Through the Seasons by Deborah Lytton
The first book of my new middle grade series RUBY STARR will be released this August from Sourcebooks. Ruby is a fifth grade student with a big imagination and a love of books. She has even started her own book club at school.
In honor of Ruby, I am going to share my own book club questions each month on my website. The book I chose to begin my book club is ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS by Scott O'Dell. I decided to begin with this book because it is one of my favorites and one of Ruby's favorites too.
In reading ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS to prepare for the book club, I was struck as always with the simple beauty and poignancy of this novel. The writer in me was impressed with the clarity of voice and the ability of Mr. O'Dell to transport me to the island with Karana. I was also intrigued by the use of seasons to drive the story. The seasons provide conflict for Karana in the sense that the changing weather brings longer nights or warmer days as well as different food sources. The seasons also provide a framework for the plotting of the book that reveals the passage of time for the reader by showing rather than telling. I will be taking a closer look at my WIP tonight to see where I might add to the story through the seasons. How are you using the seasons in your WIP?
In honor of Ruby, I am going to share my own book club questions each month on my website. The book I chose to begin my book club is ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS by Scott O'Dell. I decided to begin with this book because it is one of my favorites and one of Ruby's favorites too.
In reading ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS to prepare for the book club, I was struck as always with the simple beauty and poignancy of this novel. The writer in me was impressed with the clarity of voice and the ability of Mr. O'Dell to transport me to the island with Karana. I was also intrigued by the use of seasons to drive the story. The seasons provide conflict for Karana in the sense that the changing weather brings longer nights or warmer days as well as different food sources. The seasons also provide a framework for the plotting of the book that reveals the passage of time for the reader by showing rather than telling. I will be taking a closer look at my WIP tonight to see where I might add to the story through the seasons. How are you using the seasons in your WIP?
CONGRATS, Debby!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new book!
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