A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee

And it spawned an entire bestselling series. Having a mysterious, doomsday-spewing voice speak directly to ME, the reader, was a relevation.

#5: The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch (2008)Įverything about this book is secret, from the author’s real name (pseudonym, get it?) to the snarky voice that warns readers against reading the book. These books prove you can break the mold if you do it exceptionally well. There’s a multitude of minor characters, a circuitous, ever-evolving plot with superfluous yet delightful details, and the most richly detailed setting I’ve ever come across – all of which STILL violate the traditionally accepted rules for middle grade. I read them as an adult and can totally understand why kids around the world went absolutely bonkers for these magically inventive books. I remember the never-before-seen frenzy as each book in this series was released. This demonstrates how picture books truly are a marriage of words and pictures. And it makes me laugh every time I read it. This was the first time I saw pictures that didn’t match the text. The writing is straightforward and rather deadpan (like the requisite postcards kids send home from camp), but the illustrations show the hysterical truth. The story is about two boys who stay with one boy’s grandparents and go to Nature camp. Written and illustrated by Marla Frazee (2008) #3 : A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever I was also wowed by Melissa’s Some Writer: The Story of E.B. I believe this pair helped usher in an exciting renaissance in children’s biographies, which writers and readers of all ages benefit from. As someone who relied heavily on my Roget’s Thesaurus in high school, this book really, really speaks to me. The words are glorious and the multi-layered, scrapbook/collage-style artwork defies description. When I first read this biography, my surprise and delight grew with every page. Written by Jen Bryant illustrated by Melissa Sweet (2014) #2: The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus The setting is Germany in 1939, a very busy time for Death. The narrator Death alternates between dream-like fugues and his/her/its perspective on a young German girl’s penchant for stealing books. Despite reading hundreds of books since this one, it still stands out as the most unique and unforgettable book I’ve ever read. I referred to this groundbreaking book in my Dare to Change Your POV post.

#1: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2007) While none of these books are new, they deserve special recognition. But however these authors and illustrators dreamed up these groundbreaking book ideas, they executed them brilliantly. Before you bend or break the rules of writing for children, the generally accepted strategy is to learn the established rules first.

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee