Hi guys!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
It's that time again. Time to celebrate another TUESDAY, and we all know what that means....RELEASE DAY! That's right. Time for another round of books to celebrate their birthday and today's post is shining the spotlight on one title in particular. It comes to us via Penguin Kids from an author we've grown familiar with in the Young Adult genre, that's all set to steal the hearts of Children's Fiction fans this time around. Thanks to Word Spelunking, I was able to get in on today's FABULOUS celebration to bring this title to the forefront. So, if you'd be so kind, clear a few moments of your day to take in the wonder that is today's BOOK BLITZ honoree...
by
9780399187193
Dutton Books for Young Readers
About the book...
Sometimes it takes a new friend to bring you home.
It’s the first real summer since the accident that killed Cedar’s father and younger brother, Ben. Cedar and what’s left of her family are returning to the town of Iron Creek for the summer. They’re just settling into their new house when a boy named Leo, dressed in costume, rides by on his bike. Intrigued, Cedar follows him to the renowned Summerlost theatre festival. Soon, she not only has a new friend in Leo and a job working concessions at the festival, she finds herself surrounded by mystery. The mystery of the tragic, too-short life of the Hollywood actress who haunts the halls of Summerlost. And the mystery of the strange gifts that keep appearing for Cedar.
Infused with emotion and rich with understanding, Summerlost is the touching new novel from Ally Condie, the international bestselling author of the Matched series that highlights the strength of family and personal resilience in the face of tragedy.
Infused with emotion and rich with understanding, Summerlost is the touching new novel from Ally Condie, the international bestselling author of the Matched series that highlights the strength of family and personal resilience in the face of tragedy.
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Sounds great, right?
Here's what others have had to say about it thus far...
A Spring 2016 Kids' Indie Next List Top 10 Pick!
Named one of Publishers Weekly’s Most Anticipated Children’s and YA Books of Spring 2016
“Condie (Matched) strikes a deep emotional chord with this coming-of-age story.” – Publishers
Weekly, starred review
“Multiple, seemingly random details, including a family of turkey vultures that now roost outside
Cedar’s window, an absurd soap opera narrative of a woman buried alive, and Leo’s quest for a trip with his father, coalesce into metaphors that help Cedar make sense of her grief and the life she now has to look forward to. Thoughtful, poetic chapter endings guide readers new to psychological depth toward meaningful connections between plot events and thematic reflections.” – BCCB
“A moving tale of friendship and loss. I loved these characters—I wish we could have been friends when I was a kid.” –Brandon Mull, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Five Kingdoms series
“Ally Condie’s first middle grade book might also be my favorite out of ALL her books to
date. Summerlost is a story packed with nostalgia, heart, and gorgeous prose.” – The Novel Novice
“A nuanced portrait of grief deeply grounded in the middle-school mind-set.” – Booklist
“Honest, lovely, and sad.” – Kirkus Reviews
“A sweet, heartfelt story.” – School Library Journal
“Achingly good.” – Summer Laurie, Books Inc.
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So, have we struck your fancy yet?
Are you convinced?
While you're contemplating your final ponderings, take a gander at this special letter from the author herself to all of you to commemorate the occasion. Take it away Ms. Condie!
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Dear Readers,
I think most of us have had our hearts broken. Sometimes we can see it coming, and sometimes it comes down with the unexpected force of a sudden gale of wind or a rising of waters that we thought were still and safe. Loss is universal to human experience, but the way we each feel and recover is one of the most personal things we do.
In Summerlost, Cedar is dealing with the loss of her father and younger brother. And my intent was to show how hard their deaths are for her. But this is also a book about the healing power of friendship.
Most of us have been broken-hearted; I hope that most of us have also discovered the miracle of friendships that were just what we needed. Cedar and Leo’s friendship is based on someone I met when I was twelve. Like Leo, my friend was fun and liked to enlist me in crazy adventures (although we never gave a secret guided tour of our town the way they do in Summerlost). And, like Leo, he thought I was wonderful and of worth at a time when I needed it most.
SUMMERLOST is my attempt to pay tribute both to the pain we feel and the friendships that save us. Thank you so much for supporting this book, and for your willingness to give Cedar’s story a try. I hope it makes you think of a wonderful friend of your own, whether that is someone you met in the pages of a favorite book or outside, in the world where it is often hard and beautiful to live.
Best wishes and happy reading always,
Ally Condie
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About the author...
Ally Condie is the author of the bestselling novel Atlantia and the critically acclaimed Matched trilogy, a #1 New York Times and international bestseller. The series has been published in more than 30 languages.
A former English teacher, Ally lives with her husband and four children outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. She loves reading, writing, running, and listening to her husband play guitar.
A former English teacher, Ally lives with her husband and four children outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. She loves reading, writing, running, and listening to her husband play guitar.
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Special thanks to Word Spelunking and Penguin Kids for the chance to bring this title to you. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, publisher, or those promotions on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title celebrates its BOOK BIRTHDAY TODAY via Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.
Until next time...happy reading!
This novel sounds captivating and thought provoking. When I read a novel that is meaningful, deep and emotional I am transported within the pages of the book and find it unforgettable and memorable as is this wonderful novel. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
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