What is Kathryn Erskine reading?

Featured at Writers Read: Kathryn Erskine, author of The Incredible Magic of Being.

Her entry begins:

Salt to the Sea, Ruta Sepetys

This is a masterpiece of a book about a little-known event near the end of World War Two. Refugees fleeing Soviet troops head to the sea, overcrowding the ships supposedly carrying them to safety. Apart from the incredibly well-researched history and storytelling, it’s worth reading simply to examine how Sepetys generates such strong characters and empathy for them (or perhaps, in the case of the Nazi youth, loathing) with such sparse language. It’s an...[read on]

About The Incredible Magic of Being, from the publisher:

A contemporary story about Julian's "uni-sense," his love of science and comets, and his mystical ways of seeing the world as he faces questions about what makes him special. Some might say Julian is sheltered. His sister Pookie certainly would. But he lives large, and his eternal optimism allows him to see infinite possibilities wherever he looks. He has to think positively since he believes he might only be on this earth for a few more years. As his family moves from Washington, DC to Maine, Julian feels the weight of the transition. His once strong "uni-sense" with his sister isn't working anymore, but if he can do something truly incredible, like discover a comet that he can name for himself, he'll be able to unite his family even after he's gone. As Julian searches the night sky, he discovers his neighbor, Mr. X, who on one hand can put an end to his parents' dream of opening their B&B by opposing the addition their house required, and on the other hand needs healing of his own. As an avid student of science, Julian understands that there is so much about the universe that we don't yet know. Who is to say what's possible and what's not?

Learn more about the book and author at Kathryn Erskine's website.

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The Page 69 Test: The Incredible Magic of Being.

Writers Read: Kathryn Erskine.

--Marshal Zeringue