Author Spotlight: Jean Ferris

Jean Ferris has been one of my favorite authors for a long time. When I was in sixth grade, I finished my book during reading time and grabbed a book at random from the teacher's book collection. I ended up being hooked and I finished the book that night and began devouring everything of hers I could get my hands on. The public library only had a few of Jean Ferris' books, so every time I went to a new library or moved somewhere new, I'd check to see if there were any new books by her. With this system (and ordering a few), I've ended up reading a huge amount of her writings.

What I love about Jean Ferris is that she:

• deals with difficult topics with ease - She has books about sexuality, deafness, teen pregnancy, cancer, SO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT
• has such ridiculous and whimsical characters - In some of her lighter, later books, Ferris creates bizarre characters. One character only speaks in quotes. Another character in a different book is color blind, so he only wears black (though it is perceived as being menacing when we first meet him). Yet another character knows every word of the film Casablanca. They're all so different and lovable. 
• empowers her readers to be strong-willed and stick by their decisions - Ferris writes for teens and it seems like her whole goal is to help her readers feel like they can be taken seriously by adults and like their feelings and goals matter. All her main characters are human, yet they can make serious decisions and can grow from their mistakes. Reading her books as a teenager, I felt like Ferris understood me and wanted to make me stronger than I was. It was a nice feeling.

One of the funny parts about writing this spotlight is that I realized how unknown Ferris is. Some of her books listed on Goodreads only have a few reviews and it turns out her author website is now a travel guide for Boulder, CO. So that was weird (especially since she released a new book in just 2013). I also found out that she passed away in 2015 - which would explain why she hasn't published anything new in years. Even though she isn't around anymore, Ferris' books still have lessons that ring true and books that anyone can enjoy.

THE BIO

(Taken from Goodreads) This author is not afraid to tackle difficult subjects: living with a deaf parent (Of Sound Mind), facing the consequences of a criminal act (Bad), or questioning one's sexuality (Eight Seconds). But Jean Ferris is also adept at writing comedy, historical fiction, and romance. What's most interesting is that she didn't publish her first novel until she was in her mid-40s. Yet she's never forgotten the intense feelings and changes of her own teenage years. Critics as well as teen readers have seen the evidence of that in her writing and have honored her novels with a number of awards, from Best Books for Young Adults to various state and National Book Award nominations.

THE BOOKS

     

   

   

   

   

   

   

Have you read anything by Jean Ferris? What books made an impression on you as a preteen/teenager? Do any of these books catch your eye?

On books to read if you enjoyed "Wild Bird" by Wendelin Van Draanen

If you enjoy realistic contemporary YA about character overcoming shortcomings and learning from their mistakes, this is the blog post for you. If you're just someone who recently loved Wild Bird, you're also in luck - there are actually some similar books out there! 

3:47 a.m. That's when they come for Wren Clemens. She's hustled out of her house and into a waiting car, then a plane, and then taken on a forced march into the desert. This is what happens to kids who've gone so far off the rails, their parents don't know what to do with them any more. This is wilderness therapy camp. 

The Wren who arrives in the Utah desert is angry and bitter, and blaming everyone but herself. But angry can't put up a tent. And bitter won't start a fire. Wren's going to have to admit she needs help if she's going to survive. 

In her most incisive and insightful book yet, beloved author Wendelin Van Draanen's offers a remarkable portrait of a girl who too a wrong turn and got lost--but who may be able to find her way back again in the vast, harsh desert.

• Bad by Jean Ferris - After getting caught robbing a convenience store, young Dallas is sent to a residential treatment center where she'll learn to confront the darkest parts of herself - and the decisions that led to her going to treatment. Both books are about girls who enter treatment because of their bad behavior - and their parents being unsure about how to deal with them.

• Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman - After a mental breakdown, Caden is sent to a psych ward to get his head back together. Caden encounters all sorts of characters on the psych unit, but he's also left to battle the demons in his head - all of which take the forms of a vicious sea captain and his heartless crew. This book differs from Wild Bird slightly - while it's still about a teen in treatment, Caden's reasons for entering treatment differ greatly from Wren's.

• The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin - Matt is a teenager who essentially acts as a parent to his little sisters - and also as protector from their cruel and abusive mother. When their mom gets a new boyfriend who seems like he might be able to help the kids, Matt is stuck with a difficult decision - does he need to handle this on his own or is it time to get adults involved in protecting his sisters? Matt's situation is very different from the situation in Wild Bird, but it is still about a teenager dealing with problematic living situations and unhappy circumstances and having to decide to change and overcome those circumstances.

What other books would you add to this list? Have you read any of the books on this list?

On nostalgic books

Nostalgia is a difficult mood to pick books regarding. For me, nostalgic books are the ones that take me back to another time in my life - usually to my childhood. As a kid, I was a dedicated reader. In the summertime, that’s basically all I did. Thanks to my parents, I always had new library books and new recommendations and there were endless opportunities for me to read. I was introduced to many different types of books and here are a few that really stuck with me:

• The Three Robbers by Tomi Ungerer - When I was really little, we didn’t own very many picture books, so Dad read this one to me most nights. To this day, he says he always thinks of me when he hears about it and that Jack White’s “Blunderbuss” (a robber’s weapon of choice) song remind him of me. This book features fearless robbers and a little orphan girl - it was a captivating tale for a little girl like me.

• Parts by Tedd Arnold - This picture book was an early favorite. Before I could read, I insisted having this read to me every single night. At one point, I tried to convince my dad I could read by “reading” it to him (I must have turned the pages at the wrong times or something because he didn’t believe me for a second). This hilarious book about a boy who thinks he’s falling apart was well-loved and highly appreciated.

• Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede - This was one of the first chapter books I read and it was awesome. Plenty of fantasy, a strong-willed princess for a main character, and all sorts of interesting adventures - this book had everything that young me loved. And I devoured these books.

• Once Upon A Marigold by Jean Ferris - In sixth grade, I had a teacher recommend this to me and I instantly fell in love, finishing it within a couple days. This book lead me to read everything else by Jean Ferris that I could get my hands on and she remains one of my favorite authors. This story about a boy raised by a troll and a clever princess captured my heart and I’ve read it more times than I can count.

What were your favorite childhood books? Which books do you want to introduce to all the children you know? What books make you nostalgic for another time?

Series Review: Upon A Marigold by Jean Ferris

I started the Upon A Marigold series at age 11 and recently finished the last book. With only three books, it’s insane that I’ve been reading this series for more than half of my life, but the final one only came out in the past couple years (and it’s been sitting on my shelf for months…).

This middle grade series follows the story of Christian, a poor orphan who was raised by a kindly troll named Ed, and Princess Marigold, the clever royal young lady with a royal curse. Their story is adorable and tons of fun and these books are gold - like everything that Jean Ferris writes. However, like every series, it has it’s pros and cons.

PROS

• STARTS WONDERFULLY - Once Upon A Marigold is one of the most delightful things I’ve ever read. At a young age, this book hooked me in a way that few books did and it’s consistently been a book I’ve loved coming back to.
• DELIGHTFUL CHARACTERS - Ferris is the champion of writing quirky and memorable characters. From the misspoken metaphors of Ed to the elephant raising of Wendall the Wizard, the characters in this book are wonderful. Marigold and Christian are, of course, the stars and even they have a precious quirkiness that can’t be beat.
• EXCELLENT BALANCE OF ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE -Many books leans too far towards romance and make the adventure completely secondary. Other books completely forgo the romance. This series balances everything well and makes it fun and exciting while still making you root for your favorite couples.
• MIDDLE GRADE SERIES THAT ADULTS CAN ENJOY - This is a huge deal in me picking middle grade books. If I’m going to be recommending it to a kid I know, I need to be prepared to read it with them and/or hear about it endlessly. This series is a perfect one to enjoy in tandem with your favorite middle grade reader.
• THE PERFECT GATEWAY INTO FERRIS’ BOOKS - This is honestly how most people I know got into Jean Ferris. She has been one of my favorite authors throughout my lifetime and I still reread her stories periodically. If someone reads and loves this series, be assured that there’s plenty more from Ferris to read.

CONS

• GETS PROGRESSIVELY SILLIER - The series starts kind of silly and it’s delightful. However, each book seems to get more ridiculous and bizarre and it’s not necessarily in a good way. By the final book, I was more concerned with finishing the series than I was with enjoying the story. It felt like Ferris began to talk down to the reader more as the book progressed - almost as if the final book had been written for a much younger audience. The tone of the first book is far superior to that of the next two.

I highly recommend this series for middle grade readers and anyone who likes quirky fantasy stories. It is still one of the most hilarious and delightful series I’ve ever read and everyone should give it a chance.

Have you read this series? What are your thoughts on it? Who would you recommend this to?

On Jean Ferris and 1960's music

My sixth grade teacher pushed Jean Ferris’ Once Upon a Marigold into my hands one day when I didn’t have anything else to read. I finished it in one day and have spent the years since then reading every Jean Ferris book I can get my hands on. Some of her books are better than others - there are a few I can hardly remember and a few that I’ve read several times. I’ve even bought a handful of her books, which is a BIG DEAL for me.

Love Among the Walnuts is one of her books that I own and that I’ve tried to force upon everyone I know. It was wonderful when I read it in seventh grade and I still love it now. I love it so much, in fact, that I decided to make a playlist for it. A 1960’s playlist (plus one song by a 1960’s band that’s making a comeback).

Why the 1960’s specifically? Because I feel like this book could have happened in the 1960’s - it’s a good balance between old world gentility and some new world shenanigans. Also, this book emphasizes the more positive messages of the 1960’s (how important it is to love and be loved, conflict only brings unhappiness, be your strange and quirky self, etc).

Some of the songs on this playlist are more directly related to characters or the plot and some fit the feel of the book better. Enjoy!

On new books! - from Half Price Books

Yay! New books!

The husband and I were exploring antique shops this weekend when we decided to take a break to go book shopping. The closest bookshop was Half Price Books and we popped in to see what was available. While this was a lot more of a discount bookshop and less of a thrifty used bookstore, I had a lot of fun and we thumbed through a lot of books and it was overall an enjoyable way to spend a Saturday. And I managed to find two books that I couldn’t bear to leave in the store.

-David Bowie Changes: His Life in Pictures 1947-2016 by Chris Welch - This beautiful book is full of pictures AND information about Bowie and it’s a wonderful addition to my Bowie obsession.

-Thrice Upon A Marigold by Jean Ferris - Jean Ferris has long been one of my favorite authors and I’ve had some trouble finding the final book in the “Upon A Marigold” series. Though I’ve heard it isn’t as good as the first two, I’m still excited to finish the story and to own another Jean Ferris book.