Wimpy Kid Pick: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul
Book 9
by Jeff Kinney
Amulet Books
2014
217 pages
ISBN: 9781419711893



The funniest times and most memorable times any family can spend are road trips gone wrong, horrible vacations and tragic yet hilarious  family reunions. No matter how well planned, no matter the amount of hope going into a trip, no matter the careful list making  of the mother or father, everything that can go wrong usually does.

Greg Heffley's problem is that his mother puts her faith in "Family Frolic" magazine, a colorful if untrue portrait of how honky dory every family moment can be if only you follow the Family Frolic way. Greg's mom lives and breathes this magazine and somehow thinks that through magic the Heffleys can become the perfect Family Frolic family. She decides that a well-planned family road trip is just what her family needs to be the ideal American family, one that she aspires to be.

Greg's father decides that his old wreck of a boat--complete with a hole in its hull--should be towed behind them the entire trip. Somehow, again by magic or wishful thinking or both, the boat will be seaworthy. The family stashes all their extra vacation junk in the boat.

Greg's mom decrees that the family should play a game called Alphabet Groceries, a game she read about in, yep, you guessed it, Family Frolic. Each player will say the letter of the alphabet and then something they could buy in the store that begins with that letter. Obviously, the first choice is "A" and "apple." Next, it's Rodrick's turn. He says he can't think of anything that starts with a "B," so he's out. Greg knows that Rodrick is playing dumb--maybe for the first time of his life. Greg later relates a story showing Rodrick's intelligence. When he was supposed to read Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings for a school assignment, Rodrick realizes he'll never read it, so he rents the video "Lords of the Ring," a pro wrestling video! Imagine that book report!

The family has car trouble, hotel trouble, pig trouble, county fair trouble, swimming pool trouble, and road trouble before it's all over. This edition of Wimpy Kid is way more fun than earlier ones. The Long Haul is the real deal--this is the best book of the entire series. Buy this book immediately! Buy this book for any kid of any age. It's a treasure.


Highly, highly recommended for ALL ages!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

So You Want To Work in Fashion? How To Break into the World of Fashion and Design
Be What You Want Series
by Patricia Wooster This Beyond Words/Aladdin edition
2014
183 pages
with notes, bibliography and helpful websites
ISBN: 9781582704524

For any teen or tween who is interested in entering the exciting world of fashion from design to modeling to styling to blogging, So You Want to Work in Fashion is THE comprehensive guide to get them started. Having read this entire set of books, I looked forward to reading and reviewing this one. Watching "Project Runway" for many seasons, my own daughter now shows an interest in the fashion world. This is the perfect book for her.

Filled with helpful tips, interviews from actual young people working in the industry, activities, and spotlights, readers will enjoy learning all the ins and outs of the industry. Being a stylist requires good accounting skills. Who knew? If you are going to be a fashion blogger, be prepared to have a real job. This one I knew! Many who make it in the world of fashion must begin as an intern or work for free. Hopefuls should take every responsibility to learn in the industry.

Many of the people interviewed for this book began as a blogger or other online persona. They found out as much as they could about fashion and then posted a look book or videos on Youtube. With the Internet at your fingertips, teens today have a voice and a built in audience.

Although the book does not teach anything about sewing, pattern making or design, the book does suggest wannabe designers take sewing lessons. Any store that sells sewing machines will usually offer beginner classes for free. You can learn the basics of sewing a hem, cutting and following a pattern, and choosing fabrics.

Teens are already working in the fashion industry as models, bloggers, vloggers, fashion designers and editors, and models. After reading this book, tweens and teens will have an idea of how to get started in the fashion industry.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Spooksville PIck: The Howling Ghost (book 2)

The popular "Spooksville" television show  can currently be seen on the Hub Network which received the Parents' Choice Approved Seal. Young readers will be thrilled to read Christopher Pike's books in the new packaging. First released in 1995, The Howling Ghost will appeal to another generation of thrill seekers, ghost hunters and fans of things that go bump in the night.

Here is the earlier cover:

Here is the new cover from Aladdin:

The Howling Ghost

(Spooksville, book 2)

by Christopher Pike

Aladdin

2014

128 pages

ISBN: 9781481410533

Middle grade readers are in for a real treat when they discover Christopher Pike and his Spooksville series. The Howling Ghost is a quick read and a book I would recommend in a second for any reluctant reader. The cover art is nothing short of spectacular! A ghostly, scary hand reaches out of the stormy sky beside a lighthouse where the waves are threatening a small boy who stands periously close to danger. His sister seems to attempt to get his attention from her vantage point on the rocks. This cover will have this book jumping into shopping carts and baskets for good reason! 

Newcomers to Spooksville, Cindy and Neil are out near the old lighthouse. Neil begs to go near the water and Cindy relents. She climbs to a rock to get a better look of the shore and water. Suddenly, a giant ghostly hand descends from the sky, the water begins churning like a tidal wave and then there's that unearthly noise. Neil is grabbed up and taken to???Cindy doesn't know. One minute Neil is right there, the next he has vanished into thin air. Town police rule it a drowning, but Cindy knows the truth.   No one will believe her.  That is until Sally, Adam and Watch come to the rescue of the new damsel in distress. 

Sally believes everything that is weird can and does happen in Spooksville. She can't explain why things happen, they just do. Sally tells Cindy not to worry--the kids will find Neil and figure out what is really going on. A trip to the haunted lighthouse turns into a harrowing adventure and escaping the ghost's wrath becomes the most important part of their mystery. The kids decide they need to know who the ghost is to figure out what the ghost wants with Neil.

Any fan of the t.v. show will tell you it's all about the chemistry of the characters. It is the same for this book. Sally is no-nonesense, fearless, faithful and snarkily funny. She will have you grinning with her quick barb; Watch and Adam are seemingly clueless but loveable nonetheless. 

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)





Book Giveaway: Welcome to Dog Beach

Welcome to Dog Beach (Seagate Summers series)
by Lisa Greenwald
Amulet
2014
272 pages

Lisa Greenwald's earlier books include Sweet Treats and Secret Crushes, the Pink and Green series and Reel Life Starring Us.

About the book

Eleven-year-old Remy loves Seagate, the island where her grandmother had a house and where her family spends every summer vacation. But this year’s different. Remy misses her dog, Danish, who recently passed away. The usual Seagate traditions don’t feel the same—and neither does her relationship with her two best friends, Micayla and Bennett. Micayla’s family is moving to Seagate year-round, and she’s spending more time with the year-round kids. Bennett’s doing “boy stuff” with new kid Calvin and his snobby sister Claire. Remy takes comfort in the company of Dog Beach—which is where she hatches her plan to bring her friends closer and recapture the Seagate magic. This start of a new series is filled with summer treats, activities, and the spirit of friendship and invention that are Greenwald’s trademarks.

Praise for Welcome to Dog Beach
"Remy’s quiet tale of change and growth marks a promising start to a new series."

 

I have 5 FREE copies of the ARC up for grabs! For your chance to win and read the book first, simply post a comment to the blog and be sure and include your first name, city, state and email contact. Deadline for posts is Thursday, February 27 at noon MST. Winners are chosen randomly by Randomizer. Winners will receive an email from me shortly after 12:00 noon MST on February 27. Please be sure and check your email on that date. Winners have 24 hours to respond to my email. Books will ship from New York. Good luck and start posting! Pamela

 

 

Zombie Pick: Dead City

Dead City
by James Ponti
Aladdin
2013 (paperback edition)
ISBN: 9781442441309
276 pages

Kirkus Reviews describes Dead City  as “a fast-paced read for those who like their zombies with just a little fright.”

Finally...a new take on the zombie story and suitable for much younger readers. . James Ponti breaths new life (pun intended) into the genre with ease and style.

Molly Bigelow is an honor student at MIST, the Metropolitan Institute of Science and Technology.
When she is attacked by a zombie in a subway station, Stephanie saves her. Stephanie explains that Molly must come with her and listen to her carefully.

Molly has been chosen to join a team of elite zombie hunters named the Omegas. New York City has a large zombie population and the Omegas help keep them under control.

Their team consists of upper classmen Stephanie who volunteers at the city morgue with Molly. Molly actually loves the morgue; it's where her late mother used to work and Molly has fond memories of spending time there. Other team members are Alex and Grayson. The three older students convince Molly that zombies are the real deal, and that her training begins immediately.


 Level 1 zombies look and act almost human, and generally do not cause much trouble. It's the Level 2 and Level 3 zombies that make things messy. Over 100 years ago, a subway tunnel caved in trapping 13 miners. These men became the original zombies, but  today, there is an entire city thriving in the old subway tunnels. The Omega team travels to Dead City for Molly's Omega training.
She must be able to pass as one of the undead for thirty minutes.

Molly continues training and steps up her sword skills. She is taught to spot "indicators," a symbol that tells Omegas where there is a safe house or another Omega who can help. The codes/puzzles are clever and readers will love trying to figure out the puzzle with Molly.

When Molly makes a big mistake and enters Dead City alone, she puts the entire team in danger and risks everyone's lives. Not only that, she makes a powerful enemy and jeopardizes her future. The bang on! ending will leave you breathless. (No, don't you dare read the last page first! You'll ruin it for yourself! )

Readers will love Molly's spunkiness and personality. The city of  New York is beautifully brought to life by Ponti with little known historical facts; Ponti has done his  research and it's brilliantly conveyed in this homage to NYC.

Highly, highly recommended for all zombie fans. This is gentle enough for much younger readers grade 5-up.

Dead City: Blue Moon is also available now.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Series Pick: The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett (An Origami Yoda book)

The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett (An Origami Yoda book)
by Tom Angleberger
Amulet
2013
208 pages with origami instructions

Clever, cute, whimsical, and winsome, The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett proves that Tom Angleberger knows what kids like! The Star Wars/origami mash-up has been a huge hit with the middle grade crowds, and Angleberger's antics appeal to this demographic.

The kids at at McQuarrie Middle School are eagerly awaiting the return of Dwight and wondering if he has given up Origami Yoda. Tommy is concerned with what "Fun-Time" is and why Principal Rabbski is so excited about the coming changes. The kids don't have to wait long to find out that all their fun electives have been cancelled due to low test scores. Now, the kids will be watching dull videos of Professor FunTime and Gizmo the Calculator dancing around and singing their FunTime song. The kids will do hours of worksheets until their brains turn to mush. Tommy and friends are horrified! They turn to Dwight and Origami Yoda for guidance.

Yoda (speaking through Dwight) tells them they must launch a campaign against the evil empire...the kids decide to tell Principal Rabbski that they won't pass their tests unless...the electives are reinstated. Tommy comments that going along with Funtime is, "...like helping the Empire build their Death Star." Kellen wonders what would happen if all the kids took the state test using #1 lead pencils instead of #2? "Would it blow up their computer or something?"

Every kid who has ever taken a standardized test or had a "FunTime" type of program drilled into their brains day in, day out will see the humor of this book. Every teacher who has worried and lost sleep over her/his students' scores and performance will laugh through their tears as they read Jabba the Puppett.

When the parents meet with the principal, the Empire is defeated. Tommy, Dwight, Kellen and the rest have followers among the faculty they never even knew existed.

Highly, highly recommended for everyone! Origami instructions included. Fans of the series will love this latest installment.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Book Giveaway: Winner Bakes All (The Cupcake Club)

Winner Bakes All
by Sheryl Berk and Carrie Berk

I have ONE copy of this sweet treat up for grabs! Win a free copy for the cupcake queen in your life!

For your chance to win, simply post a comment on the blog. Be sure to include your first name, city, state, and email contact. The winner will be chosen randomly by Randomizer. Deadline for posts is April 11 at noon MST. The winner will be contacted via email by me on April 11. Please check your email that afternoon. The winner has 24 hours to respond to my email. The book will ship from New York courtesy of Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.

Good luck and start posting! Pamela

Break for spring break

I'm taking a break for spring break, but have been busy reading.

Read A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick for a savory and suspenseful romp

For tweens, read the newest confection from The Cupcake Club, Winner Bakes All by Sheryl Berk and Carrie Berk

For a taste of New Orleans and its surrounding parishes from the incomparable James Lee Burke, read Creole Belle--a crime novel so good, it will haunt you!

Have a great spring break! Pamela

Tween Pick: The Normal Kid

The Normal Kid
by Elizabeth Holmes
Carolrhoda Books
2012
241 pages

Poignant, stunning, sweet, and heartfelt, The Normal Kid speaks to the "normal kid" in all of us. Three very different kids become friends and learn the value of accepting others.

Sylvan is quiet and hurting. Since his father moved out, his mother has thrown herself into her "causes." She is saving the planet one tree at a time, one less plastic bag at a time, one less housing development at a time. She is up to her elbows in causes and barely notices that her son is hurting. He looks up to teacher Mr. In and does well in his class.

Charity is new to the school and all the way from Africa. Her parents were missionaries there until a terrible accident ruined their church and made her father hate God. What do you do when the father you know as loving and giving turns angry and bitter? Charity has grown up a world away where she never saw television and the Internet was just a rumor. She tries to keep silent after the kids giggle at her strange manners and clothing.

Brian is a loner who doesn't say much. He's terrified of change and people touching him. He is in Mr. In's class because the administrator feels it will help him. She knows Mr. In is considerate and accepting, and she hopes the kids in the class will make school easier for "Trampoline Boy"--Brian jumps on the trampoline at home for hours on end.

When Mr. In's job is threatened, the three neighbors and classmates team up to keep their beloved teacher.

Sylvan realizes that everyone is "normal" in their own way. He says, "And then I thought, but Charity is normal, just a little different. And then I thought, What exactly does 'normal' mean anyway?...I don't know if you'd call Brian exactly normal, but I like him...Because like I keep saying, I am a normal kid."

Readers will recognize the underdog in Sylvan and appreciate his outlook on life. Brian and Charity are welcome characters and kids will empathize with each of them.

Highly, highly recommended grades 5-up. This would be a great book for teaching acceptance and inclusion.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Tween Pick: Recipe for Trouble (with recipe)

Recipe for Trouble
by Sheryl Berk & Carrie Berk
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
171 pages
with recipes, ideas and tips
Excerpt of Winner Bakes All included

What happens when four friends start a cupcake company and each one starts growing up and apart? Is Peace, Love and Cupcakes doomed for failure?

The girls each go their separate ways for the summer, and Lexi is sad. She is looking forward to fifth grade and a new season for launching the success of their company. She visits her flamboyant, fun, and flirty Aunt Dee in New York City. Dee is a tornado of energy and ideas. She takes Lexi to see all the sights: museums, Central Park, trendy restaurants, extravagant shops, and they even experience nirvana off a real New York City hot dog vender's cart. Lexi can't believe a hot dog can taste so good!

Lexi uses all the experiences, sights, and sounds to write new cupcake recipes. She is inspired by the great masters' paintings in the museum and can't wait to share her recipes with her friends.

Kylie comes home from summer camp with great news. She had the time of her life and met such interesting new friends. In fact, she wants one of her new friends to join the cupcake business. Lexi is hurt, and a little furious. She thought Kylie was her bff, and she doesn't want any more members in Peace, Love and Cupcakes.

Trouble is brewing between the two besties, and the girls have a few spats and misunderstandings as the orders for cupcakes begin rolling in.


The business is running smoothly when Lexi realizes she has a crush on Jeremy. The other girls try to help shy Lexi let her feelings be known, but it's not until the school production of "Romeo and Juliet" that Lexi conquers her fears.

Recipes and tips for cupcakes are a nice addition to the mix (pun intended). Girls will love the idea of a tween business and the friendship that is threatened. This is a sweet little book written by mother and daughter team Sheryl and Carrie Berk. Great fun!

Recommended grades 4-7.

Here is a fun recipe from the book (with permission):

Jeremy’s Pastalicious Cupcakes

Spaghetti Cupcakes

Makes 6

1 Cup tomato sauce

4 ounces ricotta cheese

3 ounce Parmesan cheese

8 ounces shredded mozzarella

1 tablespoon milk

1 egg

1 package pre-cooked whole wheat spaghetti

1 package of turkey meatballs


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the tomato sauce, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, grated mozzarella cheese, 1 tablespoon of milk, and 1 egg.

3. Pour the cooked spaghetti into the bowl with the tomato sauce cheese mixture. Toss the spaghetti in the mixture, making sure to coat all of the noodles.

4. Add spoonfuls of the mixture into greased muffin tins. It can come up to just below the top of each opening. Press down so the noodles are packed into muffin tin—they will apart if not packed enough.

5. Dip the turkey meatballs intomato sauce and the top of cupcakes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

6. Bake for eighteen to twenty-two minutes.

7. Let cool for a few minutes. Run a butter knife around each one to loosen.


FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Mystery Pick: Madhattan Mystery

Madhattan Mystery
By John J. Bonk
Walker ( Bloomsbury)
2012
292 pages

Fun, free-spirited, and fantastic, Madhattan Mystery is a madcap mystery adventure in New York City.

Lexi and Kevin McGill travel by train to New York when their father marries step-mother Clare and takes a trip to Europe. The kids will stay with their Aunt Roz, an eccentric, over-the-top actress—think Auntie Mame and you’ll have Roz.

While at Grand Central Station, Lexi steps into the fabled Whispering Gallery, where a whisper from one corner of the giant room can be heard hundreds of feet away due to the acoustics. Lexi overhears two mysterious men whispering about a secret heist and she overhears “needle, track sixty-one, Grand Central, oval disk, park, jewels.” Lexi knows these guys are up to no good.

The next day’s newspaper confirms her fears. Cleopatra’s fabled jewels are missing from the “Queen of the Nile” exhibit. Lexi feels terrible. She may know who did it, but how does she convince grown-ups? She mentions her plight to her younger brother Kevin and snarky, flippant, abrasive "friend" Kim Ling Levine, a girl who lives in Aunt Roz’s building. Kim is a wonderful character—she’s flippant, feisty, fierce, and near-genius! Her dream is to be a news reporter, and she’s unstoppable when tracking down clues.

The tween threesome finds track sixty-one and follow clues to find the jewels. The thieves know who Lexi is and where she lives. The kids will have to be careful to solve the crime and put the bad guys behind bars before the bad guys are onto them. Can three tweens solve “The Crime of the Century” and collect the reward?

I loved Aunt Roz—she is the epitome of a bright Broadway star whose with moxie—a middle aged actress still chasing the dream but ending up with smaller and smaller parts. She knows the score but won’t let it get her down. She’s like the Unsinkable Molly Brown.

Lexi is cute and a red-head—finally! A red head protagonist with strength and wit has been missing in kid lit for a long time. And what can be said of Kim Ling—I wanna be like her when I grow up!

Girls and mystery lovers will devour Madhattan Mystery .

Highly, highly recommended grades 5-up. No language.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Win a free book: The Hot List by Hillary Homzie: Interview With the author

The Hot List by Hillary Homzie

A great new tween novel that girls will love! Hillary Homzie is graciously giving me 5 copies of this new novel for readers of my blog. Simply post a comment and be sure to include an email contact and your location (city, state) only because I'm nosy! I'll contact winners via email and they will provide mailing addresses. Hillary will ship copies to the winners!

Giveaway opens July 6 at 12:01 a.m.
Deadline for posting comments is July 13 at noon MST. Good luck, everyone!

Here's a smiling photo of Hillary herself! She must be dreaming up her next book!

Interview with the author Hillary Homzie

Hillary agreed to answer some questions about her book The Hot List, being a writer, and being a tween. Here is the interview. Please post your comments after this interview! Thanks, Pamela

1. In your new novel The Hot List, the BFFs Maddie and Sophie dream up the idea of a list of the 10 hottest boys and girls in their school. Where did you get this idea?

Oh, that’s a good question. I have three kids and two of them are in the middle school age range, which means I have lots of middle schoolers in and out of my house. Let’s just say that I enjoy my unofficial job as mother and spy. I want to be the house that kids feel comfortable hanging out at, and, please, I want you to know I’m not spying all of the time. I mean, I do have things to do like fold laundry, make dinner, and, um, write books. But, yes, I am a big eavesdropper and have been known to ask lots of questions, too. And the hot list is something that I found out about. In other words, there is a middle school somewhere in Northern California with one of those lists. And yes, they wrote it up on the stall of the bathroom. Sometimes I think I should write non-fiction books. But nobody would believe my stories… (blogger Pamela grins at this).



2. Sophie is quite the daredevil when it comes to writing on the bathroom wall/defacing school property, yet she seems very introspective, too. What qualities do you share with Sophie?

I’m definitely an introvert but I’m learned through the years to become an extroverted introvert so if you met me, you might even think, hey, she’s really outgoing. But it’s a learned behavior but I’ve come to enjoy being outgoing. But like Sophie, I do have an adventurous side to me, for sure. When I was 22, I headed to New York and sought out a career as a sketch comedian. Looking back, I have to say it was pretty brave. And I’ve backpacked with a bunch of friends in Mali right after College when that country wasn’t exactly stable. We all were thrown in jail due to trumped up charges and I was able to negotiate our way of jail due to (1) my ability to speak French and (2) some fast thinking on my feet that amounted to a desperate lie that I was the American ambassador’s cousin (the future fiction writer at work) and (3) remembering that what they mostly wanted was money. And lastly, like Sophie, I had a parent pass away when I was young. My father died when I was an older teenager and I knew the feeling of weirdness when your parent begins to date other people. I definitely feel empathy for Sophie on the dating score. But in truth, once you learn to let go, watching your parent meet another person can be a wonderful growth experience.



3. You have 3 boys of your own and no daughters--where do you go/search/dream up the girl-y catch-phrases and girl-y-isms?

The truth? As mentioned, I’m a big eavesdropper.


4. Sophie is a list-maker. Are you a list-maker? How does making lists help/hurt? What does list-making say about a person?

Oh, I’m a huge list maker. I write on everything, especially little scraps of paper. And I feel so much better after I do it. The biggest problem for me is that I write on little scraps of paper which end up scattered throughout my house and when it comes time to find that little bit of info that seemed so crucial at the time, I can’t find it. I feel a bit like Sisyphus in that regard. But, nevertheless, the very act of making a list prompts my brain to remember things. The dangers of listmaking—well, if you write things that you don’t want others to see and then you leave it in the house where they can see. Not a good idea. I have finally figured out the art of writing in one dedicated notebook. The only problem is sometimes I can’t find my notebook…


5. Who is Squid modeled after? A real boy or someone in the media? Someone you may have known as a young girl? One of your own sons?

Squid is not based on any one person that I know, although he’s definitely an amalgamation of many boys that I know. I mean I do have three boys and they have friends those friends have friends so it’s pretty easy to take a pinch of that and a pinch of this. That being said, my middle son is fantastically limber and definitely shares some Squid like personality traits. I have to confess to really liking Squid.



6. What is Sophie's favorite food?
Oh, gosh, she loves pretzel sticks.

7. Favorite cake?
Flourless chocolate cake.

8. Favorite soft drink?

She’s a Sprite girl. It’s mostly because her dad won’t let her have caffeinated drinks yet so that might change in the future. When she younger, she loved orange. But Sprite she feels is much more grown-up.

9. If you were Sophie's age, would she be your BFF?

Actually, probably not. I would have been too introverted and she would have been too introverted and so it would have been hard for us to get to know each other. But if I had lived next door to her and actually gotten a chance to know her, I would have LOVED her. I think it would be much easier to get to know Sophie as she appears at the end of the book. When it’s easier for her to reach out to girls other than Maddie.

Now for questions to you, the author:


10.What made you decide to write for the tween crowd?

It’s odd but I remember my tween years better than any other age. The first children’s story I ever wrote was for tweens and I sold it to Teen Magazine when I was 22. I think I’m emotionally stuck there and in the children’s writing world, it turns out to be a good thing!


11.What novel/genre haven't you tackled--but you would like to in the future?

Oh, I really want to try YA! It’s harder for me because I was never a classic teen so I don’t really have classic teen memories. My college years were probably closer to conventional teen years.


12.Are you one of those people/authors who walks around with a notebook and writes down stuff you hear/observe?

Um, see answer #4. I write on little pieces of paper ALL OF THE TIME!


13. What traits do you have personally that make a good writer?
I love to observe and read.


14. What traits do you wish you had?
I wish I was a better speller. Spell check is my best friend.

15. What advice would you give tween girls on navigating the cliques and problems of middle school?

Be who you are and those who are like-minded will naturally gravitate towards you.

16. In five words, what is the best advice you ever got?

Write five days a week!

17. What is your mood at this moment?

Happy because I’m on vacation. Always remember that downtime is good for the soul!
Thank you, Hillary, for your interview and for sponsoring 5 copies of your fun novel to giveaway! Smile....

Book Giveaway: Opens July 6th at 12:01 a.m.

5 copies of The Hot List by Hillary Homzie will be up for grabs! This is a very cute and funny tween novel that girls will love! More details and rules for entering will be posted July 6, 2011.

Middle School Pick: Gossip From the Girls' Room

Gossip From the Girls' Room
by Rose Cooper
Delacourte Press, 2011
198 pages

Cute, quirky, and funny, Gossip From the Girls' Room is a novel aimed at tween girls--probably those tween girls who keep diaries, girls who write their names in cursive with hearts for dots above the i's and j's, girls who whisper their latest crush's name to their BFF's.

Sofia keeps a super-secret pre-blogging notebook where she writes down all the super-secret gossip she "overhears" in the girls' bathroom. Actually, she stands on the seat of the last commode and hides in wait, hoping someone will spill a fat, juicy secret. Then, Sofia reports her findings in her blog--which is widely read by students at Middlebrooke Middle School.

Much of Sofia's time is spent worrying why Mia St. Claire is so annoying rich and unbelievably pretty. Sofia's BFF Nona goes a little boy crazy and begins to have little time for Sofia. To make matters worse, Sofia's mother takes a substitute teaching job at Middlebrooke!

Oh, the woes of middle school! Illustrated by the author, this novel's font has the feel of a written diary like The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries. Readers who loved Dork Diaries will like this book.

Recommmended grades 5-7.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.