled she’s here to talk with us about her new middle grade novel, Amelia Gray is Almost Okay. And trust me, her replies are every bit as clever and entertaining as the main character in her amazing book.
Celebrate the Book Birthday of FINLEY: A MOOSE ON THE CABOOSE with author Candace Spizzirri!
It’s my great pleasure to interview author Candace Spizzirri on the book birthday of her second picture book, FINLEY: A MOOSE ON THE CABOOSE. This book is a sheer delight, and so is Candace!
EVEN: JUST’S SNEAKY COUSIN
in literary terms, the four-letter word EVEN is primarily used to provide emphasis, and once invited into sentences, can infect multiple sentences without a writer’s conscious intention.
JUST: Let it Stay or Hit Delete?
The subject of this post is JUST, a four-letter word that sneaks into sentences without invitation. Learn when to let it stay…and when to hit DELETE!
Examining the Personality Traits of Memorable Characters
Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Charlotte, Wilbur, and Fern. Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger, and Christopher Robin. If you read and/or write kidlit, I’m sure you know these well-loved characters and the phenomenally popular books they inhabit. So how do we create characters as memorable as these?
ATLAS of DOGS: Explore the PAW-SOME World of Pooches
The ATLAS OF DOGS introduces 150 paw-some pooches in the geographic region from which they hail with engaging, kid-friendly language and vibrant, personality-packed illustrations. Though the reading level is tagged at grades 1-3, this is an atlas an entire family of dog lovers can enjoy!
Write What You LOVE
Before writing about what you love, it helps to identify your ten greatest passions first. Think of this as creating your personal inspirational guide. You’re welcome to peruse my list before or after you write yours.
Before We Turn the Page: The 2022 Writers’ Rumpus Year in Review
2022 brought a marvelous array of posts to inspire, inform, teach, and delight Writers’ Rumpus readers, but don’t fret if you missed one here or there. Each December, it’s my honor to highlight one post from each of our talented contributors with an image, a link, and a brief summary. So kick back with your favorite beverage and cuddly blanket while you peruse the 2022 Writers’ Rumpus Review.
The Differences Between PLOT and THEME … and How They Intertwine
I’m certain that most book writers are intimately familiar with how difficult it can be to write a PLOT that engages readers from the first sentence to the last. But determining, developing, and maintaining the THEME (singular or plural) of your book demands a considerable amount of effort, too.
INSTANT KARMA by Marissa Meyer: Is it love, hate, or … fate?
Perfectionist and overachiever Prudence Daniels casts judgment on those around her and finds most people seriously lacking. High on her list of disappointments is her lab partner Quint Erickson, who waltzes in late for their end-of-year presentation.
WRITERS' RUMPUS 