Review: The Fates Will Find Their Way

Title:  The Fates Will Find Their Way

Author:  Hannah Pittard

Publication Date:  January 25, 2011 by Ecco

Review Copy Provided by:  publisher

About the Book - from Goodreads:  Sixteen-year-old Nora Lindell is missing. And the neighborhood boys she's left behind are caught forever in the heady current of her absence. As the days and years pile up, the mystery of her disappearance grows kaleidoscopically. A collection of rumors, divergent suspicions, and tantalizing what-ifs, Nora Lindell's story is a shadowy projection of teenage lust, friendship, reverence, and regret, captured magically in the disembodied plural voice of the boys who still long for her.
Told in haunting, percussive prose, Hannah Pittard's beautifully crafted novel tracks the emotional progress of the sister Nora left behind, the other families in their leafy suburban enclave, and the individual fates of the boys in her thrall. Far more eager to imagine Nora's fate than to scrutinize their own, the boys sleepwalk into an adulthood of jobs, marriages, families, homes, and daughters of their own, all the while pining for a girl–and a life–that no longer exists, except in the imagination.

My Thoughts:  When I first read the synopsis for this book, I thought it was YA, but as I read, I thought it might be adult fiction.  How could I have those thoughts?  Well, the book begins with everyone as teenagers, in high school, doing things that teenagers do.  But, the book is told in more of a "looking back" mode.  The characters are adults recalling their teenage days and how they got to where they are now.

This was a different read for me, because it is told from the male point of view.  While different, I enjoyed it.  Girls, women, are always wondering how the male brain works, and Pittard does a good job of getting into the male psyche for us.  There are many stories that relive high school from a female point of view, but it was amusing to hear it from the opposite sex.  They truly do think a lot about the female anatomy!

When Nora Lindell, age 16, disappeared, it left her sister and their group of friends wondering just what happened to her.  Although Pittard never really tells the reader the whole truth, we can piece parts of it together based on present day happenings in the book.  The boys in the group do a lot of speculating about what happened to her though.  Some scenarios are more plausible than others.  Nora is never forgotten, as some of the guys think they see her in various places as they are growing up and starting their own lives.

I think Pittard does a great job of putting into words and story form, what many of us do throughout our lives, wonder "what if."  What if we had done this, what if she had never disappeared, who would she have married?  Admit it, you've done it.  As an adult, I think we all wish we could go back to high school and maybe "do-over" some of our not so great moments.  We have all had those what if thoughts, and Pittard brings them to life, through the eyes of the boys.

Buy it at Amazon
Buy it at Powells
Buy it at IndieBound 

In My Mailbox/Mailbox Monday - 1/17/09

 
Welcome to another edition of my combo meme In My Mailbox/Mailbox Monday.  You can find these hosted by some wonderful ladies: Kristi at The Story Siren and Marcia at The Printed Page, respectively.  They host these memes so that book bloggers can share the books that come into their houses.  I appreciate them both and hope that you will visit their blogs.

Since I didn't get a post in last week, the following is what came into my house over the last two weeks.

Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems About Love by Pat Mora, from Knopf
Beloved children's book author and speaker Pat Mora has written an original collection of poems, each with a different teen narrator sharing unique thoughts, moments, sadness, or heart’s desire: the girl who loves swimming, plunging into the water that creates her own world; the guy who leaves flowers on the windshield of the girl he likes. Each of the teens in these 50 original poems, written using a variety of poetic forms, will be recognizable to the reader as the universal emotions, ideas, impressions, and beliefs float across the pages in these gracefully told verses.

Lunch Lady and the Author Visit Vendetta by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, from Knopf
Dee, Terrence, and Hector are very excited about Author Visit Day.  But something is not right about their special guest, Lewis Scribson, author of the famous Flippy Bunny books.  Coach Birkby, the gym teacher, mysteriously disappears the day of his visit.  What evil designs does this world-famous writer have on his agenda?  Lunch Lady is going to get to the bottom of it, even if she has to kick some bunny butt!

Dream Life by Lauren Mechling, from Delacorte Press
Claire Voyante's first semester at Henry Hudson High School was eventful, to say the least. As she heads into her second semester, things are calming down a bit. But Claire has a few secrets that are getting harder to keep. Her biggest secret of all? The onyx and ivory cameo necklace her grandmother gave her for her 15th birthday. Ever since she started wearing it, her dreams have been coming to her in black and white and turning out to be oddly prophetic.

Becca’s been hanging out with her old prep school friends and never seems to have time for Claire anymore. And soon, Claire discovers why—there’s a secret group of society girls with a mysterious identity. And, turns out, a mysterious enemy who’s out to get them. The second she sniffs out trouble, Claire jumps on the case. But is it someone close to Claire who’s in danger again—or could it be Claire herself whose life is at stake?

How to Save Your Own Life: 15 Lessons on Finding Hope in Unexpected Places by Michael Gates Gill, from Gotham Books
Filled with new anecdotes of life with his father, New Yorker writer Brendan Gill, his mother, his children, his family and friends and the dramatic adn inspiring stories of people he has met on the road and at his local Starbucks since the  publication of How Starbucks Saved My Life,  Mike imparts lessons of life that we often forget in our day-to-day interactions with those around us, lessons which are at once profound as well as common sense.

Fireworks Over Toccoa (ARC) by Jeffrey Stepakoff, from St. Martin's Press
An unexpected discovery takes eighty-four-year-old Lily Davis Woodward to 1945, and the five days that forever changed her life.  Married for only a week before her husband was sent to fight in WWII, Lily is anxious for his return, and the chance to begin their life together.  In honor of the soldiers' homecoming, the small Georgia town of Toccoa plans a big celebration.  And Jake Russo, a handsome Italian immigrant, also back from war, is responsible for the elaborate fireworks display the town commissioned.   But after a chance encounter in a star-lit field, he steals Lily's heart and soul--and fulfills her in ways her socially-minded, upper-class family cannot.  Now, torn by duty to society and her husband--and the poor, passionate man who might be her only true love--Lily must choose between a commitment she's already made and a love she’s never known before.

Get Lucky (ARC) by Katherine Center
Sarah Harper isn’t sure if the stupid decisions she sometimes makes are good choices in disguise—or if they’re really just stupid. But either way, after forwarding an inappropriate email to her entire company, she suddenly finds herself out of a job.

          So she goes home to Houston—and her sister, Mackie—for Thanksgiving. But before Sarah can share her troubles with her sister, she learns that Mackie has some woes of her own: After years of trying, Mackie’s given up on having a baby—and plans to sell on eBay the entire nursery she’s set up. Which gives Sarah a brilliant idea—an idea that could fix everyone’s problems. An idea that gives Sarah the chance to take care of her big sister for once—instead of the other way around.

          But nothing worthwhile is ever easy. After a decade away, Sarah is forced to confront one ghost from her past after another: the father she’s lost touch with, the memories of her mother, the sweet guy she dumped horribly in high school. Soon everything that matters is on the line—and Sarah can only hope that by changing her life she has changed her luck, too.

Beautiful Dead: Book 1-Jonas (ARC) by Eden Maguire, from Sourcebooks Fire
Something strange is happening in Ellerton High. Phoenix is the fourth teenager to die within a year. His street fight stabbing follows the deaths of Jonas, Summer and Arizona in equally strange and sudden circumstances. Rumours of ghosts and strange happenings rip through the small community as it comes to terms with shock and loss. Darina, Phoenix's grief-stricken girlfriend, is on the verge. She can't escape her intense heartache, or the impossible apparitions of those that are meant to be dead. And all the while the sound of beating wings echo inside her head...And then one day Phoenix appears to Darina. Ecstatic to be reunited, he tells her about the Beautiful Dead. Souls in limbo, they have been chosen to return to the world to set right a wrong linked to their deaths and bring about justice. Beautiful, superhuman and powerful, they are marked by a 'death mark' -- a small tattoo of angel's wings. Phoenix tells her that the sound of invisible wings beating are the millions of souls in limbo, desperate to return to earth. Darina's mission is clear: she must help Jonas, Summer, Arizona, and impossibly, her beloved Phoenix, right the wrong linked to their deaths to set them free from limbo so that they can finally rest in peace. Will love conquer death? And if it does, can Darina set it free?

Burn by Ted Dekker & Erin Healy, from Phenix & Phenix

The past Janeal thought had burned away is rising from the ashes.
Years ago, the Gypsy Kumpania where Janeal Mikkado lived was attacked by outsiders. With her best friend about to be consumed by a fire, Janeal had two options: try to save her friend--at serious risk to her own life--or disappear with the million dollars that she had just discovered . . .
But the past is quickly coming back to haunt her. Both the best friend and the boyfriend that she was sure were dead have reappeared in her life, as has someone who knows about the money. There's a debt to be paid for the money she found, but there's an even greater debt she must face--and if the chaff isn't burned from her own heart, it will consume her.

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab, from Delacorte Press
Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School’s most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn’t answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can’t get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind.

Audrey: She’s the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton’s fast crowd in the first place, and now she regrets it—especially since she’s convinced the police have put the wrong person in jail. Audrey thinks the murderer is someone at Brighton, and she wants Neily to help her find out who it is.

As reluctant allies Neily and Audrey dig into their shared past with Carly, her involvement with Brighton’s dark goings-on comes to light. But figuring out how Carly and her killer fit into the twisted drama will force Audrey and Neily to face hard truths about themselves and the girl they couldn’t save.

They Never Came Back by Caroline B. Cooney, from Delacorte Press
In a busy school cafeteria, a teenage girl is confronted by a classmate who questions her identity. He explains to the students who have crowded around that the girl bears an uncanny resemblance to his cousin, who was taken away by social services five years ago. Her parents abandoned her, fleeing the country after being accused of embezzling millions of dollars. The students are intrigued, but the girl shrugs off the attention as a case of mistaken identity.

As the days pass, however, the boy refuses to relent and even brings his parents in to back him up. But they are not the only adults involved. An FBI agent who has been working the case these past five years believes that whoever this girl is, she can serve as bait to help the FBI capture the fugitives.

The Less-Dead by April Lurie, from Delacorte Press
Noah Nordstrom has been dissing the religious beliefs of his father, who hosts a popular Christian radio show and whom Noah accuses of spreading hate. When two local gay teens are murdered, Noah’s anti-evangelism intensifies—he’s convinced that the killer is a caller on his dad’s program.

Then Noah meets Will Reed, a cool guy. But when he learns that Will is gay, Noah gets a little weirded out. Especially since Will seems really into him. Noah gives Will the brush-off. Meanwhile, the killer is still at large . . . and soon Noah finds the next victim. It’s Will.

Racked with guilt, Noah decides to investigate. He knows the serial killer is targeting gay teens, but only those who live in foster homes, whose deaths are not that important to society; they are the less-dead. Noah, however, is determined to prove that someone cares. With the help of Will’s journal, which he pocketed at the scene of the crime and in which the killer has written clues, Noah closes in on an opponent more dangerous than he can guess.

What did you get last week?

Because of A Book with Maureen Hume

Write For A Reader is very pleased to welcome Maureen Hume to the blog today.

I am the author of ‘The Pizza Gang: Facing The Witch’, a crazy, fun, adventure chapter story for children ages 8-12. Visit The Pizza Gang and myself at http://www.thepizzagang.com/
Besides being a children’s fiction author I am the devoted mother to six abandoned, disabled bunnies, friend and aunt to a fantastic extended family full of children and wife to one of the nicest men on this fabulous earth of ours.

---

Sometimes I think I was born with a book firmly clasped in my chubby baby hands because books are such a big part of my life and the profound comfort they give me I can only put down to a genetic predisposition.
I grew up on a sheep farm in Tasmania, Australia during the 60’s and 70’s and for a young child it was a blissful existence. We didn’t have a television or even a telephone but what we did have was books, books and more books.
Money was scarce so the books I read were either very old, second hand or end of year Sunday School presentations.
‘The Case of the Missing Toff’ was a favorite not because of it’s content but more because to me it smelled like long forgotten treasure, kind of musty and damp, and the spine creaked spookily with each turn of a page. I never did quite understand what a Toff is or was but the book itself is still stuck in my mind several decades later.
As a shy loner child I completely immersed myself in books and the characters became my trusted friends, Enid Blyton’s Famous Five was actually Famous Six but seeing this wasn’t going to work as a title I graciously asked to be left in the background, included in every adventure, but never mentioned.
And then there was my beloved Trixie Belden. My niece has a full set of exactly the same stories that I treasured thirty years ago, with one small difference, the covers are soft and a clever person has given Trixie a very cool millennium makeover.
But there can only be one winner in the category of childhood books that changed my life and that book would have to be Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I was presented with this book by the church as my reward for attending each and every Sunday School class for the entire year. I loathed and despised this story! Unfortunately for me every man and his dog felt obliged to tell me how lucky I was to be given such a classic book therefore making me feel obliged to fib and agree that yes I was indeed lucky and yes it was a great book.
So every birthday and Christmas for the next two years I was bestowed with a Louisa May Alcott book until I had the entire rotten series.
So, what did my childhood books teach me? Life’s too short to read books you don’t enjoy. If the first chapter doesn’t grab at least one of your senses, toss it and find a book that does.
Oh, and all that pent up childhood imagination that lingers into adulthood…channel it into writing children’s books, so growing generations can immerse themselves in your fantasy and get to know your characters so they feel like trusted friends.

---

About Little Women:  Follow the adventures of four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, in this lively retelling of a much-loved classic tale. The sisters fall into one scrape after another, as tempers flare, illness strikes and their lives are filled with new experiences and loves.


Buy it at Amazon
Buy it at Powells
Buy it at IndieBound

About The Pizza Gang Facing the Witch:  When the neighborhood witch is out to get you, you'll do just about anything to avoid her! That's how twin brothers Joe and Ben, along with their best friend Katie, wound up volunteering to sort through the lost property at the police station. When they uncover a beautiful hat sent to a bride-to-be during a war decades ago, they find themselves in the middle of a mystery that needs solving. Determined to re-unite the hat with its owner, Joe, Ben and Katie come up with a plan involving their eccentric friend, Major Pain In The Butt and his turbo-charged wheelchair. But a series of disasters involving the witch, a cardboard cut-out of Brad Pitt, a bottle of nerve-calming sherry, a moldy theatre curtain and the theft of the hat bring a sudden end to the children's quest. Will they ever find the hat's owner?

Buy it at Amazon
Buy it at Powells
Buy it at IndieBound


Bu

Thanks to You!!

Thanks to you, my readers, I keep reading.

Thanks to you, my readers, I keep blogging.

Thanks to you, my readers, I've made some new friends.

Thanks to you, my readers, I'm never alone on the computer.

Thanks to you, my readers, I continue to be able to host giveaways.

I know that many of you are taking off tomorrow, putting the computer aside, for family and friends.  I will be doing the same.  I didn't want to miss the opportunity to let each of you know how thankful I am that you have come into my life, through this blog, twitter, facebook, and your own blogs.  Thank you for sharing a part of yourself with me and allowing me to do the same.  My hope for you is that you will have a blessed time with family and friends tomorrow and over the weekend.  Remember to take the time to thank someone and be thankful for what you have.  We are all blessed in many ways!!

To say thank you, I want to hold a very fast giveaway.  You have until Friday night at midnight to enter this one.  Tell everyone you know, in order to earn extra entries.

You can win your choice of the following audiobooks.  Please let me know, in the comments, which one you'd like to win.

The Lovely Bones

"My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973."

So begins the story of Susie Salmon, who is adjusting to her new home in heaven, a place that is not at all what she expected, even as she is watching life on earth continue without her -- her friends trading rumors about her disappearance, her killer trying to cover his tracks, her grief-stricken family unraveling. Out of unspeakable tragedy and loss, THE LOVELY BONES succeeds, miraculously, in building a tale filled with hope, humor, suspense, even joy.

The major motion picture version of THE LOVELY BONES, directed by Peter Jackson and starring Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, and Saoirse Ronan is scheduled for release on December 11, 2009.

 

My non-reading husband is listening to this one with me, in the truck, right now.  He can't wait for us to go somewhere together so that he can "read!"

Say You're One of Them

Uwem Akpan's stunning stories humanize the perils of poverty and violence so piercingly that few readers will feel they've ever encountered Africa so immediately.  The eight-year-old narrator of "An Ex-Mas Feast" needs only enough money to buy books and pay fees in order to attend school. Even when his twelve-year-old sister takes to the streets to raise these meager funds, his dream can't be granted. Food comes first. His family lives in a street shanty in Nairobi, Kenya, but their way of both loving and taking advantage of each other strikes a universal chord.
In the second of his stories published in a New Yorker special fiction issue, Akpan takes us far beyond what we thought we knew about the tribal conflict in Rwanda. The story is told by a young girl, who, with her little brother, witnesses the worst possible scenario between parents. They are asked to do the previously unimaginable in order to protect their children. This singular collection will also take the reader inside Nigeria, Benin, and Ethiopia, revealing in beautiful prose the harsh consequences for children of life in Africa.
Akpan's voice is a literary miracle, rendering lives of almost unimaginable deprivation and terror into stories that are nothing short of transcendent.

 

So, there you have it!  Leave a comment about which book you'd like.  Earn an extra entry for sharing this on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog.  Come back and leave me the link.  Hurry...ends Friday at midnight.  

Because of A Book with Shannon Primicerio

 

This week's post features author Shannon Primicerio.  Please help me welcome Shannon to the blog.  I am very excited about her post.  When I first started working on this feature, she sent me the following email:

I’m definitely interested. When I was a teenager I read a series by Robin Jones Gunn that made me want to become a writer. Without knowing this, my first editor asked Robin to write the foreword for my first book! So, it’s been wonderful to get to know the woman who made me want to be a writer. I would love to write about the series I read back then, and the new spin-off series she is currently writing. I’ve even emailed her to see if she’d be willing to donate an autographed copy to one of your readers.

 I told Shannon that it sounded like a story that needed to be told, so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.  Here's a little about Shannon:

From the moment she learned to talk, author and speaker Shannon (Kubiak) Primicerio has been engaging audiences with her wit and wisdom. A writer from the second she learned to hold a pencil, Shannon brings a deep passion for God and a keen awareness of the issues teen girls face to both the page and the stage. Whether you are reading one of her books or sitting in an auditorium listening to her speak, you will feel like you know Shannon—and like she knows you. In addition to writing nine books to Christian teen girls, Shannon also created her own writing curriculum for tweens and teens. She has a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in Biblical Studies from Biola University. Shannon resides in Southern California with her husband, Michael.

---

In junior high I was the epitome of awkward. I had long blonde hair and a gangly frame. In most social settings I was too shy to do something as basic as ordering from a restaurant menu. On most days I just wanted to escape. Whenever navigating the social woes of adolescence became too much for me, I would transport myself into another world through the pages of a book.

I must have been eleven or twelve at the time I met Christy Miller. Little did I know then that she would be a friend I would share countless experiences with. In many ways, Christy Miller saved me from the clumsiness of my life by navigating her own mortifying moments with grace and humility. I’ll never forget the time she went on a date with Todd only to discover, once she got home, that she had chocolate smeared across her face. Or the time she was invited to a slumber party only to be left feeling like an outsider by everyone else there. Christy’s life became so intertwined with my own that I sometimes couldn’t tell where her life ended and mine began. In many ways Christy Miller was like the best friend I never had. To some she may just be a fictional character in a series of books, but to me she will always be more than that.

It’s no surprise to me that the books in The Christy Miller series became best sellers. Many girls have found comfort, humor and respite from their own adolescence and teen years in the pages of her story. Several years ago, I pulled out some of my old journals from my “Christy Miller years” and found a paragraph that took me by surprise. I had written this about the author of The Christy Miller books: “What I admire most about Robin Jones Gunn is her legacy, and I hope to one day touch lives with my writing the way she has touched mine…”

It was on the pages of The Christy Miller series that I first found my passion for writing. During what were some of the most awkward years of my life I began to dream about writing books that would change the lives of teenage girls in the same way Christy Miller changed mine. And in what Christy would call a “God thing” Robin Jones Gunn wrote the foreword for my first book The Divine Dance. My editor had no clue that I even knew who Robin was. She just knew she was a popular author to teens, and thought her endorsement would help sales for a newcomer like me.

The Divine Dance could have tanked and I still would have been thrilled to receive the stamp of approval from a woman whose own words had greatly shaped my life. Thankfully, the book didn’t tank and is still selling six years later. My friendship with Robin also grew into something much more than a simple foreword. And I’m thankful for all she has taken the time to teach me about being an author who truly changes lives.

In 2001 the final chapter in Christy’s story was written, and girls around the world mourned the loss of a friend they had followed for years. Thankfully, though, there was more left to Christy’s story and in 2008 Robin launched a new series with all the same characters focusing on the life of Christy’s best friend Katie Weldon. Now new fans, and old alike, can follow the adventures of a crazy redhead and the forever friend she shared with so many.

One lucky reader will receive an autographed copy of the newest book in the Katie Weldon series. Coming Attractions promises to be a fun adventure with Christy, Katie and all of their friends.

You can learn more about Robin and Shannon at their respective websites: http://www.robingunn.com/ and http://www.beingagirlbooks.com/

---

About Summer Promise (The Christy Miller series #1):  Fourteen-year-old Christy Miller has the dream summer ahead of her in sun-kissed California, staying with her aunt and uncle at their beachfront home. Aunt Marti loves to shop, and those surfers are cute—especially Todd. Christy promised her parents she wouldn’t do anything she’d regret later, and some of her beach friends are a little wild. But Todd and his “God-Lover” friends are giving Christy a new image of all things eternal. Can this summer live up to its promise?

Buy it at Amazon
Buy it at Powells
Buy it at IndieBound

About The Divine Dance:  We want to be liked—that's why we put so much energy into pleasing others. Life has become a dance that we perform for others, auditioning for a place in the hearts of everyone we meet. We put our energy into performances to please our parents, friends, teachers, boys—even people we don't know. It's simple: We all desire to be loved and accepted. But in this busy, complicated world, we should be dancing as we were designed to—for the One who really cares. When the audiences are gone and we take off our masks, that's the part the Director likes best. Away from the alluring lights and demanding crowds, we can know ourselves and God in a powerful, meaningful way. When we realize that the One who matters already loves us, we will flourish in this life that is the Divine Dance.  

Buy it at Amazon
Buy it at Powells
Buy it at IndieBound

Blog Tour Review: Miss L'eau

 

Title:  Miss L'eau

Author:  T. Katz

Review Copy Provided by: Pump Up Your Book Promotions

About the Book:  James and David had always known there was something unusual about their elementary school teacher, Miss L'eau, but they could never quite put their finger on it. David discovered their first clue, was in her eyes-- Miss L'eau had the most unusual pair of eyes! She wore glasses when she taught, but when she had to deal with just you--she would lean over your desk, move her glasses down to the end of her nose . . . and there they were! Miss L'eau's eyes were as blue-green as the sea, and if you could get up the courage to stare right into them, you'd swear you could see angel fish, sea plants, coral beds and even sea anemones! It was the most wonderful, yet frightening, experience when she would talk to you face-to-face. The boys lived their whole lives near the ocean, but never thought about how import it was or how vulnerable it might be. Through Miss L'eau, and her unexpected relationship to the sea, they develop a love and understanding of the ocean and become involved with the nearby aquarium and organize an annual clean-up.

About the Author:  T. Katz, a resident of Southern California has been involved in the children's entertainment industry since the early 80's working on hundreds of episodes of animated television and as a music instructor to hundreds of very animated children. She is also the honorary conductor of a four-part harmony household, consisting of her two children (three if you count the spouse on a bad day) and Alice the cat. The people that surround her help her to continue seeing the world with all its magic, beauty and potential. She lives by the motto "a good book, a cup of tea and somehow all is right with the world." Her adventures in life are adding welcome lines of character to her face and scattered optimistic silver linings all over her head. You can visit her website at www.tkatz.com. 

My Review:  This is a quick read, small book, with a powerful message!  I wish school age kids could read this as part of an ocean unit.  It would so enhance their learning.  No, this book does not teach about the ocean, per se, but it does teach about how to take care of it and keep it around for the generations that come after us.

I don't want to say too much about this one, as I don't want to give the whole story away.  The main character is a boy, in 5th grade, so I'm sure that will appeal to boy readers.  This book, I think, would also appeal to reluctant readers because it is not overwhelming in length, but strong in story!  I will definitely share it with some of the boys in my school this year.  The main character and his best friend are strong, determined characters, who put aside what others might think, to help out someone they love, their teacher.  They swear to keep her secret, even though it is hard for them to let her go.  I loved the premise behind this story!  Teach kids to take care of the ocean, by bringing a part of the ocean to them.

4 out of 5 stars for T. Katz and Miss L'eau. Be sure to visit the other stops on the tour.

Blog Tour Review: Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully

Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully by Julianne Moore

Now Available on Amazon.com - To Order Your Copy Today - http://www.amazon.com/Freckleface-Strawberry-Dodgeball-Bully-Story/dp/1599903164

For complete tour information and the complete schedule, visit her tour home page at: http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2009/04/freckleface-strawberry-by-julianne.html

Title:  Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully
Author:  Julianne Moore
Illustrator:  LeUyen Pham
Review Copy Provided by:  Bloomsbury

About the Book:  Freckleface Strawberry loves the Early Bird program at school because it means extra time on the playground–except when it rains. Rain means indoor playtime...and facing the school bully Windy Pants Patrick in a bruising game of dodgeball. Ignoring him seems the safest thing, but what's our freckled heroine to do when she's forced to confront the bully alone? Beat him at his own game, of course.

About the Author:  Julianne Moore is U. S. Ambassador for Save the Children working with children and families in rural areas, focusing on literacy and early childhood education. She successfully launched the Save the Children Valentine program in 2008 whereby children’s book illustrators donated art work for cards, with the proceeds benefiting poverty in the United States. 

She is also a member of Reach Out and Read, a children’s literacy organization dedicated to educating parents on the importance of reading to their children, as well as an acclaimed actress who has appeared in such movies as:  The Hours, Far from Heaven, The End of the Affair, and Boogie Nights.

Ms Moore was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting from Boston University’s School of the Performing Arts. She now lives with her husband and children in New York City.

My Review:  This is just a cute book for kids.  The bonus is that it deals with a very serious issue, in a fun way, bullying.  Every kid, at some time in their life, has dealt or will deal with bullying in school.  As a teacher, I see it every day, and there aren't alot of books out there, to show kids that bullies can be dealt with, and usually very easily.  Ms. Moore has done a great job of telling a story of a little girl that loves school, but is scared of one of the boys there.  When she embraces the monster inside her imagination, and plays her own game, she finds out that the bully isn't such a bad person.  You have to give kids something to relate to in children's books and Ms. Moore has done exactly that.  All children have imagined/pretended playing monster, so they get this.  Now, not many of the kids today have played dodgeball because most schools don't allow it.  I know, it's sad.  But kids can relate to playing some game in PE or at daycare where they were hurt. The author's use of onomatopoeia, sound words, really add to the feel of this story.  I love when these are used in a book, because children love sounds.

The illustrator, LeUyen Pham, has given this book a retro look, and I think it's perfect since this book is about dodgeball, a retro game.  Even the pages have an old feel to them.  The expressions on the children's faces are just priceless!  It reminds me alot of the look and feel of Gerald McBoing Boing by Dr. Seuss.  Bright, vivid colors are used, which I think are best to capture young reader's attention.  

I recommend this book for classroom teachers at the elementary level and parents of young children.  Bullying is an issue that does not need to be ignored.  Children need to be aware of it and how to deal with it.  What better way to get them talking about it than with a fun book?

Download Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully Acivity Kit 

Julianne Moore Author of Freckleface Strawberry on Being a Writer - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFcob8mRtec

Julianne Moore Author of Freckleface Strawberry About Reading - www.youtube.com/watch?v=rboRF5ipxPU

Julianne Moore Author of Freckleface Strawberry About being a Redhead with Freckles - www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JZYtwEpdbs

Julianne Moore Author of Freckleface Strawberry on Writing Children's Books - www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NlGFJW7AbQ

Julianne Moore on the Name "Freckleface Strawberry" - www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvFlqKdaogs

Julianne Moore Author of Freckleface Strawberry on Balancing Family and Career - www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4koJKpoNxc 

Review: Nana Star Books and Dolls

I was thrilled when I was contacted to read/review the Nana Star books.  I had seen the books on a couple of other sites and was pleased with what I had read about them.  Now, I had a chance to see for myself.

 

Title:  Nana Star/Nana Star and the Moonman
Author:  Elizabeth Sills and Elena Patrice
Illustrator:  Linda Saker
Review Copy Provided by:  ee publishing

About the Books:  Nana Star - Join a little girl's magical adventures as she promises to bring a lost baby star home where he belongs. It won't be easy–he lives high up in the heavens.

Nana Star and the Moonman - Nana Star is ready to bring the lost baby star back home where he belongs, but the world has gone to bed and she feels scared and alone. With help from a new friend, she learns that she is never alone, that the Moonman is always watching over and guiding her, even when she can't see him.
 
My Review:  These books are perfect for a little girl.  I'm sure boys would like them too, but what little girl doesn't love a doll?  Especially one who dresses like a princess!  The illustrations in these books are simplistic yet full of color to hold a little one's attention.  The story is also a simple one, which I think is great.  The little girl finds a baby star and she promises to take care of him like his Nana and find a way to get him back home.  Children will relate to this story, because they all have felt sad when someone is away from them.  There is usually someone there to step in and take care until they return.  Thus, the little girl becomes "Nana Star."  Getting the star home was going to be an adventure, and so the story of Nana Star ends, but actually begins.  I love how this story ends, letting you know that there is more to come in the adventure.  It gives children something to look forward to and is the beginning of helping them make predictions.

Nana Star and the Moonman is the continuation of the adventure.  Children meet the Moonman in the first story.  Again, Linda Saker's illustrations add to the sweetness of the story.  It just looks like a bedtime story!  Pair it with the Moonman Lovey plush and you have the perfect gift set!  The plush lights up and plays a beautiful lullaby.

Both of these books are just sweet books for young children with a great message of care and friendship.  Nana Star and the Moonman are precious characters that children will love.  The posable doll and plush are great compliments to the books, but they are perfectly fine on their own as well.  The books also come with a CD that tells the story and has a song on it.  Nana Star books have won multiple awards.

Look for a new Nana Star book this summer; Nana Star and the Blue Wolf.

ee publications has graciously offered to give one of my readers a copy of the Nana Star book and posable Nana Star doll, to get the child in your life started on this series.  To enter, just leave a comment on this post between now and a week from today.  Winners will be drawn on Friday, May 22nd.  US and Canada only.  Extra entries for following, tweeting, and blogging.

Review: A Book

 

Title:  A Book

Author:  Mordecai Gerstein

Review Copy Provided by:  Roaring Book Press

About the Book: Once upon a time there was a family who lived in a book. All but the youngest had stories they belonged to--fighting fires, exploring space, entertaining in the circus--but she didn't have one yet.  She wanders through the book, in search of her story.  Through the use of perspective, Gerstein tells her story as if the reader is looking into the book.

My Review:  This is such a fun book!  It is geared for 4-8 year olds.  The youngsters will love the vivid illustrations while the older children will be able to pick out the subtleties that the author includes.  Told from the little girl's perspective, the reader gets to follow her on a journey to find "her story."  Gerstein has done a great job of making it appear that the reader is looking down into the book by using shadows and perspective.  The characters talk in speech bubbles, which is very unique.  Not alot of books do that, so it's hard to find examples to show young writers.  I'm glad that Gerstein used them along with type to tell this story.  The reader gets to meet characters in many genres of literature: fairy tales, mysteries, fantasy, and historical fiction.  These are all genres that are taught to students and this book gives teachers a way to show them to students.  This is a book that children will ask for over and over again, I'm sure, because you can see new things every time you open it.  

Author Interview and Giveaway: Kate Messner

Sorry for the late post, but I had a bit of a diversion this morning that included a constable and loose horses. When you have pasture horses, it's a scary thing to hear there are horses out down the road. Checked out the front, no horses, so I feared the worst. Long story short, the horses weren't ours, so all is well.

Today is the BIG announcement of the Children's Choice Book Awards. I am excited to bring the news to you!

K-2nd grade - The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems

3rd-4th grade - Spooky Cemeteries by Dinah Williams

5th-6th grade - Thirteen by Lauren Myracle

Teen - Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Author - Stephenie Meyer for Breaking Dawn

Illustrator - John J. Muth for Zen Ties

And now, for today's Children's Book Week Celebration post. I have another interview for you today. Today's author is Kate Messner, who has a book, THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z, due out in September. This is a book geared toward 8-12 year olds. Following the interview, Kate has a surprise for one of my readers!

Write For A Reader (WFAR): Please tell us a little about yourself.

Kate Messner (KM): I’m a children’s writer, mom, and middle school English teacher, and I love being all of those things. I live with my husband and kids on Lake Champlain, a gorgeous place that’s the setting for many of my books, including THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z.

WFAR: When did you start writing?

KM: In first grade, I remember writing a story about a girl throwing snowballs at her brother, and when my teacher put it up on the bulletin board, I remember thinking, “Hey! I might be good at this!” I’ve been writing ever since but got serious about writing for publication about eight years ago.

WFAR: Do you have writing “mentors?” If so, who are they?

KM: I feel fortunate to have a whole community of writing mentors – some I know in real life, some I only know online, and some I only know through their brilliant work. They all inspire me, but I’d be particularly lost without my online critique group that includes wonderful writers like Loree Griffin-Burns, Liza Martz, and Eric Luper. It’s a gift to be able to share works in progress and know that they’ll be appreciated and whipped into shape, all at once.

WFAR: Can you give us a little of the back story behind THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z? How did this book come to be?

KM: Well, I teach middle school English, and our 7th graders have to complete a legendary and infamous leaf collection project each year. I’ve heard a decade’s worth of crazy leaf-collecting stories (and some wild excuses, too!) and that was the inspiration for this novel about a Vermont girl who will miss her cross country sectional meet if she can’t finish her project on time.

WFAR: What’s next for you as an author? Do you have anything in the works?

KM: I have four more books under contract and at various stages in the editing process.

MARTY MCGUIRE, FROG PRINCESS will be the first in a chapter book series with Scholastic, starting in Summer 2010. It’s about a third grade girl who likes crayfish and frogs way better than dresses and tiaras, and who is forced to be the princess in the school play, with hilarious results. My second MARTY book is currently scheduled for Summer 2011.

My first picture book will be illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal and published by Chronicle Books in Fall 2010. It’s called OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW and is about a girl who goes cross country skiing and discovers the secret world of animals living under the winter snow.

And I’ve just signed up another middle grade novel with my editor for GIANNA Z at Walker Books. It’s called SUGAR ON SNOW, and it’s about a girl who lives on a maple farm and earns a figure skating scholarship to train with the elite in Lake Placid. My agent likes to call that one the “Mean Girls on Ice” book! I’ll be working on revisions for that novel this summer.

I’ve also started a new middle grade mystery that has me very excited. I’m going to Washington D.C. to do some research for that new book next week!

WFAR: What is your favorite piece or book that you have written?

KM: Oh gosh, that’s tough. When kids ask that question at my school visits, I always tell them it’s like asking a parent to choose a favorite child. And then I say that my favorite is the one I’m working on right now – the one I’ve been thinking about all day and will work on writing tonight.

WFAR: What do you like to do when you are not writing?

KM: We live in a beautiful part of the country, so my family loves spending time outside. We hike and ski in the Adirondacks and Green Mountains, and we love spending time on Lake Champlain, too. I’m just starting to get my garden rolling for the season. And of course, I love reading. I usually read a book or two a week.

WFAR: Describe your writing atmosphere…where do write, when, etc?

KM: When it comes to drafting a new novel, I almost always write at my desk in the office I share with my husband after my kids are in bed for the night. I’m more relaxed about where I revise & edit, though, and have been known to do that everywhere from the library to the bleachers at my daughter’s ice skating practice. Deadlines are great for making you more flexible!

WFAR: What are some of your favorites? Author, food, color, book, any others…

KM: I have way too many favorite authors to list them all, but a few current favorites who write for kids and young adults are Cynthia Lord, Linda Urban, Laurie Halse Anderson, Lisa Yee, Mitali Perkins, Kerry Madden, and Elise Broach. I love the Harry Potter series. And my absolute favorites when I was growing up were Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume.

Food? One word. Chocolate.

Color? Blue.

WFAR: What is a typical day like in the life of a children’s book author?

KM: A typical day in my life starts with a morning run and the usual hustle and bustle of getting kids ready for school. Then it’s off to school myself, where I either teach my own 7th grade students or visit another school for an author visit. After school, I run my kids to whatever events & practices they might have, and this time of year, we usually sneak in a bike ride before dinner. Then we all read, and when the kids go to bed, I write from about 9-11. Then I read in bed, (usually about a paragraph!) before I fall asleep, get up, and start the whole thing over again.

WFAR: Is there anything else you would like the readers to know?
KM: My website – www.katemessner.com -- has lots of resources for teachers, librarians, & parents, including information about my school & library presentations and book club visits. I’ve started doing virtual visits using Skype and found that’s a great way to connect with classes and book clubs. THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z is a perfect mother-daughter book club selection, and I’ve already had a few mother-daughter groups inquire, so I’m really loooking forward to those chats!

Kate, Thank you so much for chatting with me today! I look forward to reading the book you sent and your upcoming works as well.

I’ve loved chatting with you, too, Shelly. Thanks for inviting me to celebrate Children’s Book Week with you and your readers!

Gianna Z at Amazon
Gianna Z at Powells

GIVEAWAY

Kate has graciously sent me an autographed ARC of The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z to giveaway to one of my readers. All you have to do to enter, is comment on this interview. Since this book is coming from me, it is open to US/Canadian addresses only. The contest will end a week from today, May 20th, with the winner drawn randomly, emailed and posted here on May 21st.

Extra entries for:

• Follower - +1
• Tweet This - +2
• Blog About It - +3
• Visit Kate's Website and tell me something you learned - +5