Kid Konnection: The Very Fairy Princess Graduation Girl! & Giveaway

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you an adorable picture book that's perfect for this time of year!

Summary: The end of the school year is here, and Very Fairy Princess Gerry is getting ready to graduate! She always loves a celebration, but can't help but feel a little sad as she empties her cubby, takes down her art projects, and says goodbye to her class pet, Houdini the hamster. She's also a little nervous about leaving Miss Pym... what if her new teacher doesn't let Gerry wear her wings and crown? Change can be hard, even for a fairy princess! Thankfully, she realizes that new things can bring their own sparkle. 

From the mother-daughter team of Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton comes another delightful story in the #1 New York Times best-selling Very Fairy Princess series. -- Little Brown Books for Young Readers

The latest installment in the #1 New York Times best-selling Very Fairy Princess series by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton is now available. It's called THE VERY FAIRY PRINCESS GRADUATION GIRL!, and it's certain to delight fans of Princess Gerry.

In THE VERY FAIRY PRINCESS GRADUATION GIRL!, Princess Gerry is approaching the end of the school year; and while she's always excited to celebrate, she's finding that graduation is a little bittersweet. As her teacher takes down their art projects and cleans out the classroom, Gerry isn't so sure she wants to leave behind Miss Pym for a new teacher. The new teacher might not understand Gerry and be a fan of her princess gear!

Gerry learns that change can be new and interesting, and that the next school year has the potential to be even more fun that the current one!

I loved THE VERY FAIRY PRINCESS GRADUATION GIRL! Of course, it didn't hurt that it was written by the mother/daughter team Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton since I adore all things Julie Andrews.

Both of my children are well past the age for picture books, so I wasn't familiar with this series, but I have to say that I quickly became a fan of Princess Gerry. She is just precious! In addition, the illustrations by Christine Davenier are the perfect complement to the story. Little girls will especially love the cover which has iridescent glitter on it!

I still am attracted to princess stories and sparkles, so THE VERY FAIRY PRINCESS GRADUATION GIRL! was right up my alley. However, it was the messages in the story that really made it special. I love how young readers will see Gerry's fear of change, and also how Gerry eventually realizes that change can be exciting. I think many youngsters will be able to relate to Gerry and learn from her story!

For more information about the book, you can visit The Very Fairy Princess website or follow Little, Brown Kids on Twitter and Facebook.

THE VERY FAIRY PRINCESS is so darn cute and perfect to help kids transition from the end of the school year to the new one. Highly recommended!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

Giveaway alert: Two (2) winners each receive a copy of The Very Fairy Princess: Graduation Girl! To enter, just fill out the form below before May 23rd at 11:59 pm. EST. I will randomly select and notify the winners the following day. This giveaway open to US addresses only. Prizing & samples courtesy of Little, Brown. Good luck!
If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Guest Blogger: Beth Hoffman & Looking for Me Giveaway

Summary: Beth Hoffman’s bestselling debut, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, won admirers and acclaim with its heartwarming story and cast of unforgettably quirky characters. Now her flair for evocative settings and richly drawn Southern personalities shines again in her compelling second novel, Looking for Me.

Teddi Overman found her life’s passion in turning other people’s castoffs into beautifully restored antiques. Leaving her hardscrabble Kentucky childhood behind, Teddi opens her own store in Charleston. She builds a life as unexpected and quirky as her many customers, but nothing alleviates the haunting uncertainty she’s felt since her brother Josh mysteriously disappeared. When signs emerge that Josh might still be alive, Teddi returns to Kentucky, embarking on a journey that could help her come to terms with her shattered family—and find herself. -- Penguin

I can't believe it's been a year since I first read LOOKING FOR ME by Beth Hoffman -- you can read my review here. I am a HUGE fan of Beth's, and she is not only a very talented writer, but she's also an amazing person. (But I swear I don't let my friendship with her get in the way of my assessment of her novels!)

I am so excited that Beth agreed to write a guest post for my blog. It truly is an honor for me! I love her idea of coming up with a bucket list so much that I just might have to put my "informal" one into writing. I have to admit that Beth's list is much sweeter and more compassionate than mine, and I found so many of her ideas to be inspirational.

My Bucket List

by bestselling author Beth Hoffman

While on a plane returning home from Charleston, the people sitting in front of me were discussing their “Bucket Lists” and it got me thinking. What are the top ten things I would put on my list? I was surprised by what I wrote down:

1. Say no without explaining why.
2. Wear hats more often.
3. Suffer fools less often.
4. Take the long way home.
5. Read to the blind.
6. Take food and toys to the dogs and cats in shelters.
7. Hide loving notes for my husband in unusual places.
8. Organize old photos and place them in albums.
9. Send cards to my friends for no reason.
10. Write a list of my three greatest life-lessons, seal it in a jar, and bury it in my garden. Maybe one day a new gardener will discover it. Maybe it will mean something … or nothing at all.

Since that day I’ve tackled a few of the items on my list: I’ve pretty much mastered the art of saying no. Sometimes, when it’s particularly difficult, I put on a hat first. I don’t know why, but it helps. The wider the brim, the better. Hiding love notes for my husband has turned out to be one of the sweetest tender-extras of our marriage. Local animal shelters now receive bags of goodies, toys, and fleece bed-liners. Most times this leaves me in tears because I wish I could adopt every single animal, but I can’t.

As for that jar of life lessons, well, I’m working on it. Turns out those lessons have morphed into a novella. I guess I’ve been a slow learner. I’ll need to find a bigger jar.

******

Beth Hoffman is the internationally bestselling author of Looking for Me and Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. Before beginning her writing career, she was president and co-owner of an interior design studio. Beth lives, along with her husband and their four-legged fur-kids, in a historic Queen Anne home in Kentucky. Her interests include the rescue of abandoned and abused animals, nature conservancy, birding, historic preservation, and antiquing.

You can visit Beth’s website, Facebook, or Twitter @wordrunner

To celebrate the paperback release of LOOKING FOR ME, I have a copy of this wonderful novel to share with one lucky reader courtesy of Penguin Books and Tandem Literary. To enter, just fill out the form below before May 21st at 11:59 p.m. EST. I will randomly select and notify the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. addresses only. Good luck!

Review: The Promise

Summary: From the author of The Personal History of Rachel Dupree, shortlisted for the Orange Award for New Writers and longlisted for the Orange Prize.

1900. Young pianist Catherine Wainwright flees the fashionable town of Dayton, Ohio in the wake of a terrible scandal. Heartbroken and facing destitution, she finds herself striking up correspondence with a childhood admirer, the recently widowed Oscar Williams. In desperation she agrees to marry him, but when Catherine travels to Oscar's farm on Galveston Island, Texas—a thousand miles from home—she finds she is little prepared for the life that awaits her. The island is remote, the weather sweltering, and Oscar's little boy Andre is grieving hard for his lost mother. And though Oscar tries to please his new wife, the secrets of the past sit uncomfortably between them. Meanwhile for Nan Ogden, Oscar’s housekeeper, Catherine’s sudden arrival has come as a great shock. For not only did she promise Oscar’s first wife that she would be the one to take care of little Andre, but she has feelings for Oscar which she is struggling to suppress. And when the worst storm in a generation descends, the women will find themselves tested as never before. -- Skyhorse Publishing

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked up THE PROMISE by Ann Weisgarber. I knew the author's last novel had been long listed for the Orange Prize and even shortlisted for the Orange Award for New Writers, so I knew the writing would be strong, but I wasn't sure the premise actually grabbed me. Shame on me! This book was both beautifully written and it captured my attention from the get-go.

THE PROMISE takes place in the early 1900s in Galveston, Texas. Catherine Wainwright is a successful pianist living in Ohio but she is being scorned because she was caught in a scandal. She feels as if she has no where to turn so she begins writing letters to Oscar Williams, a man who admired her when they were younger. Oscar is a recent widow with a young son, and although he has a full-time housekeeper, he is looking for a wife. When Oscar proposes to Catherine, she decides to move to Galveston and begin a new life.

Catherine is shocked by what she finds when she arrives in Texas. Galveston is very different from Dayton, Ohio; and she has to adjust to not only the humidity and high temperatures, but the remoteness of the island and the simplicity of her new home. She also has to deal with Nan, Oscar's housekeeper who has feelings for Oscar, and Andre, Oscar's six year old son who is still reeling from the loss of his mother.

Catherine learns a great deal about her new family and herself through the trials she faces; however, none is greater than the devastating hurricane that strikes Galveston.

I was most definitely impressed with THE PROMISE, and I enjoyed pretty much everything about this novel. I loved how Ms. Weisgarber brought this time period and setting to life, and the book even read as if it had been written during the early 1900s. I especially liked how well developed Catherine and Nan's characters were, and I thought the author captured their voices perfectly. Last, but certainly not least, I loved how the book gradually built up to the storm and how these two women demonstrated so much strength and love.

If I had to pick one thing that really stood out to me about THE PROMISE, it would have to be the character of Catherine. At the beginning of the story, she was pretty much an outcast with little chance for acceptance in her social circles. I wasn't quite sure I approved of her reaching out to Oscar (although she had little choice), but I admit that I was curious to see how this privileged woman would survive living as a farmer's wife.

And that's when the novel really captured my interest -- when Catherine arrived at her new home. She was keeping a lot of secrets from her husband and really was a fish out of water. She had no idea how to tend house or cook; and she really was clueless about being a mother and a wife. I appreciated how Catherine made an effort to adapt, and I found her relationships with Oscar and Andre to be very sweet.

Even though I was confident that Ms. Weisgarber would write, THE PROMISE definitely reinforced that for me. She wove a great story and created some memorable characters, but it was her prose that really made this book extra-special. She somehow managed to make me think this book was written over 100 years ago, and I loved how she brought Galveston to life!

THE PROMISE would make an excellent book club pick. There is a reading guide with ten thought-provoking questions. Some of the themes you might want to discuss include promises, love, marriage, secrets, motherhood, friendship, forgiveness, and redemption.

I highly recommend THE PROMISE to fans of historical fiction as well as novels about the strength of women!

Thanks to Caitlin Hamilton Marketing & Publicity, LLC for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: Dollface

Summary: America in the 1920s was a country alive with the wild fun of jazz, speakeasies, and a new kind of woman—the flapper.

Vera Abramowitz is determined to leave her gritty childhood behind and live a more exciting life, one that her mother never dreamed of. Bobbing her hair and showing her knees, the lipsticked beauty dazzles, doing the Charleston in nightclubs and earning the nickname “Dollface.”

As the ultimate flapper, Vera captures the attention of two high rollers, a handsome nightclub owner and a sexy gambler. On their arms, she gains entrée into a world filled with bootleg bourbon, wailing jazz, and money to burn. She thinks her biggest problem is choosing between them until the truth comes out. Her two lovers are really mobsters from rival gangs during Chicago’s infamous Beer Wars, a battle Al Capone refuses to lose.

The heady life she’s living is an illusion resting on a bedrock of crime and violence unlike anything the country has ever seen before. When the good times come to an end, Vera becomes entangled in everything from bootlegging to murder. And as men from both gangs fall around her, Vera must put together the pieces of her shattered life, as Chicago hurtles toward one of the most infamous days in its history, the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. -- NAL

Years ago, there seemed to be no shortage of books about mobsters. I read practically every one I could get my hands on. So when I discovered DOLLFACE: A NOVEL OF THE ROARING TWENTIES by Renee Rosen, I knew I wanted to read it. Unlike most mob books that I read, this one took place in 1920s Chicago -- right at the height of Al Capone's rule!

DOLLFACE tells the story of Vera Abramowitz, a young woman who wants a different life than her mother led working in Chicago's meatpacking district. After cutting her hair into a fashionable bob and wearing shorter flapper-style dresses, Vera attracts the attention of not one but two Chicago mobsters. Aside from trying to balance relationships with both of them, the men are from rival gangs. Needless to say, Vera is in over her head!

I found DOLLFACE to be very entertaining. While some of it was kind of predictable -- namely the beginning of the novel when she was having affairs with both men, it didn't get in the way of my enjoyment of the novel. I appreciated how Vera's character changed by the end of the novel, and I found her dilemmas to be intriguing. In addition, I really liked how Ms. Rosen incorporated so much factual history and real-life characters into the story. (She explains all of that at the end of the book!)

One of the main reasons I enjoyed this book so much was the character of Vera. I admit that early on I didn't really like her all that much. While I understood her desire to get away from her past and life a glamorous life, I didn't really feel an affinity with her until later in the novel -- probably when she became a mother. What I did really like about her character was how she tried to balance so many of the complicated issues in her life like dating two men from different sides in the mob war, to trying to be a good wife and mother, to trying to fit in with the Chicago society types, to feeling guilt about leaving her past behind. All of this personal conflict made Vera a very interesting character.

Another thing I really appreciated is how the author juxtaposed the tension in Vera's life with the tension in Chicago during the Beer Wars. As Vera's story got more and more complicated, the mobsters' story also became more heated; and I thought the author did a great job in bring the entire story to a climax with the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. I actually found the second half of the book to be almost riveting and I had a hard time putting it down!

DOLLFACE would make a terrific book club selection! The book includes a reading guide with sixteen questions. Since I found Vera to be such a complex character, of course I think there is a great deal to discuss. Some of the themes you might want to explore include the Jazz Age, the intrigue of gangsters, women's rights, class differences, love, betrayal, guilt, grief, and second chances.

DOLLFACE is ideal for readers who are interested in mobsters and 1920s Chicago as well as readers who appreciate an interesting female lead character.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Kid Konnection: Summer on the Short Bus

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week, I'm going to share with you an entertaining young adult book that also deals with some serious issues.

Summary: Cricket Montgomery has been thrown under the short bus. Shipped off to a summer camp by her father, Cricket is forced to play babysitter to a bunch of whiny kids—or so she thinks. When she realizes this camp is actually for teens with special needs, Cricket doubts she has what it takes to endure twenty-four hours, let alone two weeks.

Thanks to her dangerously cute co-counselor, Quinn, there may be a slim chance for survival. However, between the campers’ unpredictability and disregard for personal space, Cricket’s limits get pushed. She will have to decide if suffering through her own handicapped hell is worth a summer romance—and losing her sanity. -- Running Press Kids

Just a few weeks ago, I posted a review for a middle-grade book about a privileged teenage girl who finds herself at a summer camp as a form of punishment. So it's a bit of a coincidence that I am again posting a review for a story about a wealthy teenage girl whose father wants to teach her a lesson by sending her to a summer camp to work as a counselor. This book is titled SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS by Bethany Crandell, and it's actually geared towards young adults rather than middle grade kids. SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS both funny and irreverent (which should appeal to older teens), and I think it has some wonderful life lessons in it. I found it very entertaining!

SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS tells the story of Cricket Montgomery, a rich girl who is forced to spend her summer working with kids. Naturally, she's less than thrilled to ruin her pedicure and give up her brand name clothes; however, when she discovers that the kids at this camp all have special needs, she pretty much freaks out... and I don't mean in a good way.

Cricket doesn't fit in with the other counselors, but she does find herself attracted to one very nice and handsome Quinn. She doesn't do herself any favors with him (or anyone else for that matter) since she's not very open-minded about the camp or the children attending -- she is actually uncomfortable around the kids and doesn't really show them any respect. To gain Quinn's attention and heart, Cricket has to make a lot of changes both inside and out.

I found SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS to be a lot of fun... and it also touched my heart! I have to admit that Cricket rubbed me the wrong way for much of the story (I'm certain she was supposed to!);  however, her thoughts and actions were kind of funny albeit selfish and insensitive. I actually appreciated how much Cricket changed throughout the summer, and as a mom, I really hoped the life lessons she learned will stay with her once she returns home to her privileged life.

I loved that this novel was geared towards young adults because there aren't a lot of books like this for that age range. While the premise could have easily been a middle grade book, the author chose to make Cricket a YA character. I think she is edgy enough to keep a YA audience's attention, and the humor is definitely not for a younger reader.

Ms. Crandell did a fantastic job of balancing the fun and entertaining aspects of this novel with a few lessons about children with disabilities. Ms. Crandell is actually a mother to a child with special needs, so she not only understands what it's like to work with a child like this, but she sees close-up how other react to her daughter. I think her personal experiences shine through in this novel because, while difficult for me to read, I believe that the characters' actions were quite realistic.

SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS would make an excellent book club discussion book for teens or even moms and daughters. I wasn't able to find a formal discussion guide, but rest assured there is a great to deal to discuss. Cricket's character as well as Quinn's both are interesting and it would be fun to analyze their actions and motivations. Some other topics you might want to discuss include parent/child relationships, dating, first impressions, grief, love, sacrifice, selfishness, forgiveness, and redemption.

SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS is a great book. It's fun and serious at the same time and I highly recommend it to teens!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

Review: Catching Air

Summary: From the internationally bestselling author of four books, including The Opposite of Me, a vibrant, compulsively readable novel about two married couples who pursue a dream to open a bed-and-breakfast in small-town Vermont.

In her previous works including The Best of Us, “rising star” (Library Journal) Sarah Pekkanen captivated readers by penning “refreshingly introspective, sharply realistic, and tenderly humorous” novels (Booklist) that had readers “flying through the pages” (Hoda Kotb, Today show). Now, in Catching Air, Pekkanen turns an unflinching eye on the tangled relationships of two pairs of thirty-somethings.

A chance to run a B&B in snowy, remote Vermont—it’s an offer Kira Danner can’t resist after six soul-crushing years of working as a lawyer in Florida. As Kira and her husband, Peter, step into a brand new life, she quells her fears about living with the B&B’s co-owners: Peter’s sexy, irresponsible brother Rand, and Rand’s wife, Alyssa…who is essentially a stranger.

For her part, Alyssa sees taking over the B&B as the latest in a string of adventures. Plus, a quiet place might help her recover from the news that she can’t bear children. But the idyllic town proves to be anything but serene: Within weeks, the sisters-in-law are scrambling to prepare for their first big booking—a winter wedding—and soon a shy, mysterious woman comes to work for them. Dawn Zukoski is hiding something; that much is clear. But what the sisters-in-law don't realize is that Dawn is also hiding from someone…

Relatable and dynamic, Catching Air delves deeply into the vital relationships that give shape to women’s lives. -- Washington Square Press

One thing's for sure, I know when I pick up a novel by Sarah Pekkanen that I'm in for a treat. I am pretty sure I've read and reviewed all of her novels, and I always enjoy how she portrays the relationships between her characters. Her latest novel CATCHING AIR will be available next week, and I have to say she's managed to impress me again.

CATCHING AIR tells the story of two brothers and their wives who decide to give up their current jobs/lives and open up a bed-and-breakfast in Vermont. Kira and Peter lived in Florida, and Kira was desperate to leave behind her job as a lawyer -- even if it meant moving to a new place and living with her husband's unreliable brother Rand and his wife Alyssa.

Alyssa decides to try her luck managing the bed-and-breakfast after she learns that she and Rand can't have children. Her "adventure" becomes exciting when Kira and she book their first major event -- a winter wedding. Things become even more interesting when a woman with a mysterious past moves in with them.

I really liked CATCHING AIR and I definitely appreciated Ms. Pekkanen's writing -- no surprise there! Once again, she created a cast of characters that I found very interesting; and she managed to have them interact in a realistic way. While all of the characters had their moments, I especially enjoyed the female characters. The mystery woman's story was intriguing; however, I found myself relating more to Kira and Alyssa.

Kira was definitely carrying some baggage from her recent past, and she was looking for the experience at the B&B to heal some wounds. She was extremely organized and conscientious, and she also had integrity -- I could totally "get" so many of her actions. Throughout the course of the novel, she managed to grow and even revisit some of the issues from her past; and I liked how much she evolved. I especially appreciated her relationships with both Alyssa and her husband Peter.

Alyssa, on the other hand, was a little more happy-go-lucky and game for trying almost any adventure. Alyssa was struggling with infertility and trying to adopt a child; however, she was also dealing with the immature actions of Rand. I admired Alyssa because she was very different from me, and I liked how her character resolved some of her serious problems.

In addition to these three women, the two brothers in the novel had some conflict in their lives. Peter was the more responsible brother and resented Rand for leaving him while their mother was dying. These two had to work through their problems, and it certainly required some work and forgiveness on both of their parts.

Ms. Pekkanen truly knows how to explore complicated relationships, and she demonstrated that extremely well with the characters in CATCHING AIR. In addition, she manages to make her characters seem realistic -- often times like people we already know. This novel was very readable because I did become so caught up in the characters, but I also appreciated how she incorporates humor into the tension. This novel definitely had some comic relief!

CATCHING AIR would make a very fun book club pick. I'm sure you can already tell that these characters were dealing with some serious issues that would be interesting to discuss. There is a reading guide available with twelve questions as well as some ideas to enhance your book club experience. Some of the themes you might want to discuss include sibling rivalry, responsibility, infertility, marriage, second chances, honesty, and forgiveness.

CATCHING AIR is a fun, yet thought-provoking, read! Recommend to fans of women's fiction.

Book Tour Schedule: http://www.sarahpekkanen.com/events

Catching Air available for pre-order now on Amazon.com

Thanks to Engelman and Company for providing a review copy of this novel.

Giveaway: Syndrome E

Summary: Lucie Henebelle, single mother and beleaguered detective, has just about enough on her plate when she receives a panicked phone call from an ex-lover who has developed a rare disorder after watching an obscure film from the 1950s. With help from the brooding Inspector Franck Sharko, who is exploring the movie’s connection to five unearthed corpses at a construction site, Lucie begins to strip away the layers of what may be the most disturbing film ever made. With more lives on the line, Sharko and Lucie struggle to solve this terrifying mystery before it’s too late. In a high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled hunt that jumps from France to Canada, Egypt to Rwanda, and beyond, this astonishing page-turner, with cinematic echoes from The Manchurian Candidate and the Bourne series, will keep you guessing until the very end. -- Penguin Books

I seriously hope you read the description above for SYNDROME E by Franck Thilliez (Translated by Mark Polizzotti) because it's a good one. I was extremely intrigued by the description of this book because it sounds so unusual, and I admit I was curious to see if the author could pull it off. (I'm assuming he does since this thriller is already an international bestseller and is being made into a movie.)

I haven't yet read SYNDROME E, although I did start it last night, and I have to say that I'm hooked. I have a feeling that I'm going to fly through this book. So far, I love the characters and the premise, and the pace of the writing is really quick. I hope to have a review for you in the very near future... before the giveaway ends!

And that brings me to the giveaway....

Thanks to the fine folks at Penguin, I have a copy of SYNDROME E to share with one lucky reader. For the chance to win a copy of this thriller, just fill out the form below before May 14th at 11:59 p.m. EST. I will randomly select and notify the winner the following day. This contest is open to those of you with U.S. addresses only. Good luck!