The Weight of the Window Banners: Anchoring Grief in Middle-Grade Fiction by Todd Burleson

The Weight of the Window Banners: Writing Grief and the WWII Home Front

Hello, GROG readers! Todd here.

I’ve been thinking lately about what it means to truly “hold one’s breath” on the page.

When we write historical fiction, especially about an era like the American home front during World War II, it is tempting to fill our early drafts with the big movements. We tend to focus on the troop deployments, the battles, and the busy smoke of factories. But I have come to believe that the most accurate map of 1944 was not found in the war room. It was found in the windows of ordinary homes.

Hanging there were small, simple banners. A Blue Star meant a family member was actively serving. A Gold Star meant they were not coming home. As writers, we know these are not just historical props or set dressing. They are the silent beacons by which a community, and our characters, navigate their own vulnerability.

Finding the Compass in the Story

In drafting my middle-grade novel, The Secret War, I found myself deeply drawn to twelve-year-old Billy. For him, the Blue Star in his window is a compass. He is desperate to be a “good soldier” for his brother, Mike, who is fighting in the Pacific. It is this very desire to serve, to stay “on course,” that makes him so vulnerable to the shadows of the era.

But in Chapter 18, the flight path changes. A yellow Western Union telegram arrives. The Blue Star turns to Gold.

I know that including the death of a sibling in a book for young readers is a heavy choice. But over my decades in the classroom and the school library, I learned something vital. Children do not need us to sanitize the world. They need us to help them breathe through it.

Trusting Our Young Readers

History is not just a series of dates. It is the quiet, terrifying courage of ordinary people. By trusting our young readers to sit with the complexity of that Gold Star, we are not just teaching them about 1944. We are using our stories to teach them the most profound human skill. We are teaching them the ability to bear witness with kindness.

Anchoring Grief in the Tangible

This brings me back to those window banners and why physical objects are so crucial in our craft. Death is a massive, abstract concept. For a young reader, comprehending the permanence of loss can be completely overwhelming. But an object, a Gold Star in a window, a faded photograph, an empty chair at the dinner table, or a pocket watch that no longer ticks, gives that grief a physical form.

It gives the character something tangible to hold, to hide, or to finally let go of. When we anchor the heavy reality of death to a specific object, we give our readers a safe container for their empathy. The grief becomes something they can see and understand without being completely consumed by it.

I would love to hear from you all. How do you approach the heavy topics in your own writing? What physical objects have you used in your manuscripts to help ground your characters when they are facing a profound loss? Let's discuss it in the comments!

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A quick note: If you are looking for a wholesome, screen-free summer read that introduces ten to thirteen-year-olds to incredible real-world history, The Secret War is out now in all formats! You can find it on Amazon, and I have also put together a free Educator’s Resource Kit with a 1940s Student Field Notes workbook over at toddburlesonwonders.com.

Beyond the Book: Why I Built a 20-Day Pacing Guide (And Why You Should Too) by Todd Burleson

As creators of children's literature, we spend years obsessing over our characters, researching our settings, and polishing our prose. But getting a book into a classroom requires more than just a compelling story. It requires saving a teacher's time.

In my 34 years as a teacher/librarian, I have learned that the most precious, scarce, and fiercely guarded resource in any school building isn't funding or technology. It is time. Teachers pour their hearts out for their students every single day, often at the expense of their own evenings and weekends. When an educator finds a beautiful, complex novel they want to share with their students, the joy of discovery is frequently followed by a quiet, exhausting realization: Now I have to build the unit. They have to spend hours aligning standards, writing discussion questions, and building cross-curricular connections from scratch.

When I set out to launch my middle-grade historical fiction novel, The Secret War, I didn't just want to release a book. I wanted to build an entire experience. To help educators teach it, I wanted to give them the exact tool I always wished someone would hand me: a fully integrated, zero-prep roadmap.

That is why I created a comprehensive Teacher Companion built around a 20-Day Pacing Guide.

My pedagogical philosophy leans away from rote memorization and toward deep, empathetic inquiry. I explicitly designed the guide for "Discussion Over Assessment". Students don't need more multiple-choice tests checking for plot retention; they need pathways to sit with the complexity of history. The pacing guide treats each section of the novel as a distinct unit of meaning, structured to easily fit a four-week novel study.

The entire guide is modular. Educators can mix and match daily "Bell Ringer" prompts, character lens dossiers, and interdisciplinary STEM activities to fit the specific needs of their kids.

For authors, creating these resources isn't just about marketing. Teaching is an act of profound hope. By providing these tools, my goal is to give educators back their Sunday afternoons, allowing them to focus entirely on guiding their students through the shadows of history.

To my fellow children's literature writers: How are you supporting the gatekeepers of your stories? When you release a book into the world, consider what tools you can provide to make an educator's life a little easier.

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The Secret War officially launches on April 1st. If you visit my author website, toddburlesonwonders.com, you'll see I’ve intentionally built the landing page for the book to be an immersive "experience" for prospective readers (I'll share a post diving into exactly how I built that digital experience later!). There, you can also download the free Educator's Guide, which includes the 20-Day Pacing Guide and the Student Field Notes workbook, and explore more of the history behind the story.

Alex Thayer's debut, "Happy & Sad & Everything True" ~Christy Mihaly

Alex Thayer

Last month at the inaugural New England SCBWI Acadia Retreat, I had the great pleasure of meeting Alex Thayer. She is delightful and talented, and, if you haven't heard Alex's name yet, I predict you soon will. That's because her new novel is sure to make a splash. 

Happy & Sad & Everything True (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, Nov. 12, 2024) involves middle grade issues of family, new friends and old ones, true friends and fake ones. The protagonist, Dee, is devastated when she and her best friend Juniper are assigned to separate classes for sixth grade, and she is lonely and increasingly confused about Juniper's odd new behavior. She's also embarrassed about her eccentric single mother and has questions about why her dad left. 

Dee starts hiding in the girls' restroom each day to avoid the dreaded "Snack & Stretch." She discovers that a grate in the wall communicates with the boy's restroom, and before long she is dispensing advice and support through the grate to students with all kinds of worries. Word of Dee's good counsel spreads and more students approach her for advice. Dee enjoys listening and helping people, but meanwhile, her attempts to make a new friend seem to result only in more embarrassment. 

Hurtful discoveries, academic failures, mysterious secret notes, and unexpected treachery all come to a head in a satisfying series of resolutions. Dee realizes her own strengths and gains pride in being herself. I devoured this book (in ARC form) straight through in a day and a half, and Dee and the other characters have taken up residence in my brain. Nicely done, Alex! This is a beautifully engaging novel. I highly recommend it. 

Below, Alex answers some questions I had about her book and her writing (and other) life. So read on!  

GROG: When you began writing, did you know you wanted to write for the middle school crew?

Alex: I love the middle school crew. It’s a time when so many things might be changing. Schools, teachers, friendships, families, bodies, ideas, beliefs… The list of possibly changing things is endless. Which makes it an interesting age to write about.

Alex and friends at the Acadia Retreat last month

GROG: Exactly! An age group that presents rich dramatic possibilities, right? And speaking of drama, your first career was acting, for TV and movies. I happen to know you have some juicy stories from those days. Does that dramatic background affect your writing?

 

Alex: Great question! Absolutely! There’s something in acting called “Method Acting” when an actor stays in character on set. Even when the camera is not rolling, the actor doesn’t break character. I think I might do this as a writer. “Method Writing,” if you will! Sometimes I’ll dress up like my character to get myself going. Sometimes I’ll bake something that my character would love to eat. Sometimes I’ll write in my journal as if my character were writing in her journal. Sometimes I’ll pretend I’m on stage and I’ll speak as if my character’s giving a monologue to the audience. I think the element of play is very important in writing. Play takes the pressure off! Acting is a great way to play around as a writer.

GROG: I love that! Method writing! It seems to have worked for you. Dee comes across as genuine and real.

I'm wondering about the delightfully original premise of Happy & Sad & Everything True. Where did you get the initial idea?

 

Alex: Thank you! I’m glad you like the premise. I wish I could say it was my great idea, but really, the premise came from my main character, Dee. I thought about Dee for a long time before I started writing this book. I knew what she looked like, her personality, what people in her life would say about her. I also knew the things she would never tell anyone. I knew Dee very well, but I felt overwhelmed about writing a whole book. So, I started small. I put Dee in a place, a bathroom, and I listened. I realized other kids come into the bathroom and speak to Dee. I knew Dee would want to help them. Voila! My premise was born.

GROG: Beautiful -- I guess this is how your "method writing" works.

I also love how in the book you gradually reveal the depth of the relationship between Dee and her mother, with Dee's impatience/annoyance/embarrassment gradually giving way to understanding and appreciation of their mutual love. Was that always a main focus of the book?

 

Alex: The mom character really surprised me. When I first started writing this book, I thought the mom was humorous and quirky. But, as the novel moved along, I realized the mom cared deeply about her daughter. I think Dee realized this, too. The arc that Dee and her mom were able to make together was very satisfying to write.

GROG: Which character in Happy & Sad is most like you?

 

Alex reading at her launch,
shortly after publication

Alex: I think all the characters have little pieces of me in them. That said, Dee is probably the most like me. Like Dee, I make lists in my head. Like Dee, I like to help people. Like Dee, I feel insecure sometimes. Like Dee, I love my cat.

GROG: Wonderful! One last question for today:

What did you do on your book’s birthday?

 

Alex: I woke up early and I wrote in my journal. (I do this every morning.) I took my kids to school. I came home and made myself a big bowl of Hot Brown Rice Cereal and topped it with milk and berries. Delightful!

Congratulations and thanks again, Alex, and very best wishes with your beautiful new book.

~Christy

Alex Thayer is a former film and television actress and elementary school teacher. She lives in New England with her two sons. Happy & Sad & Everything True is her debut novel.

Jo Watson Hackl: An MG Debut Chat and How to Create a Theme for Your Book by Kathy Halsey

Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe Book Review

I met Jo Watson Hackl this past summer at Ohio's first Nerd Camp where she presented sessions for teachers, librarians, and other writers. I was so impressed with Jo's extensive presence online and her educational materials for Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, I had to purchase it.

As a former middle school teacher and K-12 librarian, I knew students in this age group, as well as educators, would inhale this book as fast as I did. Jo's main character Cricket is plucky, resourceful, and easy to root for as she survives in the woods alone, searches for her mother who has abandoned her, and sleuths out clues to find her mother who deals with mental illness.

Jo deftly weaves together a page-turner that is part mystery, part history, and part adventure. The timeless themes of family issues, being different, yet wanting to fit in; being independent, yet needing security and a home will resonate with many audiences. Educators and librarians can easily use Jo's deep resources as a well to plan outdoor activities focused on nature and grit. This debut novel is a must-read.

Craft Chat

Kathy: Congrats on your debut middle grade. You indicate on your website that it took years to write. How did the book evolve over time? Do you know how many revisions you went through? What came easy? What took the most work?

 

Jo: Thank you, Kathy.  I’m delighted to be part of your outstanding blog.

Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe took over ten years to write and revise. The story changed over time as I centered in on the core emotional journey of Cricket, Smack Dab’s main character. This journey includes her evolving understanding of herself and her changing relationships with the people and creatures (including an adopted pet cricket named Charlene and a poetry-loving dog named Percy) in her .life. Smack Dab is a work of fiction, but it reflects real-life emotions.  I went through dozens of revisions, always with the goal of allowing myself to be vulnerable on the page and to write and revise the scenes I was most afraid to write. I kept working until each part felt true.

 

I grew up surrounded by the woods of a real-life ghost town, so the relationship to the setting came very easy for me. I wanted to make the setting feel so real to readers that, when they open the pages of Smack Dab, they immediately feel transported into Cricket’s world. I wanted for the setting to function almost as a character in itself. I also wanted to create a clue trail that readers could solve alongside Cricket. If you ever want to have fun as a writer, I highly recommend putting together a clue trail.  It gives you a compelling reason to explore your curiosity and to gather intriguing facts and interesting details and try to make them even more interesting for readers.  A clue trail not only provides Cricket with a quest, but the journey helps her grow as a character and changes her by the end of the novel. My research led me down hundreds of rabbit holes until I found the right combination of clues. I also tried to make each clue have an emotional meaning for Cricket, and it took plenty of revisions to fit them together in a way designed to create a satisfying reader experience.

Yes Electric Mills, the setting, is based on a real lumber town.

Kathy: I love the topics and themes you worked into Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe – family issues, nature, mental illness, art history. Did you arrive at these issues/themes ahead of time or did they reveal themselves organically?

 

Jo: Thanks Kathy. These issues came to me very organically. I’ve always had a close relationship with nature and wanted to set the novel mostly outdoors. To make the outdoor scenes realistic, I studied extensively on outdoor self-reliance, and learned how to live off the land, make shelter, find food, and create a fire from scratch. You can read about one unusual way of making fire, called “fire out of water,” in Smack Dab.

My favorite artist is Walter Inglis Anderson, and his hidden room provided inspiration for the elusive Bird Room in the story and the personal narrative of the fictional artist in the story tied in nicely with that of Cricket’s mother. Mental health is an issue with which more and more young readers and their families are struggling, and I wanted to write a story that spoke to that issue. When I was a young person learning about the world, perhaps my greatest discovery was how people are amazingly complex, and that no person is just one thing or the other. I wanted to create a story that invites readers to lean into a more nuanced understanding of the world.

Kathy: Your main character Cricket is relatable and intriguing. How can writers create characters worth rooting for and that readers can identify with?

 

Jo: Great question. For me, the key to any strong relationship is to allow yourself to be open. Cricket isn’t afraid to admit when she’s scared, or worried, or uncertain, and I think that readers can relate to those feelings. It also doesn’t hurt that, early in the book, she risks the wrath of her aunt to save a real-life cricket, whom she promptly names Charlene. I also tried to make every character three-dimensional (even Charlene and a poetry-loving dog named Percy), with positive and negative qualities, conflicting emotions, and plenty of quirks.

Jo and "Pupper," the inspiration for Percy, the poetry-loving dog.

Kathy: Tell us a bit about your online resource Outdoorosity - its genesis, connection to the novel, and your personal life.

Jo: More and more research provides evidence of the mental and physical health benefits of spending time outdoors and I wanted to highlight this and to provide practical, easy ways for readers to reap those benefits.  This inspired me to found https://Outdoorosity.org years ago as a free resource with inspiration and information about getting outdoors. We post bucket lists each season with fun things to do outdoors. We publish articles about outdoor activities, plants, and animals. We also provide original outdoor photography. I’m currently in the beginning stages of a study that introduces low-cost natural elements to the standardized test setting with the goal of increasing student performance on standardized tests. Interested educators can sign up for more information at https://forms.gle/BhPUpKh4xdZmgViq9 . In my own life, I engage with nature every day. I spend as much time outdoors as possible and, six days a week, post photos from nature on social media. My writing office overlooks a view of the woods, and, whenever I feel stuck, a walk outdoors reenergizes me and boosts my creativity. 

Jo and friends at the Earthskills class hiking

Kathy: You have a cohesive, identifiable online presence. What tips do you recommend writers take to stand out, create an authentic brand?

Jo: I’m so glad that you included the word “authentic,” Kathy. To me, that really is key.  I advise writers to find something that they are passionate about and want to share with others, and then build posts around that theme.  To me, it’s time outdoors and nature. Early in the pandemic, I was holed up at home and the world as I knew it felt like it was coming unraveled.  I wanted to find a way to put a bit of positivity out into the world. Photographs of nature were an easy way for me to do that.

Battle of the Books from Kathy's School Library

Kathy: I'd love for you to tell us about your support of Battle of the Books.

Jo: I was very fortunate to have Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe  named to the Battle of the Books list for North Caroline (twice!). I am a first-generation college graduate and wanted to give back to readers and encourage a love of reading. I offer free question and answer sessions to team members from any state where Smack Dab is on the list. I’ve loved my time visiting with the teams, helping them prepare for their upcoming events, and encouraging them in their own reading and writing endeavors.

Kathy: What are you working on now?

Jo: I'm working on another outdoor adventure, art mystery, clue trail story similar to Smack Dab in these elements, and, like Smack Dab, is a coming of age novel. This story features two young chefs who are cousins from feuding sides of the family. They have to work together to survive the woods, solve the clue trail, and not kill each other in the process. I'm having lots of fun.

Jo Watson Hackl is the author of the bestselling novel, SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF MAYBE (Random House Children’s Books), which won the Southern Book Prize and is an Amazon Teacher's Pick. The book is set almost entirely outdoors and includes curriculum tie-ins to art, history, geography, literature, mathematics, and science.

Jo also is the Founder of https://Outdoorosity.org, a free resource for inspiration and information about nature. Jo loves to do school visits and has presented to over 23,000 students, educators, and other professionals. She donates her honorarium to buy books for children selected by the host organization. 

Working with a team of experienced educators, she has developed a bounty of free resources for educators and other readers including outdoor adventures, a "Building Grit Kit," a "Writing and Revision Toolkit," and a "Book Club Kit."

These can be found here:

Website: https://JoHackl.com

Facebook:  Jo Watson Hackl

Twitter: @JoHackl

Instagram:  @JoHackl.

You can contact Jo through her website https://JoHackl.com if you'd like to apply to take part in a mentored implementation of the “Building Grit Kit” or a study implementing nature-based interventions with a goal of improving student performance on standardized tests.