Molly Mommy? – Tamra Norton

In “Molly Mommy?” we see what ended up happening to Molly Chambers, the spirited strawberry blonde from Tamra Norton’s bestselling book, “Molly Mormon?” Molly has always resented being called a Molly Mormon, but she realizes that it’s not such a bad thing to be, after all. As we start our story, Molly and her new husband Gordon are living in a tiny apartment and finishing up school. They’re both working, and there are days when they barely see each other at all. But they’re very much in love, and the time they do have together is sweet and special. However, … Continue reading

Comfortable in My Own Genes – Tamra Norton

Dani Smith is a sixteen-year-old high school student who is tired of living in her perfect sister’s shadow. Everyone knows who Trista is—Trista the beautiful, Trista the pageant queen, Trista the cheerleader. Dani has never felt included in Trista’s high glamour world, she herself being a little mousey (or so she says). Determined to start out her junior year as her own person and not just as Trista’s little sister, Dani takes the journalism class, looking for a way to bring her own talents to the forefront. She’s surprised when Jarrett, an old childhood friend, ends up in her class. … Continue reading

Media Week in Review January 20th – 26th

Picture books, mystery, romance, young adult, craft, and cookbooks are just some of the things we covered this week in Media Reviews. The most prestigious annual awards for children’s literature are the Caldecott and Newbery. Lauri gives us brief glimpses of the books that won the 2008 Caldecott and Newbery awards. Tristi reviewed Star Shining Brightly by LDS author Marcia Mickelson, a story about a superstar facing hard choices in the world of Hollywood. Tristi also continued her series on author G.G. Vandagriff with Tangled Roots. And LDS author Traci Hunter Abramson’s suspense story The Deep End sounds like a … Continue reading

Make Me a Home – Tamra Norton

“Make Me a Home” is the sequel to Tamra Norton’s smash hit middle-grade novel, “Make Me a Memory.” Our character, Allie, is still living in Edna, Idaho, with her mom, her brother, the new baby, and her grandma while her father is deployed in Iraq. She’s the new kid and really doesn’t like that kind of notoriety. When Ivy moves in, not only is Allie no longer the “new kid,” but she has a new friend as well. Allie thinks things can’t get any better until she comes home from school one day to find her mother crying. Her father … Continue reading

Author Update — Tamra Norton

I recently interviewed author Tamra Norton about her ground-breaking book, “Make Me a Memory.” In commemoration of Veteran’s Day, she is giving Families.com another exclusive interview to discuss the sequel, entitled “Make Me a Home.” A synopsis of the book reads: For the past eleven months, Allie has lived in Edna, Idaho—an okay place if you don’t mind living friendless and fatherless in Hicksville, USA. But it isn’t “home.” And how could it be with her dad in Iraq? Then Ivy Peterson moves to town and Allie finally finds the friendship and understanding she has desperately wanted. Edna is even … Continue reading

Author Interview — Tamra Norton, Part Two

Thank you for joining us for part two of our interview with author Tamra Norton. If you missed part one, click here. Tamra, in yesterday’s interview we discussed how your book has been given to school children in your community. It was also chosen by the Utah Governor as a book of the month for literacy. Can you tell us some of the other ways your book has positively impacted military families? I had a librarian from a school on base at Fort Hood tell me that when she was reading the first chapter to a group of students, they … Continue reading

Author Interview — Tamra Norton

Tamra Norton is a popular young adult and children’s author. She has agreed to answer some questions just for Families.com today. Tamra, I recently reviewed “Make Me a Memory” here on Families.com and I’m sure that many of our readers are wondering how you came up with the idea for this remarkable book. Can you share that with us? A few years back I was sitting in my family room in Texas watching some news coverage from Fort Hood where group of soldiers were being deployed to Iraq. They were saying goodbye to their families and I found myself completely … Continue reading

Make Me a Memory — Tamra Norton

Chosen to be a book of the month for the state of Utah this last April, this charming middle grade book by author Tamra Norton tells the story of Allie, an eleven-year-old girl whose father is serving in Iraq. While he’s gone, she is going to live with her grandmother, along with her mother and little brother. Her mother needs the extra help because she’s expecting another baby, and she has difficult pregnancies. When the family arrives in Edna, Idaho, after a long drive from their old home in Texas, they are greeted not only by Grandma, but by Abe, … Continue reading

Great Books for Ten-Year-Old Girls

My co-author for this blog is my ten-year-old daughter, Caryn. She’s been reading a lot this year and we’d like to share with you some of the books that she has enjoyed the most. 1. “The Pixie Tricks” series by Tracey West. Violet Briggs is given the job of tricking pixies who have escaped from the Otherworld and come into ours. Her helper in this quest is Sprite, a green pixie who has been given the title of Royal Pixie Tricker by Queen Mab. (Click here for a complete review) Caryn says: “Pixie Tricks are very fun books. It’s well … Continue reading

Author Interview – Rachel Ann Nunes, Part Three

Thank you for joining us for part three of our conversation with Rachel Ann Nunes, best-selling LDS women’s fiction author. If you missed parts one or two, click here. Rachel, in addition to the twenty-five books you have written, you are also a mother. How many children do you have? I have six children, three boys and three girls, ranging from three to sixteen years. My oldest is a senior in high school and will attend BYU next year on an academic scholarship. He’ll start as a junior because he’s already finished his associate degree. He’s a great example to … Continue reading