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Because of the Rabbit — Review & Giveaway

rosihollinbeck

Thought for the Day:

Don’t ask me who’s influenced me. A lion is made up of the lambs he’s digested, and I’ve been reading all my life.

~ Giorgos Seferis, writer ~

Gifts for My Writer Friends:

Melissa Donovan is going to tell you What Makes Iconic Characters Unforgettable HERE on Writing Forward. This is a very useful post.

Writers in the Storm has an interesting post HERE by Lisa Cron that will help you make sense of a lot of things in your novel writing.

Coming up with names for characters is always a challenge. HERE you will find some suggestions for how to do it and a name generator. You’re welcome.

My granddaughter, Gracie, and I had a wonderful trip to New York to spend time with Maggie. She is doing well after her surgery, and we were able to do a couple interesting things. Gracie and Maggie saw the Rock and Roll exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Not my cup of tea, so I did some reading. But we all went to see Beautiful, the Carol King musical on Broadway. What a fabulous show! Great performances and wonderful music. We also visited the Woodstock Festival Museum in Bethel Woods, NY. Lots of fun and worth the trip. But mostly it was just good family time.

Last post I offered one of you a gently-read ARC of The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu. This week’s lucky winner is Janet Smart. Congratulations, Janet! If you don’t know her, Janet is a West Virginia writer whose book, Duck and Cover, was reviewed by moi on my old blog. You can read it HERE. And you can read lots of good things including reviews on her blog, Creative Writing in the Blackberry Patch, HERE. Janet, I will get your book out to you soon. For the rest of you, please keep reading as I have another great giveaway this week.

because-of-the-rabbitThis week I want to tell you about Because of the Rabbit, the latest book by Cynthia Lord.  I really loved this book. I found it to be really unique, and it deserves to be read well beyond its intended middle-grade audience. And don’t you just love that cover? How can you resist that book? Here is the review I wrote for the San Francisco Book Review. 

Emma has never attended traditional school, but she decided fifth grade is a good time to try. Home-schooled with her older brother, Owen, she misses him since he started attending high school the year before. Emma wants to make friends and maybe find a best friend. The day before school starts, Emma and her game-warden father rescue a rabbit caught in a fence, a domesticated rabbit that will likely perish in the wild. Emma adopts him. The beginning of school is hard. Emma is partnered with a special-needs boy and seemingly shut out by girls she wants for friends. She would like to quit, but her family says she has to give it a fair try. She is in for a lot of surprises, and so are the readers.

cynthia-lord-2013-homeProlific author Cynthia Lord has written a rich, complex middle-grade novel that will give readers a great deal to think about. The writing is beautiful. The characters are diverse, well-rounded, and believable. The problems they face are the ones kids that age have to face. This book will be a great read-aloud for middle-grade classrooms and has many good discussion starters. This is a winner!

I have a gently-read ARC of this book for one of you. All you need do is be a follower or subscriber (it’s free!), have a U.S. address, and leave a comment below. If you would like extra chances, please share the link to this post on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media outlet and let me know you have done that. If you are reading this in your email, please click HERE to get to my blog, then click on the title of the post, and leave a comment. And don’t forget to check for other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at the Greg Pattridge’s blog HERE.

 

Published by rosihollinbeck

21 thoughts on “Because of the Rabbit — Review & Giveaway”

  2. I love this author’s work and the cover is so cute. I haven’t read this book, so thanks for the chance to read an ARC. I shared on twitter, facebook, tumblr, and pinterest.

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  3. I’ve enjoyed many of Cynthia’s stories and this one sounds like another winner.
    The links were top notch as usual—especially the second one—all writers should read it and learn.
    Also… Welcome back. I’m glad your trip went well.

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  5. I am delighted you loved the book so much. It touched me deeply when I read it. Cynthia Lord has done it again. Her writing style is so unique! Loved your thoughts.

    Am delighted you had such a great time in NYC and that Maggie is doing so well!

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  6. Another fun find! Thank you for bringing us such wonderful books.

    So glad you all had fun in New York, and I’m super glad Maggie is doing well.

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  7. I’m glad things are going well for your daughter and that you all had a fun time together in New York. I’m reluctant to admit I have not read any of this author’s books, but your post prompted me to look into her work at our local library. Thanks for sharing for MMGM.

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  9. I think I read a review by someone else of this book and it sounds like a great read. I will definitely keep it on my radar. However, please do let someone else win the ARC because my reading list is currently so long I don’t know when I’d get to it if I did win :).

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  10. I love Cynthia Lord’s books and this one sounds like another hit. I saw she commented on your review- how exciting. 🙂 I would love to win a copy. Thanks!

    I am glad you had a good trip to NY. I have heard that Beautiful is an amazing show. So happy to hear you enjoyed it too. 🙂

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