Nice and Mean by Jessica Leader

Published by Aladdin (An imprint of Simon & Schuster)

Pages: 272

Ages: 9-13

Goodreads Summary: Nice and Mean by Jessica Leader is a hilarious story about two girls–one nice, one mean– facing off in their middle school video elective.

“In the realm of middle school it means everything to be either the ‘mean’ girl or the ‘nice’ girl. Unfortunately for Sachi she’s definitely a nice girl, one with good grades and all the ambition she’s expected to have according to her parents. Well, in the world of tweens that just doesn’t cut it and it’s no longer enough for Sachi either. But her drive to prove she’s more than just a smart Indian girl may get her into trouble when she’s paired with the school’s leading fashionista and true ‘mean’ girl, Marina, for their elective video project.

“For those of you who may have forgotten or blurred your memories of the middle school years, let me remind you…they were tough, even for me, a typically white girl from the suburbs. Kids in that in be-’tween’ age group can be ruthless and often times this time becomes the proving grounds for the separating of new and old friends. It’s a place where most of us discovered where we ‘fit’ in the terms of which group; popular, band geek, nerd, jock, and so many more. There are some though, who like to try and blur even those lines. Sachi is one of these people. Too bad for her, Marina was firmly planted in the already ‘popular and mean‘ group.

“What I genuinely loved about Nice and Mean was the contrast between the two leading characters. Sachi and Marina couldn’t have been more different in the beginnings of the story. Sachi, obviously from a completely different country, with different beliefs, values and upbringing is the complete opposite of her counterpart. Marina, a well-to-do girl with hardly anyone telling her to change and providing her with her every whim is in need of a definite reality check. As their story continues and they are forced to work together, it’s their coming together that changes the entire dynamic of the story and brings a greater meaning to their relationship.

“As a debut author, Jessica Leader has done a wonderful job writing a story that will reach and even touch young readers. The struggles we all face during that difficult time of life are illustrated beautifully in not only the two main characters, but also their friends and acquaintances. Sachi’s desire to make a difference and blur those impossible lines that we all draw was definitely something I would love to share with any ‘tween’ girl struggling to make her own way. Nice and Mean is definitely a fun read, but also one that will stay with young readers for weeks after they’ve finished the last page.”

The1stdaughter Recommends:Ages 9 and up. The perfect read for your favorite “Tween”. Especially those struggling to blaze their own trail!

For the Comments: Did you fall into a specific group in middle/high school? Or were you a trail blazer?

This book was provided by Traveling ARC Tours for Review. Thank you!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with IndieBound.

Bogus by Karla Oceanak and Illustrated by Kendra Spanjer

Published by Baliwick Press

Pages: 160

Ages: 8-13

Publishers Summary: Ten-year-old Aldo Zelnick had decided it’s OK to be a little artsy-fartsy. So when his grandma Goosy gives Aldo a second sketchbook, he fills it with more hand-drawn comics, fun B words, and accounts of his everyday adventures.

In Bogus, Aldo and his best friend, Jack, find a ring in the storm grate on their street. Convinced it’s a fake, Aldo goofs around with the ring and loses it—only to find out it was a real diamond with a $1,000 reward. Will Aldo, Jack, and Bee find the ring again and reap the reward…or will their archenemy, Tommy Geller?

“Back in March I had the wonderful opportunity of reviewing Artsy-Fartsy, the first in the Aldo Zelnick series, as well as feature both Karla Oceanak and Kendra Spanjer in a guest post. All of this because I absolutely adore this new series of books! So, when my review copy of Bogus arrived a few weeks ago I couldn’t wait to read it and promptly finished it the next day.

“In this next chapter of Aldo’s life he’s made a huge discovery, but doesn’t realize it until it’s almost too late. As the story begins you’re taken on a journey through the mind of a typical ten year old. You meet his new comic book character ‘Bacon Boy’ along with his trustee side kick ‘Tormado’. Get extremely paranoid about the neighborhood bully, Tommy Geller. And make some amazing new discoveries by way of all things that start with the letter ‘B’. Just another day in the life of Aldo.

“As the story starts off Aldo is flashing back:

“Unfortunately, for Aldo, he didn’t get the message. He ends up losing a very valuable diamond ring that he and his best friend Jack found in the sewer drain. From that point on it’s nothing but comical as Aldo goes from throwing the ring in with his new fish to losing it with no trace left behind. As you can see from some of the illustrations below, it’s nothing if not absolutely hilarious.

“In an effort to make ‘a lot of money‘ Aldo decides to try his hand at comic strip writing. His first attempts revolve all around his number one love, food:

“Overall, the latest installment of the Aldo Zelnick series is just as good, if not better than the first. A perfect blend of entertainment and education. Karla Oceanak and Kendra Spanjer have shown again that they know exactly how to reach kids in that often, awkward time of life between being a ‘kid’ and a teenager. Aldo is hilarious, but absolutely real, a kid you could almost imagine walking through your front door at any minute. His struggle to be active is something that almost every kid who reads this will be able to relate to.  Aldo is not a character you quickly forget and you’ll definitely be left wanting more when you’re done with this latest installment.”

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 8 and up. Get kids up and moving as well as learning about some fun new words through the eyes of someone very much like them. Perfect for boys looking for something a little more stimulating than comics.

For the Comments: What’s your favorite letter of the alphabet and why?

Make sure to take a look at my review of Artsy-Fartsy as well, you won’t want to miss this series! And look for the next installment, Cahoots due out at the end of the year.

This book was provided by the publisher, Baliwick Press, for review. Thank you!
Interior artwork provided and copyright protected by Kendra Spanjer. Thank you!
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with IndieBound.

A Place for Delta by Melissa Walker and Illustrated by Richard Walker

Published by Whale Tale Press

Pages: 272

Ages: 9-12

Publishers Summary: Joseph can hardly believe what he has been asked to do.  His Aunt Kate is waiting for him at a research station and needs help taking care of an orphaned polar bear cub only a few months old.  He will leave his friends and family and venture to the farthest northern town in the United States: Barrow, Alaska.

As the adventure unfolds, Joseph and his newfound Eskimo friend Ada find mysteries wherever they look.  The bear cub, Delta, remains in danger. Who would want a polar bear dead?  Joseph will have to look to the North Georgia woods and his family to save Delta.

When his parents were kids, they too embarked on an excursion into the unknown. Their encounters with the wilderness beyond their backyard have molded the future for Joseph and Delta. A Place for Delta is about one family’s journey–a passage born in the Appalachian mountains and leading to the Arctic.

“An adventure is happening wherever you are, should be Joseph’s motto. No matter the location, be it the woods of North Georgia or the frozen terrain of Alaska, Joseph seems to find adventure and mystery without seeking it out. With the help of his loving Aunt Kate, Joseph takes off on the adventure of a lifetime! Caring for a small polar bear cub named Delta and seeking out the reason for the her mother’s mysterious disappearance. Along the way he makes some new friends, including Ada and Chipic , but also discovers there are enemies that were never expected. It’s an adventure from beginning to end.

“A Place for Delta is a book that from beginning to end had me thinking of my time reading White Fang by Jack London when I was younger. They have a lot of differences, but the important things are present in both books. The adventure, the environmental impact, the writing and the overall appeal to young readers, especially boys. Melissa Walker has truly brought to life the adventure that can lie outside our backdoor and the importance of preserving those cherished places.

“Another of the amazing components of the book were the illustrations, so different from anything I’d ever seen, but along with the story left a lasting impact.

“This next one of Delta, the polar bear cub struck me as I read the book. You can imagine sitting in the room with her, almost touching the soft white fur that encloses her small body. It was just beautiful.

“This is the journey of not only a small polar bear cub to a new home, but of a boy who finds adventure around every corner. A Place for Delta is a book for young readers looking for something exciting in their very own world; no need for wands, wizards or dragons…just look out your own backdoor to find your next great adventure. They may even learn a thing or two about saving the wonderful resources we have before us. I’m definitely looking forward to hearing more from Delta & Joseph and I know of a very adventurous boy who will love their stories as well.”

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 8 and up. Adventuresome kids everywhere will love Joseph’s adventures with Delta.

For the Comments: Is there an outdoors place you would miss were it not there tomorrow?

This book was provided by publisher thanks to Lisa from OnlinePublicist (find her on twitter here). Thank you so much!
Interior Art provided by and copyright protected by the publisher, not to be used without their written consent.
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with IndieBound.

Keeper by Kathi Appelt Illustrated by August Hall

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)

Pages: 416

Ages: 8-12

Publishers Summary: To ten-year-old Keeper, this moon is her chance to fix all that has gone wrong…and so much has gone wrong. But she knows who can make things right again: Meggie Marie, her mermaid mother who swam away when Keeper was just three. A blue moon calls the mermaids to gather at the sandbar, and that’s exactly where she is headed — in a small boat, in the middle of the night, with only her dog, BD (Best Dog), and a seagull named Captain.

Blog name: Live Green Mom
URL: http://livegreenmom.com
Twitter: @LiveGreenMom
Facebook: Live Green Mom

First of all, I want to thank Danielle for inviting me to guest post. It’s a wonderful idea that invites us all in to ‘chat’ about what has shaped us as adults, specifically the books we latched onto when we were young.

When did you start your blog and why?
I began blogging in late December 2009, so, in other words – not for too long! I have always felt compelled to write – stories when I was a child, long (‘very long!” says my husband) letters to friends, family, loves. I never thought I have a book in me to write, but I still felt like I had something to say. Which intersected with my need to divert paths in life, the path from just raising my children and going through my day to day motions, to a greener, more sustainable, earth-friendly path. The road to going green began at a young age, spending the summer of 1982 in Germany with my grandparents. There were recycling centers and special bins for old batteries around the city, and my Oma & Opa brought their own cloth bags to the markets. They shopped a few times a week to buy fresh foods, and they grew their own fresh fruits and vegetables. The first time I had ever tasted a real cherry was that summer! Imagine! This was all very different and new to a 12 year old girl from Texas. It wasn’t until I became a parent and started learning more about being green and the benefits not only for planet Earth but for my children. I am not fanatical or preachy, but I try to live by example. That does not mean it is always easy, though. Sometimes I just want to throw away all my fruit and vegetable scraps instead of trekking out into the snow to compost. Or I want to pack the kids lunches in plastic baggies so that they can throw them away, instead of the scramble sometimes to clean out their lunch boxes right before the bus gets here, because we all forgot to unpack them and clean them out the night before. But I forge on, learning from others all around me, as well as figuring out what works for me on my own. My theory has evolved to “small changes add up”. I make small changes that work for me, not comparing myself to someone else that might have more time or money to make bigger leaps. It’s not a race, it’s not about who wins, it’s about all of us doing what we can, big or small. It all adds up. My blog is about my small changes and my struggles.

Tell us about yourself outside your interest of books.
I am a mom to an 8 year old girl, Sophie, and a 6 year old boy Max. Being a mom defines so much of who I am these days, I almost forget who I used to be. I love to be active, be outside, work in my yard. I taught myself to unicycle last summer! I was surprised to find that there is a large uni-cycling community in my town! Who knew? I hurt my back last autumn (not uni-cycling) and I am scared I won’t be able to get back on this summer and practice. It isn’t easy! I am a homebody and while I am outgoing and social, I’m not pressed to go out much. I just like the peaceful, healthy home I have created for my family.

Your favorite book from your youth and the story behind it.
I have always loved to read, it was such an escape for me as a child watching my parents divorce when I was 8, rough patches with siblings, then going through my awkward years. I don’t think I can pinpoint one particular book that I loved as a child. However, I can say without a doubt, that there was one author that I came back to over and over again. Beverly Cleary. I know many of you who are reading this have just smiled and nodded your head in agreement. Who hasn’t read her books as a child? Her first book, Henry Huggins, was published in 1950. I loved it when I read it is the late 1970′s and even now, as I read her books to my little girl, I see my son Max in Henry. I see Ramona in Sophie! Her characters are timeless, and they give me an opportunity to present characters to my children that aren’t overly preoccupied with their clothes, their looks, or technology. There is no premature witty banter that make adults look clueless. (That is one of my main gripes about television shows and some books aimed towards kids my daughter’s age). Her characters are engaging and endearing, especially Beezus and Ramona. Who, with siblings, couldn’t relate to those two? When I was a young girl, I used to say to myself, I hope when I become a mommy, I have a little girl and I can read all these books to her. I got so lucky! I have a daughter that loves Beverly Cleary as much as I do. I get such a kick out of re-reading and rediscovering these gems with Sophie. I do not think that any parent can go wrong picking up any book from Beverly Cleary and reading it with their children. Books like these are such a valuable way to open up conversation with my children that aren’t preachy. Instead of “You know what I did about that when I was a kid?” which can have my children’s eyes glazing over, I can read a chapter and ask Sophie what she thought about that situation, or how she would have responded to what was going on in the story.

I also loved the fact that as I got older, she had books like Fifteen, The Luckiest Girl, and Jean and Johnny that I could relate to as I began to like boys and unravel their mystery.

I’d love to hear from other readers what their favorite Beverly Cleary book is!

Thank you again for this opportunity to guest on your site. I love how you have reminded us about the value of books to a child in this very fast paced world.

“Dee is absolutely wonderful! Our family is personally trying to improve our interaction with the environment around us and I love getting new ideas from the Live Green Mom site. Dee is also a fabulous friend to have on Twitter, she’s always willing to help out friends by sharing tweets of your most recent posts. Most of all I’ve loved getting to know her and the tremendous positive impact she has on everyone around her including the environment.

“Of course I’m partial to your book selection because I’m a huge Cleary fan, but I’m so glad you picked it! Thank you so much for sharing Dee!”

Interested in participating in the When I Was Young feature? Read about it here.

Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.

The Adventures of Daniel Boom aka Loud Boy: Grow Up! by D.J. Steinberg and Illustrated by Brian Smith

Published by Grosset & Dunlap (An imprint of Penguin Group USA)

Ages: 7-10

Pages: 96

Summary from the Back of the Book: What in the world has happened to our young heroes?! Suddenly they are all acting like old people! Why is Loud Boy walking with a cane? Is that Chatterbox with the granny bag and beehive hairdo? Wait a minute, when did Destructo Kid go crazy for bingo? Is Fidget the new shuffleboard king of the senior center? And hold the phone—is that Tantrum Girl over there sitting in a big rocking chair and knitting?

There’s only one way to find out. Pick up a copy of Loud Boy #4. Too scared? Oh . . . GROW UP!

“First of all, I just have to say, I’m not a comic book reader. I’m not too sure many of the other girls I grew up with were either, but my husband and his brothers definitely were. Is it a gender thing? I don’t think so, at least not so much any more, because of a number of reasons. One reason being they are just plain fun now, maybe this is because I wasn’t exposed to them earlier, but if they were like this when I was young I would have read them just as much as the other books I picked up. The only exception to this would have to be the Calvin in Hobbes books I used to pick up, but even those don’t compare to these.

“The Adventures of Daniel Boom aka Loud Boy: Grow Up! is an action packed, thrill-a-minute ride that will have kids begging to read the others in the series. When I first picked up Grow Up! I was a little concerned that it was the forth book in the series, but in a matter of a couple of pages I was right there with each of the characters like I had been reading the books from the beginning. In this book the 5 heroes of the story are fighting crime and running late to school as usual when they are asked to go on a trip to the local K.R. Industries plant. Everything starts to go poorly when Tantrum Girl returns after disappearing suddenly but is now acting years older than her current age.

“The story is a fast paced and quite hilarious at times. While the illustrations by Brian Smith literally jump from the page and into your imagination with every turn of the page. I was fortunate enough to be given the following images for use in my review:

“This is exactly the type of art work that would jump out at a young reader just begging to be read. And for parents this is just the type of book you’d want to hand to any reluctant reader in need of a little nudge into a whole new world of reading opportunities.

“Without a doubt, this is a series to be picked up and enjoyed by all who can get their hands on it. Especially with the summer months coming and the possibility of endless hours with no homework or school in site, The Adventures of Daniel Boom books are just the ones to keep kids in a reading frame of mind. A great series with the potential to reach many emerging readers.”

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 7 and up. Fantastic, exciting reads and a perfect suggestion for the summer or a reluctant reader.

For the Comments: Have a favorite Graphic Novel? I’d love to try it out!

Other Titles in this Series:

Giveaway! Thanks to Media Masters Publicity I have two copies of The Adventures of Daniel Boom aka Loud Boy: Grow Up! to give away to two different winners (1 each)!

Details: Two winners will be chosen, each receiving one copy of the book. You MUST fill out the form below, comments will not count as entries. Only one entry per household. Must be a follower of There’s A Book. Must be a US/Canadian resident. The giveaway will run from May 24, 2010 until June 11, 2010 midnight EST.

This book was provided for review and giveaway courtesy of Media Masters Publicity. Thank you!
All interior art illustrations were also provided by Media Masters Publicity and are protected by copyright laws – so please don’t steal!

The Giveaway is now closed! Thank you to all who entered, the winners will be announced very soon! Make sure to come back soon for more great giveaways!

Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.

Today at There’s A Book we have a wonderful author visiting, David (D.J.) Steinberg, author of many wonderful books including The Adventures of Daniel Boom aka Loud Boy Series and The All Aboard Poetry Reader Series. I’m very excited to share with you today just exactly where David started on his reading journey, as it’s not the “typical” author path you hear so often. So, without further babbling on my part…

Q: What book initially got you reading as a child?

A: True confession: I almost flunked first grade because I couldn’t read. My mom, a schoolteacher, made it her personal challenge to teach me. She emptied out the kids’ section of the library every week and drowned me in books. Ironically, even when I couldn’t read, I loved those books. I would sit and study them. In some ways, because I couldn’t make out exactly what the pages said, I was even more drawn to the pictures, searching for details and clues.

My favorites were books by cartoony illustrators like Syd Hoff, H.A. and Margret Rey, and especially Dr. Seuss. We owned a copy of Seuss’s “The Sneetches and Other Stories,” and while I am not sure I can credit any one book with launching my reading career, that book definitely held a big place, and I still count it as one of my favorite books.

Q: How did you become interested in graphic novels?

A: When I was 9 or 10, I received a box from Ricky, the teenage kid down the block, whose mom I guess had forced him to clean his room. The box was filled with his old comic books and Mad magazines, and it became my portal into a new world. At school, I was still a painfully slow reader–I labored through the stuff I had to read, but after my bedtime, by nightlight, I poured through the pages of this new comic book collection. The dramatic pictures, the neatly choreographed narration and dialogue, eased me through story after story, craving more. I spent my allowance money on new comics, and started writing and drawing my own.

Many years later, I witnessed comics finding a new form as “graphic novels.” The quality of the art and printing were jaw-dropping, and I was thrilled to see that bookstores and libraries were giving these creations the kind of respect that comic books never got. About a decade ago, I had a “light bulb moment.” All the graphic novels at the time seemed to be for teens, yet there was effusive literature about the problem of reluctant readers in the grade schools. Knowing the place that comics held in my own life of reading, I wondered why nobody had created a graphic novel series specifically for the pre-teen crowd?

Today, of course, there are many terrific graphic novel series geared toward this age. I guess I wasn’t the only one with this idea. But I am proud to have “Daniel Boom AKA Loud Boy” on the shelves alongside those others, and I am especially proud every time I hear from a teacher or parent that some child who would never step foot near a book before, has been hooked for the first time into reading by my Loud Boy series.

“Thank you so much to David for stopping by! I love that your journey into reading wasn’t conventional and that even your mom, a teacher, had to get a bit creative to find a way to reach you. Your story is inspirational, no matter how you look at it and your books are wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with the world!”

Please make sure to check back a bit later for a special sneak-peak into the latest from David Steinberg, The Adventures of Daniel Boom aka Loud Boy: Grow Up!, a review and a giveaway courtesy of Media Masters Publicity.

Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.

Happy Release Day to Barbara Dee, author of This Is Me From Now On!

First of all I have to say congratulations to Barbara and thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this fantastic book! And thanks so much to Gina from Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers for helping put this great giveaway together! Last, make sure to pick up your copy of This Is Me From Now On in stores today!

Now, the winners!

The 1st winner, who will be receiving some book-inspired swag as well as their very own copy of This Is Me From Now On is:

Melissa Taylor from Imagination Soup!

The 2nd winner taking home the other great book-inspired swag is:

Melissa from YA Book Shelf!

Both winners should have an email in their in-box already. I need to hear back from you within 48 hours or the prizes will default to the next winner chosen via random.org.

Thank you again to everyone who entered! Make sure to visit our Giveaways Page for more contest info!

Want a second chance at winning? Take a look at Kris’ site The Cajun Book Lady for more fabulous This Is Me From Now On giveaway fun!

This Is Me From Now On was one of those books that I read straight through in one sitting, just because I enjoyed it so much. Because I enjoyed the writing so much I wanted to take the opportunity to get to know Barbara Dee a little bit better. So, in conjunction with my weekly “When I Was Young” interview I decided, who better than the author, Barbara Dee? Her love of writing and books is evident from the beginning. Enough of my babbling…on with the guest post:

When I was a little kid I loved Curious George, Little Bear and Ferdinand, but my number-one favorite character was definitely Russell Hoban’s Frances. I remember being about four years old, snuggling next to my mom on our squishy green sofa, and insisting that she read me BREAD AND JAM FOR FRANCES– over and over and over.

I’m not sure why I loved Frances so much. Maybe it was because even though she was a small, furry, black-and-white badger (drawn first by Lillian Hoban, later by Garth Williams) Frances seemed to me like a real kid. She knew what she liked (bread and jam) and what she didn’t (everything else, especially eggs). There was nothing irrational or arbitrary about this preference. She had it all worked out in her head:

“One of the reasons I like bread and jam,” said Frances, “is that it does not slide off your spoon in a funny way.”
“Well, of course,” said Father, “not everyone is fond of soft-boiled eggs for breakfast. But there are other kinds of eggs. There are sunny-side-up and sunny-side-down eggs.”
“Yes,” said Frances. “But sunny-side-up eggs lie on the plate and look up at you in a funny way. And sunny-side down eggs just lie on their stomachs and wait.”
“What about scrambled eggs?” said Father.
“Scrambled eggs fall off the fork and roll under the table,” said Frances.
“I think it’s time for you to go to school now,” said Mother.

To me this is just great writing. I love the timing of the dialogue, the way Father tries to “reason” with Frances, who has an answer for everything, and Mother ends the conversation before both parents totally lose it. (I’m not sure as a kid I appreciated how well Russell Hoban captured the parents’ side of every conversation, but believe me, I sure do now.) Actually, come to think of it, maybe BREAD AND JAM FOR FRANCES is what got me started with the kind of borderline-crazy family-at-mealtime dialogue I like to use in my own books!

I’ve also always loved Frances’ improvised food songs, from the rah-rah, jam-appreciation one she skips rope to at the beginning (“Raspberry, strawberry, gooseberry, I’m very/FOND…OF…JAM!”) to the last “little sad song” she sniffles at the end (“What I am/Is tired of jam”). Hoban doesn’t just inform the reader that Frances’ bread-and-jam obsession is waning—he shows it in the way her songs progressively lose steam. She’s a character with a strong, unique voice, and Hoban stands back and lets her sing.

Sometimes I like to wonder about characters ten or twenty years down the road from the story. It’s fun to think about Harriet the Spy in college, for example, or Elizabeth Bennet as a mom. When I think about Frances the Badger, I have no trouble imagining her as a teenager—pushing her parents’ buttons, blasting her music, and probably still avoiding sunny-side-up eggs.

Also, make sure to check out these two new videos Barbara’s done in preparation for the release of This Is Me From Now On:

“Barbara is an amazing person and a wonderful author. I love her choice for the book from her childhood that got her started and you can really see how it affected not only her love of books, but her writing as well. Thank you again, Barbara, for sharing your talent and your love of a great book, it was a delight to have you here at There’s A Book!”

Make sure to pick up her new book, This Is Me From Now On, out April 27, 2010 and for more about it check out my Review and Giveaway Here: This Is Me From Now On!
If you happen to be in the Chappaqua New York area make sure to stop by the Chappaqua Library at 7pm on April 27, 2010 for a Publication Day Launch Party and book signing you won’t want to miss!

This book was provided by Barbara Dee for review.
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.

This Is Me From Now On by Barbara Dee

Published by Aladdin (Division of Simon & Schuster)

Publication Date: April 27, 2010

Pages: 272

Ages: 9-12

Publishers Summary: Sometimes your life just needs a little jolt.
This is what Evie’s new friend Francesca tells her, and soon enough, Evie’s life has had something more like an earthquake. Francesca thinks life is dull unless you go after everything you want and say everything on your mind all the time–and sometimes that includes giving other people a little behind the scenes help to give them what she thinks they want.
Evie can’t always tell if she’s horrified or fascinated by everything Francesca convinces her to do, but ultimately, she comes to see friendship–and life–in a whole new light.

Stayed tuned for a very special giveaway along with Gina from Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers to celebrate the release of This Is Me From Now On by Barbara Dee!

“In almost everyone’s life there’s that one person, the one who changes you for better or worse. They aren’t always someone you love or even hate. Sometimes they aren’t even someone you talk to, but someone who you’ve seen from afar. They manage to change the tilt of the world just slightly, it seems, and before you know it your attitude about everything is different. This is was Francesca becomes for Evie and in Evie’s case she finds the truest friend she could have ever hoped for.

“This Is Me From Now On is one of those books that I fell into and didn’t get up from until the very last page. In the beginning pages of the book I couldn’t help but feel that the writing actually reminded me of what I read in When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (who, as many of you know, won the Newbery Award this year). It was wonderful. There was an immediate connection with each of the characters, but most of all Evie and Francesca. Barbara Dee is definitely an author to watch for and enjoy.

“As for the story itself, I loved it. As I mentioned it reminded me a lot of When You Reach Me with a bit of The Babysitters Club thrown in. Evie’s new neighbor and now ‘friend’, Francesca, is something of an anomaly. Her clothes are odd, her behavior is sporadic at best and she doesn’t seem to have a care in the world with the exception of being consumed with love and fate. Evie, on the other hand, has grown up under the spotlight of her honor-roll straight A older sister and is expected to do just as well. So, needless to say, when she is partnered with Francesca for an important school project it’s not the optimal scenario she was hoping for.

“Through a series of silly and sometimes laughable situations Evie and Francesca begin to understand each other. Their friendship, though sometimes unconventional, becomes something they both cherish and for completely different reasons.

“I absolutely adored this book. It’s perfect for middle grade readers all the way through adults because I believe there are valuable lessons to be learned and it’s also a really fun read. Sometimes we all can get stuck in a rut, with our heads to focused on a specific outcome and it’s nice to have a ‘Francesca’ by our side to occasionally change our perspective. And then, there are those of us with our heads continually in the clouds who sometimes need a little nudge from the ‘Evie’s’ in our lives. Sometimes we do need a little jolt and this book is exactly that, a little jolt and an enjoyable one at that. I highly recommend this book and encourage everyone in need of their own ‘jolt’ to pick it up!”

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 9 and up (all the way to adults). Readers of Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me will absolutely adore this book!

For the Comments: Is there someone like that in your life now or in the past that’s affected you in such a way that you are forever changed? Who and how so?

Links of Interest:
Author – Barbara Dee
Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – On Twitter
There’s A Book – On Twitter

Giveaway! ONE Lucky Winner will win there very own “Swag Bag” that includes some of Evie and Francesca’s favorite things courtesy of Barbara Dee as well as a copy of This Is Me From Now On courtesy of There’s A Book! Open until April 26, 2010 at midnight EST. US/Canada Residents only.

Please fill out the form to enter the Giveaway and make sure to stop by Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers for another chance to win!

The Contest is now closed. Thank you to everyone who entered! Make sure to check back for more great giveaways and read our “Giveaways” page for what is available now.

This book was provided by the author for review. Thank you!
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