HOORAY and happy book birthday to J.M.M. Nuanez's BIRDIE AND ME -- which is now out there in the world, finding it's readers. I can't wait to see how readers react to, and I'm so proud to have been a part of it's publication.
*“Belongs alongside Holly Goldberg Sloan’s Counting by 7s, Cindy Baldwin’s Where the Watermelons Grow, and Ali Benjamin’s The Thing about Jellyfish. Highly recommended.”— School Library Journal, starred review*"This strong, emotional, and engaging read is a must-have for any library. The issues are dealt with realistically and challenge the reader to examine their personal feelings, the various modes for dealing with grief, gender fluidity, and how to appropriately support students in their search for who they truly are. A great coming-of-age story for 5th-8th graders." — School Library Connection, Highly Recommended, starred reviewAn emotional and uplifting debut about a girl named Jack and her gender creative little brother, Birdie, searching for the place where they can be their true and best selves.After their mama dies, Jack and Birdie find themselves without a place to call home. And when Mama’s two brothers each try to provide one–first sweet Uncle Carl, then gruff Uncle Patrick–the results are funny, tender, and tragic.They’re also somehow . . . spectacular.With voices and characters that soar off the page, J. M. M. Nuanez’s debut novel depicts an unlikely family caught in a situation none of them would have chosen, and the beautiful ways in which they finally come to understand one another. More praise for BIRDIE AND ME:“A luminous debut.”–Ashley Herring Blake, author of Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World, Stonewall Honor book"Here is a book you will want to hug before you put it down. You will want to share it with all your friends. You will especially want to give it to anyone who has ever felt like an island. Then you will open the cover and read it again. I promise.” — Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor Award winner and National Book Award finalist“Nuanez’s outstanding debut shines with exceptionally well-drawn characters, all hobbled by one unspeakable loss, and all taking seemingly disparate measures to mend their tattered hearts. BIRDIE AND ME is an absorbing, hope-giving story about family love and acceptance.” — Leslie Connor, author of National Book Award Finalist, The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle"A beautiful, sensitive story about a sister and brother finding their way through tragedy and grief. Readers will love this eminently satisfying tale; its courageous characters will stay with them long after they turn the last page." — Patricia Reilly Giff, Newbery Honor author of Lily’s Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods"...an endearing story of family in the wake of tragedy, anchored by the wonderfully loving and supportive relationship between Jack and Birdie.”— Booklist"Fans of Jerry Spinelli will flock to Jack and the peculiar residents of her new town and may learn something about acceptance while they’re there." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books"Sure-handed storytelling and choice details revealed through Jack’s observation notebook mark a strong middle grade debut.” — Publishers WeeklyTo purchase copies of BIRDIE AND ME, please click here.
Congratulations & HOORAY! to P. O'Connell Pearson on her new deal for CRACKING AN AMERICAN CONSPIRACY: NIXON, WATERGATE, AND DEMOCRACY'S DEFENDERS. This is her third book, after FLY GIRLS: The Daring American Women Pilots Who Helped Win WWII and FIGHTING FOR THE FOREST: How FDR's Civilian Conservation Corps Helped Save America.
CRACKING AN AMERICAN CONSPIRACY will be out this fall, and it's a fabulous read! Make sure you get a copy!
Big congratulations to Ruth Spiro, on her new books deals to extend the BABY LOVES SCIENCE series! We’re now up to NINETEEN books, with five new titles coming in 2020 and five more in 2021! Of those new titles, we’ll see books about the senses, one for Hanukkah and one for Christmas (still with the everyday science tie-in), and a spin-off group: BABY LOVES POLITICAL SCIENCE that will debut this spring with BABY LOVES DEMOCRACY!
Alyssa Mito Pusey and Monica Perez at Charlesbridge are editing, and the books will feature the wonderful artwork of Irene Chan and Greg Paprocki.
MAJOR CONGRATS TO EVERYONE!
Big congratulations to Paul Acampora, on his *sixth* book deal, for DANNY CONSTANTINO’S FIRST DATE, and for a second un-named MG novel! Nancy Mercado at Dial Books for Young Readers will publish the books and DANNY will be out this year.
If you know Paul’s writing, you know that this book will be as wise as it is laugh-out-loud funny, and an utter pleasure to read. And if you don’t know Paul’s writing, you should! A bit more about the book:When Danny Constantino asks his old-friend-turned-Hollywood-movie-star, Natalie Flores Griffin, to his local school dance and homecoming parade, she surprises him . . . by saying yes!Unfortunately, now everyone in Cuper Cove has something to say about Danny's love life--especially since Natalie is the hometown hero. Throw in herds of TV reporters and Natalie Flores Griffin groupies, his mom using Natalie's arrival for free publicity in the mayoral election, and a pep rally gone horribly, horribly awry, and Danny's left absolutely clueless in this new world of crushes and becoming (kind of) famous.Stay tuned for more info and the cover....
Congrats to both Marcie Colleen and Alison Oliver for their first, starred review for their picture book collaboration, THE BEAR'S GARDEN, from Kirkus Reviews:
One little girl understands that urban spaces need tender loving care.When a little black girl with her hair in two puffballs looks at her city street, she sees people who rarely slow down enough to imagine the possibilities of beauty around them. But she does...Inspired by a true story of a stuffed bear found in what has become the Pacific Street Brooklyn Bear’s Community Garden, this tale of urban renewal shows how one person with an imagination, a little dirt, and a few seeds can transform a concrete village into something beautiful. Oliver’s endpapers depict maps of the garden site—the front endpapers sans garden and the rear ones featuring colorful flowers on several street corners. Throughout the illustrations, the background remains black, dark gray, or dark green, but as the garden grows, the darkness becomes less noticeable as the garden takes over the block and the blue sky appears above it.A well-illustrated, beautifully written tale of encouragement for budding gardeners.I'd amend this only to say that this book contains inspiration for all, gardener or not!For more info, please see Macmillan's book page for THE BEAR'S GARDEN, here.
Big congratulations to Brian Broome on the sale of his stunning debut memoir, LIKE THIS, to Rakia Clark at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt! LIKE THIS is a poetic, uproarious, and raw coming of age story about Blackness, masculinity, and addiction in America’s Rust Belt.Brian is a Moth finalist and is currently in the MFA program at the University of Pittsburgh. I first heard him perform his work at a reading series in Pittsburgh, and the entire audience just fell in love with him. I know you'll be just as captivated by him when you read his work! The book will be out in May 2021.
Jenna's illustrated humor book, THE BREAKUP HAIR HANDBOOK, will be published by Andrews McMeel publishing in 2020. Part catharsis and part smash-the-patriarchy manifesto, THE BREAKUP HAIR HANDBOOK inspires readers to revolt against societal pressures and take ownership of their hairstyles.
Jenna's colorful artwork combines old world inspirations with the youthful spirit of punk fashion. Visit her at jennaluecke.com or follow her on Instagram @jennaluecke.
Big congratulations to Sarah Lariviere, on her next book deal for her second novel, TIME TRAVEL FOR LOVE AND PROFIT! This superb novel will be published by Kelly Delaney at Knopf Books for Young Readers, and comes out next year. I adore this novel. If you like to read books that literary love stories, with a speculative twist, this is for you!
Just a bit more about the book...
Nephele is a whip-smart math prodigy who invents time travel in orderto re-do a disastrous first year of high school. Unfortunately, Nephele becomesstuck in a time loop that results in her repeating that year ten times in arow.
Now facing yet another freshman year, Nephele knows what to expect. Orso she thinks. She didn’t anticipate that a new teacher would be a student fromher first ninth grade class, now a grown man; or that she would finally make anew friend. And she couldn’t have pictured someone like Jazz, with his deepblue eyes, goofy magic tricks and the quietly intense way in which he sees her.She never imagined telling him about her invention. Or the terrible decisionshe’ll have to make, once she does.
TIME TRAVEL FOR LOVE & PROFIT is literary and stirring. Nephele’s voice isbright, strong, funny. I love all the questions this book asks, and thebeautiful love story it tells.
Stay tuned for more info and the gorgeous cover....
Wishing a happy publication day to Jacqueline West and A STORM OF WISHES, the spellbinding conclusion to her series, THE COLLECTORS.
It’s been only a few weeks since Van uncovered a magical secret—that wishes really can come true, and that a mysterious society called the Collectors protects us from the dire consequences even the smallest wish can have. Van knows only too well how wishing can go awry: his mother is recovering from a broken leg, his friend Pebble has been stolen away by the evil wish collector Mr. Falborg, dozens of dangerous creatures called Wish Eaters have escaped into the world, and Van himself has almost died—twice—all because of wishes.
When Van's mother is offered a position at the renowned Fox Den Opera, located in the quiet, beautiful forest a few hours north of the city, she whisks Van away with her, hoping this will be a safer home for their family of two. But Fox Den is home to an ancient Wish Eater—a powerful creature with the ability to grant wishes that have catastrophic consequences; a Wish Eater Mr. Falborg would love to get his hands on. Van must team up with the Collectors and find a way to stop him before he makes a wish that leaves the world in chaos.
"Warm and enchanting."—Kirkus
Baby loves to explore the world of science! What's next for Baby after learning about physics, engineering, computers, and the natural world? Becoming a scientist, of course! In this fun look at scientific careers, parents and children can talk about different science fields and the everyday heroes that work in them. Beautiful, visually stimulating illustrations complement age-appropriate text to encourage baby's sense of wonder.
To buy, please click here, or visit your local indie bookstore, or online vendors: Amazon, Indie Bound or Barnes + Noble.