First Page Panda

The pandas have lots of giveaway winners to announce today. So here we go!

The  Fury of the Phoenix prize pack winners are:

Audrey

Hal Lilburn

Kelly Hashway

Rachel Leigh

Alicia

The Memento Nora bookmark winner is:

Vivien

Congrats, everyone!

The first seventeen years and three months of my life were so ordinary they would not be worth the telling. And last May when I came home from high school in Spokane to help Ma, I thought fate had yanked me back to Mica Creek and I would be stuck there on the farm, helping out one more time, one more time until I was buried in the Mica Creek cemetery alongside my brother Henry. I had prayed that I would find a way to get out of Mica Creek. I forgot to stipulate that I would like to get out of Mica Creek without the constant company of my mother and by some means other than my own two feet.

But then, briefly, I was famous. I had my picture in The New York World twice: my before picture in a black silk dress with leg-o’-mutton sleeves; and my after picture in an ankle-baring skirt and brandishing a gun and dagger. Because of the way our adventure ended, we couldn’t talk about it afterward. But I kept my journal. Sometimes, late at night when I was still awake, I would rummage through to the bottom of my hope chest and find my journal. I would read it and remind myself of the one year in my life that was not ordinary.

Excerpt© 2011 Carole Estby Dagg

About the book:

In 1896, Clara Estby and her mother Helga packed small satchels with first-aid supplies, compass and maps, canteens, pistol, and a curling iron. They headed east along the railroad tracks, planning to walk over 4,000 miles from their farm near Spokane, Washington to New York City in time to win a $10,000 bet. Battling blizzard and flash flood and meeting the whole range of Victorian society from hobos to the next President of the United States, they were out to win that bet—and prove what women alone could do. The book is based on the true story of the author’s great-aunt and great-grandmother.

What people are saying:

“The journey in itself is amazing, but Dagg’s tender portrayal of a mother and daughter who learn to appreciate and forgive each other makes it unforgettable.”–Starred review, Publishers Weekly

“Readers will enjoy the feminist adventures…”–Kirkus

Released: April 4, 2011

About the author:

Carole Estby Dagg is a former librarian who spent fifteen years reading six million words of background material, writing, and revising her first book,The Year We Were Famous. Under the supervision of a bossy cat, she writes in Everett, Washington, and a converted woodshed on San Juan Island. You can visit her at www.CaroleEstbyDagg.com.

Giveaway:

Carole has been kind enough to contribute some bookmarks and a miniature The Year We Were Famous notepad 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 May 11th at midnight EST.

Good luck and happy reading!

Zachary Ruthless tightened his grip around the snake he had found lurking in the bushes below his tree fort that morning. No one was watching him. Perfect. He slipped the snake into Mrs. Snyder’s mailbox.

“Bwa-ha-ha!” he cackled. Zachary knew every self-respecting rotten evildoer needs a gleeful, evil cackle.

Excerpt© 2011 Allan Woodrow

About the book:

Zachary Ruthless only looks like he is the nicest ten-year old boy in the world. Actually, he is evil and horrible and terrible and a bunch of other bad things we do not like to think about. Why, in this book alone he shoots brain-erasing lasers, sets loose vicious insects and chews nasty, vegetable-flavored gum.

Zachary would do anything to join the Society Of Utterly Rotten, Beastly And Loathsome Lawbreaking Scoundrels, the world’s most horrible gang of super villains. But first he must perform a truly terrible deed. With the help of his henchman Newt, Zachary battles the horrible Mayor Mudfogg and other felonious foes, not only to join SOURBALLS but to survive!

What people are saying:

“Full of fiendish schemes, wickedly funny illustrations, and laughs—villainous and otherwise.”–Kevin Bolger, author of Zombiekins

“If it’s true that everyone loves a bad boy, Zachary should attract a sizable fan base.”–Publisher’s Weekly

Released: April 27, 2011

About the author:

Allan Woodrow grew up outside of East Lansing, Michigan. He always wanted to be an author, but his teachers told him to write about what he knew, and he discovered he didn’t know very much. So instead he went into advertising, which was perfect for someone who loved to write but knew very little.

After becoming a dad and discovering the books his daughters were reading, Allan finally knew what he wanted to write about. Allan currently lives near Chicago with his family and two goldfish. The Rotten Adventures of Zachary Ruthless series are his first books. Visit him at http://allanwoodrow.com or learn more about his books at http://evilbadguystuff.com.

Sitting near Darci Madison on the school bus is enough to put anyone with woman-sprout issues over the edge. Sure, she might wear a push-up bra, but the point is that she has more than enough there to push up. I, on the other hand, don’t. I glance down to critique my Kleenex sculpture . . . and can’t help but compare her jiggle to my stationary tissue wads.

Tormented by the abundant boobage sitting across from me, I hesitatingly admit to myself that yes, I am an addict. I’m not a drug addict— no, too risky and expensive. I’m not a sex addict— please, I haven’t even had a decent make-out session sans drool and cheap cologne. Something that others blow their noses into happens to be my addiction of choice. I, April Bowers, am a tissue-wasting, size-34C-obsessed bosom sculptor. Yes, I confess . . . I am a bra stuffer.

As I ponder the injustice of having a bellybutton that sticks out farther than my 34AA chest, I begin to wonder if instead of growing out, my boobage is growing inward. Maybe if I were inside out I’d have the body of a goddess.

What a fantastic theory.

My brief smile is abruptly halted by a speed bump that makes Darci’s ginormous boobs heave from her chest. A panic bubble lodges in my throat as the bus slows to a stop. The bus driver opens the door with a shrewd grin. She watches me in the rearview mirror as I approach the exit.

Excerpt© 2011 Amy Holder

Released: April 4, 2011

About the author:

Amy Holder is a writer, artist, animal lover, chocolate addict and Lipstick Lawbreaker. With an educational background in psychology, she has experience working with teens and children. Originally from Upstate New York, Amy currently resides in the Philadelphia area with her verbally challenged sidekicks (pets). You can visit her at www.amyholder.com.

Giveaway:

Chapter One

The statue has got to go.

That’s my first thought as I prep the living room for Dustin’s visit later tonight. I know I’m the only one who would notice the discriminating eyes of Mom’s four-inch Jesus staring down from the mantle. Dustin probably wouldn’t look away from my breasts if the room were two feet deep in holy water.

Still, I reach for it.

When my hand fumbles and it topples sideways, I pick the thing up and scan the hearth for any other too-holy housewares.

“What are you doing!” My older sister rushes in from the kitchen, scuffles across the carpet, and ignites a spark when she snatches the statue out of my hand. She settles it back into its ring of dust, adjusting it to its all-seeing viewpoint, and then eases her hand away like she’s afraid the thing might fly right up to heaven. Turning, she glares at me.

Great. Caught in the act of abducting a religious icon.  Not exactly the act I feared being caught in tonight.

“Actually, Faith,” I stare into her eyes so she won’t miss this, “I was wondering if you could give me a lift to the church.”

As expected, her whole face lights up, and I’m tempted to let her believe she’s finally fished her heathen sister out of the sea of despair. It’s better than telling her the truth.

Excerpt© 2010 Denise Jaden

About the book:

A terrible secret. A terrible fate.

When Brie’s sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie’s world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.

As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don’t line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night…a secret that puts her own life in danger.

What people are saying:

“A riveting and emotional story.”–The Compulsive Reader

“Strong in its characterization…satisfying…a thoughtful read.”–VOYA

“(R)eaders are taken on a ride through a secret world of religious zeal gone haywire.”–School Library Journal

Released: September 7, 2010

About the author:

Denise Jaden has been a professional Polynesian dancer, a fitness competitor, a mushroom farmer, a church secretary, and a homeschooling mom. Losing Faith is her first novel.  She lives just outside Vancouver, Canada, with her husband and son.  Visit her online at denisejaden.com.

Chapter 1

Tuesday, May 22, 1990

West Berlin

If we had known it would eventually involve the Kremlin, the French Ambassador and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, we would have left that body in the river and called the Polizei like any normal German citizen, but we were Americans and addicted to solving other peoples’ problems, so naturally, we got involved.

It began like every Tuesday after school. All the other kids from the American school on the army base at Zehlendorf went to the playground, or the afterschool matinee, or the scout meeting at the community center, but Giselle and Vivian and I took the S-bahn to our music lesson in downtown Berlin. Ordinarily, Vivian would get out her advanced algebra book, and Giselle would disappear under headphones with a new cassette from the latest girl rock star as soon as we found seats on the train. If she remembered to bring extra headphones, I’d listen along, but usually I worked on writing my own music: minuets for the violin, mostly. Not nearly as hip as “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” but I had to start somewhere, and classical music was what I knew. Not that I’d admit this to just anyone, but classical music was what I loved—more than anything.

We were only a week away from the big Solo and Ensemble Contest in Paris. We’d been working at our competition piece, Pachelbel’s Canon, since Christmas. Our music teacher thought we had a shot at first place in the twelve to thirteen year olds age group, and Giselle’s dad, General Johnson, had bragged to the entire brigade that we were going to clean up, so no pressure or anything. Not that I didn’t love winning, but for me the big deal was that it was our first trip to Paris, and it would be our last time ever to perform together as a trio before the Army moved us back to the States.

Excerpt© 2011 Rosanne Parry

About the book:

It is 1990 and the wall that separated Communist East Berlin from the capitalist West has finally come down. For Jody this means moving back the States with her dad who’s retiring from the army and saying goodbye the the two best friends she’s ever had.

Before they part ways the three girls plan one last adventure a trip to Paris where they’ll compete in a classical music contest as a string trio.  Winning will (almost) make up for the fact that they’ll soon be separated. But as they walk home from their final music lesson the girls witness a terrible crime and must act to save a Soviet soldier’s life. Getting to Paris becomes urgent as the girls discover that the border between friend and enemy is not as clear as it once was.

In this fast-paced tale of music, friendship and adventure, Rosanne Parry, author of  Heart of a Shepherd, offers a sensitive portrayal of military families at a pivotal moment in history.

What people are saying:

Second Fiddle will be featured as a Spring Indy Next book at independent bookstores all over the country!

“The action may take place in the ’90s, but this reads like first-class historical fiction; Parry (Heart of a Shepherd) vividly conjures the political tensions of the period, the challenges of life as an army brat, and the redemptive power of music.”–Publishers Weekly

Released: March 22, 2011 from Random House

About the author:

Rosanne Parry moved to Germany in the spring of 1990 just as the Berlin Wall was coming down. She ran away to Paris for one glorious weekend with her soldier husband, first-born baby and an enormous purple stroller. The three of them are best friends to this day. Rosanne is the author of Heart of a Shepherd, which has been honored as a Washington Post’s Best Kid’s Book of the Year, a Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book of the Year and a Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year. She also plays the violin for which she has never been honored with a prize of any kind. She now lives with her husband in a old farmhouse in Portland, Oregon, where they raise four children, three chickens, five kinds of fruit and their voices in the occasional song. Visit Rosanne at rosanneparry.com.

Get a The Secret Year bookmark! Details at the end of this post.

Julia was killed on Labor Day on her way home from a party. I didn’t get to see her that night. I used to meet her on Friday nights, but I was never invited to the parties that she was invited to. We’d meet on the banks of the river, clutch at each other in the backseat of her car, steam up her windows and write messages and jokes to each other in the fog on the glass, and argue about whether to turn on the A/C. Sometimes we swam in the river late at night when the water was black and no one could see us. We did all that for a year, and nobody else knew.

There were a couple of reasons we never told anybody about us. For one thing, she lived up on Black Mountain Road, in a house that was five times as big as mine. With servants. And a computerized alarm system that looked like it should’ve been running the space program instead of protecting one house. At my place, we just had a sign my father tacked up in our yard that said TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT.

Excerpt© 2010 Jennifer Hubbard

About the book:

After his secret girlfriend’s death, seventeen-year-old Colt finds the notebook she left behind, but he is unprepared for the truths he discovers about their intense relationship.

What people are saying:

“With this debut novel, Hubbard has crafted a fine addition to the pantheon of YA literature.”—Booklist

“In this provocative debut novel, the relationship described–told in flashbacks and journal entries–is both tortured and electric, the teens as perfect together as they are absolutely wrong for one another.”—School Library Journal

“[a] moving portrait of grief and the sharp societal lines that divide.”—Publishers Weekly

Released: Paperback Dec. 23, 2010 (Hardcover was Jan. 7, 2010)

About the author:

Jennifer R. Hubbard lives and writes near Philadelphia, PA. She is a night person who believes that mornings were meant to be slept through, a chocolate lover, and a hiker. She has written short fiction as well as the contemporary young adult novel The Secret Year (Viking). Visit her online at www.jenniferhubbard.com.

Want a bookmark?

Email your mailing address to: jennifer[at]jenniferhubbard[dot]com.

The pandas have fallen a bit behind on announcing contest winners (they’ve been busy crunching on bamboo) but they finally have winners for our latest giveaways:

The winner of a Haunted T-Shirt is:

Kimberly Meza

The winner of a signed Between Shades of Gray ARC is:

Taffy

The winner of some signed Illegal bookmarks is:

Mona Garg

Thank you to everyone who entered. Happy reading!

Before

The winds in Washokey make people go crazy.

At least, that’s what everybody says. Our part of Wyoming is plagued by winds: hot winds, cold winds, dry winds, wildwinds. Wildwinds are the worst. Not only do they torment us from the outside, but they also seem to bluster inside of us: battering around in our lungs, whistling through our capillaries.

I wouldn’t be surprised if some of that wind blew into the passageways of our brains.

On the afternoon of my last beauty pageant, almost eight years ago, the wildwinds had already begun. That’s what got into me, I like to think: I acted so crazy that day because my head was filled with wind.

But that doesn’t explain why that afternoon sticks in my memory like a tumbleweed blown against a barbed wire fence, no matter how much I would like to forget it. It’s because two of the biggest events in my history came gusting together at once: I saw Mandarin Ramey for the first time. And Momma gave up on me for good.

Excerpt© 2011 Kirsten Hubbard

About the book:

In the small badlands town of Washokey, Wyoming, 14-year-old Grace Carpenter rejects her mother’s pageant ideals and the superficial obsessions of her classmates. She finds beauty in an unexpected, explosive friendship with 17-year-old wild girl Mandarin Ramey — until Mandarin betrays her.

What people are saying:

“A beautifully crafted, bittersweet story about an unlikely friendship that sets two very different people free.”–Melina Marchetta, author of the Printz Award winner Jellicoe Road

“Grace is well drawn and engaging, and her intimate, introspective, frank, and droll narrative zeros in on top teen concerns, from self-esteem and family complexities to peer pressure, loyalty, and fitting in. YAs will appreciate this sensitive portrayal of the ambiguities of relationships and the challenges of growing up.”–Booklist

“Hubbard’s lyrical prose turns the Wyoming landscape into a compelling character in its own right, and readers with their own wanderlust will find in Grace a forceful echo of their restlessness.”–The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Released: March 8, 2011

About the author:

A travel writer and young adult author, Kirsten Hubbard has hiked ancient ruins in Cambodia, dived with wild dolphins in Belize (one totally looked her in the eye), slept in a Slovenian jail cell, and navigated the Wyoming badlands (without a compass) in search of transcendent backdrops for her novels. She lives in San Diego, California. Her YA debut, LIKE MANDARIN, was published by Delacorte/Random House on March 8th, 2011. Her second book, WANDERLOVE, will be published in spring 2012. You can visit her at www.kirstenhubbard.com.

It was a hot summer day on Orange Street, one of those days that seem ordinary until you look back on it. Lawn sprinklers sparkled, mourning doves cooed, and the sky was an amazing blue, as it always was in L.A. Even at eight a.m., the sun looked like a giant egg yolk. In fact, a few parents made a joke about the sidewalk being hot enough to fry an egg on by noontime. One grumpy kid wondered aloud why anyone would be dumb enough to do that.

Everything seemed normal, except you couldn’t help noticing the Day-Glo orange cone sitting at the curb in front of the empty lot. (The mysterious stranger didn’t arrive until later.)

Excerpt© 2011 Joanne Rocklin

About the book:

When a mysterious man arrives one day on Orange Street in Los Angeles, the children who live on the block try to find out who he is and why he’s there. Little do they know that his story – and the story of a very old orange tree – connects to each of their personal worries in ways they never could have imagined. From impressing friends to dealing with an expanding family to understanding a younger sibling’s illness, the characters’ storylines come together around that orange tree.

Taking place over the course of a day and a half, Joanne Rocklin’s middle grade novel builds a story about family, childhood anxieties, and the importance of connection. In the end the fate of the tree (and the kids who care for it) reminds us of the magic of the everyday and of the rich history all around us.

What people are saying:

“Fully realized characters and setting definitely make this one morning on Orange Street amazing.”–Kirkus, Starred Review

“…realistic, evocative novel, which features a warm and believable community of adults and children… culminating in a confrontation that resolves several mysteries and brings out the best in everyone.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“In one marvelous chapter the tree tells its own history…This deceptively simple book reminds us how important the things we sometimes take for granted are: friendship, family, love, and the interconnectedness of our everyday world.”–New York Journal of Books

Released: April 1, 2011

About the author:

Joanne Rocklin, Ph.D. has written over 20 books for children, encompassing several genres. She has a doctorate in psychology and is a former elementary school teacher, presently writing children’s books full-time. Originally from Montreal, Canada, Joanne lived in Los Angeles for many decades. She now resides in Oakland, California with her husband Gerry, one cat and one golden retriever. When not writing she enjoys babysitting regularly for her four grandchildren, singing in a choir, gardening, baking artisan breads and reading voraciously.

Joanne was a participant as a Writer-in-Residence in the University of Southern California Writing Project, a collaborative university-school program to improve student writing and the teaching of writing in the classroom. For several years she taught a popular class in writing children’s books at UCLA Extension. She gives presentations in schools and libraries and has been a speaker for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the California Reading Association, and other organizations. She has also led writing workshops for young people at the Jewish Community Library, Los Angeles. You can visit her at www.joannerocklin.com.