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How I Became a Writer and Oggie Learned to Drive
When the Night Riders steal his brother's prized possession, it is up to Archie to get it back using his courage and talents as a writer to outwit the culprits. Reader's Guide available. 10,000 first printing.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
1 person is currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Janet Taylor Lisle
43 books50 followersJanet Taylor Lisle was born in Englewood, New Jersey, and grew up in Farmington, Connecticut, spending summers on the Rhode Island coast.The eldest child and only daughter of an advertising executive and an architect, she attended local schools and at fifteen entered The Ethel Walker School, a girl’s boarding school in Simsbury, Connecticut.
After graduation from Smith College, she joined VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). She lived and worked for the next several years in Atlanta, Georgia, organizing food-buying cooperatives in the city’s public housing projects, and teaching in an early-childcare center. She later enrolled in journalism courses at Georgia State University. This was the beginning of a reporting career that extended over the next ten years.
With the birth of her daughter, Lisle turned from journalism to writing projects she could accomplish at home. In 1984, The Dancing Cats of Appesap, her first novel for children, was published by Bradbury Press (Macmillan.) Subsequently, she has published sixteen other novels. Her fourth novel, Afternoon of the Elves (Orchard Books) won a 1990 Newbery Honor award and was adapted as a play by the Seattle Children’s Theater in 1993. It continues to be performed throughout the U.S. Theater productions of the story have also been mounted in Australia and The Netherlands.
Lisle’s novels for children have received Italy’s Premio Andersen Award, Holland’s Zilveren Griffel, and Notable and Best Book distinction from the American Library Association, among other honors. She lives with her husband, Richard Lisle, on the Rhode Island coast, the scene for Black Duck(2006), The Crying Rocks (2003) and The Art of Keeping Cool, which won the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction in 2001.
After graduation from Smith College, she joined VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). She lived and worked for the next several years in Atlanta, Georgia, organizing food-buying cooperatives in the city’s public housing projects, and teaching in an early-childcare center. She later enrolled in journalism courses at Georgia State University. This was the beginning of a reporting career that extended over the next ten years.
With the birth of her daughter, Lisle turned from journalism to writing projects she could accomplish at home. In 1984, The Dancing Cats of Appesap, her first novel for children, was published by Bradbury Press (Macmillan.) Subsequently, she has published sixteen other novels. Her fourth novel, Afternoon of the Elves (Orchard Books) won a 1990 Newbery Honor award and was adapted as a play by the Seattle Children’s Theater in 1993. It continues to be performed throughout the U.S. Theater productions of the story have also been mounted in Australia and The Netherlands.
Lisle’s novels for children have received Italy’s Premio Andersen Award, Holland’s Zilveren Griffel, and Notable and Best Book distinction from the American Library Association, among other honors. She lives with her husband, Richard Lisle, on the Rhode Island coast, the scene for Black Duck(2006), The Crying Rocks (2003) and The Art of Keeping Cool, which won the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction in 2001.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 1, 2024
childhood reread | still just as whimsical and batshit crazy as i remember and an absolute delight to read
July 20, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. The author deftly weaves the two story lines together, provides oodles of tips and inspiration for aspiring writers, and seems to have an illuminated window into the mind of a child.
The reason I didn't give this book 5-stars is because I can't figure out who I would recommend it to.
Children 8 - 12 ? several things here too mature for that age group. Their parents are barely separated when dad moves his girlfriend in and then she get pregnant, the children routinely lie to their parents and sneak out in the middle of the night, and Archie decides to participate in illegal activities in order to get his little brother's wallet back from a gang.
Those ready for this type of material probably won't be drawn to a book about younger children using fantasy to cope with a real-life situation.
The reason I didn't give this book 5-stars is because I can't figure out who I would recommend it to.
Children 8 - 12 ? several things here too mature for that age group. Their parents are barely separated when dad moves his girlfriend in and then she get pregnant, the children routinely lie to their parents and sneak out in the middle of the night, and Archie decides to participate in illegal activities in order to get his little brother's wallet back from a gang.
Those ready for this type of material probably won't be drawn to a book about younger children using fantasy to cope with a real-life situation.
December 10, 2013
Found this on Netgalley.
Archie and Oogie shuttle between their divorcing parents' homes and Archie uses his storytelling gifts to sooth Oogie and reinterpret their sometimes frightening, chaotic lives to make them tolerable. There's a real sense of how children who are forced to deal with the problems their adults create can devise coping mechanisms to rise above their circumstances.
I should say that the boys' parents are not actually neglectful--they are loving (in their own ways) and try to stay in touch with the kids, but the boys instinctively hide things from them--trying to keep drama on the home front to a minimum. This fosters its own problems...
Archie and Oogie shuttle between their divorcing parents' homes and Archie uses his storytelling gifts to sooth Oogie and reinterpret their sometimes frightening, chaotic lives to make them tolerable. There's a real sense of how children who are forced to deal with the problems their adults create can devise coping mechanisms to rise above their circumstances.
I should say that the boys' parents are not actually neglectful--they are loving (in their own ways) and try to stay in touch with the kids, but the boys instinctively hide things from them--trying to keep drama on the home front to a minimum. This fosters its own problems...
September 3, 2009
My mom was the one who found this book for me because she knows I like to write and she thought I would like it, which I did. I could compare to the main charcter because that made it a lot more fun to read. At times, when the main character was telling what he liked about writing it was almost like we were comparing thoughts. The realistic and heartfelt story was adventurous, imaginative, and at some times exciting. It was some of the best realistic fiction I've ever read.
September 21, 2013
If you have read the blurb about this and thinking, ‘Not another book
about kids cycling between divorced parents! I’ve read a hundred of those!’, then forget the blurb – hey It’s blurb! And it doesn’t give you a clue about just how cool this book is.
Mole People? A 6 year old learning to drive? Yup, it’s all true or true enough, and this is one great book – and a lot of fun, too!
about kids cycling between divorced parents! I’ve read a hundred of those!’, then forget the blurb – hey It’s blurb! And it doesn’t give you a clue about just how cool this book is.
Mole People? A 6 year old learning to drive? Yup, it’s all true or true enough, and this is one great book – and a lot of fun, too!
July 21, 2011
Two brothers of divorcing parents. Must cope with awful reality. One boy writes a story that's parallel to their world of loss, uprootedness, exposure to street gangs, etc. The story is about the Mysterious Mole people.
August 8, 2011
Archie is an aspiring writer who tells stories to Oggie, his younger brother. Then Oggie is mugged and Archie has to join a local gang to get his brother’s wallet back. With the help of Raven Archie struggles to do what is right while Oggie tries to take matters into his own hands.
February 19, 2012
Our boys, ages 5 & 10, really related to this book more than any I've ever read them. They begged for more every night until I was reading 3-4 chapters a night. The characters made a real connection with the boys.
February 26, 2016
this book was a good book about a boy and his brother. The kids have divorced parents and the older kid is writing a book and he has to take care of the younger brother. This book has some adventure in it and is a very good book.
November 6, 2007
This book is great.It was a really exciting adventure
Read
January 28, 2009JAR4-Lis
February 22, 2010
A good story with funny parts. Its suspense was very good and I couldn't wait to turn the page. I think it is a great story.
Read
September 21, 2013(MD | Dr) Kimberly VanScriver near Jacksonville, FL
April 3, 2017
a cute book <3 gonna read it to my future child
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews