YA is Too Late: Gay Characters in Middle Grade Fiction

I can’t remember when I learned what the word gay meant. I remember people snickering when Maria sings “I feel pretty and witty and gay!” in West Side Story and not getting the joke. I remember how “that’s so gay” was used as an insult in middle school and I repeated it, not fully understanding what it meant. Will & Grace came on the air just as I entered high school. That is likely when I started to understand what gay meant, though it was packaged in a bright, shiny, made-for-prime-time TV package.

There have been many TV shows, movies, and books since the explosion of Will & Grace that address LGBT issues and feature well-rounded characters instead of just stock characters. YA fiction in particular has been very good at addressing the need for more LGBT content. More Than Just Magic is doing a month long YA Pride series, so be sure to drop by and check out her recommendations (including my book Days That End in Y). Teenagers are famously preoccupied with love and relationships, so it’s only natural that questions of sexual identity and preference are explored in YA fiction. But the middle grade years (ages 9-12) are when kids are the most in need of answers, empathy, and someone to relate to. YA is too late. You need to reach children in their middle grade years, when it really counts.

So I wrote for them.

I knew many boys like Benji growing up. I babysat them, drove them to camp, sang in choir with them, sat next to them in school. Only they were not openly gay then. Some of them were too young to identify. They may have felt different, but couldn’t put their finger on why. They may have understood that it wasn’t safe for them to come out, and so they waited until they were much older and long gone from their hometowns to do so. Do these boys see themselves in fiction? I certainly had a hard time tracking them down.

It was always my intention to address Benji’s sexuality but it needed to be at the right time. I am thankful to Scholastic Canada for giving me three books to develop his character and bring him to a place where he can admit such a deeply personal and scary thing to his best friend. I hope that my readers who have grown to love Benji can accept him as well, and in turn, accept those in their lives who need all the love and support they can get.

I hope that when children read my series about Benji and Clarissa they learn something about empathy and bravery. I hope kids who are struggling with their own sexuality are inspired by Benji’s bravery and comforted by Clarissa’s acceptance. I hope it prepares kids to be open and compassionate when their own friends come out to them.

We still have a long way to go. Books featuring gay characters are among the most consistently banned or censored books in America. I recommend the following middle grade novels featuring positive gay characters or children questioning their sexuality. Please feel free to leave your own recommendations in the comments:

Stitches by Glen Huser

Drama by Raina Telgemaier

See You at Harry’s by Jo Knowles

Marco Impossible by Hannah Moscowitz

Pride is about love and acceptance- so go forth and spread the love!

Summer Loving

I am so thrilled with the response to Summer Days, Starry Nights. Here are some memorable moments so far, starting with hitting the #1 spot on the best-seller list in Woodstock:

Here it is recommended in my favourite childhood magazine, OWL:

And again in Canadian Family magazine:

The June issue of Quill and Quire had this to say:

“Author Vikki VanSickle beautifully captures the novel’s time and place. Reenie’s affection shines through the lush descriptions of the resort and its surroundings. It’s hard not to fall in love with Reenie’s favourite place. And it’s just as hard not to fall in love with Reenie.”

and my favourite tweet thus far, from @jennaillies:

“Summer Days, Starry Nights reads like if Kit Pearson wrote Dirty Dancing.”

Um, have nicer words every been spoken? I think not!

Summer Days, Starry Nights: Signings & Event Schedule

Tonight kicks off 6 weeks of signings, workshops and events. Am I coming to a town near you?

TORONTO BOOK LAUNCH- May 28th, 7pm

• 3030: 3030 Dundas West and High Park, Toronto

WOODSTOCK BOOK SIGNING- June 1st, 1pm

• Merrifield Bookshop: 417 Dundas Street, Woodstock, On

CHAPTERS ERIN MILLS- June 8th, 1pm

CANWRITE CONFERENCE- June 13-14

• June 13, 3:30-4:45: “Mapping Your Audience”
• June 14, 2:15-4:45:  ”Connecting with Your Audience: Writing for Middle Grade Readers”
• Lakehead University Orillia campus

CREEMORE- June 15

• Farmer’s Market: 10-11am. Station on the Green, Creemore
• Curiosity House Signing: 11-12pm. 178 Mill Street, Creemore

CHAPTERS BRAMPTON- June 23, 1pm

See you there! 

Surely Great: P.S. Be Eleven Review

When I first heard there was to be a sequel to the wonderful One Crazy Summer, I squealed, just like Vonetta is wont to do. It is one of the most highly decorated middle grade titles of the last ten years and deservedly so. To see why I loved this book so much, click here.

P.S. Be Eleven begins on the plane, when Delphine, Fern and Vonetta are returning home to New York after spending ‘one crazy summer’ with their free-spirited activist mother. But one can never come home again, as Delphine discovers that things have changed in her absence over the summer. Delphine is surprised to find that her beloved father has a girlfriend and can’t make heads or tails of her uncle’s strange behaviour.

This book is as close to bottled adolescence as you can get. Delphine’s instant love for The Jackson Five and her unmitigated glee when they come on the radio is so charming and realistic I can barely stand it. I want to reach through the pages and squeeze her cheeks. Just as authentic is her distrust of Miss Marva Hendrix, her father’s love interest, and her deep love but disappointment in her loved Uncle Darnell who is back from Vietnam and not the man he was before.

The classroom scenes are my favourite. They are vividly and hilariously rendered. Group dynamics, especially among children, can be extremely hard to convey but RWC does this with ease. It helps that every single student and their teacher have such distinct personalities, even in the brief, shining glimpses we get of them.

While in no way a history lesson, Rita Williams-Garcia* is able to bring history to life through vivid, imperfect but lovable characters who readers can relate to, despite having little (or no) historical context. Fiction is a great means to learn history. Case in point, I have read exactly one work of nonfiction on WWII but have read innumerable fictional novels set in the era. Williams-Garcia touches on Vietnam, civil rights, racism, drugs, poverty and feminism without ever straying from Delphine’s hilarious and unforgettable voice.

P.S. Be Eleven can be read as a standalone, but do yourself a favour and read One Crazy Summer first. One can never have enough Delphine in her life. Fans of Susin Nielsen, Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Gordon Korman and my books (ahem) will love reading about these unforgettable sisters.

P.S. Be Eleven is available in hard cover from HarperCollins.

*Rita Williams-Garcia is all kinds of awesome. Check out this great Q&A from the Indigo Kids Blog.

The Recipe for a Perfect Summer Novel

We are now three weeks away from the launch of my new book, Summer Days, Starry Nights- an ode to summer, the 1960s, and friendship- three of my favourite things! I thought I’d answer some basic questions here to get people excited.

Q: Why the 1960s?

Carole King in 1962

A: I love the 1960s, particularly the music. For the first time, women were singing songs that other women could relate to. I read Girls Like Us, an amazing in-depth triple biography of Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon and Girl Groups, Girl Culture, a great book about popular music in the 1960s, which helped flesh out what was going on with women, music, and social change during the time period.

Music and identity play big roles in Summer Days, Starry Nights. Both Gwen, mysterious wayward ballerina, and Reenie, dependable country girl and a classic middle child, are trying to figure out who they are and what their place in the world is. Gwen introduces Reenie to girl bands like The Shirelles, The Crystals, and The Chantels. It seemed natural to set a coming of age story at a time where the whole world was coming of age.

Q: Is the resort Sandy Shores based on a real place?

A: When I was young my family spent a number of summers at a resort near Orillia, Ontario called Lake Dalrymple Resort. I have fond memories of the resort, and the layout of Sandy Shores is based on the layout of this resort, more or less. Of course I changed things to suit the plot, which is one of my favourite elements of fiction writing.

Q: What inspired the book?

A: The name Reenie Starr came to me first. I started to think about who this Reenie Starr was, how she did or did not live up to her name. I gave her two siblings, Scarlett and Bo, and then I wondered who would name their children after movie stars and lo and behold their mother- a woman who prefers to be called Mimi, not Mama- was born.

Margaret Langrick in My American Cousin

I also wanted to write a summer book and for me summer is always connected to the 1960s, probably because of movies like Dirty Dancing, My American Cousin, The Man in the Moon, and A Walk on the Moon. I remembered how much I loved the resort on Lake Dalrymple and how as a kid I thought it would be absolute heaven to live there all year. So through the magic of fiction I got to experience that by having my protagonist live on a summer resort.

Anna Paquin in A Walk on the Moon

I had a lot of fun (and spent a LOT of time) creating and seeking out inspirational playlists, like this one from songza. You can check out some of my inspirational images, girl groups, etc on the Summer Days, Starry Nights pinterest board here.

Toronto friends I hope you’ll join me at 3030 on May 28th for the launch. I will also be making appearances in Woodstock, London, Brampton, Erin Mills, Creemore and Orillia in the next two months- stay tuned for dates.  Remember you can pre-0rder on Amazon, Indigo, or at your local bookstore. 

Summer Days, Starry Nights Toronto Launch: Party Like it’s 1962!

It’s party time! If you’re in the Toronto area on Tuesday, May 28th come celebrate the launch of SUMMER DAYS, STARRY NIGHTS with me at one of my favourite Junction hotspots, 3030.

Starting at 7pm, this is an all ages event and will feature a reading by yours truly and a performance by the amazing Miranda Mulholland, of Great Lake Swimmers and Belle Starr fame. Miranda is also an accomplished solo artist and I could not be more thrilled that she is sharing this night with me. Also, look at her wicked hair:

When Miranda is not singing, expect a great mix of late 1950s and early 1960s vinyl, perfect for dancing! This is not a costume party, but if you come dressed in 60′s attire you will earn my undying respect and devotion. Books will be sold by Toronto institution Mabel’s Fables and I will be happy to sign one for you, your niece, your grandmother, or anyone else you’d like to give a first edition signed copy to!

Located at High Park and Dundas West, 3030 is easily accessible by TTC (walk north from High Park station or take the 40 bus from Dundas West Station) and there is a Green P parking lot nearby (south of Dundas West, between Pacific and Medland) for those who will be driving.

Can’t wait to see you! Bring your dancing shoes and we will party like it’s 1962!

For those of you outside the GTA area I will also be doing events in Woodstock, Brampton, Erin Mills, Creemore, Orillia and London. Schedule coming soon!

Meet the FitzOsbornes, The Crawleys of YA: FitzOzbornes in Exile Review

Downton Abbey fans you need to be reading this series! The FitzOzbornes in Exile is the second in an unique YA trilogy about a group of young royals from a fictional island nation off the coast of France in the 1930s and early 1940s. Told in diary form from the perspective of sensitive and observant Princess Sophia, it has a distinctly Downtown-esque vibe and is the kind of YA adults of all ages can also (thoroughly) enjoy, which is why I included the series in my Top Ten Under-Sung Series post .I am so thankful for Shelf Elf, who loves this series and convinced me to read it.

Warning! This review contains some spoilers.

After narrowly escaping the bombing of their beloved home by Nazis, the FitzOsbornes are thrown into society life, Sophie and Veronica preparing for the first season in London. Sophie is thrilled at first, but the presence of Veronica’s would-be-assassin Rebecca, the arrival of orphaned Basque children, and trouble brewing in Europe keep her attentions divided.

Author Michelle Cooper seamlessly weaves the fabricated history of Montmaray with real historical events and people to the point where I found myself thinking wait, IS there such a place as Montmaray? Is my memory of world geography just that bad? But no, there are helpful notes in both books that clarify what is true and what is fictional. Veronica, a ferocious feminist and loyal subject and one of my favourite YA characters, is forever immersed in history and politics and I found myself enjoying her political debates with Simon Chester, illegitimate son of the King and her chief rival. I don’t normally go in for heated political debates about Spanish history and communism versus fascism  but Cooper imbues her characters with such passion and clarity of speech that one can’t help but be equally fascinated.

It is gratifying to see how Sophia matures, getting over a girlish crush on Simon and taking interest in a quiet young aspiring veterinarian, having her first piece of writing published. and coming to Veronica’s rescue in innumerable ways. Veronica is a formidable character but instead of standing in her shadow, Sophia is finally learning to stand apart while still loving and admiring her cousin. She learns a few hard lessons about love and marriage, and this book is particularly feminist in its approach to women’s issues and politics, but in a way that seems plausible. At the end of the book both Veronica and Sophie have amazing, character-defining moments that made me want to stand up and cheer. Alas I was reading in my office and despite working in publishing that sort of thing is generally frowned upon.

I am fascinated by how Sophia approaches and accepts her brother Toby’s preference for men, which feels progressive for the time and yet is a bit reserved in a way that seems natural. In fact she approached all matters of sex and relationships with this curious open-mindedness that is refreshing and distinctly contemporary.

The language is this book is period without feeling complex or too flowery and even in dire situations there is so much hope and humour in Sophia’s voice that you are laughing in life or death situations. How does the author do this? Genius, methinks. Veronica and Aunt Charlotte, who reminds me very much of the Dowager Countess, have some fantastic one-liners.

This book is heavier on the politics than the first, which makes sense as it leads into WWII, but it also features a number of assassination attempts, a few parties featuring some amazing dresses and jewels, a bit of mystery, and a cross-country train race that elevate the series even more. Fans of historical fiction,war novels, and books such as Code Name Verity, Anne of Green Gables or I Capture the Castle will eat this series up. I cannot wait to see what Cooper does in The FitzOsbornes at War. I have a feeling no matter what happens, I will be sobbing at the end.

Hey BBC, miniseries please?!

The FitzOsbornes in Exile is available now in paperback.

The Power of Pink: Pink Shirt Day CONTEST

Are you wearing pink today?

Pink Shirt Day is a great anti-bullying initiative inspired by the actions a group of grade nine students who decided to show their solidarity for a student who was being picked on because of a fashion choice. This kind of harassment is sadly not unusual, but the massive student response is. I am a big fan of student run, grass-roots initiatives like this one.

When I was writing Words That Start With B I knew I wanted to give my character Benji a strong friend (Clarissa) and support group (Mattie and Michael) to help him deal with his own bullies. My hope is that children will see themselves in my characters- whether they are the bully, the bullied, or a bystander- and recognize that things can get better, they are not alone, and most of all, that anyone, anywhere can affect change. And wouldn’t you know it? The cover is pink! Spooky!

To support Pink Shirt Day and anti-bullying awareness, I am donating a COMPLETE set of my books, including Words That Start With B, Love is a Four-Letter Word, and the brand new Days That End in Y.  Tweet, share, or like this post to enter!

Contest open to Canadians only

An Interview with Author Rachelle Delaney!

I am a big fan of Canadian middle grade author Rachelle Delaney. Her books are breezy, delightful, and a great example of classic children’s literature with a modern narrative voice. Click here to check out my review on her latest treat, The Metro Dogs of Moscow. I decided she would be the perfect subject for my first author interview ever!

VV: First, the obvious question. Are you a dog person?

RD: Through and through. My family always had dogs while I was growing up, and for a while I was totally obsessed with learning about all the different breeds. When I was 10, I had almost as many posters of Great Danes and Weimaraners on my bedroom walls as there were posters of horses. I have particular a soft spot for really big dogs.

VV: I have this great image of you observing dogs in their natural habitat, aka the dog park. What sort of dog research did you do for the book?

RD: I guess I’m always observing dogs, even when I don’t realize it. I’m the kind of person who will always take note of a dog but rarely the human holding its leash. So yes, I continued my usual dog observations while preparing to write the book, but I also read some really interesting books on animal behavior to help me get inside a dog’s head and understand its motives. My favourite was the aptly named Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz.

VV: Tell me a bit about your inspiration for this book.

RD: The inspiration came from an article I read three or four years ago in the Globe and Mail. It was just a tiny article, basically stating that in Moscow, there are about 35,000 stray dogs. And some of them have started to take the metro to get around the city.

Obviously, I was intrigued. So I hopped online to do more research, and sure enough, there were entire websites dedicated to these Russian metro dogs. They know where to get on and where to get off to get the best food, and they navigate around the city by listening to the announcer’s voice (which, I discovered on my trip to Moscow, is actually quite helpful. When you’re headed toward the centre of the city, the announcer is male; when you’re headed out, it’s female).

Growing up I was a huge fan of 101 Dalmatians and Lady and the Tramp, so I immediately saw the potential to create that kind of a charming adventure inspired by this great premise.

VV: Tell me about your trip to Russia, and how that affected your writing.

RD: I traveled to Russia after the novel had already been accepted for publication. The setting I’d written was lacking in good, sensory details that can only come through experiencing a place firsthand. And I love travelling more than practically anything, and I was so curious to explore Russia.

It was an eye-opening trip. I’d originally described Moscow and kind of a jolly place, where people stopped to pet the stray dogs in the street. I have to laugh at that now. Moscow is huge and chaotic, very polluted and colder than I ever thought possible (and I grew up in Edmonton!). I got a taste of the crazy traffic, the crush of the metro, and distinctly un-Canadian cultural rules like never, ever smiling at strangers. Details like these changed the tone of the story, and also made it richer and more authentic.

VV: Did you have a favourite character to write about in the book?

RD: I love my main character JR. He’s a Jack Russell terrier (hence the name) who is driven by energy, curiosity, and a need to explore. He tries hard to be good, but sometimes his human George is just so maddening that JR—being a terrier—just has to destroy something. I’ve really enjoyed giving him a voice and trying to put his canine sentiments into words. I also love Pie, the submissive and innocent Australian shepherd JR befriends.

VV: What were your favourite books as a child? Do you think you’ve been inspired in any way by these books in your own writing?

RD: My favourite books were usually about animals, so yes, they’ve definitely inspired me. I loved Black Beauty, Where the Red Fern Grows, Charlotte’s Web, and Bunnicula. I was also drawn to large casts, like in The Story Girl and Little Women, which might explain why I can’t seem to write a novel with fewer than 15 or so characters. And I loved feisty, funny female characters, like Pippi Longstocking and Alanna in Tamora Pierce’s Song of the Lioness books.

VV: Like many Canadian writers, you have a day job. How do you find time to write?

RD: Right now I’m lucky enough to work four-day work-weeks, so that certainly helps. I basically dedicate about three hours a day, Friday through Sunday, to writing. If I’m on a tight deadline, I’ll also sneak in an hour of writing before work (usually without actually leaving my bed), but that gets exhausting after a few weeks. It takes a lot of self-discipline, but I’ve been doing it for years, so my writing patterns are very much ingrained now.

Thanks very much to Rachelle for being my first-ever author interview! If you are a Canadian resident and would like to receive a copy of Rachelle’s wonderful book The Metro Dogs of Moscow, please say so in the comment section! The winner will be selected at random next week.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Under-sung Series

Nothing breaks my heart more than a truly outstanding series that for whatever reason does not achieve the success it deserves. As a busy reader and writer, I rarely get to sequels or subsequent books in a series. When I do, I know the series is a winner. And so I present to you ten series that are worth your consideration!

For the purposes of this post, the term series refers to at least two sequential books, and under-sung means that while most of these series are critically regarded, they exist just below the mainstream. Let’s see if we can change that!

Kiki Strike & The Bank Street Irregulars 

If you’ve been reading this blog you KNOW I cannot get enough of these five delinquent girl scouts who solve international mysteries while also experiencing life, love and friendship in New York. (Proof here and here). If you have EVER enjoyed a Nancy Drew book, if you like a healthy dose of sass in your reading, or just love NYC, for GOODNESS SAKES pick up this series!

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place

Maryrose Wood lovingly pokes fun and also celebrates the “governess and her cheeky charges” trope in a delightfully old-fashioned yet never dry style. There is something a bit Snicket-ish in her tone, particularly in the way Wood plays with language, puns, and definitions. It doesn’t hurt that the books include spot illustrations by the unstoppable Jon Klassen.

The Montmaray Journals

This sweeping, epic saga is exactly the kind of series I like to sink into on a Saturday afternoon, only to emerge when my tea is cold or gone. Witty teenage royal Sophie observes the odd lives of her family, the royals of Montmaray. Think I Capture the Castle meets Downton Abbey. If you have a female tween, teen, or adult who loves historical YA in your life, be a hero by gifting them this series.

Real Mermaids 

With the exception of Ariel, I’ve never been a big mermaid fan. That being said, Canuck Helene Boudreau‘s series has always been more about relationships, puberty, and identity  (that middle grade trifecta) than mermaids. Her humour is light and the keystones of growing up (first period, first crush, first dance, etc) are spot on.

The Mary Quinn Mysteries

Another wonderful Canadian author adds some spice to the Victorian era by imagining a secret society of female spies. Mary Quinn’s mixed heritage and mysterious youth adds depth to what would otherwise be a simple mystery series.  Y.S. Lee’s background ensures the historical details are rich and accurate.

Spud

Thirteen year old boys can be tough customers when it comes to reading, but I have yet to meet a boy who didn’t howl with laughter over this boarding school series from a young South African author. A great blend of heart, gross-out comedy, and fun.

The Casson Family series

I have a weakness for British middle grade, and no one does it better than Hilary McKay. The off-kilter Casson family get into all sorts of wacky drama. You’ll be so busy laughing you don’t see the emotional moments coming. Saffy’s Angel is widely considered the best of the series, but Permanent Rose is number one in my heart.

The Stanley Family Series

Zilpha Keatley Snyder was one of my favourite childhood authors. What I loved best about these books is that they always had a mysterious or supernatural conflict that ends up having a perfectly rational explanation. They are not quite issue books, although divorce, blended families, and sibling rivalry all play big parts in the plots of this quartet, but Snyder is able to combine said issues with warmth, wit, and the possibility of magic.

The Ingo Chronicles

I don’t read a ton of fantasy but when I do, I like rich writing, plausible worlds, and character development. Enter Helen Dunmore. This series about one family’s connection to the undersea world of Ingo will make you want to pack up your bags and head to Cornwall. Hmm….despite a previously stated indifference to mermaids I appear to have TWO mermaid-esque series on the list…re-evaluating my stance on merfolk now.

The Guests of War Trilogy

This feels a little like cheating. Kit Pearson‘s classic Canadian series featuring Nora and Gavin, who are sent from England to spend the duration of the war in Canada, is multi-award winning, best-selling and beloved: not exactly under-sung. But in my opinion you can not talk about this series enough.  Like the best middle grade, Pearson uses a greater conflict (WWII) to heighten the coming-of-age moments in life. Historical, emotional, evocative and lovely, this is a study in character development at its finest.

Have you read any of these series? What are your favourite under-sung series?