WORDS ON FIRE Jennifer Nielsen December 19, 2021

WORDS ON FIRE

Congratulations to the winners of Ascendance series books! They are:

Kateri *** Jaron Y *** Alita M *** Julie *** Deborah

But…let’s chat about WORDS ON FIRE.

Some of you may have heard my sob story about kindergarten. If not, it goes like this.

Thanks to an older brother of mine, I started kindergarten able to read. Back in the ancient days of kindergarten, that was a time for kids to learn their ABC’s, not to learn reading. So I thought it was pretty cool when I could already read.

Me, Age 5. Also, what was wrong with my bangs?

Unfortunately, my kindergarten teacher disagreed, and asked me not to read that year so that I wouldn’t learn to read “wrong.” I had no idea what it meant to read wrong. I knew the words, I knew what they said, but all she wanted was for me to look at the pictures.

Five-year-old me was angry. So I did the worst thing a kindergarten student could do: I disobeyed my teacher. I became a sneak reader. I would pretend to look at the pictures, but secretly, I was reading every single word on the page. The ultimate rebellion, right?

WORDS ON FIRE is the story of Audra Zikaris, a Lithuanian girl who lives during the late 1800s when the Russian Empire had banned all Lithuanian language books and newspapers. Thus rose up the book smugglers; people who risked their lives to get books into the hands of their own people. As Audra is drawn into their world, she discovers just how powerful a single book can be.

This is a fan made trailer for WORDS ON FIRE created by Darius Razgaitis and his two adorable. I hope you will love it!

Want to win a signed copy of this book? Then in comments, tell me about your favorite book from Kindergarten – 2nd grade!

THE KING’S ENGLISH (Autographed Copies)

BARNES & NOBLE

BOOKSHOP.ORG

AMAZON

91 Comments
  • Reply
    December 19, 2021, 11:57 pm

    OMG HAHAHA. my favorite book from kindegarten, hmmm…. I think I like the Winnie the Pooh animated book because I remember my family telling me that i used to call a book ‘P’ which I am pertaining to the Pooh animated book.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 12:13 am

    When I was in 1st grade I really liked the book The Runaway Hug by Nick Bland.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 12:29 am

    the cat in the hat

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 12:42 am

    Thats incredible! Go big brother, and you for sneak reading!😂

    I will say, I despised reading really until 2nd grade when my teacher began reading the Magic Tree House books during reading hour. I fell in love. I went on to get the entire series for Christmas that year, but the struggle to get me to read didn’t stop there. Throughout 3rd and 4th grade I began to hate reading once more. I became homeschooled on Halloween of my 4th grade year. I changed drastically during that time, as a lot of my reading and shool hate came from being bullied. But when I became homeschooled, I once again fell in love with reading. I read the Magic Tree House series (yes, all 55 original books) every year, and now, in 10th grade it’s rare that you find me without my nose in a book or my fingers not at the keyboard writing.

    So in short, my favorite book from that time would have to be Vacation Under the Volcano by Mary Pope Osborne.

    Congrats to the Ascendance book winners!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 1:42 am

    My favorite book has and always been the one I received from my first grade teacher. It was the first book that got me interested in reading and I will always remember the day I got it. It’s called The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. I am still absolutely in love with this book and it has earned a very high place on my bookshelf and my heart. It’s through this book that I am connected with my sweet and caring first grade teacher.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 2:05 am

    My favorite book from second grade was “The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe” from Narnia. I absolutely love the storytelling and the double meanings in all of these books.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 2:39 am

    To be honest, when I was in Kindergarten through 4th grade, I didn’t really like to read. In school, I didn’t like when I had to read for homework and preferred to be on the internet. I was the opposite of my sister, who could sit and read for hours. It was when I read the Ascendance Series in 5th grade for an assignment that I realized reading is amazing and so fun and I started to read all the books my sister and mom had read. (I liked a few of the series so much that I now have them on my bookshelf, Ascendance Series included). However, I remember that when I was in 1st grade (I think) there was a book called Arnie the Doughnut and I LOVED that book. At my old school, we had a library and every time we went to the library I would borrow that book. My family got so tried of that book because I would ask either my mom or dad to read it to me every night. Now, I think my favorite series might be the Ascendance Series.(I’ve read so many series I can’t pick a favorite.)

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 2:46 am

    Nancy Drew!!!!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:04 am

    Oh!
    My Mom and I have both read this one and it is by FAR! My favorite of your nonfiction stand alone’s. My family had Christmas early and I actually got WOF.
    Thanks for the awesome facts, and keep writing!

    • Reply
      December 20, 2021, 3:07 am

      Also my favorite book was, Itsy Mitsy Runs Away, still is a family favorite!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:08 am

    Itsy Mitsy Runs Away, it’s the cutest

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:19 am

    I loved the Judy Moody books as a kid!

    Also, your kindergarten story reminds me of when my kindergarten teacher refused, for example, to let me say 10 minus 2, and I could only say 2 subtracted from 10, because it was “proper”. Little-Me was very frustrated!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:19 am

    I loved the Notebook of Doom series!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:26 am

    I loved the way my mom would read Skippy John Jones to me and my siblings.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:41 am

    I loved Dr. Seuss haha 🙂

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:50 am

    Oh, easy! I was absolutely obsessed with The Spiderwick Chronicles!!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 4:06 am

    My favorite book was the 39 clues The Medusa plot my favorite librarian recommended it to me and 8 was so proud that I could read it.

    What was your favorite book?

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 4:26 am

    I always liked the Emily Windsnap books. They’re about a girl who finds out she can transform into a mermaid. There are 9 books now I think, so she goes on a lot of adventures. I still remember them and even own the first one (the rest are from my local library). My friends liked them too, LOL!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 4:27 am

    That’s a hard choice… my favorite books back then were probably the Magic TreeHouse series and The Rescue Princesses. I could read those books no-stop, and multiple times over!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 6:07 am

    In my time in Kindergarten to 2nd grade, my favorite book was either Princess Academy by Shannon Hale or Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 7:15 am

    My favorite book was probably Beerus and Ramona!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 12:06 pm

    I loved the Junie B. Jones series in first and second grade! Then I became a secret reader, too, but when I was in fifth grade. I felt my teacher read our class novels way too slowly so I used one finger to track where the class was and the other to track where I was.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 12:37 pm

    I was a huge Percy Jackson nerd in first grade; those books were some of the first real books I ever read.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 12:38 pm

    My favorite book series was definitely Magic Tree House

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 12:58 pm

    I started reading Harry Potter in second grade, and those books might’ve been my favorite as a kid! (Your books are still way better though!😁😁)

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 1:11 pm

    my favorit books were magic tree house and diray of a wimpy kid.
    its so sad that your kindargarden teacher didnt alow you to read. my sister couldnt read after 2nd grade so all summer i had to teach her how.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:12 pm

    When I was little, I loved the Little House books, the Betsy and Tacy books, and the Anne of Green Gables books. I was homeschooled so I learned to read before most kids. I love Words on Fire so much!!!! There are some really cool passages about the power of words that give me chills every time I read them.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:13 pm

    I absolutely loved the Box Car Children! They are fun mystery books that were easy to read but included you in the story and made you want to read more.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:23 pm

    Hi Ms. Nielsen!

    My favorite books from when I was really young were the Berenstain Bear books by Stan and Jan Berenstain! My mom used to read them to me at night and I just remember loving the books and the Bear family so much!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:50 pm

    I loved when my mom read Skippy Jon Jones to me and my siblings.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:51 pm

    My favorite book in 2nd grade was probably the easy version of Rapunzal.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:52 pm

    I liked There Was an Old Lady who swallowed a Shoe. 🙂

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:55 pm

    Green Eggs and Ham! Kindergarten favorite.

    • Reply
      December 21, 2021, 8:22 am

      Such a good book, I love Dr. Seuss books, but this ones def a fav

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 3:55 pm

    Yay! Thank you so much! When I was in Kindergarten, I loved reading Dr. Seuss Green eggs and ham.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 4:06 pm

    When I was younger, I loved all the Junie B. Jones books. I found them hilarious and eventually was all of them.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 4:59 pm

    I always loved the Flat Stanley books and Judy Blume. Those books are all so wonderful!!!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 5:10 pm

    The Giving Tree. I remember getting emotional after reading it, it was apparently too much for my 7 year old self to handle. xD

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 7:38 pm

    My favorite book when I was little was Don’t Wake the Bear!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 8:03 pm

    I love Words on Fire it is so good! The way you have Audra describe reading is what I would say is only I had the words! I would have to say that The Napping House was my favorite back then I don’t know if many people know about it though but I think that makes it all the better!

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 8:05 pm

    My favorite book when I was little was Lovable Lyle!! 🙂 I still love that book.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 8:46 pm

    I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!

    This was the first book I read by Jennifer Nielsen, after this, I wanted more and more. It made me cry and laugh! Now that’s a good book!

    Anywayssss, some of my favorite books as a kindergartner – 2nd grader were probably:

    -The Biscuit Series (about a little puppy)
    -Amelia Bedilia
    -Dr Suess

    I can’t get past how much I love Words on Fire!!! My favorite character is for sure Lukas and Audra. Also I LOVE THE BOOK TRAILER!!!

    • Reply
      December 21, 2021, 5:07 pm

      Yes! I loved Biscuit when I was younger too! 🙂

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 9:07 pm

    I couldn’t read till about 3rd grade but my favorite I read then was the false prince

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 9:42 pm

    I was also a fast learner when it came to reading! By second grade, I was obsessed with the Magic Tree House series.

    • Reply
      December 21, 2021, 8:21 am

      I’m in my 30s and I STILL love the Magic Tree House books 😍

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 10:05 pm

    Congratulations to the Ascendance series book winners!!!!!!!

    That’s sad that your teacher didn’t want you to read. But I’m glad you secretly read anyway!😉 Also, I love that book trailer!!!! It’s so cool!!!!!!! Words on Fire is at the top of my reading list! It sounds so interesting and I love its title!!!!!! 😀

    My favorite book was Fancy Nancy, and I also loved Pinkalicious. However, by the time I was in 2nd grade, my favorite book was Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park.

    • Reply
      December 21, 2021, 5:48 am

      I loved Pinkalicious as a kid! Strangely enough I didn’t like pink, but who knows how the mind of a kid works 😆.

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 10:08 pm

    my favorit books were good night good night, and jonie b jones. i love this book

  • Reply
    December 20, 2021, 11:05 pm

    My favorite books when I was in kindergarten were the Berenstain Bears. I just love to read about a family of bears because my favorite animals were bears when I was little. By the time I had reached second grade, my favorite books were the Junie B. Jones books. I still have copies of those books I mentioned.

    • Reply
      December 21, 2021, 8:19 am

      The Berenstein Bears books and show are classics 😍

    • Reply
      December 21, 2021, 6:51 pm

      I loved the Berenstain bears too! I actually own at least 10 of them I think and one of the originals that is all paper!

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 12:41 am

    When I was in first grade I really liked The Indian in the Cupboard!

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 12:54 am

    My favorite books from kindergarten were probably the Elephant and Piggie series!

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 1:44 am

    I remember reading ‘The Hat’ by Jan Brett and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe!!

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 1:45 am

    I believe one of my favorite books were by Dr. Seuss (or how ever you spell it)

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 2:45 am

    JUNIE. B JONES!!!
    Those books were my childhood

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 3:16 am

    All throughout first and second grade, I was OBSESSED with Boxcar Children and Magic Treehouse

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 3:34 am

    My favorite childhood book that I can remember the most was “where the wild things are” by Maurice sendak. I don’t know why really 😂

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 4:42 am

    Aw,5-year-old you looks so cute! My favorite was probably something by Patricia Polacco!

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 4:44 am

    I loved all the popular picture books (The Rainbow Fish; Brown Bear, Brown Bear; The Very Hungry Caterpillar; Where the Wild Things Are; etc)!!!

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 5:03 am

    A Unicorn Named Sparkle is my favorite from when my daughter was in 2nd grade. I honestly can’t remember when I was in 2nd grade. 🙂

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 5:58 am

    I loved Mary Pope Osborne as a kid!

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 5:59 am

    One of my many, many favorites was “Thats not my Pony” for younger and when I was a little older, “Where the wild things are”

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 7:41 am

    For sure it was The Monster at the End of This Book. Just started The Shattered Castle. Loved what you have done to Jaron so far. No spoilers here, so I can’t say more.

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 8:18 am

    My favorite books between kinder and 2nd grade were Brown Bear Brown Bear, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Stellaluna, Rainbow Fish and the Beatrix Potter books 😁

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 8:26 am

    My favorite books was the Junie b Jones and a snoopy I still read them to this day they are funny to read and they have me laughing out loud alot.

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 10:30 am

    The first book I can remember treasuring is Esperanza Rising which is still my all time favorite to this day! I read it for the first time when I was 7 or 8.

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 11:38 am

    I absolutely loved reading Junie B Jones in 1st grade. I too was taught to read in kindergarten instead of being taught the ABCs, so I wound up in a 2nd grade English class in 1st grade. Junie B started me on my journey through many, many books and made me want to keep reading!

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 1:13 pm

    I think my favourite book that taught me letters was the Garfield ABCs book. We still have it somewhere!
    I began reading at an early age too, and by grade two my favourite books were the Pony Pals series.

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 2:01 pm

    Hahahaha what a throwback pic of you Ms. Jen XD and the story you told, no wonder why you loved writing books because you learned how to read books at a very young age. You are also quite a stubborn child just like Sage XD hehehe…(peace).

    I did remember that I used to read Poldy the scarecrow books. And it is one of the books I loved when I was a kid (Kindergarten days). I do love books with illustrations (I had to admit it). It’s kinda boring to read when you see a lot of words on one page if you are a kid. I remember him having a large head and got two patches on his knee (blue and red) if I am not mistaken. Ughh the nostalgia, totally brings back the memories.

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 2:18 pm

    Favorite book from K-2…tough to decide! Probably anything by Judy Blume.

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 2:40 pm

    When I was younger my mom worked two days a week and I am homeschooled, so my then four siblings and I would go to my grandparents house, they had a lot of books and one of my favorite ones was The Wolf is Coming by Elizabeth MacDonald.

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 3:56 pm

    My favorite books in Kindergarten were The Little Critter series, and some random series called Henry and Mudge. 😂 I also loved the Arthur books! But in second grade I loved Charlotte’s Web!

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 4:03 pm

    the cat in the hat

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 4:17 pm

    The Ramona and Beezus series, anyone?? I would read those all the time!

    • Reply
      December 21, 2021, 10:42 pm

      I love that series!! I still read them sometimes when I get bored Lol

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 5:07 pm

    Oh I would love to win a copy of words on fire or Resistance! Your books are the best ever! I love all of your historical fictions!

    My favorite book series from 2nd grade was called the critter club. It was about girls who made a club that takes care of pets and stuff. 🙂 I also really liked books about Biscuit (a little puppy) when I was little. I feel like ever since I started reading I loved it! I am like always reading now! 🙂

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 5:34 pm

    My favorite book from that time period was probably either the third Harry Potter or The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 5:36 pm

    form kindergarten to grade two i really loved the anne of green gables series! they will always have a special place un my heart.

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 6:00 pm

    My favorite book from kindergarten was probably Junie B. Jones. I remember all my teachers thinking I was insane for reading chapter books at such a young age!

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 6:02 pm

    My favorite book from kindergarten was Pinkalicious!

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 6:53 pm

    Honestly, when I was little, my favorite book to read was the Book of Mormon. I first read the title when I was about two and my family read it every night.

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 8:56 pm

    Mine were Clifferd the Big red dog

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 9:17 pm

    My favorite books when I was in kindergarten were the Little House on the Prairie series.

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 10:22 pm

    My favorite book in kindergarten was called Dick and Jane. It was an early reader book and it was really entertaining for 5 year old me. It had been passed down from my mom’s side of the family, so it has some sentimental feeling too it.

  • Reply
    December 21, 2021, 10:40 pm

    My second grade teacher read “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” by Kate DiCamillo. That has been my favorite ever since. After she finished the book, I begged my mom to take me to our public library so I could get a copy and read it on my own. Long story short…. I went to my room probably around 8 pm and after I finished reading the book, I would just re-start it. Then I stayed up until 3 am re-read the book. My mom got so mad at she wouldn’t let me check out any more book for a week. And that was the worst punishment you could give me, because that meant I wasn’t allowed to read at all.

  • Reply
    December 22, 2021, 1:00 am

    My favorite books from second grade were Magic Tree House series!

  • Reply
    December 23, 2021, 12:24 am

    Mathew Price: Little Red Car series

  • Reply
    January 9, 2022, 5:10 am

    When I was in kindergarten my mom read me the boxcar children and I loved it

  • Reply
    March 16, 2023, 9:07 pm

    box car children!!!!

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