Hi guys!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers, the place to be when Monday creeps up on you...we've got your back. *hi-YA!*
Today, we're giving the 1-2-punch to the start of the week (because that's how we roll) as we help kick off a blog tour with the fab team from Blue Slip Media. (Hi ladies!) The star of the show is a Children's Fiction title, Middle Grade specifically, that is going to require A LOT from its readers by way of imagination and belief. Belief in what you ask? Well, to put it simply, MAGIC....and fairies...or at least creatures claiming to be....well, more on that later. *ahem* But BEFORE we delve into that, let's meet the author behind the work, shall we? Her name is Mary G Thompson and I recently had the chance to pose any question to her that I might fancy. Well, my choice wasn't THAT remarkable, but it did give a look into how this work came to be and if I may be so bold, a glimpse of her inner child.
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Question:
Why did this genre (Middle Grade fiction) call to you?
ANSWER:
I originally started writing middle-grade books just
because the story I wanted to write happened to be about a kid. For some reason,
I find it easier to get into the mind of a child character than an adult. In
fact, I even find it hard to think of stories about adults. It’s as if I have
no idea what’s going on in the adult world despite allegedly having been one
for half my life.
I guess you could write an adult book about silly
self-aggrandizing fairies and magical rules and why hair actually is delicious.
But I have a terrible feeling that if an adult saw a fairy he or she would call
an exterminator. Not so with kids (and kids at heart)! We kids are open to the
idea that magical, fun things can happen. If a fairy popped up on my desk right
now and offered me a wish in exchange for some tiny little favor, I would
definitely agree. Yes, I know it’s usually a bad idea to take anybody who does
magic up on their offer, because they will always try to trick you—I wrote the
book on it! But I would still do it, because what if you said no and the fairy
just went away? That would be about as fun as actually being an adult.
Speaking of adults, part of the fun of writing this
book was having some laughs at their expense. In this world, adults can’t
understand anything anyone says about magic, so things the kids say get
translated into random, non-magical statements. Want to talk about how much
hair to feed your fairies tonight? Your parents will hear about your latest
school project! That gave me lots of giggles, since it’s exactly what I
remember experiencing as a kid and what I often still experience as a kid in
this mid-thirties disguise I wear. Parents just don’t get it, and they never
will. If I were to write a book about one of the parents, I would probably be
at a loss.
So there you have it. I write middle grade because I’m
actually still a kid, and I write humor because I like to laugh at the expense
of adults. Well, I actually just like to laugh. I’m all about childishness and
laughter, and I hope to stay that way until I’m disguised as an old hunchbacked
lady with gray hair!
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Can't say I don't understand THAT answer!
I mean, I'm technically an adult by age but I SO love a great Children's Fiction read or even Storybook! I believe it's all about imagination and the ability to rejoice in the impossible, the unknown, the "what if" no matter how absurd. How about you readers? Agree or not? Thoughts? Do tell!
Now....let's get back to the book. Today's featured book of choice and blog tour spotlight shines on....
by
9780547859033
Clarion
About the book....
Eighth-grader Ali is growing one hundred fairies so she can get her wish. All she has to do is feed their ravenous appetite for . . . hair? She mustn't let them near her own hair, or break any of the other rules. They are called evil fairies for a reason! A realistic setting plus fairies plus plenty of humor add up to an accessible fantasy that will enchant tween readers.
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My Thoughts From Cover to Finish
COVER: Loved! It was whimsical and eye catching. The color palette conveyed night time activities while the closeness of the characters let you in that there was a secret to share or be uncovered. Mad props!
TITLE: While I ADORE the font choice with its magical swirls and curious twists, I really wasn't a fan of the actual wording. I mean, it DOES state the simple fact we come to know in spades throughout the book, but it reminded me of an ill titled movie...Man on a Ledge that was not-so-ironically about a man...on a ledge. *-* Yeah. So, half win, half not exactly lose but a few steps shy of the full impact it could have held.
STORY: It boils down to children "growing" fairies in order to get a wish granted...but only if the next child grows a batch of fairies successfully as well and continues the circle without breaking the rules. Very clever of these little guys and gals. Though the instructions seem simple at first, think again....or rather READ again. You definitely learn the lesson of asking the right questions in order to get to the heart of the matter. Also, the fact that the adults couldn't comprehend anything that was magically occurring was HI-larious. Think Polar Express and the bell that could/couldn't be heard....except with a side-splitting twist!
CHARACTERS: I love how the author made the characters both likable and not....even the not so nice ones. She managed to show that there are many sides to people and that if we look a little closer, sometimes what's hiding underneath is SO much more than we could have imagined. Oh and that goes for ourselves as well....that whole look a little deeper bit, not a joke.
ENDING: Overall, there was magic and whimsy aplenty. There was an obsession with hair that was unnatural and gag inducing to a degree (sorry, even my mind can't make hair taste like gummy bears and roast beef). You gained the chance to revel with fairies while still walking away a little wiser about life and yourself. Was it an ACE for me personally? Hmm, not exactly...but I don't regret my time spent with Ali and her friends either. It was an adventure and the surprises and smiles it brought along the way were a welcome addition to my reading day...as I hope they will be to yours.
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Be sure to check out all the other stops along the way as this tour snakes through the blogosphere with reviews, guest posts, contests and much more! Curious where it's headed next? Your wish is my command....no hair donation required.
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Mon, Aug 11
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HERE! ^_^
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Tues, Aug 12
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The Book Monsters
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Wed, Aug 13
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The Children's Book Review
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Thurs, Aug 14
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Cracking the Cover
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Fri, Aug 15
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Read Now, Sleep Later
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Sat, Aug 16
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Beauty and the Bookshelf
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Mon Aug 18
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Word Spelunking
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Tues, Aug 19
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Flashlight Reader
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Wed, Aug 20
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The Compulsive Reader
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Thurs, Aug 21
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The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia
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Fri, Aug 22
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Small Review
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Mon, Aug 25
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The Hiding Spot
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Special thanks to
Barb and Sarah over at
Blue Slip Media for the chance to host this tour as well as the review copy to share my experience with all of you. (THANKS!) For more information on this promotion as well as those forthcoming, to find out what's up ahead for this author, or to discover the other titles in the publisher's catalog, feel free to click through the links contained within this post. All are user friendly. ^_^ This title is newly available via Clarion, an imprint of
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing. Just look for the book with the hairless "fairies" hanging about....you'll know you struck gold. OH! Before I forget, there's also an
activity kit and Reader's Theater script available on the author's site for a quick FREE download. Too cool, right? Right!
Until next time....happy reading!
