GIVEAWAY - Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows + Charlie Hernández and the Castle of Bones

Today we have an awesome giveaway of a signed hardcover copy of Charlie Hernández and the Castle of Bones, and a signed paperback copy of Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows.

A perfect pick for kids who love Rick Riordan.” —Booklist (starred review)

“A winner for all kids, but it will be especially loved by Latinx and Hispanic families.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The Lightning Thief meets the Story Thieves series in this middle grade fantasy inspired by Hispanic folklore, legends, and myths from the Iberian Peninsula and Central and South America.

Charlie Hernández has always been proud of his Latin American heritage. He loves the culture, the art, and especially the myths. Thanks to his abuela’s stories, Charlie possesses an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the monsters and ghouls who have spent the last five hundred years haunting the imaginations of children all across the Iberian Peninsula, as well as Central and South America. And even though his grandmother sometimes hinted that the tales might be more than mere myth, Charlie’s always been a pragmatist. Even barely out of diapers, he knew the stories were just make-believe—nothing more than intricately woven fables meant to keep little kids from misbehaving.

But when Charlie begins to experience freaky bodily manifestations—ones all too similar to those described by his grandma in his favorite legend—he is suddenly swept up in a world where the mythical beings he’s spent his entire life hearing about seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Hispanic folklore and into his life. And even stranger, they seem to know more about him than he knows about himself.

Soon, Charlie finds himself in the middle of an ancient battle between La Liga, a secret society of legendary mythological beings sworn to protect the Land of the Living, and La Mano Peluda (a.k.a. the Hairy Hand), a cabal of evil spirits determined to rule mankind. With only the help of his lifelong crush, Violet Rey, and his grandmother’s stories to guide him, Charlie must navigate a world where monsters and brujas rule and things he couldn’t possibly imagine go bump in the night. That is, if he has any hope of discovering what’s happening to him and saving his missing parents (oh, and maybe even the world).

No pressure, muchacho.

Inspired by Hispanic folklore, legends, and myths from the Iberian Peninsula and Central and South America, this bold sequel to Charlie Hernández & the League of Shadows, which Booklist called “a perfect pick for kids who love Rick Riordan” in a starred review, follows Charlie as he continues on his quest to embrace his morphling identity.

Charlie Hernandez still likes to think of himself as a normal kid. But what’s normal about being a demon-slaying preteen with an encyclopedic knowledge of Hispanic and Latino mythology who can partially manifest nearly any animal trait found in nature? Well, not much. But, Charlie believes he can get used to this new “normal,” because being able to sprout wings or morph fins is pretty cool.

But there is a downside: it means having to constantly watch his back for La Mano Peluda’s sinister schemes. And when the leader of La Liga, the Witch Queen Jo herself, is suddenly kidnapped, Charlie’s sure they’re at it again.

Determined to save the queen and keep La Liga’s alliances intact, Charlie and his good friend Violet Rey embark on a perilous journey to track down her captors. As Charlie and Violet are drawn deeper into a world of monstruos and magia they are soon left with more questions than answers—like, why do they keep hearing rumors of dead men walking, and why is Charlie suddenly having visions of an ancient evil: a necromancer priest who’s been dead for more than five centuries?

Charlie’s abuela once told him that when dead men walk, the living run in fear. And Charlie’s about to learn the truth of that—the hard way.

Ryan Calejo was born and raised in south Florida. He graduated from the University of Miami with a BA. He’s been invited to join both the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Golden Key International Honour Society. He teaches swimming to elementary school students, chess to middle school students, and writing to high school students. Having been born into a family of immigrants and growing up in the so-called “Capital of Latin America,” Ryan knows the importance of diversity in our communities and is passionate about writing books that children of all ethnicities can relate to. His first novel was Charlie Hernández & the League of Shadows.



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Book Review & Giveaway: The Echo Park Castaways

I am easily sentimental, but not easily impressed.

But boy, was I impressed by this wonderful book by M.G. Hennessey!

Background:

Nevaeh, Vic, and Mara are veterans of the Los Angeles foster care system. For over a year they’ve been staying with Mrs. K in Echo Park. Vic spends most of his time living in a dream world, Mara barely speaks, and Nevaeh is forced to act as a back-up parent. Though their situation isn’t ideal, it’s still their best home yet. 

Then Child Protective Services places Quentin in the house, and everything is turned upside down. Nevaeh really can’t handle watching over anyone else, especially a boy on the autism spectrum. Meanwhile, Quentin is having trouble adjusting and attempts to run away. 

So when Vic realizes Quentin just wants to see his mom again, he plans an “epic quest” to reunite them. It could result in the foster siblings getting sent to different group homes. But isn’t family always worth the risk?

The Review:

Told from the perspective of three of the four children (a brilliant choice by Hennessey), this story sucks you in from the very first page, placing you squarely in the shoes of children who find (or have found) themselves separated from their families and placed in foster care without any say over the matter. 

In the case of the story, Quentin's arrival is the unlikely catalyst for change for the four children. While their current foster home isn't terrible, it also isn't ideal, and each child dreams of a better future for themselves, whether it's being reunited with an absent parent, or making a future for yourself in which you can take control of your life.

The children's voices are spot-on, and their yearning and regrets fill the page. Hennessey does an excellent job of making us care about all of these children, and the quest they undertake is the perfect vehicle to propel the story forward. It helps that Hennessey volunteers as a court-appointed advocate to help kids navigate the Los Angeles foster care system - the story feels true and honest, and while it is a kid's book, few punches are pulled.

This book, and the stories of children in foster care, deserve to be told. In the end, all of us want to be part of a family. The Echo Park Castaways shares another vision for what that means.

5 stars!

The book is published by Harper and releases July 2, 2019.

Want to know more about the author?

Visit her website!

And finally....

Want to win an ARC of the book?

Leave a comment below telling me your favourite beach!  MG Minded will choose a winner on Sunday, June 16th. Good luck!

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GOOD ENOUGH, by Jen Petro-Roy

I was lucky to receive an advanced copy of Jen Petro-Roy's GOOD ENOUGH, a middle grade book that tells the story of 12-year-old Riley's treatment for anorexia. 

Told through diary entries, this is the story of Riley's time at a treatment center for kids with eating disorders. Rather than showing a character with an eating disorder pre-treatment, this book begins with recovery and shows Riley's journey throughout the process.

Life at the treatment center isn't easy. Riley is lonely. She misses her friends. She wants to recover, yet she's scared to eat. She misses running on the track team, yet realizes she turned running into something harmful.

When Riley starts to recover, her hospital roommate starts exercising in the middle of the night. Her behavior triggers Riley to slip back to her old, destructive behaviors. Recovery is hard. Riley isn't sure she'll be able to stay healthy once she's released from the treatment center. Will she be able to deal with her dieting mom, her gymnastics-star sister, and the school bully who picks on her weight and food choices?

My rating: FIVE STARS.  I could not put this book down. I felt deep empathy for Riley and her journey toward recovery. Young readers will come away with a deeper understanding of the complexities of eating disorders. The author, an eating disorder survivor and an advocate for recovery, lived this reality. There is heart in this story. And truth. This is a must-read for middle graders and teens.

For a chance to win an ARC of GOOD ENOUGH along with Jen Petro-Roy's You Are Enough, a middle-grade nonfiction book designed to help young readers as they begin to recover from eating disorders, over-exercising, and body image issues, leave a comment and your email address below. A winner will be drawn at random.

Giveaway: Paper Chains, by Elaine Vickers

Katie and Ana share everything with each other—friendship bracelets, hidden messages, and ice skating adventures. But lately, Katie and Ana have been keeping secrets from each other. Katie is adopted, and she’s been wondering about her birth parents and her birthplace. She worries that saying this out loud—even to her best friend Ana—could mess up the perfect family she has now. Ana’s family has been falling apart ever since her dad left, and it’s up to her to hold it together. But Ana fears no matter how hard she tries, her family may never be whole again. At a time when they need each other the most, the links between the girls are beginning to break. Before they lose each other, they must work through their secrets to reveal the shining truth underneath: friendship, just like family, is worth fighting for. Sometimes, it's the strongest link of all.

 

What I loved about this realistic middle grade, told in alternating points of view:

• Ana’s love for her younger brother Mikey, especially when she replaces the slimy radishes on his Thanksgiving dinner plate with a candy bar pie, complete with a golden, flaky crust and gentle waves of whipped cream.

• Ana’s persistence. She’s determined to convince her absent dad, a professional hockey player, to rejoin their family. Because, in Ana’s words, “How were you supposed to be a family with an empty spot on the roster?"

 

• Katie’s longing to know more about her birth parents, a yearning that grows during the holidays. In Katie’s words, “The whole point of Christmas was a birth story that millions of people had already known for thousands of years. The thing that matters is how and where you were born.”

• The scene where Katie learns that her favorite figure skater is from a Russian village near her birthplace. “They had something in common—something big. Maybe she could do beautiful, amazing, impossible things too, even if she never learned to quadruple toe loop.”

 

• The message that friendship is often our strongest link. I loved the girls’ matching friendship bracelets and the candles they lit in their windows as a signal to meet. This lyrical, heartwarming middle grade, set around the holidays, is a perfect story for this time of year.
  

Additional praise for Paper Chains:

★ “A well-told story celebrating the power of friendship to comfort and heal when families fall short.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

 “Endearing, authentic...A captivating story with tremendous heart.” School Library Journal

 “Vickers offers insightful portrayals of the two main characters as well as the complex backstories that make up their family lives.” Booklist

 “The novel is honest about how difficult changes, internal and external, can be, but is ultimately reassuring: traditions, even beloved ones, are allowed to evolve.” The Horn Book

Author Elaine Vickers has generously donated a hardcover copy of Paper Chains (plus bookmarks!) to a MG Minded reader! For a chance to win, simply leave your name and email address in the comments below. A winner will be drawn at random.

Molly In The Middle ARC Giveaway

Middle grade author Ronni Arno’s MOLLY IN THE MIDDLE is a story about family changes, fitting in, and figuring out what’s more important—cementing your place with the “cool kids” at school or honoring a promise to a longtime friend. Here are my top five reasons to read this heartwarming middle grade:

 

 

1. Molly: She’s a loyal friend to Kellan, who faces a potential future in a wheelchair due to his muscular dystrophy. Molly can confide everything to Kellan, including details about her parents’ messy separation and her longing to stand out and feel less invisible.

2. Team Chocolate Chip Cookies: The name for Kellan’s Muscular Dystrophy Walk team, which includes best buddies Kellan and Molly, who train by walking, talking, and eating tons of cookies.

3. Rainbow-Colored Hair and Rainbow-Colored Converse: After her parents forget to take her to school and she misses the class field trip, Molly decides it’s time to finally take the spotlight.

4. A Country Club Birthday Bash Brunch: When Molly joins the popular crowd, she’s invited to an exclusive birthday brunch, complete with cinnamon-stuffed French toast, four-berry pancakes, eggs Benedict, breakfast burritos, vegetable frittata, quiche, apple pie waffles, and chocolate-banana smoothies.

5. Waterproof Mascara That Doesn’t Stand a Chance of Working: Molly discovers what we all know to be true: Even waterproof makeup smears when you realize you let down your very best friend.

For a chance to win an ARC of MOLLY IN THE MIDDLE, leave your email in the comments section below. A winner will be drawn at random.

Giveaway + Author Interview with Melissa Roske

I'm so excited to chat with Melissa Roske today, author of the new middle grade novel, Kat Greene Comes Clean. Melissa has worked as a journalist in Europe, an advice columnist for Just Seventeen magazine and she's even a certified life coach.

Thanks for stopping by, Melissa!!!

Kat deals with a lot of issues familiar to kids. What was your inspiration for Kat?

Like Kat’s mom, my dad has OCD. His compulsions are the opposite of Kat’s mom’s, though, because my dad is a hoarder who keeps everything. (I recently found a datebook in his apartment from 1973!) He’s also a checker, which means he must check the front-door locks, and the gas jets on the stove, multiple times a day. I too have obsessive-compulsive tendencies, including the need to have my window shades fixed at a certain level, but I wouldn’t say they impede my life. They’re just extremely distracting—to my family, and to myself.

Kat Greene Comes Clean releases on August 22nd!!! How are you going to celebrate?

On the actual day, my daughter, Chloe, and I will have a leisurely lunch and then visit as many bookstores as humanly possible—to gawk, and to sign books. A week later, I’m having a launch party at The Corner Bookstore, a wonderful little shop on Madison Avenue and 93rd Street. There will be an after party, too!

What advice do you have for young aspiring writers?

Don’t give up! Writing is hard work, and it’s likely you will encounter many stumbling blocks along the way—including crushing rejection. But rejection can be overcome. Giving up on a dream cannot.

Finish the sentence:

Kat is the perfect book for…Readers who like some funny with their serious.

You should have asked me…To demonstrate my archery skills. Surprisingly, it’s one of my hidden talents!

Thanks so much for stopping by, Melissa! I can't wait to buy my copy of Kat Greene Comes Clean!!!

To find out more about Melissa and Kat, visit Melissa online at: http://www.melissaroske.com/

Or follow her on Twitter: @MelissaRoske

Win a Copy of Kat Greene!!!

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