One More Little Nugget of Fun

As promised I have one more little nugget of fun in regards to book one in the Sidney & Sydney series.

It all started when I was asked by my daughter’s school to speak at their annual literacy night in February. I happily said yes but was immediately concerned about what I was going to talk about. I had spoken at the same event two years ago about my middle grade reader Sometimes You Can Go Home. Since my daughter is in grade school, the book was only relevant to the older kids and I didn’t feel like my presentation had been all that fabulous. I hadn’t heard from my editor about a release date for Third Grade Mix Up yet but I thought it would still be my best option.

I emailed my editor asking if she had any illustrations I could share and she responded right away with some cool stuff:

Oh, and at the end of the email she added this:

I attached a few sketches and a pdf of the S&S book for you. Will this be enough for your talk? You should definitely have the real book by then as well (FINALLY!).

Also, have you seen this review from PW? They don’t just hand out good reviews, so you should be very proud.

 Third Grade Mix-Up

The Sidney & Sydney series debuts with a straightforward story alternately narrated by two classmates with homophonic names and a few shared interests. Sidney has traveled extensively with his family, and Sydney aspires to be a world traveler; they both love art museums; and—the clincher—they are mutual fans of the video game Galaxy Conquest. Both Jakubowski and Montalto flatter their audience’s sense of independence and autonomy: “I’m only eight years old, but it’s never too early to be fashionable,” image-conscious Sydney tells readers, while jokester Sidney, sitting alone at lunch, knows “that it’s really dorky to get a note from your mom when you are eight years old. But it did make me feel a little better.” (The stylish students in Montalto’s full-color illustrations, meanwhile, look much older than eight, but what kids think of themselves and their peers as young?) After some early stumbles, the two third-graders become fast friends, a relationship that’s cemented as they try to make Halloween a success. Sidney’s narrative can be repetitive and Sydney’s melodramatic, but readers should appreciate the book’s contemporary tone and humor. Ages 6–8. (Feb.) Reviewed on 12/14/2012

I stared at my screen flabbergasted! Not only did I have a release date for the first book (and before literacy night no less!) but my first honest-to-goodness review! And it was a pretty good one to boot!