SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: Squad Goals
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.lauriecalkhoven.com/
CITY: New York
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 388
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born July 31, 1959, in Omaha, NE.
EDUCATION:Syracuse University, B.A. (journalism and English literature).
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author. Worked in publishing in New York City, including as executive editor for the Scholastic Book Clubs; currently freelance writer. Presenter at schools; has taught writing workshops at Highlights Foundation; has worked with authors as an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach.
AVOCATIONS:Travel, knitting, beading, reading.
AWARDS:Mark Twain Readers Award nomination, Missouri Association of School Librarians, 2013, and Beacon of Freedom Award, Williamsburg Regional Library, 2014, both for Will at the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Laurie Calkhoven is the author of more than thirty works of fiction and nonfiction for young readers. Her literary credits include the award-winning historical novel Will at the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863, from her popular “Boys of Wartime” series, as well as the “You Should Meet” series of biographies geared for early readers.
Calkhoven examines the turning point of the American Civil War in Will at the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863. At twelve years of age, Will Edmonds longs to serve as a drummer boy in the Union Army. When Confederate and Northern forces clash in Will’s sleepy hometown of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the youth finds himself embroiled in the bloody three-day battle, delivering an urgent message to Union commander George Meade and even risking his own life to save a friend who fights for the Confederacy. Kim Dare applauded the work in School Library Journal, remarking that “this solid piece of fiction will appeal to history buffs and reluctant readers alike.”
Daniel at the Siege of Boston, 1776 was described as “an engaging fictional narrative” by Carolyn Phelan in Booklist. In retaliation for the political protest known as the Boston Tea Party, British naval forces blockade the town’s harbor. Privy to the conversations of Redcoats who are headquartered at his family’s tavern, twelve-year-old Daniel Prescott proves to be a valuable source of information for the Sons of Liberty, led by Samuel Adams. The youngster’s efforts to help the revolutionary cause eventually lead to a meeting with General George Washington. “Coming of age in the crucible of war is a common theme in literature, and Calkhoven carries it off well,” a critic noted in Kirkus Reviews.
In Michael at the Invasion of France, 1943, Calkhoven describes the actions of a thirteen-year-old French-American who joins the Resistance after Nazi forces occupy the city of Paris. With his father evacuated to England, his older brother held prisoner, and his Jewish neighbors under constant threat of deportation, Michael Durand realizes he must take a stand against the Germans. The teen demonstrates his bravery by defacing Nazi propaganda, delivering vital documents, and helping a downed American pilot reach safety. The tale “delivers taut action and adventure,” Anne O’Malley commented in Booklist. “While Calkhoven’s research is apparent,” observed Jennifer Schultz in School Library Journal, “it never threatens to overtake the story line and action.”
Calkhoven opens her “G.I. Dogs” series of historical novels with Judy, Prisoner of War. Inspired by actual events, the story focuses on an English Pointer who served as a watchdog aboard the HMS Grasshopper, part of Britain’s Royal Navy, during World War II. When the ship is attacked and sunk by the Japanese in 1942, the canine joins the human survivors in a prisoner-of-war camp, helping boost their morale by gathering food and performing tricks. “Judy’s fictionalized story is a remarkable tale of loyalty and the bond that can develop between dogs and people,” explained a writer in Kirkus Reviews.
(open new)Included in Calkhoven’s “You Should Meet” series is the 2023 volume, Squad Goals: The Unstoppable Women of the US Women’s National Soccer Team. In this volume, she profiles the members of the titular sports team, which at the time of publication was considered to be the winningest women’s team to have ever competed in World Cup events. Calkhoven begins by discussing the early history of women’s soccer, in which women played on playgrounds and in private spaces but struggled to be validated as athletes in the sport. Women soccer players advocated to have a national team on which to play, and they ultimately succeeded. Calkhoven goes on to highlight four World Cup competitions in which the US Women’s team competed: the 1991, 1999, 2015, and 2019 games. She offers details on the games the team played during those World Cups. Finally, Calkhoven offers information on some of the top women’s soccer stars in US history, including Mia Hamm, Megan Rapinoe, and Trinity Rodman. The book includes illustrations by Monique Dong. Kristen Todd-Wurm, reviewer in School Library Journal, offered a favorable assessment of the book, describing it as a “fantastic addition” to the “You Should Meet” series. Todd-Wurm added: “This series provides a developmentally appropriate way to introduce the genre to the youngest students.” A Kirkus Reviews critic called the volume “a celebration of the winningest women’s team in World Cup competition” and “a rousing cheer for women on the pitch.”(close new)
In addition to works of historical fiction and nonfictions books, Calkhoven has also written works of fiction for young readers. In 2019, she released Roosevelt Banks: Good-Kid-in-Training. Calkhoven introduces the title character, a fourth-grader known for playing pranks on his classmates. Roosevelt is invited on a bicycle camping trip with two of his friends, but he does not have a bike to take. Roosevelt tells his parents that he will be good for two whole weeks if they agree to get him a bike and allow him to go camping. He finds it very difficult to stay out of trouble. On two occasions when he is close to getting caught doing something naughty, his friend Tommy covers for him. Meanwhile, a classmate named Eddie tries to convince Roosevelt’s friends to let him take Roosevelt’s place on the biking trip. Roosevelt feels guilty that Tommy has gotten in trouble for things he did, and he ultimately expresses his remorse to his parents. Roosevelt’s parents realize that he has learned his lesson and give him a bike. Other characters in the book include Roosevelt’s little sister, Kennedy, and his dog, Millard Fillmore. In a favorable assessment of the book in Kirkus Reviews, a critic remarked: “Broad humor lightens the load of this lesson, and nuanced friendships enrich it.”
Roosevelt returns in Calkhoven’s 2022 work, Roosevelt Banks and the Attic of Doom. After spending an entire year in the fourth grade, Roosevelt is eager for summer break and some fun with his dad. He is in for a rude awakening of sorts. In order to make room for their expanding family, Roosevelt’s parents inform him that he is going to need to move up into the attic. It is a dank, dark space, and his parents charge him with making it into something clean and cozy on his own. Roosevelt balks at the idea, however. For one thing, there are ghosts in the attic. Roosevelt does not want to spend his summer free time working on the attic space alongside the scary ghosts. Not to mention, there is going to be a loud, screaming baby in the mix before long. As a matter of course, hijinks ensue as Roosevelt struggles to make sense of the changes around him, without saying anything about the ghosts. Emilia Packard, writing in School Library Journal, concluded that Roosevelt Banks and the Attic of Doom is “an often silly, sometimes sweet read; many kids will recognize themselves in Roosevelt’s big imagination and will enjoy spending the summer in his insular, intimate neighborhood universe.”
“I’ve always loved reading, writing, and history,” Calkhoven once told SATA. “What I’m most interested in exploring in my fiction is how ordinary kids respond when they’re confronted with extraordinary situations. That’s how the ‘Boys of Wartime’ series was born. I hope I succeeded in making those extraordinary times real for today’s readers while at the same time telling the truth about our American history.”
Calkhoven later told SATA: “I don’t remember a time when I didn’t love stories. The very first thing I wanted to be was a librarian. I was about five, and I had just gotten my first library card. I thought that if I became a librarian I could live at the library and be surrounded by stories. When I was a little older, I discovered that there were actual people who created those stories, and from then on, I wanted to be one of them.
“Writing was a secret dream. I don’t remember talking about it with anyone. Teachers encouraged my writing though, and my fifth-grade teacher (Mrs. Azzolini) was the first person to say the words out loud ‘You should think about becoming a writer.’ I can’t tell you how exciting it was to have a person—a grownup—give voice to my dreams. That was all it took for me to begin telling the world that I was going to be an author.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, February 1, 2010, Carolyn Phelan, review of Daniel at the Siege of Boston, 1776, p. 42; February 1, 2012, Anne O’Malley, review of Michael at the Invasion of France, 1943, p. 89.
Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2010, review of Daniel at the Siege of Boston, 1776; February 1, 2018, review of Judy, Prisoner of War; December 15, 2019, review of Roosevelt Banks: Good-Kid-in-Training; April 1, 2023, review of Squad Goals: The Unstoppable Women of the US Women’s National Soccer Team.
Publishers Weekly, March 26, 2012, review of Heroes of Olympus, p. 83.
School Library Journal, April, 2008, Kristen Oravec, review of Harriet Tubman: Leading the Way to Freedom, p. 158; March, 2011, Kim Dare, review of Will at the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863, p. 156; August, 2011, Kate Kohlbeck, review of A Winning Goal, p. 70; March, 2012, Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, review of I Grew Up to Be President, p. 140; Jennifer Schultz, review of Michael at the Invasion of France, 1943, p. 151; October, 2012, Joy Fleishhacker, review of Heroes of Olympus, p. 155; February, 2018, David Roberts, review of Judy, Prisoner of War, p. 69; January, 2022, Emilia Packard, review of Roosevelt Banks and the Attic of Doom, p. 68; May, 2023, Kristen Todd-Wurm, review of Squad Goals, p. 97.
ONLINE
Highlights Foundation website, https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/ (March 17, 2020), author profile.
Laurie Calkhoven website, https://lauriecalkhoven.com (March 26, 2024).
Reedsy, https://reedsy.com/ (July 7, 2022), author profile.*
Laurie Calkhoven has always been fascinated by history, and especially by the ordinary people who got caught up in extraordinary moments in history. She likes the small moments and bizarre facts that mostly get left out by the serious history books -- like whether or not a broken egg kept the American Revolution on track, and how putting your hands in your pockets and jiggling change could lead to an arrest in Nazi-occupied France.
While she was researching her biography of George Washington, she started to wondering about life during the Siege of Boston. Soon, a character named Daniel was whispering in her ear, telling her about his secret work for General George Washington, and she wrote the novel DANIEL AT THE SIEGE OF BOSTON, 1776. A biography of Harriet Tubman led to a second novel in her BOYS OF WARTIME series--WILL AT THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, 1863. Her third historical novel, MICHAEL AT THE INVASION OF FRANCE, 1943 rounds out the series.
When she's not writing historical books, Calkhoven is at work on nonfiction books like I GREW UP TO BE PRESIDENT and historical mysteries for American Girl. You can find her online at www.lauriecalkhoven.com
I have always loved books and reading. The first thing I ever wanted to be was a librarian.
I remember walking into the library for the first time and being totally amazed -- shelf after shelf of books, all waiting to be read. I thought if I was a librarian, I could live in the library with the books. Then I realized that there were people who wrote the books on the shelves, and I wanted to be one of them.
Mrs. Azzolini, my fifth grade teacher in Elizabeth, New Jersey, was the first person to suggest that I might want to be a writer. The next thing I knew, I was writing a novel. But every time I made a mistake and I got a new notebook and started all over again. That’s a trap new writers fall into -- thinking things have to be perfect. First drafts are bad and messy and full of cross outs. It’s part of the process. That’s what revision is for!
Other teachers encouraged me over the years, especially Mr. Zarzecki and Mr. Hollar at West Milford Township High School. In college, at Syracuse University, I majored in journalism and English literature. That’s where I learned how to do research and write on deadline. And for my English lit classes I read and read and read -- the most important training a writer can have.
After college I moved to New York City and got a job in book publishing and thought I would write “one day.” Finally, twenty years later, I realized that one day was never going to come along unless I made it happen. So I started getting up early in the morning to write before I went to work. And eventually, I was able to make my dream come true. I quit my job to write full time. And now I get to work at home in my pajamas! What could be better than that?
But I did miss working with writers. Visit my book coaching page to learn about how I help writers bring their books to life.
Miscellaneous Facts About Me
I was born in Omaha Nebraska, but I grew up in New Jersey
I live in a 26-story apartment building in New York City
I have the same birthday as Harry Potter (July 31)
I've gone whitewater rafting in the Grand Canyon and I've bicycled through parts of France and the Netherlands
Book Coaching
In addition to being a writer, I'm also an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach! I love working with writers to help them bring their children's books to life -- everything from early readers to chapter books to middle grade and YA.
Check out my book coaching page for more info and contact me if you want to know even more.
QUOTED: "fantastic addition." "This series provides a developmentally appropriate way to introduce the genre to the youngest students."
CALKHOVEN, Laurie. Squad Goals: The Unstoppable Women of the US Women's National Soccer Team. illus. by Monique Dong. 48p. (You Should Meet). S. & S./Simon Spotlight. May 2023. pap. $4.99. ISBN 9781665933414; Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781665933421.
K-Gr 2--The "You Should Meet" series of easier reading biographies is made specifically for younger elementary-age children. This fantastic addition dives into the United States Women's National Soccer Team. The book is divided into chapters that follow a history of women's soccer from its inception through the present day, and then focuses on individual players and their contributions to the sport and to the world. Calkhoven begins with a history of women in soccer and their work to get a national team, which started in backyards and playgrounds. Subsequent chapters are dedicated to the 1991, 1999, 2015, and 2019 World Cups; the final chapter focuses on soccer stars Megan Rapinoe, Briana Scurry, Alex Morgan, Trinity Rodman, and Mia Hamm. Illustrations are cartoonlike to keep the young and playful feel of this beginning biography. Back matter offers tips and instructions on how to start playing, additional historical information, and a trivia sheet. VERDICT Recommended for general purchase in elementary school and public libraries; this series provides a developmentally appropriate way to introduce the genre to the youngest students.--Kristen Todd-Wurm
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Todd-Wurm, Kristen. "CALKHOVEN, Laurie. Squad Goals: The Unstoppable Women of the US Women's National Soccer Team." School Library Journal, vol. 69, no. 5, May 2023, p. 97. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A748258521/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=cfc87310. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.
QUOTED: "a celebration of the winningest women's team in World Cup competition."
"a rousing cheer for women on the pitch."
Calkhoven, Laurie SQUAD GOALS Simon Spotlight (Children's None) $17.99 5, 2 ISBN: 9781665933421
A celebration of the winningest women's team in World Cup competition.
Along with tracking the success of the women's national team from its early years when it was (in the author's polite phrase) "not the team to beat" to four World Cup wins--each described in dramatic fashion--Calkhoven profiles five prominent pros from Mia Hamm to Trinity Rodman, noting that both Megan Rapinoe and Briana Scurry are gay. She goes on to add a thumbnail history of the sport's early days, coaching notes for some important ball skills, and select records and facts before rounding it all off with a review quiz. At least some of Dong's painted figures, including an image of Brandi Chastain wearing a sports bra and holding her jersey aloft after making a winning goal and another of Megan Rapinoe in a victory pose, are based on famous photos but leave their subjects recognizable, and besides portraits of Rodman and Scurry, brown-skinned girls and women feature prominently in nearly all of the illustrations. A claim near the end that at least 100 more U.S. colleges sponsor soccer teams for women than for men now is a telling sign of the sport's growing popularity.
A rousing cheer for women on the pitch. (Nonfiction. 7-9)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Calkhoven, Laurie: SQUAD GOALS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A743460906/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=28832d99. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.