Linda Sue Park's Website

Scroll through and enjoy the valuable information from author Linda Sue Park's website. (the information, pictures, etc below were taken from her website www.lindasuepark.com)

Books- On her website she lists her latest books and also some of her novel and picture books.




On the books tab you can click on specific title and get more information. For example the book "The 39 Clues, Storm Warning" has these details:


The 39 Clues: Storm Warning
Scholastic, May 25, 2010

"Throughout the hunt for the 39 Clues, Amy and Dan have encountered some of the darkest aspects of history . . . and had to deal with the role their family played. But are they ready for the truth?

In this thrilling ninth installment, Amy and Dan hit the high seas as they follow the trail of some infamous ancestors to track down a long lost treasure. However, the real prize isn’t hidden in a chest. It’s the discovery of the Madrigals’ most dangerous secret and, even more shockingly, the true identity of the mysterious man in black."

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Events
Here you will find the latest events in Linda Sue Park's life such as school visits, conferences, virtual visits and more.

SCHOOL VISITS: Linda Sue's schedule for in-person visits is already full for the rest of 2011, and for most of the 2011-2012 school year. You can write to visitslspark@yahoo.com with a request; however, she will be accepting very few new invitations. Please consider a Skype visit instead.

CONFERENCES, ETC: Linda Sue is available to speak at conferences and other events. If you are interested in booking her for your event, please send your request to: visitslspark@yahoo.com

VIRTUAL VISITS (a reasonably-priced alternative to an in-person event): For a visit with Linda Sue via speakerphone, online chat, or Skype, please send a request to: visitslspark@yahoo.com

Linda Sue Park's 2011 Events Schedule:

May 3, Tues
School visit, Rochester City school #54. May 6-7 School Media and Library Specialists Conference, Buffalo, New York to accept the Knickerbocker Award! May 9-10 IRA, Orlando FL. May 12
School visit, Houston, TX. Beth Yeshurun. May 25
BEA, New York. Sept 16-18 Midsouth Tennesee SCBWI conference. Sept 25 Steinfirst lecture, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Sept 30-Oct 2 Kansas City SCBWI conference. Oct 11-13 School visits, Westchester and Long Island NY. Oct 16-22 Rochester Teen Reads week. Nov 2 School visit, West Seneca, NY. Nov 4-5 Western Washington SCBWI. Nov 17 Geneseo Library, NY.

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Awards: She has won all sorts of awards...

Single Shard

2002 Newbery Medal Book

2002 ALA Best Book for Young Adults
2002 ALA Notable Book for Children
2001 Booklist Editor's Choice
2001 Capitol Choices Selection
2001 School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year
2001 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
2004 Sequoyah Book Award (OK)
2006 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award Master List (IL)

When My Name Was Keoko

2002 Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year
2002 School Library Journal, Best Books of the Year
2002 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
2003 ALA Notable Book for Children
2003 Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
2005 Sequoyah Book Award (OK) Nominee
2003 ALA Best Book for Young Adults
2003 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year
2003 NYPL Books for the Teen Age List
2003 CCBC Choices
2005 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award Master List (IL)
2004 Skipping Stones Honor Award
2004 Maine Student Book Award Master List
2003 Jane Addams Book Award Honor Book
2005 Mark Twain Award Master List (MO)
2006 Sunshine State Young Readers’ Master List (FL)
2005 Garden State (NJ) Teen Book Award Nominee

Project Mulberry

2006 CCBC Choices

2005 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
2005 Chicago Tribune Young Adult Fiction Prize
2005 Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Books
2005 Notable Books for a Global Society
2006 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year
2006 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommendation
2006 Texas Bluebonnet Master List
2006 Keystone to Reading Master List (PA)
2007 Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee
2008 Mark Twain Award Master List (MO)

The Kite Fighters

2002 California Young Readers Medal finalist
2001 Notable Books for a Global Society
2000 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year
2004 Texas Bluebonnet Master List
2005 Arizona Young Readers’ Master List

Seesaw Girl

1999 Riverbank Review Book of Distinction

1999 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
2000 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year

Tap Dancing on the Roof

2008 The Lion and the Unicorn Prize for Excellence in North American Poetry
2008 ALA Notable Book for Children
2007 Book Sense Award Finalist
2007 Horn Book Fanfare Selection
2007 ABC Children's Booksellers Choice Award

The Firekeeper's Son

2004 Parents' Choice Recommended Winner

2004 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
2005 CCBC Choices
2005 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommendation
2005 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year
2006 Young Hoosier Book Award (IN) Nominee
2006 Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee
2004 Bank Street College of Education Irma S. and James H. Black Finalist
2007 Volunteer State (TN) Book Award Master Reading List

What Does Bunny See?

2006 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year
2006 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommendation

Bee-bim Bop!

2005 New York Public Library, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
2006 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year
2006 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommendation

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Biography

Linda Sue Park was born in Urbana, Illinois on March 25, 1960, and grew up outside Chicago. The daughter of Korean immigrants, she has been writing poems and stories since she was four years old, and her favorite thing to do as a child was read.

This is the first thing she ever published—a haiku in a children's magazine when she was nine years old:

In the green forest
A sparkling, bright blue pond hides.
And animals drink.

—Trailblazer magazine, Winter 1969

For this poem she was paid one whole dollar. She gave the check to her dad for Christmas. About a year later the company wrote to her asking her to cash the check! Linda Sue wrote back explaining that it was now framed and hung above her dad's desk and was it okay if he kept it? The magazine said it was fine, and her dad still has that check.

During elementary school and high school, Linda Sue had several more poems published in magazines for children and young people. She went to Stanford University, competed for the gymnastics team, and graduated with a degree in English. Then she took a job as a public-relations writer for a major oil company. This was not exactly the kind of writing she wanted to do, but it did teach her to present her work professionally and that an interested writer can make any subject fascinating (well, almost any subject ...).

In 1983, after two years with the oil company, Linda Sue left her job and moved to Dublin when a handsome Irishman swept her off her feet. She studied literature, moved to London, worked for an advertising agency, married that Irishman, had a baby, taught English as a second language to college students, worked as a food journalist, and had another baby. It was a busy time, and she never even thought about writing children's books.

In 1990, she and her family moved back to the U.S. because of her husband's job. Linda Sue continued teaching English to foreign students. It took her quite a while, but she finally realized that what she really wanted to do was to write books for children. In 1997, she started writing her first book, Seesaw Girl. It was accepted that same year and published in 1999.

The Kite Fighters came out in 2000. This book was especially exciting because the chapter-heading illustrations were done by Linda Sue's dad.

A Single Shard was published in March 2001 and was awarded the 2002 Newbery Medal. Since then, Linda Sue has published several other novels, as well as picture books, poems and short stories.

Linda Sue now lives in upstate New York with the Irishman, their two children, and a dog.

The dog is a Border Terrier named Fergus.

Besides reading and writing, Linda Sue likes to cook, travel, watch movies, and do the New York Times crossword puzzles (daily and Sunday). She enjoys baseball and soccer (watching); board games (playing—Scrabble and trivia games are her favorites); and video games like Tetris and Dr. Mario.

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Frequently Asked Questions
Here Linda Sue Park answers questions that she is frequently asked by her readers...

	. Where can I write to you? How can I get your autograph? Will you sign a copy of my book? You can write to me at the following address: Linda Sue Park c/o Clarion Books 215 Park Avenue South New York NY 10003 If you would like my autograph, a signed bookplate, or a reply to your letter, write to me with your request and enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope!!! That's an envelope that you address to yourself, put a stamp on, and put into the envelope that you mail to me. This is important! If you don't enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope, you will NOT receive a reply! Please note: I cannot reply to e-mails or messages in my guestbook, but I will reply to letters sent through the mail. Where do you get your ideas? From the idea store, of course! Just kidding. I get ideas from reading books and articles, listening to people talk, watching TV and movies; from things I see and hear; from sitting around daydreaming. Ideas are everywhere: The important thing is to find the ones that interest you. Will there be a sequel to A Single Shard? or Seesaw Girl? or The Kite Fighters? Or When My Name Was Keoko? As of now, I am not planning to write a sequel to any of my books. But you never know—that could change someday. I do like when people ask me this question, though, because I think it means they have gotten really interested in the characters and want to know what happens to them next. I hope readers will continue the stories in their own minds. Thinking about the story after you finish the book—that's an important part of reading. Were you born in Korea? Do you speak Korean? Have you ever been to Korea? I was born in the U.S. and grew up speaking only English. Now I speak a little tiny bit of Korean. I can read the alphabet, and write my name in Korean. Someday I would like to learn to speak it better. I have been to Korea twice—once when I was 12 years old, and again in November of 2002. Both were fascinating trips for me, and I hope to visit again—many times! Do you have any tips for young people who want to become writers? READ! If you want to be a writer, you have to read A LOT. Reading is training for writers the same way that working out is training for athletes! That's the most important tip, READ, READ, READ, READ, READ, READ! And here are some ideas for writing:

*Keep a "list journal." Lists are great! Get a notebook and make lists of your favorite songs, foods, baseball players, books (of course). The ten things that bug you the most. Fifty things you want to do in the future. Five things you've done once but never want to do again. The thinking process that goes along with keeping a list can sometimes lead to more writing—you might end up writing a poem or a story about how you happened to eat a caterpillar and why you'll never do it again ...

*Publish a family newspaper. Write stories about your family's activities—extended family too. (If you have access to e-mail, this is an easy way to get in touch with relatives who don't live nearby.) You can have sections for news and sports, a recipe exchange, a birthday corner. You can interview a different family member for each issue. Photocopy your newspaper and mail it to everyone in your family. Or send it by e-mail.

*I know families who make this a regular activity once or twice a year—the kids started the idea, and the adults enjoyed it so much that they ended up pitching in!

*Experiment with different kinds of writing. Do you like writing stories? Try a poem once in a while. Are you a poet? Write a sports article about your last soccer game!

Start a swap journal. For this you need a partner—preferably a good school friend. Get a regular spiral notebook. Write something in it—a poem, a letter, a list. Give the notebook to your friend. He or she can add to your list, respond to your letter, write something of their own. But—here's the secret—you have to 'swap' the journal back within a set amount of time, like two or three days. It can help to have a friend's encouragement to get you writing! I got this idea from my daughter—she and her friend kept their swap journal going for nearly a whole school year.

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Reading

Linda Sue Park says, "I have about a million favorite books. Those below are listed because I've read each of them over and over and over...and I never get tired of them. (I also like making lists!)"

Here are some examples of her reading lists...

Occasional Reading Lists:

From my summer list:

Ruby Electric, by Theresa Nelson. Ruby lives in LA and thinks in screenplays (perfect use of a structural device to reflect character). She has family problems and friend problems, like any 12-year-old, but she also has an unusual interest in the urban ecology of her concrete-bound neighborhood. Contemporary midgrade.

Adult reading:

Best American Science Writing 2003, ed. by Oliver Sacks. Every one of these articles or essays a gem.

-Lincoln: A Photobiography, by Russell Freedman. Nonfiction. 1988 Newbery Medal winner. Pick any of Freedman’s biographies-amazing examples of compelling nonfiction and absolutely seamless writing. Eleanor Roosevelt, Martha Graham, Babe Didrickson-I can’t choose a favorite.

-Coram Boy, by Jamila Gavin. Upper midgrade/YA historical fiction. A wonderful cast of characters in this tale that illuminates what happened to abandoned children in 18th-century England. Winner of the 2000 Whitbread Prize for best children’s novel in England. (Only complaint: I wish there were an author’s note at the end.)

-Loser, by Jerry Spinelli. Midgrade contemporary. Donald Zinkoff-new to the list of my favorite-ever characters, and terrifically effective use of the present tense.

Most Memorable Books

Light in August, by William Faulkner. I first read this for a college literature course and have since thanked the stars that it was not foisted on me any earlier. I can still remember my visceral reaction on reading the first page: I had trouble breathing. I am a 'story' person, whether reading or writing, and it is tribute to the strength of this book that the story was not as important to me as the language. Faulkner did things with words I had never imagined could be done. For many years the first sentence was committed to memory; just writing this makes me want to re-read the book again.

Ulysses, by James Joyce. A pretentious choice? Maybe, but I was privileged to study in Dublin with David Norris, a Joycean scholar of great insight and wit. We spent the entire year on Dubliners and Portrait; he promised us that the key to Ulysses lay in these two earlier works. It was something like a miracle: Norris's lectures, the walks through Dublin, listening to the everyday speech of the place—that year transformed Ulysses from impenetrable to transparent (well, almost), a life lesson in literature as community.

My Husband:

	The Citadel, by A.J. Cronin
	Palace Walk, by Naguib Mahfouz
	Cancer Ward, by Alexander Solzhenitsyn
	Sweet Thursday, by John Steinbeck
	A Very Long Engagement, by Sebastien Japrisot

My Son (age 16):

	Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen
	The Dark is Rising, by Susan Cooper
	Watership Down, by Richard Adams
	Ball Four, by John Steinbeck

He couldn't come up with five. Is this insufficient parenting on my part? I wonder ...

My Daughter (age 12):

	Holes, by Louis Sachar
	The Wind in the Door, by Madeleine L'Engle
	Darling, If You Love Me, Would You Please, Please Smile, by Rukhsana Khan
	The Fantastic Mr. Fox, by Roald Dahl

Fantasy Books:

Skellig, by David Almond
Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt
Owl Service, by Alan Garner
Miss Happiness and Miss Flower, by Rumer Godden
The Animal Family, by Randall Jarrell
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norman Juster
Tom's Midnight Garden, by Philippa Pearce
The Bartimaeus Trilogy, by Jonathan Stroud
Dogsbody, by Diana Wynne Jones Authorship: She says, "I'm not a big fan of "how-to" books about writing. I'm skeptical about titles like Ten Easy Steps to Believable Characters; for me, there are a lot more than ten steps and none of them are easy! However, I love “authorship” books—not "how to do it" but "how I did it." I enjoy these books for two reasons—because they reinforce my belief that there are as many ways to write a good book as there are writers, and for the sheer pleasure of reading the thoughts of good writers on the subject dearest to them." Dreams and Wishes, by Susan Cooper The Abracadabra Kid, by Sid Fleischman Blood on the Forehead, by M.E. Kerr Talk Talk, by E.L. Konigsburg Looking Back: a book of memories, by Lois Lowry Gates of Excellence, by Katherine Paterson The Spying Heart, by Katherine Paterson Bill Peet: an Autobiography, by Bill Peet Knots in my Yo-Yo String, by Jerry Spinelli Worlds of Childhood, Maurice Sendak, editor (various authors) Behind the Covers, Jim Roginski (interviews with various authors) Historical Fiction "Because this is perhaps my favorite genre, it is difficult for me to choose just ten titles. The list below will probably change from time to time, as I discover new favorites and remember old ones." The Year of Impossible Goodbyes, by Sook Nyul Choi The Japanese occupation of Korea during WWII. King of Shadows, by Susan Cooper Main character participates in the staging of Shakespeare's work in Eliabethan England. Also a time-slip fantasy The Ballad of Lucy Whipple, by Karen Cushman California Gold Rush of the mid-19th century. Ox-Cart Man, by Donald Hall (illustrated by Barbara Cooney) A picture book set in turn-of-the-century rural New England. A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver, by E.L. Konigsburg Imagined life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, medieval France. Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry German occupation of Denmark, WWII, and the Danish rescue of Jews. Passage to Freedom, by Ken Mochizuko (illustrated by Dom Lee) A picture book in which a Japanese diplomat rescues Eastern European Jews during WWII. Under the Blood-Red Sun, by Graham Salisbury Japanese-American family living in Hawaii at the time of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare Palestine at the time of Christ's death. The Shining Company, by Rosemary Sutcliff Seventh-century England, invasion of the Saxons. Other... Ten of My Favorite Books When I Was a Child What Then, Raman? by Shirley Arora Tales of a Korean Grandmother, by Frances Carpenter Half Magic, by Edward Eager The Four-Story Mistake, by Elizabeth Enright From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E.L. Konigsburg The Borrowers, by Mary Norton Roosevelt Grady, by Louise Shotwell A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith All-of-a-Kind Family, by Sydney Taylor The Long Winter, by Laura Ingalls Wilder The Man with the Purple Eyes, by Charlotte Zolotow (Okay, so that's eleven ... I couldn't bear to leave any of them off the list...) Two Especially Loved Picture Books Rain Makes Applesauce, by Julian Scheer Over and Over, by Charlotte Zolotow Ten of My Favorite Books for Young People Now That I'm Not a Child Watership Down, by Richard Adams What Then, Raman? by Shirley Arora The Dark is Rising, by Susan Cooper To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee The Giver, by Lois Lowry Sarah Plain and Tall, by Patricia Maclachlan Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson Woodsong, by Gary Paulsen Holes, by Louis Sachar Roosevelt Grady, by Louisa Shotwell A Few More Favorites My favorite Harry Potter book is the third one, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. By J.K. Rowling, of course! Some of my favorite writers for adults include Robertson Davies and James Joyce. I also like mysteries by Elizabeth George, Stephen Greenleaf, and P.D. James. My favorite food books are An Omelette and a Glass of Wine by Elizabeth David, The Art of Eating by M.F.K. Fisher, and Outlaw Cook by John Thorne. --------- ----------------- Writing Here are some of her thoughts on writing... The Importance of Reading Read. That's the single best thing an aspiring writer can do for his or her work. I once heard an editor say, “Read a thousand books of the genre you're interested in. THEN write yours.” I was astonished and pleased to hear her say this—because that's exactly what I did. During the years when I had no thought of writing for children (see Biography), I read and read and read. Middle-grade novels. Hundreds of them—easily more than a thousand. Then I wrote mine—and it sold on its first submission. Luck? Coincidence? Maybe ... but I doubt it. My personal reading list draws from a wide variety of genres. I love middle-grade novels best, but I also read Young Adult novels and picture books. I read adult literary fiction, mysteries and nonfiction. I read poetry. I love books on food and travel. Whether a wondrous story or a hilarious passage of dialogue or a beautiful sentence or a memorable image, every bit of reading I do helps my own writing. The rhythm of language and the way words combine to communicate more than their dictionary meanings infuse the serious reader's mind and emerge transformed when that reader sits down to write. That's really the best possible advice I could give any writer—read. But I find that folks are often disappointed with this advice, so I'll offer a few more basic tips. Writing is a highly personal, idiosyncratic endeavor. Advice that works for one writer may not work for another. Still, I love reading about how other writers work, and in doing so I found the two most important tools I use in my own writing. (Please note that these are probably more relevant for those who write novels or other longer works.) Discipline This tip I gleaned from author Katherine Paterson. Her books The Spying Heart and The Gates of Excellence are wonderful collections of essays on writing for children. Ms. Paterson explains that her method is to write two pages per day, every day. I adapted this as follows: I don't write every day because I also teach part-time. But on my writing days, I sit down at the keyboard in the morning and I don't get up until I've written at least two pages. Ms. Paterson doesn't say if she means single- or double-spaced—so I decided on double-spacing! That's about 500 words, which works well for me. Others may find a page count or an amount of time more useful. Still others write when the muse strikes them (but I'd be waiting until doomsday if I tried that approach). Find what works for you. On bad days, I might get 480 words written and throw them all away the next day. (My theory there is, I figure I'm getting all the awful stuff out of me ...) On good days, two pages becomes twenty. But—and this is key—when I sit down to write I never know for sure which kind of day it's going to become. I do my two pages no matter how crummy I feel about writing that day ... and when I'm lucky, the act of writing itself turns the day into a good one. Novel Structure My outline for novel structure comes from author Lois Lowry (I’m a strong believer in learning from the best!). I read about how she builds her stories: Character Quest Complications and choices Climax Conclusion Change Once again, I've adapted another writer’s advice to suit the way I work. I divide “Quest” into two sections: Internal and External. In every scene I write, the character must either make progress toward or face impediments to the quest(s). As a corollary, it follows that the greatest number of words is spent on “Complications and Choices.” Here’s an example of how I used this outline when writing my first book, Seesaw Girl: Character: Jade Blossom, a 12-year-old girl, daughter of a wealthy family, living in 17th-century Korea. Extended family? Grandparents? Quest (external): To discover what lies beyond the walls of her home. Quest (internal): To find her place in a world that severely restricts the activities of girls and women. Complications and choices: Depiction of Inner Court life. Possible escape? Friendship with someone who leaves home? Sees French missionaries on the road. Wants to paint what she has seen. Second escape? Climax: Idea for seesaw Conclusion: Sacrifice (what?) to accomplish goal. Change: character growth, but how? acceptance? As you can see, it's quite a rough outline and it's also the full extent of my planning before I begin writing; a detailed chapter-by-chapter plan doesn't work for me. I find the act of writing itself triggers creativity, and I want to leave myself lots of room to follow the story where it goes as I'm writing it. The final version of the manuscript differs in several ways from this initial outline, especially the “Complications and Choices,” but using it as a blueprint keeps me from wandering too far off track. What I like best about Ms. Lowry's outline is that there is NO step labeled “Theme.” I think she believes as I do: That theme should grow out of the character and the story. If a writer begins with theme, the story is likely to be heavy-handed and messagey ... the kind of book kids run away from. And I”m running right beside them! A tip on submission: There are dozens of books on how to prepare a manuscript for submission. Get one or two at the most; they all say pretty much the same thing. (My favorite is Writing Books for Young People, by James Cross Giblin. Giblin has worked from both sides of the desk—as a top editor and as an author.) Follow the advice on making your manuscript package as professional as possible. But none of these books contain any secret magic tricks. In the end, only two things count: The story and the way you write it. -------------- ------------------ Archives Her website has archives of her news from 2001-2007. Here is an example archive list. 2007- February February, 2007 Random House/Yearling ISBN 0440421632 PROJECT MULBERRY is out in paperback! The winner of the Chicago Tribune Young Adult Literature Award is now available from Random House/Yearling books. Recognize this cover? Probably not, unless you're from Brazil... This is the jacket of the Brazilian edition of A SINGLE SHARD, published by Livraria Martins Fontes. Recently I was thrilled to learn that the 'Fundação Nacional do Livro Infanto Juvenil' chose this edition as the best book for young adults by a foreign author. A big hello to readers in Brazil! An exciting spring season of travel ahead for me: Check out my schedule, which includes a trip to Hong Kong and Taiwan! The latest updates on me, my books, and what I've been reading are always on my blog, lsparkreader.livejournal.com Happy reading and writing to all! —LSP -------------- ------------------ Just for Fun She has created quizes and games here! "I love trivia games. I thought it would be fun to create a couple of quizzes based on my favorite subject—children's books!" Linda Sue Park Who am I? for kids and readers of all ages Take this quiz: read clues and guess the characters from well-known children's books! he clues below reveal the identities of characters from well-known middle-grade novels. Each of the four clues are arranged so you can scroll from hardest to easiest. How soon can you guess the answer? Character #1 I have four brothers and one sister. All of us have red hair. I have a pet rat. I go to Hogwart's, and my best friend is Harry Potter. Who am I? Character #2 I keep a diary. I once received a gift I really liked—a silver dagger. I live in medieval England. My father tried to force me to marry a man I didn't like. Who am I? Character #3 I am eleven years old. I collect interesting belt buckles I hate the Dark. I am an Old One, and my mentor is Merriman. Who am I? Character #4 I'm good at digging. I'm not good at reading. I once got a piggyback ride from a friend. My friend's name is Stanley, and he also taught me how to read. Who am I? Character #5 I live in a barn. I love to eat garbage. My home is under a pig's trough. I find words in the garbage for Charlotte to use. Who am I? Character #6 I'm the new kid at school. My family doesn't own a TV. I love swinging on a rope to cross over a creek. My friend Jess and I created a magical kingdom. Who am I? Character #7 My parents are divorced, so I took a trip to visit my father. I did not reach my destination as planned. For several weeks, I ate strange foods like gut-cherries and fool-birds. My most precious possession during this time was a hatchet. Who am I? Character #8 I have two brothers and one sister. My story begins in the parking lot of a shopping mall. I once walked all the way from Connecticut to Maryland. I finally found a home for me and my siblings with my grandmother. Who am I? Character #9 I have blue eyes. When my story begins, I am almost twelve years old. One of the first things I learn from my teacher is how to ride a sled. I escape from my community with Gabriel. Who am I? Character #10 I wear glasses. I have three brothers. I have a good friend named Calvin, and am especially fond of my youngest brother. I was aided on my quest by three strange women—Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which and Mrs. Whatsit. Who am I? Newbery Trivia for Newbery fanatics only! How well do you know the Newbery winners? Test your knowledge with this quiz. This quiz is for zealous Newbery fans only ... good luck! 1. Five authors have won the Newbery Medal twice. Name the authors and their books. 2. Only one author has been awarded both the Newbery Medal and the Newbery Honor in the same year. Name the author and the two books. 3. Who was the first African-American to be awarded the Newbery Medal, and for what book? 4. Two books of poetry have been awarded the Newbery. Titles and authors? 5. Girl Slays Dragon could be a headline for which book? 6. It is said that series books have a more difficult time of winning the Newbery. However, three series books have won the Medal. Name the books, series, and authors. 7. In what year did The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem Van Loon win the first-ever Newbery Medal? 8. The Newbery Medal is awarded by which organization? At what event is the winner announced, and for whom is the Medal named? 9. Which periodical publishes the Newbery (and Caldecott) winner's acceptance speech each year? 10. Only one child of a Newbery winner has ever won the Newbery as well. Who were these authors, and what were their books? 11. In the last fifty years, only one nonfiction book has won the Award (not counting the two poetry books). Title and author? 12. Which historical fiction winner features the Spanish painter Velasquez as a secondary character? 13. Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White, has been called the best children's book not to win the Medal. It was published in 1953; which book was chosen over it for the Award that year? 14. Two Medal winners feature dolls as main characters. Can you name them? 15. Glenn Close and Christopher Walken starred in the movie made from which Medal winner? (Answers) (Year given in parentheses is the book's Newbery Award year) 1. Five authors have won the Newbery Medal twice. Name the authors and their books. Joseph Krumgold, And Now, Miguel (1954) / Onion John (1960) Elizabeth George Speare, The Witch of Blackbird Pond (1959) / The Bronze Bow (1962) E.L. Konigsburg, From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1968)/ The View from Saturday (1997) Katherine Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia (1978)/ Jacob Have I Loved (1981) Lois Lowry, Number the Stars (1990) / The Giver (1994) 2. Only one author has been awarded both the Newbery Medal and the Newbery Honor in the same year. Name the author and the two books. 1968: E.L. Konigsburg, The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (Medal) and Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley and Me, Elizabeth (Honor) 3. Who was the first African-American to be awarded the Newbery Medal, and for what book? Virginia Hamilton, M.C. Higgins the Great (1975) 4. Two books of poetry have been awarded the Newbery. Titles and authors? Paul Fleischman, Joyful Noise (1989) Nancy Willard, A Visit to William Blake's Inn (1982) 5. “Girl Slays Dragon” could be a headline for which book? The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley (1985) 6. It is said that series books have a more difficult time of winning the Newbery. However, three series books have won the Medal. Name the books, series, and authors. Dicey's Song, second book in The Tillerman Cycle, by Cynthia Voigt (1983) The Grey King, fourth book in The Dark is Rising series, by Susan Cooper (1976) The High King, fifth book in The Chronicles of Prydain, by Lloyd Alexander (1969) NOTE: Several other books—Shiloh, Julie of the Wolves, A Wrinkle in Time, Rabbit Hill, Crispin: Cross of Lead—were the first in their subsequent series and hence were not "series" books at the time they won the Medal. 7. In what year did The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem Van Loon win the first-ever Newbery Medal? 1922 8. The Newbery Medal is awarded by which organization? At what event is the winner announced, and for whom is the Medal named? The American Library Association (ALA). It is announced at the ALA's Midwinter Conference. The Medal is named for John Newbery, an 18th century English publisher and bookseller who is said to have been the first publisher of children's books. 9. Which periodical publishes the Newbery (and Caldecott) winner's acceptance speech each year? The Horn Book. The speeches are given at the ALA Conference in June. 10. Only one child of a Newbery winner has ever won the Newbery as well. Who were these authors, and what were their books? Sid Fleischman won for The Whipping Boy in 1987. Two years later his son Paul won for Joyful Noise. 11. In the last fifty years, only one nonfiction book has won the Award (not counting the two poetry books). Title and author? Lincoln: a Photobiography, by Russell Freedman (1988) 12. Which historical fiction winner features the Spanish painter Velasquez as a secondary character? I, Juan de Pareja, by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino (1966) 13. Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White, has been called the best children's book not to win the Medal. It was published in 1953; which book was chosen over it for the Award that year? Secret of the Andes, by Ann Nolan Clark (1953) 14. Two Medal winners feature dolls as main characters. Can you name them? Miss Hickory, by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey (1947) Hitty, Her First Hundred Years, by Rachel Field (1930) 15. Glenn Close and Christopher Walken starred in the movie made from which Medal winner? Sarah, Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan (1986) ------------ ------------- Links: Here website also has a list of links For Readers ... ACHUKA Children's book news from the United Kingdom. Extensive site full of terrific information. Booklist The American Library Association's review publication, including reviews of recently-published books. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Not as big as some of the other sites, so an easy place to visit. Published monthly out of the University of Illinois. Children's Book Council Book lists, recommendations, new titles. Children's Literature Web Guide A comprehensive site with an excellent list of links. The Horn Book A wonderful site for anyone interested in children's literature. Reviews and feature articles. New York Times Children's Books Well-written reviews. America Writes for Kids Author websites indexed by state as well as alphabetically by name. Includes playwrights, too. For Writers ... The Purple Crayon If you are interested in writing for children, go to this site, click on everything and READ it all! Write4kids.com Ditto the above for this site. Reading everything on both these sites will give you a head start on about 90 percent of the people out there who want to write for children. Then click here: SCBWI The national organization of children's writers. A newsletter and other helpful publications; local, regional and national conferences; a terrific way to network with other children's writers. The end... If you are interested in visiting her website you can go to www.lindaSuePark.com. There you will find even more information!