TEARS TO PRINCESS: A Review of "Tears of A Princess" by Guest Blogger, Mara Scudder

Tears of a Princess by Laura Thomas is the upper middle-grade sequel to the novel Tears to Dancing. It follows the main character’s best friend, Natasha, as she deals with the news of her parent's divorce and accompanies Bethany on a mission trip to Mexico that changes her perspective forever.

Although some elements of the novel were written better than the first book, there were still two persisting drawbacks. The first was the characters, all of which were one or two-dimensional. Even Natasha, who we were supposedly watching transform from a spoiled rich girl to a selfless and caring Christian, had most of her character development done throughout the year gap between the end of the first book and the start of the second. While the girl in the first book was careless, narcissistic, and vapid, in the second book Natasha has much more substance, dealing with a few emotional outbursts, which she quickly apologizes for. I was looking forward to watching the dramatic change, but instead it seemed as though she had already accomplished most of the change without God.

Another drawback was the dialogue. Rather than letting readers discover what a character was feeling and how they were changing, the author used exposition for the characters to communicate to each other. While their thoughts were more abstract and natural, their dialogue was blunt, no-nonsense, and to the point, even during very emotional scenes. This made it difficult to read, especially in scenes that were supposed to be the most powerful.

One thing that I appreciated about this work was the overarching themes that were missing from the first. Both tears, the sunrise, and the idea of Natasha being a “princess” were echoed throughout the work. Natasha’s transformation from being her father’s “princess” as a term of indulging endearment to thinking of herself as being a princess as the daughter of the King of kings had a special impact because of its intentionality. Tying in tears as her way of breaking her family’s picture-perfect facade and becoming more honest with people around her also enhanced the continuity of the work and made the resolution much more conclusive than it would have been otherwise.

Aside from this, the plot was also more coherent, allowing a more natural flow between events than the first book, and the overarching themes made the ending far more complete and satisfying. This ending made the ideas it had to offer much more impactful, creating a stronger lead-up to the trilogy’s finale, Tears, Fears, and Fame.

Hi! My name is Mara, and I’m a Christian artist, violinist, and blogger. I remember the day that I decided that I would learn something new about what makes a good story from every book I picked up — whether it was good, bad, or a mixture of both. I use my blog as a way of sharing some of the tips and tricks I’ve learned and highlighting which books, cartoons, and movies have taught me the most about writing an awesome story. I’m in eleventh grade and live in Philadelphia.  

Check out Greg Pattridge's Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday blog 

for more book recommendations.

TEARS TO DANCING: A Middle Grade Review by Guest Reviewer Mara Scudder

REVIEW

Tears to Dancing (Dancing Bear Publishing: 2012) by Laura Thomas is an intimate book tracing one young ballerina’s struggle with losing both her parents and her ability to dance in a traumatic car crash. The protagonist, Bethany, takes center stage in this character-driven novel. Few outside forces (aside from the car crash) affected the protagonist or much of the cast at all. Instead, the author explored their inner dialogue and struggle with grief through slow-paced, intimate chapters that echo character-centered classics.

One of the biggest drawbacks of the work was the fact that it opened with the death of Bethany’s parents. As a result, it was difficult to mourn with or even understand what she had lost throughout most of the novel. The first time the readers heard of her parents was when they learned that they had died, and this made it more difficult to relate to Bethany’s grief, which was the biggest element of the work.

Another issue I found was that several of the characters played the strawman -- Bethany’s best friend is very much the one-dimensional “rich girl” cliche, while her “church friend” is a teenager with a heart of gold. This was a detriment to the dialogue, as well as Bethany’s relationships.

Aside from that, there were definitely some very heartwarming scenes and powerful themes that came from the protagonist’s discovery of the gospel. Although it was certainly not perfect, the work had some powerful ideas to share. Bethany developed dramatically over the work, and I am looking forward to reading the next two parts of the trilogy.

GUEST BLOGGER

Hi! My name is Mara, and I’m a Christian artist, violinist, and blogger. I remember the day that I decided that I would learn something new about what makes a good story from every book I picked up — whether it was good, bad, or a mixture of both. I use my blog as a way of sharing some of the tips and tricks I’ve learned and highlighting which books, cartoons, and movies have taught me the most about writing an awesome story. I’m in tenth grade and live in Philadelphia.  

SOUTHPAW SALLY: A Guest Blogger Review and Giveaway

REVIEW by Mara Scudder

As an avid reader who has no interest in baseball (and sports in general), I fell far from Steve Carman's upper middle-grade audience range. But Southpaw Sully’s characters are irresistible in any genre, and Sully and the rest of the cast pulled me in from the very first page. The author didn’t use Sully’s missing hand as an excuse for sympathy, instead developing him as a well-rounded and relatable character, despite his unusual circumstances. 

Sully was born into a family dedicated to baseball -- his father coached their town’s underdog team, and he and his twin brother, Brendan, practiced every chance they got. He and Brendan made up their minds that once they got old enough, they were going to break the losing streak that their team couldn’t seem to break. But Sully ends up having to do it alone.

After a car crash, lost Sully lost his brother and his right hand. All he cares about now is living up to the promise he and Brendan had made to end the streak. At fourteen, Sully is pitching for his team with a passion. Once he thought he could never play baseball again. Now it's all he cares about.

Although the characters are vibrant, relatable, and unique, the plot happens to be the weakest point of the work. Each chapter involves Sully facing another unforeseen and improbable obstacle (from a stolen dog to an untimely heart attack) that almost keeps him from competing in the championship. Each time, deus ex machina swoops in to make sure Sully and his friends make it to the next game.

But aside from that, I enjoyed the story immensely. The characters were especially enjoyable, from their unique personalities to the unexpected twist the author added to each character arc. The overweight bully becomes the protagonist’s loyal sidekick, and even the archenemy ends up learning to respect those he disagrees with. Each character brought something new and exciting to a unique story. 

On top of the vibrant characters, the stakes were high. We wanted Sully to win not just because he had a passion for baseball, but also because he saw his brother everywhere -- and he knew that Brendan would have loved to watch Sully take their losing team to victory. I cheered him on not because the game mattered, but because of what it represented to him and his family. Those stakes created unusual tension for a slice-of-life sports story and ensured that Southpaw Sully will stand out from other books on the shelf for years to come. 

AUTOGRAPHED GIVEAWAY!

Please leave me a comment if you want to win this book for yourself or a young reader in your life. If you share this post on social media let me know and I'll enter your name twice. You can also email me to enter. U.S. addresses only. The giveaway ends on August 2.

For other great middle-grade books, check out Greg Pattridge's Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday books!

A SKY FULL OF SONG: A Guest Review by Mara and Sophia Scudder PLUS a Giveaway

 

REVIEW

My cousin, Mara, and I read A Sky Full of Song, by Susan Lynn Meyer, and we both found numerous flaws with both the story and the main character, Shoshanna, a young Jewish pioneer. We didn’t find her to be relatable or likable. The book drowned its own message with too many woke topics like extreme bullying, the injustice of periods, sexism in the family, and mistreated immigrants, none of which were resolved. And, most importantly, there wasn’t any real hope offered, which left both the readers and the protagonist feeling defeated.

Although the author included beautiful descriptions of the North Dakota land surrounding Shoshanna’s home and the title implied that the beauty of midwestern America would become a comfort and resolution to the numerous conflicts the book attempted to juggle, it ultimately resolved none of the conflicts within the work. While the protagonist was upset about how unfair periods are, how her mother never favors her, how hard it is to have a different religion than anyone else, how mean the bullies at school are, how much she misses her home country, how hard it is to live in America, how unfair the government was to the Native American tribe that used to live in their area, and how her brother teases her, the author only resolved the issues between her and her brother. She explained that Shoshanna had merely forgotten how they used to tease each other, and after remembering that he meant no harm when he teased her, she teased him back. After reading this apt resolution, we were hopeful that the other conflicts would be resolved, as well. 

Unfortunately, they were not. Instead, the book ends with the protagonist Shoshanna still wondering whether or not she should offer forgiveness to the bully who apologized for mistreating her. Although she decides not to hide her culture and beliefs from her friends, she mainly does this to appease her sister, Libke, and to smooth over the division between them. Meanwhile, her frustration with the partiality her mother supposedly shows to her brother, the anger she feels on behalf of the Lakota people, her discontent with both her old and new home, and her outrage at discovering that only girls have periods, remain unaddressed. The author drops these issues halfway through the book.

Life was hard, and only going to get harder.

Pioneering at that time and place was very difficult, especially for immigrants who would struggle to cross both cultural and linguistic barriers to set up a permanent home in the West. It is important that we tell stories about individuals growing up in unusually hard settings (as this story did). But the reader was never offered the resolution that hope brings. Not only is this unsatisfying, but it is also inaccurate. The pioneer spirit was a very real, powerful thing that transformed the mostly empty wilderness of midwestern America into a prosperous land. Immigrants were especially poignant displays of such spirit and determination. The depressed spirit of Shoshanna, who consistently complains about the difficulties of her old home while also mourning the challenges she faces in America, is in sharp contrast to the unbeatable optimism of those in her generation. 

Laura Ingalls, for instance, survived three years of locusts destroying her family’s only income, a difficult winter that starved her village for seven months, and being consistently bullied in her school while keeping a pioneer spirit stronger than ever. 

Another example would be the fictional story of Lyddie, who was sold off as a servant to pay her family’s debts. She dreamed of a day when the farm would be paid for, her father would return, and the family could work the farm together. Instead, her family fell apart, her closest friends fell ill, and she lost the only people she could depend on. Yet her final words are filled with hope that she would determine her own destiny and never fear anyone. She would finally be independent, even if it meant letting go of the dreams that she knew now would never come to be. 

Western Americans, immigrant or not, were highly adaptable and strong because of it, and the author showed none of this in either her protagonist or the other characters. Instead, it seemed as though it was Shoshanna’s right to complain about the injustices around her and her injured spirit was never addressed as a flaw. Rather, it was referred to as an inevitable result of the difficulties she faced, rather than a hurdle she had to overcome to achieve happiness.

    Overall, Shoshanna came off as whiny and unrelatable, giving the reader no reason to stick around for the rest of the story. She complained about the myriad of problems in her life but never got around to actually fixing them. And the one quality that could possibly redeem this book, the themes of hope, love, and a hard-working spirit, was missing too. We need children's stories that remind future generations of the strength, hope, and determination that built this country. Unfortunately, A Sky Full of Song is not one of them.

GIVEAWAY

Please leave a comment by June 22 if you are interested in receiving this book. U.S. addresses only. Keep in mind that your comment might not show up immediately; I need to approve it first.

THE REVIEWERS

Hi! My name is Mara, and I’m a Christian artist, violinist, and blogger. I love acting (especially musical theater) and I am the co-founder of a small stage productions group at my church. I’m an adventurous entrepreneur and a fierce negotiator who loves debates. But most of all, I love good stories.

I remember the day that I decided that I would learn something new about what makes a good story from every book I picked up — whether it was good, bad, or a mixture of both. I use my blog as a way of sharing some of the tips and tricks I’ve learned and highlighting which books, cartoons, and movies have taught me the most about writing an awesome story, even if they didn’t do it especially well themselves.

Hello, I’m Sophia! I’m a child of God and I love to write! I’m also a total theater kid and a strong dessert (specifically cupcake) enthusiast. For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed both reading and making my own stories. I’m so glad I get to share with you what I’ve learned from some of my favorite (or sometimes least favorite) stories on my blog. I live in Philadelphia and am in ninth grade.

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Make sure you check out Greg Pattridge's MMGM blog with other middle-grade reviews.

LIGHT COMES TO SHADOW MOUNTAIN A Guest Blogger Review by Mara Scudder

 I've been on the "other side of the pond" for the last two weeks and just returned home. I look forward to sharing a few of my European adventures, particularly as they relate to my next WIP, Nightmare in Nuremberg. But while I get over jet lag, I have a review for you by a new young guest blogger, Mara Scudder.

REVIEW

Light Comes to Shadow Mountain surprised me with the skill and warmth of the tale it told. Completely immersed in the world of Cora Mae Tipton, the author, Toni Buzzeo, let her voice shine throughout the work. With distinct figures of speech and an optimistic worldview, Cora shares the story of her struggle to help bring electricity to her mountain home in southeastern Kentucky. 

Cora knows the only way for her to fulfill her dream of becoming a successful journalist is to make it through high school, but she can’t imagine passing the exams without electric light at night to study by. Her days are filled with the tedious chores that are necessary on the mountain -- chores that Cora could imagine would be a breeze with the electrical appliances she’s seen in magazines from the city -- and she simply doesn’t have time for schoolwork during the day. Unfortunately for her, electricity is relatively expensive for a small town in the Depression, and far worse, her mother views electricity as the end of their way of life. 

Cora and her mother repeatedly clash, sometimes over electricity and many times over other issues, some of which were out of Cora’s control. Cora finds it challenging not to make electricity a personal matter to her. She knows a good journalist should be objective, examining both sides of an issue before forming an opinion, but she can’t help but feel frustrated that her mother is so stubborn. Over the course of the novel, Cora attempts to not only understand her mother’s side of things but also recognize and work to change her own flaws. She learns how to forgive those who have hurt her and works to stay positive despite frustrating circumstances. Cora’s passion for her dreams does not hinder her from recognizing her own faults and putting her family first. She risks her life to save her newborn sister and gives up the money that she hoped would bring light to Shadow Mountain to help pay hospital bills. 

As a character, Cora works to shed light not only on her mountain home, but also on the issues of the time, the challenges she faces, and most of all the opposition to her cause. Her desire to understand even those who are firmly opposed to her only chance at fulfilling her dreams is one of the biggest things that makes her a memorable protagonist. She seeks to put aside her feelings and step into the shoes of someone else, making her an unusual, but especially perceptive character. Whether it is her mother, her cousin, or the cranky neighbor down the road, Cora always seeks to understand different perspectives. It is this understanding that finally enables her to reconcile with her mother and resolve the tension in their family. 

Cora’s vibrant personality, her understanding of her faults, and her willingness to sacrifice anything for her family (even if certain members of that family make such sacrifices especially difficult) make this novel stand out from the many other middle-grade works on the shelf. Light Comes to Shadow Mountain chronicles a little-told story in an unusual setting, but this uniqueness only adds to its beauty and originality. Cora’s story sheds light not only on a little-known setting with long-forgotten perspectives, but also on crucial themes such as love, forgiveness, and family that make this a heartwarming read.

REVIEWER

Hi! My name is Mara, and I’m a Christian artist, violinist, and blogger. I remember the day that I decided that I would learn something new about what makes a good story from every book I picked up — whether it was good, bad, or a mixture of both. I use my blog as a way of sharing some of the tips and tricks I’ve learned and highlighting which books, cartoons, and movies have taught me the most about writing an awesome story. I’m in tenth grade and live in Philadelphia. 

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Congratulations to Emily Weitz who won ETHEL'S SONG from my last blog post.