The Children's Book Review presents...Adventures of Little Yaga and Her Friends GIVEAWAY TOUR!

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!

Today, we're joining The Children's Book Review for a GIVEAWAY BLOG TOUR starring a young lady coming to terms with her human-ness, but discovering she is much stronger, and extraordinary than she at first perceived.  Ready to read all about it?  Then, let's get to it!  Today's title in the spotlight is on deck...

Adventures of Little Yaga and Her Friends

by

L.B. O’Milla

About the book...

Little Yaga is a teenage forest dweller. She is unhappy because, unlike other foresters, she cannot howl or roar, and both of her legs are human-like. There have been rumors that Scraggard the Immortal, a powerful and ruthless Ruler of The Forest, is not exactly immortal. He is sustained on the energy of humans.

When he lures Ashley, a human teenager, into The Forest, Little Yaga, feeling sorry for this weird creature, helps her escape. Infuriated, Scraggard sends Little Yaga and her best friend Kikimra to the human town to bring Ashley back. The forest girls, stunned by technological “miracles” of humans, believe them to be as powerful as the Immortal himself. Unwillingly, Little Yaga and Kikimra become instrumental in Scraggard’s pursuit to recapture Ashley. Distressed by her disappearance, Ashley’s boyfriend and her brother manage to sneak into The Forest. Combining their efforts with Little Yaga and her forest friends, the teenagers embark on a perilous journey to rescue Ashley and save The Forest from Scraggard’s malevolent reign. As Little Yaga discovers the secrets of her forest home and her own origins, she comes into contact with creatures and settings straight out of Russian fables and mythology.

AMAZON

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About the author...

L.B. O’Milla was born in Kiev, Ukraine, and loved to read and write from an early age. When she was 26 years old, she with her husband and daughter fled the country escaping the ethnic and religious persecution. She arrived to America as a refuge.

In the US, O’Milla graduated from NYU and worked as a physical therapist while raising her family, but she never gave up her love of writing. Having grown up in a family that exposed her to the arts, literature, and music, O’Milla enjoyed Russian folklore and its characters.  She studied and mastered English, so that her first book could be written in the language of her new country. O’Milla’s novel, Adventures of Little Yaga and Her Friends, mixes Russian folklore with the American tech that her own children love.

In her spare time, O’Milla enjoys reading, writing, attending Metropolitan Opera performances and off Broadway shows, spending time with friends and family, and participating in outdoor activities. She lives in New Jersey. Now widowed, her biggest supporters are her children and her sister. O’Milla is at work on a sequel containing more adventures of Little Yaga.

SITE  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  GOODREADS

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~~~ BE SURE TO CATCH ALL THE BLOG TOUR FUN ~~~

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com
9/9

Tales of A Wanna-Be SuperHero Mom
http://wannabesuperheromom.blogspot.ca/
9/10

LitPick Student Book Reviews
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9/12

icefairy's Treasure Chest
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9/13

jrsbookreviews
http://www.jrsbookreviews.wordpress.com
9/15

Denise Mealy
dccmealy.com
9/16

Word Spelunking
wordspelunking.blogspot.com
9/17

The Fairview Review
http://fveslibrary.blogspot.com/
9/18

The Lovely Books
http://thelovelybooksbookblog.blogspot.com 

9/27

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Special thanks to Bianca at The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this promotion to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, THIS TOUR, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now, so be on the lookout for it at a virtual retailer of your choosing.


BEFORE YOU GO...
DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

One (1) grand prize winner receives:

A copy of Adventures of Little Yaga and Her Friends, signed by L.B. O’Milla

AND

A $25 Visa gift card

Two (2) winners receive:

A copy of Adventures of Little Yaga and Her Friends, signed by L.B. O’Milla

**Giveaway begins September 9, 2017, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends October 9, 2017, at 11:59 P.M. MT. Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older.

Prizes provided by Mila Svetnikov.**

To enter, CLICK HERE to access the Rafflecopter form!



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

Baba Yaga's Assistant by Marika McCoola

 Hi there!

 Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

 

Today, we're shining the spotlight on a title fresh from the presses (okay, it released last month) and ready for your upcoming SPOOKY to read list.  It takes a folktale of old, gives it a good shake of here and now, and presents us with a final presentation that is appealing both word wise and visually.  Yes, my friends.  We're going where this reader doesn't go very often but in the Middle Grade variety of things...the Graphic Novel!  Ready, set, here it comes.  Today's book of choice is...

 

 

 

Baba Yaga's Assistant

by

Marika McCoola

Illustrated by

Emily Carroll

9780763669614

Candlewick Press

 

About the book...

Most children think twice before braving a haunted wood filled with terrifying beasties to match wits with a witch, but not Masha. Her beloved grandma taught her many things: that stories are useful, that magic is fickle, that nothing is too difficult or too dirty to clean. The fearsome witch of folklore needs an assistant, and Masha needs an adventure. She may be clever enough to enter Baba Yaga’s house-on-chicken-legs, but within its walls, deceit is the rule. To earn her place, Masha must pass a series of tests, outfox a territorial bear, and make dinner for her host. No easy task, with children on the menu!

 

 

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 I don't know about you but when this witch of old starts creeping her way into the conversation, I'm thinking HALLOWEEN!  I know, I know.  She's not just around at that time of year and it's children she's really after according to legend (Whew!  Positive side of being an adult!), but for me her epic creepiness goes hand in hand with pumpkins, scary stories, dark moonless nights, and creatures howling at the moon.  Just the way my mind works.  Anywho...

 

 

 

 

From the moment I opened the cover, I was already surprised. Well, truly I was prior to the opening because really, did you catch a glimpse of that cover?  Uber creepy!  But I digress...moving past the fab cover and into the story, I did not see that opening coming.  It spoke about family and togetherness with such a straight forward, realistic approach you don't normally find in MG lit.  Here, the girls are not fond of each other or the fact that they may become step-siblings and they let you know it, point blank.  The rivalry that ensues pushes Masha to seek out a life she's only imagined but what she in turn discovers is something far greater.  Lessons on the value of honesty, the importance of caring for others, and how much family truly means, are but a few of those found within...all learned while enjoying the visual feast provided by the illustrations.  (Still can't get over the house's appearance!)

 

All in all, this is one spooky read that combines a little of the old with a little of the new making it easier for today's youth to connect with.  It's great when a book can balance on the edutainment line without anyone truly being the wiser.  Hey, folklore and myths are a part of our histories.  There is always some kernel of truth to them, no matter how small.  Here the lessons learned (outside of how to outsmart Baba Yaga...though those are rather handy, just in case) are what will carry forward with you after book's end. 

 

 

 

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About the author...

 

 

Marika McCoola has an MA in writing for children from Simmons College and is a former children’s book buyer at an independent bookstore in Massachusetts. Baba Yaga’s Assistant marks her publishing debut. She lives in Massachusetts.

 

 

SITE   |   BLOG

 

 

 

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About the illustrator...

 

 

 

Emily Carroll is the author-illustrator of the acclaimed and best-selling graphic story collection Through the Woods, as well as numerous web comics. She lives in Stratford, Ontario.

 

SITE   |   TWITTER

 

 

 

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Special thanks to Raquel at Candlewick Press for the ARC for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the illustrator, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title was released August 2015, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing. 

 

Until next time...happy reading!