First Page Panda

The pandas had to dig out of the snow to pick a winner for our giveaway of The Line. Now that they’re drying off by the fire and sipping hot chocolate, they’re ready to announce the winner. And that person is:

Shari Green!

Thanks to everyone who entered. Stay warm and happy reading!

1
You’re Not Going All Jekyll and Hyde, Are You?

I was halfway out my bedroom window when my cell rang.

The ring tone was some ancient pop song from when I was twelve, the sound distorted and screechy. I was precariously balanced with one bare leg out the window and the other wedged against my desk chair. Now was definitely not the best time for a phone call.

I ignored it, and the song cut off abruptly as the call went to voice mail. In the phone’s silent wake I could hear clearly the sounds of the night outside—the cool wind whistling past trees, a dog’s barks echoing between houses, some road raging driver laying on his horn down the street.

I needed to be out there. I wanted to dive into the darkness beyond my window, get filthy and carefree. Smiling, I started to push myself through my window.

Excerpt © 2011 Jeff Sampson

About the book:

Emily Webb is a geek. And she’s happy that way. Content hiding under hoodies and curling up to watch old horror flicks, she’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for midnight parties. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that . . . the same night one of her classmates—also named Emily—is found mysteriously murdered.

The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing any of this. With every nightfall, Emily gets wilder until it’s no longer just her personality that changes. Her body can do things it never could before: Emily is now strong, fast, and utterly fearless. Is she bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely—something not human?

What people are saying:

“Addictive and surprising. I couldn’t wait for night to fall to see what Emily would do next!”–Lauren Kate, New York Times bestselling author of Fallen

“Exciting, witty, and impossible to put down. The best kind of page turner.”–Michael Grant, New York Times bestselling author of the Gone series

“A shy, dorky 16-year-old transforms into a wild party girl at night in this effective supernatural thriller…. Sampson delivers an almost believable scenario through Emily’s chatty first-person narration…. Emily’s attractive personality, drab on the surface but with emerging panache, easily holds readers’ attention, especially during her feral nighttime prowls. Intriguing.”–Kirkus

Released: January 25, 2011 from Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins

About the author:

Jeff Sampson has previously written six books for children, including Dragon Spell and The Suncatcher Trilogy. Much like his main character, Emily, he is a pop culture fanatic with an abiding love of TV and movies. Vesper is his first novel for young adults. Jeff lives in Tukwila, Washington.

Chapter One

The Long Road Home

Eleven years ago, on my sixth birthday, my father disappeared.

One year ago, on the very same day, my brother was taken from me, as well. But that time, I went into Faery to take him back.

It’s strange how a journey can change you, what you can learn from it. I learned that the man I thought was my father wasn’t my father at all. That my biological dad wasn’t even human. That I was the half-breed daughter of a legendary faery king, and his blood flowed in my veins. I learned that I had power, a power that scares me, even now. A power that even the fey dread, something that can destroy them–and I’m not sure I can control it.

I learned that love can transcend race and time, and that it can be beautiful and perfect and worth fighting for but also fragile and heartbreaking, and sometimes sacrifice is necessary. That sometimes it’s you against the world, and there are no easy answers. That you have to know when to hold on…and when to let go. And even if that love comes back, you could discover something in someone else who has been there all along.

Excerpt © 2011 Julie Kagawa

About the book:

MY NAME IS MEGHAN CHASE.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who’s sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I’m not sure anyone can survive it.

THIS TIME,

THERE WILL BE NO TURNING BACK.

What people are saying:

“Reading The Iron Queen reminded me why I fell in love with Young Adult fiction in the first place.”– Heather of Fire and Ice

“IT WAS FAN-FRICKING-TASTIC! Whoever doesn’t read this book is totally out of their minds! I LOVE THIS SERIES!”– Bloody Bookaholic

“If I could give this book a hundred stars, I would! Absolutely phenomenal”– Michele from Mundie Moms

“Exquisitely written, never dropping a beat, The Iron Queen left me speechless and fulfilled. ”– A readers record

Released: January 25, 2010 from Harlequin Teen

About the author:

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon puppy.

You can visit her at: www.juliekagawa.com and learn more about the Iron Fey Series at: www.enterthefaeryworld.com.

We have a winner for our Dogsled Dreams giveaway! The pandas tried to eat the signed bookmarks, but when they figured out they weren’t bamboo, they reluctantly agreed to part with them. And the winner is:

Tracy Walshaw!

“Nina, look.” Sandy jabbed me in the ribs.

I glanced up at the AV screen expecting to see the latest vert of back-to-school fashion for sixteens.

“No, there.” Sandy jerked my arm, bringing my attention to the doorway.

Four guys approached us, lurching and swaying through the moving express. They sat across the aisle, immediately crowding together in a knot. A low buzz of unintelligible words, accompanied by the occasional rowdy snort, rose from their cluster.

“They’re eighteen,” she whispered. “I bet it’s the one in the middle’s birthday. He’s cute!” She wriggled in her seat.

By the way he kept admiring the tattoo on his wrist and fingering the Band-Aid behind his ear, where his GPS had been, I knew she was right. I involuntarily touched my own tracker. The tiny grain-sized pellet embedded beneath the skin barely registered on my fingertips. What would it be like to be able to go someplace where you were untraceable?

Before my thoughts went any further down that path, Sandy said, “They’re going into the city to celebrate. I wish–”

“No, you don’t.” My stomach turned at the thought of eighteenth celebrations. We’d heard all about them, particularly the Angel affair. I quickly blocked the images from my mind.

Excerpt © 2011 Julia Karr

In the year 2150, being a girl isn’t necessarily a good thing, especially when your sixteenth (read sex-teenth) birthday is fast approaching. That in itself would be enough to make anyone more than a little nuts, what with the tattoo and all – but Nina Oberon’s life has taken a definite turn for the worse. Her mother is brutally stabbed and left for dead. Before dying, she entrusts a secret book to Nina, telling her to deliver it to Nina’s father. But, first Nina has to find him; since for fifteen years he’s been officially dead. Complications arise when she rescues Sal, a mysterious, and ultra hot guy. He seems to like Nina, but also seems to know more about her father than he’s letting on. Then there’s that murderous ex-government agent who’s stalking her, and just happens to be her little sister’s dad.

What people are saying:

“In her unsettling debut, Karr depicts a sex-obsessed future where women are the perpetual victims of predatory marketing, and other societal ills seen in our present…taken to terrifying ends. …there’s no doubt this well-written, accessible sci-fi thriller will provoke discussion.”–Booklist

“Gender politics and sexual awareness play prominent roles in Karr’s thoughtprovoking dystopian debut. A solid, enjoyable story.”–Publisher’s Weekly

Released: January 6, 2011 from Speak/Penguin

About the author:

Julia Karr was born in Indiana and moved to Chicago when she was fifteen. After the initial culture shock of going from quiet, small-town living to Carl Sandburg’s “stormy, husky, brawling” metropolis, she fell madly in love with the city. Her debut novel, XVI, is set in the future in the city she still loves — Chicago. Visit Julia online at http://juliakarr.com

It’s no secret that pandas love mermaids, and we caught them trying to keep this book all for themselves. But finally they agreed to go through the entries and pick a winner for the Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings Giveaway. And that winner is…

Aishah!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered. Happy reading!

Win a signed copy of Change of Heart! Details at the end of this post.

If I had known “normal” could disappear so quickly, would I have appreciated it more? Would I have been less afraid to raise my hand in class? Would I have let my mother’s complaints roll off my back?

Looking back to how it was before everything changed, I think I’d have done things differently. I’d have stopped to enjoy the smell of the cut grass on the soccer field—and been nicer to my brothers. I’d have eaten that hot fudge sundae, even when I felt kind of fat.

But it’s easy to analyze this stuff when you have the perspective I do now.

I think when you’re sixteen, you believe you’re invincible. Or immortal. Maybe it’s both?

When the most stressful thing in your life is winning a soccer game or what to wear to school, you take some really basic things for granted.

Like the love of your parents.

Or hanging with your friends.

Or the beating of your heart . . .

Excerpt © 2010 Shari Maurer

About the book:

16-year-old elite soccer player, Emmi, gets sick and needs a heart transplant and in the process learns about life, love and the meaning of true friendship.

What people are saying:

“Shari Maurer’s excellent Change of Heart offers more than just a very human teenaged girl with a terrifying situation to somehow get through. It reminds us that priorities can be as ephemeral, and as fragile, as the beat of a damaged heart.”–Deborah Grabien, author of Dark in the Park, The Kinkaid Chronicles, and The Haunted Ballad Mysteries

“Emmi is an authentically drawn protagonist. Her intimate, lively, first-person narrative…details the physical and emotional effects of her heart disease…Readers will find Emmi and her experiences absorbing.” –Booklist

“Change of Heart is a gripping, moving, and honest story about everything that really matters in life. Shari Maurer takes a scary experience that happens to very few young adults and makes it both universal and uplifting.”–Daria Snadowsky, author of Anatomy of a Boyfriend

“Tragic yet uplifting, Change of Heart will stay with you long after you’ve closed the book.”–Mandy Hubbard, author of Prada and Prejudice

Released: June 2010 from WestSide Books

About the author:

Shari Maurer lives in New City, New York, where she grew up. This serves as a constant reminder of her teen years and enables her to write using very fresh memories. She went to undergrad at Duke University and grad school at NYU, studying English and Dramatic Writing and yelling loud at basketball games. For six years, Shari was at the Children’s Television Workshop, working on international productions of Sesame Street and is the co-author of The Parents’ Guide to Children’s Congenital Heart Defects. She married Mat, the boy she met at 17 (another source of fresh memories) and they have three children, Lissie, Josh and Eric. Mat is now a cardiologist, which came in very handy when she was writing CHANGE OF HEART, her YA novel published by WestSide Books.

Giveaway:

Shari has been kind enough to contribute a signed copy of Change of Heart 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 31st at midnight EST.

Good luck and happy reading!

Win a copy of The Line! Details at the end of this post.

It seemed to Rachel that she had always lived on The Property, though this wasn’t true.  Her mother, Vivian, said they moved there when she was three years old, but Rachel didn’t remember.  To her, The Property was home.  She felt as comfortable there as she did in her own skin.  But she knew that for most people, The Property was too close to the section of the National Border Defense System known as the Line.

The National Border Defense System enclosed the entire Unified States.  The section called the Line was only a small part of it, but because of its history it was infamous, at least locally.  Strange things were supposed to happen near the Line; dangerous things.  Even though there hadn’t been a Crossing Storm in over forty years, people still thought of the Line as a bad place to be near.  There were whispers about Away—the territory on the other side of the Line.  There were whispers about the Others.

Rachel wasn’t afraid.  After all, she spent a lot of her time in the greenhouse that was all the way at the back of The Property, right next to the Line.  Away was clearly visible from the greenhouse windows.  Rachel had gazed countless hours out those windows at Away, and she had never seen anything strange over there at all.  Just the same meadows and trees that were on the U.S. side of the Line.

Technically, Rachel wasn’t supposed to be in the greenhouse.  Ms. Elizabeth Moore, the owner of The Property, grew orchids there, which she shipped to the cities to sell.  Vivian had always cautioned Rachel to stay away from the greenhouse; she worried that Rachel might be a bother to Ms. Moore, or that she might break something.  Rachel tried to do whatever she could to make things easier for her mother, but the greenhouse had seemed magical to her from the first time she saw it—so hushed, so peaceful and beautiful.  The air was warm and soft, and a gentle light filtered in through the glass, illuminating the lush emerald hues of the orchids’ leaves.  Their exotic blooms vied for Rachel’s attention, some offering flashes of intense colors in bold shapes; others, pale and delicate, coquettishly inviting a closer inspection.

Rachel couldn’t resist.  She hid somewhere in the greenhouse almost every day when she was little, happy among the flowers.  She was careful to stay out of Ms. Moore’s sight, of course.  She would have been careful even if she hadn’t been warned not to bother her.  Ms. Moore was old, and not old in a grandmotherly, “here are some cookies” way; she was quite forbidding.  Rachel was almost scared of her.  But being in the greenhouse was worth the risk.

Excerpt © 2010 Teri Hall

About the book:

In the not so distant future…

Rachel lives with her mother on The Property. The good thing about living there is that it’s far from the city where the oppressive government is most active. The bad thing, at least to most people, is that it’s close to the Line—an uncrossable section of the National Border Defense System, an invisible barrier that encloses the entire country.

She can see the Line from the greenhouse windows, but she is forbidden to go near it. Across the Line is Away, and though Rachel has heard many whispers about the dangers there, she’s never really believed the stories. Until the day she hears a recording that could only have come from across the Line.

It’s a voice asking for help.

Who sent the message? What is her mother hiding? And to what lengths will Rachel go in order to do what she thinks is right?

What people are saying:

“Hall nicely embeds the history of this repressive future world in a tense narrative that will leave readers intrigued with the mysterious Away. Rachel is an appealing character, and her young voice and the straightforward language make this a good choice for introducing young readers to the science-fiction genre.”–Booklist Reviews

“Without any hint at current politics, she encourages young readers to think about the tension between freedom and security while keeping them engrossed in a suspenseful story. Well done indeed.” (Science fiction. 10 & up)–Kirkus Reviews

“Hall’s compelling writing transports the reader to a time and place that seems all too close to now.”–Deborah L. Dubois, Voya Reviews

“Debut author Hall’s clear, controlled prose builds burgeoning tension while unraveling carefully conceived plot twists, which address themes of totalitarianism, nuclear war, and xenophobia. Dimensional characters and compelling questions unveiled at the dangling finish will have readers awaiting the next installment.”(Ages 12–up.)–Publishers Weekly

Released: March 2010

About the author:

Teri Hall lives in Washington State, and likes to write books. To learn more about Teri and her books, and to download a 30-plus page curriculum guide, visit www.terihall.com.

Giveaway:

Teri has been kind enough to contribute a copy of The Line 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 26th at midnight EST.

Good luck and happy reading!

Chapter One

Fidius

Last June, my parents jumped off a roof because of a pinky ring.

Beware of jewelry, especially if it’s more than a thousand years old. And definitely beware of your own brain. Imagination is part of life, but also it sucks.

I’m not actually allowed to say “sucks.”

Fidius had imagination. Every bedtime until I was almost six, he curled up on my pillow in his tattered jacket and knee breeches, not too close because touching him could give a person frostbite. Three inches tall, barefoot, and scraggle-haired, he told me about his elegant youth: the beautiful clothes, how everyone insulted each other, what they ate, how popular he was. I dreamed of (a) cockroach fricassee, (b) minuets, (c) winged ladies dressed up like Cinderella.

If you organize your thoughts and assign numbers and/or letters to them, they stop being imagination and turn into scientific inquiry, which is safer.

Fidius lived with us in our Boston apartment, which was the size of a French king’s closet. One day when I was five, I sat in the tiny kitchen with my Winnie-the-Pooh plate empty except for summer squash, all soft and slimy. “You’ll sit there until you eat it,” my mother said, in Model Mom mode. She left the kitchen so my father could do the dishes like a Model Dad.

Excerpt © 2011 Ellen Booraem

About the book:

Thirteen-year-old Mellie Turpin once declared to her kindergarten class that she had a fairy living in her bedroom. But before she could bring him in for show-and-tell, he disappeared. Years later, she is still trying to live it down, taunted mercilessly by classmates who call her “Fairy Fat.”

Her imagination got her into this. She’s determined to turn it off.

When her parents inherit an inn and the family moves to a new town, Mellie sees a chance to finally leave all that fairy nonsense behind. Little does she know that the inn is overrun with…you guessed it.  Oh brother.

There’s no such thing as fairies, she keeps telling herself. And if there were, they wouldn’t hurt a fly.

Right?

Ages 10 and older.

What people are saying:

“…Booraem’s debut, The Unnameables (2008), presented readers with an utterly original American fantasy, and this follow-up, though unrelated except in its examination of creativity, is equally fresh and distinctive. Frequently hysterical dialogue, a hugely sympathetic protagonist and a baroque concatenation of magics and counter-magics will keep readers glued to this smart, earthy and thoughtful tale.” –Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

“In a fairy story that’s wistful, humorous, and clever, Booraem (The Unnameables) suggests that the real world–with its disappointments and failings–is still better than living with illusions…” –Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

“…A great choice for all who favor funny and intelligent fantasies with quirky characters and an unpredictable, fast-moving plot.” –School Library Journal (Starred Review)

Released: January 20, 2011 by Penguin/Dial Books for Young Readers

About the author:

A former reporter and editor for rural weeklies, Ellen Booraem lives in Brooklin, Maine. She is the author of THE UNNAMEABLES (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2008), which was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year. Visit her online at www.ellenbooraem.com.

Win signed Dogsled Dreams bookmarks! Details at the end of this post.

Rebecca whipped past snow-covered spruce, their dark trunks only a few feet from her on either side. The sled hit a ridge on the trail and flew, airborne for a giddy moment before it crunched back down.

Who needs roller coasters when you’ve got sled dogs, thought Rebecca. She grinned and felt her face crinkle in the cold air.

She wore her anorak, deerskin mitts, and ski goggles. The goggles fogged up, so she held her breath. She didn’t want to miss anything.

“You warm enough, Becca?” her dad asked. He stood behind the sled on the runners as he mushed the team.

“Yeah, Dad. You just pay attention to what you’re doing.” Rebecca eyed the nearby trees.

They approached a tight bend in the trail and she glanced behind at the rooster tail of snow that fanned out.

Excerpt © 2011 Terry Lynn Johnson

About the book:

Twelve-year-old Rebecca dreams of becoming a famous sled dog racer. She’s an inventive but self-doubting musher who tackles blinding blizzards, wild animal attacks, puppy training, and flying poo missiles. All of her challenges though, seem easier than living up to the dogs’ trust in her abilities.

What people are saying:

“Any teacher using Gary Paulsen’s WOODSONG would want Terry Johnson’s DOGSLED DREAMS. Terry’s realistic writing style and word choice bring the reader through experiences that bring emotions to the surface…emotions of real life living with sled dogs.” — Diane Johnson, Iditarod’s Education Director

“Rebecca’s experiences are applicable to any young girl ready to emerge from the security of childhood to the freedom of adolescence. Dogsled Dreams is a captivating and exciting debut novel.” — Superior Outdoors Magazine

“Exhilarating…I was drawn into the world of Dogsled Dreams learning quite a bit about the nuances of the sport. It’s very easy to get lost in the pages. Four stars.” — Lisa Barker, BiblioReads.com

“Demonstrates the bond between mushers and their dogs, the devotion mushers feel for their dogs, and the lengths to which they will go to ensure their dog’s health and well-being.” –Pam Flowers, Alone Across the Arctic: One Woman’s Epic Journey by Dog Team

“A warm, coming-of-age story about hopes and dreams, but most of all, finding the true meaning of family and friends, whether they have two legs or four!” — Darcy Johns, Youth Services Librarian, Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia

Released: January 3, 2011 by 4RV Publishing

About the author:

Terry Lynn Johnson’s passion for the outdoors evolved while she paddled in Quetico Provincial Park as a Canoe Ranger.  One winter she worked for a dogsledding company and eighteen huskies followed her home. Dogsled Dreams is Terry’s debut novel about those same dogs that entered her life and heart. Terry is an award winning member of the Outdoor Writers of Canada and enjoys hiking, canoe racing, and she thinks dog breath is pretty cool too. Visit her and learn more about Dogsled Dreams at www.terrylynnjohnson.com

Giveaway:

Terry has been kind enough to contribute some signed Dogsled Dreams bookmarks 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 19th at midnight EST.

Good luck and happy reading!