 Kids' Authors Share Their Stories
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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:
-twelve-year-old Cully Pennyacre who's trying to figure out what's behind the strange summer happenings in the town of Medley in Amy Gordon's THE SHADOW COLLECTOR'S APPRENTICE (PS: fans of Holly Horvath and Kate DiCamillo will love this warm, eccentric, and enchanting middle-grade novel);
-eighteen-year old Brielle Matthews and the new boy at school, Jake, and find out what brought them together in Shannon Dittemore's ANGEL EYES.
Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp kidsbookclubbook.com |
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 Ages 8-12 /Fiction Adventure/ Magic / Holiday House
Win a set of The Shadow Collector's Apprentice by Amy Gordon for your book club. Enter to win by emailing Amy (write "KidsBookclubbing" in the subject line).
 Dear Reader,
One day I started playing with the idea of shadows. I imagined a world where our shadows go at night. It's exactly like our world, but it's reversed. Shadows walk around casting "lightows." One night these words came to me in a dream: "We always believed that the maple tree lost its leaves because Jack left." I woke up with a lot of questions. Who was this Jack? Why did he leave? Who did he leave behind? It turned out that shadows had a lot to do with this mystery.
Peculiar things are happening to people in the town of Medley, but it's hard for twelve-year-old Cully Pennyacre to figure out why. Cully's apprenticeship at Batty's Attic antique store gets stranger each day. Batty has a hobby of collecting people's shadows and a back room he likes to keep locked. Not only that, Cully's father has mysteriously disappeared, and his family is in danger of losing the apple orchard the Pennyacre family has lived on for generations. Isabel, Batty's annoying granddaughter, and Cully's best friend, Sam, band with Cully to get to the bottom of a secret black market in human shadows.
With best wishes,
Amy Gordon
Book reviews:
"The main hook? The characters. I grew to love Cully, Isabel, his aunts, and even his friend Sam. Each character was drawn in such a way that I could see them so clearly in my mind, and felt like I knew them myself. Not every writer has such a knack, but Gordon does, and it worked so well in this fantastical story."
-Young Adult Books Central
"The novel is well thought out and readers will find themselves sharing Cully's determination to find the truth at any cost. This is novel filled with rustic charm and enough plot twists and turns to keep readers engaged."
-School Library Journal
Discussion questions:
1. What do shadows represent in this book? What happens to people when they lose their shadow?
2. Friendship is a theme of this book. How do people become friends? How can
friendships change? Describe any similar experiences with friendship in your own life.
3. Illustrate the Shadow World.
Learn more about author Amy Gordon via her website or follow her on Facebook.
AUTHOR CALL-IN INFORMATION: Amy Gordon is happy to call in or Skype with your book club. Email Amy to submit your request
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Ages 12-18 / YA Fiction / Thomas Nelson
Win a copy of Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore for your book club. Enter to win by emailing the publisher (write "KidsBookclubbing" in the subject line).
Dear Re ader,
I'm so excited to share ANGEL EYES with you. It's a story born of my fascination with the supernatural. Have you ever wondered about angels or demons? Have you wondered what their invisible world looks like? With  Angel Eyes I set out to examine the possibility through the eyes of eighteen-year old Brielle Matthews. She's a girl wrapped in fear and grief, and a numbing cold that refuses to leave her. When the boy next door gives her a mysterious gift, Brielle learns that things aren't at all what they seem. I do hope you enjoy the read.
Sincerely,
Shannon Dittemore Discussion questions: 1. Brielle knows what it's like to lose a loved one. Has this ever happened to you or someone you know? How did you cope?
2. At the beginning of this novel, Brielle feels very much alone. In truth, she has a great support system: her dad, Kaylee, Miss Macy, Mr. Burns. Do you have a group of people you can rely on when things get tough? Who are they?
3. Ali was Brielle's best friend but she was also someone Brielle admired and looked up to. Do you have a friend like that?
4. Ballet is Brielle's creative outlet. How do you channel your creativity?
5. Brielle's father is adamantly against anything religious. How do you think he'll react to Brielle's new beliefs? Is there someone in your life who is adamantly against religion? How do you reach out to them?
6. Human trafficking is a very real problem both in the United States and abroad. What are some things you can do to help?
To learn more about and keep up with Shannon Dittemore via Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Pinterest, and her blog, visit her website.
AUTHOR CALL IN INFORMATION: To arrange for Shannon Dittemore to talk/email/Skype with your book club, email her publisher 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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