ROALD DAHL 100th Celebratory Blog Tour (Feature and Giveaway): MATILDA by Roald Dahl (MG)

Happy Sunday to you all!
I am so very happy to be a part of this 'Celebratory Blog Tour' for Roald Dahl's 100th birthday!
SO many fond childhood memories when it comes to his books... I remember for a short period of time trying to use all of his made-up words in everyday lingo - it didn't work very well and annoyed my 3rd grade teacher, lol! Maybe I'll do better now... 

MATILDA

by Roald Dahl

Original release date: 1988

New paperback release date: February 11th, 2016

Published by Penguin

Genre: Middle Grade to Everyone

Format: Paperback

SUMMARY

Matilda is a little girl who is far too good to be true. At age five-and-a-half she's knocking off double-digit multiplication problems and blitz-reading Dickens. Even more remarkable, her classmates love her even though she's a super-nerd and the teacher's pet. But everything is not perfect in Matilda's world. For starters, she has two of the most idiotic, self-centered parents who ever lived. Then there's the large, busty nightmare of a school principal, Mrs. ("The") Trunchbull, a former hammer-throwing champion who flings children at will and is approximately as sympathetic as a bulldozer. Fortunately for Matilda, she has the inner resources to deal with such annoyances: astonishing intelligence, saintly patience, and an innate predilection for revenge. 

She warms up with some practical jokes aimed at her hapless parents, but the true test comes when she rallies in defense of her teacher, the sweet Miss Honey, against the diabolical Trunchbull. There is never any doubt that Matilda will carry the day. Even so, this wonderful story is far from predictable. Roald Dahl, while keeping the plot moving imaginatively, also has an unerring ear for emotional truth. The reader cares about Matilda because in addition to all her other gifts, she has real feelings. 

MATILDA and MY DAD

MATILDA will always hold a special spot in my heart in more ways than one... not only was it the first Roald Dahl book I've ever read, and then became one of my most favorite childhood re-reads; it is also a favorite that my family and I can share with my dad. 

First, let me be honest - my dad is not a reader. Nor has he ever read Matilda, or any other book every (except the Bible). His love for Matilda originated from the movie starring Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman... the latter two being some familiar faces to him from television already. He was very intrigued to see these characters in such a film and needed to see the movie again without any interruptions. And since then, anytime the movie was on television, dad did what he could to watch it in its entirety. 

Now, a quick reminder, my dad is not a reader *laughs*... finding out that the movie is based on a book was mind-blowing to him. He comes from a generation where those things are separate - it's either a book or a movie and that's that. He's heard of movies being "based on books" which to him meant they took the idea of the book and did something similar, but it's not the same. And then I started talking about the book... he's was intrigued, shocked and giddy with excitement to finally be able to talk about something we had in common other than family, food and the newscasters poor choice in hairstyles or clothes on the local news channel. We connected in a way that we had never connected before - and discussed things we never imagined we would have ever talk about: character development, how accurate the adaption is/was, Matilda's abilities and how they came to be and where they may have come from, how and why the author wrote the story and why they chose to make it into a movie, etc. 

At first he saw Matilda as just a silly little girl and compared her to the likes of Home Alone - a funny movie with lots of kid pranks and dumb adults. But with further discussion, he began to see her strength and humor, and the struggles she goes through from being different... 

My father will never read Matilda. And I'm okay with that. What matters most now is that he admires my love of books, and how important they are to me. And though he admires it, he still doesn't completely understand my love of books, he is not a collector or hobbyist. But, after our in-depth discussion of Matilda and seeing how a book can make you think, create discussions and build your imaginations, he has a new understanding and respect for those who do love books. He no longer sees our books as "throwing away money on dust collectors" and this makes my heart happy. If only we could get all non-book-lovers to realize how much our world comes from reading... and to stop saying "just watch the movie".

And now, I am really looking forward to seeing dad's next surprise... my son is currently reading Matilda for the first time, and hasn't seen the movie in its entirety yet. He's hoping to watch it with his grandpa so they can talk about it too! 

*A paperback finished copy of MATILDA was sent to me by the publisher for an honest feature. All thoughts here are my own.

GIVEAWAY

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(Bumbles and Fairy-Tales is not to be held responsible for any lost, damaged, unclaimed, etc. prizes.)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl (1916–1990) was one of the world’s most imaginative, successful and beloved storytellers. He was born in Wales of Norwegian parents and spent much of his childhood in England. After establishing himself as a writer for adults with short story collections such as Kiss Kiss and Tales of the Unexpected, Roald Dahl began writing children's stories in 1960 while living with his family in both the U.S. and in England. His first stories were written as entertainment for his own children, to whom many of his books are dedicated.

Roald Dahl’s first children’s story, The Gremlins, was a story about little creatures that were responsible for the various mechanical failures on airplanes. The Gremlins came to the attention of both First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who loved to read the story to her grandchildren, and Walt Disney, with whom Roald Dahl had discussions about the production of a movie.

Roald Dahl was inspired by American culture and by many of the most quintessential American landmarks to write some of his most memorable passages, such as the thrilling final scenes in James and the Giant Peach - when the peach lands on the Empire State Building! Upon the publication of James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl began work on the story that would later be published as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and today, Roald Dahl’s stories are available in 58 languages and, by a conservative estimate, have sold more than 200 million copies.

Roald Dahl also enjoyed great success for the screenplays he wrote for both the James Bond film You Only Live Twice in 1967 and for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, released one year later, which went on to become a beloved family film.  Roald Dahl’s popularity continues to increase as his fantastic novels, including James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda, The BFG, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, delight an ever-growing legion of fans. 

Two charities have been founded in Roald Dahl’s memory: the first charity, Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, created in 1991, focuses on making life better for seriously ill children through the funding of specialist nurses, innovative medical training, hospitals, and individual families across the UK.

The second charity, The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre – a unique cultural, literary and education hub – opened in June 2005 in Great Missenden where Roald Dahl lived and wrote many of his best-loved works. 10% of income from Roald Dahl books and adaptations are donated to the two Roald Dahl charities.

On September 13, 2006, the first national Roald Dahl Day was celebrated, on what would have been the author’s 90^th birthday. The event proved such a success that Roald Dahl Day is now marked annually all over the world. September 13, 2016 is Roald Dahl 100, marking 100 years since the birth of the world’s number one storyteller. There will be celebrations for Roald Dahl 100 throughout 2016, delivering a year packed with gloriumptious treats and surprises for everyone.

Goodreads / Website 

ROALD DAHL 100 CELEBRATORY BLOG TOUR

September 5 - Peace Loves Books - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Excerpt

September 5 - The Compulsive Reader - Danny, The Champion of the World Review 

September 5 - The Starry Eyed Revue - James and The Giant Peach Review

September 6 - Ex Libris Kate - The Witches Review

September 6 - Cracking The Cover - The Magic Finger Feature - Short Review and History 

September 6 - Lost In Lit - The Witches Feature - Revisiting The Witches as an adult 

September 7 - Cozy Reading Corner - Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator Excerpt 

September 7 - The Plot Bunny - The Magic Finger Review 

September 7 - Lilli's Reflections - The Twits Excerpt 

September 8 - The Irish Banana - Matilda Review 

September 8 - Ticket To Anywhere - Danny, The Champion of the World Excerpt

September 8 - Cuddlebuggery - Quentin Blake's Illustrations of Roald Dahl's Books Feature

September 8 - Beth Fish Reads - Going Solo Review 

September 9 -  Ravenous Reader - The BFG Excerpt 

September 9 - Paper Cuts - The Giraffe, the Pelly and Me Excerpt 

September 9 - The Lovely Books - The Witches Excerpt 

September 9 - A Glass of Wine - James and the Giant Peach Excerpt

September 10 - Novel Novice - George's Marvelous Medicine Excerpt 

September 10 - YA Bibliophile - Fantastic Mr. Fox Review

September 10 - Watercolor Moods - The Magic Finger Feature - Collage

September 11- Jessabella Reads - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Review 

September 11- Who R U Blog - Charlie and the Glass Elevator Feature - Trivia

September 12 - Belle of the Library - The Twits Review 

September 12 - Book Mania Life - George's Marvelous Medicine Review 

September 12 - The Book Swarm - Danny, The Champion of the World Excerpt 

September 12 - Book Belles - James and the Giant Peach Feature - Book to Movie

September 13- Roald's birthday! - Brittany's Book Rambles - Matilda Excerpt 

September 13 - Roald's birthday! - Mundie Kids - The BFG Review

September 13 - Roald's birthday! - Read Now Sleep Later - Boy Excerpt

September 13 - Roald's birthday - Consumed By Books - Matilda Excerpt 

September 13 - Roald's birthday - I Am A Reader - James and the Giant Peach Excerpt 

September 13 - The Novel Life - Lessons that Roald Dahl has taught me feature

September 13 - The Book Rat - Esio Trot Excerpt

September 14 - Belle's Bash - The BFG Excerpt

September 14 - WinterHaven Books - Esio Trot Excerpt 

September 14 - A Book and A Latte - The Magic Finger Excerpt

September 14 - Hello Chelly - Matilda Feature - BookBags

September 14 - Loving Dem Books - Youtube Feature

September 15 - Writing My Own Fairy-Tale - George's Marvelous Medicine Review 

September 15 - The Book Bandit -The Giraffe, and the Pelly and Me Review

September 15 - Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile - Esio Trot Review

September 15 - Coffee, Books and Me - Top Ten Reasons You Should Read Roald Dahl's Books

September 16 - Undeniably Book Nerdy - Boy Review 

September 16 - Supernatural Snark - James and the Giant Peach Review 

September 16 - My Friend Amy - Going Solo Excerpt 

September 16 - The Quiet Concert - Danny, the Champion of the World Review 

September 17 - Book Briefs - Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator 

September 17 - Andi's ABCs - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Feature - ABCs

September 17 - Just Another Rabid Reader - The Magic Finger Review 

September 17 - Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia - Roald Dahl Feature - Food Feature

September 18 - Bumbles and Fairy-Tales - Matilda Feature - Reading With Dad

September 18 - Addicted 2 Novels - Esio Trot Review 

September 18 - Pure Imagination - Fantastic Mr. Fox Excerpt 

September 18 - Green Bean Teen Queen - What Roald Dahl Means To Me Feature

September 19 - Bookiemoji - The Witches Excerpt 

September 19 - Shooting Stars Blog - Roald Dahl Feature - Etsy Products

September 19 -  Alexa Loves Books - Matilda Feature - Style Files

September 19 - Nightly Reading - Matilda Review

Review: OXFORD ROALD DAHL DICTIONARY Edited by Susan Rennie

OXFORD ROALD DAHL DICTIONARY

by Roald Dahl 

Contributor and Editor Susan Rennie 

Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Release date: June 2nd, 2016

Published by Oxford University Press 

Genre: Middle Grade - Everyone

Format: Hardcover

SUMMARY

This is not an ordinary dictionary. After all, you wouldn't expect an 'Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary' to be ordinary, would you? 

Lots of dictionaries tell you what an 'alligator' is, or how to spell 'balloon' but they won't explain the difference between a 'ringbeller' and a 'trogglehumper', or say why witches need 'gruntles' eggs' or suggest a word for the shape of a 'Knid'.

All the words that Roald Dahl invented are here, like 'biffsquiggled' and 'whizzpopping', to remind you what means what. You'll also find out where words came from, rhyming words, synonyms and lots of alternative words for words that are overused.

Oxford Children's Dictionaries are perfect for supporting literacy and learning and this is the world's first Roald Dahl Dictionary from the word experts at Oxford University Press. With real citations from Roald Dahl's children's books and illustrations by Quentin Blake. The Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary will inspire and encourage young writers and readers. 

MY REVIEW

Happy 100th birthday, Roald Dahl!!!

And what better way to celebrate this day than with a new book!

But not just any book! A DICTIONARY with all of all the ridiculous, silly words that Dahl ever used in his books!

This book is not to be read from cover to cover since it is meant to be used as a dictionary. It not only has all of Dahl's made-up words, but many additional words that Dahl used in his writing and what he meant them to mean. Many of us forget that most words aren't meant to be taken so literal... However, my children and I did read the majority of it in chronological order, and although it is not a story to follow along, it was very amusing to come across all the amusing words we have grown to use, love and admire. 

Filled with Quentin Blake's illustrations - the perfect touch to make you feel right at home in Dahl's stories and worlds. Where I was able to reminisce all the memories I have reading Dahl's books and my children were able to recall recent readings and add more of Dahl's books to their "soon to be read" lists.  

Our favorite part was that the dictionary comes with instructions in how to use it - implying that "only interesting words are allowed in it" and that the pronunciation of a word can be misleading to what it may actually mean. 

A fun book for everyone! Especially Dahl-followers who want an in-depth knowledge of how and why the author used the words he used... gobblefunking at its best!!! 

*A hardback finished copy of OXFORD ROALD DAHL DICTIONARY was sent to me by the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts here are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer and screenwriter of Norwegian descent, who rose to prominence in the 1940's with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors. 

Dahl's first published work, inspired by a meeting with C.S. Forester, was Shot Down Over Libya. Today the story is published as A Piece of Cake. The story, about his wartime adventures, was bought by the Saturday Evening Post for $900, and propelled him into a career as a writer. Its title was inspired by a highly accurate and sensationalized article about the crash that blinded him, which claimed he had been shot down instead of simply having to land because of low fuel. 

His first children's book was The Gremlins, about mischievous little creatures that were part of RAF folklore. The book was commissioned by Walt Disney for a film that was never made, and published in 1943. Dahl went on to create some of the best-loved children's stories of the 20th century, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and James and the Giant Peach. 

He also had a successful parallel career as the writer of macabre adult short stories, usually with a dark sense of humour and a surprise ending. Many were originally written for American magazines such as Ladies Home Journal, Harper's, Playboy and The New Yorker, then subsequently collected by Dahl into anthologies, gaining world-wide acclaim. Dahl wrote more than 60 short stories and they have appeared in numerous collections, some only being published in book form after his death. His stories also brought him three Edgar Awards: in 1954, for the collection Someone Like You; in 1959, for the story "The Landlady"; and in 1980, for the episode of Tales of the Unexpected based on "Skin".

Goodreads / Website 

Blog Tour (Guest Post/Review): UNCLE JOHN'S BATHROOM READER FOR KIDS ONLY! (Collectible Edition) by Gordon Javna (A/MG)

UNCLE JOHN'S BATHROOM READER FOR KIDS ONLY!

by Bathroom Readers' Institute (Gordon Javna)

Release date: April 8th, 2014

Published by: Portable Press

Genre: For all ages

Format: Hardback, eBook

Format read: Hardback from the publisher/tour host for an honest review.

SUMMARY 

Here is an exciting chance to own the very first Uncle John's Bathroom Reader For Kids Only! in a hardcover edition with all new illustrations! 

When our younger readers demanded a Bathroom Reader of their own, Uncle John put together this brain-boggling easy-to-read collection of facts, fads, quotes, history, science, origins, pop culture, mythology, humor, and more! Plus it's full of wacky and fun illustrations and Uncle John's famous "running feet" — those fun and fascinating facts on the bottom of every page. 

Curious young readers will learn about the real Dr. Seuss, baseball superstitions, the birth of The Simpsons, how carnival games are rigged, the history of dining on scorpions and tarantulas, shocking truths about thunder and lightning, and disgusting bodily functions like ear wax production and digestion (and why they're important), and much, much more!

GUEST POST by Gordon Javna

How do you narrow down what facts are important enough to go into a “Bathroom Reader?”

We're very discerning. We don't mind sharing a fact that will make {you} groan, or go, “Eww!” but we don't want to include any facts that might make you barf on the book. 

Other criteria: It should make you say, “You've GOT to be kidding me!” 

We like to include information that you haven't heard before — 

odd history, strange science, unusual origins. 

The only exception: jokes, because who doesn't want to know how to tell when an elephant’s been in the fridge? (By the footprints in the butter.) 

Or what you call a fly with no wings. (A walk.)

MY REVIEW

This book was so much fun to share with my kids! It is truly more than just a 'bathroom reader' - filled with so many wonderful facts that most people would never even think of, let alone wonder. This book kept us entertained for a very long time, and in just one sitting. It is a great book to just pick up and read randomly - just skip around and pick a page. Even more fun if you read out loud with your family and friends - quite a lot of these 'random facts' are funny and will set you all into a fit of giggles. But, and I assure you, you will also learn a lot. Some may be trivial, but a quite a lot are historical facts that is quite useful information. Definitely a fun way to learn new things.

There SO many fun and odd facts! A few of our favorite are:

- Creepy Cuisine: "People have been eating strange food since... well, since people first felt hungry. How hungry would you have to be to try some of these delicacies?" page 15.

(Ewww... who would have thought to make a meal out of these... things!)

- More Gross Stuff: "Essential (but nasty) information about your body." page 119.

(And he wasn't kidding, SO gross!)

- Travel Guide to Imaginary Lands: "Let Uncle John be your guide to some fantastic places that can only be found in books. Forget the movies - there's nothing like a great novel." page 260.

(LOVE that he tells us how to get to Narnia, Never-Never Land and a few other magical places!)

And at the bottom of every single page, throughout the entire book, there are additional miscellaneous facts! Like...

"Kid power: On average, a child laughs 400 times a day; an adult laughs about 15." page 131

"In one day, your blood will travel nearly 12,000 miles." page 136

"When dogs and humans sleep together, they dream at the same times." page 204

Over 280 pages filled with amazing knowledge - I know that my kids and I will continue to pick this book and read odd bits and will definitely share the knowledge with each other and others too! Definitely a fun book to gift, to all readers and nonreaders! To kids and adult too!
We look forward to picking up more of Uncle John's books soon!


(I received a hardback from the publisher/tour host for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.)

TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, June 30th - Candace's Book Blog
Tuesday, July 1st - Cindy's Love of Books
Wednesday, July 2nd - Proud Book Nerd
Thursday, July 3rd - Bumbles and Fairy-Tales
Friday July 4th - Cassandra M's Place

 Monday, July 7th - Sweet Southern Home
Tuesday, July 8th - Confessions of a Book Addict
Wednesday, July 9th - Little Red Reads
Thursday, July 10th - Me, My Shelf and I
Friday July 11th - Bewitched Bookworms

Monday, July 14th - Kindle and Me
Tuesday, July 15th - Snowdrop Dreams of Books
Wednesday, July 16th - Hott Books
Thursday, July 17th - alwaysjoart
Friday July 18th - Captivated Reading

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Gordon Javna

The life of Gordon “Uncle John” Javna, editor-in-chief and publisher of the Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader series, reads like one of his books. There’s a lot of fun, intriguing—often odd—information lurking around every corner. He went to art school, and then went on to become a musician, real-estate developer, writer, restaurateur, president of a pre-school, brew pub owner, and editor—not all at once, mind you, but he has been all of these things.

Eventually, though, he realized that because of his love of fascinating facts (and being a bathroom reader himself), he was naturally suited, perhaps even destined, to bring the joy of trivia to the world in a fun, informative way. He assumed the pseudonym Uncle John for the Bathroom Reader series and since then, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader has become the longest-running, most popular series of its kind in the publishing industry.  To date, there are more than 15 million Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers in print and his fanatical flock of followers span from Australia to the United Kingdom and beyond.

Guided by their obsession with unusual trivia, amazing origins, and forgotten history, Gordon “Uncle John” Javna and his staff at the Bathroom Readers’ Institute have made Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers a must-have for book and gift stores worldwide for over two decades.  Gordon continues to expand his porcelain province from his throne room in Ashland, Oregon.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Google+

Kismet Book Touring

Blog Tour/Guest Post: THE NINJA LIBRARIANS: THE ACCIDENTAL KEYHAND by Jen Swann Downey (MG)

THE NINJA LIBRARIANS: THE ACCIDENTAL KEYHAND

The Ninja Librarians #1

by Jen Swann Downey

Expected release date: April 15th, 2014

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky Kids

Genre: Middle Grade - Mystery, Adventure

Format: Hardcover, eBook

SUMMARY

Just a little story about your average sword-swinging, karate-chopping, crime-fighting ninja librarians.

Dorrie Barnes had no idea an overdue library book would change her life. 

When Dorrie and her brother Marcus chase her pet mongoose into the janitor's closet of their local library, they accidentally fall through a passage into Petrarch's Library - the headquarters of a secret society of ninja librarians who have an important mission: 

protect those whose words have gotten them into trouble. 

Anywhere in the world and at any time in history.

Dorrie would love nothing more than to join the society. 

But when a traitor surfaces, she and her friends are the prime suspects. 

Can they clear their names before the only passage back to the twenty-first century closes forever?

GUEST POST

Why mix Ninjas and Librarians???

Ah yes. Why mix ninjas and librarians? Even as a child, I thought of librarians as fulfilling a sort of sacred magical duty. They were the keepers of the books! The keepers of stories, legends, and great fat tomes full of history's unplumbed secrets. As I got older, I began to also appreciate librarians as important players in the long-term struggle by many to nurture and protect notions about the need for citizens to have access to freely flowing information. They understand well the need to protect books and other writings from those who would suppress or destroy them, and the need to protect the authors of such writings from censorship or punishment.

Once I realized that I wanted my story to revolve around a secret society of librarians, it was terrifically easy to imagine librarians not just as intellectual warriors, but literal ones as well, with only a slightly expanded job description, and only a slightly altered typical day. Hm...something like:  1p.m. - catalogue new arrivals: 2 p.m. - assist a patron to find a book when said patron knows only one word in the title, and the author's middle initial;  2:30 p.m. - excuse one's self from colleagues in order to slip through time in order to help break out an imprisoned "heretical" writer in a different century, an hour before he was scheduled to be burned at the stake. 

The lybrarians of Petrarch's Library are not literally ninjas. They don't wear black hoods (unless that works for a particular mission), and are not members of a feudal Japanese society of mercenaries. They do, however, share with historic ninjas, a high degree of training in secrecy, stealth, and specialized skills useful to attaining their goals. That similarity suggested the strangely elastic modern qualifier of "ninja" for librarian.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Jen Swann Downey

Jen Swann Downey's non-fiction pieces have appeared in New York Magazine, the Washington Post, Women's Day, and other publications. 

Her first middle-grade novel, THE NINJA LIBRARIANS, will be published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, April 1, 2014. 

Jen divides her time between libraries and other places, and will never stop looking for lickable wallpaper.

Goodreads / Website / Twitter

http://www.sourcebooks.com/

A "Nobel Beehive Award" Review: THE FELLOWSHIP FOR ALIEN DETECTION by Kevin Emerson

I am so happy to finally be able to share my review today!

You can also find Kevin Emerson's guest post about "Road Trips, Parents and Roswell" here!

And a giveaway too!!!

The Fellowship For Alien Detection

by Kevin Emerson

Release date: February 26th, 2013

Published by: Walden Pond Press

Genre: Middle Grade - Fantasty, Sci-Fi

Format read: ARC

SUMMARY

Two kids from opposite sides of the country find themselves on a road trip to save the world from an impending alien attack - and bolster their middle-school transcripts in the process. 

First came the missing people, missing time events, and untraceable radio signals. Then came Juliette, Arizona, a town that simply disappeared from existence. Suffice it to say, something strange is going on. Enter Haley and Dodger, two kids from opposite sides of the country who both think they can prove that these unexplained phenomena have a very real cause: aliens, and they are about to discover that their fledgling theories about extraterrestrial life are one-hundred-percent accurate.

Having each been awarded a Fellowship for Alien Detection (a grant from a mysterious foundation dedicated to proving aliens have visited earth), Haley and Dodger and their families each set off on a cross-country road trip over summer vacation to figure out what is happening in towns across America. They soon realize that the answers to many of their questions lie in the vanished town of Juliette, AZ, but someone, or something, is doing everything in its power to ensure they never reach it. If Haley and Dodger don't act quickly, more people may go missing, and the world as we know it may change for the worse.

Take a peek at The Fellowship For Alien Detection's first chapter here!!!

MY REVIEW

The Fellowship for Alien Detection is a suspenseful, fast-paced, mysterious, alien adventure!
The first sci-fi that I have ever read that is based in the present and highly believable.
If you are not a believer, Haley and Dodger will definitely make you into one!!!

The story starts with Haley trying to figure out a way to keep the majority of her fellowship a secret from her family. If they knew half the things that were going on, they would not let Haley go on with her investigation. And Haley is determined to follow through; she wants all the credit she can get to build her resume, her dream is to become a newspaper reporter.
So far, Haley has figured out that there has been a pattern of missing time coinciding with missing persons. Every time a Missing Time Field goes off, everyone within a 16 mile radius experiences a loss of 16 minutes and then 'wakes up' disorientated, confused and with similar stories of what they experienced and saw.
The closer Haley gets to putting the pieces together, the closer she gets to finding out why the aliens are here and what they have been doing.

Dodger lives 3,000 miles away from Haley. He's also won a fellowship. But Dodger's reason's for applying for the fellowship and investigating the possibility of aliens is quite the opposite of Haley's:
Dodger has been receiving a radio frequency through his head from a town called Juliette; a town that does not exist on any current map, a town that no one has ever heard of.
Dodger knows that he's always been different from other kids and has never felt like he's ever fitted in anywhere, not even home with his parents. He is determined to find out why - why can he hear this radio station in his head? Why is he so different from everyone else? Why does his father always glook at him like something is not right?

When Haley makes a new discovery, the fellowship tells her she must go home, she's in danger now. But Haley insists on going forward and getting to the bottom of things. The Alto is sent to help her - he works for the fellowship and knows about the aliens, how they work and what they are capable of. But, how does he know so much about them?

Soon after, Haley and the Alto catch up with Dodger -  and things start to really pick up!
Discoveries are made!!! Many!!!
You will not be disappointed!

What really stood out to me the most is even though both Haley and Dodger had some frustrations with their families, in the end, family is what matters the most. Sacrificing and keeping them safe was their top priority.

Kevin Emerson's writing is so kid friendly, interactive and picturesque - which makes up for the length of this book. Seriously, do not be intimidated by 428 pages! The book is hard to put down once you get started and it just flies by!
I highly recommend this book to all sci-fi and E.T. fans! And even those who aren't - it is a great book to introduce those who have always been interested but wary of the sci-fi genre.

FAVORITE QUOTES

"Keep count, and you might start to think you have enough. Numbers are outlaws - bandits. 
They make rules in your mind."

~ Vee (Violet), The Fellowship for Alien Detection, ARC page 236

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Kevin Emerson

Kevin Emerson has never been abducted by aliens, at least not that he remembers. He has been to Roswell, but all he found there was a cool key chain. Kevin is the author of a number of books for young readers, including the Oliver Nocturne series, Carlos Is Gonna Get It, andThe Lost Code, the first book in the Atlanteans series. Kevin is also a musician. His current project is the brainiac kids’ pop band the Board of Education. He lives in Seattle with his wife and two children.

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