Tara Dairman's fourth book, THE GREAT HIBERNATION, is out in the world, and you don't want to miss it. Leave a comment to be entered to win an eBook~ winner will be chosen on 9/19. UPDATE: THE WINNER IS VERONICA BARTLES. Congratulations, Veronica! I'll get in touch via your social media.
I could go on and on about the cleverness and heart of this book~ about the characters and the setting~ about Jean Huddy's courage~ about a town where the PARENTS ALL FALL ASLEEP! When I told my 8-year-old the premise, she said, "OMG, Mom. That is so cool."
She was excited to hear that she'll be seeing Tara and getting a signed book at One More Page Books in Arlington, VA on Saturday, September 23, at 3:00 pm (psst, you can come too!). Read on for a book summary and much praise from reviewers.
The most important tradition in tiny St. Polonius is the annual Tasting of the Sacred Bear Liver. Each citizen over twelve must eat one bite of liver to prevent the recurrence of the Great Hibernation, when the town founders fell asleep for months.
This year is Jean Huddy’s first time to taste the liver. It doesn’t go well.
A few hours later, all the adults fall into a sleep from which they cannot be woken, and the kids are left to run things. At first, they have a blast. But then the town bullies take over the mayor’s office and the police force, and pretty soon Jean begins to suspect that this “hibernation” was actually engineered by someone in town.
Courage, teamwork, and scientific smarts unlock an unusual mystery in this delightful and funny story about one girl who inspires the kids around her to join together to save their home.
Praise for The Great Hibernation
“Definitely will not induce drowsiness. Utterly original.”—ADAM REX
author of The True Meaning of Smekday and the Cold Cereal Saga
author of The True Meaning of Smekday and the Cold Cereal Saga
“Imagine Lord of the Flies as a comedy set in snowy terrain and you have The Great Hibernation: a hilarious, whip-smart page-turner you don’t want to miss.”
—JENNIFER CHAMBLISS BERTMAN
New York Times bestselling author of Book Scavenger and The Unbreakable Code
—JENNIFER CHAMBLISS BERTMAN
New York Times bestselling author of Book Scavenger and The Unbreakable Code
“Memorably humorous…Lighthearted enough to entice readers with the silly premise and whimsical illustrations sprinkled throughout, this middle grade book nonetheless explores some rather important political ideas about individuality and the need for a balance of powers in governance. A strong selection for most middle grade shelves.”
–SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
–SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“Quirky without being over-the-top, Dairman’s novel is a funny, wintry romp that explores just what might happen if kids were in charge.”-BOOKLIST
“[A] whimsical mystery…The fast-paced plot belies the sleepy small-town setting, and it’s refreshing to see a cast of characters who genuinely love their village and their families, whatever their quirks, instead of yearning to escape them.”-BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN’S BOOKS (BCCB)
