Book Characters, Understanding Other Cultures

Book Characters (3:35) In fiction, a successful character is one you can identify with. One you can believe in because he or she seems real. Good writers can pull this off. But how do they do it? The answer might lie in the matter of true empathy and compassion. Our first guest today – young adult author Martine Leavitt talks to Rachel about how she “lives” with her characters for a while to get to know them better. Martine is an award-winning author of books for young adults, with her most recent book being, Calvin. Other titles include: My Book of Life by Angel; Keturah and Lord Death; and Tom Finder. Writing for Young Adults (9:26) We’ll also hear from one of Leavitt’s students. Madeleine Dresden is a graduate student in English at BYU specializing in writing fiction. She recently took a class from Martine Leavitt and was given the assignment to write a young adult novel! Get ready to hear Madeleine’s account of that experience! Understanding Cultures (16:04) Here’s what’s next on Worlds Awaiting. Rachel welcomes author and educator, Margaret Blair Young, who is deeply committed to helping our children better understand their world in a more global way. She also shares experiences of living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guatemala. Young's published works include the novels House Without Walls; Salvador; and Heresies of Nature. She also co-authored a trilogy of historical novels about Black Mormon pioneers titled Standing on the Promises. Book Review (25:34) We finish up the show with a book review from Ann-Marie Marchant, Adult and Teen Services Librarian at the Provo City Library in Utah. Marchant introduces a young adult novel entitled Wanderlost by Jen Malone.