Laura Purdie Salas

Writing the World for Kids

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You are here: Home / Uncategorized / One Book I Love: Mare’s War

One Book I Love: Mare’s War

July 16, 2009 By Laura

     I’ve read several wonderful books recently, and my One Book I Love for today is Mare’s War (Knopf, 2009), by the fabulous Tanita Davis.

Two sisters, Octavia and Tali, are unwilling passengers on a road trip with their unconventional grandmother, Mare. Alternating (kind of) chapters intertwine the story of the road trip with Mare’s story of her life in the segregated South and in an African American battalion of the WAC during WWII.

I love the grandmother, who doesn’t take any guff from anybody, but who also isn’t the all-knowing, wise old woman. She’s human and, along with the rest of the family, makes her own mistakes. So do the two sisters, whose rocky relationship reminds me of my two daughters.

I did learn some history in the novel, but you can tell that’s not the point of it. This is no history lesson. It’s a real story of real people, and I learned as much about myself (as with any good novel) as I did about the characters or the period in history.

Yay, Tanita! I loved A La Carte (Knopf, 2008), and this novel is totally different but has the same essential heart and strength of that one.

Tagged With: novels, Tanita Davis

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February News

Making Mittens?

Maybe you've seen Bernie Sanders and his mittens? Well, they go right along with my exciting news that my 2021 picture book is called If You Want to Knit Some Mittens. Angela Matteson did the amazing, charming art, and the book's available for pre-order now!

Otherwise, I'm just hunkering down for heavy-duty writing time! Hope to have some fun news to share soon, once contracts are signed!

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Writer in Progress

Signed, personalized books?

You can get them easy peasy! Just order through Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul, MN! I'll zip by and sign it for you, and they'll send it on its way. Click on any book below to order.

Clover Kitty Goes to Kittygarten Secrets of the Loon Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle: How Animals Get Ready for Winter, by Laura Purdie Salas and Claudine Gévry (Millbrook Press)
In the Middle of the Night Snowman - Cold = Puddle If You Were the Moon
A Rock Can Be... - cover - hi-res Water Can Be...

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What I’ve Been Reading

What I've Been Reading

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Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Song
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