Today, I’m excited to share a Q&A with the author of more than 50 books for young readers, and most particularly, the author of My Name is Hamburger, which I reviewed yesterday. Jacqueline Jules shares some of the inspiration behind favorite characters, why she chose to write Trudie Hamburger’s story in verse, and more.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Trudie Hamburger? What inspired you to create her?
Trudie is a version of myself at her age. My Name is Hamburger was inspired by my own childhood in a small southern town as a Jewish minority. Writing this book gave me the opportunity to recall both pleasant and not-so-pleasant memories of growing up.
Q: Who is your favorite character in the story? Were there things about your favorite character which couldn’t be included in the novel?
My favorite character in My Name is Hamburger is Daddy. This character was modeled after my own father who was a German speaking Jewish immigrant. Like Daddy in My Name is Hamburger, my father loved flowers and enjoyed visiting the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC. A big difference between Trudie’s father and my own is his profession. My father worked in a winery. He wore a tan uniform to work and came home each night smelling of fermented grapes. However, I felt a father who worked in a winery would be distracting in my middle grade novel. So I chose to make Trudie’s father the owner of a print shop because ink also carries a distinctive smell.
Is there a scene or moment in your novel that really sticks with you? Can you tell us a little bit about it?
There is a place in the novel where Trudie realizes that she has made an unfair assumption. She blames the bully who has been tormenting her for something he did not do. When she learns the truth, she says “The news should make me feel better. No one tried to hurt me. It just happened.” Sometimes, we suffer difficult situations and loss. There is no one to blame. It is a reality everyone must face at some point in their lives.
My Name is Hamburger is set in Virginia in 1962. What made you choose that particular time and setting?
Since this novel was inspired by my childhood, I needed it to take place in an era and town similar to my own experiences. It was a challenge at times, to make sure the things I recalled took place in the year of the novel. For example, in the final editing stages, I had to take out a particular brand of bike which was popular after 1962. Historical fiction requires research, even if the era is personally familiar to the author.
What made you decide to write Trudie’s story in verse?
Poetry is and was my first love as a writer. I love the compression and imagery of poetry as well as the challenge of packing volumes of meaning into a few lines. I am the author of four books of poetry for adults and a collection for young people titled, Tag Your Dreams: Poems of Play and Persistence. My first drafts of Trudie’s story were written in prose. Her voice didn’t truly emerge until I began writing the story in verse.
What do you most hope that readers take away from My Name is Hamburger?
I hope this novel increases empathy and understanding. Jews make up only 0.2% of the world’s population. Many young readers may not have the experience of meeting a Jewish person outside of a book. While My Name is Hamburger is historical fiction, Trudie’s experiences with anti-Semitism and anti-immigrant sentiments are relevant today.
A former elementary school librarian, Jacqueline Jules is the author of over fifty books for young readers including My Name is Hamburger, which is a PJ Our Way selection. Her other books for young readers include The Porridge-Pot Goblin, Drop by Drop: A Story of Rabbi Akiva, Picnic at Camp Shalom, The Generous Fish, Feathers for Peacock, and Never Say a Mean Word Again. She is also the author of two chapter book series, Zapato Power and Sofia Martinez. Visit her online at www.jacquelinejules.com
Trudie Hamburger is the only Jewish kid living in the small southern town of Colburn in 1962. Nobody else at her school has a father who speaks with a German accent or a last name that means chopped meat. Trudie doesn’t want to be the girl who cries when Daniel Reynolds teases her. Or the girl who hides in the library to avoid singing Christian songs in music class. She doesn’t want to be different. But over the course of a few pivotal months, as Trudie confronts her fears and embraces what she loves–including things that make her different from her classmates–she finally finds a way to say her name with pride.
Trudie Hamburger is the only Jewish kid living in the small southern town of Colburn in 1962. Nobody else at her school has a father who speaks with a German accent or a last name that means chopped meat. Trudie doesn’t want to be the girl who cries when Daniel Reynolds teases her. Or the girl who hides in the library to avoid singing Christian songs in music class.
She doesn’t want to be different. But over the course of a few pivotal months, as Trudie confronts her fears and embraces what she loves–including things that make her different from her classmates–she finally finds a way to say her name with pride.
My Review
I recently read another historical novel in verse by this same publisher (not on purpose, just the way things worked out). It looks like they primarily publish picture books with a few middle grade titles. Another novel I read earlier this year, THE PRINCE OF STEEL PIER, is also by Kar-Ben Publishing.
I really enjoyed MY NAME IS HAMBURGER. Some historical events are hinted at but kept really within what a ten year-old would ask or understand, which I also really liked. I absolutely adored Trudie. She’s driven and smart, but she has such a big heart, too. I especially loved her friendship with Jack and the way that she began to think differently about the way kids spoke to her and treated her because she saw it from the outside. It also gave her courage to stand up not only for herself but someone else, too.
I felt like this book had really deep characters. Like, Trudie’s parents were both super different, and had obvious strengths and weaknesses. Each character was really well-developed. I’m always blown away by that in a novel-in-verse because there are so few words on the page. It’s amazing to me when authors deliver such rich characters in a story with so few words. It’s so cool.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading MY NAME IS HAMBURGER. I loved the small town and all the relationships between people. I loved Trudie’s strength and courage and her love for others. This is a great book for fans of Jacqueline Woodson or Tricia Springstubb.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Representation Trudie and her family are Jewish. Her dad came to America as a child to escape Nazi Germany. His family was not able to escape and did not survive. A new boy at school and his family are Korean Americans.
Profanity/Crude Language Content Kids in Trudie’s class make racist comments about her and about a Korean American boy who joins her class. They comment on her facial features, belittle her intelligence, or say she’s only smart because she’s Jewish. She’s excluded from a school music class because she objects to Christian songs, and the principal felt it wasn’t fair for them to change the program for one student. There are no slurs spoken or written in the text.
Romance/Sexual Content None.
Spiritual Content Trudie looks forward to Shabbos with her family and especially the prayers with her dad. She attends a synagogue and enjoys services there.
Violent Content Other kids make racist comments or bully Trudie for being Jewish. A boy kicks her ankle as she walks past and makes cruel comments. A man is injured in a fall.
Drug Content None.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of MY NAME IS HAMBURGER in exchange for my honest review.
About 37 Days at Sea: Aboard the M.S. St. Louis, 1939
In May 1939, nearly one thousand German-Jewish passengers boarded the M.S. St. Louis luxury liner bound for Cuba. They hoped to escape the dangers of Nazi Germany and find safety in Cuba. In this novel in verse, twelve-year-old Ruthie Arons is one of the refugees, traveling with her parents.
Ruthie misses her grandmother, who had to stay behind in Breslau, and worries when her father keeps asking for his stomach pills. But when the ship is not allowed to dock in Havana as planned―and when she and her friend Wolfie discover a Nazi on board―Ruthie must take action. In the face of hopelessness, she and her fellow passengers refuse to give up on the chance for a new life.
My Review
I think I expected this story to be more focused on the fact that Ruthie and Wolfie discover a Nazi on board and figuring out how to get him removed or something. I didn’t feel like that was really a focus for the story, though. It was certainly a cause of tension, though.
The thing that sticks with me most about 37 DAYS AT SEA is the moment when the captain learns they will not be able to dock in Havana as they’d been told before. Wolfie’s dad is on shore in Cuba, waiting for him. His mother, who is on board the ship with Ruthie and Wolfie, becomes so distraught that she can’t get out of bed or stop crying. (This is one of the most intense scenes in the book.)
I think the author does a great job presenting truths about Ruthie’s situation and the events of the time while tempering them for a young audience. Because we stay within Ruthie’s point-of-view, we are a little bit shielded from some of the harsher realities.
On the whole, though, I loved that this book brings us a well-researched novel in verse about real events. I don’t know if there are other books for children on the M.S. St. Louis and her passengers, but I loved getting to read this one.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Representation Ruthie and most other characters are Jewish refugees.
Profanity/Crude Language Content None.
Romance/Sexual Content None.
Spiritual Content Some reference to honoring religious practices.
Violent Content Ruthie remembers the Night of Broken Glass, in which her home was ransacked. She remembers other threats against Jewish people, including the threat to send them all to concentration camps if they return to Germany.
Drug Content None.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.
Here we are, at the end of another year. A lot has happened this year, and more than ever, I’ve found myself grateful for the opportunity to read and talk about so many great books. In my 2022 Reading Wrap-Up post, I’ll focus on some overall stats and list a few favorite books I read this year.
I discovered that I enjoy finding out reading stats of other bookish people and reviewers. Mara at Books Like Whoa on YouTube is probably my favorite for this. I love the way she breaks down and shares her reading stats. I’d like to work reading stats into my wrap-up posts. Not an overwhelming amount, just a few key things.
With all that in mind, let me share some of the high notes from this past year, including a breakdown of what I read, what I loved best, and what my faithful readers love best. Here’s my 2022 Reading Wrap-Up.
205 Books Read
That’s a lot of books. In 2021, I read 139 books, obviously I read a lot more than that this year. In fact, that’s the highest amount I’ve read since I’ve been tracking my reading habits on Goodreads. I made a few changes to my reading habits that I think contributed to me reading more. Here are the big ones:
I read more e-books on my phone. Sometimes it was just a page or two at a time while I waited in a parking lot. Those minutes added up.
I read more than one book at a time. This is tricky for me, but I can do it successfully if I’m reading different genres and/or age groups in different formats. For example, a nonfiction audiobook, a paperback middle grade historical, and an ebook young adult fantasy. Usually I only read two books at a time.
I take more breaks from reading. This sounds counter-intuitive, but it has really worked for me. I’ve given myself a lot more permission this year to spend evenings in other ways besides reading. Sometimes I chat on the phone. Sometimes I watch TV or play a video game. I thought taking time away would leave me running way behind on reviews and super stressed, but I’ve found it to be the opposite. (Thanks due to THE GIFTS OF IMPERFECTION by Brené Brown.)
So I read 205 books. What kinds of books were they?
Breaking Down the Books By Age Range
Middle Grade: 67
Young Adult: 131
Other – mainly adult crossover or nonfiction: 7
2022 Reading Wrap-Up: My Favorites
Now, the good part: my favorites! Every time I read an amazing book, I try to decide if I think it’s the one that will top my list for the year. This year, I read my favorite young adult book really early. Despite lots of incredible books that came later in the year, this one remained my top favorite all year long. Other books were late arrivals to my reading list and immediately topped my list.
I’m including a favorite from middle grade, young adult, nonfiction, and backlist plus some other categories with standout books.
Favorite Middle Grade Book I Read in 2022
Ravenfall Kalyn Josephson Delacorte Press Published September 6, 2022
How I acquired the book: Review request from the author. ARC on NetGalley.
This book took me completely by surprise in all the best ways. I loved the sentient hotel. The cat-who-is-not-a-cat. The unpredictable magic. And the friendship between Annabella and Colin. It’s perfect and amazing, and I can’t wait to read more by Kalyn Josephson– I’ve already purchased her YA duology. Super excited about that!
Favorite Young Adult Book I Read in 2022
The Bone Spindle Leslie Veddar Razorbill Published January 11, 2022
How I acquired the book: ARC on NetGalley (I purchased a finished copy later.)
THE BONE SPINDLE is also one of my favorite books of 2022. It’s a gender-flipped retelling of Sleeping Beauty, and I’m so hooked on the story and characters. You’ve got Fi, the treasure hunter who accidentally forged a magical connection with a sleeping prince; Shane, the mercenary who carries a battle axe– don’t mess with her! And Briar Rose, the prince under a sleeping curse who hopes his magic combined with Fi’s wits can break the curse that’s kept him asleep for one hundred years. I cannot wait for the sequel, THE SEVERED THREAD, which comes out in February 2023.
Favorite Nonfiction Title I Read in 2022
Pirate Queens Leigh Lewis Illustrated by Sara Gomez Woolley National Geographic Kids Published January 11, 2022
How I acquired the book: received a finished copy from the publisher.
I kept seeing this book all over Twitter, so I was super excited when a publicist offered me a review copy. Before reading this book, I had NO IDEA there were so many powerful pirate ladies. I loved the exploration of history surrounding each pirate leader and the context which allowed me to compare what they’d done to other pirate leaders of their time (or any time). Another great thing about the book is that it doesn’t glorify the pirate life. Many times the book calls attention to how these pirate fleets treated others and the harm they did.
Favorite Backlist Title I Read in 2022
Cattywampus Ash Van Otterloo Scholastic Press Published August 4, 2020 (PB February 1, 2022)
How I acquired the book: pre-ordered the paperback version.
CATTYWAMPUS was another book that I felt like I saw everywhere when it came out in 2021, but I hadn’t had a chance to read it until this year. I picked up a paperback copy in one of Barnes & Noble’s pre-order sales, and loved every single page. It’s a wild, fun story packed with magic, mayhem, and heart. A total must-read.
Favorite Novel in Verse I Read in 2022
The Ghosts of Rose Hill R. M. Romero Peachtree Teen Published May 10, 2022
How I acquired the book: received a finished copy from publisher.
THE GHOSTS OF ROSE HILL is a novel in verse about a biracial girl (Latine and Jewish) who meets a ghost boy in a graveyard in Prague. She vows to break the curse that holds him, though doing so may mean losing him forever. It’s haunting, romantic, and unforgettable. I love the writing. In fact, there’s currently a quote from the book on my fridge.
Favorite Graphic Novel I Read in 2022
The Legend of Brightblade Ethan M. Aldridge Quill Tree Books Published March 1, 2022
How I acquired the book: purchased. Ethan Aldridge is an auto-buy author for me.
I’ve been a fan of Ethan Aldridge since I read THE CHANGELING KING, and this book only further cemented my admiration for his work. His worldbuilding is fantastic. I love the expressions on his characters’ faces. While this color palette is a lot different than his other work, I loved the way the colors worked in support of the story. Also, a band of bards fighting with magical music?! YES. As soon as I saw that premise, I knew I had to have this book. It’s so much fun.
Favorite Book Outside My Comfort Zone
It Looks Like Us Alison Ames Page Street Press Published September 13, 2022
I don’t usually read horror, but this one had me completely hooked. It’s set in Antarctica in a research station, so kind of a closed environment. An alien or infection begins infiltrating the group of teens doing a volunteer project there. They have to stop it in order to survive. I loved the relationships between the characters and the way those relationships were challenged by the thing infiltrating their group. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
2022 Reading Wrap-Up: Your Favorites
One of the most fascinating things about blogging this year has been watching my statistics and tracking what my readers are most interested in. Here is a sampling of some of the most interesting data.
Your Favorite Review
You’ve Reached Sam Dustin Thao Wednesday Books Published November 9, 2021
YOU’VE REACHED SAM is by far my most popular review with more than 6,500 views this year alone. I don’t quite know how that’s possible. It’s my top performing post almost every month, which is pretty wild. I enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t a favorite of mine, to be honest. I liked a lot of things about it, though, and I’m excited to see Dustin Thao’s next book. WHEN HARU WAS HERE is supposed to come out until December 2023.
Your Favorite List
26 Stories Inspired by Asian History, Folklore, or Mythology
Originally posted July 23, 2020
I’m a little bit embarrassed about this post? I wrote it before I learned of the controversy surrounding the filming of a live-action Disney movie, so my first version celebrated the movie coming out and offered a list of books by Asian authors, inspired by Asian history, folklore, or mythology to read while waiting for the movie’s release.
After learning more about the filming and some comments made by actors, I updated the post so that it focused on reading these books as perhaps an alternative to supporting the movie. I still think the original title is… weird? Awkward? It doesn’t quite say what the list truly is.
At any rate, it’s been a really popular post with more than 5K views since 2020, and about half of those from this year. I’ve started an updated list that includes more recent releases, but there are SO MANY BOOKS to include (yay!) that I haven’t finished it yet. Probably it’ll need to be a two-part list, too, with middle grade and young adult posted separately.
Most Discussed Post on The Story Sanctuary
Top Ten Tuesday My Summer Reading List
(of backlist book titles)
Since I posted my list of anticipated summer releases a few weeks before the Top Ten Tuesday meme topic, I made this list of backlist titles that I wanted to read. At 25 comments, it’s the post that had the most discussion on my blog. I loved that people stopped to comment. It’s always fun to talk books with visitors and to see which books people have read and what their feelings about them are.
Most Discussed Post on Twitter
Best Middle Grade Books I Read in 2021
Over 9K Twitter Impressions. 9 Comments. 8 Retweets. 41 Likes.
I’m not very engaged on social media these days. It’s so much just keeping up with my blog, reading, and making sure reviews get posted when they should be. So these stats probably aren’t very impressive to someone with a regular Twitter plan, but they kind of blew me away. I have Middle Grade Twitter (my favorite twitter!) to thank for the love on this post.
2022 Reading Wrap-Up: Overall Stats and Goals for the Year
This past year was the best my blog has ever had. I more than doubled my visits and page views over my totals for 2021 with about 202K page views and 131K visitors for the year.
One of my goals was to post seasonal reading lists, which I did pretty consistently. Sometimes I posted one list with both YA and MG titles, and sometimes I posted separate lists, depending on how many books there were between both categories. This summer, I began doing recap posts, tracking how many books I read from my anticipated list and which books turned out to be my favorite. I loved doing that, so I’m definitely planning to continue that.
I’ll talk about my goals for 2023 in a Top Ten Tuesday post after the New Year, so more on that in the other post!
What’s in your 2022 Reading Wrap-Up?
Let’s talk about your favorites. Favorite book you read this year? Favorite post you read or wrote for your own blog?
Or feel free to tell me about your favorite part of my 2022 Reading Wrap-Up, too! I’m very much still experimenting with my recap format, so I’d love to know what parts you find the most interesting or things you wanted to know that I didn’t share.
Best wishes to you all as we head into the new year. May your bookshelves be full of fantastic chapters yet to be read. May you find the right book at exactly the right time. And may your journey be filled with great friends, both on the page and in your life.
An affecting and resonant YA novel in verse that explores family, community, the changing ocean tides, and what it means to fall in love with someone who sees the world in a different way.
It’s been five years since a hurricane ravaged Eliza Marino’s life and home in her quiet town on the Jersey shore. Now a senior in high school, Eliza is passionate about fighting climate change-starting with saving Clam Cove Reserve, an area of marshland that is scheduled to be turned into buildable lots. Protecting the island helps Eliza deal with her lingering trauma from the storm, but she still can’t shake the fear that something will come along and wash out her life once again. When Eliza meets Milo Harris at a party, she tries to hate him. Milo is one of the rich tourists who flock to the island every summer. But after Eliza reluctantly agrees to give Milo surfing lessons, she can’t help falling for him. Still, Eliza’s not sure if she’s ready to risk letting an outsider into the life she’s rebuilt. Especially once she discovers that Milo is keeping a devastating secret. Told in stunning verse, DON’T CALL ME A HURRICANE is a love story for the people and places we come from, and a journey to preserve what we love most about home.
My Review
I think this is my favorite solo novel by Ellen Hagan. I loved the descriptions of Eliza out on the water, whether she was swimming or surfing. Those felt so much like my own experiences when I’m out on the water and feeling connected to nature and what’s happening around me.
Another great thing about DON’T CALL ME A HURRICANE is the scenes showing the meetings to raise awareness and protect the island’s marshland. It gave a visual to Eliza’s activism– though we see that in lots of other areas, too. She makes conscious decisions to buy clothes from thrift stores rather than purchase fast fashion items. She bikes all over the island. She and her siblings compete to see who can take the shortest showers to save water.
Those things might seem extreme to someone who isn’t experiencing the effects of climate change in their community. But as Eliza grapples with rising tides and new construction devastating natural habitats, her decisions, her proactiveness make so much sense. (Not that it should take direct experience to make a change…)
Eliza’s story isn’t simply the story of a girl fighting for climate justice. It’s also the story of a girl wrestling with trauma from surviving a violent hurricane, and a girl falling in love for the first time. Her emotional journey through the pages of the story gripped me. I loved each triumph and rooted for her through each heartbreak.
Representation Eliza’s family is Sicilian American. Her best friend Isa is Puerto Rican. Another friend is nonbinary.
Profanity/Crude Language Content None.
Romance/Sexual Content Kissing between boy and girl.
Spiritual Content Eliza practices meditation to help manage her anxiety.
Violent Content Eliza revisits memories of the hurricane that destroyed her home and nearly killed a family member.
Drug Content Eliza and her friends get drunk and vandalize a home that’s under construction.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of DON’T CALL ME A HURRICANE in exchange for my honest review.
For as long as they can remember, Aaron and Oliver have only ever had each other. In a small town with few queer teenagers, let alone young trans men, they’ve shared milestones like coming out as trans, buying the right binders–and falling for each other.
But just as their relationship has started to blossom, Aaron moves away. Feeling adrift, separated from the one person who understands them, they seek solace in digging deep into the annals of America’s past. When they discover the story of two Revolutionary War soldiers who they believe to have been trans man in love, they’re inspired to pay tribute to these soldiers by adopting their names–Aaron and Oliver. As they learn, they delve further into unwritten queer stories, and they discover the transformative power of reclaiming one’s place in history.
My Review
I was delighted to discover that A MILLION QUIET REVOLUTIONS is a novel in verse! Somehow I missed that when I agreed to review it, and as soon as I started reading the lines of poetry, I was immediately carried away by the story of these two boys.
I loved the connection between their present day lives and the things they read about Revolutionary War soldiers who may have been transgender. The story mentions reports of some women who dressed as men to fight and then continued to live as men after the war. There wasn’t language for those soldiers to describe themselves as transgender, and the author is clear to point out that we don’t know for sure what their intentions or reasons were. It made an interesting thing to think about and kind of pointed up the fact that being transgender, while the term may be relatively new, the identity isn’t.
The story flips back and forth between Aaron and Oliver’s points of view, relating things they experience and think about in sparse, emotive verse. Oliver’s parents are supportive of his identity, but Aaron’s parents are not. The journey through the experiences of both definitely communicated moments of pain and validation for each of them. I thought the relationships between characters, especially the boys and their families, felt real and layered.
On the whole, I very much enjoyed reading this book. I read the whole thing in one sitting because I really wanted to keep going all the way until the end of the story. I think readers who enjoyed JESS, CHUNK AND THE ROAD TRIP TO INFINITY or MUSIC FROM ANOTHER WORLD should check this one out, too.
Content Notes for A Million Quiet Revolutions
Recommended for Ages 14 up.
Representation Oliver is Jewish and Aaron is Puerto Rican. Both are transgender boys.
Profanity/Crude Language Content Extreme profanity used somewhat infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content– Trigger Warning for mentions of sexual assault. Kissing between boys. One scene references sexual touching and another shows some graphic sex.
Oliver and Aaron learn about another character who has been sexually assaulted and reports it to the police.
Spiritual Content References to Jewish celebrations and attending services. References to Catholic services and ceremonies.
Violent Content Some transphobic and homophobic comments.
Drug Content None.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of A MILLION QUIET REVOLUTIONS in exchange for my honest review.
