Celebrate National Make a Friend Day with... THE PRINCESS PROTECTION PROGRAM by Alex London - REVIEW!

Today is National Make a Friend Day, and while it might be a lesser celebrated holiday, there is no denying that a good friend can make a world of difference in our lives... even if you happen to be a princess.  Ladies and gents, if you're a fan of fairytales, or fairytale redos, this is one story your don't want to miss! Allow me to introduce, today's book of choice...

The Princess Protection Program

By 

Alex London

9780063303874

Greenwillow Books

About the book...

Every fairy tale ends with its characters living happily ever after, right? A valiant prince quests long and hard to reach the castle where the sleeping princess lies. And with a kiss, he awakens her.

But what if the princess does not think a kiss from a stranger is a very pleasant way to wake up? Yuck!

When Rosamund flees her prince, a Door of Opportunity opens, and she steps through it to the Home Educational Academy (the HEA for short). Rosamund has found the Princess Protection Program, where fugitive fairy-tale princesses escape unwanted affections, untimely ends, and all the other perils of their stories.

But the longer Rosamund lives in the real world, the more questions she has. Does anyone ever graduate from the HEA? Why doesn’t anyone seem to remember the former students? Is the kindly fairy headmistress all she appears to be? Is anyone? And the most important question of all: Can Rosamund change her story?

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Once upon a time, there lived a girl who wanted to escape the story she was a prisoner of... even if she didn't quite know it.

This tale doesn't deal with just ONE fairytale princess, but several, though Rosamund (or formerly Sleeping Beauty) is the new addition to the group. It puts a new spin on the classic we all know... how would you feel about being awoken by a kiss 💋 from a total stranger that's promising to love and cherish you forever, despite not knowing you, and is pretty much racing to the altar? 😳 Hmm... all notions of romance aside, it sounds like just the right moment for a Door of Opportunity to open, leading you to somewhere else, anywhere else where you might explore what your own chosen future holds! Curious? Oh, you don't even know the half of it...

That's the thing about this story! It explores things you may not have considered when it comes to fairytale tales, and happily-ever-afters, and gives us a fun, if at times dangerous, adventure to see just what happens when we take control of our own stories...a great lesson for the princesses, but also readers. There's no singular way that our stories have to unfold; making it our own is the beauty of choice, love, and life. It's empowering in its messages, giving us strong female characters (and a few male characters too!) that have to think, consider, and puzzle through things that may be bigger than they ever thought possible, but with the help of their new addition, they stand a chance of avoiding the onceupona's at the gate and owning their stories once and for all. 

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About the author...

Alex London is the acclaimed author of more than thirty books for children and teens. His middle grade novels include The Princess Protection Program, Search & Rescue, Dog Tags, and two titles in the 39 Clues series. For young adults, he’s the author of the cyberpunk duology Proxy and the epic fantasy series Black Wings Beating, which were both named to numerous best-of-the-year lists. He has been a journalist and human-rights researcher reporting from conflict zones and refugee camps, a young adult librarian with the New York Public Library, and a snorkel salesman. He lives with his husband, daughter, and hound dog in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

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Special thanks to the dream team at Blue Slip Media for the chance to bring this title to you and to Greenwillow Books for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title celebrates its BOOK BIRTHDAY Tuesday, February 13th, 2024, so mark your calendar or preorder your copy today!

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

TCBR AWARENESS TOUR: The Wolf's Curse by Jessica Vitalis - SPOTLIGHT + GIVEAWAY!

HI guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're shining the BOOK SPOTLIGHT on a title currently touring with The Children's Book Review, available now via Greenwillow Books!  It's a Children's Fiction novel about a curse, a boy, and a quest for redemption.  Sound like your cup of tea?  MINE TOO!  Sadly, it'll have to wait on my MUST LIST for a bit with my current reading schedule, but that doesn't mean that YOU can't check it out in the mean time, right?!  RIGHT!  So, ready, set, here we go!  Today's blog tour guest and title in the spotlight is...

The Wolf's Curse

by

Jessica Vitalis

9780063067417

Greenwillow Books

About the book...

Twelve-year-old Gauge’s life has been cursed since the day he witnessed an invisible Great White Wolf steal his grandpapá’s soul, preventing it from reaching the Sea-in-the-Sky and sailing into eternity. When the superstitious residents of Bouge-by-the-Sea accuse the boy of crying wolf, he joins forces with another orphan to prove his innocence. They navigate their shared grief in a journey that ultimately reveals life-changing truths about the wolf—and death. Narrated in a voice reminiscent of The Book Thief, this fast-paced adventure is perfect for fans of fantasy such as The Girl Who Drank the Moon and A Wish in the Dark.

AMAZON  |  BOOKSHOP  |  HARPERCOLLINS

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About the author...

Jessica Vitalis is a full-time writer with a previous career in business and an MBA from Columbia Business School. An American ex-pat, she now lives in Canada with her husband and two daughters.

For more information, visit jessicavitalis.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Enter for a chance to win a hardcover copy of The Wolf's Curse!

Five (5) winners receive:

A hardcover copy of The Wolf’s Curse

The giveaway begins September 21, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends October 21, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

The Wolf's Curse Giveaway

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special thanks to The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this tour to you! (THANKS!) For more information on this author, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links above. Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!

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

TCBR AWARENESS TOUR: Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

With the year marching on, the bookish fun does too!  This week is actually one of two this year that we celebrate Children's Book Week, and I'm happy to day that I have a few fun posts that will feature Children's Fiction titles to help keep the fun rolling right along.  To usher it all in though, we've got a stop along The Children's Book Review tour starring the latest release from author Erin Entrada Kelly, out now via Greenwillow Books.  It speaks to younger readers of the Children's Fiction genre about BIG things like facing our fears, accepting ourselves, and allowing others in...all in such a way that you can't help but smile come book's end.  Ready or not, here comes today's title in the spotlight and book of choice...

Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey

by

Erin Entrada Kelly

9780062970428

Greenwillow Books

About the book...

Introducing eight-year-old Marisol Rainey—an irresistible new character from Newbery Medalist and New York Times–bestselling Erin Entrada Kelly!

Marisol Rainey’s mother was born in the Philippines. Marisol’s father works and lives part-time on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. And Marisol, who has a big imagination and likes to name inanimate objects, has a tree in her backyard she calls Peppina . . . but she’s way too scared to climb it. This all makes Marisol the only girl in her small Louisiana town with a mother who was born elsewhere and a father who lives elsewhere (most of the time)—the only girl who’s fearful of adventure and fun.

Will Marisol be able to salvage her summer and have fun with Jada, her best friend? Maybe. Will Marisol figure out how to get annoying Evie Smythe to leave her alone? Maybe. Will Marisol ever get to spend enough real time with her father? Maybe. Will Marisol find the courage to climb Peppina? Maybe. 

Told in short chapters with illustrations by the author on nearly every page, Maybe, Maybe Marisol Rainey is a must-have for early elementary grade readers. Erin Entrada Kelly celebrates the small but mighty Marisol, the joys of friendship, and the triumph of overcoming your fears in this stunning new novel for readers of Kevin Henkes, Meg Medina, Andrew Clements, Sara Pennypacker, and Kate DiCamillo.

AMAZON  |  BOOKSHOP

🌳   🐦   🌳   🐦   🌳   🐦   🌳

Marisol is a girl after my own heart.

I was her as a child, and still am to some extent, because there were things that the other kids would do that seemed so easy, so mundane, so every day ordinary...that I simply could not bring myself to do them.  It wasn't about ability most of the time, it was about the big "F" word...

FEAR.

Fear of a thing, whether it be a situation, task, person, or object, doesn't just go away and it's not something that has to be justified.  It simply IS for that person, and THAT'S OKAY.  Facing that fear, whether you overcome it or simply learn to manage it, is what really matters.  Knowing that you don't have to be alone with that fear and that there are others that will understand or even know exactly what you're going through is what counts. Marisol is lucky enough to have a best friend, and family that even though she doesn't admit her fear in the beginning...they get it because they get her, and they love her for being her....fear and all!  Seeing her embrace that sense of self, make a decision to try to challenge it, and own her steps along the way was empowering...and I think young readers will get that as well.  We don't have to take on the world for something to feel JUST LIKE THAT...but when we do and we come out on top, it feels like then you truly can fly.

Much thanks to the author for bringing Marisol's story to life, making us feel all the feels, the highs and lows...just as life brings them to us every day.  It makes the story that much more relatable, and the characters that much more endearing.

🌳   🐦   🌳   🐦   🌳   🐦   🌳

About the author...

New York Times–bestselling author Erin Entrada Kelly was awarded the Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe and a Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space. She grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and now lives in Delaware. She is a professor of children’s literature in the graduate fiction and publishing programs at Rosemont College, where she earned her MFA, and is on the faculty at Hamline University. Her short fiction has been nominated for the Philippines Free Press Literary Award for Short Fiction and the Pushcart Prize. Erin Entrada Kelly’s debut novel, Blackbird Fly, was a Kirkus Best Book, a School Library Journal Best Book, an ALSC Notable Book, and an Asian/Pacific American Literature Honor Book. She is also the author of The Land of Forgotten Girls, winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature; You Go First, a Spring 2018 Indie Next Pick; Lalani of the Distant Sea, an Indie Next Pick; and Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey, which she also illustrated. The author’s mother was the first in her family to immigrate to the United States from the Philippines, and she now lives in Cebu.

🌳   🐦   🌳   🐦   🌳   🐦   🌳

Enter for a chance to win a hardcover copy of Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey!

Ten (10) winners receive:

A hardcover copy of Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey

The giveaway begins April 26, 2021, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends May 26, 2021, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

🌳   🐦   🌳   🐦   🌳   🐦   🌳

Special thanks to Bianca at The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the publisher for the ecopy 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. Be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour for more bookish fun!

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

The Children's Book Review presents... A WHALE OF THE WILD by Rosanne Parry - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

 Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're teamed up with The Children's Book Review for a stop along their current Awareness Tour featuring a NEW RELEASE via Greenwillow Books.  It's a work of Children's Fiction that takes us out of ourselves into the lives and minds of a pod of orcas as they navigate life, loss, and climate change.  Think you know what global warming, pollution, and the like does to the environment?  Try this viewpoint on to size.  Ladies and gents, allow me to introduce today's featured title in the spotlight...

A Whale of the Wild

by

Rosanne Parry

Greenwillow Books

9780062995926

Release Date:  09/01/20

About the book...

In the stand-alone companion to the New York Times–bestselling 'A Wolf Called Wander', a young orca whale must lead her brother on a tumultuous journey to be reunited with their pod. This gorgeously illustrated animal adventure novel explores family bonds, survival, global warming, and a changing seascape. Includes information about orcas and their habitats.

For Vega and her family, salmon is life. And Vega is learning to be a salmon finder, preparing for the day when she will be her family’s matriarch. But then she and her brother Deneb are separated from their pod when a devastating earthquake and tsunami render the seascape unrecognizable. Vega must use every skill she has to lead her brother back to their family. The young orcas face a shark attack, hunger, the deep ocean, and polluted waters on their journey. Will Vega become the leader she’s destined to be?

A Whale of the Wild weaves a heart-stopping tale of survival with impeccable research on a delicate ecosystem and threats to marine life. New York Times-bestselling author Rosanne Parry’s fluid writing and Lindsay Moore’s stunning artwork bring the Salish Sea and its inhabitants to vivid life. An excellent read-aloud and read-alone, this companion to A Wolf Called Wander will captivate fans of The One and Only Ivan and Pax.

Includes black-and-white illustrations throughout, a map, and extensive back matter about orcas and their habitats.

AMAZON  |  AUDIBLE  |  BOOKSHOP.ORG

I was SO surprised by this story.  This was my first exposure to the author and honestly, when I first read about the story, I thought...a story through the eyes of a whale, how interesting!  That first impression did nothing to prepare me for the struggles, the triumphs, the worries, the journeys, the heartache, and the wisdom within.

You don't simply play the part of a watcher in this story; as things unfold, you are every bit a part of it.  From the moment you meet Vega and Denab, Mother and Greatmother, Uncle and cousins and the whole family pod, you are a part of the group...for better or worse.  I say this because there are things to celebrate...the chance of new life, the hope for tomorrow, and the love of family, whether they be blood or "strangers"...but there are also many realities that hit me rather hard.  The loss of a family member, the great quake, the separation, the struggle to survive even when you're not the normally hunted animal of the sea...and then seeing both the positive and negative ways man can impact their habitat.  I really liked how the author wove that balance into the story.  It was never one or the other was clearly the bad guy, but rather there were those among them that were working for the greater good, trying to find that equilibrium between their world and ours because ultimately in the end, they are in fact one and the same.

So, if you're looking for a story that packs a punch, a tale that doesn't shy from the realities that animals and humans face every day, and reminds us to treat the planet as a treasure not a wasteland, this is most definitely a book for you!  

🐟   🌊   🐳   🌊   🐟

About the author...

Rosanne Parry is the author of the novels Heart of a Shepherd and Last of the Name, among other acclaimed titles. She lives with her family in an old farmhouse in Portland, Oregon, and writes in a treehouse in her backyard. www.rosanneparry.com

About the illustrator...

Lindsay Moore is an artist and writer with roots in Northern Michigan. She studied marine biology and fine art at Southampton College on Long Island and figure drawing at the Art Students League of New York, and earned her master of science in medical and scientific illustration from Medical College of Georgia, now Augusta University. Lindsay Moore lives with her family in Bowling Green, Ohio.

🐟   🌊   🐳   🌊   🐟

ENTER NOW for your chance to win 

(1) of (5) copies of A Whale of the Wild by Rosanne Parry!

Giveaway begins September 1, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends September 15, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

🐟   🌊   🐳   🌊   🐟

Special thanks to The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this tour to you and to HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC for review! (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links above. This title is available now via Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Children's Books, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to grab your copy today.  Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!

September 1

The Children's Book Review

https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/

Book Review

September 2

Tales of A Wanna-Be SuperHero Mom

http://wannabesuperheromom.blogspot.com/

Book Review

September 3

Over Coffee Conversations

https://gmarciano.blogspot.com

Book List

September 4

Jrsbookreviews

https://jrsbookreviews.wordpress.com/

Book Review

September 5

Fairview Elementary School (Library)

https://fveslibrary.blogspot.com/

Book Review

September 6

Glass of Wine, Glass of Milk

http://glassofwineglassofmilk.blogspot.com/

Book Review

September 7

The Children's Book Review

https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/

Book List

September 8

Prologue

http://dccmealy.com/

Book Review

September 9

Barbara Ann Mojica's Blog

https://bamauthor.me

Book List

September 10

Heart to Heart

https://tynea-lewis.com/

Book Giveaway

September 11

Word Spelunking

http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/

Book List

September 12

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

https://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com

Book Review

September 12

Library Lady's Kid Lit

https://janemouttet.wordpress.com/

Book Review

September 13

Confessions of a Book Addict

http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.com/

Book Review

September 14

icefairy's Treasure Chest

http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/

Book Review

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

TCBR AWARENESS TOUR: Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we've teamed up with The Children's Book Review to bring you a special treat!  It's their latest awareness tour featuring a recent Middle Grade release via Greenwillow Books that'll bring out the inner warrior in you while also bringing you to tears.  Don't believe such a "beast" exists?  Well then, prepare to be amazed.  Ladies and gents, today's book of choice and blog tour guest is...

Hello, Universe

by

Erin Entrada Kelly

Illustrated by

Isabel Roxas

9780062414168

Greenwillow Books

Release Date:  April 7th, 2020

About the book...

In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball.

They aren't friends, at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.

The acclaimed author of Blackbird Fly and The Land of Forgotten Girls writes with an authentic, humorous, and irresistible tween voice that will appeal to fans of Thanhha Lai and Rita Williams-Garcia.

AMAZON

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I sat down to read this on my day off and was immediately lost between the pages. 

Virgil is such a kind soul, and seeing him getting it from every side just took it right out of my heart.  I mean all the boy wants is to feel accepted in his own family (and outside of Lola, that seems like a wish/dream versus reality), have enough backbone to make friends with a kindred spirit in school (who happens to be a girl, but don't stress him out over that fact), and stop the bully from continually making him run scared.  Is that too much to ask?  Exactly... but sometimes those things we wish for, hope for, dream of...come about in unexpected ways...case in point, his daylong nightmare. 

My heart was literally beating out of my chest as I waited to see what would happen.  Would remorse have the bully retracing his steps?  Would a sudden burst of adrenaline surge Virgil to heights previously unknown?  Would someone happen upon him?  As the day drew on, and the pieces began gradually falling into place, I just knew he'd be all right.  Whether it was fate, chance, or divine intervention, I knew he would once again get his day, and seeing him rise to the occasion, no matter how interrupted the process, was heartwarming. On top of all that, we certainly can't forget the stout of heart  with courageto spare (Valencia), nor the future gazing sisters with an intuition that shouldn't be ignored...which round out the wholesome foursome to provide a little someone for everyone. 

So, without ruining the suspense or revealing the whole story, I can tell you this...it's a book that will inspire readers young and young at heart to grab a hold of today, and not let a moment pass you by, because you never know when your time will come...and who wants to live with "what if's" when you could be enjoying the "what may be's"? 

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About the author...

New York Times–bestselling author Erin Entrada Kelly was awarded the Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe.  Her debut novel, Blackbird Fly, was a Kirkus Best Book, a School Library Journal Best Book, an ALSC Notable Book, and an Asian/Pacific American Literature Honor Book. She is also the author of The Land of Forgotten Girls, winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, and You Go First, a New York Times bestseller, Spring 2018 Indie Next Pick, Kirkus Reviews Best Book, and School Library Journal Best Book. She grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and now lives in Delaware.

SITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM  |  TWITTER

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Enter for a chance to win a copy of Erin Entrada Kelly’s Hello, Universe!

Ten (10) winners receive:
A paperback copy of Hello, Universe

Giveaway begins April 7, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends April 21, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. PST.

Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, who are eighteen years of age or older in their state or territory of residence at the time of entry. Void where prohibited by law.

HarperCollins is responsible for prize fulfillment.

CLICK HERE

...to access the Rafflecopter form!

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Special thanks to Bianca at The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this tour to you and 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 available now via Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, so see thee out a copy at your favorite online retailer!

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



STORYBOOK SUNDAY: Irate Pirates and Singing Dragons...

HI guys and gals!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.


We're celebrating another day of bookish fun with Storybook Sunday! For those not up to speed on the post, I read a lot of great storybooks and thought, why not give them their own day in the sun. Hence, Storybook Sunday! Feel free to join the fun and create a post on your own site with the same name. I'd love to see any linked up in the comments! Anywho...back to the matter at hand.

Today, we're exploring the Fantasy side of Storybooks with one title that reminds us to follow our passions not simply our past, and another that poetically employs those fiery winged beasts of our imagination.  Curious?  Good!  My job is done...and now to leave you with the duo gracing our virtual page today...

The Irate Pirate

by

Jim Best

Illustrated by

Emily Lynch Victory

9781478792215

Outskirts Press

Petie is a pirate in training, who wants to be anything but. His whole family had always been pirates...hook, peg-leg, and anchor...but Petie wants something more, something different, something of his own, and until that balance between doing what's desired and what he desires is achieved, I think you get where the title of the story comes from.

The message is clear...reach for YOUR dreams, not the dreams of others. Just because all those before you toted the jolly roger, doesn't mean YOU have to if that's not what's in your heart! The support Petie received from his family was heartwarming, the direction given from the Pirate-in-Principal illuminating, and the final course set by our leading young man, inspiring. A good story for youngsters to get their sea legs with in order to prepare for the sometimes rough seas ahead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Dragons are Singing Tonight

by

Jack Prelutsky

Illustrated by

Peter Sis

9780688096458

Greenwillow Books

A wonderful little collection of clever rhyming prose that will delight the kiddos, while still enchanting adults with its witty wordy wonders. Hard pressed to pick a favorite, but I have to say, the imagery combined with the poem itself of IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN DRAGONS, definitely had me smiling.  It's a great way to introduce wee ones to the poetry genre, while allowing older readers to revel in their love of the fantastical in a whole new way.

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Special thanks to Bostick Communications and Outskirts Press for The Irate Pirate review copy.  The Dragons title was a personal find at our library secondhand bookstore.  For more information on either title, the authors, or the publishers, feel free to click through the links provided above.

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