reading | ELLIS NELSON BOOKS

12 Days of Christmas Sale!

Posted on December 8, 2015 by ellisnelson

Get Elephants Never Forgotten for the discount price of only $1.99.

Here’s the synopsis:

A hundred years in the future, twelve-year-old Nigella receives a shipment from her deceased grandfather. Her inheritance is a herd of micro-elephants. While a lot of her friends have micro-pets, Nigella is at a loss on how to care for them. Why are her micro-pets so different from everyone else’s? What was her grandfather up to? With the help of her best friend, Kepler, the girls set off on an adventure to discover the truth.

What readers are saying:

“Ellis Nelson’s superb writing made this book a joy to read. I felt like I was right there experiencing the journey, the concerns, the total adventure. Lessons about friendship and family, ecology abound.”

“The leading characters are smart and resourceful girls. They set off for adventure and help make the world a better place. An intriguing, positive read for tweens.”

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/component/content/article/3-about/about-us/509-december-7-specials

SECRET HEART by David Almond

Posted on November 25, 2015 by ellisnelson

secret heart

This has been called David Almond’s most confusing book. While I loved Kit’s Wilderness and Clay, this one left me unsatisfied.

Joe Maloney is a different sort of kid. He doesn’t fit in. He’s a dreamer who can’t concentrate in school and doesn’t make friends easily. Joe’s mother recognizes some of his uniqueness and his sensitive ways but as a single parent, is largely unable to guide her son. When an all but defunct circus comes to town, Joe is called into the night by a mysterious tiger. Eventually he befriends many of the circus performers and gets caught up in the dream-like tale of the circus closing down. Questions of man’s relationship to nature, reincarnation, and the line between reality and illusion abound.

There is some beautiful imagery and prose here. Almond’s book is a challenging read for the middle grade or young adult audience. And just like in life, there is no easy, nicely-tied up ending. This is a good book to pick up when you think books for children are all alike. It may also shake a few adults out of their stupor.

HALLOWEEN YA HORROR

Posted on October 15, 2015 by ellisnelson

In an effort to satisfy my hunger for a good ghost story around Halloween, I stumbled on two firmly planted in the horror genre. Read at your own peril. Spoiler alert.

Beyond- A Ghost Story by Graham McNamee

Seventeen year old Jane was born dead and revived. In her short life she has escaped death four more times, but her shadow is after her. While Jane wrestles with these issues her best friend, Lexi, provides necessary comic relief. As the “Creep Sisters”, Jane and Lexi have to deal with being outsiders at school. Jane must find out why death haunts her before it’s too late and the opportunity comes when a skull is unearthed on the edge of town. Solving that mystery brings her face to face with a serial killer and reveals why her shadow is after her. McNamee successfully incorporates the idea of a dark, lost region that contrasts sharply to the bright light bliss of near death experiences. It’s a nice twist making it a unique ghost story. Sufficiently creepy, fast paced, and satisfying.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Cas Lowood has inherited the job of ghost killer from his dad. Armed with a powerful knife, he seeks his prey. His next case draws him to Anna, a girl killed in 1958 on her way to a dance. Anna has the nasty habit of killing anyone who enters the house where she resides. This is a fairly well-crafted story, but not as original as Beyond. It has garnered quite a following seemingly attracting the Twilight crowd because of the romance between Cas and Anna. That part didn’t resonate with me. Cass witnessed a kid being ripped apart by Anna and yet he falls for her. The most unique aspect of the story comes from the idea of the Obeah- a creature seeking power and the Wicca traditions brought to the story by some of the lesser characters. This is a fast read, entertaining, but a bit familiar.

THE STORY OF CHRISTOPHER ROBIN

Posted on September 2, 2015 by ellisnelson

I’ve always loved the Winnie-the-Pooh stories. The Disney version is OK, but I really treasure the books with the pastel wash illustrations by EH Shepard. My son’s nursery had six of these prints which I still have and can’t manage to part with despite him graduating university. Why is that?

AA Milne became famous for a series of stories and poems about a little boy named Christopher Robin and his adventures with his animal friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. Up until this point Milne had been known for his plays, but in 1926 he published Winnie-the-Pooh, and Christopher Robin, Eeyore, Kanga and Roo, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, and Tigger made their way into children’s literature and the hearts of millions on both sides of the pond.

The character of Christopher Robin was based on Milne’s small son by the same name. When the real Christopher Robin was young, he helped his father work on the stories. The fictional Hundred Acre Woods was modeled on nearby Ashdown Forest where father and son would walk together. Young Christopher had a stuffed bear named Edward. The fictional story bear was named after a bear in the London Zoo he had seen called Winnie (the bear came from Winnipeg, Canada) and Pooh after a swan the boy also saw. There is a bridge in Ashdown Forest where it is alleged that the first game of Poohsticks was played. The bridge has become a tourist site and since 1984, the annual World Poohsticks’ Championship has been held at Day’s Lock on the Thames.

Unfortunately, Christopher Robin grew up to resent his father immortalizing his childhood in the stories and poems. Once he was off to boarding school, he was teased and his life made difficult by other boys. So much so, that he learned to box to defend himself. Christopher Milne served in WWII, graduated from Cambridge, and ran a bookshop for most of his life. He also wrote several books, one called The Enchanted Places examined his life as a child. The stuffed toys Christopher played with were given to an editor who donated them to the New York City Public Library where they can be seen today.

Trivia Question: AA Milne attended school and was taught by another famous writer. Who was that? Feel free to answer in the comments. (I’ll post the answer if no one gets it.)

Sneak Peek: A Look at My New Cover

Posted on August 16, 2015 by ellisnelson

Here’s a first look at the cover for my new middle grade novel.

Here’s the back cover blurb:

A hundred years from now, twelve-year-old Nigella receives a shipment from her deceased grandfather. Her inheritance is a herd of micro-elephants. While a lot of her friends have micro-pets, Nigella is at a loss on how to care for hers. Why are her micros so different from everyone else’s? What was her grandfather up to? In her struggle to understand them, she learns that there might be a group of wild elephants left in a remote part of Africa. With the help of her best friend, Kepler, the girls set off on an adventure to discover the truth.

PRE-ORDER LINK: (at MuseItUp)

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/coming-soon/elephants-never-forgotten-detail

WORLD ELEPHANT DAY

Posted on August 13, 2015 by ellisnelson

Photo: Profberger

Today is World Elephant Day. Since 2011, this day has been used to highlight the plight of elephants around the world, both wild and those in captivity. Ivory is still a commodity and poaching still happens. Not to mention abuse which occurs in captivity.

In a few weeks, I’ll be releasing a middle grade novel which highlights these sentient beings. Elephants Never Forgotten takes us into a world of the future where elephants and their habitat are gone. One twelve year old girl stumbles onto a mystery that might allow them to return. Details on the release will be coming soon.

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Summer Reading for Teens

Posted on July 22, 2015 by ellisnelson

Photo: ProjectManhattan

Hot off the presses from School Library Journal comes a list of great beach reads. Check them out!

http://www.slj.com/2015/07/collection-development/hot-ya-titles-for-beach-reading/#_

Asylum (YA) by Madeleine Roux

Posted on June 21, 2015 by ellisnelson

No doubt about it, the cover is creepy. This was one of those books with a promising premise. It’s somewhat reminiscent of the wildly successful Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children in its use of odd, black and white photos. But where that book was creative and different, this one fails to deliver. Don’t get me wrong- it’s not awful, it’s just not exceptional.

Sixteen year old, Dan spends part of the summer at a college prep program. His dorm is a former psychiatric facility. When things start to happen, the reader wonders if the school is haunted, Dan is going mad, or whether something else is going on. That part of the book works. Several murders and attacks ensue along with Dan becoming a possible suspect, but when a few too many co-incidents occur, the action starts to feel campy. In the end, the storyline is partially resolved but big questions remain (I guess this is so the author gets to produce a sequel. Anyone else tired of that ploy?). The initial idea, Dan’s history, and the location should have produced a better book.

CAN YA READING TRENDS BE PREDICTED?

Posted on May 20, 2015 by ellisnelson

Photo:Prettyboymycko

Publishers Weekly did an article earlier this month pointing out what they view as “hot” in YA this year. Those themes included horror, mental illness, gender identity, and the apocalypse. Of course, these trends reflect what editors and agents believe will be popular. It really says nothing about what the reader may actually want. Getting a handle on the reader can be difficult because good statistics are not kept and predicting the future is always tough. But, is there a way to get a feel for what will interest teens of the future? Maybe.

Recently I watched an episode on Gaiam TV where Regina Meredith was interviewing an astrologer. I’ve been interested in astrology off and on since I was a teenager, but over the past year or so that interest has become more intense and I watch quite a few YOUTUBE astrologers as they explain what’s going on in a given month. It is fascinating and personal.

What resonated with me in this interview concerned the movement of Pluto and how these long transits (248 years to circle the zodiac) influence generations. With Pluto in a given sign anywhere from 11 to 32 years, it defines a whole generation. In a way, this is the opposite of personal because I share influences with everyone in my age group. As a writer for young people, this idea intrigues me. It especially drew me in as the astrologer talked about my adult children’s group (Pluto in Scorpio). He talked about the attraction for this group to pagan religions and pure philosophy. My daughter describes herself as pagan and my son is currently exploring nihilism and its intricacies. Further extrapolating, I thought- wow, this was the perfect market for Harry Potter. Some people think JK Rowling had a unique idea or that the books were exceptionally well done. But most of us realize that young wizards going off to school has been done before. Perhaps then, Pluto in Scorpio almost guaranteed Harry Potter would make publishing history.

The youngest of the children of the Pluto in Scorpio generation will turn twenty soon so as a children’s writer, I bid them farewell. My attention turns to the Pluto in Sagittarius (1995- 2008) group. This would be my target audience and astrology should help me see who these kids are. What are the characteristics of this generation?

Sagittarius rules religion, philosophy, long distance travel, and foreign countries. This generation should have a keen interest in these areas and Sagittarius has a can-do enthusiasm that Scorpio lacks. They value freedom, are easily bored, and may not be as well-grounded and realistic as some. If I were to try to predict what would appeal to the Pluto in Sagittarius generation in terms of books (and movies), I’d list novels with far away settings, diverse cultures, exciting plots, maybe some quirky humor. I’m not sure dystopia like Hunger Games and Divergent will continue to appeal. In fact, those dark, complex, and mature themes Publishers Weekly would have us believe will be hot, probably won’t be. Scorpio is all that, but Sagittarius is not! The Sags should be interested in religion and philosophy so perhaps visionary fiction will find its place. Time will reveal what this generation gravitates toward and what the next big blockbuster will be. I for one would not expect editors and agents to be able to see the next phenomenal success because they are looking to the past trying to recreate its success and it won’t be there. Just about the time we start to see how obvious it all should have been, the Pluto in Capricorn (2008-2024) kids will show up and we’ll be scratching our heads all over. But then Capricorn will reveal itself.

Dream Boy by Mary Crockett & Madelyn Rosenberg

Posted on April 30, 2015 by ellisnelson

We all dream. Some of them are good. Annabelle dreams about the perfect and irresistible Josh. Imagine her shock when he walks into her science class one day. She tries to dismiss it as coincidence. Martin Zinkle just looks like Josh. But that’s not the case. Martin knows things about her he shouldn’t. Did Annabelle dream this boy up and then have him walk into her life? What other explanation is there? Regardless of how Martin arrived, Annabelle is smitten. Martin’s behavior becomes more possessive as he tries to anticipate her every need. Will, Annabelle’s long time best friend, is thrown off balance the more Martin plays the role of perfect boyfriend. The real tension of the novel begins when Annabelle starts having nightmares and those begin to intrude on her life turning very threatening. It was the premise of this book not the teenage dating angst that got me reading this. What if dreams are not just fanciful imaginings or attempts to offer solutions to everyday problems? What if you can dream and create your reality? Read the book to start to tease out your own understanding of how we might be co-creators of our own experience.