Alienum phaedrum torquatos nec eu, vis detraxit periculis ex, nihil expetendis in mei. Mei an pericula euripidis, hinc partem.

Blog

Understanding One’s Worth is at the Heart of Sally J. Pla’s New Middle Grade Novel

Review of The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn for #ReadYourWorld Day

Guest Post and Review by Jodi Murphy

Many of the people who encountered Maudie told her she had glitches. She believed them. But the real flaw is that those people look at her from a lens that says she is broken and “less than.” Even her mom wants her to act in a way she’s determined is normal, but Maudie is so much more than ordinary.

The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn is a beautiful, sometimes haunting, and always inspiring coming-of-age story about a young autistic teenager named Maudie McGinn. She loves summers because that’s when gets to stay with her dad, her safe harbor of acceptance. A raging wildfire disrupts this summer season and Maudie and her dad have to evacuate to his old hometown on the beach.

Change is challenging for Maudie who worries that her “glitches” will keep her from connecting with others and making new friends. She’s willing to try because the thought of going back to her mom and stepdad is too much for her to handle. She’s worried too about what her stepdad did to her that her mom says she can never, ever, share with anyone.

Sally J. Pla is an award-winning author of books about young people whose brains work a bit differently, including the novels The Someday Birds and Stanley Will Probably Be Fine, and the picture book Benji, The Bad Day, And Me. Her newest novel, The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn, will be out in July 2023 and I had the privilege of receiving an advanced reader’s edition in order to review the book for Multicultural Children’s Book Day.

This contemporary middle-grade novel does have a few flashback scenes involving emotional and physical abuse.  It’s an important part of this compelling story about a resilient girl who ultimately finds herself in spite of the stories she’s been told about who she is and what she’s capable of being.

“Your worth? It’s deep, and beautiful, and baked right into you.”

I believe that’s the message young readers will leave with after reading this book. I encourage you to preorder The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn to set your middle-schoolers up for an exciting, inspiring, and empowering summer of reading!

More on Sally J. Pla and The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn

Jodi Murphy is ally for neurodiversity and inclusion—her storytelling nonprofit, Geek Club Books, championed autistic voices to change the narrative about autism. She’s the executive producer of Dorktales Storytime, a podcast for kids and their geeky grownups, created by a neurodiverse team of creatives. She’s an active member of Kids Listen, a nonprofit dedicated to high-quality content for kids and serves on the Multicultural Children’s Book Day Board to help get diverse books into the hands of children, schools and libraries.

 

MCBD 2023 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Pragmaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)

🏅 Super Platinum Sponsor: Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media

🏅 Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages 

🏅 Gold Sponsors: Interlink Books, Publisher Spotlight 

🏅 Silver Sponsors: Cardinal Rule Press,  Lee & Low,  Barefoot Books, Kimberly Gordon Biddle

🏅 Bronze Sponsors: Vivian Kirkfield, Patrice McLaurin , Quarto Group, Carole P. Roman, Star Bright Books, Redfin.com, Redfin Canada, Bay Equity Home Loans, Rent.com, Title Forward, Brunella Costagliola Bronze Sponsor

Poster Artist:  Lisa Wee

Classroom Kit Poster: Led Bradshaw

MCBD 2023 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Authors: Sivan Hong, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Josh Funk , Stephanie M. Wildman, Gwen Jackson, Diana Huang, Afsaneh Moradian, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Eugenia Chu, Jacqueline Jules, Alejandra Domenzain, Gaia Cornwall, Ruth Spiro, Evelyn Sanchez-Toledo, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Kiyanda and Benjamin Young/Twin Powers Books, Kimberly Lee , Tameka Fryer Brown, Talia Aikens-Nuñez, Marcia Argueta Mickelson, Kerry O’Malley Cerra, Jennie Liu, Heather Murphy Capps, Diane Wilson, Sun Yung Shin, Shannon Gibney, John Coy, Irene Latham and Charles Waters, Maritza M Mejia, Lois Petren, J.C. Kato and J.C.², CultureGroove, Lindsey Rowe Parker, Red Comet Press, Shifa Saltagi Safadi, Nancy Tupper Ling, Deborah Acio, Asha Hagood, Priya Kumari, Chris Singleton, Padma Venkatraman, Teresa Robeson, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Martha Seif Simpson, Rochelle Melander, Alva Sachs, Moni Ritchie Hadley, Gea Meijering, Frances Díaz Evans, Michael Genhart, Angela H. Dale, Courtney Kelly, Queenbe Monyei, Jamia Wilson, Charnaie Gordon, Debbie Ridpath Ohi, Debbie Zapata, Jacquetta Nammar Feldman, Natasha Yim, Tracy T. Agnelli, Kitty Feld, Anna Maria DiDio, Ko Kim, Shachi Kaushik, Shanequa Waison-Rattray, Susan S. El Yazgi, Shirim Shamsi

MCBD 2023 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!

MCBD 2023 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!

Check out MCBD’s Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!

📌 FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

📌 Register for the MCBD Read Your World Virtual Party

Join us on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at 9 pm EST for the 10th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day Read Your World Virtual Party!

This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.

We will be giving away a 10-Book Bundle during the virtual party plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **

Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, and connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. We look forward to seeing you all on January 26, 2023, at our virtual party!

 

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


Spread the love