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When I was eleven, my 6th grade teacher gave the class an assignment to write a poem about an American sport. I knew my classmates would probably choose popular sports like baseball or football, so I decided to compose a poem about golf. To my surprise, the teacher found it comical and encouraged me to keep writing. So I did.
Then over summer break, students were told to choose 26 books from a reading list and write a book report on each. BLAH! I wanted to enjoy my summer, not spend it reading! Back then, I was a very slow reader and didn’t much enjoy the experience. Plus, kids didn’t have the fun books which are on the market today. But that wise teacher told my mother I could write 26 stories instead of reading them. That was absolute genius. Although I didn’t actually write 26 stories (perhaps six?), I submitted one which made my teacher laugh out loud in class. And that teacher gave me an “A” on my summer reading assignment. I’ll never forgot that wise teacher who let me play to my strengths.
So I knew from age eleven that I wanted to be a professional writer. Yet when I reached college, I also understood that writing stories seldom paid the bills. So I got degrees in Journalism and Communications Management. Then for many years I channeled my creative energies into the field of Public Relations.
Marriage, kids, and several more degrees and occupations later (including stints as a travel agent and paralegal), I entered law school – mostly for the challenge of writing creative arguments for the court. But while in law school, I became a columnist for the student newsletter, writing humorous pieces on the strange and quirky life of a law student. I was thrilled when one of these articles was chosen for publication in The National Jurist, a magazine distributed to law students throughout the US.
But after graduating and passing the Bar, I realized within a few years that creative writing was still what made my heart sing. So now, as a grandma, I’ve returned to writing for children. And with the publication of Karmack, I’ve come full circle, back to where my writing journey truly began.
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
Karmack by J.C. Whyte is about Karmack, an enigmatic creature that enters the lives of three kids at Higgins Elementary. Only Sully, the leader of the gang, can see this creature and it is his idea to name it Karmack. Sully finds out that Karmack's job is to create a balance for all the pranks these bullies have played over the years. He even warns them that if he is not able to balance the pranks then they will be met with doom. Sully has to save himself and his friends.
The story is enjoyable. The presence of a strange creature makes the story even more exciting for kids. And how would kids feel if every time they bullied someone or played a prank or trick it was boomeranged? That is actually funny and kids will find it funnier. It is a very relatable kind of story about bullies. Many of us would have met a Sully once or twice during our school days.
I really loved the idea of bringing a weird creature into the story. That added to the book's appeal. The book has an interesting message for young readers. The characterization of Sully and Karmack is excellent. The author's imagination must have been at its best while creating Karmack. Those who have been bullied in school or anywhere else will love the story. The book is original, fast-paced, and will definitely be enjoyed more by boys.
