REVIEW! New Edition of Maggie Vaults Over the Moon ‘Perfectly Designed as a Classroom Read!’
At once a story about overcoming tragedy and an inspiring tale of chasing one’s dreams, this is an excellent choice for young adults who see the myriad possibilities life holds. Additions like a foreword by Olympic pole vaulter Katerina Stefanidi and an afterword of suggestions for how to pursue pole vaulting encourage interested readers to learn more about this skill-driven sport. Classrooms and homes alike will embrace the excitement and emotion of this memorable story. — MARY R. LANNI, MLIS
GRAIN VALLEY, Kan. — Mary R. Lanni, MLIS is a librarian and Professional Kidlit book reviewer who has penned more than five hundred reviews on stories written for kids, tweens, and teens. Her goal is to help parents, librarians, and teachers get great stories in front of their children.
That’s why we’re overjoyed by her great review of the new classroom reader edition of Maggie Vaults Over the Moon! This award-winning story of a gritty farm girl’s quest to master the daring sport of pole-vaulting has been reissued as a classroom reader with a new foreword by Olympic Champion Katerina Stefanidi, and questions by ELA teacher and mental performance coach, Dr. Melissa White.
Mary R. Lanni’s Review:
Growing up as a dancer, I love reading inspirational stories about characters who persevere to succeed in athletics even when the going gets tough. I often think about whether I would have enjoyed participating in Track when I was growing up, but my life in the theatre did not leave room for much else. However, reading stories like Maggie Vaults Over the Moon gives me some insight into the world of high school sports even years after graduating.
Mary R. Lanni, MLIS a librarian and Professional Kidlit book reviewer with a focus on stories written for kids, tweens, and teens. Her goal is to help parents, librarians, and teachers get great stories in front of their children.
Maggie Steele lives on the farm her family has kept for generations in the small town of Grain Valley where everyone seems to know everyone else. For much of her life, Maggie has been content to participate in the annual farm duties while finding time for her brother Alex, her best friend Betsy, and her boyfriend Caleb. However, one fateful night in the summer before her senior year of high school, everything in Maggie’s world shifts on its axis, and she must find a way to right herself amidst the chaos left behind.
“This newly released edition of Maggie Vaults Over the Moon is perfectly designed as a classroom read.”
This newly released edition of Maggie Vaults Over the Moon is perfectly designed as a classroom read. Each chapter ends with thought-provoking questions to encourage readers to consider the events critically and better understand the messages within the story. Short chapters and accessible, emotional text keep the pages turning as Maggie navigates her grief and learns a new way to live her life.
Placed in rural Kansas, this story encapsulates many of the sights, sounds, and flavors of the American Midwest. From lemonade and sweet tea to corn on the cob and fried chicken, readers’ mouths will be watering as they imagine themselves inside sprawling wheat fields under a cloudless, blue sky. Readers will easily become immersed in Maggie’s world through the descriptive language used in this story.
“Classrooms and homes alike will embrace the excitement and emotion of this memorable story.”
At once a story about overcoming tragedy and an inspiring tale of chasing one’s dreams, this is an excellent choice for young adults who see the myriad possibilities life holds. Additions like a foreword by Olympic pole vaulter Katerina Stefanidi and an afterword of suggestions for how to pursue pole vaulting encourage interested readers to learn more about this skill-driven sport. Classrooms and homes alike will embrace the excitement and emotion of this memorable story. (Upper-Mid, YA, Adult Appeal) — MARY R. LANNI, MLIS
Students at Wendover Middle School have been reading Maggie Vaults Over the Moon as a classroom reader. Wendover is part of the Hempfield Area School District in Greensburg, PA. The librarian is Beth McGuire.
Author Grant Overstake has written two award-winning novels for young people. His premier novel, Maggie Vaults Over the Moon, was reissued on June 1, 2021, with a new foreword by Olympic Champion Katerina Stefanidi, and questions by ELA teacher and mental performance coach, Dr. Melissa White. His second novel, The Real Education of TJ Crowley was awarded “Book of the Year” for 2019 by the Kansas Authors Club, and named National Book of the Month by Bookclubs.com.
Introduce your students to a true storybook heroine today. Maggie Vaults Over the Moon is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook. For more information about bulk purchases and to schedule author speaker engagements for your class, in person or virtual presentations, contact Grain Valley Publishing Company at grainvalleypress@gmail.com.
Enhance the classroom experience with audio! Maggie Vaults Over the Moon is performed brilliantly by Audie Award Winning Voice Actor Tavia Gilbert.
MAGGIE VAULTS OVER THE MOON
INFO FOR EDUCATORS
(Upper-Mid, YA, Adult Appeal)
Flesch Reading Ease score: 86.8 (text scale)
Gunning Fog: 6.5 (text scale)
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 4.2
Grade level: Fourth Grade.
The Coleman-Liau Index: 6
Grade level: Sixth Grade
The SMOG Index: 4.5
Grade level: Fifth Grade
Interest level: Middle Grades
Print Information
Page Count: 246 Pages
Print ISBN: 978-1-7323047-2-7
RETAIL PRICE: $14.99 (Paperback)
Bulk Discounts Available (Contact grainvalleypress@gmail.com)