Theresa Nelson
My BooksRuby Electric
An American Library Association Notable Children's Book New York Public Library: Best of 2003, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing New York Public Library: Books for the Teen Age, 2004 Aspiring screenwriter Ruby Miller's vividly imagined movie world keeps getting interrupted by real life in the form of her little brother, Pete, their missing policeman/father, and two maddening classmates Ruby calls the "Dumb and Dumber of Rutherford B. Hayes Middle School." "...Nelson weaves in a fantasy element as an escape from unsettling realities the heroine must face, and here the author integrates the escapist threads to stunning effect....Ruby not only uses her screenwriting skills to fabricate heroic scenarios of what has detained her policeman father, but also as she imagines the Los Angeles River, which runs near her home, restored to its original glory. All of these threads twine together in surprising and inventive ways, as Ruby learns the truth about her father and begins taking steps to live in the here and now....Smart and funny, Ruby will surely have the audience lined up for her next starring role." --Starred review, Publishers Weekly "Ironic humor makes for delightful relief from the serious issues....Nelson is superb in covering serious topics, but what really centers her work is the amorphous boundaries of nontraditional family and that those boundaries can encompass great love....Softer edged than The Beggars' Ride and much funnier, this novel will have wide appeal." --Starred review, School Library Journal, 6/03 "Punctuated by snippets of Ruby's scripts, the present-tense narrative positively fizzes with emotion and goodwill. The happy ending is just honest enough not to be pure Hollywood, and thus is all the more satisfying. Thumbs up." --Starred review, Kirkus Reviews, 5/15/03 "Fade in on a plucky, 12-year-old screenwriter, busily tapping out the script for the next Spielberg spectacular....It's hilarious--and heartbreaking--to imagine the potential this young girl has, if only she can navigate the twisted plot of her own puberty....Thanks to Nelson's spot-on reproduction of a precocious mind at work, here's a character we can't help but root for." --M. Maschinot, St. Petersburg Times, 5/25/03 "...a humorous, compassionate novel with endearing realistic characters....Ruby's voice is electric, and she is an unforgettable character with courage, a cause, and imagination." --Frances Bradburn, Booklist "You'll laugh, you'll cry; and when you reach the end of Ruby Electric, you'll want to savor it all over again." --Horn Book ___________________________________________ And One for All
An American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults An ALA Notable Children's Book A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year The Horn Book: Fanfare The Library of Congress/Children's Literature Center: Books for Children Booklist: Editor's Choice American Bookseller: Pick of the Lists International Reading Association: Teacher's Choice New York Public Library: Best of 1989, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing New York Public Library: Books for the Teen Age A Selection of the Junior Library Guild "A moving, beautifully crafted story." --Starred review, Kirkus Reviews "The value of this perceptive book is that it shows clearly that war is never...simple, nor for that matter is the love shared by friends." --Starred review, The Horn Book "Evokes the tension and divisiveness of the homefront during the Vietnam War....A well-crafted story of friendship and family relationships and an accurate emotional barometer of the times." --Starred review, School Library Journal "Heartening in its integrity and wrenching in its effect." --Starred review, Booklist __________________________________________ Earthshine
Boston Globe/Horn Book Award: Honor Book, Fiction, 1995 American Library Association: Best of the Best Bank Street College: Child Study Award, 1994 ALA Best Book for Young Adults ALA Notable Children's Book ALA Quick Picks for the Reluctant Young Adult Reader School Library Journal Best Book of the Year New York Public Library: Best of 1994, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing New York Public Library: Books for the Teen Age L.A. Public Library: FOCAL Award, 1995 Children's Literature Council of Southern California: Award for Distinguished Fiction, 1995 "Amazing power." --Starred review, The Horn Book "This special book should find a wide audience." --Starred review, School Library Journal "Surprising--and convincing--affirmations of life itself." --Starred review, Publishers Weekly ___________________________________________ The Empress of Elsewhere
A Booklinks Lasting Connection New York Public Library: Best of 1998, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Houston Chronicle: Bestselling Children's Books "Recounts a memorable East Texas summer with immediacy and humor." --Publishers Weekly "By turns comic and heartrending...and populated by a cast of memorable characters." --Terri Schmitz, The Horn Book "The action never falters." --Kirkus Reviews "Energetically drawn from top to bottom." --John Peters, Booklist "You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll love The Empress of Elsewhere! --Liz Moglia, New York Kids (WNYC) __________________________________________ The Beggars' Ride
An American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults An ALA Notable Children's Book A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year The Library of Congress/Children's Literature Center: Books for Children New York Public Library: Best Books of 1992, 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing New York Public Library: Books for the Teen Age The Horn Book: Fanfare "Survival adventure in the truest sense...sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final ride." --Starred review, School Library Journal "Compelling." --Starred review, Kirkus Reviews "An unvarnished, compelling and, sadly, relevant story." --Starred review, Publishers Weekly "Highly recommended." --The Book Report __________________________________________ Devil Storm
National Council on Social Studies/Children's Book Council: Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies Master List: Vermont, Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award "A spellbinding survival tale...Nelson's strong sense of place, poetic style and inspired characterization make this far more than just an enthralling adventure....A fine story that should also be popular." --Starred review, Kirkus Reviews "The writing is powerful...A fine work, integrating nature with character." --Starred review, The Horn Book "A splendid affirmation of an earlier promise of talent." --Publishers Weekly "A superb, action-packed tale." --United Press International Now available again in paperback: iUniverse.com _______________________________________________ The 25 Cent Miracle
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Winner: Washington Irving Children's Choice Award A Selection of the Junior Library Guild "Readers will...rejoice." --Starred review, School Library Journal "Few readers will be dry-eyed....Needy, dreaming Elvira's stubborn caring inspires a miracle." --Booklist Now available again in paperback: iUniverse.com _______________________________________________ |
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