CRENSHAW

 

 

 

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.

 

Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?

 

CRENSHAW is Katherine Applegate's follow-up to her Newbery Medal winner, THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN. I was lucky enough to read an ARC. It took me just two reading sessions, which is unusual for me (I only have time for personal reading at night, and by then it's hard for me to stay awake long).

 

I'm still processing all of my feelings about this story, but please know that this is a gorgeous, heartbreaking book that made me smile, and cry, and hope. It is the very best kind of MG book, and I hope it reaches as many readers as possible. It's an important book to share. It comes out on September 22 of this year, and I hope you read it.

 

 

 



NOOKS & CRANNIES release day!

It's release day for Nooks & Crannies!

Tabitha Crum is a girl with a big imagination and a love for mystery novels, though her parents think her only talent is being a nuisance. She doesn't have a friend in the world, except her pet mouse, Pemberley, with whom she shares her dingy attic bedroom.

Then, on the heels of a rather devastating announcement made by her mother and father, Tabitha receives a mysterious invitation to the country estate of the wealthy but reclusive Countess of Windermere, whose mansion is rumored to be haunted. There, she finds herself among five other children, none of them sure why they've been summoned. But soon, a very big secret will be revealed— a secret that will change their lives forever and put Tabitha’s investigative skills to the test.

I owe a huge thanks to lit agent Tina Wexler, editor Kristin Ostby, all the folks at Simon & Schuster, cover artist & illustrator Natalie Andrewson, and, of course my beloved critique partners (looking at you Joy, Tara, Becky, and Ann!).

I'll be around the blogosphere this month, doing some giveaways:

June 2: Leandra Wallace's blog

June 5: LitPick on Facebook

June 12: Julia Tomiak's blog

June 17: Literary Rambles (I'm interviewing my agent Tina Wexler and she's giving away a query critique!)

June 18: Project Middle Grade Mayhem



If you don't happen to win, hey, feel free to buy my book! Or ask for it at your local library! There will also be an audiobook out at the end of the month, via Dreamscape. We've sold rights in Germany and France, so those versions should be available at some point as well, if you happen to speak German or French.

If you want more information to decide whether or not this book might be be your cup of tea, you can check out reviews in Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus.

Oh! Also out today are three books that I'm dying to read, so check these out as well:

Breakaway (soccer star Alex Morgan's memoir)

Circus Mirandus (by Cassie Beasley)

 

Book Scavenger (by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman)

 

That's all from me~ have a happy June!