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WORK TITLE: THE NIGHT FROLIC
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BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.julieberrybooks.com/
CITY: Stow
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COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 354
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born September 3, 1974, in Medina, NY; married; husband’s name Phil (a software engineer and actor); children: four sons.
EDUCATION:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, B.S. (communications), 1995; Vermont College of the Fine Arts, M.F.A. (writing for children and young adults), 2008.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Worked in marketing and technical writing; MetroWest Daily News, columnist; sales and marketing director in the software industry, beginning 2003; full-time writer, 2009—; owner of independent bookstore, Author’s Note, in Medina, NY.
MEMBER:Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, California School Library Foundation.
AWARDS:Whitney Award, 2013, and Carnegie Medal shortlist, Silver Inky Award, and Best Fiction for Young Adults citation, American Library Association (ALA), all 2014, all for All the Truth That’s in Me; Dorothy Canfield Fisher list, 2016, for The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place; ALA Michael L. Printz Award honor book, ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults citation, and Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist, all 2017, all for The Passion of Dolssa; Southern California Independent Booksellers Association Book Award, 2019, for Lovely War; Golden Kite Award, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, 2020.
RELIGION: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon).WRITINGS
The Amaranth Enchantment was adapted for audiobook, read by Celeste Ciulla, Recorded Books, 2010. All the Truth That’s in Me was adapted for audiobook, read by Kathleen McInferney, Dreamscape Media, 2013. The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place was adapted for audiobook, read by Jayne Entwhistle, Listening Library, 2014; Wishes & Wellingtons was adapted for audiobook, narrated by Jayne Entwistle, Allan Corduner, Dion Graham, Fiona Hardingham, John Lee, Nathaniel Parker, Steve West, and Julie Berry, Listening Library, 2019.
SIDELIGHTS
Julie Berry is the author of more than a dozen works for children and young adults, including the “Splurch Academy for Disruptive Boys” series of middle-grade novels; The Emperor’s Ostrich, an original folktale; and The Passion of Dolssa, a Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist. Berry, remarked Washington Post correspondent Karen MacPherson, “is a master at weaving disparate elements to craft a truly original story populated with characters who will take up permanent residence in readers’ hearts and minds.”
A former technical writer and humor columnist, Berry turned to writing fiction after the birth of her fourth son. Berry always had an interest in fantasy literature, beginning with the “Chronicles of Narnia” series by C.S. Lewis and graduating to novels by J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling. A devout Mormon, she also read from the Bible or the Book of Mormon daily. “I’ve been spoon-fed a diet of biblical literature that has fed my imagination,” Berry explained to Boston Globe interviewer Michael Paulson, asserting that “scripture is the ultimate fantastic literature.”
In The Amaranth Enchantment, Berry presents “a lively, quick, stylish, engaging first novel with some lovely, familiar fairy-tale elements,” according to a Kirkus Reviews critic. In the story, Lucinda Chapdelaine, a fifteen-year-old orphan, toils in her uncle’s jewelry shop until he unexpectedly dies and she is cast out. Going in search of a reputed witch who recently visited the shop with a magnificent gem, the girl ends up on a quest to acquire the treasure from its new owner, Prince Gregor.
According to a Publishers Weekly contributor, The Amaranth Enchantment “teems with romance, danger and suspense.” Comparing Berry’s tale to the familiar tale of Cinderella, Horn Book critic Anita L. Burkam added that it “features a heroine more than eager to change her fate by the application of determination and resourcefulness.” In Booklist, Francisca Goldsmith similarly praised The Amaranth Enchantment, citing in particular “Lucinda’s maturing sense of independence, fate, and self.”
In her fantasy Secondhand Charm, Berry’s sixteen-year-old heroine is determined to pursue her dream of becoming a healer, until she becomes entangled in a plot to assassinate her country’s king. This “romantic fantasy teems with action, suspense and a bit of boy-next-door romance,” wrote a Kirkus Reviews critic, rating the work “an entertaining read—guaranteed.” In School Library Journal, Heather Miller wrote of Secondhand Charm that the story “is laced with romance, intrigue, and adventure” and features “a likable heroine who will capture readers’ imagination.”
The Rat Brain Fiasco, the first of Berry’s four-volume “Splurch Academy for Disruptive Boys” series, features illustrations by sister Sally Faye Gardner. When behaviorally challenged Cody Mack is sent to Splurch, he discovers a place that is more haunted house than boarding school. “The imaginative writing and goofy plot will attract reluctant readers,” Krista Welz predicted in School Library Journal, and with its “tongue-in-cheek style and hilarious cartoons, the laugh-out-loud story is sure to creep off the shelves.”
Another less-than-ideal boarding school—this one in Victorian England—is the setting for Berry’s middle-grade novel The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place. When the unpleasant, domineering sister-and-brother team who run St. Ethelreda’s School for Young Ladies suddenly drops dead at the dinner table, their seven relieved students try to hide the event so that they can remain where they are. “What follows is classic farce,” a Kirkus Reviews critic observed, and as the story morphs into a traditional whodunit, “the young ladies are charming and their problem-solving ingenious.” “Romance blooms in unexpected places, and danger lurks around every corner in this delightfully farcical tale, full of twists and turns,” a Publishers Weekly writer observed, recommending The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place for “readers with a penchant for dark humor.”
In Berry’s young-adult novel All the Truth That’s in Me readers are transported to an time and place that is somewhat like colonial America. Narrator Judith is a kidnapping survivor who, with her tongue cut out, has been returned to her family after a two-year absence. Shunned by her community, Judith learns to read and write in order to share her story and save her lost love. In All the Truth That’s in Me, “Berry keeps her readers on edge … right up until the gripping conclusion,” wrote Jennifer M. Brabander in Horn Book, while Booklist critic Daniel Kraus noted that Berry’s “first-person prose … ranges from the unusually insightful … to the just plain pretty.” “Lyrical language, a good mystery, and a compelling heroine—this is a page-turner with substance,” asserted Martha Baden in School Library Journal.
The Emperor’s Ostrich follows the exploits of Begonia, a young dairymaid who goes in search of her family’s missing cow, Alfalfa. During her journey, Begonia meets Key, a young traveler seeking his fortune who insists on escorting Begonia through the countryside, believing her to be a damsel in distress. When the pair finally spot Alfalfa, they discover the cow is keeping company with an eight-foot-tall ostrich as well as an arrogant youth bearing a strong resemblance to the emperor, who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. “In this rollicking entertainment of magic, wit, hidden identities, and determination, Berry has hit all the right notes to please fairy tale-loving young readers,” stated Horn Book reviewer Monica Edinger. Berry, noted Julia Smith in Booklist, “works a kind of magic with this enchanting adventure, orchestrating individual characters’ stories into a seamlessly unified narrative.”
Set in thirteenth-century France, The Passion of Dolssa centers on the relationship between a teenage mystic and the seaside villager who saves her life. Branded a heretic by the vengeful friar, Dolssa de Stigata goes on the run just before she is burned to death. Exhausted and starving, Dolssa is rescued by Botille Flasucra, a young matchmaker who risks her own safety to nurse Dolssa back to health and hide her from the authorities.
Booklist reviewer Ilene Cooper deemed The Passion of Dolssa “a sweeping saga that not only deeply entwines [historical fiction and religion] but also dissects its characters’ humanity as it looks at the often troubling beliefs that underlie their actions.” “Love, faith, violence, and power intertwine in Berry’s lyrical writing,” a writer commented in Publishers Weekly, and Horn Book critic Deirdre F. Baker explained that the author “writes in short sentences with relatively simple language, conveying complex historical and religious matters fluently and accessibly for today’s readers.”
In Lovely War, “Berry showcases her masterful storytelling ability, weaving together a tale—in tight, short chapters that keep the pace moving—that spans years, continents, and multiple perspectives,” according to Horn Book reviewer Cynthia K. Ritter. To escape the wrath of her husband, Hephaestus, Aphrodite spins a story of true love involving four individuals who meet during the First World War: Colette Fournier, a Belgian singer whose family was killed by German forces; Aubrey Edwards, a gifted jazz musician from Harlem; Hazel Windicott, a talented London pianist; and James Alderidge, a British soldier preparing to head to the front.
“Pick an adjective—sweeping, sprawling, epic, Olympian—and yet none quite conveys the emotional width and depth of … Berry’s brilliant … novel,” MacPherson observed. Cooper also lauded the volume, stating that “Berry is her own Scheherazade, mesmerizing us with intertwined tales that describe the depths of suffering and the sweetness of love with remarkable intensity and naturalness.”
Berry also has a number of picture books to her credit. In Long Ago, on a Silent Night, Berry presents “a story of welcome, brimming with joy,” according to a Publishers Weekly critic. The work follows a young couple’s return from the hospital with their baby on a starry winter’s night, which prompts them to recall the Nativity story. In the words of a Kirkus Reviews contributor, Long Ago, on a Silent Night “offers readers moving, graceful verse in the voice of a present-day new parent linking the birth of a child with Jesus’ birth.”
Illustrated by April Lee, Don’t Let the Beasties Escape This Book! focuses on Godrey, a medieval peasant who accidentally brings to life the creatures from a bestiary, including a unicorn and a griffin. A writer in Kirkus Reviews described Godrey’s adventures as “cheery if surreal.” Happy Right Now offers youngsters a gentle lesson about handling strong emotions. A Kirkus Reviews contributor felt the work would appeal to readers “who experience mild forms of anxiety and depression, the text incorporating cognitive, physiological, and action-based tools to improve mood and combat negativity.”
Berry’s versatility is a key to her literary success. “I enjoy writing for all ages,” she remarked to Booklist interviewer Terrell A. Young. “It’s got more to do with what kind of creative mood I’m in. Age of readership suggests certain possibilities of tone. For example, picture books, middle-grade novels, and YA novels can all be funny, but each has a different scope for humorous possibility. Each can be tender, but in what ways? I don’t think I approach projects by thinking, ‘Whom do I want to read this,’ but rather, ‘What do I want to say, and how do I want to say it?’ The readership will follow.”
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In the companion book to Happy Right Now, Cranky Right Now, illustrated by Holly Hatam, shows kids that it’s okay to feel cranky when you’re hungry or tired or feeling grumpy, just don’t take it out on others. A little Black girl is cranky and she blames it on her mischievous little brother, injustices from her parents, and even the cat, but never herself. The book explores ways to channel away a bad mood and become happy again. “The text is masterful in its misdirection and displacement of responsibility,” a Kirkus Reviews writer observed, but added that the sometimes rhyming and sometimes not rhyming text is disjointed, concluding: “True to life, if lacking cohesion.”
Berry started the “Wishes and Wellingtons” series with Wishes and Wellingtons, set in 1898 Victorian England. Thirteen-year-old brown skinned and dark haired Maeve Merritt’s anger issues have left her with detention at Miss Salamanca’s School for Upright Young Ladies. She’s on garbage duty sorting through trash when she finds a sardine tin with the cranky djinni in it named Mermeros who grants her three wishes, but warns her against greed which often leads to madness and ruin. Maeve’s first wish is for herself, her roommate Alice, and orphan neighbor Tommy to travel on an adventure to Persia, where Mermeros reunites with his family. However the group must dodge the villainous Mr. Treazleton and Baroness Gabrielle who want to steal Mermeros and get the wishes for themselves.
Berry explained to Elise Dumpleton online at Nerd Daily that the rhyme “sardiney djinni” entered her mind one day and she had to write a story: “a djinni in a sardine tin? When? Where? Who would find it? Why not a girl? The first chapter of the story just tumbled out. Maeve’s voice appeared right away.” Berry added that she hoped readers liked it: “I hope they laugh a ton, and I hope they’re completely swept away into the dark streets of late Victorian London winter’s nights, and magical journeys.” Writing in School Library Journal, Katherine Magyarody remarked: “This novel spotlights friendship and an athletic, unconventional heroine, but the depiction of the djinni is under-explored and simplistic.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer commented: “Maeve’s drive to eschew marriage and propriety in favor of independence conveys a message of female empowerment.”
In the second book of the series, Crimes and Carpetbags, Maeve Merritt is celebrating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and playing matchmaker for her sister Polly, when her friend Tommy’s adoptive father Mr. Poindexter’s shop is vandalized and the man is kidnapped. The three kids investigate, believing it has something to do with Mr. Poindexter having once owned Maeve’s djinni. Mermeros is back as the kids encounter magical obstacles, a villain, and flying carpet bags. “This action-packed sequel possesses strong voice and setting,” said a writer in Kirkus Reviews. In Booklist, Julia Smith declared: “it’s the tight friendship among Maeve, Alice, and Tom that makes the story soar.” In the third book, Burglars and Bluestockings, Maeve and Alice visit Oxford University and are amazed to see women going to college and playing sports. But when djinni Mermeros is stolen, Maeve and company use magical silver mirrors to track down the burglars. Maeve wonders if she should finally give up her djinni.
The Night Frolic, illustrated by Jaime Zollars, provides a fantastical answer to the question of where kids go when they sleep. Children travel on a ribbon of moonlight to visit the Night Tiger and her cubs, the Moon, and the Night Walrus, on their way to the North Pole to see the Night Elephant who leads a nightlong dance called the Great Frolic, accompanied by instruments, somersaulting, and leaping. When the children are tired out, the Old Serpent circling the world brings them back to their beds. “Berry’s mesmerizing prose sounds like a saga from another world,” according to a Publishers Weekly contributor.
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BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, February 1, 2009, Francisca Goldsmith, review of The Amaranth Enchantment, p. 38; August 1, 2013, Daniel Kraus, review of All the Truth That’s in Me, p. 76; April 15, 2016, Ilene Cooper, review of The Passion of Dolssa, p. 55; May 1, 2017, Julia Smith, review of The Emperor’s Ostrich, p. 74; March 1, 2019, Ilene Cooper, review of Lovely War, p. 62; September 1, 2019, Terrell A. Young, “Talking with Julie Berry,” p. S25; September 15, 2019, Ilene Cooper, review of Long Ago, on a Silent Night, p. 60; October 15, 2021, Julia Smith, review of Crime and Carpetbags, p. 52.
BookPage, March, 2019, Annie Metcalf, review of Lovely War, p. 28.
Boston Globe, March 1, 2009, Michael Paulson, “Faith and Good Works: Mormon Writers Find Their Niche in Wholesome Young-Adult Genre,” p. 38.
Horn Book, May-June, 2009, Anita L. Burkam, review of The Amaranth Enchantment, p. 289; November-December, 2013, Jennifer M. Brabander, review of All the Truth That’s in Me, p. 87; March-April, 2016, Deirdre F. Baker, review of The Passion of Dolssa, p. 85; July-August, 2017, Monica Edinger, review of The Emperor’s Ostrich, p. 125; March-April, 2019, Cynthia K. Ritter, review of Lovely War, p. 75.
Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 2009, review of The Amaranth Enchantment; September 15, 2010, review of Secondhand Charm; July 1, 2013, review of All the Truth That’s in Me; July 15, 2014, review of The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place; May 1, 2017, review of The Emperor’s Ostrich; June 15, 2019, review of Don’t Let the Beasties Escape This Book!; September 1, 2019, review of Long Ago, on a Silent Night; September 15, 2019, review of Happy Right Now; May 1, 2021, review of Cranky Right Now; September 15, 2021, review of Crime and Carpetbags; December 15, 2022, review of The Night Frolic.
Publishers Weekly, July 22, 2013, review of All the Truth That’s in Me, p. 70; July 14, 2014, review of The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place, p. 74; December 2, 2016, review of The Passion of Dolssa, p. 121; May 8, 2017, review of The Emperor’s Ostrich, p. 61; December 24, 2018, review of Lovely War, p. 63; October 7, 2019, review of Long Ago, on a Silent Night, p. 143; September 7, 2020, review of Wishes and Wellingtons, p. 62; December 15, 2022, review of The Night Frolic, p. 69.
School Librarian, winter, 2013, Rosamund Charlish, review of All the Truth That’s in Me, p. 236.
School Library Journal, April, 2009, Miriam Lang Budin, review of The Amaranth Enchantment, p. 128; November, 2010, Krista Welz, review of The Rat Brain Fiasco, p. 65; January, 2011, Heather Miller, review of Secondhand Charm, p. 100; August, 2013, Martha Baden, review of All the Truth That’s in Me, p. 109; September 2020, Katherine Magyarody, review of Wishes and Wellingtons, p. 74.
Voice of Youth Advocates, June, 2009, Susan Hampe, review of The Amaranth Enchantment, p. 148; April, 2016, Hilary Crew, review of The Passion of Dolssa, p. 54; April, 2019, Jamie Hansen, review of Lovely War, p. 67.
ONLINE
BookPage, https://bookpage.com/ (March 20, 2019), Hilli Levin, author interview.
Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb blog, http://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/ (June 23, 2019), Deborah Kalb, “Q&A with Julie Berry.”
Julie Berry website, http://www.julieberrybooks.com (June 1, 2023).
Nerd Daily, https://thenerddaily.com/ (October 18, 2020), Elise Dumpleton, Q& A: Julie Berry, Author of Wishes and Wellingtons.
Publishers Weekly, https://www.publishersweekly.com/ (February 26, 2019), Lynda Brill Comerford, “Q & A with Julie Berry”; (April 1, 2021), Alex Green, “For Julie Berry, A Homecoming and a Bookstore of Her Own.”
School Library Journal, http://www.slj.com (September 18, 2013), Dodie Ownes, author interview.
Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/ (March 6, 2019), Karen MacPherson, review of Lovely War.
Julie Berry
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Julie Berry (born September 3, 1974)[1][2] is an American author of children's and young adults books and winner of several national book awards.
Biography
Julie Gardner Berry grew up on a farm in rural Medina, New York as the youngest of seven children in a Mormon family.[3][4] She received a B.S. in communications at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York in 1995 and later earned an M.F.A. from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2008.[5][6] Berry met her husband, actor Phil Berry at RPI. They married in 1995. They have four sons together.[5] The family lived for many years in Maynard, Massachusetts, west of Boston, before moving to Temple City, California.[7][8] During the early years of her writing career Berry also worked as marketing director with the family business, a data collection software company.[6] While living in Maynard, Berry was a columnist for the MetroWest Daily News.[6]
Julie and her family moved back to Medina, New York in 2021. She purchased the independent bookstore, The Book Shoppe, which she renovated and renamed the Author's Note.[9]
Awards and honors
Seven of Berry's books are Junior Library Guild selections: All the Truth That's In Me (2014),[10] The Passion of Dolssa (2017),[11][12] The Emperor’s Ostrich (2017),[13] Lovely War (2019),[14][15] and Wishes and Wellingtons (2020).[16]
All the Truth That's in Me was named one of the best books of the year by The Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews, and School Library Journal.[10]
The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place was named one of the best children's books of 2014 by the Wall Street Journal.[5]
The Passion of Dolssa was a New York Times Notable Title.
Lovely War was a New York Times bestseller[17] and was named one of the best books of 2019 by The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books,[18] The Horn Book,[19] Kirkus Reviews,[20] Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal,[12] Shelf Awareness,[21] and the Wall Street Journal.[22] It was also a New York Times Notable Children’s Books of 2016.[12]
Awards for Berry's writing
Year Title Award Result Ref.
2014 All the Truth That’s in Me American Library Association Best Fiction for Young Adults Top 10 [23][24]
Carnegie Medal Shortlist [25]
Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Finalist [26]
Inky Award for Silver Inky Winner [27]
2014 The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place Whitney Award for Best Youth Fiction Winner [28][29]
2015 American Library Association Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Selection [30]
Odyssey Award Honor [31]
2017 The Passion of Dolssa American Library Association Best Fiction for Young Adults Top 10 [32][33]
Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth Selection [34]
Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature Honor [35]
Michael L. Printz Award Honor [36][37]
2019 Lovely War Booklist Editors' Choice: Youth Audio Selection [38]
Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction Nominee [39]
Outstanding Books for the College Bound Selection [40]
Whitney Award Winner [41]
2020 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Winner [42]
American Library Association Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Selection [43]
American Library Association Best Fiction for Young Adults Top Ten [44][45]
Audie Award for Young Adult Finalist [46]
Golden Kite Award for Young Adult Fiction Winner [47][48]
Young Adult Library Services Association Teens Choices Top 10 [49][50]
Books
The Amaranth Enchantment (2009)
Secondhand Charm (2010)
Splurch Academy for Disruptive Boys: The Rat Brain Fiasco (2010) with Sally Gardner
Splurch Academy for Disruptive Boys: Curse of the Bizarro Beetle (2010) with Sally Gardner
Splurch Academy for Disruptive Boys: The Colossal Fossil Freakout (2011) with Sally Gardner
Splurch Academy for Disruptive Boys: The Trouble with Squids (2011) with Sally Gardner
All the Truth That’s In Me (2013) Viking/Penguin Group, New York, NY. ISBN 978-0142427309
The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place (2014) Roaring Brook Press, New York, NY. ISBN 978-1596439566
The Passion of Dolssa (2017) Penguin Books, New York, NY. ISBN 978-0451469922
The Emperor’s Ostrich (2017) Roaring Brook Press, New York, NY. ISBN 978-1596439580
Wishes and Wellingtons (2018) Audible Originals, LLC, an AMAZON company. (audiobook)
Lovely War (2019) Viking Press, New York, NY. ISBN 978-0451469939
Crime and Carpetbags (2021) Sourcebooks Young Readers. ISBN 978-1728231495
Cranky Right Now (2021) Sounds True. ISBN 978-1683646648
ABOUT ME
I grew up on a 50-acre farm in Western New York as the youngest of seven children. We grew much of our own food and harvested eggs from our chickens. We also kept turkeys, pigs, rabbits, and oodles of dogs and cats. I was free to ramble around our pond full of frogs and turtles, and wade in our crick full of minnows and crawdads. I was lucky to be the caboose kid in a big family full of avid readers, with a mother who loved poetry.
I had a perfect little library of children’s classics to reread to my heart’s content. I think I came close to memorizing Charlotte’s Web, the Little House books, the Great Brain series, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, The Secret Garden, Heidi, Alice in Wonderland, and A Little Princess.
In high school I filled my time with clubs, sports (volleyball, track, cross country), music lessons and singing, babysitting and jobs (YMCA), friends, and still, books. College was much the same – more volleyball, more friends, more jobs (slinging pizza, making copies). I attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, where I majored in communication.
I dreamed of being many things – a marine biologist, a chemist, a mother, a gymnast, a Solid Gold Dancer – but always, writing was on the back of my mind. Whatever else I might be or do, I hoped writing would be part of the mix.
In college I met my husband Phil. We married young and started our family soon after. Now we’re the parents of four boys, two in college and two teens, and we don’t know where the time went. To keep the gender balance more even in our home, we have two girl cats named Athena and Nisha.
After my fourth son was born, I decided that since my family dreams were now well underway, it was time to pursue writing novels. I went back to school and earned an M.F.A. in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of the Fine Arts, where I learned from many talented and committed writers for young people. My first novel for young readers was published in 2009. All the Truth That’s In Me, my first YA novel, was named a 2013 Horn Book Fanfare title, a School Library Journal Best of 2013 book, and a Kirkus Best Teen Read for 2013. It has been named a Junior Library Guild Selection and has been nominated for a Carnegie Medal and a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults award, and will be published in 14 countries internationally. My next novel, a middle grade titled The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place, was published September 2014 in the US by Roaring Brook, and also in Germany, the UK, Japan, Brazil, and Vietnam. It won an Odyssey Honor from the American Library Association, and was named a Best Children’s Book of 2014 by the Wall Street Journal, and was named to the Dorothy Canfield Fisher list. My next novel, The Passion of Dolssa, published by Viking Children’s Books, won a 2017 Printz Honor from the American Library Association, was a New York Times Notable title, was nominated for the Los Angeles Book Prize, earned five starred reviews, and earned a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Top Ten award. My next novel, The Emperor’s Ostrich, released June 2017 from Roaring Brook Press, and my upcoming novel, Lovely War, releases in spring 2019 from Viking children's books.
Q&A: Julie Berry, Author of ‘Wishes and Wellingtons’
Elise Dumpleton·Writers Corner·October 18, 2020·3 min read
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We chat to author Julie Berry about her new middle grade novel, Wishes and Wellingtons! Julie talks about when she first fell in love with writing, book recommendations, and more!
With the current state of the world, what are you doing to cope with the changes we’ve had to make with our day-to-day?
Sigh … this is such a hard time. I try to remind myself that getting through the day is an achievement in unsettling times like these. I’m not usually the most structured, scheduled person – far from it, in fact – but I’ve found that sticking to a strict schedule has been a lifeline for me and for my family during the pandemic shutdowns. It’s helped us all. Wake-up time, exercise time, work time, playtime, bedtime. It’s like we’re all back in second grade, but it has helped. We were going feral before we got on the schedule train.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I think I Ioved writing from the moment I could first watch my little fingers make a mark on a paper with a crayon or a pencil. I always remember, and still feel, the immediate, visceral pleasure that comes from watching the ink ribbon that I made unfurl. It’s leaving your mark on the world; every mark you make changes the world. From our first cave-painting ancestors, to modern publishing in the digital age, I think it’s the same magic. It’s the thrill of being the first to dunk your knife into the new jar of peanut butter. There’s just something about it.
Your new middle-grade novel, Wishes and Wellingtons, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Hmm, let’s see: “Tomboy, djinni, rascals, peril, outfoxing.”
Or: “Think fast, wish, choose well.”
Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect?
Maeve Merritt is a feisty, impulsive boarding school girl who thinks with her feet, and her fists. She can’t resist a challenge from a bully. When she finds an ill-tempered, surly djinni in a sardine tin, she’s nearly met her match – even more so when an assortment of Dickensian rascals learns of her djinni’s existence, and plots to wrest him away from her. Some foes become friends, while others remain locked with Maeve in contests of wit and willpower. Not even magical wishes can solve some problems, and it will take all of Maeve’s courage and sass to get herself out of her magical mess.
What inspired you to write this novel?
It all began on a redeye flight. Somehow the words “sardiney djinni” popped into my head. I’m not sure why. But the rhyme made me laugh. I immediately started thinking – a djinni in a sardine tin? When? Where? Who would find it? Why not a girl? The first chapter of the story just tumbled out. Maeve’s voice appeared right away. “I’ve always been too prone to solve problems with my fists…” And we were off.
See also
Q&A: Nicole Baart, Author of ‘Everything We Didn’t Say’
Is there anything you hope your readers will take away from reading Wishes and Wellingtons?
I hope they laugh a ton, and I hope they’re completely swept away into the dark streets of late Victorian London winter’s nights, and magical journeys across the globe. I hope they love Maeve, Alice, Tommy, and Mermeros, and all their “friends and relations,” as much as I do. High entertainment is my target, every time. Perhaps, along the way, they’ll consider, along with Maeve, the complexities of wish-making. Stories about wishes are really stories about choices, values, and self vs. others. So, though most of us, I presume, will never be granted three magical wishes, wish-granting tales still have a lot to tell us about being human in the real world.
What’s next for you?
A nap? If only. I have a picture book coming out next spring entitled Cranky Right Now, a companion book to Happy Right Now, and another in 2022 called The Night Frolic, which I’m very excited about. A sequel to Wishes and Wellingtons, entitled Crime and Carpetbags, will come soon, though I’m not certain of a publication date yet.
Lastly, are you currently reading anything and do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I’m rereading The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell, and reading Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi. Not a kids’ book. I just read an upcoming YA novel called Fadeaway by Elaine Vickers that enjoyed tremendously. There’s a copy of Midsummer Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca waiting for me at my local bookstore, and I’m eager to dive in.
Will you be picking up Wishes and Wellingtons? Tell us in the comments below!
For Julie Berry, A Homecoming and a Bookstore of Her Own
By Alex Green | Apr 01, 2021
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Julie Berry.
Author Julie Berry’s stories span genres and formats, landing on the shelves of bookstores’ YA, picture book, and middle grade sections. Soon, one of those bookstores will be her own. The Lovely War author has purchased a bookstore in her childhood hometown of Medina, N.Y., moving cross-country from Los Angeles with her family, all to open the newly renovated and renamed Author’s Note.
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Between renovations that involve uncovering a molded tin ceiling, Berry talked with PW about her homecoming and her new journey in the world of independent bookselling.
What made you decide to buy an independent bookstore?
I was born and raised in Medina, so this little town has always been my home. I haven’t lived here since I was in high school, but Medina has always been so good to me. [The people here have been so supportive of my work as an author and have really embraced me.
And the fact is that very few of us in the book world don’t have at least some level of secret fantasy of starting a bookstore. I have the career that I have today as an author because of the support of independent booksellers and how they’ve championed me. So many of them have become my dear friends over the years. I’ve tried to really pay attention to that industry and those relationships.
With all of this as backdrop, when I heard that the bookstore in Medina had gone up for sale, towards the start of the pandemic, I just… I had to have it.
What is the location like?
The space itself is really well situated, which I think is really important. It is on Main Street, in a historic downtown shopping district, in a town that boasts one of those beautiful turn-of-the-century Main Street areas. A lot of new restaurants are coming in and there’s this lovely opera house that’s being meticulously restored to its original glory. The space itself is narrow, long, and very charming and we’re doing a complete renovation; we just pulled down the ceiling tiles and discovered, you know, antique molded tin ceiling up.
How are you learning the ropes?
There’s certainly a lot to learn in starting a bookstore, and I’m confronted daily with, “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.” So I’m learning as I go. Paul Swydan of Silver Unicorn Books in Acton, Massachusetts has become a very good friend. I lived for many years in Maynard, which is right next door to Acton, where Silver Unicorn is. About a year ago, when I started cooking up this plot, I reached out to him and said, “Okay, so tell me what it’s like to start a bookstore now. What’s the climate like? How do you make it work?”
He was very frank and open with me, and very encouraging. He shared his story, his experiences, tips, and techniques. The remarkable example at Silver Unicorn is that he has shown what is possible for bookstores that actively create strong relationships with their customers digitally. He has done such a fantastic job with email and social media, and with online ordering, and with creating a community that exists as powerfully online as it does in person. Everybody loves a bookstore as a great place to go to, but I feel like Paul has made sure that you can go to Silver Unicorn from wherever you are. It doesn’t feel canned. It feels very natural and organic.
Erica Caldwell.
How do you know what books you want to have in the store?
Well, in that regard, I’m really fortunate. I have a wonderful buyer, who just so happens to also be my cousin and dear friend—Erica Caldwell—and she is a bookseller as well. She has her finger on the pulse of what Western New York buyers are looking for, and she is doing a really nice job of bridging the classic and traditional with new and up and coming titles. So even though we’re not open, we’re actively ordering and selling books online, and that’s due to her excellent taste. As for me, I love that I get to also have some input; I get to stock books by my favorite authors and all my author friends. That’s a big part of what this story is about, as authors know. It’s all about creating relationships between readers and authors and bringing authors closer to readers.
The one thing that I’m sure of is that we are not going to be all children’s books, but we are going to have a big children’s section. There’s a whole cosmos in the children’s section of a bookstore because it’s where a child’s imagination grows and expands.
What’s been the reception from the community?
We’re not even open for browsing yet and I have been blown away by the special orders and the outreach that I’ve received from people who live an hour away, but clearly frequent the store to pick up online orders, and make the point of coming here to place orders. That’s just kind of how life is out here. Being in the local community is important to them.
Do you have any new books publishing in time to be on your own bookstore’s shelves when it opens?
Yes! I just delivered Book 2 in the Wishes and Wellingtons series. It’s called Crime and Carpetbags [Sourcebooks Young Readers, Oct.]. I am working on a new YA novel with Simon and Schuster. And Cranky Right Now [Sounds True] is coming out in May and is a companion to Happy Right Now.
BERRY, Julie. Wishes and Wellingtons. 384p. Sourcebooks. Oct. 2020. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781728223254.
Gr 3-6--When schoolyard brawler Maeve Merritt gets assigned garbage duty for detention, the last thing she expects to find is a djinni in a discarded sardine tin. Mermeros the djinni might be able to grant Maeve three wishes, but he warns her about greed that leads to "madness and ruin." Though Maeve just wants to travel and start a girls' cricket team, the consequences of greed grow as other people seek to steal Mermeros away from her. Aided by her roommate Alice and the orphan boy-next-door Tommy, Maeve learns to use her wits rather than her fists to keep Mermeros out of the clutches of the villainous Mr. Treazleton and Baroness Gabrielle. Berry's novel, set in Victorian England, offers readers a challenging, truculent protagonist in Maeve, whose rebellion against traditional gender roles and expectations often leads her to ignore the suffering of others. Mermeros is delightfully grouchy; he is not a captive of his fishy fin and his wish-granting role suits his mordant sense of humor. However, his historical and cultural otherness never gains Maeve's full attention; the growth of her empathy is local as she learns to advocate for Tommy, who is otherwise doomed to work at a cotton mill. Some background on djinni mythology and Mermeros's Mesopotamian origins would have been be interesting, especially when the novel takes place at the height of Britain's "Age of Empire." VERDICT This novel spotlights friendship and an athletic, unconventional heroine, but the depiction of the djinni is under-explored and simplistic. Readers looking for a fantastical romp through Victorian England will be entertained.--Katherine Magyarody, Texas AOM University, College Station
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Magyarody, Katherine. "BERRY, Julie. Wishes and Wellingtons." School Library Journal, vol. 66, no. 9, Sept. 2020, pp. 74+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A634532027/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=e08c5ebd. Accessed 16 May 2023.
Wishes and Wellingtons (Wishes and Wellingtons #1)
Julie Berry. Sourcebooks Young Readers, $16.99 (384p) ISBN 978-1-7282-2325-4
After 13-year-old Maeve Merritt's temper gets her in trouble, yet again, at Miss Salamanca's School for Upright Young Ladies, she's sentenced to several days of rubbish sorting, where she makes a startling discovery: a sardine can in which resides bad-tempered djinni Mermero. While Maeve determines how to best enjoy her resultant three wishes, she must deal withbullying classmates, inquisitive roommate Alice, and Tom, a spying orphan. Maeve uses one of her wishes to launch Alice, Tom, and herself on an adventure; they wind up in Persia, where they face Mermeros's frightening, shape-shifting family. That encounter's repercussions follow them home, where unscrupulous forces seek possession of the djinni's powers. Berry's (Lovely War) globe-spanning romp balances tongue-in-cheek humor with a heartfelt focus on found family and friendship as the newly minted trio face impossibleodds, both mundane and supernatural. Though colonialist elements reflect outmoded cultural standards in line with the 1896 setting, Maeve's drive to eschew marriageand propriety in favor of independence conveys a message of female empowerment. Ages 8-11. Agent: Alyssa Eisner Henkin, Trident Media Group. (Oct.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 PWxyz, LLC
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"Wishes and Wellingtons (Wishes and Wellingtons #1)." Publishers Weekly, vol. 267, no. 36, 7 Sept. 2020, p. 62. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A636081498/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3ab4dfb8. Accessed 16 May 2023.
Berry, Julie CRANKY RIGHT NOW Sounds True (Children's None) $17.99 5, 11 ISBN: 978-1-68364-664-8
Somebody’s cranky.
Like all other characters in this picture book, the first-person narrator isn’t named. She presents as a Black girl with light-brown skin, her hair styled in Afro puffs. The text details that she’s cranky for many reasons, chief among them her mischievous little brother, who is also Black and has darker brown skin and a cloudlike Afro. Illustrator Hatam adroitly uses facial expressions to depict the protagonist’s displeasure with her brother and her angst at perceived injustices meted out by her parents (mom shares the brother’s coloring while the father shares the main character’s). Such details as the narrator’s red, scowling “cranky boots” and interactions with the family’s pets add further interest. The text is masterful in its misdirection and displacement of responsibility: “It’s not my fault that certain people / have no patience at all. / And the cat ate the cookies. / Nothing is fair. / And nobody cares.” While the scenarios feel quite realistic, about three-quarters of the way through, the text begins to use end rhymes: “Then, chances are, after a good, tired flop, / The cranky in me will decide to stop.” This transition both feels disjointed from the beginning part of the book and somehow has the effect of leaching some of the emotional power from the text—and it may make some readers feel confused if not cranky.
True to life, if lacking cohesion. (Picture book. 3-6)
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"Berry, Julie: CRANKY RIGHT NOW." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A659925047/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7bf62e00. Accessed 16 May 2023.
Berry, Julie THE NIGHT FROLIC Little, Brown (Children's None) $18.99 2, 28 ISBN: 978-0-316-59183-6
A fantasy answering the question of where kids go when they sleep.
Pajama-clad children ride ribbons of wispy night breezes to the "high den of the Night Tiger," a large, Cheshire cat-like creature (who has proportions more akin to a plump house cat than a threatening tiger), before beginning their journey through the night world. The Night Tiger is just the first of the fantastical, oversized animals--who have rounded bodies and luminescent eyes--with which the sleeping children dance and play across full-page spreads in twilight and jewel tones. Finally, at the height of the merriment, the frolic wakes "the Old Serpent that encircles the world," who gently sends the children and creatures alike to bed, so as to wake them again in the golden morning. Readers will enjoy spotting the protagonists' little white dog in the scenes. Spare text allows illustrations to take center stage. The high level of detail begs readers to study each image. Although sometimes crowded with characters, the art is composed with sizes and proportions in mind, using spacing to maintain clarity, and an awareness of the book's gutter so as to make sure no delicious detail is lost. The many children depicted are diverse, pajamas helping to identify reoccurring children; the characters most closely followed have brown skin and brown curls. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A dream come true for readers seeking a new bedtime story. (Picture book. 4-9)
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"Berry, Julie: THE NIGHT FROLIC." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A729727290/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4ebf2324. Accessed 16 May 2023.
The Night Frolic
Julie Berry, illus. by Jaime Zollars. Little, Brown, $18.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-316-59183-6 "Where do children go when they drift off to sleep?" This beckoning, otherworldly flight of fancy by Berry (Cranky Right Now) imagines a velvety realm to which children are carried "in silver ships over ribbons of moonlight," sailing amid merfolk and through polar lands. After encountering the Night Tiger and her cubs, the Moon, and the Night Walrus, the kids arrive at a North Pole pavilion where the Night Elephant issues greetings and the Great Frolic begins. Holding musical instruments of all kinds, a dancing, winding throng of children and creatures spills out into the open, "sailing, soaring, somersaulting," until "the Old Serpent that encircles the world" wakes, smiles, and reminds them to sleep, and a warm breeze sends the children "into their soft beds." Zollars (The Truth About Dragons) illustrates the drift of dreamy, querying prose with candytinted, digitally colored art, portraying the assembled, gape-mouthed whirlwind of children with a variety of skin tones. Berry's mesmerizing prose sounds like a saga from another world, and this vision of journey, adventure, and happy clamor offers both antidote to and fodder for sleep's dark mysteries. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Alyssa Eisner Henkin. Trident Media. Illustrator's agent: Stephen Barr. Writers House. (Feb.)
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"The Night Frolic." Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 52, 12 Dec. 2022, p. 69. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A731350546/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=793eb224. Accessed 16 May 2023.
Berry, Julie CRIME AND CARPETBAGS Sourcebooks Young Readers (Children's None) $16.99 10, 19 ISBN: 978-1-72823-149-5
Misadventures and magic in the time of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.
In Wishes and Wellingtons (2020), Maeve Merritt found a wish-granting djinni that brought her world-traveling adventures and lifelong friends. It's now 1897, and Maeve's only wish is for her favorite sister, Polly, to find wedded happiness with her constable beau. Perhaps there's something about Maeve that attracts magic, for it's not long before she's embroiled in a misadventure involving a missing adopted father, a phony baroness, new magical discoveries, and, of course, Mermeros the djinni. Can Maeve and her friends save the day and secure matrimonial bliss for Polly? Fans of E. Nesbit and Edward Eager will find much to love in this title that is best enjoyed by those who have read the first volume. The historical time and place are strongly developed and buoyed by magical antics, including two puppyish magic carpetbags. Maeve's opinionated voice is compelling enough to overcome more than a few plot holes. The conclusion tidily resolves all the loose ends while leaving an opening for Maeve to find more magical objects and adventures. As before, the cover depicts Maeve with brown skin and dark hair, but the narrative, in which characters' appearances are minimally described, never mentions her race, ethnicity, or even her physical appearance.
This action-packed sequel possesses strong voice and setting. (Historical fiction. 10-13)
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"Berry, Julie: CRIME AND CARPETBAGS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Sept. 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A675150044/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=61e3f03f. Accessed 16 May 2023.
Crime and Carpetbags. By Julie Berry. Oct. 2021. 352p. Sourcebooks/Young Readers, $16.99 (9781728231495). Gr. 5-8.
Readers who think life calmed down for Maeve Merritt after she rid herself of her sardine-can djinni in Wishes and Wellingtons (2020) have another think coming in this action-packed sequel. Things start peacefully enough, with a thrilling visit to the Crystal Palace in honor of Queen Victorias 1897 Diamond Jubilee. There Maeve delights in the rides and exhibitions with her two best friends, Alice Bromley and Tom Poindexter, and unsubtly plays matchmaker for her beloved sister, Polly. Such pleasant diversions are fleeting, as soon after this outing, a burglary at Tom's adoptive father's shop is quickly followed by the abduction of Mr. Poindexter himself! Not convinced that the police are taking the matter seriously, Maeve dives straight into investigating matters herself, especially since she's sure Mr. Poindexter's disappearance is connected to his having possession of the djinni now. Berry unfolds a charming and witty Victorian adventure, marked by a mysterious villain, flying carpet bags, and a daring rescue, but it's the tight friendship among Maeve, Alice, and Tom that makes the story soar.--Julia Smith
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 American Library Association
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Smith, Julia. "Crime and Carpetbags." Booklist, vol. 118, no. 4, 15 Oct. 2021, pp. 52+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A696452054/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4f55a627. Accessed 16 May 2023.