Interview with Author Nancy Springer

About Nancy Springer

“Conform, go crazy, or become an artist.” I have a rubber stamp declaring those words, and they pretty much delineate my life. Conforming was the thing to do when I was raised, in the fifties. Even my mother, who spent her days painting animal portraits at an easel in the corner of the kitchen, tried to conform via housecleaning, bridge parties, and a new outfit every spring. My father, who was born into a British-mannered Protestant family in southern Ireland, emigrated to America as a young man and idolized the “melting pot” because at last he fit in. Read the rest »

Interview with Author Rebecca Stead

About Rebecca Stead

Rebecca Stead grew up in New York City, where she was lucky enough to attend the kind of elementary school where you could sit in a windowsill, or even under a table, and read, or draw, or write, and no one told you to come out and be serious (well, eventually someone did, but not right away). It was here that she began writing.

Rebecca lives in New York with her husband and their two sons. Her second novel, “When You Reach Me” was published by Wendy Lamb Books in July, 2009. Read the rest »

What is Good Literature vs. Bad Literature?

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“The River Between Us,” by Richard Peck

“The River Between Us,” by Richard Peck is a historical novel set during the Civil War. It focuses on the relationship between a young teenage girl, her family, and two remarkable strangers who visit their small town.

Fifteen-year-old Tilly Pruitt fears the approaching Civil War because her brother is determined to sign up and join the army. The Pruitt family lives in a small town on the Mississippi River. Their town is between the North and South, so half the boys in town are preparing to join the Confederacy, while the other half are eager to join the Union Army. In fact, there is a good chance that the boys will end up fighting each other if war reaches their small town. Read the rest »