Tue 28 Dec 2010
Posted by annastan
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The pandas worked through Christmas counting entries, and the winner of our Elliot and the Goblin War Giveaway is:
Thanks to everyone who entered. We’ll be having new giveaways nearly every week, so make sure to check back. Happy reading!
Tue 28 Dec 2010
Posted by annastan
[3] Comments
Chapter One
“Oh. My. God. My parents are so going to kill me.”
I couldn’t take my eyes away from the mirror in Mario’s House of Hair. The alien landscape that was now my head seemed to hypnotize me. Taunt me. And tell me what a complete idiot I was for having done this.
My best friend, Beth Pizzano, gave me no sympathy.
“Stop it, Lucy. You know you look hot.”
I don’t know how Beth could judge how hot I looked because she was busy adjusting her tank top so that it revealed even more of her chest. Until she could charge implants on her $1,000 limit VISA card, she constantly observed, adjusted and overly-obsessed about that part of her anatomy. Much like I did about my hair. The dark brown, almost black, canopy I had just deliberately obliterated in total defiance of my mother’s refusal to let me get highlights.
“I’m not thinking about whether I look hot or not. I’m wondering whether my parents will notice if I walk around the house wearing a paper bag on my head for the next year.”
The grandmaster of my new look appeared beside me. With his black, shiny hair pulled into a ponytail and a wide grin pulling at his face, he reminded me of some sleazy magician ready to make me disappear. I wish.
Excerpt © 2010 Nelsa Roberto
About the book:
When seventeen-year-old Lucy do Amaral comes home with newly bleached blonde hair she expects a major lecture and another grounding from her strict Portuguese parents. What she doesn’t expect is the shocking news that her parents are illegal aliens who’ve just been told they’re being deported in less than a week. Lucy’s furious at her parents and has no intention of leaving her boyfriend and missing prom and grad to go live in some backwater village with no cable, no movie theatre and no life in some country she knows nothing about.
But, as Lucy discovers, intentions and reality are sometimes worlds apart – or, in Lucy’s case, at least an ocean away. Lucy’s desperation to return to her ‘real’ home ensnares her in a web of illegal activity that threatens more than her journey home. But it’s when she unexpectedly falls for a guy whose connection to his home is centuries old that she finally realizes you can never really run away from your roots – not even if you bleach them.
What people are saying:
“Roberto’s firm grasp of dialogue and understanding of teenage feelings makes this a good addition to young people’s fiction.” -Winnipeg Free Press
“The dialogue and Lucy’s interior self-talk is absolutely excellent. Because Roberto has captured perfectly the vocabulary, tone and emotions of the characters, the story flies by with the reader eagerly turning pages. From the rigid upper middle class kitchen of Joel’s parents to the cramped home of Lucy’s loving relatives, the settings not only reflect the characters’ values but also evoke a palpable love of Portuguese culture. Exceptional descriptions of the land and village in Portugal are woven seamlessly into the plot. The themes of controlling one’s impulsivity and supporting one’s family ahead of one’s immediate desires will not be lost on the intended reader.” Recommended. -Joan Marshall, CM Magazine.
“It’s refreshing to see a Portuguese-Canadian protagonist in YA fiction and Lucy do Amaral is an appealing newcomer … author Nelsa Roberto has taken a true story from the news headlines (about Portuguese-Canadians deported when their citizenship was called into question) and skillfully crafted an enjoyable and well-written tale. Lucy do Amaral is a welcome addition to the YA scene.” -Gillian O’Reilly, Canadian Children’s Book Centre News (Summer 2010)
Released: March 2010 from Great Plains Publications
About the author:
Nelsa Roberto is a mild-mannered civil servant by day and a ferocious teen-fiction writer/hockey mom/van driver by night. Born in a remote logging community in northern Ontario, Nelsa spent much of her youth in a small, rural farming community in southern Ontario before moving to Windsor, Ontario to earn her combined Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Communication Studies.
Nelsa lives in Toronto, Ontario with her husband, three children and a slightly hyperactive Golden Retriever, and is busy writing – mostly on the subway and at hockey arenas – her next young adult novel.
Tue 21 Dec 2010
Posted by annastan
[24] Comments
Win a signed copy of Bamboo People! Details at the end of this post.
Teachers wanted. Applicants must take examination in person. Salaries start at—
“Chiko, come inside!” Mother calls through the screen door, her voice low and urgent.
On the road behind our house, horns toot, sirens blare, and bicycle rickshaws crowd the streets. A high cement wall and a barrier of bamboo muffle the noise, making our garden seem as private as a monastery. But it isn’t. I could be spotted from the houses nearby, and spies are everywhere. They would betray even an old neighbor for extra ration cards.
I scan the rest of the announcement quickly, my heart racing.
“Chiko! Now!” Mother startles the flock of green parakeets perched on the birdbath, and they fly away.
I fold the newspaper around A Tale of Two Cities and head for the house. I want to tell Mother about the call for teachers in the paper, but it seems like she’s getting more anxious by the day. So am I, even though I wish I didn’t have to admit that. I’m tired of hiding, of worrying, and worst of all, of remembering again and again the day the soldiers came for Father. Remembering how I’ve failed him.
“You shouldn’t be reading out there,” Mother tells me, peering through the screen after latching the door behind me.
I take a deep breath and push my glasses back. It’s now or never. “No harm in reading the government newspaper. There’s a notice—”
But she’s not listening. “We’ll talk about that later, Chiko. How could you take one of your father’s books outside? Do you want to end up in prison, too?”
Excerpt © 2010 Mitali Perkins
Chiko isn’t a fighter by nature. He’s a book-loving Burmese boy whose father, a doctor, is in prison for resisting the government. Tu Reh, on the other hand, wants to fight for freedom after watching Burmese soldiers destroy his Karenni family’s home and bamboo fields. Timidity becomes courage and anger becomes compassion as each boy is changed by unlikely friendships formed under extreme circumstances. Narrated by two fifteen-year-old boys, Bamboo People is a coming-of-age novel set against the political and military backdrop of modern-day Burma. (http://bamboopeople.org)
What people are saying:
“With authenticity, insight, and compassion, Perkins delivers another culturally rich coming-of-age novel.”—★ School Library Journal Starred Review
“A graceful exploration of the redemptive power of love, family, and friendship.”—★ Publishers Weekly Starred Review
Released: July 2010 from Charlesbridge
About the author:
Mitali Perkins was born in India and immigrated to the States with her parents and two sisters when she was seven. Bengali-style, their names rhyme: Sonali means “gold,” Rupali means “silver,” and “Mitali” means “friendly.” Mitali had to live up to her name because her family moved so much — she’s lived in India, Ghana, Cameroon, England, New York, Mexico, California, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Massachusetts. Now she’s settled in Newton, a town just outside of Boston, where she writes books for young readers and visits schools and libraries to talk about the life-changing power of stories.
Win a signed copy:
Mitali has been kind enough to contribute a signed copy of Bamboo People for a giveaway!
To enter simply leave a comment on this post.
For extra entries:
-Be a follower of this site (just click “Join this site”) or a follower on Twitter [+1 entry each].
-Link to this contest on Twitter, Facebook, etc. [+1 entry per each link].
Please list your extra entries in the comments.
The contest is open in the US and Canada and ends on January 3rd at midnight EST.
Good luck!
Tue 14 Dec 2010
Posted by annastan
[8] Comments
Win a signed copy of Elliot and the Goblin War! Details at the end of this post.
When he was eight years old, Elliot Penster started an interspecies war. Don’t blame him. As anyone who has ever started an interspecies war will tell you, it’s not that difficult to do.
Elliot had spent the evening trick-or-treating. Everyone thought he was dressed as a hobo, but he wasn’t. He didn’t have money for a Halloween costume and so he’d just gone in his everyday clothes.
On that night, his everyday clothes were a pair of his big brother’s old jeans with a hole in one knee, a t-shirt that sort of fit if he didn’t lift his arms up, and a long-sleeved plaid shirt over it that did fit. He also wore two different shoes, which weren’t part of his everyday clothes. It’s just that he couldn’t find their matches.
Either way, he was on his way home with a big sack of candy, which is all that ever really matters on Halloween. He dipped his face into his sack and sniffed up the blend of chocolate, fruit, and sugar smells. And lead? Elliot pulled an orange pencil from his sack, then dropped it back in. Who gives pencils for Halloween? Probably the dentist over on Apple Lane.
Elliot wrapped his sack up tight to keep the smell inside until he got home. He planned to share a few candies with his family, then go wild with the rest in one night of sugar-crazed insanity.
“Help!” a voice cried.
Elliot turned to see a little girl running toward him. Her right arm flailed wildly, and in her left arm she carried a sack almost as big as she was. She was dressed as an elf. Every time she screamed, all the dogs in the area howled. Chasing her were two kids about his own size dressed as Goblins.
“Hey!” Elliot yelled at them. “You’re not supposed to take someone else’s candy!”
Elliot ran toward the kids in the Goblin suits. He tossed his heavy sack of candy over his shoulder then swung it toward them. It hit one Goblin in the shoulder and knocked him into the other. They fell on top of each other on the ground.
“Stay out of this,” the Goblin on the bottom snarled. “You’re only a human boy.”
Excerpt © 2010 Jennifer Nielsen
About the book:
For most kids, accidentally starting an interspecies war on Halloween would be the biggest event of their lives. But for Elliot Penster, it was only the beginning. Three years later, the Brownies, who are hopelessly losing that war against the Goblins, make 11-year-old Elliot their king.
Elliot dodges the Goblins’ attempts to do away with him, until they finally go too far and blow up his house. Now it’s time for the king to fight back and end the war once and for all.
What people are saying:
“Never before have the secrets of the Underworld been exposed with such flair and self-assured hilarity. It is a winning combination, one that is sure to delight young readers eager to dip their toe into the world of the fantastical. A perfect mix of goblin antics, a likeable hero, and droll humor! Even the most reluctant of readers will be pulled in.” – R.L. LaFevers, author of the Theodosia, Nathaniel Fudd, and Lowthar’s Blade series
Released: October 2010 from Sourcebooks
About the author:
Jennifer Nielsen lives at the base of a very tall mountain in Northern Utah with her husband, three children, and a fat lizard. She loves the smell of rainy days, hot chocolate, and old books, preferably all at once. Although she has never actually met any Underworld creatures, she did see someone once who might have been a troll.
Win a signed copy:
Jen has been kind enough to contribute a signed copy of Elliot and the Goblin War for a giveaway!
To enter simply leave a comment on this post.
For extra entries:
-Be a follower of this site (just click “Join this site”) or a follower on Twitter [+1 entry each].
-Link to this contest on Twitter, Facebook, etc. [+1 entry per each link].
Please list your extra entries in the comments.
The contest is open in the US and Canada and ends on December 27th at midnight EST.
Good luck!
Tue 7 Dec 2010
Posted by annastan
Comments Off
CHAPTER 1
“Claire Marie Boucher!” Mom shouted extra loud across the sugarhouse, but the maple steam was so thick it just about swallowed up her voice anyhow. “Make sure you come straight home from the rink after the show’s over. We don’t have Holly and Camille to run pancakes this year, nor Austin to cook. And I’ve got Jake and Christopher running wild under my feet.” Claire’s brothers were fighting again instead of bringing in wood. A snowball flew in through the open screen door and sizzled into the bubbling sap.
“I’ll be back by noon.” Claire tossed her skating bag over her shoulder and stepped out of the steam into the cold March air. Even with the sun shining, spring wasn’t ready to climb out of the snowdrifts and shake itself off just yet.
She already knew there wasn’t enough help for sugaring weekend this year. Holly and Camille from the Ladue Farm left for college last August and hadn’t even come back to visit. Austin Gonyea from the next hill over had traded in pancakes for a job tossing pizzas in Plattsburgh, half an hour away.
Even her cousin Charlotte, who used to spend every spare minute with Claire skating on the cow pond, was off skating on some fancy college rink in Pennsylvania. Claire’s boots crunched through iced-over puddles all down the driveway. Who could blame them for leaving? Mojimuk Falls didn’t have much to offer unless your life revolved around maple trees, like hers did. You could farm or work at the border, and that was about it. The very name of the place— Mojimuk— was the Abenaki word for “going away.” Maybe that’s why they all did.
Claire leaned against the mailbox to wait for Natalie. At least Natalie couldn’t go anywhere for a while. They both had more than five years until graduation, and that was just fine. Five more years of skating on the cow pond as soon as it froze solid enough. Five years of milk-shake nights, talking about classes and skating and Nat’s honeybees in their hives out by the orchard. Five years of boiling maple sap and serving up pancakes every March, fighting over who got to wait on the cute boys.
Excerpt © 2010 Kate Messner
About the book:
For Claire Boucher, life is all about skating on the frozen cow pond and in the annual Maple Show right before the big pancake breakfast on her family’s maple farm. But all that changes when Claire is offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity-a scholarship to train with the elite skaters in Lake Placid. Tossed into a world of mean girls on ice, where competition is everything, Claire soon realizes that her sweet dream-come-true has sharper edges than she could have imagined. Can she find the strength to stand up to the people who want her to fail and the courage to decide which dream she wants to follow?
What people are saying:
“One moment Claire Boucher is tapping the sap from her family’s maple trees; the next she is plucked from obscurity by a coach who sees her skate in the Maple Show and offers a scholarship in Lake Placid…. Even those who don’t know their double toe loops from their single salchows will enjoy…reading about what it takes to make it on the ice.” ~Booklist
“For fans of ice skating this book is nothing short of a dream come true. If I don’t see a copy of this book in every single ice skater’s gym bag by the end of December I will eat my proverbial hat.” ~Betsy Bird on her Fuse #8 School Library Journal Blog
“Delightful… Messner has a flair for depicting engaging characters.” ~School Library Journal
“Claire’s self-doubt and inner turmoil over whether to continue with the Silver Blades after her scholarship ends is both realistic and sensitively depicted. The solidarity among some of the skaters is nicely contrasted with the mind games and meanness of others. The addition of a light romance and the satisfying conclusion will appeal to those who have skating fantasies of their own.” ~Kirkus
Released: December 7, 2010 by Walker Books
About the author:
Kate Messner is the author of THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z. winner of the 2010 E.B. White Read Aloud Award for Older Readers, SUGAR AND ICE (Walker/Bloomsbury), the MARTY MCGUIRE chapter book series coming from Scholastic this spring, and two picture books on the way from Chronicle Books. She’s also a National Board Certified middle school English teacher. Learn more at her website: www.katemessner.com.
