Emmy J. X. Wong, 12 A very strong reading of “A Far Away Place,” first published in Stone Soup Magazine. This, and other stories read by their authors can serve as a model for a more formal classroom story-reading program, if you don’t already have one.
Stone Soup Editors' Notes
Using the Young Adult Author Resource Pages
Writers are readers. The purpose of the Young Adult Author Resource Pages is to bring young writers closer to their favorite authors. Through social media and recorded interviews many authors offer fabulous advice on writing that are useful for writers of all ages. If you are a teacher, you can use the interviews in your classroom in the context of your creative writing curriculum. If the author is one of your favorites and you would like to share something about why you like that author’s books, please leave a comment. Interview with Author Kate Milford I have always been a big fan of Kate Milford’s books, and so when I heard she had a new …Read More Author Interview: James Ponti, author of the City Spies books, speaks with blogger Thee Editor’s Note: Recently, Stone Soup blogger Thee Sim Ling reached out to us to ask if she could arrange an …Read More Author Interview: Damian Dibben, author The History Keepers, talks to blogger Madeline Sornson Recently Stone Soup blogger and book reviewer Madeline Sornson had the opportunity to read The History Keepers by Damian Dibben, …Read More Author Interview: Alexis Fajardo, author of Kid Beowulf, talks to blogger Mirembe Mirembe Mubanda, one of our young bloggers, recently got the chance to read Alexis E. Fajardo’s graphic novel Kid Beowulf: …Read More Author Interview: Patricia Newman, author of Plastic Ahoy! talks to Stone Soup blogger Lukas Cooke Lukas Cooke, our young blogger interested in nature and the environment, recently had the opportunity to read one of Patricia …Read More Interview and Links for Author Wendelin Van Draanen This is a wonderful interview. Its biggest strength may be Wendelin Van Draanen’s discussion of the importance of persistence. Her …Read More Interview and Web Links for Author Ransom Riggs This interview inspires two projects: write a story based on a photograph and illustrate a story with photographs. This is …Read More A Video and Internet Links for Madeleine L’Engle This is a video of an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the the publication of “A Wrinkle in Time.” Children, as …Read More Sarah Kay, Poet and Storyteller: TEDxEast Talk on Writing Sarah Kay (born 1988) is an American poet who began performing poetry at age 14. Sarah Kay specializes in spoken-word poetry. The …Read More Interview and Links for Author Renée Ahdieh A strong interview with Renée Ahdieh. The interview focus is on her writing process. • Writes books based on the theme of “choice …Read More Suzanne Collins Reading is the best preparation for writing. We are fortunate that through the internet it is possible to keep in …Read More Interview and Internet links for author Kate Messner This is a strong interview by Kate Messner for her book, Writing is Magic, or is it? Her message is simple …Read More Madeleine L’Engle Talks about Letting the Book Write Itself Many authors talk about the precision with which they plot out their books, taking pride in being in full control …Read More Advice for Writers: Interviews with Rick Riordan Reading is one of the best preparations for writing. We are fortunate that through the internet it is possible to …Read More Cassandra Clare Website Wikipedia Facebook Twitter Books The Mortal Instruments (6 Books) Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy (10 Book Series) Interviews …Read More J.K. Rowling We are fortunate that through the internet it is possible to keep in touch with living authors through their blogs, …Read More
Complex relationships and why expectations matter
It’s a funny thing. If your friends, parents, and teachers expect you to accomplish something great, you very likely will. Not only do you want to please the people you care about, but their support helps you believe in yourself. And when you believe in yourself, you feel good, you have extra energy, and you can do your best. On the flip side, if others’ expectations of you are low, there’s a chance you will fall short, just as they predicted. The Biggest Win, by 12-year-old Caelen McQuilkin, is the featured story from our May/June 2016 issue. It’s a story about a friendship, but it also reveals something about the power of expectations. Rachel, the narrator, is best friends with Janina. Rachel is a soccer star, and Janina is good at art. They enjoy hiking together. In Rachel’s mind, this arrangement is perfect. “Opposites attract,” says Rachel. When Janina announces that she wants to sign up for the soccer team, Rachel is shocked. Not only does she think that Janina is not good at soccer, but she’s also afraid their friendship will never be the same. At first Rachel lies and encourages Janina to sign up. This makes Janina happy and even more eager to sign up. Then Rachel’s true feelings come out. She starts avoiding Janina, and worse. The other girls on the team say mean things about Janina’s soccer playing behind her back. Instead of standing up for her friend or helping her improve, Rachel joins in the negativity (although, to her credit, she feels guilty). Janina senses the negativity and, sure enough, she continues to play poorly. Luckily, Coach sees what’s happening and tries to steer the team in a better direction. She asks them to think about the concept of ohana (family) and apply it to their behavior as a team. Instead of keeping the ball away from Janina, why not give her a chance? If they are kind and expect more of her, maybe she will rise to meet their expectations. It takes a while, but finally the concept of ohana begins to sink in. It’s the championship game. Coach wants Janina to do a throw-in. One girl objects, but Rachel sides with Janina. The throw-in is perfect! As Rachel kicks the ball to the goal, her friendship with Janina flashes before her eyes. She realizes she has finally done the right thing. Janina just needed her best friend to believe in her. The friendship–and the game–have been saved. Friendships are complicated. A good friend is supportive and helpful, even if she’s uncomfortable with a new direction the friendship is taking. Think about your own life. Did a close friend ever step outside the box you thought she belonged in? Did you support her, even if it meant you had to change your own thinking? Was there a period where the two of you fell out of sync, then eventually got your rhythm back? Did you see the power of expectations? A complex relationship is at the core of The Biggest Win. Your own experiences can form the core of your own great story. Give it a try! You can do it!
