 Kids' Authors Share Their Stories
Plus
Fabulous Book Giveaways for Your Club
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Dear Readers,
In this issue of KidsBuzz, featuring
book giveaways and behind-the-scenes stories from top kids' authors, you'll meet:
- Saundra Mitchell, who brings us a ghost story-mystery in her
paranormal book for teens, SHADOWED SUMMER.
- surfer and film stunt double Sue Wyshynski whose debut novel POSER is
about the drama and trauma of high school.
Warm wishes,
Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp
kidsbookclubbook.com
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 Ages 12 and up / YA Paranormal Mystery / Delacorte
Books for Young Readers
Win a set of SHADOWED SUMMER by Saundra Mitchell for your book club.
Enter to win by emailing the author (write "KidsBookclubbing" in the subject line).
 Dear Reader,
It's fascinated me to discover how many of my
family stories have shadowy linings. I've always known that I had a great-grandmother whose husband disappeared. Ever resourceful, Grandma spent the
Great Depression bootlegging moonshine to support the family.
Cute, right? Kind of an outlaw
vibe! But what I found out as an adult was that everybody knew (but nobody
could prove) that Grandma's first husband probably disappeared because she
killed him. He was violent, and she didn't believe in divorce. Talk about a
revelation -- a 75-year-old murder mystery right in my own family. 
That's where Iris finds herself
in the first pages of SHADOWED SUMMER,
as she and her best friend go in search of a boy that went missing twenty years
before. Since my book's a ghost story and a mystery, I hope it'll keep you
guessing, and give you a chill or two.
But I also hope it captures that
last summer of childhood -- when everything starts to get complicated and secrets
start to change everything you thought you knew.
Yours Ever,
Saundra Mitchell
Book
reviews:
"Highly atmospheric, with
pulse-pounding suspense and an elegiac ending."
- Booklist
"Good
ghost stories are, like ghosts, a little thin on the ground in these times, and
readers will be pleased to find this atmospheric reaffirmation of the power of
a good haunting."
- Recommended, The Bulletin of the Center
for Children's Books
A 2010 Edgar Nominee for Best YA Mystery
Discussion
questions:
1. Who do you think "owns" a secret? Does
Iris have a right to dig into the past the way she does?
2. Do you think there are some secrets you should
keep? Do you think Jack and Eddie did the right thing? Do you think Uncle Lee
did, when he "betrayed" Iris?
3. Why do Iris and Ben think there's a difference
between calling Iris' late mother in a séance, and a stranger's ghost? Do you
agree?
4. Do you think the Duvall brothers made the right
decision about how to handle their problems at home?
5. What do you think Collette meant when she said the
sodas weren't free, they just didn't have to pay money for them?
Read an excerpt, watch exclusive video logs, get
behind-the-scenes details and more at the Shadowed Summer website. You can find out more
about Saundra and learn how to catch up with her on Twitter and Facebook at her
personal site.
Author
call-in information: Saundra is happy to Skype with your club! She can
also meet with your group if you live in Indiana, Northern Kentucky, Eastern
Illinois or Western Ohio. Email Saundra to submit your request. |
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Ages 12 and up / YA fiction / Walker & Company
Win a set of POSER
by Sue Wyshynski for your book club.
Enter to win by emailing the author (write "KidsBookclubbing" in the subject line).
 Dear Reader,
I changed schools in 9th grade, and
I'll never forget those first few months as "the outsider". I felt like a total
dork! I'm sure we've all felt like that at one time or another, so it seemed
like a good starting place for my book
POSER. Situations can seem totally
horrible and awkward, but knowing we can look back and laugh can make all the
difference in the world. It did for me!
Thanks for reading.
Sue
PS: For a chance to win a signed, custom POSER surfboard (yes,
that's right - a real surfboard!), designed by world-class shaper CSH, see my website for details.
Book
reviews:
"Tallulah Jones, recent Florida-to-California transplant, wears all
the latest surfer-girl fashions and earns the nickname Hurricane Girl after
telling a whale of a story about her surfing skills. The surf as well as the
jig is up when her new friends take her to the beach and learn the truth about
her nonexistent wave-catching skills. She's now an outcast at school, but she
won't stay away from the ocean. On weekends she's learning the sport from the
talented but dorky Katie. Due to a series of wrong-place-wrong-time mishaps,
Tallulah never gets to prove her new talents until she has to rescue expert
surfer Jenna, who tries to take her board out during a storm. Tallulah isn't
always graceful or even gracious, but her dedication to surfing and resolve in
standing up to her bullies make her a believable heroine. She sometimes wipes
out in the boy and friendship departments, but she also gets back up and tries
to set things right. The beauty and danger of surfing are captured through
Tallulah's mile-a-minute, often funny descriptions."
- Kirkus Reviews
Discussion
questions:
1. Have you
ever posed -- or wanted to pose -- as something you weren't in order to fit in?
2. What's
your opinion of how Tallulah handled being bullied? Could she have done things
differently? What?
3. The
popular girls see Katie as dorky. Do you think her good qualities outweigh
that?
4. Tallulah
has a bit of trouble telling the truth. Okay, a lot of trouble! How did you
feel watching her struggle?
5. We'll all
probably face being the "new girl" at some point in life. How can we make
friends and become part of a new community?
6. After
reading POSER, do you feel differently about "new girls" or "new guys" in your
school or community and what they're up against?
Author
call-in information: Sue is happy to call-in or Skype with your club -- or meet
with you in person if you live in Hawaii! Email Sue to submit
your request.
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A maximum of 10 books is available for each book club giveaway.
- Contest entries are sent directly to the authors administering each contest. Our Privacy Policy does not apply to emails sent as contest entries. You must be 18 years or older to enter the contests.
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