by Pat McCaw | Feb 6, 2020 | book review, environment, Pat's Chat, Uncategorized, Writing tips
When a child reads a novel, they want to be entertained and swept away into familiar worlds or magical places. I used to be a kid … long, long ago. As a fourth grader, I craved mystery and detective stories. I voraciously read Nancy Drew mysteries and Stephen...
by Pat McCaw | Apr 20, 2019 | book review, parenting, Pat's Chat
There is no surprise that Meg Medina won the Newberry Medal for her most recent middle grade novel, Merci Suarez Changes Gears. The novel explores school bullying, enlightens the reader to rich Latino culture, touches on socioeconomic stressors the trickle down to...
by Pat McCaw | Jan 24, 2019 | book review, multiple pov, Pat's Chat, Writing tips
I discovered two new favorite Young Adult (YA) novels – SADIE, by Courtney Summers, and SAWKILL GIRLS, by Claire Legrand. Each book held my attention and kept me reading to find answers and solve the mysteries buried in the pages. These novels share a common format...
by Pat McCaw | Dec 6, 2018 | book review, Pat's Chat, picture books, Uncategorized
I’m positive that kids get tired of hearing – “things are different than when I was a kid” . . . but they are! In my opinion, children face different social pressures, cyber bullying, and have to watch out for “drugs” in all forms...
by Pat McCaw | May 1, 2018 | book review, Pat's Chat, Uncategorized
A novel in verse was a foreign term to me not long ago, but now that they are on my radar – I am in love. A novel in verse takes poetry and wraps it into a novel. It is shorter and easier to read for reluctant readers, but carries the same power of a novel....
by Pat McCaw | Jan 27, 2018 | book review, Pat's Chat
I know very little history. If I land on a yellow triangle in Trivial Pursuit, I might as well forfeit. If the topic is history at trivia night, I eat potato chips and drink a beer. It’s fact. But that does not mean I don’t have the interest to learn and...
