Book Excerpt: FLOWER MOON by Gina Linko (MG)

Hello, friends! 

I am so over the moon to be able to share with you an excerpt of one of my most anticipated middle-grade books for 2018 called FLOWER MOON... it is about "sisterhood, carnivals, and summer magic!" Once you read this excerpt you will agree with me that this is definitely a book to keep an eye out and read as soon as it is released!

FLOWER MOON

by Gina Linko

Expected release date: January 2nd, 2018

Published by: Sky Pony Press

Genre: Middle-Grade Magical Realism/Fantasy

Format: Hardcover, eBook

SUMMARY

Tempest and Tally Jo Trimble are mirror twins - so alike they were almost born the same person - and they've been inseparable since birth. But it's the summer they turn thirteen, and it seems like everyone can tell something is changing between them.

Pa Charlie, whose traveling carnival is the best part of every summer, is watching them closer than ever. 

Digger, who sneaks poor kids onto the carnival rides for free and smiles faster than anyone, seems to be fixing for a fight.

Even Mama is acting different, refusing to travel with the carnival this year even though her own twin, who she hasn't seen since childhood, will be there.

And Tally and Tempest are the most different of all. There's a strangeness between them, a thickness to the air, an unseen push and pull, and it's getting stronger. It starts with a feeling, but soon it's sputtering and sparking, hurling them backward, threatening to explode.

When Tally learns that she and Tempest may not be the first twins in their family to be separated by whatever this force is, she realizes she'll have to find a way to stop it - or she might lose not only her sister but everyone she loves. 

EXCERPT OF FLOWER MOON

The light show was really something. Purples and reds, blues and whites, and a couple of umbrella-shaped oranges and yellows. The sparks erupted in the sky, dazzling. They dangled there for a moment before tapering off into nothingness.

I found myself wishing Tempest was with us. She would love this, I thought.

Or would she? She would’ve last summer. But now, she spent more and more time on her own, with her box of bolts and her trips to the junkyard for parts.

I shook the thought away, the smile fading from my face, and I knew Digger’s eyes were on me.

“You’re different,” he said. He lit a bottle rocket and tossed it away from us.

“No, I’m not,” I said, scowling. “You’re different.”

“I guess I am,” he said, and I could hear something in his voice, something new. I didn’t like it. “Playing on the eighth-grade baseball team next fall,” he boasted. “My curveball is the best in three counties.” He sort of stuck his chest out when he said this.

“You’re still a pain in the butt to me.”

And with that, he laughed, his car-engine laugh, and he sounded like my Digger again.

That’s when Tempest appeared out of nowhere, scaring me half to death. “Why’d you leave me behind?” she said, folding her arms over her chest.

I shrugged.

“We didn’t know where you were,” Digger said.

“Fat Sam let me look through his old bicycle parts.”

“Find anything good?” I asked. I was trying to be interested in Tempest’s quest for gadgets galore.

Tempest nodded. “A vintage speedometer. Some cogs and ball bearings.” She shrugged and started to root around in the bag of fireworks. Digger took off across the field to set up a line of bottle rockets.

“Here, let me light that for you,” I said, striking a match for Tempest, who had chosen a big chrysanthemum.

But when I got close to her, there it was. That strange something again, just like that day in the science lab.

But stronger. It exploded between us, pushed me back from her in a jolt of energy, a hissing whoosh of air. I nearly fell back on my behind. I scuttled backward three steps, four, and the force still brushed my hair back. The match went out, and I stopped dead still.

“What in the world is this?” I asked. “You got some invention brushing me back, Tally? You pulling some kind of prank?”

“No . . .”

Digger’s bottle-rocket succession exploded and the noise jolted me.

Tempest and I stood about two feet away from each other, and I took another step closer. It wasn’t like I couldn’t do it; I could. But it was hard, like trying to propel myself through a wind tunnel. The air between Tempest and me, it was thick and fairly pulsing.

I ripped out another match and worked to strike it on the matchbook cover while Tempest eyed me all suspicious-like. I couldn’t get the darn match to strike.

“Let me try,” Tempest said, and then she reached out for the book in my hand. And I could see her struggle, see her eyes widen at how hard it was to push through the space toward me.

“What the heck is—”
            But I didn’t finish my sentence because as she reached toward me, and even before her hand grasped the matchbook, I watched one of the matches spark a weird, blue-purple color. In a blink, the whole book caught fire, every single match in one big hot flame.

“Whoa,” Digger yelped from where he stood nearby.

I hurled the fiery matchbook away, and it landed in a patch of brush near Tempest. The dried grass and brush crackled and caught fire. Tempest took several steps away from me, eyeing me closely.

“You better cut this out,” I said. “You’re—”

“It’s not me.” She busied herself stomping out the fire, and Digger joined in, muttering to himself.

I stared at them, scared to get too close.

When the flames were out, Digger turned his attention back to me. “What was that? You forget how to light a match?”

“I . . . um . . .” I let my voice trail off as I backed even farther away from Tempest, needing to lessen the pressure on my lungs. I snatched my inhaler from my pocket, took two long pulls. It was still there, coming at me in waves, settling between my eyes like a bad case of brain freeze. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t get a breath. “You got a drink of water?” I squeaked.

“Yeah,” Digger said, digging into his bag.

Tempest looked at me all funny. “I just remembered, I gotta go back . . .” she stammered. “I promised Pa Charlie . . .” She turned back for camp, and my breathing came easier with each bit of distance Tempest put between us.

Digger’s eyes were full of questions. “Here.” He gave me a bottle of water, and I took a pull. I felt better already, though.

Digger watched me, but I just ignored him like it was my job, draining the bottle of water.

Instead of peppering me with the twenty questions I was sure he wanted to ask, Digger let it drop.

Wonders never cease.

He took off toward the Spanish oak near the base of the hill. I watched Digger’s silhouette as he climbed up into its massive, kudzu-covered branches.

“Come on, Tally, you’re missing the view!” he yelled.

“Uh-huh,” I called. I ran toward the tree, but when I got up into the branches of that old oak, it wasn’t the view that drew my attention. Not the bright sickle moon in the sky or the lit-up constellations in the wide-open country sky. No, it was the tiny, disappearing figure of my sister running back to camp, small and alone, a silhouette against the lights of the carnival and flame of the campfire, her pigtails bouncing with each step she took.

ADD THE BOOK TO YOUR GOODREADS TBR NOW!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Gina Linko

Author of the middle-grade novel, FLOWER MOON, coming in January 2018 from Sky Pony Press.

YA author of INDIGO and FLUTTER, both from Random House Books for Young Readers.

GOODREADS / WEBSITE / TWITTER

Interview with Amy and Greg Newbold, authors of "IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN" (C)

We asked the authors to interview each other about their collaboration on IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN (with a few suggested questions of our own), and we are so happy that they were able to play along with our idea and join us on the blog today!

IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN

by Amy and Greg Newbold

Release date: October 3rd, 2017

Published by: Tilbury House Publishers

Genre: Children's Picture Book 

Format: Hardcover, eBook

Format read: Hardcover from the author's publicity rep.

SUMMARY

If someone asked you to paint a snowman, you would probably start with three white circles stacked one upon another. Then you would add black dots for eyes, an orange triangle for a nose, and a black dotted smile. But if Picasso painted a snowman...

From that simple premise flows this delightful, whimsical, educational picture book that shows how the artist's imagination can summon magic from a prosaic subject. Greg Newbold's chameleon-like artistry shows us Roy Lichtenstein's snow hero saving the day, Georgia O'Keefe's snowman blooming in the desert, Claude Monet's snowmen among haystacks, Grant Wood's American Gothic snowman, Jackson Pollock's snowman in ten thousand splats, Salvador Dali's snowmen dripping like melty cheese, and Georges Seurat, Pablita Velarde, Piet Mondrian, Sonia Delaunay, Jacob Lawrence, and Vincent van Gogh.

Our guide for this tour is a lively hamster who - also chameleon-like - sports a Dali mustache on one spread, a Van Gogh ear bandage on the next.

"What would your snowman look like?" the book asks and then offers a page with a picture frame for a child to fill in. Backmatter thumbnail biographies of the artists complete this highly original tour of the creative imagination that will delight adults as well as children. 

INTERVIEWS

Questions for AMY from GREG:

1) WHAT WAS THE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS LIKE? WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO WORK SO CLOSELY WITH YOUR HUSBAND? 

I have wanted to published picture books with Greg for a long time. When the opportunity came to publish "If Picasso Painted a Snowman" with Tilbury House, we jumped at the chance. Working together was really fun. We go to lunch sometimes and work on book manuscripts and brainstorm ideas, and we did that several times working on this book. When I began writing this book, I had several artists in mind that I knew I wanted to include. I discussed options with Greg, and he introduced me to some other amazing artists that ended up being in the book. I could talk to Greg about changes in the manuscript, and he could ask me for feedback on the paintings he created. It was great to know the illustrator and have an insider's view of his creative process. I had confidence in Greg's ability to do a project like this. He is a very talented artist, and I really enjoyed watching him research each artist and create paintings in their style. We had an entertaining afternoon while he splattered paint like Jackson Pollock in the backyard and I took pictures. Sometimes I had a vision in my head of what the snowman would look like, and then I would see Greg's painting and has always exceeded my expectations. Most authors don't get to meet their illustrators, so I feel really lucky to work with Greg. 

2) WHICH ARTIST DID YOU LIKE LEARNING ABOUT THE MOST? 

That's a tough one! I found the more I learned about these artists, the more I liked them. Some of them I knew quite a bit about before I did this book so I would have to say the one I loved learning about the most for this project was Pablita Velarde. She was not only an amazing artist but a strong woman who was not afraid to pursue her vision. 

3) WHAT SURPRISED OR DELIGHTED YOU THE MOST ABOUT THINGS YOU LEARNED? 

I found it really interesting that the artists had so much in common, and that they often inspired each other. I loved finding connections between the artists represented in the book. For example, after Monet saw J.M.W. Turner's work, he went on to be one of the originators of Impressionism. There were quite a few connections like that. One thing that surprised me was Georges Seurat didn't live very long. I wonder what else he could have created if he'd had more time. Researching all these artists made me want to start drawing and painting again. 

4) WRITING IS LIKE DRAWING WITH WORDS. WHICH SNOWMAN WAS THE MOST FUN TO WRITE?

I think my favorite lines in the book were the ones that came early in the writing process. I knew I wanted certain artists in the book right from the beginning, and I think the reason I wanted them as I already knew what I would write about them. My favorite lines are the ones for Dali, Seurat, Mondrian, and Pollack. I could hear those in my head right from the beginning - "Jackson Pollack painted his snowman splish, splash, splat!" for example. And I knew Dali's snowmen would drip like melty cheese. 

5) HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK?

The original draft was written in less than a year. I began writing the book when I visited the Musee Picasso in Paris, France in 2008. I was on a trip with my sisters, and I said "I wonder what it would look like if Picasso painted a snowman," and my sister told me that would be a great picture book. I saw so many wonderful artists in Paris, I began thinking immediately about people I would include in a book. That's when it all began. In 2009, I took a completed manuscript to a weeklong writing conference and participated in a picture book workshop. My book got good feedback at the conference, so Greg and I started marketing it to publishers and literary agents. It took some time before we found a home with Tilbury House Publishers. With Tilbury, I was able to expand the book to include three more artists, so that involved additional writing. From the first draft to publication was about nine years. 

6) WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING WRITERS?

Read. Read all kind of books. Pay attention to what you do or don't like about a book. When you are writing, don't worry too much about it because the great part about writing is that you can re-write things and make them better. Read your writing out loud. Sometimes when you read out loud, you find out a sentence doesn't flow, or that what you have written is awkward, and that gives you the chance to fix it. But the most important thing to do when writing is to have fun. Writing is a great way to create and to learn more about yourself. 

Questions for GREG from AMY:

1) WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE AN ARTIST? HOW DID YOU LEARN TO DRAW AND PAINT?

Some of my earliest memories were of drawing and painting. I used to copy my favorite pictures from Dr. Seuss and superhero comics. My Dad was in advertising and sometimes would bring the end rolls home from his visits to the newspaper press. We would roll them out on the unfinished basement floor an draw epic murals. In junior high, I sold my first painting for fifty dollars and I think that was when I knew I was pretty good at this art thing. By the end of high school, I had decided that making art was the path I wanted to pursue. I had always loved illustration art, from Norman Rockwell to fantasy artists like the Brothers Hildebrandt, making my college major an easy choice. Once in college, I had the legitimate option of creating n old master copy painting instead of writing a paper. My professor told me my Van Gogh was the best copy she had ever seen because I tied so hard to get the materials and surface texture correct. I still enjoy learning and trying to make my art better. Trying to paint in the style of the seventeen different artists included in If Picasso Painted a Snowman was a very rewarding challenge. I learned so much and became a better artist as a result. 

2) THE HAMSTER IN "IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN" IS NOT IN THE TEXT. WHY DID YOU CREATE THE CHARACTER FOR THE BOOK? 

I felt that there needed to be a visual guide to carry the reader through the book. I designed the hamster after our daughter's pet hamster, Max. He is not named or mentioned in the text but he helps out with a number of visual gags throughout the book. He wears Monet's beret, Dali's mustache, Picasso's striped shirt, and Van Gogh's ear bandage. His paw prints are on the Pollock page, and he uses a compass and other art implements on other pages of the book. His role is purely visual and adds another dimension to our book. It has been fun to see how many adults get the sight gags on various pages as they look at the hamster. 

3) DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PAINTING FROM THE BOOK? IF SO, WHICH ONE(S)? 

That's like ski which of your children do you love the most. I love them all for different reasons. Some paintings were more fun than others, some were harder than others and I learned more than I expected from a few. I think I like the spoof paintings the best because it's so hard to make an effective parody of a well-known painting. Take Grant Wood's American Gothic for example, which everyone has seen a million times. This makes whatever I do funnier because people recognize the painting right away and feel like they are in on the joke. I also really like my version of Gustav Klimt's snowman with all its patterns. It was fun to work with the gold leaf that Klimt was famous for. it doesn't translate to print as well as it looks in real life, but you can still tell it is there. 

4) WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU CREATING THIS BOOK? 

This project was so much fun that it often felt like playing rather than work. Before beginning a piece, I researched the artist's style, the materials, and techniques that they used and what motifs and design quirks made them unique. Each piece was a treat to work on and for the most part, I feel that I captured some of the essences of what each artist was known for. I learned many new processes but probably the most fun I had was imitating Jackson Pollock's drip style "action painting". Some people look at Pollock's work and assume that they could do it since all you have to do is splatter paint around. After more study, I realized that Pollock's work is far from random and unplanned. There is an interesting rhythm and process in the way he layered paint. I had a great afternoon in the backyard dancing around my canvas laid on the ground deciding where the next splash of paint would look the best and trying to put it there. My Pollock turned out pretty well and was using as endpapers of the book. I was so entertained by the process that I want to do it again. 

5) WHY ISN'T YOUR OWN SNOWMAN IN THE BOOK? 

Actually, they are ALL my snowmen. I dug deep to learn what makes each chosen artist unique and did my best to emulate their styles, but in the end, there is quite a bit of my own style in each painting. When you create, it's impossible to separate your own habits, skills, and experiences from what you are putting down on the canvas. A bit of your soul seeps out and becomes part of your art. 

6) WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG ARTISTS?

I would tell young artists that there is no right or wrong way to create art, simple techniques that either allow or prevent you from achieving the vision you have for your art. To me, the most important building block to becoming an artist is drawing. you must learn to draw accurately before you can learn to draw stylistically. Once you can draw whatever you see, you can decide how to change what you see and draw it differently. Build your skills be learning different mediums and techniques to build your skills. These skills are your "tools". When you have a toolbox full of tools you have the freedom to create whatever you want. Look at everything, but learn to really see. The snowman at the beginning of the book is merely the popular symbol for snowmen, not what they do or even could look like. Hopefully, "If Picasso Painted a Snowman" Shows that the possibilities are endless when creating art and that you should not be intimidated or limited by what some people perceive as "rules". 

Go see my 5-bee review for IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN here!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Amy Newbold

Amy Newbold grew up drawing horses. 

While visiting the Musee Picasso in Paris, she wondered what a snowman painted by Picasso would look like. 

Although she once fell asleep in an art history class, she has always loved art, museums, and museum gift shops. 

Before writing this book, Amy would have drawn a snowman by stacking three white circles one upon another, but now she is planning to paint a snowman made of dots. 

Amy loves road trips with her husband Greg, writing, and hiking and camping in the mountains near her home. 

GOODREADS 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR - Greg Newbold

Award-winning illustrator Greg Newbold grew up drawing superheroes and Dr. Seuss characters on giant end rolls of newsprint in his childhood basement. He once copied a Vincent van Gogh painting for a college art history class instead of writing a paper. 

Greg found it challenging and fun to paint in the styles of so many of his favorite artists for this book. 

He loves his job of making pictures and has illustrated a dozen books for children. 

In his free time, Greg enjoys gardening, fishing, road trips with Amy, and painting the natural wonders near his Utah home. 

GOODREADS 

Review: IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN by Amy and Greg Newbold (C)

IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN

by Amy and Greg Newbold

Release date: October 3rd, 2017

Published by: Tilbury House Publishers

Genre: Children's Picture Book 

Format: Hardcover, eBook

Format read: Hardcover from the author's publicity rep.

SUMMARY

If someone asked you to paint a snowman, you would probably start with three white circles stacked one upon another. Then you would add black dots for eyes, an orange triangle for a nose, and a black dotted smile. But if Picasso painted a snowman...

From that simple premise flows this delightful, whimsical, educational picture book that shows how the artist's imagination can summon magic from a prosaic subject. Greg Newbold's chameleon-like artistry shows us Roy Lichtenstein's snow hero saving the day, Georgia O'Keefe's snowman blooming in the desert, Claude Monet's snowmen among haystacks, Grant Wood's American Gothic snowman, Jackson Pollock's snowman in ten thousand splats, Salvador Dali's snowmen dripping like melty cheese, and Georges Seurat, Pablita Velarde, Piet Mondrian, Sonia Delaunay, Jacob Lawrence, and Vincent van Gogh.

Our guide for this tour is a lively hamster who - also chameleon-like - sports a Dali mustache on one spread, a Van Gogh ear bandage on the next.

"What would your snowman look like?" the book asks and then offers a page with a picture frame for a child to fill in. Backmatter thumbnail biographies of the artists complete this highly original tour of the creative imagination that will delight adults as well as children. 

OUR REVIEW

I really do think that as much as my kiddos enjoyed this book, I loved it even more! There is just something about the opening of the book that really got to me... right from the start we are asked how we would draw a snowman and then it answers the question for you - "three white circles stacked upon each other with black dots for eyes, an orange triangle nose, etc..." Which is exactly how we would draw a snowman, right? This is how we are taught to see and draw one, and it is the way a snowman is continuously depicted everywhere you look. But then, the author challenges you - what if a certain artist was to draw a snowman, what do you think it would look like? For example, if the snowman were to be painted by Picasso, Monet, or Pollack? Do you think all of their snowmen would like alike?... 

This book not only opens a whole new world for budding artists to let their imaginations run wild and not to limit themselves... it teaches them to think for themselves and to not judge others for being different. It inspires children to believe in themselves and in what they would like to create, but to also accept criticism since we all have our own distinct styles and will translate our own work, and others, in our own way.

All of the artwork and illustrations are brilliant interpretations of every artist's work - Dali, Mondrian, Lawrence, Wood and more! The quality and work that went into them are astounding - I truly felt as if all of the artists came together to collaborate here... 

Quoting my 4-year-old after he chose his favorite snowman, Vincent Van Gogh's "snowman swirls and curls in the wavy hills": "It looks cold and snowy. They did a good job!"

Oh, and we cannot forget to mention our adorable narrator - a hamster that not only introduces us in his own quiet way to each interpreted snowman pictured but also takes on the persona of every artist mentioned, which helped my son identify each artist and understand that these people each had different ideas, can/will interpret things differently, and every person has their own unique style and creative ways. And that he too can create in his own way, style, medium, etc.

The only thing we all missed seeing in this book - what the author's and/or illustrator's own snowman would have looked like! Although the interpretations that were shared with us are their own unique visions inspired by great artists, we would have loved to have seen their own original artwork alongside them too!

This is definitely a book to share with all the imaginative artists and art history majors in your life! Also, it would be the perfect intro to little ones to different art styles, periods of art history, textures and mediums and so much more! 

*We received a hardcover copy of IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN from Nicole Banholzer PR, LLC. for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions here are our own. Please leave a comment or message us with any problems and/or questions. Thank you!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Amy Newbold

Amy Newbold grew up drawing horses. 

While visiting the Musee Picasso in Paris, she wondered what a snowman painted by Picasso would look like. 

Although she once fell asleep in an art history class, she has always loved art, museums, and museum gift shops. 

Before writing this book, Amy would have drawn a snowman by stacking three white circles one upon another, but now she is planning to paint a snowman made of dots. 

Amy loves road trips with her husband Greg, writing, and hiking and camping in the mountains near her home. 

GOODREADS 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR - Greg Newbold

Award-winning illustrator Greg Newbold grew up drawing superheroes and Dr. Seuss characters on giant end rolls of newsprint in his childhood basement. He once copied a Vincent van Gogh painting for a college art history class instead of writing a paper. 

Greg found it challenging and fun to paint in the styles of so many of his favorite artists for this book. 

He loves his job of making pictures and has illustrated a dozen books for children. 

In his free time, Greg enjoys gardening, fishing, road trips with Amy, and painting the natural wonders near his Utah home. 

GOODREADS 

The SHARK DOG Winter Blog Tour: SHARK DOG by Ged Adamson (C)

Good day, book friends! 
Today is the first day of The SHARK DOG Winter Blog Tour, and we are so very happy to be a part of it! SHARK DOG is a unique and friendly animal who loves to enjoy life! He is a HUGE favorite around here and we are so happy to be able to share our thoughts about him with you... 

SHARK DOG reminds us of our own puppy, Lillie Bee - she is a cockapoo with a lot of spirit who often gets confused that she's supposed to be a dog and sometimes acts like a baby or a bird (we have a parrot and lots of birds visit our yard and she often thinks she can do things that they can do, it's quite amusing!)... Please leave us a comment about your lovable and unique pets! 

SHARK DOG

by Ged Adamson

Release date: May 16th, 2017

Published by HarperCollins

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Format: Hardcover

Format read: Hardcover from the author/publisher

SUMMARY

It's a shark! No wait, it's a dog! It's Shark Dog!

From author-illustrator Ged Adamson comes the funny and sweet story of Shark Dog: half shark, half dog, and a one-of-a-kind pet.

Shark Dog is no ordinary pet. Sometimes when he does dog things, he's more like a shark. And sometimes when he does shark things, he's more like a dog.

But when Shark Dog gets homesick, he starts thinking maybe he belongs with the other shark dogs. Will he go back to Shark Dog Island or decide to stay in his new home? 

With quirky and colorful art, Shark Dog! is perfect for fans of such funny books as Hello, My Name is Octicorn and The Adventures of Beekle. 

SHARK DOG! BOOK TRAILER

OUR REVIEW

A very unique story about a very unique pup... um, shark? Dog shark? 
SHARK DOG!!!

Oh my, my boys and I continue to have so much fun with this book - every time they spot Shark Dog they literally have to point him out and exclaim that they found him, and then the giggles ensue uncontrollably... 

While a boy and his dad are traveling and find a strange island to explore, the boy cannot help but feel that they are being followed. On their voyage home, he finds one of the island's unusual animals - a half dog and half shark. "He seemed friendly enough", so they decided to keep him and Shark Dog quickly becomes a beloved pet who captures the hearts of most everyone around him. Even when he creates a bit of confusion and chaos out in public before everyone realizes that he is just a friendly animal like most other pets... even when sometimes he did shark things, he was more like a dog, and vice versa. But no matter what, Shark Dog was always happy.

So when Shark Dog becomes homesick, his new family does everything they can to make him feel better and decide to take him back his "real" home. Shark Dog is happy again... until the boy and his dad has to say goodbye. Will Shark Dog stay with his family, or go home with his new family?  

A wonderful take on the unique relationships between pets and their humans!

Shark Dog is a HUGE favorite around here! My son loves dogs and my nephew loves sharks (and most things about the ocean) and this was the perfect book for them to enjoy together - lots of giggles and turning back the pages to make sure that they didn't miss any details in the fun and brightly colored illustrations! (Ged Adamson's style is one of our favorites!) 

We recommend this book to all ages -  to all the ones who love to laugh out loud and feed their imaginations! 

*I received a finished copy of Shark Dog! from the publisher upon the author's request for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions here are our own. Please leave a comment or message us with any problems and/or questions. Thank you!

You can also see my review of Ged Adamson's other picture books here: 

I WANT TO GROW

and

DOUGLAS, YOU NEED GLASSES!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Ged Adamson

Ged Adamson is a writer and illustrator.

His first two books, Elsie Clarke and the Vampire Hairdresser and Meet the McKaws, are both published by Sky Pony Press.
A third, Douglas, You Need Glasses! has been published by Random House.
He has two books being published in 2017 - 
I Want to Grow through Boyds Mill Press and Shark Dog! through HarperCollins.

His cartoons have appeared in magazines such as Punch and Prospect, in books and on film.
He's been a storyboard artist and a caricaturist. 
He also works as a composer for TV and film.

He lives in London with his partner and their son, Rex. 

Links: Website / Instagram / Twitter

Follow along with THE SHARK DOG WINTER BLOG TOUR here:

October Book Haul, Wrap-Up, and November TBR 2017

Hello, fellow bookworms!!! 

Wow, I cannot believe how quickly October went and that we are already in November and the weather is chilly and that it's time to start preparing ourselves for the holidays!

I had a really good bookish month! I hope you did as well!!!

However, the reason why you won't find any "book pile pics" today is that I managed to not only lose my camera but my phone decided to die too, lol! So I'll be pretty quiet on my social media for the next few weeks while I try to replace both... but in the meantime, here's a wrap-up of my October and a peek at my November bookish endeavors :) 

I am participating in Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews :)

My OCTOBER Book Haul

*What I received to review...
- ALL THE CROOKED SAINTS by Maggie Stiefvater (YA/HB) from Scholastic 
- SLAYERS AND VAMPIRES: The Complete Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Buffy and Angel by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman (A/HB) from Tor Books
- OVER THE UNDERWORLD (The Unbelievable FIB #2) by Adam Shaughnessy (MG/PB) from Algonquin Young Readers 
- CUCUMBER QUEST: THE DOUGHNUT KINGDOM by Gigi D.G. (Graphic Novel/PB) from First Second (Macmillan) 
- MOST PEOPLE by Michael Leannah (C/HB) from Tilbury House Publishers
- BABY CHOMPER'S BATH TIME by Jeff Minich (C/HB) from Nuggies
- SQUIGGLE! by Kenzo Hayashi (C/PB) from Workman Publishing 
- TANGLED UP IN TINSEL (Sunshine Creek Vineyard series #3) by Candis Terry (A/mass PB) from Avon Books

From Book Sparks:
- A DANGEROUS YEAR (Riley Collins #1) by Kes Trester (YA/PB) 
- GOSSIP GIRL by Cecily von Ziegesar (YA/PB) 
- A DANGEROUS WOMAN FROM NOWHERE by Kris Radish (A/PB) f
- BEFORE I KNEW (Cabot series #1) by Jamie Beck (A/PB) from Book Sparks 

From Simon and Schuster/Simon Pulse:
- FREEFALL by Joshua David Bellin (YA/ARC) 
- LAST STAR BURNING by Caitlin Sangster (YA/ARC) 

From Peachtree Publishing: 
- LITTLE RED by Bethan Woolvin (C/HB)  
- RAPUNZEL by Bethan Woollvin (C/HB) 
- THE BOY WHO WAS RAISED BY LIBRARIANS by Carla Morris (C/HB) 
- LION vs. RABBIT by Alex Latimer (C/PB)  

From Disney-Hyperion:
- BEATRICE ZINKER, UPSIDE DOWN THINKER by Shelley Johannes (MG/HB) 
- WILLIAM'S WINTER NAP by Linda Ashman (C/HB) 
- PAPILLON GOES TO THE VET (Papillon #2) by A.N. Kang (C/HB) 
- TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS Coloring Book by Disney (E/PB) 
- THE PERCY JACKSON Coloring Book by Disney (E/PB) 

*Books I received as gifts or from giveaways...
- GIRLS MADE OF SNOW AND GLASS by Melissa Bashardoust (YA/HB) through Llama Book Swap 
- HUNTED by Meagan Spooner (YA/HB) from Uncut Book Box 
- THE RULES OF MAGIC (Practical Magic #0) by Alice Hoffman (A/HB) from Simon Books 
- CHRISTMAS BLISS (Weezie and Bebe Mysteries #4) by Mary Kay Andrews (A/mass PB) from my mom :) 

*Books I purchased this month... 
- ALL THE CROOKED SAINTS by Maggie Stiefvater (YA/signed HB) 
- SNOW AND ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin (MG/HB) 
- THE PECULIAR INCIDENT ON SHADY STREET by Lindsay Currie (MG/HB) 
- EVERY LAST WORD by Tamara Ireland Stone (YA/Signed PB)
- MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN by Jason Reynolds (YA/Signed HB) 
- THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE (The Winternight Trilogy #1) by Katherine Arden (MG/PB) 
- THE SILVER GATE by Kristin Bailey (MG/HB) 
- WHEN THE MOON WAS OURS by Anna-Marie McLemore (YA/HB) 
- PRACTICAL MAGIC by Alice Hoffman (A/PB) 
- MY LIFE HAD STOOD A LOADED GUN by Emily Dickinson - Penguin Black Classic Editon 
- A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens - V & A Classic Edition
- DART by Alice Oswald - Faber & Faber Classic Editon 
- KID by Simon Armitage - Faber & Faber Classic Edition 

What I read in OCTOBER

- CUCUMBER QUEST: THE DOUGHNUT KINGDOM by Gigi D.G. (MG/PB Graphic Novel) 
- LION vs. RABBIT by Alex Latimer (C/PB) 
- SNOW AND ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin (MG/ARC) 
- A MOONLESS, STARLESS SKY by Alexis Okeowo (YA/ARC) 
- THE PERFECT SCORE by Rob Buyea (MG/ARC) 
- SCION OF THE FOX (The Realms of Ancient #1) by S.M. Beiko (MG/ARC) 
- CAST NO SHADOW by Nick Tapalansky and Anissa Espinosa (YA/PB Graphic Novel)
- MOST PEOPLE by Michael Leannah (C/HB) 
- LITTLE RED by Bethan Woolvin (C/HB) 
- RAPUNZEL by Bethan Woollvin (C/HB) 
- HEAD GAMES by Craig McDonald and Kevin Singles (YA/PB Graphic Novel) 
- THE BOY WHO WAS RAISED BY LIBRARIANS by Carla Morris (C/HB) 
- BABY CHOMPER'S BATH TIME by Jeff Minich (C/HB) 
- THROUGH THE WOODS by Emily Carroll (YA/PB graphic novel) 
- RENEGADES by Marissa Meyer (YA/ARC) 
- PRACTICAL MAGIC by Alice Hoffman (A/PB) 
- SLAYERS AND VAMPIRES by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman (YA-A/HB) 

What I plan on reading in NOVEMBER

At this time of the year, I like to keep my TBRs pretty flexible! It's when I try to read books that I have been wanting to read this year but didn't quite have the time to do so... so this is my stack for November, however, if something else I'm in the mood for pops up, I'll definitely be picking it up ;) 

First, I hope to finish reading: 
- THE RULES OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman (A/HB) 
- ALL THE CROOKED SAINTS by Maggie Stiefvater (YA/HB) 

And then, I hope I have enough time to read all of these: 
- THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater (YA/HB) 
- HIDDENSEE: A Tale of the Once and Future Nutcracker by Gregory Maguire (A/ARC) 
- WONDER WOMAN: WARBRINGER by Leigh Bardugo (YA/HB) 
- WHEN THE MOON WAS OURS by Anna-Marie McLemore (YA/HB) 
- BRIGHT SMOKE, COLD FIRE by Rosamund Hodge (YA/HB) 
- WILLIAM'S WINTER NAP by Linda Ashman (C/HB) 
- PAPILLON GOES TO THE VET by A.N. Kang (C/HB)
- BEATRICE ZINKER, UPSIDE DOWN THINKER by Shelley Johannes (MG/HB) 
- THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE by Katherine Arden (YA/PB) 

Please let me know in the comments what you're reading... and leave your blog or book haul links too!

Happy reading!!!

P.S. I am now a rep for Rachel and Christian at TheInkedPage!!!
She has amazing spiral-notebooks where you can pick your favorite book and/or fandom themed covers; and, you can pick if you would like lined, graph, blank, dotted or planner-typed pages! Super easy to order! And SO many awesome covers to choose from!!!

Use code BUMBLE10 to save 10% off your order!
And follow her Instagram, @the.inked.page, for updates and new sales ;) 

ENJOY!!! And, thanks for stopping by today!!!
xoxoxo