South Side Kids Tangle with Mummies in Malayna Evans' 'Jagger Jones'

Adventure books are always a draw. Throw in a little history, and who can resist? So when I heard about Malayna Evans’ debut middle-grade, Jagger Jones and the Mummy’s Ankh (Month9Books), part of a three-book series hitting shelves today, I was especially intrigued by the Chicago angle. Malayna studied ancient Egyptian history at the University of Chicago, and the book features two South Side Chicago kids who are lost in ancient Egypt.

My morning walks take me right through the University of Chicago campus and past the Oriental Institute, where mummies and other fascinating ancient artifacts jumpstart the imagination. I've taken my own kids here, and as an author, I've contemplated weaving together a story that mixes all these elements. I've never gotten anywhere with it, but thankfully Malayna has! She shares a bit about the inspiration behind Jagger and his nail-biting adventures here.

QUESTION: What made you want to write for middle-grade readers?

MALAYNA EVANS: Two things inspired me.

First, I trace my own fascination with ancient Egypt to my middle-school years. It wasn’t Egypt I fell in love with way back then. It was Sci-Fi and, specifically, the fantastical worlds of my favorite books—worlds loaded with gods and goddess (okay, mostly goddesses). Eventually, that interest led me to Rome, then Greece, then Mesopotamia, and finally my true love, ancient Egypt.

So many (many, many, many) years later when my son, then nine, now sixteen (and 6-foot-2!), told me someone should write a book about a kid who looked like him trapped in ancient Egypt, I figured I should be that “someone.” I was drawn to the idea of writing about my passion … for kids who were the age I’d been when the roots of my interest struck me.

And the best part is, that was a mere seven years ago. (And the moral of that short story is: kids grow faster than books!)

Q: Your background is Egyptology. Can you talk about your creative process? What was it like to channel your expertise into writing Jagger Jones?

ME: In a word, painful.

I’m a creative gal at heart, but I’d learned to be pedantic—I had to in order survive grad school. When I first started on this manuscript, every page was drenched in history. And I don’t mean the fun, kids-are-going-to-love-it kind of history. My first draft was a snoozer (albeit a snoozer with some pretty well thought out, obscure historical theories plugged in).

I struggled for a few years, searching for a way to make the history work for me rather than against me. Eventually, I stumbled across a few tactics that worked.

For example, I retooled the three-book plot with an ancient blessing in mind. Ankh, wedja, seneb means (may you have) life, prosperity, and health. I tied book one to the theme of ankh (life). Then, to emphasize how ancient notions of life differed from ours, I transformed the traditional boy-saves-princess storyline into something altogether more ancient Egyptian-ish—it’s not her life he saves, but her afterlife. (Boo!)

Another breakthrough came when I figured out how to make artifacts work for me. On one side of a big page, I wrote down all the ancient Egyptian artifacts I could think of. On the other side, a list of things two middle-school kids might have in pockets and purses. And then I mixed things up. Turns out, having bug spray in your bag is handy when a giant scorpion attacks!

Q: Jagger and his little sister encounter some outrageous things on their quest. Are you tapping some of your favorite and least favorite details about the ancient world?

ME: Above all, I’m trying to create a nemesis, threats, and solutions your average ancient Egyptian might have dreamt up. But of course, I also want it to be a fun read for today’s middle-graders, so I might have amped things up a bit here and there.

My bad guys are the sun god, the Aten, who was all the rage for this very short, weird historical period, and his minions, the traditional creatures of chaos—crocodiles, snakes, scorpions, the dead… you know, the usual crew of baddies.

The challenges Jagger and Aria face aren’t exactly the kinds of things one might run into in Chicago, or Fargo, or really anywhere in this hemisphere today. Throughout the series, they face Apep serpents, a mummy army, even a renegade Nile that defies the rules of gravity.

But I had the most fun with solutions. Many of the solutions the kids and their ancient sidekicks dream up somehow blend ancient and modern: our science and their magic, or, Jagger’s iPhone with the princess’s fruit slices (sorry, you’ll have to read the book to figure that one out). I looked for solutions that would underline how bizarre something as mundane as plastic would be to someone who lived thousands of years ago. And, conversely, how their practices, beliefs and artifacts (read magical amulets!) would strike today’s kids. The spots where I manage to combine these are, in my humble opinion, the highlights of the series.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from your story?

ME: Above all, I hope some kids see themselves in this book. Jagger and Aria are suspiciously similar to my own two little people, in part because I believe the world needs more books that show kids like mine that some heroes look like them. And, if a few kids out in the world realize ancient Egypt, and really history in general, is way cooler than they’d previously thought, well, that would give me the feels in a very good way!

First Families Inspire Behrens' 'When Audrey Met Alice'

Rebecca Behrens' When Audrey Met Alice (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2014) makes a great read for anyone with an interest in the First Family or the agonies of being a First Daughter (see Turkey Pardon). Rebecca has great fun with the juxtaposition of her character Audrey Rhodes, who finds life in the White House to be confusing and confining, with Teddy Roosevelt's wild-eyed daughter Alice. Only when Audrey discovers Alice Roosevelt's old diary does she begin to feel better about her arrangement at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. A story of holding on to your sense of self despite the chaos around you, this story hits with readers young and old.

Question: What inspired you to write your book?

Rebecca Behrens: I was a tween during the Clinton administration, and I always wondered what Chelsea Clinton's life was like in the White House: making the Yellow Bedroom her own, dealing with Secret Service agents chaperoning her dates, and having the media report on her grades, hobbies, and appearance. I wanted to explore the awesome and awkward aspects of life at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for an ordinary girl, in a very extraordinary situation. That inspired Audrey's character.

And I've always been fascinated by Alice Roosevelt, the spirited and sometimes shocking daughter of Teddy Roosevelt. I thought it would be cool to have a contemporary First Daughter interact with Alice through a fictionalized diary–and interesting for readers to see how a First Kid's life in the White House once was, and might be today.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your writing?

RB: First and most of all, I want to tell a good story! I'm always hoping that the book I write will be one that engages and entertains young readers. With When Audrey Met Alice, I also hoped that readers might be inspired to "meet" Alice Roosevelt and other First Daughters themselves by reading and researching after finishing the book. I like blending contemporary and historical fiction because I think it offers a window into the past–especially to readers who might be hesitant to try historical fiction. And, finally and hopefully without making it seem like my writing is didactic(!), I try to write about girls who are curious, smart, and resourceful–because those are the sharp-cookie heroines I loved to read about as a kid, and also because I think that's important for young readers.

Q: What are you working on next?

RB: My next book is Summer of Lost and Found, another middle-grade novel that blends contemporary and historical fiction. It will be released in early 2016 by Egmont USA. In it, a girl’s father mysteriously disappears and her botanist mother drags her to Roanoke Island for a research trip, where the girl decides to solve the mystery of the Lost Colony with the help of a peculiar local boy. I also have two historical short stories that will be published soon: Thatagirl! will appear in Scholastic classroom magazines in Fall 2014/Spring 2015, and A Piece of Cake will appear in Cricket magazine, in 2015 or early 2016 (date to be determined).

Matt Phelan Spotlights Buster Keaton With 'Bluffton'

For history buffs looking for interesting stories told in creative and compelling ways, Matt Phelan is the go-to author. Nominated more than once for an Eisner Award, the comic book equivalent of the Oscars, and recipient of the prestigious Scott O'Dell Award, Matt is an artist who can weave an engaging tale. Examples of his talent as an illustrator are many – The Higher Power of Lucky by Newbery-winner Susan Patron, Flora's Very Windy Day by Jeanne Birdsall, Xander's Panda Party by Linda Sue Park (Clarion, September 2013). But Matt's latest graphic novel, Bluffton: My Summers with Buster Keaton (Candlewick, July 2013), showcases for the third time his talent as a storyteller.

In what Kirkus calls in a starred review, "Thrilling—a spirited, poignant coming-of-age vignette," Bluffton tells the story of Henry Harrison, a somewhat bored boy who becomes fascinated with vaudeville life when Buster Keaton and his outrageous troupe tumble into the Lake Michigan beach town of Bluffton for the summer. While Henry wants to learn all the tricks he can from Buster, who's known as the "human mop," young Buster just wants to be a regular kid. Using watercolor and pencil, Matt conjures up the simple pleasures of summertime – baseball, swimming in the lake, fishing off the dock, pulling pranks on unsuspecting neighbors. We see the boys' two very different childhoods through these summers together, and the story wraps up with a sweet ending as a mature Henry looks back.

Matt's other two graphic novels are both from Candlewick as well, and both earned starred reviews from Kirkus, too. Around the World (2011) spotlights three adventurers who set out on solitary journeys to circle the globe. Thomas Stevens pedaled a bicycle from San Francisco around the world to Japan in 1884. A few years later in 1889, daredevil journalist Nellie Bly took off on steam ship and train to beat the 80 days mentioned in Jules Verne's popular novel (and met the author along the way). And starting in 1895, seafarer Joshua Slocum set sail. Matt highlights their amazing physical feats as well as their internal, personal journeys. Booklist praises Around the World for ". . . tight research and a gift for evoking both an era and the personalities that lived in it, the stories are greatly abetted by the magic of Phelan’s art."

With The Storm in the Barn (2009), Matt tells the story of an 11-year-old loner named Jack, whose family is suffering through the Dust Bowl. In a blending of historical fiction and superhero action, Jack battles the demon that's tormenting his family and the small Kansas town. When Storm won the 2010 Scott O'Dell Award for historical fiction, it caused a bit of a dustup. It was a graphic novel after all, not a traditional, text-heavy story. The Horn Book's Roger Sutton defended the committee's choice, saying, "The Storm in the Barn has all the ingredients of great fiction–astute characterization, evocative atmosphere, a compelling story, a theme rewarding consideration–and gives us a unique vision of the Dirty Thirties." Read Matt's interview with the Horn Book about Storm.

Question: You have been the illustrator for a variety of children's books, from picture books to middle-grade novels. What made you want to wear the author's hat, too? And why?

Matt Phelan: It was really just that I got the idea for The Storm in the Barn. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the story and writing it myself seemed like the only way to get it done. I had what Orson Welles' called the "confidence of ignorance." I didn't know what would be involved in writing a graphic novel, so I just plunged ahead.

Q: Like your second graphic novel, Around the World, Bluffton looks at the life of a remarkable trail-blazer. What made you choose to explore Buster Keaton's life? Was it hard to find ways to make his experiences relate to today's kids?

MP: I've been a lifelong fan of Buster Keaton. I think he was a true artist. When I read about his summers spent in Bluffton in his autobiography, I realized it would be a great way to get to the heart of Buster. I think the idea of a child star, which he certainly was, is something today's kids can relate to. If you met a kid who could flip in the air backwards and land on his feet, you would find that pretty cool.

Q: Many graphic novels have a comic-book feel, but your illustrations are done in a softer style that creates a sense of nostalgia. Can you talk about your creative process and how you use your art to set the tone and help tell the story?

MP: I came to graphic novels from picture books where I was using watercolors, pastels, whatever was needed for the particular book. I applied that approach to comics. Personally, I find that by using paint as opposed to digital, I can get closer to the mood I'm trying to achieve. I experimented with digital for The Storm in the Barn, but quickly discovered that I could get a better dusty effect with watercolor.

Q: From first lightbulb of an idea to finished manuscript, how long does it take for you to produce a book? And are you generally working on other illustration projects at the same time?

MP: Well,  the lightbulb seems to be one of those long-lasting, environmentally friendly bulbs because my ideas tend to spend several years just slowly stewing. The idea for Storm first came to me in 2003, six years before it came out. The germ of the idea for Bluffton is nearly 20 years old. Once it really clicks and I figure out the story, the process of writing, sketching, and painting the book takes about two years. With the exception of Bluffton (for the most part), I'm usually also working on other books at the same time. I don't necessarily recommend this.

Q: Graphic novels are incredibly popular with young readers. My own boys devour them like candy. But your books tend to carry more heft and vitamins than the typical graphic novel. What do you hope to accomplish with your books?

MP: I see graphic novels as a wonderful medium for telling stories. You can tell any kind of story you want: silly stories, superhero stories, historical fiction, whatever. I'm interested in seeing if I can achieve the "heft" of a prose novel in a graphic novel. I like stories with a bit of emotional resonance.