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Tue 13 Sep 2011
Posted by annastan [2] Comments
For the first time in days, I hear voices. I’m curled over on myself, pressed into my cramped hiding spot, clinging to the dark like it’s a lifejacket. The voices move closer. They’ll pass by, like they have before. They’ll go somewhere else. They have to. But they don’t. Laughter roars just above me, and through a chink in the tarp I see dirty gray running shoes move closer. I push myself tighter into a ball. They don’t know I’m here; maybe they won’t see me. Then the cover is ripped away and everything moves very fast: a roar of frigid air; a blinding wash of light; men’s voices raised in shock and alarm. I’ve been discovered. Just as quickly, the tarp falls back on top of me. I am alone with my terror. The voices mutter to each other, growing louder and harder and fiercer. They were caught off guard, but they’ll soon decide what to do. They’ll rip away the cover for good this time—and then what? Excerpt copyright © 2011 A.J. Paquette
For the first time in days, I hear voices. I’m curled over on myself, pressed into my cramped hiding spot, clinging to the dark like it’s a lifejacket.
The voices move closer.
They’ll pass by, like they have before. They’ll go somewhere else. They have to.
But they don’t.
Laughter roars just above me, and through a chink in the tarp I see dirty gray running shoes move closer. I push myself tighter into a ball. They don’t know I’m here; maybe they won’t see me. Then the cover is ripped away and everything moves very fast: a roar of frigid air; a blinding wash of light; men’s voices raised in shock and alarm.
I’ve been discovered.
Just as quickly, the tarp falls back on top of me. I am alone with my terror. The voices mutter to each other, growing louder and harder and fiercer.
They were caught off guard, but they’ll soon decide what to do. They’ll rip away the cover for good this time—and then what?
Excerpt copyright © 2011 A.J. Paquette
About the book:
Fourteen-year-old Luchi is anything but an ordinary American teenager. Born in a remote country prison in Northern Thailand, her mother’s death pushes Luchi into the outside world–and into the web of secrets that was her mother’s past. A coming-of-age story that follows a compelling character on her journey across continents, and oceans, and into a future she cannot begin to imagine.
What people are saying:
“A lovely Cinderella tale.”–Mitali Perkins, author of Monsoon Summer and Rickshaw Girl
“The tautly paced narrative places Luchi in high-stakes situations as she makes discoveries about her family history, as well as herself. … The highly atmospheric setting and thoughtful, determined narrator create a memorable thriller about identity and belonging.” –Publishers Weekly
“The teen’s taut narration captures the strangeness of her circumstances, her conflicting familiarity and insecurity with Thai culture, and her emerging sense of self and independence. The protagonist is an appealing heroine caught in a hazy web of family secrets, but determined to fulfill her mother’s last words, ‘Go home.’” –School Library Journal
Released: September 13, 2011
About the author:
Ammi-Joan Paquette (A. J. Paquette) is the author of THE TIPTOE GUIDE TO TRACKING FAIRIES (Tanglewood, 2009), which was on the ABC’s Best of 2009 list and was featured in Scholastic: Parent and Child magazine; and the middle-grade novel NOWHERE GIRL (Walker/Bloomsbury, 2011), and was a 2005 PEN-NE Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award honoree. She is also a literary agent with Erin Murphy Literary Agency, representing the authors of picture books through YA novels. She lives outside of Boston with her family and her very tall to-read pile. You can visit her at http://ajpaquette.com .
Tags: Adventure , Cultural Identity , Family , Middle Grade , Realistic
Laura Pauling says: September 13, 2011 at 1:26 pm I love the first page! I love reading and supporting New England authors!
I love the first page! I love reading and supporting New England authors!
Nha Huynh says: October 5, 2011 at 5:35 pm Thailand and political intrigue? Awesome. Putting this on my list.
Thailand and political intrigue? Awesome. Putting this on my list.
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J. Anderson Coats Andrea Alban Crystal Allen Sarah Aronson Monica S. Baker Hannah Barnaby Rebecca Barnhouse Hilari Bell Charlotte Bennardo & Natalie Zaman Julie Berry Lauren Bjorkman Jan Blazanin Ellen Booraem Hélène Boudreau Julie Bowe Robin Bridges Leslie Bulion Marissa Burt Erin Cashman Lara Chapman Sheela Chari Julie Chibbaro Lena Coakley Kristi Cook Kate Coombs Leah Cypess Carole Estby Dagg Karen DelleCava Amy Fellner Dominy Marissa Doyle Deva Fagan Beth Fehlbaum Greg R. Fishbone Janet Fox Sonia Gensler Cole Gibsen Hilary Weisman Graham Tessa Gratton Alissa Grosso Lia Habel Teri Hall Kiki Hamilton Janice Hardy Kim Harrington Merrie Haskell Danette Haworth Cat Hellisen Karyn Henley Leanna Renee Hieber Tess Hilmo Amy Holder Elissa J. Hoole Jennifer Hubbard Kirsten Hubbard Denise Jaden Terry Lynn Johnson Mike Jung Julie Kagawa Julia Karr Stasia Ward Kehoe Lynne Kelly Miranda Kenneally Derek Taylor Kent Kami Kinard Jessi Kirby Jo Knowles Ron Koertge R.L. LaFevers Helen Landalf April Lindner Nikki Loftin Natasha Lowe Susan Lubner Elisa Ludwig Jenny Lundquist Michaela MacColl Christina Mandelski Jessica Martinez Shari Maurer C. Lee McKenzie Gretchen McNeil Kate Messner Dawn Metcalf Erin Moulton Erin E. Moulton Kate Kae Myers Anne Nesbet Jennifer Nielsen Kristin Wolden Nitz A.J. Paquette Rosanne Parry Mitali Perkins Gae Polisner Cindy Pon J.L. Powers Joy Preble Cheryl Rainfield Michelle Ray Jenn Reese Diana Renn Bettina Restrepo Laurisa White Reyes Nelsa Roberto Joanne Rocklin Lisa and Laura Roecker Caroline Starr Rose Randy Russell Jeanne Ryan Chris Rylander Kimberly Sabatini Peter Adam Salomon Jeff Sampson Tiffany Schmidt Lisa Schroeder Victoria Schwab Mindi Scott Ruta Sepetys Medeia Sharif Kristen Simmons Angie Smibert Clete Barrett Smith J.A. Souders Jessica Spotswood Anna Staniszewski Kiera Stewart Lauren Strasnick Sarvenaz Tash Sarah Tregay Audrey Vernick Danette Vigilante Sara Bennett Wealer Dianna Winget Jennifer Shaw Wolf Allan Woodrow Brian Yansky Lara Zeises Jennifer Ziegler part: [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 12 ] [ 13 ] [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 16 ] [ 17 ] [ 18 ] [ 19 ] [ 20 ] [ 21 ] [ 22 ] [ 23 ] [ 24 ] [ 25 ] [ 26 ] [ 27 ] [ 28 ] [ 29 ] [ 30 ] [ 31 ] [ 32 ] [ 33 ] [ 34 ] [ 35 ] [ 36 ] [ 37 ] [ 38 ] [ 39 ] [ 40 ] [ 41 ] [ 42 ] [ 43 ] [ 44 ] [ 45 ] [ 46 ]
J. Anderson Coats
Andrea Alban
Crystal Allen
Sarah Aronson
Monica S. Baker
Hannah Barnaby
Rebecca Barnhouse
Hilari Bell
Charlotte Bennardo & Natalie Zaman
Julie Berry
Lauren Bjorkman
Jan Blazanin
Ellen Booraem
Hélène Boudreau
Julie Bowe
Robin Bridges
Leslie Bulion
Marissa Burt
Erin Cashman
Lara Chapman
Sheela Chari
Julie Chibbaro
Lena Coakley
Kristi Cook
Kate Coombs
Leah Cypess
Carole Estby Dagg
Karen DelleCava
Amy Fellner Dominy
Marissa Doyle
Deva Fagan
Beth Fehlbaum
Greg R. Fishbone
Janet Fox
Sonia Gensler
Cole Gibsen
Hilary Weisman Graham
Tessa Gratton
Alissa Grosso
Lia Habel
Teri Hall
Kiki Hamilton
Janice Hardy
Kim Harrington
Merrie Haskell
Danette Haworth
Cat Hellisen
Karyn Henley
Leanna Renee Hieber
Tess Hilmo
Amy Holder
Elissa J. Hoole
Jennifer Hubbard
Kirsten Hubbard
Denise Jaden
Terry Lynn Johnson
Mike Jung
Julie Kagawa
Julia Karr
Stasia Ward Kehoe
Lynne Kelly
Miranda Kenneally
Derek Taylor Kent
Kami Kinard
Jessi Kirby
Jo Knowles
Ron Koertge
R.L. LaFevers
Helen Landalf
April Lindner
Nikki Loftin
Natasha Lowe
Susan Lubner
Elisa Ludwig
Jenny Lundquist
Michaela MacColl
Christina Mandelski
Jessica Martinez
Shari Maurer
C. Lee McKenzie
Gretchen McNeil
Kate Messner
Dawn Metcalf
Erin Moulton
Erin E. Moulton
Kate Kae Myers
Anne Nesbet
Jennifer Nielsen
Kristin Wolden Nitz
A.J. Paquette
Rosanne Parry
Mitali Perkins
Gae Polisner
Cindy Pon
J.L. Powers
Joy Preble
Cheryl Rainfield
Michelle Ray
Jenn Reese
Diana Renn
Bettina Restrepo
Laurisa White Reyes
Nelsa Roberto
Joanne Rocklin
Lisa and Laura Roecker
Caroline Starr Rose
Randy Russell
Jeanne Ryan
Chris Rylander
Kimberly Sabatini
Peter Adam Salomon
Jeff Sampson
Tiffany Schmidt
Lisa Schroeder
Victoria Schwab
Mindi Scott
Ruta Sepetys
Medeia Sharif
Kristen Simmons
Angie Smibert
Clete Barrett Smith
J.A. Souders
Jessica Spotswood
Anna Staniszewski
Kiera Stewart
Lauren Strasnick
Sarvenaz Tash
Sarah Tregay
Audrey Vernick
Danette Vigilante
Sara Bennett Wealer
Dianna Winget
Jennifer Shaw Wolf
Allan Woodrow
Brian Yansky
Lara Zeises
Jennifer Ziegler
part: [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 12 ] [ 13 ] [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 16 ] [ 17 ] [ 18 ] [ 19 ] [ 20 ] [ 21 ] [ 22 ] [ 23 ] [ 24 ] [ 25 ] [ 26 ] [ 27 ] [ 28 ] [ 29 ] [ 30 ] [ 31 ] [ 32 ] [ 33 ] [ 34 ] [ 35 ] [ 36 ] [ 37 ] [ 38 ] [ 39 ] [ 40 ] [ 41 ] [ 42 ] [ 43 ] [ 44 ] [ 45 ] [ 46 ]
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