Karah Sutton is the author of A Wolf for a Spell, a middle-grade fantasy novel inspired by Russian fairy tales. We loved it for its complex characters, layered plot, and exquisite atmosphere. We were thrilled to interview her for this week's feature! Rapunzel Reads: Who is your favorite character in A Wolf for a Spell, and why? Karah Sutton: I am especially fond of Veter, the lone wolf. I love how expressive he is. How he's always optimistic even though he has experienced so much pain. He was a lot of fun to write. RR: What books inspired you when you were growing up? KS: Growing up I was an especially big fan of Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede, and The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce. Even though I'm now an adult I still read a lot of books for young readers and I'm grateful to have found books that I didn't read growing up such as Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones and The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, both of which were major sources of inspiration for A Wolf for a Spell! RR: The world of A Wolf for a Spell clearly echoes folklore, but also adds its own elements, with Zima’s forest feeling | Author photo credit: Tabitha Arthur Photography |
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Interview by Piranha T. and Super Kitty Jasmine Warga is the author of three acclaimed novels, as well as the upcoming novel The Shape of Thunder. Other Words for Home (one of our favorites from 2020), which centers around Jude’s journey to finding a new home in an unfamiliar country, is the recipient of many starred reviews and awards, including the John Newbery Honor. We were thrilled to interview her for this month’s post! RapunzelReads: Other Words for Home is written in (gorgeous!) free verse—what made you choose that style of writing? Jasmine Warga: Thank you! Initially, the book was written in prose, but I didn't feel like Jude's voice felt right. Verse helped me to capture the immediacy and rawness that I wanted her narration to have. RR: Jude is both inspiring and deeply relatable—what inspired her character? JW: She is loosely based upon my own cousin who is also named Jude! I borrowed my cousin's love of American movies, specifically, and her large heart. That said, Jude is an entirely fictional character, and I built her the way I build all my characters--through lots of brainstorming and daydreaming. RR: Who is your favorite character in Other Words for Home, and why? |
Book Reviews By & For TeensEveryone knows that Rapunzel spent her early years locked up in a tower. We like to think she read plenty of books to while away the time, and that she’d appreciate our favorites. Follow us on Instagram!Follow us for book reviews and recommendations, including whenever we post a review! Follow us on Goodreads!Follow our profile here to stay up-to-date on what we're reading!
Young Adult Reviews!We're now featuring reviews for YA (ages 12+) books alongside our middle-grade reviews on our main page! (If you're not sure if a book is young adult, check the age range--if it's 12, 13, or 14+, it's YA.) Categories
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