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We are excited to share a giveaway for Good Night Thoughts (Max Greenfield)!

Meet the Author: Max Greenfield

Max Greenfield is a New York–born actor who is best known for his roles as Schmidt in New Girl and Dave Johnson in The Neighborhood. He is the author of I Don’t Want to Read This Book, This Book is Not a Present, and I Don’t Want to Read This Book Aloud.

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About the Book: Good Night Thoughts

From actor Max Greenfield, the author of I Don’t Want to Read This Book and its two companion titles, comes a sweetly funny bedtime book about anxiety and being present. What do we do when we can’t fall asleep? The child in this story has racing thoughts–funny, silly, and scary–that are running on a cycle they can’t stop. It’s only when they begin to think to themselves: Do any of these thoughts have merit? Am I in any danger right here and now? that they are finally able to settle down. This lovely picture book is a simple but complex message about acknowledging anxiety without succumbing to it that will appeal to so many little ones (and adults) out there who find that nighttime is when their thoughts carry the most weight.

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Review: Good Night Thoughts

Contributed by Adrien Guerra, Staff Reviewer

Good Night Thoughts follows a child struggling to sleep because they can’t get their mind to stop running with funny, silly, and sometimes scary thoughts. The child uses comforting thoughts to assure themselves that they aren’t in danger and soothe themselves to sleep.

What I liked: When I first saw this book it was the cover that drew my attention. I was expecting something a bit spooky but also comforting from the images on the front page. I was quite pleased with what I found when I read this book and it is one that I will keep returning to as needed.

This book is told from the perspective of a child who has racing thoughts and this is something that I enjoyed. I appreciate that we are now in this child’s mind and able to feel this anxiety along with them. I love how realistic the child’s fears are for the age group that this book is intended for but anyone who has felt anxious will be able to relate to the feelings in this book.

The colors throughout this book stood out to me, as the child remains in blue tones while the thoughts are in color. This distinction in colors allows you to differentiate what is actually happening from what are just thoughts racing through this child’s mind.

Final Verdict: Good Night Thoughts is a great book for children ages 3 and up that shows how we can acknowledge our anxieties but don’t have to let them win. You will continue to pick it up to remind yourself and others how to quiet down your mind when the thoughts feel overwhelming.

Title: Good Night Thoughts

Author: Max Greenfield

Illustrator: James Serafino

Release Date:  9/3/2024

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons BFYR

ISBN-13: 9780593697894

Genre: Picture Book

Age Range: 3-7 years

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

Ten (10) winners will receive a copy of Good Night Thoughts (Max Greenfield) ~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 Blanca Gómez!

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

Meet the Author: Blanca Gómez

Blanca Gómez is an illustrator and designer who started creating illustrations for her mother when she was just a child. Now her art can be seen in the acclaimed picture books Besos for Baby, One Family, Red House Brown Mouse, Dress-Up Day, and Very Good Hats, among others.

About the Book: Bookie & Cookie

Even the best friendships have rough moments, but a true friend will always find a way to compromise (especially when cookies are involved!) – a scrumptious and clever read-aloud by the illustrator of Very Good Hats and Besos for Baby.

Bookie and Cookie are best friends. They love to spend time together, reading books and snacking on treats. But whenever this happens, it’s always at Cookie’s home . . . until the day when Bookie insists on getting together at his home instead. Cookie refuses: He doesn’t want to try something new. And now Bookie and Cookie are both alone, and the activities they used to enjoy together aren’t nearly as much fun. Can the two buddies each try something new for the sake of their friendship?

~Author Chat~

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

One evening, a good friend of mine came to dinner. She used to come to my place a lot more than I went to hers; it is harder for me to go out… I thought I wasn’t being fair to her, and then I thought I could write about that.

YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?

Please don’t make me choose between Bookie and Cookie 🙂

YABC: How do you know when a book is finished?

I guess it is finished when delivery date arrives. It is never really finished… I’m always unsatisfied so I always consider that things could be improved or changed… I have never had that “it’s perfect” feeling with one of my books, so I settle for something close to the idea in my head!

YABC: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t really consider myself to be a writer. I could say I’m a “maker of books.” So… I started making books when I was very young. The first one was called “The little red fish.” It was a few pages stitched together and told the story of a fish that was different from the rest.

YABC: How do you keep your ‘voice’ true to the age category you are writing within?

Good question. I’ve been thinking about that lately. I don’t change my “voice” according to the reader’s age. I’m not really sure what is the reader’s age… but only that it is small 🙂 It really is my only voice, so it should be true.

YABC: What is your favorite writing space?

My studio. I need some routine and having a studio gives me that.

YABC: How do you plan to celebrate the launch of your book?

The book was out yesterday, and I didn’t celebrate. I’m such a stoic. But I should celebrate, right? I’ll think of something.

YABC: What do you do when you procrastinate?

I usually do silly, quick doodles that I release on Instagram. It is a quick procrastination, I should say!

YABC: What kind of animal would your main character be and why?

A fish, so I can get back to “The red fish”, and also because I find it to be a very… narrative? animal. There are so many possibilities behind the mutism of a fish.

YABC: What is your favorite holiday or tradition and why?

I don’t know if it can be called a tradition, but my favorite time of the year is this very one. When activity and life returns to my city, the sun sets earlier and the weather gets cooler and nicer.

YABC: What’s up next for you?

I’m currently working on several books, among them the second part of “Bookie & Cookie”! So I have some busy months ahead. After that… a long vacation, or so I hope!

Title: BOOKIE & COOKIE

Author: Blanca Gómez

Release Date: September 3, 2024

Publisher: Rocky Pond Books

ISBN-13: 9780593696804

Genre: Picture Book

Age Range: Ages 3-7

~ Giveaway Details ~

One (1) winner will receive a copy of Bookie & Cookie (Blanca Gómez) ~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 Sophie Escabasse!

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

Meet the Author: Sophie Escabasse

Sophie Escabasse lives in Montreal with her husband and three children and their black cat, Terrence. Previously from Brooklyn, Sophie travels constantly and is thrilled to talk about her love of stories with school and bookstores. She has illustrated many books for middle-grade readers, including her bestselling graphic novel series Witches of Brooklyn. She has been a graphic novel lover for as long as she can remember, and she enjoys fun and expressive characters.

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About the Book: Taxi Ghost

In this hilarious and heartwarming graphic novel, a young girl’s first period brings an unexpected gift: the ability to see ghosts! As she meets these spectral visitors, she uncovers her family’s secret lineage of mediums, while learning about the power of compassion and community.

Adèle just wants to spend her winter break at the library, cozied up with her favorite books, and completely forgetting abut her friends who are all traveling to warmer climates. Unfortunately, life has other plans…not only does Adèle get her first period…but she learns she comes from a long line of mediums!

And if seeing ghosts wasn’t enough of a surprise, Adèle learns that not only can she interact with them, but apparently, they’ve been using her sister’s car to get around the city for years! When the ghosts won’t leave her alone Adèle starts to get to know about them and their problems. Maybe helping them out will be just what she needs for an exciting winter break!

From Sophie Escabasse, the author of the beloved Witches of Brooklyn, comes a brilliant graphic novel that explores growing up and the importance of standing up for what you believe in.

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~Author Chat~

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

The origin story behind Taxi Ghost is a funny one. It all started with the odd recurring feeling that I wasn’t alone in my car.

For instance, I would drive my kids to school in the morning, drop them off and when re-entering my car I would still feel like there was someone behind me. I would look, check the trunk even sometimes! Of course I was always alone.

But the feeling persisted and as it kept happening I ended up telling myself that maybe I wasn’t alone after all, but simply couldn’t see the people sitting on my back seats.

I was driving ghosts around Brooklyn!

YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?

This is a difficult question as I love them all of course but I have a soft spot for Granny Genevieve. She is fierce and mighty, dedicated to making her neighborhood a better place, and protective of her community, which I think is admirable. Despite being very stubborn, she’s able to reconsider her beliefs of ghosts, and set her trauma aside to stand next to her granddaughter when Adele needs her.

I’d love to be a Granny Genevieve one day. 😁

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

A bit of both. The origin and inspiring story behind Taxi Ghost happened first but then the title imposed itself very quickly, long before the whole story had taken a real shape.

I was and still am very attached to the title.

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

I finally bought the new Jen Wang’s graphic novel: Ash’s Cabin, and I’m so-so excited to read it. I’m a big Jane Wang’s fan. Read all her books, they’re amazing!!

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

Over the summer I read “A wizard guide to defensive baking” by T.kingfisher and really really enjoyed it! The idea of a witch having a sourdough as a familiar is absolutely, delightfully brilliant.

I was charmed by Mona, the main character, constant internal dialogue. The fact that she’s pulled into being a hero when really all the girl wants to do is bake nice patisseries!

I found T.Kingfisher’s imaginary world very visual, it resonated with me.

YABC:   What’s up next for you?

I am actually working on the fifth book of the witches of Brooklyn, inking, inking, inking!

It feels great to be reunited with Selimene, Carlota and Effie again after being apart for a year. At this point, the witches and I are family 😄.

YABC:      What would you say is your superpower?

I think I share the same superpower as you. Our imagination is our crazy superpower!

Our ability as humans to create little stories in our minds.

Some of us make bigger stories that take flight and meet others in the world but the little stories, the small drawings, the tiny poems are as powerful.

Otherwise I also happened to always be able to locate a missing object that a family member is looking for. That has to count for a superpower! 😅

YABC:     Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?

Planned Parenthood, Doctor without borders, Green Peace.

YABC:   How is writing a graphic novel different from other formats? 

I am not sure I can answer this question as I’ve never written anything but GN, but I can share with you why I love writing GN and why I think it’s the best medium of storytelling. 

First and foremost you have the illustrations. This in itself makes GN unique and fantastic. Each time you open a GN you’re diving into someone’s special visual world. Pages and pages of art, I’ll never get tired of this.

The fact that the story reaches you not just through written words but also through visuals makes for a different and somehow more direct understanding and therefore faster emotional response.

I could show you a character acting a certain way, like remaining super calm for instance and on the same panel show you a big explosion inside her head. You’d instantly understand that she’s faking her serenity and is in fact real mad.

If I make my lines all wobbly when drawing someone, you’ll understand that the character is stressed or insecure or choked depending on the surroundings.

The marriage of words and visual codes gives me as an author so many options in delivering messages to readers.

Another wonder of GN is how we can play with time. From one panel to another, a week, a year can have passed and you reader can perceive this without me writing any word. The sequencing and illustrations only will convey it.

Like in cinema, GN can communicate a moment of silence if the author wishes to. But what makes GN better than movies (just my biased point of you here 😉) is that it is the reader that sets their own pace. It is the intimate relationship with a book.

Also, I don’t need a huge crew and a gazillion dollars to take you to the bottom of the ocean or on Mars, I can do it all from my little desk, on my little chair with my cat on my lap!

Magic.

Title: TAXI GHOST

Author: Sophie Escabasse

Release Date: September 3

Publisher: Random House Graphics

ISBN-10: 0593565975

ISBN-13: 9780593565971

Genre: Fantasy Graphic Novel

Age Range: 8-12

~ Giveaway Details ~

Three (3) winners will receive a copy of Taxi Ghost (Sophie Escabasse) ~US/CAN Only!

*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*

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What Buzzworthy Books is everyone talking about this Fall?

Check out our favorites listed below! Then enter to win the giveaway where you could win them all!

Title: CLIVE PENGUIN

Author: Huw Lewis-Jones (Author), Ben Sanders (Illustrator)

Publisher: Union Square Kids

Release Date: 9/3/24

From polar-exploring author Huw Lewis Jones and award-winning illustrator Ben Sanders comes a lovable new tale about a curious penguin trying to find his place in the cosmos.

Clive Penguin is tired of the familiar. Every day he stands on the same ice, in the same snow, with the same penguins. Clive just has to find something new, so he sets off in search of something incredible . . . but will Clive’s epic discovery turn out to be the perfect fit?

With a classic art style and a twist that will have you holding onto your hat, Clive Penguin is sure to be a favorite of all ages.

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Title: WHO LIVES HERE?

Author: Alexandra Milton

Publisher: Boxer Books

Release Date: 9/3/24

Watch where you step, there’s a big pile of earth.
Let’s walk around it . . . what can we see?
Who lives here? Who could it be?

A brown furry mole!

Discover animal homes and their habitats in this beautiful book. Features a rabbit, a mole, a beaver, a wren, a mouse, and an owl.

This book is filled with stunning illustrations made with multiple layers of paper built into a collage creating a three-dimensional look: the animals’ fur looks real enough to touch.

Third stunning natural history title following on from Who is in the Egg? and Whose Tracks in the Snow? which was shortlisted for the UKLA Book Award 2024.  

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Title: BOUNCE!: A SCIENTIFIC HISTORY OF RUBBER

Author: Sarah Albee

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Release Date: 10/22/24

Ever wondered what makes rubber bounce?

With sidebars, graphics, fun facts, and more, the history of rubber reveals plenty of fascinating secrets and surprises. Elementary school readers will discover that early balls didn’t bounce; that people in the rainforest made waterproof gear from rubber thousands of years before Europeans got into the act; and that sneakers, bicycles, and cars created demand for more and more rubber!

Back matter includes a time line and a bit about the complicated implications of harvesting rubber.

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Title: THE LIGHT OF HOME

Author: Diana Farid

Publisher: Orchard Books/Scholastic

Release Date: 9/17/24

Nur has always loved her home by the sea, where water glimmers along a straight horizon.

But when Nur and her family are forced to leave, they begin a long journey to an unfamiliar place. Here the horizon curves and twists, and the moonlight no longer glitters across the water. For Nur, nothing in this new place feels like home.

Then one day, Nur’s mother brings her a new set of paintbrushes. Nur’s brushstrokes help her connect the place she’s lost to this new horizon, and she finds home again through her own creativity and heart.

The Light of Home will resonate with anyone who has ever had to leave a place they’ve loved.

From author, poet, and physician Diana Farid and artist Hoda Hadadi comes this introspective story about belonging and the power of creativity. For readers of Yuyi Morales’ Dreamers and Yamile Saied Méndez and Jaime Kim’s Where Are You From?

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Title: Snow Is…

Author: Laura Gehl

Publisher: Paula Wiseman Books

Release Date: 10/29/24

From award-winning author Laura Gehl, a sparkling, lyrical picture book about the magic of an early snow.

It’s dawn and there is snow all around. The wonder of winter’s first snowfall brings the magic of changing seasons and sees a family sharing the perfect snow day with coziness and togetherness from dawn to dusk

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Title: Roar for Reading

Author: Beth Ferry

Publisher: S&S Books for Young Readers

Release Date: 9/3/24

From New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry and New York Times bestselling illustrator Andrew Joyner comes a moving picture book about a brave little lion who decides to speak out for stories by standing up to book banning.

Libraries and lions have a history so long no one’s quite sure how it began—maybe because books were once rare and needed fierce protectors? Still, it’s been a very long time since lions had to roar in the name of books. But when young Julius finds out that books are being banned at his local library, he becomes so filled with emotion that he ROARS!

Not all lions are librarians, but all librarians are lions in this inspiring tale of protecting the stories that connect us and defending books that hold ideas that can change the world.

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*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

One winner will receive a copy of each title from YABC’s FALL Buzzworthy Giveaway 2024! (Kids) ~ US Only

*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*

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What Buzzworthy Books is everyone talking about this Fall?

Check out our favorites listed below! Then enter to win the giveaway where you could win them all!

Title: The Long Way Around

Author: Anne Nesbet

Publisher: Candlewick

Release Date: 09/10/2024

Title: Answers to Dog

Author: Pete Hautman

Publisher: Candlewick

Release Date: 10/01/2024

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Title: Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody

Author:  Patrick Ness, Tim Miller

Publisher: Walker Books US

Release Date: 09/03/2024

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Title: FATHOMLESS

Author: Samantha San Miguel

Publisher: Union Square Kids

Release Date: 9/10/24

Ghostly pirates, lost treasure, and high adventure abound in Fathomless, the sequel to Spineless, set in glittering Gilded Age Florida.

After months away at boarding school, Lulu Davenport was looking forward to summer vacation at her home on the southwest Florida coast, especially since her best friend, Algie Emsworth, will be spending his vacation with the Davenport family. But since his widowed mother has fallen on hard times, he’s gotten a job nearby that keeps him away from the house most of the day. And Frankie, Lulu’s sister and usual companion, is out of commission after injuring herself while sailing. But when Lulu hears about a possible haunting in a nearby abandoned fort and rumors of hidden treasure, she decides it’s time to strike out on her own and solve the mystery herself. In the process, she meets Vic, a blind boy who’s just moved to town, and the two of them embark on a hunt for clues about the ghostly appearances. Soon enough, Frankie and Algie join them, and the four friends uncover all sorts of very real dastardly deeds going on, and the villain is much closer to home than they expected!

Fathomless is full of hijinks, mystery, and heart, as Samantha San Miguel brings readers into the wild and wonderful world of nineteenth century Florida in this sparkling sequel to Spineless.

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Title: EVERYTHING INTERESTING KEEPS HAPPENING TO ETHAN FAIRMONT

Author: Nick Brooks

Publisher: Union Square Kids

Release Date: 11/5/2024

Nick Brooks, award-winning filmmaker and acclaimed author of Promise Boys, presents the thrilling conclusion to the Ethan Fairmont trilogy in which Cheese the alien returns to Earth to warn Ethan and his friends of an impending alien invasion.

Before last summer, Ethan’s life was rather uninteresting. Now, Ethan can’t stop interesting things from happening . . .

After a small, six-eyed alien crash landed into his life, Ethan made a new otherworldly best friend. Now Cheese has returned to Earth, bringing his family and a warning of the Light Thieves’ plans to invade. Ethan is already reeling from the kidnapping of his beloved guinea pig, Nugget, and a dangerous reality sets in after one bold Light Thief sheds its disguise to attack Ethan on his front lawn.

Ethan needs his friends now more than ever, but as he and RJ continue to clash, tensions continue to rise within the group. On top of all that, he still hasn’t figured out how to deal with his feelings for Di. With an alien invasion on the horizon, and The Bureau for Weird Happenings indisposed, can Ethan and his friends work together to save Earth once and for all?

E.T. meets Stranger Things in the final chapter of this remarkable middle grade sci-fi adventure series, perfect for readers ages 8 to 12.

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Title: THE RISE OF ISSA IGWE

Author: Shanna Miles

Publisher: Union Square Kids

Release Date: 10/22/24

Delightfully creepy. Ghostly good fun. A school for magic like no other.

Despite a lifetime of breaking the rules, twelve-year-old Issa Igwe never expected to land in witch prison. At least that’s what she calls The Siren School outside of its hallowed halls. It’s actually the country’s most prestigious boarding school for magically gifted girls, and Issa’s parents insist that she attend . . . even though the school’s creepy history is the stuff of legend.

When a devastating loss overturns Issa’s world, Issa decides to break one of her new school’s biggest rules of all: she’s going to use bitter magic to turn back time. To succeed, she must snatch sleep-inducing feathers from the backs of magical creatures, sneak out while avoiding the Night Children—whoever they are—and even raise the dead. Her nighttime explorations bring the school’s darkest secrets to light, and reveal a new power within Issa herself. It turns out that a rule-breaker might be just what The Siren School needs to undo an ancient evil . . .

This spooky and delightfully magical middle grade companion novel to The Fall of the House of Tatterly introduces an indomitable heroine and an unforgettable school of magic based in hoodoo and Gullah Geechee culture.

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*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

One winner will receive a copy of each title from YABC’s FALL Buzzworthy Giveaway 2024! (MG) ~ US Only

*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*

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What Buzzworthy Books is everyone talking about this Fall?

Check out our favorites listed below! Then enter to win the giveaway where you could win them all!

Title: A French Girl in New York

Author: Anna Adams

Publisher: Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group

Release Date: 10/15/24

From debut author Anna Adams, this delightful YA romcom is all about finding yourself, your family, and perfect harmony in the big city.

Maude Laurent is an orphan. Raised in Carvin, a small town in northern France, she’s always wondered about her parents—who they were and what happened to them. Her foster family, the Ruchets, certainly won’t tell her anything. For them, she’s someone to cook meals, clean their house, and look after their twin boys, but Maude dreams of much more—she dreams of becoming an opera star and singing on the great stages of Paris.

Her Cinderella moment arrives when she’s livestreamed playing the piano and singing in a café during a school trip to Paris. Suddenly she’s an internet sensation and music studios are pursuing her with promises of stardom. The only problem? They all want her to sing pop, but that’s not what Maude wants…

When Terence Baldwin and his daughter show up on Maude’s doorstep, they promise to help her find her own unique voice. Maude accepts the challenge: six months in New York to write and record three singles that become hits. If she succeeds, she can stay and record an album. If she doesn’t, she’ll return to Carvin.

Maude knows she has the drive and talent to succeed but she also knows that her father used to live in the city. Perhaps, just perhaps, she can have it all: a successful music career and a chance to learn more about her family. It’s perfect! However, there’s one big problem—her collaborator Matt Durand. He’s annoying and arrogant, a popstar on a break, and he’s determined to force Maude out of her comfort zone.

With rival artists determined to see Maude fail and the clock ticking, Maude and Matt have to put their bickering aside if they’re going to succeed. Then a sudden revelation about Maude’s parents changes her perspective on  everything and leaves her wondering if she can ever find the perfect harmony.

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Title: Inevitable Fate
Author: Lindsay K. Bandy
Publisher: CamCat Books
Release Date: 10/15/2024

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Title: INFLUENCER

Author: Adam Cesare

Publisher: Union Square & Co.

Release Date: 10/1/24

Follow him or die…

Influencer, by Bram Stoker Award–winning author Adam Cesare, is a tense and timely psychological thriller told from alternating points of view about a teenage girl who begins to suspect the charismatic new kid may in fact be a murderous psychopath. As more and more of her friends fall under his influence, her suspicions begin to come across like jealousy. But is she right? And if so, how much more dangerous would he be toward someone who has discovered his secret?

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Title: FORTUNE’S KISS

Author: Amber Clement

Publisher: Union Square & Co.

Release Date: 11/12/24

Are you willing to risk everything for a chance to be kissed by fortune?
Drink and let your soul be measured.

Welcome to Fortune’s Kiss, where you can attain your wildest dreams, but the price of admission . . . may be your life.

For the first time in a decade, the legendary gambling den, Fortune’s Kiss, has returned to Ciudad Milagro. The game is Lotería.

As starry-eyed children, best friends Mayté and Lorena made a pact to enter the den together, but much has changed: strong, proud Mayté, sole daughter of the disgraced Robles family, dreams of becoming a famous painter, while beautiful Lo suffers at the hands of her powerful—and abusive—father.

With its return, the pair enter the mystical den. Once inside, they realize that beneath the enchanting glamour, the salon hides treacherous secrets—like the old, predatory magic beating in its heart. And it is ravenous.

Round after round, the girls scheme, lie, flirt, do what’s necessary to win. But when bodies begin piling up, all bets—and friendships—are off as each girl learns exactly how far she’s willing to go to ensure she leaves the table on top.

See, this Lotería is no children’s diversion. It is a deadly game of chance that may just eat them alive.

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Title: WELCOME TO FEAR CITY

Author: Sarah Dvojack

Publisher: Union Square & Co.

Release Date: 9/3/24

New York City, summer of ’77—in a city on the edge and obsessed with a serial killer, Sylvie Stroud is dealing with an entirely different kind of evil when she awakens a dark magic hellbent on consuming her.

Seventeen-year-old Sylvie Stroud can see the past of any building just by touching it. Her powers have always been reliable, until one day she sees the memory of a teenage girl’s murder without touching anything at all. There’s a lot of violence in New York City, especially in 1977, but this is different. When the vision keeps repeating, Sylvie begins to investigate. But doing so accidentally awakens an old, parasitic magic lurking just beneath the surface of her beleaguered city. Now all it wants is Sylvie, and it will go through everyone Sylvie loves to have her.

This page-turning horror novel, complete with 22 black and white graphic novel pages throughout, is perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Kendare Blake. 

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Title: Blame My Virgo Moon

Author: Freja Nicole Woolf

Publisher: Walker Books US

Release Date: 10/15/2024

Life should be Gucci gooseberry gorgeous for Cat Phillips now that she’s got the girl: swoon-worthy, green-haired Morgan Delaney. Except Cat’s friends aren’t too keen on Morgan, and Morgan’s friends aren’t quite rolling out the welcome mat for Cat either. When Morgan takes on queen bee Siobhan for the highly contested spot of Head Girl, Cat would rather pluck out her eyelashes than pick a side, which is how she ends up accidentally auditioning for the school production of Romeo and Juliet . . . and landing the starring role opposite Morgan’s new no-good friend, Brooke the Crook. And as if things couldn’t be more of a Marie Antionette Baking Brownies level disaster, Cat’s Sagittarius bestie, Zanna, isn’t talking to her anymore. Merciful Sappho! As Cat trips over herself to keep her relationships intact (and learn her lines), she begins to realize that maybe not all of her problems can be blamed on her Virgo moon in this hilarious, heartfelt comedy of errors told in an uber-unique voice.

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Title: When the Mapou Sings

Author: Nadine Pinede

Publisher: Candlewick

Release Date: 12/03/2024

Sixteen-year-old Lucille hopes to one day open a school alongside her best friend where girls just like them can learn what it means to be Haitian: to learn from the mountains and the forests around them, to carve, to sew, to draw, and to sing the songs of the Mapou, the sacred trees that dot the island nation. But when her friend vanishes without a trace, a dream—a gift from the Mapou—tells Lucille to go to her village’s section chief, the local face of law, order, and corruption, which puts her life and her family’s at risk.
Forced to flee her home, Lucille takes a servant post with a wealthy Haitian woman from society’s elite in Port-au-Prince. Despite a warning to avoid him, she falls in love with her employer’s son. But when their relationship is found out, she must leave again—this time banished to another city to work for a visiting American writer and academic conducting fieldwork in Haiti. While Lucille’s new employer studies vodou and works on the novel that will become Their Eyes Were Watching God, Lucille risks losing everything she cares about—and any chance of seeing her best friend again—as she fights to save their lives and secure her future in this novel in verse with the racing heart of a thriller.

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Title: Diet Soda Club

Author: Chaz Hayden

Publisher: Candlewick

Release Date: 11/25/2024

Have you ever made all the wrong choices for all the right reasons?

Reed Beckett’s little sister, Beatrice, has never been awakened by the smell of breakfast or a school-day alarm clock. Instead, she wakes to hospital beeps and poking doctors. Seventeen-year-old Reed has been there for Bea all along, especially since their dad died. But when their burned-out mom goes on an extended vacation with her new boyfriend, the siblings are left with only an empty pantry and each other. With no job prospects on the horizon, Reed begins making and selling fake IDs so he and Bea can survive. But the problems keep piling up, from an angry landlord demanding rent to looming medical bills. As Reed expands his business, taking increasingly bigger risks, the potential consequences for Reed’s future, Bea’s health, and Reed’s budding friendship with his classmate Helena become graver. But what choice does he have? The joy and complexity of both caregiving and sibling relationships are at the heart of this authentic and moving novel.

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*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

One winner will receive a copy of each title from YABC’s FALL Buzzworthy Giveaway 2024! (YA) ~ US Only

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I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE CHRONICLES OF VIKTOR VALENTINE by Z Brewer Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: THE CHRONICLES OF VIKTOR VALENTINE

Author: Z Brewer

Pub. Date: September 3, 2024

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Formats:  Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 272

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-CHRONICLES-OF-VIKTOR-VALENTINE

A perfectly average boy uncovers a supernatural secret about
his family that could put his whole town in grave danger—if it doesn’t make him
die of embarrassment first—in this mysterious and funny middle grade debut
from New York Times bestselling author Z Brewer.

Viktor Valentine can’t think of a better way to end his
summer vacation than playing All the Vampires Everywhere, his
favorite video game, with his best friend, Damon. Yet his parents, who make
cringey jokes and call him dorky nicknames, seem set on ruining his plans.
Viktor knows he can’t really compete with Damon’s “cool” friends—so their epic
video game playing is the best Viktor can do to come close to being cool in
Damon’s eyes.

But then Viktor slowly starts to realize that his parents may
be hiding something from him. They’re acting very suspicious; they sneak out
after midnight and return with bloody mouths. But he’s probably just played too
many video games. After all, vampires aren’t real . . . right?

Seventh grade is tough enough without having to figure out if
your family has fangs. And to make matters worse, the new girl that moved in
across the street seems particularly interested in things that
go bump in the night. Can Viktor protect his family, or will his sleuthing come
back to bite him?

Interview:

1. What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

Two words: unfinished business. I realized there are a lot of loose threads in THE CHRONICLES OF VLADIMIR TOD that were just never addressed and wanted to find a way to answer those questions in a fresh, new way. What better way than to introduce a new boy, with a whole new set of problems, in THE CHRONICLES OF VIKTOR VALENTINE?

2. Who is your favorite character in the book?

While I adore his best friend, Damon, with cool hair color choices and a quick wit, Viktor is absolutely my favorite character in this book. He’s got anxiety. He’s not certain of himself. He’s not confident in his friendships. He just really struggles emotionally, and I can relate to that. Plus, all those things are going on in his mind before he even gets an inkling that vampires might possibly be real.

3. Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel. By a longshot! I had a title in mind, but it didn’t pass the mustard. My editor and agent and I shared idea after idea back and forth for months. The series title was set (THE CHRONICLES OF VIKTOR VALENTINE). We just needed the title of the first book. Then, after so much frustration, my editor eventually asked what I thought of calling the first book THE CHRONICLES OF VIKTOR VALENTINE. I thought long and hard about it and realized the perfect title was staring me in the face all along.

4. What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

I love being surprised, so my favorite things about THE CHRONICLES OF VIKTOR VALENTINE is what surprised me while writing it. One of my favorite aspects of writing THE CHRONICLES OF VLADIMIR TOD was writing from the perspective of the so-called monster. Seeing the world through the eyes of a half-human/half-vampire boy was exciting! With Viktor, I worried that I’d struggle to connect to the human point of view. But what surprised me was that discovering the vampire world through Viktor’s eyes was just as thrilling as writing from Vlad’s perspective.

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

When I first began publishing books, I let people get into my head with that whole “don’t let them pigeonhole you” nonsense. The truth is, I fashioned THE CHRONICLES OF VLADIMIR TOD as a five-book series, but I could have gone on writing it forever. I was happy in my lil vampire world. But the pressure from the outside to write a “big” book or different genres of books was enormous. I’ve learned over the years that it is absolutely okay to love one thing and chase after it with your whole heart. I love vampires. So I’m chasing them now with unapologetic glee.

6. What do you like most about the cover of the book?

I love how it reminds me so much of the style of Edward Gorey. To me, the cover evokes the feeling of having been a kid, out with friends, trick-or-treating – one of the best feelings in the world to me! There’s also an air of mystery about it that makes me want to pick up the book and hold it in my greedy lil hands.

7. What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2024?

DEAD THINGS ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR by Robin Wasley looks amazing. A magical apocalypse?? Sign me up!

8. What was your favorite book in 2023?

THE NIGHTHOUSE KEEPER by Lora Senf. It’s a follow-up to THE CLACKITY, and I am OBSESSED. Who knew Middle Grade could be so scary? (I did, but still)

9. What’s up next for you?

I’m currently working on the second book in THE CHRONICLES OF VIKTOR VALENTINE series (title TK, coming Fall 2025) and, in a strange twist, I’m writing a very weird adult novel. No vampires in that. Weird, right?

10. Is there anything that you would like to add?

It literally took one person to believe in me, to support me, to tell me it’s okay to follow my dreams. So today I wanna be that one person for anyone reading this. Whatever it is that you want to do, whatever you want to be, do it…be it. Because life is short, but dreaming makes it all worthwhile. I believe in you. Go do the thing. <3

11. Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?

Viktor loves his parents very much. So the scenes where he feels a huge disconnect with them—especially his dad—were challenging to write because when writing, I’m feeling what my characters are feeling, and poor Viktor was lost, angry, sad, and disappointed.

12. Which character gave you the most trouble when writing your latest book?

There’s this new girl named Alys who just moved in across the street from Viktor, and she gave me a heck of a time when I first started writing THE CHRONICLES OF VIKTOR VALENTINE. I had a difficult time connecting with her at first. But then I discovered her trauma and…well, now I understand.

13. Which part of the writing process do you enjoy more: Drafting or Revising?

If you’d asked me years ago, I’d have happily answered “drafting”. Nobody’s looking over your shoulder—not even you—when drafting. It’s freeing and sometimes chaotic and wild. But time tends to change things and my answer is different now. There is a certain rush to flinging words on the page during drafting a novel and hitting “The End”, but I’ve learned that my joy in writing really comes from watching the story piece together during revisions. It’s an eye-opening part of the process. Shifting nuances change the story right before my eyes and I’m surprised and delighted all over again.

14. What would you say is your superpower?

In writing, I can confidently say that dialogue is my superpower. But outside of that, my superpower is empathy. I have a way of connecting with people that I think is pretty cool. I like understanding people, getting to know them, relating to them, being able to support them in whatever way I can.

15. Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?

The Trevor Project (https://www.thetrevorproject.org). They focus on suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ+ youth, which is badly needed in these trying times. The Trevor Project offers a chat line, a texting line, and a toll-free telephone number where confidential assistance is provided by trained counselors for those in need. Queer youth need our help now more than ever, so please donate to The Trevor Project if you are able.

About Z
Brewer:

Z Brewer is the New York
Times bestselling author of several books, including the Chronicles of
Vladimir Tod series, and more short stories than they can recall. Their
pronouns are they/them. Z is also an outspoken mental health and antibullying
advocate. Plus, they have awesome hair. Visit Z online at zbrewerbooks.com.

Website | Twitter (X) | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Discord Server | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE CHRONICLES OF VIKTOR VALENTINE, US only.

Ends September 17th, midnight EST.

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We are excited to share a giveaway for What We Wish For (Melody Maysonet)!

Meet the Author: Melody Maysonet

Melody Maysonet is the author of the critically acclaimed novel A Work of Art and has been an English teacher, editor, columnist, and ghostwriter. After growing up in Illinois, she moved to South Florida to see how much greener the grass could be … and discovered that life is what you make of it, wherever that happens to be. What We Wish For is her second novel.

Website * Instagram * Twitter * Facebook

About the Book: What We Wish For

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We are excited to share a giveaway for Exit Nowhere (Juliana Brandt)!

Meet the Author: Juliana Brandt

Juliana Brandt is an author and kindergarten teacher with a passion for storytelling that guides her in both of her jobs. She lives in her home state of Minnesota, and her writing is heavily influenced by travels around the country and a decade living in the south. When not working, she is usually exploring the great outdoors. Her middle grade novels include The Wolf of Cape Fen, A Wilder Magic, Monsters in the Mist, and Exit Nowhere.

Website

About the Book: Exit Nowhere

Haunted Mansion meets the ultimate escape room in this tense and twisty middle grade horror following four kids who must beat a series of games to make it out of a haunted house.

The creepiest place in Barret Eloise’s small town is the abandoned Raithfield Manor, a decrepit house surrounded by rumors of ghosts and kids going missing. So she certainly never planned on stepping foot inside. But when her history teacher gives her a group project to research a local landmark, the manor is the location her group chooses. Determined to ace the project and fix her awkward first impression on her assigned partners—which include her former friend Helena, smart and confident Wayne, and school basketball star Ridge—Barret Eloise isn’t about to let some tall tales scare her off.

When the kids first enter the house, it seems to be nothing more than an empty building. But when the sun goes down, the doors and windows lock, sealing them inside. Even worse, the room they’re in transforms into an all-too-real game of The Floor is Lava. It doesn’t take long for the group to realize the mansion is a maze of childhood games. Win the game and you keep moving forward, lose and you disappear. And complicating it all is a worrying revelation—they are not alone in the house.

If Barret Eloise wants to make it home, she and her dysfunctional group are going to have to learn to work together quickly.

Purchase

Title: Exit Nowhere

Author: Juliana Brandt

Release Date: 9/3/24

Publisher: Aladdin

ISBN-10: 1665948280

ISBN-13: 9781665948289

Genre: MG

Age Range: 9 to 13

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

One (1) winner will receive a copy of Exit Nowhere (Juliana Brandt) ~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 Beth Ferry!

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

Meet the Author: Beth Ferry

Beth Ferry is the author of numerous picture books for children including Roar for Reading, Prunella, and the New York Times bestseller Stick and Stone. She is an avid reader who believes that any day spent with a book is a perfect day. Beth lives with her family by the beach in New Jersey where she finds inspiration in the salty air. In addition to writing picture books, Beth also writes chapter books and graphic novels. You can learn more at BethFerry.com.

Website

About the Book: Roar For Reading

From New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry and New York Times bestselling illustrator Andrew Joyner comes a moving picture book about a brave little lion who decides to speak out for stories by standing up to book banning.

Libraries and lions have a history so long no one’s quite sure how it began—maybe because books were once rare and needed fierce protectors? Still, it’s been a very long time since lions had to roar in the name of books. But when young Julius finds out that books are being banned at his local library, he becomes so filled with emotion that he ROARS!

Not all lions are librarians, but all librarians are lions in this inspiring tale of protecting the stories that connect us and defending books that hold ideas that can change the world.

~Author Chat~

YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

I love the ending of this book, when young Julius roars in pure joy because his library has been protected and the bookshelves are full of every kind of book for every kind of person.

YABC:  What came first, the concept, landscape, characters, or something else?

The characters definitely came first for ROAR FOR READING. I saw a few sketches that Andrew Joyner had done of a lion cub and his dad holding books. My idea was to write a story about a lion cub either learning to read or getting his first library card but as I began writing, the story morphed into one about book banning. I started the book in 2022 which was a banner year for book banning, so the subject was in the zeitgeist and obviously on my mind. It felt good to add to the conversation by asking readers to think about how they would feel if a book they loved got banned. I hope ROAR FOR READING empowers kids to put themselves in another person’s shoes and to understand that everyone should be able to read the books they want to read.

YABC: If you could only write one genre for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

Definitely picture books! Not only for the art – which elevates the story and brings it to life in the most beautiful way – but for the challenge and satisfaction of writing an entire story in about 500 words. There’s nothing quite like that first bite of something delicious and that’s how I view picture books – as the perfect bite of book!

YABC:   What can readers expect to find in your books?

Most of my books are about friendship; some are about pets or life at the beach. But all my books are a tribute to my love of words, so readers will hopefully notice challenging vocabulary, poetic devices, and lots of word play.

YABC: What is your favorite snack when writing?

Salt and vinegar anything!

YABC: If you were able to meet them, would you be friends with your main character?

Absolutely. I love the idea of lion librarians, or librarions, and anyone who loves books is a friend of mine.

YABC:    What’s your least favorite word or expression and why?

My least favorite word is weeds. Especially in the spring and summer.

YABC:   What do you do when you procrastinate?

Read! Reading is my favorite form of procrastination because it somehow feels like I am also working and there’s always the chance, no matter how slight, that I will find the spark of inspiration in the book I’m reading that will help my current work-in-progress.

YABC:   What’s up next for you?

My very first middle grade book is coming out next summer with S&S and I am pretty excited about it. It’s called Growing Home and features a grumpy goldfish and a sunny houseplant named Ivy who, along with a well-read spider, must foil a thief’s plan to steal the goldfish’s fish tank.

YABC: What is your favorite holiday or tradition and why?

My favorite holiday tradition is carving pumpkins with a group of friends. Every year a different family hosts the pumpkin-carving party and when we’re done, we take a photo of all the jack-o-lanterns glowing in the dark. It’s beautiful.

YABC:   Is there anything that you would like to add?

Thanks for these great questions. It’s been fun thinking about and answering them!

Title: Roar For Reading

Author: Beth Ferry

Illustrator: Andrew Joyner

Release Date: 9/3/24

Publisher: S&S Books for Young Readers

ISBN-10: 1665940557

ISBN-13: 9781665940559

Genre: Picture Book

Age Range: 4- 8

~ Giveaway Details ~

Three (3) winners will receive a copy of Roar For Reading (Beth Ferry) ~US Only!

*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*

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