Adam Jay Epstein's Blog, page 9
August 5, 2010
Starred Review from School Library Journal
From School Library Journal
Gr 4-7–This series opener won't disappoint. Escaping from a bounty hunter, a streetwise cat becomes the familiar of a boy magician-in-training. Almost before Aldwyn gets to know his new surroundings, Jack, his sister, and a fellow student are kidnapped and it is up to him; Skylar, a magic-adept bluejay; and Gilbert, a clumsy, red-eyed tree frog, to rescue their "loyals." The consistently suspenseful narrative moves quickly and is full of twists and turns. The charac...
Gr 4-7–This series opener won't disappoint. Escaping from a bounty hunter, a streetwise cat becomes the familiar of a boy magician-in-training. Almost before Aldwyn gets to know his new surroundings, Jack, his sister, and a fellow student are kidnapped and it is up to him; Skylar, a magic-adept bluejay; and Gilbert, a clumsy, red-eyed tree frog, to rescue their "loyals." The consistently suspenseful narrative moves quickly and is full of twists and turns. The charac...
July 17, 2010
The Book Aunt raves about The Familiars
Read this great review of The Familiars from children's lit lover The Book Aunt Blog!
July 11, 2010
Rick Riordan Tweets about The Familiars!
@camphalfblood What a great idea for a book. THE FAMILIARS: http://bit.ly/d2Z57G Haven't read it, but I'll be checking it out. Pubs 9/7.
Woke up to this very exciting tweet this morning from Rick Riordan, best selling author of the Percy Jackson series and 39 Clues.
Seeing as how he has written two of the most successful and highly entertaining middle reader book series of all time, this was obviously quite flattering. And now he has another hot title in bookstores, The Kane Chronicles.
We can ...
Woke up to this very exciting tweet this morning from Rick Riordan, best selling author of the Percy Jackson series and 39 Clues.
Seeing as how he has written two of the most successful and highly entertaining middle reader book series of all time, this was obviously quite flattering. And now he has another hot title in bookstores, The Kane Chronicles.
We can ...
July 9, 2010
A Familiars-Themed Birthday Party
Before the book has even come out, we have a young Familiars fan who wants to have a Familiars-themed 10th birthday party. So, here are some ideas I'd like to suggest, per the birthday boy's mom's request:
A familiars scavenger hunt -- Send the kids on a hunt for magic and animal related items like cell phone pics of an exotic bird, holding a wand or wearing a wizard's hat, and a paperback copy of The Hobbit.
If you don't want to pay for an exotic animal trainer or magician to come to you, ho...
A familiars scavenger hunt -- Send the kids on a hunt for magic and animal related items like cell phone pics of an exotic bird, holding a wand or wearing a wizard's hat, and a paperback copy of The Hobbit.
If you don't want to pay for an exotic animal trainer or magician to come to you, ho...
EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK
It's the UK cover of THE FAMILIARS.
We think this is pretty awesome! How about you?
We think this is pretty awesome! How about you?
July 6, 2010
Sneak Peek at the first four chapters of "The Familiars"
Hey Everybody! I know this is what you have been waiting for. It's the first four chapters of the book on the HarperCollins website. Browse inside and then let us know what you think. We're so glad to show you it two months in advance of the book hitting shelves.
Click here to read the first four chapters!
Click here to read the first four chapters!
July 4, 2010
The Familiars Movie - Update
Back in April, we first told you about the Visual Development process taking place behind the scenes at Sony Animation for the film adaptation of The Familiars. This involved a team of artists creating the visual look of the film, from characters to locations to actual sequences from the book and screenplay. Since then, another artist has developed what is known in the animation world as a "beat board." These are a series of single drawings that each represent a scene of the movie. The drawin...
June 20, 2010
ARCs on Ebay
I just got a google alert today for The Familiars. Excited, I clicked on the link, hoping to find a new press blurb in Publisher's Weekly or a favorable mention in someone's blog. To my dismay, I was directed to Ebay to find that someone had placed an ARC of The Familiars on the site for the low bargain price of $5. Selling a proof of a book that they no doubt received for free.
Click here to see the book on Ebay.
With a quick search I came to see that this is an ongoing issue for authors and...
Click here to see the book on Ebay.
With a quick search I came to see that this is an ongoing issue for authors and...
June 18, 2010
June 16, 2010
Kidlit Book Feud
Hatfields-McCoys. Yankees-Red Sox. Lauren Conrad-Spencer Pratt.
Blood feuds. Sports Feuds. Celebrity Feuds.
And now, the first ever kidlit book feud! The Familiars has called out Hilary Wagner's Nightshade City, coming in October. According to Rick Riordin, "Fans of Redwall and the Warriors series will love this heroic tale of good versus evil in a subterranean society of rats."
Well, I got news for you, rats of Nightshade City. The Familiars are coming for you. It's magical, spellcasting anim...
Blood feuds. Sports Feuds. Celebrity Feuds.
And now, the first ever kidlit book feud! The Familiars has called out Hilary Wagner's Nightshade City, coming in October. According to Rick Riordin, "Fans of Redwall and the Warriors series will love this heroic tale of good versus evil in a subterranean society of rats."
Well, I got news for you, rats of Nightshade City. The Familiars are coming for you. It's magical, spellcasting anim...
