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We are excited to share a giveaway for THE SECRET ELEPHANT: Inspired by a True Story of Friendship!

Meet the Author: Ellan Rankin

Ellan Rankin is a Northern Irish author-illustrator who earned an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from Cambridge School of Art, and a First-Class Honors degree in Illustration from the Jordanstone College of Art & Design. Her picture books combine her love of animals with her experience in animation. She lives in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

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About the Book: The Secret Elephant: Inspired by a True Story of Friendship

A remarkable friendship between a baby elephant and her keeper shows that kindness is never forgotten. Inspired by a true story, this uplifting picture book is a perfect read for animal lovers of all ages.

While carefree monkeys dangle in trees, powerful lions quietly sunbathe, and majestic giraffes walk back and forth, a terrible war looms on the horizon and changes everything. People stop coming to the zoo and most of the animals huddle together with their mates in their different enclosures– except for one baby elephant that was all alone.  As bombs shake the ground and flashes of orange light burn across the sky, the solitary elephant grows more and more afraid and confused. Her keeper understood and spends as much time with her elephant as she can.  And when it becomes impossible to stay in the enclosure, the keeper makes the daring choice to bring the elephant home.

But it’s hard to hide an elephant, even a baby one, and it gets even harder as the elephant grows. After a time, the elephant is ordered back to the zoo.  Still, the kind-hearted keeper could not abandon her friend, so she sets up house right alongside the elephant for the remainder of the war.

Many years later, when the keeper no longer works at the zoo, she returns to visit her friend. Her friend, much older now as well, remembers the keeper and her brave kindness.

Inspired by a remarkable true story at the Belfast Zoo during WW11 perfect for fans of The One and Only Ivan and the award-winning documentary The Elephant Whisperers.

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Title: THE SECRET ELEPHANT: Inspired by a True Story of Friendship

Author: Ellan Rankin

Illustrator: Ellan Rankin

Release Date: 4/23/24

Publisher: Random House Studio

ISBN-10: 059370326X

ISBN-13: 059370326X

Genre: Fiction picture book

Age Range: Ages 4-8

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We’re excited to host the giveaway for The Day I Fell Into A Fairy Tale (Ben Miller)! 

Read on to find out more about the author, the book and a giveaway!

About the Author: Ben Miller

Ben Miller is the bestselling author of magical stories for the whole family: The Night I Met Father Christmas, The Boy Who Made the World Disappear, The Day I Fell into a Fairytale, How I Became a Dog Called Midnight, Diary of a Christmas Elf, and The Night We Got Stuck in a Story. He is an actor, director, and comedian best known for The Armstrong & Miller Show, the Johnny English and Paddington films, BBC’s Death in Paradise, and recent Netflix smash Bridgerton.

About the Book: The Day I Fell Into A Fairy Tale

From actor, author, and comedian Ben Miller comes an illustrated middle grade fantasy adventure following a brother and sister who stumble into a magical new world—perfect for fans of Half Upon a Time and Land of Stories!

Lana loves stories, especially the ones she and her brother, Harrison, share in their make-believe games. But when Harrison decides he’s too grown-up to play with Lana anymore, she’s too lonely to find the wonder in storytelling…until something magical happens.

Lana discovers a portal to a fairy tale world hidden in the strange new supermarket in town! But these aren’t the happy-ever-after fairy tales that Lana knows—they are darker and more dangerous, and the characters need Lana’s help to defeat an evil witch. But she can’t do it alone.

Can she convince Harrison to believe in stories again and journey to the world with her before it’s too late?

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Title: THE DAY I FELL INTO A FAIRY TALE

Author: Ben Miller

Illustrator: Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini

Release Date: 4/23/24

Publisher: Aladdin

ISBN-10: 1665949732

ISBN-13: 9781665949736

Genre: Middle Grade

Age Range: 8-12

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

Two (2) winners will receive a copy of The Day I Fell Into A Fairy Tale (Ben Miller) ~US Only!

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We’re excited to host the giveaway for Tree. Table. Book. (Lois Lowry)! 

Read on to find out more about the author, the book and a giveaway!

About the Author: Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry is the author of more than forty books for children and young adults, including the New York Times bestselling Giver Quartet and the popular Anastasia Krupnik series. She has received countless honors, among them the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, the California Young Reader Medal, and the Mark Twain Award. She received Newbery Medals for two of her novels, Number the Stars and The Giver.

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About the Book: Tree. Table. Book. 

From two-time Newbery medalist Lois Lowry comes this warm and resonant story of an unlikely friendship, which unfolds as a revelation on how we hold on to—and pass on—what matters most. When precocious eleven-year-old Sophie sets out to save her elderly neighbor (who is also her dearest friend), her journey will take her through their familiar suburban landscape and then, steadily yet unexpectedly, deeper into a landscape of history and shared stories.

Title: Tree. Table. Book.

Author: Lois Lowry

Release Date: 4/23/24

Publisher: HarperCollins/Clarion

ISBN-13: 9780063299504

Genre: middle grade fiction

Age Range: 8/12

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

Five (5) winners will receive a hardcover copy of Tree. Table. Book. (Lois Lowry) ~US Only!

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Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Marisa Kanter!

Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!

Meet the Author: Marisa Kanter

Marisa Kanter (she/her/hers) is a young adult author, amateur baker, and reality television enthusiast. She is the author of What I Like About You, As If on Cue, and Finally Fitz. Born and raised in the suburbs of Boston, her obsession with books led her to New York City, where she worked in the publishing industry to help books find their perfect readers. She currently lives in Los Angeles, writing love stories by day and crocheting her wardrobe by night. Follow her at MarisaKanter.com.

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About the Book: Finally Fritz

A bisexual teen girl tries to make her ex jealous by faking an Instagram romance that leads to surprisingly real feelings in this hijinks-filled rom-com perfect for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and She Gets the Girl.

Ava “Fitz” Fitzgerald has worked hard to create the picture-perfect life she’s always wanted. She spent her junior year transforming her passion for sustainable fashion and upcycling into a viral online platform, maintaining a 4.0 GPA, and spending every free second with her soon-to-graduate girlfriend, Danica. And this summer she plans to take it all to the next level by attending a prestigious summer fashion program in New York City and convincing Dani that they can survive a year of long distance.

But when Dani dumps her before classes even start, accusing Fitz of being more invested in growing her online persona than deepening their relationship, she’s left not only heartbroken, but also creatively blocked.

Fitz will do anything to win Dani back, even if that means taking a break from the platform that she’s worked so hard to build. But just as she decides to go all-in on a hiatus, a chance encounter reunites her with Levi Berkowitz, her childhood best friend that she hasn’t seen since elementary school. Levi is struggling with heartbreak of his own, and this cosmic coincidence sparks a new use for her social media savvy. Fitz offers to help Levi craft a fake relationship online to make his person jealous…if in return he can pretend to be her boyfriend in front of Dani to make her jealous. If all goes according to plan, by the end of the summer they’ll both be reunited with their perfect partners and get to rekindle their friendship in the process.

Sometimes even the most carefully designed plans can come apart at the seams, though. And when real history leads to not-so-fake feelings, Fitz will have to decide if she’s finally willing to let go of what she thought was picture-perfect and choose what might actually be right for her.

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~Author Chat~

YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write Finally Fitz?

I had so much fun writing Fitz in As If on Cue. In that book, Fitz is the best friend who exists for comic relief and seemingly has it all together . . . but in Finally Fitz, readers learn that she very much does not. As a reader, I’ve always been drawn to these secondary characters, always wondering about what’s going on in their world. As If on Cue ends with Fitz getting into a summer fashion program in New York and I was so thrilled when I got the go-ahead from my publisher to write Fitz’s story. It’s honestly the queer fake dating book of my dreams. It’s a romcom, but it’s also about sisters learning how to communicate with each other, something that was for sure inspired by my relationship with my sister. New York itself provided so much inspiration, I lived there for six super formative years and my heart is still very much there.

YABC: Who is your favorite character in Finally Fitz?

Obviously, I love Fitz. We went through so much together. I feel like it’s too easy to choose the POV character, so I’ll give it to Levi, the sweet plant boy of my heart. I’m not supposed to choose favorites, but Levi is probably my favorite of the three love interests I’ve written. He’s soft and sensitive and knows how to be there for Fitz in exactly the way that she needs him to be. I also loved all the plant research that crafting his character entailed too, though I wish I could say it’s been helpful in my own plant parenting journey, ha!

YABC: Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel almost always comes first to me – in fact, I have yet to title my own books! Initially this book was called If the Shoe Fitz, which is the name of Fitz’s online brand. During a brainstorming session, one of my critique partners—fellow YA author Kelsey Rodkey—came up with Finally Fitz and I never looked back. It just fit.

YABC: What scene in Finally Fitz are you most proud of, and why?

The final scene. I won’t spoil it, but I am so proud of how this book came together and so proud of myself for finishing it. Drafting this book was a struggle—I was not in a great place mental health wise, and I truly could not have gotten Fitz to the place where she is at the end of this story with her mental health without working on myself and my mental health first.

YABC: Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

Something Levi says to Fitz is that “sometimes, art takes the time it takes” and writing that sentence is one thing but believing it is another thing entirely. Much like Fitz, I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself . . . and I worked myself to the point of burnout. I’ve learned that each book will have its own process. Every time I sit down to start a book I will forget how to write a book. And then, I’ll write the book. Sometimes, art takes the time it takes. As long as I keep writing through the difficult parts, as long as I am gentle with myself through the difficult parts, I will get to the other side and type “the end.”

YABC: What new release books are you looking most forward to in 2024?

The list is endless! Just to shout out some queer YA that is at the top of my TBR—Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao, This is Me Trying by Racquel Marie, The Breakup Lists by Adib Khorram, and Playing for Keeps by Jennifer Dugan. Also one that I had the privilege of reading early, Don’t Break Your Heart by Maggie Horne.

YABC: Which character gave you the most trouble when writing Finally Fitz?

Probably Danica. As much as I love a fake dating book, it can be tricky when the stakes / logic behind the scheme is to win someone back. Because if you understand the trope, it’s not a spoiler to say that Danica is not end game, even if Fitz spends the majority of the book believing she is. It’s a balancing act for sure, to show the qualities that make a person wonderful and loveable, but also not their person. It was so important to me to craft Danica with care, to not vilify her because she’s not a villain. She just isn’t Fitz’s person. And that is okay.

YABC: What is the main message or lesson you would like your reader to remember from Finally Fitz?

Stop being so hard on yourself. As a teen, I put so much pressure on myself. Applied the word perfectionist to myself like a badge of honor. Didn’t understand the difference between being ambitious and having unreasonable expectations. Believed the worst thing I could do was fail. Unlearning perfectionism, reckoning with the truth that it is so often a symptom of anxiety, has been an ongoing process. If this resonates with any readers, I hope that Fitz’s story gives them permission to be nicer to themselves, to reassess their relationship with the word perfectionist, to seek help. And if you see Fitz maybe not in yourself, but in someone you know, check in on them.

YABC: What advice do you have for new writers?

Two pieces of evergreen advice I can offer:

1. Read everything.

2. Find your people. Publishing is lonely without them!

Title: Finally Fitz

Author: Marisa Kanter

ISBN-13: 9781665926072

ISBN-10: 1665926074

On-sale date: Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Imprint: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Ages: 12 and up

*Giveaway Details*

Three (3) winners will receive a hardcover copy of Finally Fritz (Marisa Kanter) ~ US Only (No P.O. Boxes)!

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We are excited to share a giveaway for The Last Indigo and the Beast of Epicerra!

Meet the Author: D. Lynn Robinson

D. Lynn Robinson is a mom of five and loves a good middle grade fantasy novel! She’s been writing as long as she can remember, but only began publishing in 2019. However, this is her first middle grade fantasy novel! The story for The Last Indigo series came to her a handful of years ago. She wanted something that would bridge the gap between very young reader novels and those long, intimidating books that so many kids don’t believe they can finish. Building up their confidence with a great fantasy novel they love, but one that also challenges them, is key. Add in that it’s a really great story they’ll remember for a lifetime, and you’ve won!

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About the Book: The Last Indigo and the Beast of Epicerra

In another world, he was a legend, feared by all.On earth… he’s just trying to fit in.

Indigo can’t remember more than the past seven days, but that’s the least of his worries. First, he needs to find math class. He needs to stay out of trouble. But more than anything, he needs to figure out why his eyes are changing color!

Trying to avoid talking about his life, because he doesn’t remember it, Indigo attends his classes and makes friends. But his mother hasn’t been telling him the whole story… or, any of the story. When he learns the truth, it means he will have to choose a side. His past life, or a future fighting against it. Indigo will learn to bring clay to life, harness powerful energy in his hands, and above all he will find a way back to the place he used to call home.

But trouble arises when a terrible beast takes the opportunity to come to earth, seeking his revenge. Now Indigo must attempt to use the powers he’s honed to save everyone around him.

The Last Indigo and the Beast of Epicerra will have readers glued to the pages by giving them a hero they can relate to and cheer for! Keep the pages turning in this epic fantasy they’ll remember for a lifetime.

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We are excited to share a giveaway for Kailani’s Gift!

Meet the Author: Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young

With a master of fine arts in children’s literature and a passion for multiculturalism, Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young is a writer, speaker, former news reporter, and foodie. Her children’s book Cora Cooks Pancit received the Picture Book of the Year Award from the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association. Dorina is a self-proclaimed “glory chaser” who meets God as she runs trails through mountains or near the ocean. Dorina and her husband, Shawn, are raising three daughters in central California. Kailani’s Gift is her new children’s book. For more information, visit dorinagilmore.com.

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About the Book: Kailani’s Gift

A picture book celebration of family, Filipino heritage, and dance that showcases the value of patience, perseverance, and blessing others with your gifts and talents.

As Kailani watches her siblings practice a traditional Filipino dance for their grandparents’ anniversary party, she longs to join them. But keeping up with the rhythm and hopping in time with the beats of the tinikling is much harder than Kailani imagined!

With Daddy’s help, Kailani practices the motions of the dance step by step. But will she be able to learn the tinikling in time to surprise her Lolo and Lola?

Illustrator Lynnor Bontigao’s work pairs exquisitely with Dorina Gilmore-Young’s storytelling to celebrate Filipino culture and traditions. Also included is a glossary of Tagalog terms used throughout the book.

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Title: Kailani’s Gift

Author: Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young

Illustrator: Lynnor Bontigao

Release Date: April 16, 2024

Publisher: Waterbrook

ISBN-10: 9780593577806

ISBN-13: 9780593577790

Genre: Juvenile Fiction – Diversity & Multicultural| Fiction – Family| Multigenerational – Performing Arts – Dance

Age Range: 3-7

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

Six (6) winners will receive a copy of Kailani’s Gift (Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young) ~US/CAN Only!

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We’re excited to host the giveaway for Queer and Fearless: Poems Celebrating the Lives of LGBTQ+ Heroes (Rob Sanders)! 

Read on to find out more about the author, the book and a giveaway!

About the Author: Rob Sanders

Rob Sanders is a celebrated children’s book author and is known as one of the pioneers in the area of LGBTQIA+ literary nonfiction picture books. He is the author of PRIDE: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag, Stitch by Stitch: Cleve Jones and the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and many more groundbreaking and important books for young readers.

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About the Illustrator: Harry Woodgate

Harry Woodgate (pronouns: they/them) is an award-winning author and illustrator who has worked with clients including National Book Tokens, Google, The Sunday Times Magazine, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Walker Books, Andersen Press, Bloomsbury, The Washington Post, and Penguin Random House. Their books include Grandad’s Camper, Timid, Little Glow, Shine Like the Stars, My First Baking Book, and The Very Merry Murder Club.

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About the Book: Queer and Fearless: Poems Celebrating the Lives of LGBTQ+ Heroes

Learn about the lives of some of the most important LGBTQ+ heroes in this unique picture book that combines poetry and biographical information to honor those at the forefront of LGBTQ+ history.

Young readers will learn about the lives and legacies of seventeen heroes of the queer community from both past and present. Marsha P. Johnson, Harvey Milk, Cleve Jones, Pauline Park, Richard Blanco, and Pete Buttigieg are just a few of the iconic figures represented in this wonderfully designed and colorful picture book with illustrations by Harry Woodgate. A perfect introduction to the people who have stood up for what they believed in, lived lives according to their own ideals, and their partners, friends, and allies, the poetry in this book provides great read-aloud potential sure to entertain and inform readers of all ages.

Beloved children’s book author Rob Sanders makes the lives of the most prominent LGBTQ+ heroes jump off of the page through his beautiful poems and detailed biographies. This title includes a glossary as well as a description of each poetry style, making it an ideal choice for home and classroom.

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Title: Queer and Fearless: Poems Celebrating the Lives of LGBTQ+ Heroes

Author: Rob Sanders

Illustrator: Harry Woodgate

Release Date: April 16, 2024

Publisher: Penguin Workshop

ISBN-10: 0593523695

ISBN-13: 9780593523698

Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction

Age Range: 6-9

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

Five (5) winners will receive a copy of Queer and Fearless: Poems Celebrating the Lives of LGBTQ+ Heroes (Rob Sanders) ~US Only!

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Today we’re spotlighting THE YEAR OF THE PUPPY: HOW A PUPPY BECOMES YOUR DOG by Alexandra Horowitz!

Read on for more about the author, the book, plus enter the giveaway!

About the Author: Alexandra Horowitz

Alexandra Horowitz observes dogs for a living. Her research began more than two decades ago, studying dogs at play, and continues today at her Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College. She is the author of Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know and three other books: On Looking; Being a Dog; and Our Dogs, Ourselves. She lives with her family of Homo sapiens, Canis familiaris, and Felis catus in New York City.

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About the Book: THE YEAR OF THE PUPPY: HOW A PUPPY BECOMES YOUR DOG

What is it like to be a puppy? What’s going on in their minds? In this adaptation for young readers, Alexandra Horowitz answers those questions all kids have–and more!

Few people get to meet their dogs on the dog’s actual first birthday. Most of us missed the day our puppy opened her eyes, the first sweet sounds she made, or watching her learn to walk, bark, and play with her siblings. But the dog scientist Alexandra Horowitz got to. She met a litter of newborn pups, and traces their journey through their first year of life.

In this adaptation for young readers, follow along as one of the litter, Quiddity, grows from a sweet potato-sized puppy who can’t lift her head to a member of Horowitz’s family. Equal parts scientific and adventurous, Alexandra Horowitz’s delightful study of her own puppy’s developing personality is an enticing read that will answer every question a reader could have during a puppy’s first year.

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~Excerpt~

Sweet Potatoes

I pull into the driveway of Amy’s home on a cold day. The sky is the kind of fathomless gray that makes you forget it could ever be blue.

I have come to see the puppies. As I knock, a commotion erupts inside—a chorus of barks, mixed with the sounds of dogs runing and scratching the door. A dog nose appears suddenly from behind a curtain, then just as quickly retreats. As the door opens, more dogs dart out: kelpies, wagging and barking and jumping up. Two older border collies saunter among them, calm schooners surrounded by crazed motorboats. There are eight dogs here, plus two more, I learn, that Amy is fostering, in another room. And then, too, the puppies.

Amy lets me in, and we step gently through the carpet of dogs. A radio is playing, an appliance hums; the smell of a birch fire greets me. One wall of the room is lined with shelves of trophies and ribbons from dog-competition events: agility, sheepherding, disc, mushing. Another wall has a giant cage in which a cockatoo who is missing her back feathers side-eyes me warily. “I’m bird sitting,” Amy explains, “and the people haven’t come back.” She gestures to another room, which has been given over completely to her own two parrots. At the same time, a calico cat saunters in and checks me out before sitting down to clean herself. Boxes of food and supplies donated for the fostered pups tower to the ceiling.

The new mom, Maize, is just visible outside the back of the house, staring intently at the screen door. I follow her gaze inside to the kitchen. I approach and navigate a baby gate, then climb over a makeshift wall segregating the kitchen appliances. Beyond that wall is a smaller pen, and within the pen is a small dog bed, and on one half of the bed is a pile of eleven puppies curled around one another. That pile is the object of Maize’s gaze.

Amy opens the door, and Maize runs in. Spotting a new person, she crouches submissively, and I also crouch and turn away to calm her. Amy places a large sausage of dog food on a plate for her, and she is calmed. We step into the pen and settle beside the dog bed. The pups, only several days old, are not quite dog- shaped yet; instead, they’re lumpish forms the eye registers as living but whose species one cannot quite place. They appear to be perfect sweet potatoes with ears, feet, and a tail. A white sweet potato adjusts herself and morphs into a piglet, short of snout and pink of body.

We scoot the bed onto a heating pad. The pile shifts. It is just above freezing outside, and the puppies will not be able to maintain their own body temperature until they are four weeks old. They lack the necessary extra fat for insulation, and they cannot shiver to warm themselves. Each pup’s body temperature is still several degrees below where it needs to be, and they instinctively keep one another’s close company. In the pile they form, they can get close to the 101.5-degree temperature that’s normal for adult dogs.

When Maize finishes eating she steps into the pen. Her smell steps in with her, the odor of milk and mom wafting over the pups. They stir as a heap, gently pulsing in her direction. Maize pokes her nose among the pups, licking and rousing them. She suffers my presence there with grace and even, guardedly, lets me pet her. Tiny heads lift, and mouths open, aimed mom-ward. At this age the puppies spend their lives mostly sleeping or nursing, and over the three hours that I am there, they do both, sometimes at once. The pups make soft squeaking, whimpering noises, shimmying over one another in the general direction of their mother’s belly. As they make their way over to Maize, she licks each one’s behind clean without comment. “She’s a good mom,” Amy says: patient, deliberate, and rump-cleaning.

When they fall off her belly, they collapse into the pancake-like posture typical of animals who cannot yet lift their heads for any length of time. After birth and their first meal, they weighed between just eight and thirteen ounces. Eight ounces is scanty: a simple cup of coffee. (Coincidentally, I have seen many a wee pup weighed by being put in a coffee cup set on a kitchen scale—a sight that is off-the-charts adorable.) Now, only a few days into life, some have doubled their weight, while others are struggling. The tiniest pup, whom Amy has named Chaya, with a head smaller than my fist, is half the size of Pawpaw, a merle puppy—his coat marked with patches of black, white, the gray called blue, and a copper called red, with moody dark makeup under each eye. I grasp Pawpaw and lift him toward me. He is heavy in my hand, but I can nearly circle his body when I close my fingers. Pawpaw squirms and utters a small gurgle, his paws outstretched, every toe reaching for ground. Each plump pad is an almost fluorescent pink, completely new out of the box. I set him down and grasp Chaya, then settle her between her siblings, where she has a chance at breakfast. A tan puppy with expressive eyebrows and a blaze of white, Pumpkin, coos at me, and I coo back to him as I stroke his soft back.

I gaze at them with astonishment. I feel let in on a secret, as a witness of this time in the lives of puppies. For now, it is not clear who is who; it is not clear that there is any who in there at all yet. In these early days of their puppyhood, eager to know them, we gather facts about their size and weight, comment on their colors, study whose ear is starting to stand upright. Later, when they begin showing distinct behaviors, we will note them all, collecting them like baseball cards—as though with each new fact or description, their true essence will be revealed to us.

We prod softly at the bodies to try to identify them all. Amy has named them for indigenous North American foods. Here are Fiddlehead, a blue merle with extra black markings, and three other merles, Calais Flint Corn (Flint), Blue Camas, and Persimmons, each with a distinguishing spot or fetching stripe of color. Underneath them we reveal Cholla Cactus, Acorn, and Cranberry, whose vary from gold to white as a sunbeam enters a high window and moves across their backs.

The final pup is not among the pile at Maize’s belly. Wild Ramps is a tricolor merle but mostly black, with a snout dipped in a white paint can and gold eyebrows. She is marooned on the puppy bed, the last one to whom it occurred either that Oh, the smell of mom is near or Oh, the warmth of siblings is missing, directing them toward mom. Her eyes, like those of all her siblings, are sealed closed in quiet protest at this bright world. Her ears, like those of all her siblings, are sealed closed in bright protest at this noisy world. She scooches herself on her belly, using the tools she has, pursuing warmth or smell, until she reaches the rim of the bed. Heading over the great wall, she topples dramatically, somersaulting and whimpering. Maize turns at her cries and licks her entire body in one long swipe, sending Wild Ramps onto her back. Righting herself, she heads straight for my knee, clothed in soft corduroy, and tests it for milk. I feel her tiny mouth puckered against it and am vividly aware of the inadequacy of my knee’s offerings. I pivot her lightly toward the rump of another puppy. Then she need only climb him, creep up the length of his body, and at last nuzzle her way in to the desired belly.

Title: THE YEAR OF THE PUPPY: HOW A PUPPY BECOMES YOUR DOG

Author: Alexandra Horowitz

Release Date: April 16, 2024

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

ISBN-10: 0593351304

ISBN-13: 9780593351307

Genre: Hardcover Middle Grade Nonfiction

Age Range: 8-12

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We’re excited to host the giveaway for LEGENDARIOS: WRATH OF THE RAIN GOD (Karla Arenas Valenti)! 

Read on to find out more about the author, the book and a giveaway!

About the Author: Karla Arenas Valenti

Karla Arenas Valenti grew up in Mexico, a land of great myths and many legends. From a very young age, she loved to lose herself in stories (and, in fact, she considers herself the very first Legendario). As a grown-up, she still loves losing herself in stories and especially loves creating adventures for readers to do the same. In addition to chapter books, Karla is the author of many picture books and middle grade novels. She currently lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband, three kids, two cats, and hundreds of books.

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About the Book: LEGENDARIOS: WRATH OF THE RAIN GOD

Nine-year-old twins, Emma and Martín, couldn’t be more different in their personalities, interests, and even their looks. But one thing they absolutely agree on is that moving from Cuernavaca, Mexico, to Illinois is a terrible idea. Unfortunately, they’re not given a choice when their dad lands his dream job as a middle school principal in Chicago. To help the twins stay connected to their Mexican heritage, their abuela gifts them a book of Mexican legends. The book turns out to be more than a going away present…it’s a magical item that transports them directly into the legends!

In the first legend, Emma and Martín encounter Tlaloc, the god of rain. Tlaloc is angry because his lightning bolt has been stolen, and his rage is manifesting as a torrential downpour over the ancient city of Texcoco. The rain won’t stop until the lightning bolt has been returned, so Emma and Martín set out to recover it.

Will they find Tlaloc’s bolt in time to help the people of Texcoco save their home? Or will the wrath of the rain god mark the end of this legendary city?

Title: LEGENDARIOS: WRATH OF THE RAIN GOD

Author: Karla Arenas Valenti

Illustrator: Vanessa Morales

Release Date: 4/16/24

Publisher: Aladdin

ISBN-10: 1665936002

ISBN-13: 9781665936002

Genre: Middle Grade

Age Range: 7 to 10

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

Two (2) winners will receive a copy of LEGENDARIOS: WRATH OF THE RAIN GOD (Karla Arenas Valenti) ~US Only!

*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*

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Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Rachel Chivers Khoo!

Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!

Meet the Author: Rachel Chivers Khoo

Rachel Chivers Khoo was born in Belfast. Growing up, her greatest wish was to become a published children’s author. Now that wish has come true, she’s planning on making more wishes . . . possibly involving a puppy or a lifetime’s supply of cinnamon buns. Rachel Chivers Khoo studied English literature at Trinity College, Oxford, and creative writing at Queen’s University, Belfast. She previously worked in book publishing and wrote her debut novel, The Wishkeeper’s Apprentice, at her kitchen table during maternity leave. She lives in London with her husband, two young sons, and far too many books.

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About the Book: The Wishkeeper’s Apprentice

Wishes do come true—with some help from Felix and his quirky mentor, Mr. Beewinkle—in this magical adventure brimming with the power of hope.

When ten-year-old Felix drops a penny in the wishing fountain at the center of town, he really doesn’t expect his sixteen-year-old sister to suddenly like him again, or to offer to share a cinnamon bun or watch cartoons like they used to. She hasn’t even remembered she was supposed to give him a ride home! But someone else is at the fountain too: a strange old man with a fishing pole who claims to be invisible. To Felix’s amazement, he learns that the old man is a Wishkeeper, and he needs an apprentice! But being a Wishkeeper’s apprentice isn’t just about organizing incoming wishes and untangling wish snags: a strange wolf-man who’s been haunting Felix’s dreams is real and a threat to every wish that has ever been granted in the town of Whittlestone, the town’s Wishkeeper, and Felix himself. With lively illustrations, this sweet adventure bubbles with charm and heart.

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~Author Chat~

YABC:  What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

I loved making wishes as a child and I always wondered where our wishes go.  The idea of wishkeepers has been in my imagination for a long time. The job of a wishkeeper is to collect, grant, maintain and protect our wishes. Granting wishes isn’t easy. It requires diligence, perseverance and most-importantly hope.

YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?

One day while I was out for a walk, Rupus Beewinkle popped into my head as a fully-formed character. I imagined him as a little man with a whiskered face and pockets full of pennies collected from wishing fountains. Rupus is a rather shambolic Wishkeeper. His house is full of disorganised paperwork and he has granted far more wishes than he can keep up with. Rupus will do anything it takes to protect the wishes of his town.

YABC:  Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

I’ve learned to write what I love. Getting published is such a long process, usually with lots of ups and downs before securing a book deal. So, it’s important to enjoy the writing process as much as you can.

YABC: What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?

I adored Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell. It’s a whirlwind of an adventure with lots of heart. Ultimately, it’s an incredibly hope-filled book. Rundell, has long been one of my favourite authors. I was so excited when I heard she was writing a fantasy trilogy. I can’t wait for the second book!

YABC:   What’s up next for you?

My second book is another standalone magical story for middle-grade readers: The Magician Next Door. It’s the story of a girl called Callie who has recently moved from London to Northern Ireland with her dad. Callie is desperately homesick and has had a long uneventful summer in her new home, which is located at the foot of the Mourne Mountains. Then one night a flying house crashes upside-down in Callie’s back garden… and the magician inside, Winnifred Potts, needs Callie’s help.

YABC:   Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?

The dialogue between Felix and his older sister is quite hard going in places. Rebecca and Felix have a big age gap (seven years) and have grown apart. They hardly have any common interests now, even though they used to be close. Ultimately, Felix discovers that his worth isn’t rooted in how his sister (or anyone) treats him. Along the way, he discovers that he means a lot more to Rebecca than he’d thought.

 YABC:    What is the main message or lesson you would like your reader to remember from this book?

To wish boldly, and not to give up easily on your wishes. Everyone knows all the best wishes feel a little bit impossible.

YABC:   What advice do you have for new writers? 

I’d really recommend joining a writers’ group or sharing your manuscript with trusted friends. I find having a handful of encouraging readers helps spur me on to finish each manuscript. It’s fun to read other people’s work and see their writing process. I’ve learned so much from being in a writers’ group.

Title: The Wishkeeper’s Apprentice

Author: Rachel Chivers Khoo

Illustrator: Rachel Sanson

Release Date: 4/2/24

Publisher: Candlewick Press

ISBN-10: 1536231207

ISBN-13: 9781536231205

Genre: Juvenile Fiction/Fantasy & Magic

Age Range: Ages 7 to 10

*Giveaway Details*

Five (5) winners will receive a hardcover copy of The Wishkeeper’s Apprentice (Rachel Chivers Khoo) ~ US Only!

*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway!*

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