SPAGHETTI SMILES by Margo Sorenson

SPAGHETTI SMILES by Margo Sorenson; illustrated by David Harrington (Pelican Publishing Company, 2014)

Hi folks! We're not doing a marvelous middle grade Monday today because, quite frankly, we're feeling swamped at Mafioso HQ what with selecting and packaging books as holiday presents for the Don's friends and acquaintances. But I did take a break--with the Don's blessing, after he caught sight of the title--to enjoy this picture book by Margo Sorenson, who is a great friend of this blog.

This is a fun, fun book. It tells the story of Jake, who likes to visit his Uncle Rocco's restaurant to read his favorite books to the chef. But trouble is brewing, as Uncle Rocco may lose his lease if a good neighbor can't be found to share the building.
Jake sets off on a mission, visiting the bank, the post office, and the gas station, to see if they would be interested in relocating. No such luck because, although everyone loves Uncle Rocco's food, they don't want to find "rows of pizzas baking in the bank vault," or "lasagna airmailed all over the world," or--horrors!--"gas pumps pumping tomato sauce instead of gas."

Downcast, Jake wanders into a bookstore, where he convinces the store owner. After all, "everyone would buy your books and then eat next door... Or they could eat at Rocco's first, and then buy a book from you for dessert." Now, everyone's happy. Even the pizzas are smiling!

I loved Margo Sorenson's wacky sense of humor, and the illustrations by David Harrington are delightfully energetic and eye-catching. I can see myself reading this to the Don's grandkids until the cover falls apart!

Margo Sorenson is a writer with an incredible range and mastery of a variety of subject matter. Here's a link to an interview I did with her for her middle grade novel Tori and the Sleigh of Midnight Blue. And here's more information about her:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Author of twenty-eight books, Margo Sorenson was born in Washington, DC, and spent the first seven years of her life in Spain and Italy. After teaching high school and middle school and raising a family of two daughters, Margo is now a full-time writer. A National Milken Educator Award recipient, Margo always has a good time meeting with her readers in school and library settings from Minnesota to California and Hawaii.

Margo and her husband now live full-time in California. When she isn't writing, she enjoys visiting her grandchildren, playing golf, reading, watching sports, traveling, and hearing from her readers. You can visit her website here, or follow her on Twitter @ipapaverison. 

Thanks for reading, everyone, and have a Positively Perfect Picture Book Monday! Ciao!!

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: TORI AND THE SLEIGH OF MIDNIGHT BLUE by Margo Sorenson (with interview)

TORI AND THE SLEIGH OF MIDNIGHT BLUE by Mago Sorenson (North Dakota State University, Institute for --2003)

What It's About: Eleven-year-old Tori and her family are struggling with the Great Depression in North Dakota, and the death of her beloved Papa has been the severest blow of all. To aspiring writer Tori, everything is changing for the worse--her friends are acting too grown-up, and her little brother Otto invades her privacy. When a Norwegian bachelor-farmer begins courting Mama, Tori writes in her journal that her life will be ruined. What will Tori discover about forgiveness and acceptance as she tries to keep her life from changing?

Opening Lines:

 Tori Oleson stood frozen in the doorway of the church kitchen.

“Don't you think Selina Oleson should be looking for another husband?” Mrs. Pederson was asking.

“It's been over a year now since Torgus passed away.”

The women had their backs to her, but their words cut Tori like a knife. Mama and someone else? It wasn't going to happen. No one could take Papa's place. No one.

Why I Liked It: I have read several of Margo Sorenson's novels, and I am in awe of the variety of her subject matter. In ISLAND DANGER, she wrote an adventure with a hidden arms cache in Hawai'i and in TIME OF HONOR, she took on time travel and skulduggery in 1272. Here, in TORI AND THE SLEIGH OF MIDNIGHT BLUE, her focus is on North Dakota during the time of the Great Depression. The details of Tori's life in a Norwegian immigrant community in the Dakotas ring pitch perfect. We are introduced to such things as the Basket Social (in which baskets are made and auctioned off to earn money for the school); and the rolling out of lefse for Thanksgiving.

Tori is a very well-drawn character. She is dealing with all the issues of a 12-year-old, such as how to fit in with her suddenly boy-crazy friends, and how to deal with an annoying younger brother. She also has, at the core, an immense sadness about the loss of her father to pneumonia--and she definitely does not want anyone--even the good-natured Bjorn Oppestadt, who appears to be courting her mother--to take her beloved Papa's place.

The one thing she has left of her Papa is the miniature wooden sleigh of midnight blue. Unfortunately, her brother, Otto, takes it from her room without asking, and it gets smashed in the barn. Yet a wonderful thing happens (no spoilers, here!), and Tori comes to a realization--as she recites the poem she wrote for her mother in front of the school--about the true nature of love and redemption.

A beautifully written, very touching book!

I asked Margo my usual Mafioso questions. This is what she had to say--


1) Who are your favorite (middle grade) writers?

Katherine Paterson, Anna Staniszewski, Jerry Spinelli, Carl Hiaasen

2) What's on your nightstand now?

Donna Leon's QUIETLY IN THEIR SLEEP -- definitely not middle grade!

3) Pick a favorite scene from your novel, and say why you like it

My favorite scene is at the end when Tori and her step-father-to-be have a special conversation, and I can't say more without creating a spoiler alert! (I agree--that was a beautifully rendered scene.)

4) Fill in the blank: I'm really awesome at...

thinking of all kinds of story ideas that I'd rather be fiddling with than doing mundane tasks like laundry!

5) My favorite breakfast is...

biscuits and gravy...and gravy on the side, so I can butter the biscuits.

6) If you could visit any place, where would it be?

Actually, my favorite place to visit is la bella Italia! The people, the food, the wine, the history all combine to make it a special and magical place. (The Don is thrilled to hear this, Margo. In fact, his exact words were "Grazie mille a Margo per la sua gentilezza!" At this rate he's going to send his private jet to fly you to his homeland!)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Author of twenty-eight books, Margo Sorenson was born in Washington, DC, and spent the first seven years of her life in Spain and Italy. After teaching high school and middle school and raising a family of two daughters, Margo is now a full-time writer. A National Milken Educator Award recipient, Margo always has a good time meeting with her readers in school and library settings from Minnesota to California and Hawaii.

Margo and her husband now live full-time in California. When she isn't writing, she enjoys visiting her grandchildren, playing golf, reading, watching sports, traveling, and hearing from her readers. You can visit her website here, or follow her on Twitter @ipapaverison. (Her new picture book is coming out in the Fall, and is called SPAGHETTI SMILES. The Don's ordering copies for the whole compound.)

Thanks for reading, everyone, and have a Marvelous Middle Grade Monday! Ciao!!

Winner of Time Of Honor

Oops, I've been a little distracted this week, but am finally on track. So I can now say that the winner of Margo Sorenson's terrific time travel Time of Honor is:

Joanne Fritz

Joanne, I'll be contacting you soon to see how best to get the novel to you. Congratulations!

Time of Honor by Margo Sorenson (MuseItUp Publishing 2012)


I first "met" Margo Sorenson earlier this year, when I featured  ISLAND DANGER, her fast-paced middle grade adventure set in Hawai'i:. Since then, I've come to know her as a generous writer who is always eager to celebrate the written word, as well as pass on writing tips and information via Twitter.

Margo is the author of 28 books for young readers. Having read ISLAND DANGER and TIME OF HONOR in such proximity, I have come to realize how versatile she is. While the Hawaiian adventure was modern, TIME OF HONOR travels through time from our day to 1272. Those of you who, like me, LOVE time travel and history will really enjoy this novel!

The Story (modified from the back cover): Fourteen-year-old Connor’s smart mouth gets her into and—luckily—out of trouble on her prep school’s debate team and in the classroom. Catapulted into the year 1272 while on a field trip to the U.K., she finds her noble new friends’ lives threatened by a conspiracy fueled by greed. When William and Maud learn that their father has been murdered on the Crusade, they beg Connor to help them find who is plotting against them. William must confront his enemy in battle, but Connor also discovers truths about herself and her ability to use words when she tries to save her new friends—and herself.

What I Liked: First off, what a great cover! It totally captures Connor's personality. When we first see her, she is a smart mouth, who is chafing against her domineering mother. She has, by her own admission, never been accused "of being slow to move on anything.  Rushing right into trouble was more my style." But she has used her way with words to do well on her school's debate team, and it is this skill that will serve her well at the climax of the novel.

TIME OF HONOR is also a humorous book. Margo Sorenson shifts effortlessly between Connor's modern vernacular and the formal language of the 13th century, with some juicy misunderstandings along the way. Thoroughly modern Connor also has a lot to say about the sights and smells (particularly the smells!) of medieval England--as well as its unfair treatment of women. 

The friendship between the three principals--15-year-old William who is training to be a knight; his younger sister, Maud; and Connor herself--is handled deftly. Connor is definitely interested in William, who's a bit of a heartthrob--but this is middle grade, and the feelings are never acted upon.

All in all, this is the sort of novel that, when it comes to the end, you are left wanting more!!

About Margo Sorenson: Visit Margo's website to learn more about her and her work. Follow her on Twitter @ipapaverison.

A very interesting interview about Margo and the writing of TIME OF HONOR can be found at writer C.K. Volnek's blog. Several other middle grade writers and bloggers are posting about TIME OF HONOR in the next couple of weeks, and I will link to them here once the posts are up.

Because I want you to experience Margo's writing, I have a special offer for you. Leave a comment, and I will draw a winner and send him or her a copy, purchased from MuseItUp Publishing, of TIME OF HONOR. (Tweet about it, and you'll get a bonus entry.)

To all my loyal readers facing Hurricane Sandy: Stay Safe. I'm thinking of you!!

HAPPY MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY! As Margo would say, Mahalo!!

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Margo Sorenson's ISLAND DANGER

One of the best things about this blogging-and-other-social-media lark is all the GREAT people one meets! Heck, sometimes I feel I interact more with my blog "friends" than I do with my F2F (face-to-face) pals--and in that I'm including the great Don Vito who's just returned from his annual holiday in Sicily!

One of the writers I've recently met is Margo Sorenson. She's the author of 27 books for children, plus (to the Don's great delight) she speaks Italian, having lived in Italy as a child. She's also lived in Hawai'i, so we're all totally envious!

Aloha, Margo!

And Hawai'i is where her latest novel, ISLAND DANGER, (recently released by MuseItUp Publishing) is set. The main character, Todd Halliday, is being sent against his will to spend the summer with his uncle, aunt, and cousins on Oahu. He's visited before, and he chafes at his uncle's military bearing and at his cousin Chris' rule-following.

What Margo Sorenson does really well is get us into Todd's head. At the start of the novel, he's not a particularly likable 14-year-old, and he's dismissive of a number of things (especially his cousin.) But we come to understand that what he really wants and needs is attention. Initially, he goes about it all the wrong way, hoping to find an arms cache and get some media glory. However, during the course of the novel, he comes to realize that Chris is not the "dweeb" and tattletale he first thinks. Todd also stands up to one of his uncle's anti-Hawai'ian tirades, and comes to have empathy for a family of Hawai'ians camping in the forest. By the end of the novel, we've come to appreciate Todd and his growth as a person--which is something all good novels accomplish.

I really enjoyed ISLAND DANGER. It's a fast-paced and thrilling adventure, and would be particularly appealing to that hard-to-reach middle grade demographic that likes sports, surfing, and danger.

(By the way, another of the bloggers I admire, Deb Marshall, had a fantastic review of Island Danger last week, plus a great interview with Margo. And I think today is the last day to earn a chance to win a free copy of ISLAND DANGER--which is exclusively an e-book--from Deb. Head there now, and tell her the Don sent you. Or go straight to Muse It Up and buy it HERE.)