RELATIVE STRANGERS, by Paula Garner, Candlewick, April 10, 2018, Hardcover, $17.99 (young adult)

With the advent of smartphones, we document everything. Every big or little moment in our lives is captured in an instant. So what if you looked back at your baby album and noticed a gap — almost two years gone missing? That’s the premise behind Paula Garner’s Relative Strangers.

Jules is in the midst of her senior year, and as part of the yearbook staff, she has to bring in a photo of her as a baby to be included in the book. But when Jules asks her mom for one, she keeps putting her off. Finally, Jules takes matters into her own hands and looks for herself. What she finds instead is her own foster care paperwork.

After confronting her mother, Jules finds out she lived most of her first two years with another family. It’s an earth-shattering discovery for a girl who’s never known her father or really understood her ex-addict mother.

Feeling betrayed and adrift, Jules works with the simplest of clues to piece together her past. Surprisingly, she’s not alone in wanting to reconnect. The best and most-promising clue comes from a foster brother (Luke) who never wanted Jules to leave in the first place. In fact, the now-adult Luke and his parents desperately want to see Jules again.

As much as Jules wants to seamlessly reintegrate with her long lost family, things don’t go as planned. Jules falls head over heals for her foster brother who is everything she wants in a boyfriend. Soon, Jules finds herself at odds with everyone who’s ever loved her.

Relative Strangers is not a romance. This is a bonus for me, since not every teenager is in the midst of a relationship. As Jules’ crush on Luke began to develop, I started to dread the two of them entering a relationship. *Spoiler* It would have been easy for Garner to do. Instead she took the harder and infinitely more interesting path.

Jules is a likeable character whose flaws — horrible self worth — and quirks — the ability to make almost any dish out of top ramen — make you want her to succeed. The supporting characters are also endearing. And I was particularly pleased that Garner included enough back story on Jules’ mom to understand where she was coming from.

Relative Strangers starts out well and quickly becomes a page-turner. The pacing gets a little slow toward the middle, but picks up again later on. Because of mature themes — drug use, drinking, some profanity — I recommend Relative Strangers for more mature young adults, ages 14 and up.

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Visit the other stops on the Relative Strangers blog tour:

April 10: Chelsea Palmer Book Reviews, Recommendations & Hauls
April 11: Bound to Be Bookish
April 12: YA Bibliophile
April 13: Swoony Boys

The post Giveaway and Review: Relative Strangers by Paula Garner appeared first on www.crackingthecover.com.

Welcome to Day 4 of Dr. E’s Super Stellar Solar System Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of Dr. E’s Super Stellar Solar System by Dr. Bethany Ehlmann with Jennifer Swanson on January 30th, blogs across the web are featuring exclusive content from Bethany and National Geographic Kids Books Senior Editor Shelby Alinsky, plus 5 chances to win a copy of Dr. E’s Super Stellar Solar System!

Want to Know How Plate Tectonics Work?
Try This Experiment
from Dr. E’s Super Stellar Solar System, page 48

Materials:

• A piece of waxed paper
• Frosting or peanut butter
• Two graham crackers

Instructions:

1. Cut off a large sheet of waxed paper.
2. Cover it with a layer of frosting or peanut butter.
3. Take the two graham crackers and place them side by side. Do not leave a space in between.
4. Slowly pull them apart. You should see the frosting or peanut butter come up slightly in the space. That is like seafloor spreading.
5. Now remove one of the crackers and wet it slightly. Put it back on the layer of frosting or peanut butter.
6. Push the two graham crackers together hard. Does one lift up and create a sort of mountain? That is similar to how mountains are formed from the collision of two plates.

– If you like these, check out NASA’s line of travel posters for solar system planets and exoplanets or for more on exploring Mars-like spots on Earth, check out Ehlmann’s National Geographic blog from Iceland or the Rhodes Project for more on the path to being a planetary scientist-For more on Curiosity’s exploration check out JPL’s mission website

*****

Blog Tour Schedule:

January 29th – A Dream Within A Dream

January 30th — Word Spelunking

January 31st — Living Simply

February 1st  — Cracking the Cover

February 2nd — Crossroad Reviews

 

Buy: Amazon

Follow Bethany: Website | Twitter

Follow NG Kids Books: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Take to the skies with planetary geologist Dr. E and her robot sidekick, Rover, to explore the solar system’s wildest, most astronomical geology–with comic book flair!

This stellar book introduces kids to outer space through in-depth info and comic book adventure. Along the way, kids follow explorer Bethany Ehlmann, a member of the NASA Mars Rover Curiosity mission, and her lovable robo-dog, Rover, as they study and protect our amazing solar system. Dr. E’s conversational and funny explanations of the solar system and planetary geology will pull kids in like gravity. The pairing of fun, graphic novel side stories with science facts makes big concepts accessible and interesting to boys and girls of all levels, from STEM science fans to reluctant readers alike.

One (1) winner will receive a copy of Dr. E’s Super Stellar Solar System!

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DADDY HONK HONK! by Rosalinde Bonnet, Dial, May 9, 2017, Hardcover, $16.99 (ages 3-5)

Mother’s Day may be next Sunday, but in the book world, publishers have already moved on to Father’s Day. And if you’re looking for a sweet new book that celebrates new fathers and the love of parents in general, Rosalinde Bonnet’s Daddy Honk Honk! is a good option.

Summer is coming to a close, and all the tundra animals are enjoying the last sunny days. Aput the fox is watching the geese fly away when he realizes they’ve left something behind — an egg.

When the egg breaks open and a gosling arrives, it immediately mistakes Aput as his Daddy. Aput doesn’t know how to raise a baby, so he decides to find the gosling a home. But the gosling has already found a home with Aput, and as Aput asks his friends for help, he realizes what the gosling needs the most is love.

As I read Daddy Honk Honk! I couldn’t help but think of my husband as a new father. I experienced complications during childbirth, and my husband had to take care of our daughter by himself. He felt immensely unprepared, and yet, when faced with the challenge, he flourished. Loved ones who helped him care for our little one, and the two have a special bond to this day.

I love how Daddy Honk Honk! celebrates new fathers and community support. Bonnet’s story sweet and her ink-and-watercolor drawings are charming. My daughter was immediately drawn to the book when it arrived and I had to hide it until I finished my review.

Bonnet created an awesome printable activity book in conjunction with Daddy Honk Honk! You can download it on her website.

Daddy Honk Honk! Giveaway

Dial Books is offering a Daddy Honk Honk! prize pack — including a copy of Daddy Honk Honk!, as well as the following goodies – each featuring Bennet’s delightful illustrations:

• 1 set of four magnets
• 1 button
• 4 prints (2×9”)
• 1 deluxe print (2×9”)
• 1 book

To enter the contest, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway is open to the U.S. only, and runs through midnight (Mountain Time) on Sunday, May 14.
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I got that break a few weeks ago when I went on a Rhine River cruise with my husband. It was great to have alone time with my husband, and some “me” time away from my 3-year-old.

But if you think I took a total vacation from reading, then you don’t know me very well. I took “vacation” reading along for my two 10+ hour flights and for sitting on the deck and relaxing. Some of my favorite pictures from the trip are below.

In the meantime, I’m giving three lucky winners five books each from the Cracking the Cover Grab Bag page.

• Tell me about your favorite vacation read or where your planning to visit this summer in the comments below and you’re entered.
• Visit the Cracking the Cover Instagram account for a second chance to win for yourself and to nominate a friend.
• Winners will be chosen hat random on Monday, April 24. US residents only.
• Winners will select their five ARCs/books in the order in which they respond to their winner email.
• For a listing of all the giveaway rules, check out the giveaway policies.

The post Get ready for summer vacation with ARCs/Books giveaway appeared first on www.crackingthecover.com.

Frozen

Prisoner of Ice and Snow is the story of twin sisters — one who is unjustly incarcerated and the other who gets arrested on purpose. When 13-year-old Valor’s twin sister, Sasha, is serving a life sentence for stealing from the royal family, and Valor is going to help her escape . . . from the inside.

“I wasn’t consciously thinking of Frozen when I wrote it, but I’d seen Prison Break and I wondered what that sort of story would be like if it was about two young sisters instead,” Ruth told Cracking the Cover. “The Russian inspired fantasyland part of the idea came soon after as I thought about where I could place the sisters to make their escape even more challenging.”

Ruth wrote Prisoner of Ice and Snow because she wanted to have fun and write an adventure for girls about girls. “Books were my world when I was a child and I still love my old favorites in a different way to how I love books as an adult,” Ruth said. “That’s why I write for kids.”

Though Sasha and Valor are twins, they are very different. Valor came first. She’s an apprentice to her huntswoman mother, and because of that, she’s physically strong and adept with a bow and arrows.

“Her character built from her skills and her interest in being outdoors, reacting quickly to situations and therefore maybe not always thinking first — especially when it comes to saying the right thing,” Ruth said. “She’s fiercely loyal and determined but that sometimes prevents her from understanding other people’s points of view when she’s launching headlong into action.”

Sasha, on the other hand, tends to look at the bigger picture. “She’s a thinker and a strategist and a great foil for Valor’s more impulsive approach.” Ruth said.

Prisoner of Ice and Snow takes place in a matriarchal society — a deliberate choice for the author. “I wanted the sisters to inhabit a world where it would never occur to them that positions of power weren’t open or available to them,” she said. “They don’t have to struggle or overcome to gain those positions and they see women in every role I put in the book — from ruler to doctor to prison guard to hunter. Why did I plan that? Because it’s something every child should see reflected in books and in the real world.”

The setting in Prisoner of Ice and Snow is every bit as much a character as the characters themselves. Ruth wanted a cold, frozen world “where the elements themselves could cause problems for the characters and bleed through into every part of the planning Valor has to do to try to break her sister out of prison.”

The end of Prisoner of Ice and Snow leaves room for more story, and Ruth does in fact have one planned. The sequel, Seeker of the Crown, will be published by Bloomsbury in 2018.

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Learn more about Ruth Lauren and Prisoner of Ice and Snow by reading the complete transcript of her interview with Cracking the Cover.

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“[Art is] a piece or pieces specifically created with intention to cause intellectual and emotional reaction and stimulation.” —Kayla Cagan

Piper Perish author Kayla Cagan has been keeping a diary/journal since the fourth grade, but she never considered writing a novel as a journal. That changed when Kayla woke up one day and said, “I want to write the year in the life of a senior in high school and her name is Piper and that’s all I know.”

That thought eventually panned out into Kalya’s debut novel, Piper Perish, the story of a senior in high school whose whole life revolves around art. The plan has always been for Piper and her friends to graduate and leave Houston behind in a trail of glitter dust. As Piper nears her dream of going to art school in New York, life gets in the way. Drama with her friends, messed up relationships with boys, and Piper’s own sister threaten to erase everything Piper has worked so hard to attain.

When Kayla began writing Piper’s story, she had no idea what to expect. She didn’t yet know Piper’s voice, or why she appeared in her head. “I did not know if I would ever try to publish it or have anyone outside of my writing critique group read it, but I do know it was a natural fit to write it as a journal, and I loved it and didn’t want to stop,” Kayla told Cracking the Cover. “I worked on it every day, Monday through Friday, for a year.”

Though Kayla doesn’t work in the same mediums as Piper, Kayla could relate to her through the lens of a theater artist. “I have directed plays and directing is extremely visual,” she said. “Making pictures by using the set design and moving the characters around the stage to tell the playwright’s story is called blocking in the theater, and blocking can be very artistic. When I direct, I think I’m an artist.”

Despite being an artist herself, Kayla still collaborated with her publisher to really translate the visual art into written form.

“I wrote the ideas I had in my head for what I thought Piper would sketch or scribble in her journal and the amazing creative team at Chronicle, along with Maria Ines Gul, a Rookie Magazine illustrator, brought the images to life and the page,” Kayla said.

Kayla did not have a physical piece of art to work from when writing about the artwork throughout the book, but she relied on many influences. “Everything from magazine layouts to visits to my local museums and galleries in LA — The Broad, LACMA, Regen Projects,” she said. “Because Piper’s main influence is Andy Warhol, I was referencing his diary entries and artwork often.”

Central to Piper’s story is her relationship — or lack thereof — with her sister, Marli. Kayla knew Piper needed a “monster” to battle, but she didn’t want that monster to be Piper’s parents or art itself. Art, Kayla said, had to be her savior and hero.

That left Marli. Kayla has always been fascinated by sibling stories. She likes examining siblings and why they are either very close and reliable or very distant and almost unrelated. In the case of Marli, mental illness plays a major factor.

“Though strides have been made in mental health awareness, there are a lot of families who for whatever reason are not able to get the help they need and I wanted to address that,” Kayla said. “Not everyone can be or is ‘fixed.’ Not everyone gets the help they need.

“I don’t think Piper is a perfect protagonist in any way, she’s a teenager and an artist and messy and romantic and smart and creative and silly and ridiculous. I didn’t want Piper to be the ‘good’ kid and Marli the ‘bad,’ but I wanted to examine how Marli’s mental illness controlled the family, and how everyone identified or fit into other roles because they worked around her constantly. Piper only looks good in comparison to Marli. It doesn’t mean Piper is perfect. It just highlights how much work she has to do to stay alive and survive around her.”

Kayla hopes her book will give readers who at some point have felt trapped creatively or physically — no matter what their age — an assurance that they can change their circumstances. Those changes can happen even if it takes longer than they thought or they have to follow a different path than originally imagined.

“I hope the art and Piper’s passion for what she does encourages people to chase their dreams or whatever moves them, and helps them make a positive difference in their own lives,” she said.

GIVEAWAY ALERT!

Win a copy of Piper Perish + a cool  tote bag, pencil and bookmark!

Tell me in the comments what your favorite piece of art is and why. (Open to U.S. residents only. Giveaway closes Wednesday, March 22. Winner will be chosen at random.

Learn more about Kayla Cagan, including why she writes, by reading the complete transcript of her interview with Cracking the Cover.

Download the Piper Perish discussion guide.

Piper Perish (Excerpt) by ChronicleBooks on Scribd

The post Piper Perish author Kayla Cagan turns journal experience into YA debut appeared first on www.crackingthecover.com.

“SOME WRITER!: The Story Of E. B. White,” by Melissa Sweet, HMH Books for Young Readers, Oct. 4, 2016, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 7 and up)

When Caldecott Honor Winner Melissa Sweet (“The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus”) first approached Martha White about writing a children’s biography of E. B. White, she quickly gained approval from White’s family.

Though Martha, E.B. White’s granddaughter, knew Melissa primarily as an illustrator, she liked what she had seen from Melissa as an author. Melissa’s work was “imaginative, fun and quirky,” Martha says in the Afterword of “Some Writer!: The Story of E. B. White.” “There wasn’t a needless word, as William Strunk, Jr. would have called it, in any of her books,” she said.

That high praise is also true of “Some Writer!: The Story of E.B. White.” The story behind the author of “Charlotte’s Web” and “Stuart Little” is just as interesting as the stories he wrote. I grew up with the two above novels, but I didn’t know E.B. White also wrote “The Trumpet of the Swan” or that he was a longtime essayist for The New Yorker.

While on it’s face, this information might not seem enticing for young readers; Melissa Sweet makes it fun and accessible. “Some Writer!” has a scrapbook style to it — filled with illustrations, photos, letters and quotes — making it fun to flip to different sections or read from beginning to end. Sweet’s illustrations are perfectly matched to each different element, giving the book a cohesive feel.

The target audience for “Some Writer!” is middle grade, but anyone who grew up reading E.B. White’s books (or essays) will enjoy it. It’s a perfect conversation starter for kids and adults alike.

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“CALLING ALL CARS,” by Sue Fliess and Sarah Beise, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, March 1, 2016, Hardcover, $14.99 (ages 2-5)

“Big cars, small cars, let’s call ALL cars!” This bouncy text explores the wonderful world of cars zipping up, down, fast, and slow. A perfect basic concept books for eager young learners from the author of “Tons of Trucks.” Then cruise into bedtime.

Rest cars, Hush cars
No more rush, cars.
Cars pull in, turn off the light.
Sweet dreams, sleepy cars…goodnight!

“Calling All Cars” is bold and bright with text that rolls right off your tongue. We are already big fans of “Tons of Trucks” a our house, so it comes as no surprise that my daughter quickly fell for this one, too. Sue Fliess packs a lot into her sparse text and Sarah Beise’s illustrations are charming — pairing animals and cars is an instant win.

The publisher’s suggested age for “Calling All Cars” is 3-7, but I think 2-5 is more accurate. By 2, little ones are already in love with cars, and the text, while engaging, is probably a little too minimalistic for 6- and 7-year-olds.

“Calling All Cars” giveaway — March 1-31 (US and Canada only)

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Learn more about “Calling All Cars” via Goodreads. Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books a Million, !ndigo and Indiebound.

Sue Fliess is the author of more than a dozen children’s books, including the popular “Tons of Trucks” and “Robots, Robots Everywhere!” Her background is in copywriting, PR and marketing, and her articles have appeared in O, the Oprah Magazine; Huffington Post; Writer’s Digest; and more. Sue lives with her family and a Lab named Charlie in Northern Virginia. Visit her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads.

Sarah Beise, a graduate of Minneapolis College of Art and Design, is an innovative illustrator and designer who loves to create fun and unique characters that help tell stories. Originally from Matthews, NC she now makes Kansas City her home along with her two dogs, Maxwell and Mazzie May. Connect with her on Facebook.

*Book synopsis provided by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky as part of the “Calling All Cars” spotlight tour.

The post Bouncy text & bright illustrations make ‘Calling All Cars’ a delight appeared first on www.crackingthecover.com.

On November 4th, HarperCollins unveils Forbidden, a seductive YA debut from award-winning middle grade author Kimberley Griffiths Little. Forbidden transports readers back in time to the deadly deserts and sweltering heat of Ancient Mesopotamia for a tale of danger, duty, and forbidden love. Jayden is on the brink of womanhood and betrothed to her tribe’s prince, cold-hearted Horeb. But when tragedy strikes, Jayden meets Kadesh, a mysterious visitor from the south who makes Jayden doubt everything she knows. Torn between loyalty to her tribe and the chance to escape her fate, Jayden must make a choice that will change her life forever.

TO ENTER:

• You must preorder Forbidden through an online retailer or your local bookstore, then email a photo of your receipt to forbiddengiveaway@gmail.com.
• Fill out the rafflecopter below
• US/Canada Only
• Ends at midnight EST on November 3, 2014
• Optional entries: share the trailer on your own site or social media, follow Kimberley on twitter, and tweet about the giveaway (can be repeated daily for extra entries!)
• Winners will be announced and contacted November 4th (release day!)
• If the winner does not respond with their mailing address within one week, a new winner will be chosen.

PRIZES:

7. Jeweled bookmark (not pictured)

(13) RUNNERS-UP WINNERS:

1. Red Middle Eastern Earrings

2. “Will YOU risk it all?” button (not pictured)

3. Set of 10 Book Club Cards

4. Jeweled bookmark (not pictured)

Good luck!

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Preorder: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

About Forbidden: In the unforgiving Mesopotamian desert where Jayden’s tribe lives, betrothal celebrations abound, and tonight it is Jayden’s turn to be honored. But while this union with Horeb, the son of her tribe’s leader, will bring a life of riches and restore her family’s position within the tribe, it will come at the price of Jayden’s heart.

Then a shadowy boy from the Southern Lands appears. Handsome and mysterious, Kadesh fills Jayden’s heart with a passion she never knew possible. But with Horeb’s increasingly violent threats haunting Jayden’s every move, she knows she must find a way to escape—or die trying.

With a forbidden romance blossoming in her heart and her family’s survival on the line, Jayden must embark on a deadly journey to save the ones she loves—and find a true love for herself.

Set against the brilliant backdrop of the sprawling desert, the story of Jayden and Kadesh will leave readers absolutely breathless as they defy the odds and risk it all to be together.

Follow Kimberley:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

About Kimberley: Award-winning author Kimberley Griffiths Little was born in San Francisco, but now lives in New Mexico on the banks of the Rio Grande with her husband and their three sons. Her middle-grade novels, When the Butterflies Came, The Last Snake Runner, The Healing Spell, and Circle of Secrets, have been praised as “fast-paced and dramatic,” with “beautifully realized settings.” Kimberley adores anything old and musty with a secret story to tell. She’s stayed in the haunted tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland; sailed the Seine in Paris; ridden a camel in Petra, Jordan; shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul; and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria. You can visit her online at www.kimberleygriffithslittle.com.

Share your thoughts on the trailer in the comments!

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Though she has a plethora of books to choose from, Cal’s absolute favorite read from childhood is “The Secret Garden” by Francis Hodgson Burnett. Cal says she’s read the book a hundred times, watched the movies and has seen, and performed in, the musical.

“What a beautiful story,” Cal told Cracking the Cover. “Now that I think of it, its core message is about the healing capabilities of being nature, just like in “Being Henry David.”

“Being Henry David” is Cal’s debut novel. At the center of the story is 17-year-old “Hank” who finds himself in New York City’s Penn Station with no memory — who he is or where he came from. Hank’s only possession is a worn copy of “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau. So that’s who he becomes — Henry David aka Hank — as he sets out for the streets and eventually Walden Pond in Concord, Mass.

Cal says she didn’t realize it until “Being Henry David” was finished and on its way to publication, but in some ways, it’s her story. “I bet a lot of writers don’t realize how many autobiographical details creep into a book until they sit back and analyze it!”

When she was not much older than Hank, Cal arrived in Concord — minus the amnesia — and was starting her own life from scratch. “I spent many hours walking around Walden Pond and downtown Concord (and in that gorgeous library with the crazy statues), so it felt natural to have Hank doing that, too,” she said.

“Walden” seemed the natural choice of book to have Hank carry because Cal spent so much of her own time in and around Concord. “I’ve learned a lot about Thoreau, and really love what he stands for,” she explained. “Henry was a rebel in his time, who didn’t care what anybody thought of him. He just wanted to get to what was real in life. And nothing is more real than nature.

“And here’s this boy, ‘Hank,’ who starts out with absolutely nothing, not even an identity. For most people, ‘Walden’ is a book about simplifying life and stripping down to the essentials. For Hank, his life was already stripped down. Instead, he had to build up the essentials — and ‘Walden’ served as a kind of compass or guide for what truly matters.”

It’s kind of like Hank just developed himself within the context of the story, Cal says.  “I had a basic idea of this good kid who’s just trying to live his life and do what’s expected of him, but he makes some bad choices that any kid might make.  I just took that kid, and put him in the circumstances that make up the book. Hank’s voice and character pretty much revealed itself to me the same way he’s revealed to the reader.”

Cal loves writing young adult fiction for many reasons. The main one is that YA really reflects the emotion and discovery and possibilities that come in the teen years. “It’s no wonder that both teens and adults love reading it,” Cals says. “Plus, I remember what it was like to be a teenager, and wow, it was hard. Maybe in a way, I’m writing to my younger self and trying to send the message that things do get better.”

The author is currently working on another YA book — tentatively titled “Life Shards.” But this time instead of writing about a boy with no identity, her main character is a girl who’s trying to integrate four different identities.

*Read the complete transcript of Cracking the Cover’s interview with Cal Armistead.

“Being Henry David” blog tour

 

Check out the other stops on the “Being Henry David” blog tour. Tomorrow, Cal Armistead will be guest posting at The Book Babe.

The post ‘Being Henry David’ is partly autobigraphical, Cal Armistead says appeared first on www.crackingthecover.com.