Carolyn Marsden

Starfields
During the 1990s, I was interested in the lives of the Mayans living in Chiapas during the time of the Zapatista revolt. When I revisted this interest, I came upon the more contemporary issue of the end of the Mayan calendar in 2012. STARFIELDS is told from the points of view of a nine-year-old Mayan girl in 2011, and that of a Mayan boy shaman in 600 AD. It will be released by Candlewick in fall of 2011.

Take Me With You
REVIEWS:

Booklist-- Top Ten Historical Novels of 2010

Parents' Choice Summer 2010 Books Award

Booklist-- STARRED REVIEW
Marsden, who has written about children in Asia and Africa, now goes somewhere different, both in time
and place: Italy after World War II. Pina and Susanna have lived at their Naples orphanage since they were
babies. Best friends, they tolerate the nuns, find pleasure where they can, and hope fervently that one day
they’ll be adopted into loving families. Pina, pretty and blond, should have been adopted long ago. She is
sure the nuns tell prospective parents she is bad. Susanna has her own challenge. She is the daughter of an
Italian woman and a black American sailor, a nero; no one looks like her. Then two very different parents
come into the girls’ lives. One appears, the other is found, and both satisfy the girls’ dreams in unexpected
ways. Marsden often puts crafts like sewing or crocheting into her stories, and in many respects she is like
a master craftsman, using words instead of stitches for her deceptively simple design. The embellishments
come in the sensory details of life in the orphanage, on the street, and with the particulars of religious life.
There is even a touch of mysticism when the orphans are taken to a mass conducted by the sainted Padre
Pio. Perhaps it is he who performs Pina’s miracle, but in any case, his well-known philosophic statement
beautifully sums up this book: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.”
— Ilene Cooper

Publishers' Weekly:
Take Me with You Carolyn Marsden. Candlewick, $14.99 (176p) ISBN 978-0-7636-3739-2
Marsden (The Gold-Threaded Dress) again deftly weaves a multicultural thread into her fiction. A decade after the end of WWII, best friends Susanna and Pina are being raised by nuns in a Naples home for girls who were abandoned as babies. Convinced that their parents must be dead since they haven't come for them, the girls long to be adopted, but prospective parents haven't selected either of them. Golden-haired Pina thinks her mischievous behavior is the problem, while Susanna believes her dark skin is to blame. Though each discovers she has a birth parent alive, the author realistically steers clear of a pat, feel-good resolution. After a letter arrives from her father, an American sailor who's on a tour of duty, Susanna plaintively wonders, “Why would a father not drop everything to hurry to his daughter?” Pina holds out hope when she learns that her mother lives nearby yet can't care for her and has withheld permission for her daughter to be adopted (“I belong to someone. Someday my mother will come”). It's a poignant novel, enriched by expressive writing and credible characters. Ages 10–up. (Mar.)

School Library Journal
MARSDEN, Carolyn. Take Me with You. 176p. glossary. Candlewick. Mar. 2010. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-3739-2. LC number unavailable.
Gr 5–8—In this post-World War II novel set in Italy, Susanna and Pina, both 11, have lived at a Catholic orphanage since they were infants. Although the girls consider themselves sorelle (sisters), they still long to be part of a family. Susanna, a mixed-race girl, is sure that high-spirited Pina will be adopted quickly because of her golden beauty, and she is keenly aware that she is unlikely to be chosen. Both girls are shocked to discover that each of them has a living parent. Susanna receives a letter from a black American sailor who suspects he's her father. There are hints that her mother was a prostitute. After a few awkward meetings, she begins to warm up to this earnest man who is determined to bring her up in the U.S. Pina discovers that her mother lives nearby and although she has never visited, she has not relinquished her parental rights. Pina makes a couple of desperate visits to her, but is repeatedly rebuffed. Her mother explains, "I was too young…only sixteen," and she is afraid to reveal her daughter's existence to her husband. After a series of heartrending encounters, she finally frees the girl for adoption. Marsden does an excellent job of creating an unsentimental picture of institutional life where affection from adults is rare, and luxuries even rarer. She unflinchingly presents painful experiences that some adoptees face, such as abandonment, racism, and rejection. Although the ending is ambiguous, it hints that both girls will join loving families. This compelling story will likely appeal to a broad audience.—Deborah Vose, Highlands Elementary School, Braintree, MA

The Gold-Threaded Dress (Candlewick 2002)
AWARDS:

A Booklist Top 10 Youth First Novel of 2002
Book Sense Spring 2007 Children’s Picks “great reading group suggestions”

on the following master lists:
Iowa Children's Choice (2005-2006)
Sunshine State Young Readers' Award (Florida, 2004/2005 Finalist)
Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award (2004-2005)
North Carolina Children's Book Award (2004-2005)
Prairie Pasque Award (North Carolina 2004-2005)
and was nominated for:
Minnesota Youth Reading Awards: the Maud Hart Lovelace Award
South Carolina Children's Book Award (2005)
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award (Vermont, 2003)
Rhode Island Children's Book Award (2004)
Alabama Emphasis on Reading (2003)

REVIEWS:
Booklist-starred review
“Marsden writes with keen observation and finesse about the social dynamics of the classroom and with simplicity reveals layers of emotion.”
The New York Times
“A fine novel for early independent readers that conveys a lot of information—about Thailand and about making friends—in a familiar kind of classroom story.”
Publishers Weekly—starred review
“Marsden hits the issues of this age group squarely and truthfully.”
Washington Parent
“Carolyn Marsden’s debut novel about the beauty of differences is sure to connect with young readers in our increasingly diverse country.”

Mama Had to Work on Christmas (Viking 2003)
Booklist
“This small chapter book with moving, realistic black-and-white illustrations does bring home the painful truth about class differences, a subject seldom addressed in children’s books.”

Publishers Weekly
“Marsden effectively portrays Gloria’s resentment of what she does not have and subsequent appreciation for her having family and all that she does have. Her tale will be an eye-opener for many youngsters.

School Library Journal
“This account of one girl’s Christmas could have been saccharine or preachy, but the tone is matter-of-fact and engaging, and Gloria is an appealing character.”

Silk Umbrellas (Candlewick 2004)
AWARDS:
a Booklist Top Ten Art Book for Youth

Texas Bluebonnet Nominee 2005

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Nominated for the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award 2005

REVIEWS:
New York Times
“Vivid details of village life as well as insights into the colors and techniques of silk painting…”

Publishers Weekly—starred review
“The author captures the exotic smells, tastes, and sounds that define Noi’s world and shapes an equally affecting portrait of a family coping with the changes thrust upon it.”

Booklist—starred review
“Marsden tells a story that is foreign in detail and texture but universal in appeal. The community’s weather, customs and beliefs are reflected in the observant Noi’s quiet narrative, but more fundamental is her love for each family member, her concern for their livelihood, and her longing to contribute to the family’s fortunes in her own way.”

Childrens Books
“The language is soft and clear as rainwater, a glimpse into a way of life little known to American children.”

Moon Runner (Candlewick 2005)
AWARDS:
2007-2008 Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Award nominee

On the Master List for the William Allen White Children's Book Awards

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Gate City Award Nominee

On the Maryland State List

Excerpt included in Houghton Mifflin Textbook

REVIEWS:
Book Links
Recommended sports novels

”Mina has never been into sports--that's her
friend Ruth's thing. So when Mina finds out she can run
and loves it, it takes her by surprise. Then she finds
herself choosing between Ruth and winning the 50
meter race when Coach pits them against each other."

Booklist
“Marsden offers a close look at the give-and-take of friendships, a sensitive portrayal of two young athletes and an ethical dilemma…With its combination of cozy and prickly elements, this chapter book makes for accessible and rewarding reading.”

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books:
“A simple, focused tale that packs a quiet punch.”

The Quail Club (Candlewick 2006)
The Chicago Tribune:
“…The intricacies of friendship,
even when we recognize the limits of the people we'd like to like
us, ring true here. This one will resonate with many grade-school
girls."

Booklist:
“Once again, Marsden sensitively portrays Oy’s feelings as she tries to find her way between her immigrant family’s customs and values and those of the children at school.”

School Library Journal
“A perennial topic is handled with poignancy and grace.”

The Jade Dragon (Candlewick 2006)
School Library Journal
“The push/pull between American and ethnic culture, a dilemma that many children of immigrants feel, is well illustrated in this novel. Ginny is a real little girl who doesn’t want to be different, but at the same time values her parents and their culture. A first-rate purchase.”

National Center for the Study of Children’s Literature
“With sensitivity, through portraying very genuine situations…Marsden and Loh give a needed voice to the Asian-American experience in this country. Add the enjoyable detail about Chinese holidays, banquets, clothes, and culture to make an important and memorable book."

Publishers Weekly
“…the story succeeds in conveying the conflicts in these girls’ lives and their resourcefulness in coping wit

When Heaven Fell (Candlewick 2007)
AWARDS:
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book

Selected for the 2008 list of Notable Books for a Global Society, awarded by the Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association

REVIEWS:
School Library Journal
Vietnamese and American cultural assumptions are woven seamlessly into the plot in this accessible and inviting story… the story of Binh and her family shines through the spare text, creating a welcome chance to experience another culture.
Publishers Weekly

“Marsden …once again mingles two cultures…Marsden brings her tale to a satisfying close.”

KIRKUS

“Marsden's simply written story of family and the legacy of war is full of subtle details about life in contemporary Vietnam, and Binh is an appealing young girl whose dreams will resonate with all young readers.”
Washington Post
“…this quiet gem of a novel… Marsden writes with a grave but sly wit that reflects her interest in Buddhism and a poet's acuity that leaves tiny epiphanies on every page: "morning dawned, a lime green blush above the hills"; a "voice like dried leaves underfoot"; the "green faces of the men" on American money.
Part of the appeal of When Heaven Fell is its feel for everyday life in a Vietnamese village: the dogs, cats and ducks underfoot, the bright fruits and vegetables, the rituals and the love of story”
Booklist
“An unusually accessible introduction to the culture of modern Vietnam.”

The San Francisco Chronicle
“With uncommon honesty, Marsden digs beneath the surface story of reunion to expose a hornet's nest of issues -- economic disparity, family expectations, culture clash, sexism and racism, in this case aimed at those of mixed heritage. Marsden also develops the idea of belonging.”

Bird Springs (Viking 2007)
AWARDS:
Selected by the Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street College of Education as one of the 2008 Best Books of the Year in the "Nine to Twelve: Growing Up" category

A selection for the 2010 California Collections for Elementary Schools


SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“Marsden packs a lot into a small package. The novel’s short length, engaging male protagonist, and theme of the tension between fitting in to a new group while remaining true to oneself all combine to make this an appealing selection for reluctant readers.”

BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS
” Marsden returns to her frequent topic of kids outside of the mainstream, and while Gregory's story is largely the familiar fish-out-of-water tale, it is presented here with eloquence and emotional strength. Gregory's development is believable as he comes to terms with his mixed feelings about his father, whom he misses desperately and yet remembers as an abusive figure. The imaginary-friend theme, atypical for a book at this age level, really works here, and the moment at which Gregory is able to let Joey go is a powerful one; that loss is counterbalanced by gain as Matt turns out to be not so much questionable as hardened by the circumstances in his own life, and the two boys come to count on each other. The ending is realistically hopeful rather than happy, a limitation that readers will understand even as they sympathize with Gregory's struggle to move forward.”
BOOKLIST
“Inspired by two students in Marsden's fourth-grade classroom, this spare, short novel is a heartfelt story of dislocation and hardship.”

THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD.
________________________________________
“The drought back home becomes something of a metaphor for all the "thirsty places" in a fatherless, homeless boy's heart, yet Marsden's crisp, down-to-earth tone keeps the saga of Gregory's gradual adjustment firmly this side of sentimental.”
Horn Book Magazine

”Bird Springs is a sensitive portrayal of a family on the edge -- an experience sure to be shared by many in its potential audience.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“Marsden packs a lot into a small package. The novel’s short length, engaging male protagonist, and theme of the tension between fitting in to a new group while remaining true to oneself all combine to make this an appealing selection for reluctant readers.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“Marsden's affecting novel centers on 11-year-old Gregory, an earnest Navajo boy who relocates with his mother and baby sister from the Bird Springs reservation to a Tucson motel. ..In the novel's final scene, at once wistful and hopeful, the boy decides it is time for a long-overdue haircut and, acknowledging that his father will not return, opts for only a trim in order to keep his hair long-like Dad's-as he spots auspicious rain clouds in the distance.”

The Buddha's Diamonds (Candlewick 2008)
AWARDS:
Southern California Independent Booksellers Association 2008 Finalist

Booklist Top Ten Religion Books of 2008

A Junior Library Guild Selection

REVIEWS:
School Library Journal
“Cultural references are beautifully integrated into this lovely coming-of-age story.”

Kirkus
“Tinh experiences the range of feelings of a boy no longer a child—shame, loss, joy, obedience, fear and the weight of fulfilling the role of a proper son to his ancestors and extended family.”

Publishers Weekly
“This novel is most rewarding for its graceful unfolding of differences…and the chance it affords to spend time in a community guided by Buddhist values.”

Booklist
“The authors’ detailed description of daily life give a strong sense of Tinh’s culture and what poverty means in the developing world, while Tinh’s poignant struggles to please his parents and use good judgment will feel familiar to many readers…unique title.”

Sahwira: An African Friendship (Candlewick 2009)
I wrote this book with my cousin, Philip Matzigkeit. Philip grew up on a Methodist mission in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. One day we decided to create this fictional story using details from Philip's life.

REVIEWS:

Booklist:
"The friendship drama will hold readers, along with the confusion, conflict, and betrayal within family, church, and community….The connections with the civil-rights struggles in the U.S. will also touch readers."

School Library Journal:
"Told with sympathy and authority, this is a worthy reminder of the history of a country that still struggles today."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books:
"What becomes evident as the story progresses...is that the issue is not entirely black and white, literally or figuratively; the book looks beyond race to examine questions about the meaning of being Christian, fear of Communism, family loyalty, and ethical choices... Marsden and Matzigkeit...deftly navigate the dynamic forces at play in the two boys' lives; both Evan and Blessing want to do what is right, but the right choice is not always the clear choice. The story crosses genres to bring in elements of historical fiction, intrigue, and mystery; at its heart, however, it is a tale of friendship in a volatile context, with all of its abundant confusion and complications. Offer this to readers who are drawn to strong narrative voice, or share it as a readaloud and discussion starter."

ALAN's PICKS:
"The novel is beautifully written and makes good and easy reading for historical understandings. It can also be used for literature, pleasure, and for teaching conflict resolution and friendship. Boys, as well as girls, will enjoy the book."