Rockstar Book Tours presents... WHEN THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN by K. Ibura - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the WHEN THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN by K. Ibura Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my review post below, make sure to enter the giveaway, and visit the other sites participating in this tour!

Title: WHEN THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN

Author: K. Ibura

Pub. Date: February 1, 2022

Publisher:  Scholastic Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 288

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

What do you do when the world shuts down? A heartwarming story of friendship and overcoming adversity in a time of COVID, When the World Turns Upside Down is about community, giving back, and understanding the world around us through the power of generosity from debut middle grade author K. Ibura.

Nobody expected a tiny little virus to change the whole world in such a big way, especially not Shayla, Liam, Ai, and Ben. But when school closes to keep everyone safe, their lives turn upside down. It is one thing to learn that the outside world isn’t safe, but why does it seem that the virus is causing trouble inside their homes too?

As they each struggle to adjust to life in quarantine, they discover they are not alone: their apartment building is full of people who need their help. Working together, they begin to see that there is power in numbers. When they cooperate, they can ease each other’s challenges and help their neighbors through tough times. It’s a lesson they’ll need when protests explode in the streets. Soon, each friend has to decide what it means to be part of a community—and how much they’re willing to do to make this world safer for everyone.

Set against the onset of COVID, When the World Turned Upside Down navigates issues of race and social justice in a heartwarming story of generosity, friendship, and the power of youth.

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Reviews:

“When The World Turned Upside Down is as clear-eyed as it is engaging, as timely as it is timeless. I fell in love with every single student in this book. And days after reading it, each of them remains with me.” ― Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award-winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming“

A beautifully written story that will inspire young readers to work for positive change even in times of turmoil and stress. This book reminds readers that all of us can make an impact and find ways to shine bright.” ―Angela Cervantes, author of Pura Belpré Honor Book Lety Out Loud"

A hope-filled book dealing with the struggles children face in extraordinary times, K. Ibura has crafted a story perfect for young readers looking to make sense of current events. Timely and important." – Adrianna Cuevas, author of Pura Belpré Honor Book The Total Eclipse of Nestor López and Cuba In My Pocket

"A heartwarming call to action." -- Kirkus Reviews

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This was a story that I wasn't prepared for.  It was a story that I thought was going to center on what happens when the world shuts down thanks to a virus gone haywire...and while yes, it has that element aplenty, it has a much bigger scope, and a much wiser message to impart.

The kids at the heart of this story are dealing with a changing world...a world turned upside down, if you will, but in more ways than one.  The pandemic has them attending school online, but there restlessness and desire to connect has them finding new ways to reach out to each other and to those around them.  It was heartwarming to see their friendships rebuilt, and not in an instant.  It was empowering to watch as their ideas took shape, and they themselves took action, to help others in their building from the tall to the small...and furry.  Yes, there were risks, but they prepared for them the best way they knew how, while still extending that hand of assistance.  

The part I wasn't prepared for was the frankness with which serious topics were discussed AND explored.  The reality of what the pandemic could do was brought home, as was the toll that the isolation and imposed togetherness could take on relationships.  Then we have the "surprise" topics I didn't see coming...racism, inequality, oppression, in not only history, but today's world.  We see the news topics come to life right on the page; from the lives unjustly lost to the gatherings turned violent that imparted messages not of peaceful living, but destruction.  It showed in all its raw emotion how mixed up and tangled our world truly is...but also that a brighter tomorrow isn't just a dream.  It's something to reach for, actively, in our daily lives because the only way to get there is one person, one day, one moment at a time.  

So yes, this was a story about friendship, growing up, and the unexpected things life can throw at us, but it was also a message asking readers of all ages to stand up for their fellow "man".  It reminds us not to be simply a bystander, but a voice for those that need one.  The kids had something with the pledge box they created.  How will YOU help be the change you want to see in the world today?

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About the author...

K. IBURA is an essayist, science fiction and fantasy short story writer, and painter from New Orleans, Louisiana. The middle child of five in a family of human rights activists, she grew up in a hardscrabble neighborhood with oak and fig trees, locusts and mosquitoes, cousins and neighbors. Her short story collection Ancient, Ancient won the James Tiptree, Jr. Award for 2012. Ibura’s debut YA novel will be coming out with Alloy and Harper Teen in spring 2022.

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

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YOUR CHANCE TO WIN...

1 of 3 finished copies of WHEN THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN by K. Ibura!

(US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Special thanks to the Rockstar Book Tours team for the chance to bring this tour to you and to Scholastic Press for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is set to celebrate its book birthday February 1st, 2022, so mark your calendar or pre order your copy today!  For more bookish fun and insights, be sure to check out the rest of the tour going on now...

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/17/2022	YA Books Central	Excerpt
1/17/2022	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt
1/18/2022	For the Love of KidLit	Excerpt
1/18/2022	The Reading Wordsmith	Review
1/19/2022	Bibliosini	Review
1/19/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
1/20/2022	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review
1/20/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
1/21/2022	Books Are Magic Too	Review
1/21/2022	Pick a good book	Review

Week Two:

1/24/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
1/24/2022	Not In Jersey	Review
1/25/2022	Hauntedbybooks	Review
1/25/2022	The Book Review Crew	Review
1/26/2022	The Momma Spot	Review
1/26/2022	Bookhounds YA	Review
1/27/2022	Lifestyle of Me	Review
1/27/2022	Perusewithcoffee	Review
1/28/2022	PopTheButterfly Reads	Review
1/28/2022	Cindy's Love of Books	Review

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!