A note from Jamie: Today’s post is the first in a new book series I’m starting on Simple Homeschool–For the Love of Reading. Enjoy!
I first met Caroline Starr Rose almost 12 years ago when we both lived in the Washington, DC Area. We became close friends as we grew our families and our writing careers simultaneously.
Over the years Carrie taught me a lot–especially about being vulnerable and putting yourself out there as a writer. Visit her blog, Caroline by line, to get to know her better.
I recently got to chat with Caroline about her debut novel-in-verse for tweens and teens. May B. is a frontier story set in 1870s Kansas.
I’m so happy to feature my dear friend on Simple Homeschool today!
Check out the end of the post to see how you can win a copy.
An Interview with Caroline Starr Rose
1. Can you give us an overview of your book and the historical context of the novel?
Here’s a description from Random House Children’s Books:
I watch the wagon
until I see nothing on the open plain.
For the first time ever,
I am alone.
“Mavis Elizabeth Betterly, or May B. as she is known, is helping out on a neighbor’s Kansas prairie homestead, “Just until Christmas,” says her Pa. Twelve-year-old May wants to contribute, but it’s hard to be separated from her family by fifteen long, unfamiliar miles.
Then the unthinkable happens: May is abandoned to the oncoming winter, trapped all alone in a tiny snow-covered sod house without any way to let her family know and no neighbors to turn to. In her solitude, she wavers between relishing her freedom and succumbing to utter despair, while trying to survive in the harshest conditions.
Her physical struggle to first withstand and then to escape her prison is matched by tormenting memories of her failures at school. Only a very strong girl will be able to stand up to both and emerge alive and well.”
I wrote May for a number of reasons — my love for Laura Ingalls Wilder (and the desire to create my own strong pioneer girl), my curiosity about how learning disabled children would have fared in an era when their struggles would have been misunderstood, and the challenge of writing about solitude.
2. What is a novel in verse and how did you decide to create your debut work in this style?
A verse novel is a story told through unrhymed poetry. May B. didn’t start as verse. My first few attempts at writing the story felt distant and lifeless.
It wasn’t until I returned to my research (and specifically a book called Read this Only to Yourself: The Private Writings of Midwestern Women, 1880-1910) that I saw the patterns these women’s writings had in common: terse language, stark circumstances, a matter-of-fact tone.
It was as if the heavens had opened for me, and I was able to climb inside May’s world, using the voices of the women I’d encountered through research.
3. How did your life path lead you to writing as a career?
I’m a former middle school English and social studies teacher and have been an avid reader since childhood. Writing books was always a dream, one I started to take seriously in 1998.
I had no children at the time and was on summer vacation — there really was no excuse not to give it a try. By the end of the summer, I had the first draft of a (horrendous!) children’s novel about the Oregon Trail.
I revised during the school year and began contacting editors the following spring. This first manuscript helped set the pattern I was to continue until 2009: writing, revising, then sending out query letters to editors I hoped might be interested in my writing. May B. was my fourth novel and eleventh book overall (I write picture books, too).
4. What other books would you recommend to homeschooling parents looking to create a unit study of frontier life at the time of May B.?
- Caddie Woodlawn — Carol Ryrie Brink
- Prairie Songs — Pam Conrad
- Orphan Train series — Joan Lowery Nixon
- The Long Winter — Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Pioneer Girl: A True Story of Growing Up on the Prairie — Andrea Warren
5. Do you have any advice about how to nurture a love of writing within our students?
It is so essential to give children the freedom to experiment with words. Allow kids to write things you’ll never see (maybe have them keep a nature journal or a reader’s response booklet as they read their favorite books).
Give them a place that is a spelling and grammar-free zone. And most importantly, give them opportunities to write about things of their own choosing.
Two things I firmly believe: Children can’t find their writing voice unless they are given permission to explore a lot of different ways to write. Also, as any writer will tell you, not everything we create is meant to be taken to the final draft stage. While it is important to teach children the steps of the writing process (brainstorming, rough draft, editing and revision, final draft), not every piece of writing needs to be taken this far.
And one more thing: Pick up a copy of Chris Van Allsburg’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick and watch your young writers blossom.
Giveaway
Caroline is giving away a copy of May B. along with an accompanying teacher’s guide to five Simple Homeschool readers!
To enter, simply leave a comment on this post, answering this question: What is the most recent book you’ve read with your child?
If you’re reading this in an email, you must come over to the blog to comment.
If you’d like two additional ways to enter the giveaway, here’s how:
Additional Entries
1. Watch the May B. trailer embedded above. (Email readers will need to click through to the blog or watch here.) Then leave another comment letting me know you watched it.
2. ‘Like’ May B. and Simple Homeschool on Facebook. Then come back here again and leave a comment, telling me you did so.
This giveaway has now ended. Thanks for entering!
The most recent book I read with my children was Treasures of the Snow. We also have been reading a Geronimo Stilton book for my silly boys at bedtime.
Your book looks great! I have thought of writing something similar with local history in it as many people don’t know the local history here!
Martha, I remember seeing a movie version of Treasures in the Snow as a girl. For years, I asked people if they’d seen this movie with a boy, kittens, and a terrible accident, and no one knew what I was talking about.
Until a dear friend recommended Treasures of the Snow for our book club. It’s a beautiful story, isn’t it?
The most recent book I read to my kids was Piggy’s Pancake Parlor. They loved it and so did I!
The most recent book I read to my daughter was “Calvin Can’t Fly”.
The most recent book I have read with my children is Badger’s Parting Gifts by Susan Varley. My daughter sat next to me and rubbed my back as I cried over it. We’re also listening to the final chapter of Charlotte’s Web in the car. I need to find an errand to run tomorrow so we can finish it.
Good luck with avoiding tears at the end of Charlotte!
my 6 and 4 year old and i are reading through the doctor dolittle series and laughing all the way! i was surprised at the depth of language in those books– but anytime you have a variety of animals who talk they will forgive a few over their head words. 🙂
Doctor Doolittle was a series I discovered in fifth grade (along with the Mary Poppins books). I ADORED these stories!
i watched the trailer and it looks lovely! i also love the cover illustration.
The most recent book I read with my kids was Matched. We have just started to read The Borrowers.
Matched by Ally Condie? I thought this was incredibly well done and really made me think.
The Borrowers series is something I loved as a girl!
I just watched the trailer for May B. I can’t wait to read this book with my daughters – one of whom is learning disabled.
Thank you, Cindy. I hope May’s story speaks to the dignity and respect all children deserve and especially to those whose everyday struggles require more courage and determination than the rest of us.
I’m currently reading through The House at Pooh Corner with my son. Love the sound of this book!
I’ve always loved Pooh and found it impossible to read the last chapter of Pooh Corner aloud without absolutely sobbing. Such a beautiful, bittersweet picture of growing up.
I am just now reading The Long Winter to my 6-yr-old daughter (and my 9-yr-old son, who listened to the whole Little House series in1st grade, can’t resist sneaking in and listening again!). We feel a bond with Laura, as we experience our own “Long Winter” here in Alaska!
I think the Little House books should be required reading of every American. Hats off to you during your long winters! I’m a self-proclaimed Winter Wimp. 😉
My kids and I just finished reading Ginger Pye.
Ginger Pye! Pinky Pye! More fifth-grade favorites!
Just watched the trailer also…I can’t resist a prairie story!
My daughter and I are reading Charlotte’s Web together.
As a parent of a learning disabled child, I have often wondered how she would have coped years ago. I am looking forward to reading this book with my daughter.
Just a beautiful story of friendship. I hope May speaks to your family in a personal way.
the trailer gave me chills!
Thank you. She’s one brave girl.
I also liked you both on FB.
Thanks for the chance to win.
as a midwestern born homeschooling mama with a love of laura ingalls i am very very interested in this! we are also working on creative writing. thanks so much for the giveaway!
liked both on facebook…thanks!
We’re almost done with My Father’s Dragon and we are ALL enjoying it!
Our curent read is, oddly enough, Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. My 8 year old LOVES it, and I am so glad because I love those books too.
That’s one of my favorite Little House books.
I haven’t read a chapter book with my little ones yet, and my older girls read alone. I love Laura Ingalls and anything pioneer. I’d love to win this to start our first read aloud together book. I’m more excited for me to read it than my kids 🙂
I watched the video also…..so excited!
We just finished the Book of Three and my son loved it.
LOVE! I used to make complicated maps and pretend to journey through Prydain. This is a series I must read again.
My daughter and I are reading Little Women together and I just finished reading The Penderwicks to my son.
Little Women is lovely. And hooray for a boy whose happy to listen to “girl” books.
“26 Fairmount Avenue” by Tomie dePaola with my 7yo son. Can’t wait to read the 2nd book in the series now.
When my boys were little, we loved dePaloa’s Bill and Pete books. We still like to say, “Oooo, said all the little crocodiles.”
We just finished up Pinocchio. The kids cried when it was over. May B sounds interesting. We’ll definitely be adding it to our list!
The most recent book we read together was an abridged version of Little Women, and the Little Women Book (full of activities!). We’re about to start a 4 week study of moving West, so what a appropriate timing to learn about this delightful-looking novel. Thanks for sharing it!