No Map, Great Trip

July 1, 2019
The Newbery medalist offers a combination memoir and guide for aspiring writers. As a young boy in 1962, Paul Fleischman, son of children's author Sid Fleischman, is introduced to a larger world of storytelling with his shortwave radio. Listening to broadcasts from around the world opens him up to cultures beyond white suburban Santa Monica. As part of his father's research for a book, the family purchases a printing press to be assembled at home, an experience that is an early influence on Paul's road to becoming an author himself. One of his first experiments as a writer is an outlandish, rogue newspaper he and his fellow classmates produce and distribute under the radar of high school administrators. High school is followed by a spell of wanderlust, including a short stint at UC Berkeley and a bike ride up the West Coast to Vancouver that capriciously lands him first in New England and ultimately in Albuquerque. Vignettes with writing advice, sometimes only tangentially connected to the adjoining chapters, appear sporadically and jar the narrative. Fleischman's story reads as a remarkably engaging memoir but less successfully as a writing tutorial. At times, cultural references may be lost on younger readers, such as roller derby, Shirley Temple, and Marxism, and they may wish for more context. Overall, a humorous, thoughtful demonstration that the path to writing isn't always a straight line. (Memoir. 11-13)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 29, 2019
In this combination memoir and writing handbook, Newbery Medalist Fleischman (Joyful Noise) writes with humor and frankness about growing up in Santa Monica, Calif., in the 1960s. With supportive parents who encouraged inventiveness and exploration, Fleischman developed both an insatiable curiosity and wanderlust at a young age. From building a shortwave radio at age 10, to creating his own satirical news pamphlet in high school, to traversing the country with little more than the clothes on his back, he details how early experiences provided inspiration for his characters and stories. His amusing anecdotes also lead nicely into the “Writing Know-How” tips he sprinkles throughout the book. Though his stories are easy to read and engaging, Fleischman’s advice for writers—asking questions, drawing from your own experiences, and keeping a notebook handy to jot down observations and thoughts—is fairly standard, and may even get lost amid the volume’s memoir components. Still, the book serves as an inspiring look at how an award-winning author eventually found his voice, and may prompt a budding young writer to find the courage to put pen to paper. Ages 8–12.

November 1, 2019

Gr 4-8-Newbery Award-winning author Fleischman uses moments in his life to explain his literary path and show how anyone can create stories. The book begins in 1962, when Fleischman, 10, had just received a shortwave radio, which sparked his interest in stories and words. Readers will also learn about his family's printing press; his "illegal" student newspaper; his love of travel, including some long bike trips; and his willingness to live outside his comfort zone. "Writing Know-How" sections following most chapters provide useful tips but interrupt the flow of the narrative. Also, while the book is geared toward a younger audience, a lot of the references may need more context. Back matter includes Fleischman's books and awards. VERDICT A well-written and engaging work that will inspire young readers and writers, although a straightforward memoir might have been even more appealing.-Kristyn Dorfman, The Nightingale-Bamford School, New York City

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2019
Grades 3-7 Writers live for twenty-five years and spend the rest of their lives writing about it, declares Fleischman, whose Joyful Noise (1988) won the Newbery Medal. In this unusual writer's guidebook, which is fundamentally a portrait of the author as a child, teenager, and young man, he recalls his early experiences, points out those that later became parts of his books, and offers advice for fledgling writers. Written in first person and present tense, his personal history draws readers into his childhood world and helps kids imagine growing up in a time before the internet, when a shortwave radio in 10-year-old Paul's bedroom gives him newfound global awareness, and family boat trips further broaden his horizons. He also recalls later journeys of discovery as a young man. Occasionally interspersed with the autobiographical chapters are short Writing Know-How sections featuring some practical tips for aspiring authors. Photos (most were unavailable prepublication) illustrate the very readable text. A lively memoir-guidebook with particular appeal for young people who are familiar with Fleischman's books.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)