I have been a fan of Jo Knowles novels from the first time I discovered Jumping off Swings. I remember thinking that here was a writer who could capture the angst and anxiety of a marginalized teenager. I just kept reading her books, and every time, I found an author whose characters find a voice than never wavers. Jo was kind enough to chat with me after she answered, in writing, the questions I offered her. We chatted about Habitat for Humanity, social causes, and Robert Cormier.
Before I meet her in person, I felt that I had known her for a long time. Her Facebook page is an open book about her social and political engagement. I love that she hammered nails in a home built by a community. I was impressed by how often she praised the good work of her friends and family. If you have ever felt alone when you try to be kind and generous in your community, I encourage you to follow Jo on Facebook. She often seems to be the embodiment of both hope and action.
I also asked her about some of her early YA influences. She related the story about admiring and then meeting Robert Cormier. I love thinking about how influential a supportive word from one of the great YA writers has been. I think Cormier would be pleased if he were able to read Jo Knowles’ body of work today.
Before I meet her in person, I felt that I had known her for a long time. Her Facebook page is an open book about her social and political engagement. I love that she hammered nails in a home built by a community. I was impressed by how often she praised the good work of her friends and family. If you have ever felt alone when you try to be kind and generous in your community, I encourage you to follow Jo on Facebook. She often seems to be the embodiment of both hope and action.
I also asked her about some of her early YA influences. She related the story about admiring and then meeting Robert Cormier. I love thinking about how influential a supportive word from one of the great YA writers has been. I think Cormier would be pleased if he were able to read Jo Knowles’ body of work today.
I love all of Jo’s books. I have not sure that she has made a misstep as she has developed and grown as a novelist. I have several that I would book talk in a minute, but the book I have chosen to highlight is Read Between the Lines. I love the cover. I would be willing to bet that most of us, at one time or another, have had the desire to communicate with someone through a gestured finger. This remarkable book takes place in the course of a day and weaves several intersecting stories without once losing the independent voice of each narrator. At times, its narrative strength reminded me of David Levithan’s powerful The Realm of Possibility. Both authors created characters that wander in and out of each other sphere of action. I made a mental note to pair them at some point in a class, an article, or a lecture about narration and point of few. Again, Read Between the Lines was one of those books that I felt everyone should have been reading in 2015. I know that a host of high school kids would be laughing at some of the situations Knowles captures. At the same time, I keep imagining parents of adolescent trying to pull back the smile as they thought about their own adolescence. Or, more to the point, they wish, on occasion, they could give into their adolescent impulse to ask people to read between the lines.
The rest of her novels deserve to be on your classroom shelves as well. Jo recently posted the good news that Lessons from a Dead Girl has just entered its 5th printing. I would love to find out that, as a result of people spreading the word, it was forced into a 6th printing as soon as possible. In fact, let’s spread the word and push all her books into a new printing. Check with your school librarian; does the library have at least one copy of every book? I hope so. In fact, I think it is time to do a spotlight display of this author’s work. It would be a wonderful offering for kids to walk into a library and find Pearl, Lessons from a Dead Girl, Jumping Off Swings, Living with Jackie Chan, See You at Harry’s, Read Between the Lives, and Still a Work in Progress nicely displayed on a table, counter, or a shelf accompanied by a printed Kirkus review. Better yet, ask some of those voracious readers in your school to choose one and offer a review.
In the mean time, pick one to read. I am quite sure you will enjoy it. After that, look to have a conversation and share it with some else.
Below you will find Jo’s answers to the author interview questions.
Below you will find Jo’s answers to the author interview questions.
Until next week.
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