BRAVE IN THE WOODS Blog Tour and Giveaway

Read on to learn more about Tracy Holczer's latest book, Brave in the Woods. Use the Rafflecopter widget or link at the end of the post to enter to win a copy of the book and other goodies. Check back each weekday of the tour for a new post and/or a throwback post to a recent review of or article about the book.

by Tracy Holczer
Published by G.P. Putnam and Sons Books for Young Readers (February 9, 2021)
Fiction * Realistic Fiction * Family * Grief * Coming of Age
Audience: Middle Grade (Ages 10 and up)
IndieBound * WorldCat

About the book: Critically acclaimed Tracy Holczer returns with a heartrending tale about a girl descended from the Grimm brothers who sets out to break what she thinks is a family curse.

Twelve-year-old Juni is convinced her family is cursed. Long ago, her ancestors, the Grimm Brothers, offended a witch who cursed them and their descendants to suffer through their beloved fairy tales over and over again–to be at the mercy of extreme luck, both good and bad. Juni fears any good luck allotted to her family she used up just by being born, so when she wakes up in the middle of the night with the horrible feeling like antlers are growing from her head, she knows something is wrong. The next day she learns her older brother Connor has gone missing during his tour in Afghanistan.

Her family begins grieving his loss in their own ways but Juni can’t help but believe that his disappearance means the family curse has struck again. Juni is convinced the only way to bring her brother home is to break the family curse and so she sets out on a quest to do just that.

From Charlotte Huck honoree Tracy Holczer comes a stunning new novel about the power of stories, the enormity of grief, and the brilliancy of hope.

My thoughts on the book:
I am excited to be kicking off the Blog Tour for Tracy Holczer’s book BRAVE IN THE WOODS. It has been a lot of fun planning out some of the posts with Alethea (Read Now Sleep Later) and Thuy (Nite Lite Book Reviews) including a playlist of the songs mentioned in the books and keeping track of the food that was mentioned throughout the story. As we discussed ideas, I realized that I have missed being able to create activities for students that bring books to life. Hopefully, when we return to more of a normal school routine, I will be able to share this book with students in person and experience the book on a whole new level.

In her latest book, Holzcer deals with the impact of war and grief has on various members of a family but also weaves in the various journeys each member must take on their own. I loved Juni (the main character) and her relationship with her grandmother, Anya. How themes of fairy tales and life stories reveal the normal hopes, fears, dreams, and relationships that children and adults must face.

In honor of the book Alethea and Thuy enjoyed a socially distanced meal outdoors and capped it off with peach cobbler. You will have to read the book to understand the connection. If you are looking for the recipe, I used the Peach Cobbler recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond on the Food Network Website.

Look for a copy of BRAVE IN THE WOODS at your local indie bookstore or community library. And don’t forget to check out the other reviews and posts that will be happening this week and next.

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Mon May 17 - Kid Lit Frenzy

Tue May 18 - Instagram post by @the_readers_antidote
Throwback Post: Unleashing Readers - Review and Discussion Questions

Wed May 19 - Librarian’s Quest

Thu May 20 - Instagram post by @pasadenalovesya
Throwback Post: Teach Mentor Texts - Writing with Brave in the Woods

Fri May 21 - Read Now Sleep Later

Mon May 24 Throwback Post: Mrs. Knott’s Book Nook

Tue May 25 - Nite Lite Book Reviews

Wed May 26 - Instagram post by @readnowsleeplater
Throwback Post: ReadWonder - Review and Reflections

Thu May 27 - The Windy Pages - Interview with Tracy Holczer

Fri May 28 - Instagram post by @jeninthebookstore
Throwback Post: Nerdy Book Club - Guest post “On Found Objects, Creativity and Beginnings by Tracy Holczer

Giveaway Rules:

The giveaway is open to the US only, except where prohibited by law. The giveaway starts at 12:00 AM Pacific on 05/17/2021, and ends at 12:00 AM Pacific on 06/05/2021. By entering you are agreeing to all the rules.

The winners may not provide a PO Box as a mailing address.

 One (1) winner will be chosen on 06/05/2021 to receive 1 copy of Brave in the Woods by Tracy Holczer and a $25 gift card for Once Upon a Time Bookstore in Montrose, CA. One (1) winner will be chosen on 06/05/2021 to receive 1 copy of Brave in the Woods by Tracy Holczer and a mystery gift pack. One (1) educator winner will be chosen to receive 2 copies of the book (must complete a special entry “Thanks, teachers and librarians!” on the Rafflecopter).

We (the blog tour hosts) are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items. 

One set of entries per household, please. 

If you are under 13, please get a parent or guardian’s permission to enter, as you will be sharing personal info such as an email address. 

Winner will be chosen randomly via Rafflecopter widget.

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email with their shipping address, otherwise we will pick a new winner.

If you have any questions, feel free to email us at readnowsleeplater@gmail.com.

PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ANY PERSONAL INFO IN THE COMMENTS. Sorry for the CAPS, but we always get people leaving their email in the comments.

Blog Tour: Short & Sweet (Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast #4) by Josh Funk

Short & Sweet
by Josh Funk, Illustrated by Brendan Kearney
Sterling Children’s Books (September 1, 2020)
Fiction * Action & Adventure * Food
Audience: Ages 4 to 8
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:
Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are back with a twist: they’ve been transformed into small children. Now it’s a race against the clock to turn our favorite duo into grown-ups again!

Lady Pancake is aching; Sir French Toast’s looking pale. Could they be going . . . STALE? Maybe a visit to Professor Biscotti’s lab for her despoiling procedure will help. But instead of beautifying them, Biscotti accidentally transforms the two treats into toddlers! Frightened of the now gargantuan (to them) Baron von Waffle, the mini breakfast foods scamper off on an adventure in the fridge, visiting everywhere from the Bran Canyon to Limes Square. Will Baron von Waffle and Professor Biscotti figure out a way to turn them back into a grown Lady and Sir? Or will they stay short & sweet forever?

In this fourth LADY PANCAKE & SIR FRENCH TOAST adventure, Pancake and Toast fear they are going stale and visit Professor Biscotti, whose faulty gadget transforms them into toddlers, sending them on an adventure in the refrigerator.

Check out the official book trailer for Short & Sweet:

Quick thoughts on the book:
Our friends, Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, are back for the newest adventure. This time, in an attempt to “freshen up” they get a bit of a makeover that turns them back to their mini-child versions. In their mini size, the pair runs from the scary and large Baron Von Waffle. How will Professor Biscotti find a way to return them to their normal Size?

Whereas the book plays with words, imagery, and rhythm, the emotions and friendship are also crucial to the story.

Brendan Kearney’s illustrations are playful and a perfect match for Josh Funk’s imagination and storytelling. It’s a perfect partnership that continues to grow as the series grows.

Finally, I am jealous of Josh Funk’s imagination. I wonder if he goes out to a restaurant and begins planning out a scene for his book from the items on the menu? Does his family dread when he begins to clean out the refrigerator or freezer because it may inspire a new book? Or does he just sit with a pad of paper and jot down ideas for his books? I like to think it comes from daily interactions with food.

Though I might not have Josh’s imagination, his books inspire thoughts of creating a pancake or french toast board for when we can have social gatherings again.

Click on photo to go to article.

What would be your favorite food options from Short & Sweet? Click on the image above to go to an article on pancake boards that may inspire your imagination.

Don’t miss the other titles about Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast:

About the author: Josh Funk is the author of Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, followed by its sequels The Case of the Stinky Stench and Mission Defrostable, as well as Albie Newton, How to Code a Sandcastle, Lost in the Library, and more. He lives in Concord, MA. Visit him online at joshfunkbooks.com or on Twitter at @joshfunkbooks.

About the illustrator: Brendan Kearney is also the illustrator of the first Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast; its sequels The Case of the Stinky Stench and Mission Defrostable; and Bertie Wings It. He lives in St. Albans, UK.

To check out all of the stops on the blog tour:

Blog Tour: Thanks to Frances Perkins Fighter for Workers' Rights

Thanks to Frances Perkins: Fighter to Workers’ Rights
by Deborah Hopkinson, Illustrated by Kristy Caldwell
Peachtree Publishers (August 1, 2020)
Nonfiction * Biography * Social Activism
Audience: Grades 2nd to 5th
Teacher’s Guide

Description from GoodReads: How many years will it be until you turn sixty-two? What year will that be? Once you've read Thanks to Frances Perkins, you'll know why these are important questions--and why you may want to thank Frances Perkins.

After Frances Perkins witnessed the Triangle Waist Factory fire in 1911, she was forever changed. While some activists pressed factory owners for change, Frances decided to work to bring about new laws that would force employers to treat people better and make workplaces safer. When she became Secretary of Labor in Franklin Delano Roosevelt's administration--the first woman cabinet member--Frances had the opportunity to make real her bold vision of a country where no one was left out. As a result of the Social Security program that she created, we have built a society where we help one another.

Deborah Hopkinson's energetic text and Kristy Caldwell's appealing illustrations introduce readers to a fascinating woman who has changed many American lives. Back matter features more information about Frances Perkins, Social Security, and resources for economic education.

Official Book Trailer:

Thoughts about the book:

Seldom do I find a review of a book write itself while I am reading the book; however, as I read THANKS TO FRANCES PERKINS: FIGHTER FOR WORKERS’ RIGHTS by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by Kristy Caldwell, I kept finding phrases of my review popping into my head. Along with thoughts about my review. I realized that I was also a bit annoyed that in so many history classes in school Perkins is never mentioned. As I learned about the Great Depression and FDR and the New Deal, never was Perkins acknowledged or credited for her work in making it actually happen.

As I read THANKS TO FRANCES PERKINS, I felt she would be horrified by the current administration’s attempts to undo her work on Social Security and also on the rights of workers. I imagined her spirit rising up and filling women like Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-California). I can easily see these two women from very different times but with the same passion challenging inequities and oppressors being good friends.

I also wondered about what it would be like to be able to cross paths with Perkins and her contemporaries like Jane Addams, Ruth Schneiderman, Clara Lemlich and others. And though I imagine she had many conversations with President Roosevelt, I would have been interested in being a fly on the wall of her conversations with Eleanor Roosevelt.

Though I am envious of all of the amazing things Perkins did, I suspect that she also faced some serious misogyny. I wonder how she handled mansplaining and how many probably didn’t believe a woman should be on the president’s cabinet.

One idea I plan on stealing from Perkins is her habit of scribbling down ideas on small pieces of paper for how to make things better. Yet, I think I will put them in a clear jar so I don’t lose sight of them and make sure I hear their call.

Consider pairing this book with these other titles:

The Only Woman in the Photo: Frances Perkins and Her New Deal for America by Kathleen Krull, Illustrated by Alexandra Bye (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2020)

Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel, Illustrated by Melissa Sweet (Balzer & Bray, 2013)

Dangerous Jane: The Life and Times of Jane Addams, Crusader for Peace by Suzanne Slade, Illustrated by Alice Ratterree (Peachtree Publishers, 2017)

Other Blog Tour stops:
August 10: The Tiny Activist
August 11: Raise Them Righteous
August 12: Kidlit Frenzy (you’re here)
August 13: Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
August 14: Nerdy Book Club

About the author: Deborah Hopkinson grew up in Lowell, Massachusetts, where the Lowell mill girls led some of the nation’s first organized efforts to improve the lives of ordinary working people. She is the award-winning author of nonfiction and historical fiction for young readers, including Carter Reads the Newspaper, Sweet Land of Liberty, and Keep On! The Story of Matthew Henson, Co-discoverer of the North Pole. She lives in Oregon. www.deborahhopkinson.com

About the illustrator: Kristy Caldwell has illustrated several books for kids, including Flowers for Sarajevo and Away with Words: The Daring Story of Isabella Bird. She lives in New York with her partner, theater director Kelly O’Donnell, and often passes by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory site. Kristy has a lot of years until she receives her first Social Security check but when she does, she will definitely thank Frances. www.kristycaldwell.com

Poetry Friday: WHOO-KU HAIKU Review & Giveaway

WHOO-KU HAIKU: A GREAT HORNED OWL STORY
by Maria Gianferrari, Illustrated by Jonathan Voss
Putnam/G.P. Putnam & Sons, March 3, 2020
Audience: PreK to 3rd Grade
Nonfiction * Nature * Owls
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:
Pip. Pip. Pip. Poking
A hole. Cracking. Cracking. Out
Pecks the white owlet.

Watch as a pair of great horned owlets peep and squeak in their feathered nest. Mama and Papa hunt for food and fend off predators while the chicks grow strong enough to hop and flap between the branches of their tree, then leap and fly away, ready to explore the wild world around them.

In this thrilling nonfiction picture book, a combination of haiku and dazzling illustration shows readers the fierce majesty of one of North America's most ubiquitous wild animals.

Quick thoughts on the book:
Owls and elephants are two creatures that I find fascinating. Though there are many elephant books that I love, I don’t think I have as many books about owls that touch me in the same way. After reading WHOO-KU HAIKU: A GREAT HORNED OWL STORY, I had to start reading it again and re-reading particular parts of the book. This was a new favorite.

In WHOO-KU HAIKU: A GREAT HORNED OWL STORY, Maria Gianferrari celebrates a pair of Great Horned Owls and their chicks.

Gianferrari’s beautiful text in haiku provides the right emotional tenor to the story of this family and the very real challenges of protecting the chicks as they grow.

Jonathan Voss’s beautifully vivid illustrations pairs powerfully with the story. The illustration of the mother owl with her owlets is probably my favorite in the book.

Throughout the book, readers are taken on an emotional rollercoaster as the young family faces the real dangers posed by natural predators eager to steal away one of the chicks for their own dinner.

The back matter at the end of the book includes facts about Great Horned Owls and additional resources.

Video resources - I looked for several videos that would be complimentary to the book, especially if you wanted to share them with students. Here is what I found:

All About Owls for Kids:

The Story of an Orphaned Great Horned Owl:

Mother Owl feeding her babies.

Great Horned Owl Nest Cam:

For more facts and resources about the Great Horned Owls:
National Geographic Kids - Great Horned Owl
San Diego Zoo - Great Horned Owl

Look for this book at your local indie bookstore or community library.

About the author:
WHOO’s Maria Gianferrari? She’s a self-proclaimed bird nerd with a special fondness for raptors. Her love affair with birds began in 7th grade science class when her teacher, Mr. Lefebvre, initiated a bird count. While walking in her neighborhood, Maria’s always on the look-out for all kinds of birds, and she loves searching winter tree tops for nests in her northern Virginia neighborhood where she lives with her German-scientist husband and German speaking daughter. This is her first book with GP Putnam’s Sons. She’s also the author of another bird book, Hawk Rising. To learn more about Maria, please visit her website: mariagianferrari.com.

Here is a chance to win a copy of WHOO-KU HAIKU by Maria Gianferrari…

Book Review and Giveaway: WE ARE (NOT) FRIENDS

We Are (Not) Friends
by Anna Kang, Illustrated by Christopher Weyant
Two Lions (May 1, 2019)
Fiction * Friendship * Social Themes
Audience: Ages 4 to 7 years
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: Two fuzzy friends are having a fun playdate when a new pal hops in. As the day continues, each friend feels left out at times. It isn’t so easy to figure out how to act when everything seems to change. With humor and heart, the beloved characters from Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small navigate a friendship triangle as only they can.

Quick thoughts on this book:
Back in October, I was luck enough to be able to do a cover reveal for WE ARE (NOT) FRIENDS. I am excited that soon everyone will get a chance to read this wonderful new book from Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant.

Our favorite furry friends are back. This time they have a new friend, but just like all new relationships there can be growing pains. Sometimes a little jealousy and some frustration and feelings of being left out. Kang and Weyant are masters are capturing the feelings of young children and doing it in a manner that rings true.

As a teacher of preschool and primary age students, I was always surprised at how young children were when they began claiming other children as “their friend” (not yours) and leaving out other peers. Yet, it is important to help children learn how to navigate those relationships and to find out how they can functioning as a group of friends instead of a pair of friends.

Fans of the series will love this new book. It will be a hit as a read aloud and one that will be requested for multiple reads.

Look for a copy of WE ARE (NOT) FRIENDS at your local bookstore or public library.

About the creators:
Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant are the creators of Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small as well as series titles That’s (Not) Mine, I Am (Not) Scared, and We Are (Not) Friends. They also wrote and illustrated Eraser, which was recently honored with The Christopher Award, Can I Tell You a Secret?, and Will You Help Me Fall Asleep? Christopher’s work can also be seen in The New Yorker, and his cartoons are syndicated worldwide. This husband-and-wife team lives in New Jersey with their two daughters and their rescue dog. Visit them at www.annakang.com and www.christopherweyant.com.
Twitter: @annakang27 @chrisweyant05
Instagram: annakangbooks; christopherweyant Facebook: Anna Kang - Author; Christopher Weyant

Enter the Giveaway:
One lucky winner will receive a copy of We Are (Not) Friends, courtesy of Two Lions (U.S. addresses).