P.J. Hoover's Blog, page 56

Scholastic Book Fair Picks

Happy Friday!

Last week was our Scholastic Book Fair at school! We managed to escape with no pencils or pens or erasers or posters. Whoo hoo!

So what did we buy? Aside from a Scooby Doo book and a dinosaur sticker book, I got these three books I'm really looking forward to reading!


GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! VOICES FROM A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE by Laura Amy Sclitz, illustrated by Robert Byrd (Candlewick, July 2007)
(Remember, this one won the Newbery)


From Amazon:

Step back to an English village in 1255, where life plays out in dramatic vignettes illuminating twenty-two unforgettable characters.

Maidens, monks, and millers' sons — in these pages, readers will meet them all. There's Hugo, the lord's nephew, forced to prove his manhood by hunting a wild boar; sharp-tongued Nelly, who supports her family by selling live eels; and the peasant's daughter, Mogg, who gets a clever lesson in how to save a cow from a greedy landlord. There's also mud-slinging Barbary (and her noble victim); Jack, the compassionate half-wit; Alice, the singing shepherdess; and many more. With a deep appreciation for the period and a grand affection for both characters and audience, Laura Amy Schlitz creates twenty-two riveting portraits and linguistic gems equally suited to silent reading or performance. Illustrated with pen-and-ink drawings by Robert Byrd — inspired by the Munich-Nuremberg manuscript, an illuminated poem from thirteenth-century Germany — this witty, historically accurate, and utterly human collection forms an exquisite bridge to the people and places of medieval England.


SHADOW by Jenny Moss (Scholastic, April 2010)


From Amazon:

In a time of kings, queens, and conspiracy, it's impossible to know whom one can trust. . . .

In a kingdom far away and long ago, it was prophesied at her birth that the queen would die before her sixteenth birthday. So Shadow, an orphan girl the same age as the young queen, was given the duty to watch her every move. And as prophesies do tend to come true, the queen is poisoned days before her birthday. When the castle is thrown into chaos, Shadow escapes with a young knight, whom she believes was betrothed to the queen.

Unsure of why she is following Sir Kenway, but determined to escape as far as possible from the castle, her long-time prison, Shadow sets off on an adventure with the handsome knight who has been charged with protecting her. As mystery builds, and romantic tension does, too, Shadow begins to wonder what her role in the kingdom truly is. Soon, she learns, it is up to her to save her land.

Jenny Moss's novel is a lyrical, fast-paced adventure filled with mystery, magic, honor, and romance that will lead readers on an incredible journey.


DARK LIFE by Kat Falls (Scholastic, May 2010)


From Amazon:

The oceans rose up, swallowing up the lowlands. Earthquakes shattered the continents, toppling entire regions into the rising water. Now, humans live packed into stack cities. The only ones with any space of their own are those who live on the ocean floor: the Dark Life.

Ty has spent his whole life living deep undersea, helping his family farm the ocean floor. But when outlaws attack his homestead, Ty finds himself in a fight to save the only home he has ever known. Joined by Gemma, a girl from the Topside who has come subsea to look for her brother, Ty ventures into the frontier's rough underworld and discovers some dark secrets to Dark Life . . . secrets that threaten to destroy everything.

In her debut novel, Kat Falls has created a breathtaking world where the deep can be dangerous, the darkness can be deadly, and sometimes it takes extraordinary power to survive.


Hope you all have a great weekend!

THE CHAOS by Rachel Ward ARC Giveaway

Ever since NUM8ERS came out last year, I've been intrigued by these books. They have some of the coolest cover design I've seen, and the premise is awesome.

So up for giveaway today is an ARC for the just-released sequel to NUM8ERS

NUM8ERS: THE CHA0S by Rachel Ward (The Chicken House, March 1, 2011)







From Amazon:

The curse of the NUM8ERS continues in Rachel Ward's CHA0T1C, earth-shattering sequel!

Adam has more than inherited his mother's curse: When he looks in someone's eyes, he not only sees the date of their death...he feels the searing, shocking pain of it. Since Jem died, Adam has lived by the sea with his great-grandmother, Val. But when rising tides flood the coast, they return to London. The city is an alien, exciting, frightening place. Most disturbing of all, Adam can't help but clock how many people's numbers are in January 2027; how many are on New Year's Day. What chaos awaits the world? Can he and Sarah stop a catastrophe? Or are they, too, counted among the "twenty-sevens"?

Source of ARC: From publisher at NCTE

For your chance to win this ARC, all you need to do is:

1) Follow this blog
2) Comment on this blog post


For extra entries:

1) Blog about this contest and leave a comment telling me
2) Tweet about this contest and leave a comment telling me

3) Also, if you've never won one of my contests, please tell me in the comments, and you'll get an extra entry!


And make sure you leave me a way to get in contact with you when you win!

The contest will run through midnight on Friday, March 11, 2011!

*****

And don't forget I'm also giving away

ODD GIRL IN by Jo Whittemore (Aladdin Mix/Simon & Schuster, March 22, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER.


ENTWINED by Heather Dixon (Greenwillow, March 29, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER.


YOU KILLED WESLEY PAYNE by Sean Beaudoin (Little, Brown, February 1, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!


ALIEN INVASION AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES by Brian Yansky (Candlewick, October 2010)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

THE MEMORY BANK by Carolyn Coman

The whole reading-aloud thing can be a bit tricky. Sometimes during read-alouds, I admit it, my mind tends to wander. And I admit also, when I went to the Friday night reading party for our SCBWI conference, I figured this was a strong possibility. But...

From the second the readings started, I was spellbound. Wait, I want to make sure I'm clear on that, so I'll spell it out.
I-W-A-S-S-P-E-L-L-B-O-U-N-D.

Of the authors reading, one of them was Carolyn Coman who had an amazing slideshow to go along with the words. From the second she started describing her book, the audience could not take their eyes off the screen.

THE MEMORY BANK by Carolyn Coman, illustrated by Rob Shepperson (AAL/Scholastic, October 1, 2010)


So the basic story of the memory bank is about two sisters and a set of horrible parents. The youngest sister is left on the side of the road and the parents tell the older sister to "forget her." I heard this, and I saw the amazing sketches of these two sisters, and their bond was so clear and evident, all I wanted to do was go home and cuddle my kids. And once I got home and got said cuddling out of the way, I dug around my bookshelves and found an ARC of THE MEMORY BANK that I'd managed to snag at BEA. I told my kids all about the book, and my son grabbed it from me and would not put it down. I had to pry it out of his sleeping hands at 11:45 that night.

Once he finished it, I was finally able to read it, and honestly, I just adored it. I'd highly recommend it for boys and girls, third grade and up, kids with siblings (or not), fans of Hugo Cabret (as it is filled with illustrations), fans of fantasy or realistic fiction. With the numerous illustrations, it's also a great choice for reluctant readers.

From Amazon:

THE MEMORY BANK is the story of Hope Scroggins, who lives with her beloved sister Honey and the Dursley-esque parents they share. In fact these parents are SO horribly awful that one day, when the sisters disobey the rule against "no laughing", they banish Honey forever, telling Hope that she must simply "forget" her.

Hope knows that she HAS to find her sister again, before her memories of Honey fade. But before she can even begin to look, she's whisked away to the World Wide Memory Bank, where her accounts are in disarray...

There she learns about the process of how dreams and memories are kept safe. She also learns that there's a group of misfits called the Clean Slate Gang who want to destroy the Memory Bank, and all of the dreams and memories kept there. What she doesn't know is that Honey has been picked up by the Clean Slate Gang, and they're heading right for the Memory Bank.

The story of how Hope makes her way through this brewing conflict and rescues her little sister is full of tension and suspense, set in a vividly imagined world of strange machines and wonderful characters.

Source or ARC: From publisher at BEA

Teri Lesesne is our Featured Sweetheart!

Teri Lesesne is our newest Featured Sweetheart! She's awesome, and if you want to read all about her (and see how to pronounce her last name), head over to the TEXAS SWEETHEARTS & SCOUNDRELS blog!

ODD GIRL IN Signed ARC Giveaway

I'll be honest. I am totally partial to my fellow TEXAS SWEETHEARTS & SCOUNDRELS and their books. I get this overwhelming sense of pride when I see their book displayed at book fairs or when they have signings and sell out within the first five minutes. I guess that's what being part of a group means :)

So up for giveaway today I have two signed ARCs by someone I totally know is a sweetheart! And her book rocks. (I'm not just saying that because the book has me in the dedication, either, though seriously it does make me feel super special.) But in all seriousness, this book is perfect for anyone who loves lighthearted humor!

ODD GIRL IN by Jo Whittemore (Aladdin Mix/Simon & Schuster, March 22, 2011)


From Amazon:
A loner tomboy learns how to be a success in a hilarious new MIX title!

Love this!


Source of ARCs: From publisher at NCTE

For your chance to win one of 2 signed ARCs, all you need to do is:

1) Follow this blog
2) Comment on this blog post


For extra entries:

1) Blog about this contest and leave a comment telling me
2) Tweet about this contest and leave a comment telling me

3) Also, if you've never won one of my contests, please tell me in the comments, and you'll get an extra entry!


And make sure you leave me a way to get in contact with you when you win!

The contest will run through midnight on Friday, March 11, 2011!

*****

And don't forget I'm also giving away

ENTWINED by Heather Dixon (Greenwillow, March 29, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER.


YOU KILLED WESLEY PAYNE by Sean Beaudoin (Little, Brown, February 1, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!


ALIEN INVASION AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES by Brian Yansky (Candlewick, October 2010)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

COVER LOVE: CALLI by Jessica Lee Anderson!

Since I saw this cover a few weeks ago, I've been dying to share it with you guys. And now it's finally official. It's by one of my best writing buddies, fellow Texas Sweetheart & Scoundrel Jessica Lee Anderson (author of BORDER CROSSING and TRUDY), and it's going to be epic! I know this because I've read it :)

CALLI by Jessica Lee Anderson (Milkweed Editions, September 13, 2011)


From Amazon:

Fifteen-year-old Calli has just about everything she could want in life—two loving moms, a good-looking boyfriend, and a best friend who has always been there for support. An only child, Calli is excited when her parents announce that they want to be foster parents. Unfortunately, being a foster sister to Cherish is not at all what Calli expected. First Cherish steals Calli's boyfriend, then begins to pit Calli's moms against one another, and she even steals Calli's iPod. Tired of being pushed around and determined to get even, Calli steals one of Cherish's necklaces. But this plan for revenge goes horribly awry, and Cherish ends up in juvenile detention.

Isolating herself from her moms, her boyfriend, and even her best friend, Calli wrestles with her guilt and tries to figure out a way to undo the damage she's caused. When her moms are asked to take on another foster child, Calli sees an opportunity to make amends for her past mistakes.

Funny, moving, and emotionally rich, Calli is a portrait of an endearing young woman caught between adolescence and adulthood, striving to do the right thing even when all of her options seem wrong.

SMEKDAY Review and ALIEN INVASION ARC Giveaway!

I was working at the library one day last month, shelving books after books after books (some days they never seem to end), and anyway, I started to shelve this one, but...

I'd always loved the title.
It was science fiction.
The cover drew me in.
It was MG, and I don't read enough MG.

THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY by Adam Rex (Hyperion, October 2007)


So I checked it out and started reading it about a week later (I think at this point, it is overdue so I have to return it). And really, from the time I picked it up, I was hooked on the voice of the main character, Gratuity. She told the story through a series of essays which was brilliant, and best of all, everyone is happy in the end (for the most part). I loved the clever use of DisneyWorld, which I've mentioned is the best place on Earth and where I'd want to spend time if an alien invasion came. But what really made the book stand above and beyond a standard science fiction fast-paced novel was the relationship between Gratuity and the alien JLo. It was actually beautiful.

I'd recommend this for anyone who loves science fiction, boys and girl definitely, fourth grade and up.

For your enjoyment, totally check out the Smekday website! It's filled with gems.

From Amazon:

It all starts with a school essay.

When twelve-year-old Gratuity ("Tip") Tucci is assigned to write five pages on "The True Meaning of Smekday" for the National Time Capsule contest, she's not sure where to begin. When her mom started telling everyone about the messages aliens were sending through a mole on the back of her neck? Maybe on Christmas Eve, when huge, bizarre spaceships descended on the Earth and the aliens – called Boov – abducted her mother? Or when the Boov declared Earth a colony, renamed it "Smekland" (in honor of glorious Captain Smek), and forced all Americans to relocate to Florida via rocketpod?

In any case, Gratuity's story is much, much bigger than the assignment. It involves her unlikely friendship with a renegade Boov mechanic named J.Lo.; a futile journey south to find Gratuity's mother at the Happy Mouse Kingdom; a cross-country road trip in a hovercar called Slushious; and an outrageous plan to save the Earth from yet another alien invasion.

Fully illustrated with "photos," drawings, newspaper clippings, and comics sequences, this is a hilarious, perceptive, genre-bending novel by a remarkable new talent.


SO HERE'S THE GIVEAWAY PART!


And yeah, because I checked it out from the library, I can't give it away. So instead, because it's all about an alien invasion, up for giveaway is a signed ARC of

ALIEN INVASION AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES by Brian Yansky (Candlewick, October 2010)


Fans of science fiction or not are going to love this book. It's smart and serious and funny in all the right places. And it also has a fantastic book trailer to really get you in the mood!



From Amazon:

A polite race of telepathic killer aliens, a ten-second world conquest, and one teenage boy collide in this wry, gutsy adventure.

Jesse is in history class when a formidable, efficient race of aliens quietly takes over the earth in less time than it takes him to brush his teeth. Most humans simply fall asleep and never wake up. In moments, everyone Jesse knows and loves is gone, and he finds that he is now a slave to an inept alien leader. On the bright side, Jesse discovers he's developing telepathic powers, and he's not the only one. Soon he's forging new friendships and feeling unexpectedly hopeful. When a mysterious girl appears in his dreams, talking about escaping, Jesse begins to think the aliens may not be invincible after all. But if Jesse and his friends succeed, is there anywhere left to go? Brian Yansky offers a funny, grim novel packed with everything boys and sci-fi fans love: aliens, humor, action, and a healthy dose of triumph.

Source of ARC: From publisher at TLA

For your chance to win this ARC, all you need to do is:

1) Follow this blog
2) Comment on this blog post


For extra entries:

1) Blog about this contest and leave a comment telling me
2) Tweet about this contest and leave a comment telling me

3) Also, if you've never won one of my contests, please tell me in the comments, and you'll get an extra entry!


And make sure you leave me a way to get in contact with you when you win!

The contest will run through midnight on Friday, March 11, 2011!

*****

And don't forget I'm also giving away

ENTWINED by Heather Dixon (Greenwillow, March 29, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER.



YOU KILLED WESLEY PAYNE by Sean Beaudoin (Little, Brown, February 1, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

SO SHELLY and ANGELFIRE ARC Winners!

Thank you to everyone who entered! For those of you who didn't win this time, stick around because I have some amazing giveaways coming up including a few soon-to-be-released books I'm dying to share!

Anyway...

The winner of ANGELFIRE by Courtney Allison Moulton (Katherine Tegen/Harper, February 15, 2011)

is...

ALEXA at Pages of Forbidden Love!

*****

The winner of SO SHELLY by Ty Roth (Delacorte, February 8, 2011)


is ...
CAROL!

****

And don't forget I'm also giving away

ENTWINED by Heather Dixon (Greenwillow, March 29, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER.



YOU KILLED WESLEY PAYNE by Sean Beaudoin (Little, Brown, February 1, 2011)
CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

Ed Spicer is our newest Featured Sweetheart!

We're so happy to be featuring Ed Spicer today as our Featured Sweetheart over on THE TEXAS SWEETHEARTS & SCOUNDRELS blog. Head over when you get a chance and read about his amazing life!


And have a great weekend!

Something to make you smile

I admit it. No matter how many times I see this, it makes me smile.



I adore the cleverness.
I adore the amount of work that went into this.
I adore Star Wars (though, yes, Star Trek is still better).





Note: Sometimes when your kids want to show you something on YouTube, it's worth it.