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Imagine one day you’re the undisputed leader of your school, and the next day everyone is making fun of you because of your new glasses and braces. Would you get revenge? Scheme to regain your status? Or enjoy meeting people in a new social group (especially cute people)?
In How to Rock Braces and Glasses by Meg Haston, queen bee Kacey experiences all of the above — and it’s a wild ride to read about! And who better to tell you all about it than the author herself?
Meg Haston stopped by to say hi and answer a few of our questions — and we made her sing a song for you guys. Literally. Check it out, only on Kidsmomo:
ZOMG! She sounds amazing, doesn’t she? If she didn’t seem so sweet and innocent, we’d guess that Meg bribed a professional singer to stand in for her. We don’t actually see Meg doing the singing, right?
Anyway, here’s that interview Meg mentioned in her video:
The book is being adapted as a TV show on Nick. Are you involved? How closely will the show follow the original story? Meg Haston: The show is a new live action comedy series called How to Rock, and will air beginning in early 2012. Like the book, the show will follow tell-it-like-it-is queen bee Kacey Simon as she figures out how to balance popularity with being a good friend and a rockin’ lead singer for the band Gravity. And like the book, music plays a major role in the story. The show stars an incredible musical talent, Cymphonique Miller, and will feature original music.
The development of the book and TV show are fairly separate. Translation: Sadly, I can’t get you an audition, or score your cousin a new gig as a background actor. I can keep writing books that will rock your socks off, if that’s any consolation.
(For more on the show and its stars, plus fun activities, check out LearnHowToRock.com!)
A rockin’ band plays a big role in the book. Do you have any “guilty pleasure” songs that you love? Meg Haston: Since music plays such an important role in the book, music played an important role in my writing process. As I wrote, I listened to everything from Joni Mitchell to Beyonce to Bob Dylan. You can check out a playlist of the songs I listened to during the writing of the book here.
But you asked about guilty pleasure songs, didn’t you? Right now, my guilty pleasure is Katy Perry. And once, I downloaded a Lindsay Lohan song. Although there’s a little more guilt and a little less pleasure involved in that one. Sorry, LL.
In the book, Kacey has an advice segment on the school TV show. Here’s a letter from us to her. Any chance she’d give us some advice?
Dear Simon Says, We have a major crush on a great guy. He’s smart, funny, and cute. Not to mention creative (he has his own band!). He totally gets us, and he likes us for who we are. But here’s the problem: he’s a character in a book! Is this relationship doomed? Sincerely, Crushing on Kidlit
Dear Simon Says,
We have a major crush on a great guy. He’s smart, funny, and cute. Not to mention creative (he has his own band!). He totally gets us, and he likes us for who we are. But here’s the problem: he’s a character in a book! Is this relationship doomed?
Sincerely, Crushing on Kidlit
The response:
Dear Crushing, Your crush sounds AMAZING! Funny, smart, totally adorable, and, um… fictional. In related news, I saw a wisecracking golden retriever on TV last night that apparently meets your dating criteria. Interested? Let’s get to the real issue, Crushed. You want a crush who’s cool, smart, and creative. A crush like Zander Jarvis from How to Rock Braces and Glasses. But you’re worried you won’t be able to find a non-fictional crush with those characteristics. Simon Says: Guys like Zander are out there. I promise. But they can be tough to find. Follow my Dating Do’s, and you’ll be singing sweet duets in no time. 1. Do: Do something. Join a club, a sports team, or a theater group to find friends (and crushes) who are interested in the same things you are. You’ll have a blast, and maybe even meet a few cool peeps along the way. 2. Do: Put good karma out there, and you’ll get it back. Trust me, Crushing: I know what I’m talking about here. Putting good vibes out there means you’ll get good vibes back. And putting harsh vibes out there means… well, you’ll just have to read How to Rock Braces and Glasses to find out. 3. Do: Refuse to settle. In spite of your tendency to crush on fictional characters, I’m betting you’re pretty great. So give some thought to all the things you want and deserve in a crush, and don’t stop looking until you’ve found them. And remember, there are always wise-cracking golden retrievers. Signed, Kacey Simon
Dear Crushing,
Your crush sounds AMAZING! Funny, smart, totally adorable, and, um… fictional.
In related news, I saw a wisecracking golden retriever on TV last night that apparently meets your dating criteria. Interested?
Let’s get to the real issue, Crushed. You want a crush who’s cool, smart, and creative. A crush like Zander Jarvis from How to Rock Braces and Glasses. But you’re worried you won’t be able to find a non-fictional crush with those characteristics.
Simon Says: Guys like Zander are out there. I promise. But they can be tough to find. Follow my Dating Do’s, and you’ll be singing sweet duets in no time.
1. Do: Do something. Join a club, a sports team, or a theater group to find friends (and crushes) who are interested in the same things you are. You’ll have a blast, and maybe even meet a few cool peeps along the way.
2. Do: Put good karma out there, and you’ll get it back. Trust me, Crushing: I know what I’m talking about here. Putting good vibes out there means you’ll get good vibes back. And putting harsh vibes out there means… well, you’ll just have to read How to Rock Braces and Glasses to find out.
3. Do: Refuse to settle. In spite of your tendency to crush on fictional characters, I’m betting you’re pretty great. So give some thought to all the things you want and deserve in a crush, and don’t stop looking until you’ve found them.
And remember, there are always wise-cracking golden retrievers.
Signed,
Kacey Simon
Wow, thank you to Meg Haston for passing our letter along to Kacey! And for answering our questions and sending us a video — not to mention singing just for us! Now that you know how awesome Meg is and you’ve heard from Kacey directly, why don’t you get to know them both even better by entering our sweepstakes for a chance to win the book?
ONE BIG WINNER WILL RECEIVE A SIGNED COPY OF HOW TO ROCK BRACES AND GLASSES!
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY Kids (under the age of 18): Enter for a chance to win our prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before December 1, 2011. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 11/30/2011. See official rules.
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
Kids (under the age of 18):
Enter for a chance to win our prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before December 1, 2011.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 11/30/2011. See official rules.
What do an evil principal, five child prodigies, one boy prophet, a mysterious machine, and a world without adults have in common? They all come from the mind of author Aaron Starmer!
His first book, DWEEB (for ages 8-12), is about a group of middle schoolers who are kidnapped by their principal and have to thwart his dastardly plan — pronto.
His new book, The Only Ones (for ages 10 and up), just came out last month, and we were delighted to receive a copy hot off the presses!
But we were even more excited when Aaron took a break from his intergalactic vacation to send us a video message about his books. Confused? Just watch the video — filmed exclusively for you guys here at Kidsmomo:
HA HA HA HA HA! We hope his lamp survived the video shoot…
Anyway, here’s that interview Aaron mentioned in his video:
In DWEEB, five kids band together and call themselves, well, DWEEB. Did you ever form a club with your friends when you were a kid? And if you could be in your dream club now, what would it be? Aaron Starmer: I never had a club when I was a kid, but we definitely had a tight-knit group of guys who would build forts and play capture the flag and flashlight tag together. We weren’t quick to let other kids in on some of our adventures, so I guess there was a silly air of exclusivity about it. These days, I’m not ashamed to admit, part of me would still love to be in a band. I never had the patience to learn to play an instrument, but rock star dreams don’t ever completely fade away.
In The Only Ones, each kid in the village has a special skill they bring to the group to help the town run. One kid hunts, another purifies the water, another puts on elaborate shows for entertainment, etc. If you lived there, what do you think you would have done? Aaron Starmer: I like to think I would be a halfway decent survivalist, who could build things and start fires by striking stones together. But that’s probably not the case. I would hope I’m a good enough storyteller that people would come over to my house in the evening to sit next to the fireplace while I would regale them with tales. In the mid-80s, when I was a kid, I lived in Australia and that was sort of my job there. As an American, I had seen all the TV shows that hadn’t yet reached Australia. So I could tell my new friends what was going to happen on The A-Team and V and Dukes of Hazzard, long before they were able to see it. For an 8-year-old, that was power!
Both books have a really interesting and unique cast of kids. Are any based on real people in your life? Aaron Starmer: Not consciously, but every character is a little bit me and a little bit the people I know… and a lot of who-knows-what. I think every person has at least one thing that is remarkable about him/her, and I tend to start by defining what is remarkable about each character. Then I try to find contradictions in the character, because we’re all full of contradictions. I definitely borrow dialogue and anecdotes from things I’ve heard friends and family say, but that’s hardly the majority of the writing. It’s more about establishing a character and setting them loose in a world with its own particular rules. Well, wasn’t that nice of Aaron Starmer to interrupt his space travels to say hello? Why don’t you reward his efforts by entering our sweepstakes for a chance to win his books?
ONE BIG WINNER WILL RECEIVE A PRIZE PACK, CONTAINING: • Copy of DWEEB, signed by the author • Copy of The Only Ones, signed by the author
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY Kids (under the age of 18): Enter for a chance to win our prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before November 15, 2011. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 11/14/2011. See official rules.
Enter for a chance to win our prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before November 15, 2011.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 11/14/2011. See official rules.
An ever-expanding-universe-sized thank you to Aaron Starmer for stopping by Kidsmomo and providing the signed books for our giveaway! Now hurry before you’re the last one left on Earth to do it — enter the sweepstakes now!
If you read Karen’s review of Erica Perl’s When Life Gives You O.J. a couple weeks ago, then you should have finished the book by now. Because that’s what everyone does when they read our book reviews, right? You all rush right out of your house and get the book and read it straight through until you’re done, forsaking all your normal responsibilities and previous engagements. Right?
Well, if you didn’t do that with When Life Gives You O.J., then we’re sorry to tell you, but you’ve made a big, big mistake. Because the book is really good, people!
But if you need a little more enticement than just Karen’s review, check out this exclusive video from the author, Erica Perl — made just for Kidsmomo! She answers three questions from us, and also introduces a furry friend — who bites!
(Btw, if you’re wondering why we asked Erica about Yiddish, then you clearly ignored Karen’s wise advice and haven’t read When Life Gives You O.J. yet. For shame!) Well, if that video isn’t enough to get you to read the book, then I guess we’ll just have to give you a copy!
TWO WINNERS WILL RECEIVE SIGNED COPIES OF WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU O.J. BY ERICA PERL!
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY Kids (under the age of 18): Enter for a chance to win o prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before October 31, 2011. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 10/30/2011. See official rules.
Enter for a chance to win o prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before October 31, 2011.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 10/30/2011. See official rules.
A huge thank you to Erica Perl for stopping by Kidsmomo and signing books for our sweepstakes! As for you: why don’t you do yourself a favor and listen to Karen for once — enter the giveaway now!
Let’s just get this out of the way, shall we:
Farts! *Giggle.* Air biscuits! *Snort.* Laying an egg! *Guffaw!* Cutting the cheese! HA HA HA HA HA! Ha ha ha! Ha!
Sorry, we couldn’t resist. But can you blame us? We’re talking about the Sweet Farts books by Raymond Bean, after all! But now that that’s out of our systems, we can move on. (Out of our systems! Get it? Okay, now we really are done.)
If you’re not familiar with Sweet Farts and the sequel, Sweet Farts: Rippin’ It Old School, well, we could tell you all about them. But why not get the 411 directly from the author himself? Check out this special video greeting from Ray Bean, just for Kidsmomo readers:
(Here’s a link to the German version of the book, Stinker, as mentioned in the video.)
Raymond was also kind enough to answer a few of our burning questions:
Describe a time when you let out an S.B.D. (Silent But Deadly)! Raymond Bean: I’m kind of a wonder of science. I don’t pass gas. I have, however, been on the recieving end of more than my share over the years. Being a teacher can be kind of smelly at times.
Keith decides to take matters into his hands and investigate farts for the science fair. What were some of your own science fair projects you did as a kid? Raymond Bean: I remember working on experiments that involved lots of fizzing. Vinegar and baking soda can be a very fun combination. I also liked to experiment with electricity. I think I did a project where I tried to generate electricity with lemons.
Did you have to do any fart-related research for the books? We want details! Raymond Bean: As a matter of fact I did have to do “fart-related” research. I had been working on a story about a 4th grader who cured the smell of human gas. I knew the boy in the story would try to find a way to make gas have different scents. When I started looking for interesting ideas to include in the book, I learned that Benjamin Franklin had a similar idea. In 1781 he wrote a humorous essay calling on scientists to work to find a way to make human gas smell better. He claimed that it would be one of the greatest scientific discoveries of all time. In the book, Keith sets out to make old Ben proud.
And now it’s your turn to make Keith proud! How can you do that? By honoring his work and entering our Sweet Farts Giveaway!
TWO WINNERS WILL RECEIVE A SWEET FARTS PRIZE PACK!
EACH PACK CONTAINS: • Copy of Sweet Farts, signed by the author • Copy of Sweet Farts: Rippin’ It Old School, signed by the author • A box of SWEETARTS®
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY Kids (under the age of 18): Enter for a chance to win our prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before October 31, 2011. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 10/30/2011. See official rules.
Enter for a chance to win our prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before October 31, 2011.
A big thanks to Raymond Bean for stopping by Kidsmomo and providing the sweepstakes prizes! Now what are YOU waiting for? Enter the sweepstakes now!
As you know from the fact that we just can’t shut up about it, we attended LeakyCon 2011 a couple weeks ago. During this AMAZING Harry Potter fan gathering, we danced with wizards, ate pumpkin tarts, watched a Quidditch match — and gathered up lots of Harry-inspired goodies to share with YOU:
TWO WINNERS WILL RECEIVE A HARRY POTTER PRIZE PACK!
EACH PACK CONTAINS: • A commemorative butterbeer cup • Golden Snitch keychain • Box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans • Lightning scar temporary tattoo
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY Kids (under the age of 18): Enter for a chance to win our prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before August 31, 2011. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 8/31/2011. See official rules.
Enter for a chance to win our prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before August 31, 2011.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 8/31/2011. See official rules.
A couple days ago, we posted a recap of our amazing night at the Children’s Choice Book Awards Gala. We spoke of the all-star authors and illustrators, the singing, the cross-dressing, and of course the winners. What we didn’t mention is that the event kicked off Children’s Book Week 2011, which ends today.
But we REFUSE to let it go out without one final hurrah. So today kicks off our Children’s Book Week Sweepstakes! Keep the kidlit spirit going, yo!
We’re giving away our awesome swag from the gala: the gift bags, posters, and books that we snagged at the end of the night!
ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN!
ONE WINNER WILL RECEIVE: • Commemorative Children’s Book Week 2011 tote bag • Children’s Book Week 2011 poster • A copy of Big Nate: In a Class by Himself by Lincoln Peirce
ONE WINNER WILL RECEIVE: • Commemorative Children’s Book Week 2011 tote bag • Children’s Book Week 2011 poster • A copy of Finally by Wendy Mass
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY Kids (under the age of 18): Enter for a chance to win our prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before June 1, 2011. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 5/30/2011. See official rules.
Enter for a chance to win our prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before June 1, 2011.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 5/30/2011. See official rules.
Since our current theme is More Haha-Hilarious Books, it’s only fitting that I just finished a book about the Cosmic Joke. Maybe it’s a HOC! Maybe I’m an Ah! Okay, I seem to be getting ahead of myself.
In Emag of Efil by T.C. Jester, Sofee is just as confused as you probably are right now. That’s because her book has started speaking to her. Meanwhile, her best friend, Fred, discovers that in the video game he’s been playing, his avatar has a mind of its own. Together, Sofee and Fred piece together as much of the puzzle as they can, and it turns out… life is a game!
But that’s not the conclusion of the story; rather, it’s just the beginning. Soon, Sofee and Fred are heading across the globe on a quest to find the Temple of the Cosmic Joke, which they believe will hold more answers. And if they think there’s trouble on the way over, just wait until they actually get there!
At this point, you may be saying, “Well, this is all very interesting, but it sounds like an adventure story, not a haha-hilarious book.” And if you’re saying that, then frankly, I’m offended — do you really think I’d lead you astray? Yes, there’s definitely action in Emag of Efil, but it’s actually mainly a talking book. And by that I mean both that the book within a book speaks (it’s also called Emag of Efil) AND ALSO that the actual book is full of all kinds of conversation and twisted puzzle logic such as the kind I’ve just displayed, to keep you on your toes and amused. Plus, there are many, many PUNS — which you know I love!
And now back to the “HOC” and the “Ah” references at the beginning of this post. I’m afraid that telling you what an Ah is will reveal a little too much. Let’s just say, you probably want to be one of ‘em. But I will tell you that HOC stands for Helpful Occurring Clue. Apparently, life is full of HOCs that we fail to realize are important messages from the universe. So was it a coincidence that the author of Emag of Efil gave me her book just in time for our Haha-Hilarious Books theme, or could it be a sign? Guess only time will tell!
— Karen
If Karen ever comes across a talking book, she hopes it has a nice, soothing voice — like Helen Mirren’s. If it sounds like Russell Brand or that Aflac duck, she will not be pleased!
More about Karen »
Review copy was provided by the author. Currently, Emag of Efil and its sequel (Way of the Foole) are only available online. But you’re in luck, because we’re giving away signed copies of the books to a Kidsmomo reader!
ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN: A copy of Emag of Efil, signed by author T.C. Jester A copy of Way of the Foole, signed by author T.C. Jester Two Emag of Efil T-shirts
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY Kids (under the age of 18): Enter for a chance to win our prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before May 1, 2011. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 4/30/2011. See official rules.
Enter for a chance to win our prize! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before May 1, 2011.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 4/30/2011. See official rules.
Do you believe kids have the power to make a difference in the world? Do you feel like young people are better than grown-ups at coming up with new, fresh, never-before-seen ideas? Do you yourself have something you really care about and you want to spread the word? Are YOU perhaps an activist in the making? Then I’ve got the book for you!
It’s called Do Something! A Handbook for Young Activists, and it comes from the creative minds at the Do Something organization, which is a group that gives money and guidance to young people who are fighting for the causes they really care about — from the environment to world hunger to animal rights. The good folks at Do Something have been helping young activists rock their causes for 17 years, and now they finally have a handbook for kids who want to go after their own thing and change this planet for the better.
And when I say it’s a “handbook,” I really mean that. At first, I was worried it was going to be like a textbook — YAWN! But it’s definitely NOT just a boring list of tips and instructions. Yeah, there are step-by-step ideas for how to get from here to there, but the book is really interactive. It’s a notebook, a planner, and a scrapbook all in one. There are sheets for you to fill out, quizzes to take, pages to decorate, and forms to mark up. (Check out examples at the official book site!) By the time you get through the book, you’ll have chosen your thing, mapped out the problem, created an action plan, formed a team, spread the word, and… well, you’ll have *done something.*
Looking for some extra inspiration to grab this book and get out there, doing your own thing to improve the world? Well, I’ve got some words of wisdom straight from the source! I was lucky enough to meet Julia Steers, one of the book’s co-authors, at a recent Do Something event in NYC, and I asked her… well, why don’t you just watch the video?
Still not pumped to run out and snatch up this book for yourself? Man, you’re hard to convince! That’s okay — I can admire someone who thinks for themselves, and that’s what the Do Something handbook is all about anyway. BUT even you can’t ignore the temptation of free stuff, am I right?
ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN: A copy of Do Something! A Handbook for Young Activists A Do Something notebook A Do Something tote bag
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY Kids (under the age of 18): Enter for a chance to win our prize pack! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before December 15, 2010. So… do it already! (Get it? Do it, because of Do Something! Ha ha, I’m so clever…) NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 12/14/2010. See official rules.
Enter for a chance to win our prize pack! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before December 15, 2010. So… do it already! (Get it? Do it, because of Do Something! Ha ha, I’m so clever…)
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 12/14/2010. See official rules.
So, what are you waiting for? You can DO it!
Karen volunteers every Saturday at a local bookstore where all the money goes to charity. She has to be there at 10 a.m., which is pretty early for a weekend — but sometimes it’s the best four hours of Karen’s week!
Review copy of the book and prize pack were provided by Do Something. (And don’t worry, we’re not giving away the same book we looked at. The winner will receive a brand spankin’ new copy of the book, we promise!)
Look, it's Karen and Nancy! HAHAHAHAHA!
Attention, everyone: this week is VERY important. Apparently, it’s National Dance Week, Air Conditioning Appreciation Week, and National Aviation Week. But most importantly, this week marks Kidsmomo’s one-year anniversary!
Yahoo! [streamers] [balloons] [embarrassing party hats]
Now, normally you guys would owe us presents, but we’ve decided to count all the book reviews, stories, and comments that you’ve contributed over the last year as your gifts to us. So guess what — we’ve decided to give you a present for our birthday!
Announcing our Birthday Bash Book Giveaway! (Sadly, we couldn’t think of a word for “Giveaway” that starts with a B.) To celebrate the first 12 months of Kidsmomo’s life, we’ve rounded up 12 books that we’ve recommended over the last year — and we put together two sweet prize packs (if we do say so ourselves). This week also happens to be Weird Contest Week, so we guess it’s only fitting.
ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER WILL RECEIVE:
ONE RUNNER-UP WINNER WILL RECEIVE:
HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY Kids (under the age of 18): Enter for a chance to win our prize packs! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before September 15, 2010. So… what are you waiting for?! NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 09/14/2010. See official rules.
Enter for a chance to win our prize packs! Just fill out this entry form and mail it back to us. (Don’t forget to have your parent/guardian sign it — otherwise, you won’t be eligible to win!) We must receive your entry before September 15, 2010. So… what are you waiting for?!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) under 18 years. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends 09/14/2010. See official rules.
Look to the left. Check out that fiery red hair bursting into flames. And the overall-wearing girl riding the clickety-clackety bicycle, fearlessly pedaling forward on the ominous path. Don’t you want to read this book? DON’TCHA?
Well, if your answer is a resounding yes (and it totally should be), here’s a reminder that there are only a few more days left to enter our first-ever-and-don’t-make-it-our-last-Kidsmomo Book Giveaway. Learn more here, including how to enter the sweepstakes.
Have I mentioned that there are amazing illustrations inside the book, also? We’ll leave those for you to peruse when you get — or maybe even win? — a copy. Meanwhile, check out this awesome excerpt from The Boneshaker by Kate Milford:
The people who lived in Arcane were just like anyone else. They went to work, kept kitchen gardens and cats and dogs, and had jobs and children and houses with broken screen doors or squeaky porch steps. The children waited all year for summer holidays, then for winter holidays and presents, then for summer gain. There were bullies and victims, rich kids and poor ones, like there are anywhere. But strange things can happen at the crossroads, and even if you were a perfectly normal child in a crossroads town you’d grow up hearing stories, maybe even see one of those odd happenings yourself. For instance, by the time she was thirteen years old Natalie Minks knew all those strange stories by heart. She knew the one about how the Old Village became an abandoned shell, and all the tales of that ancient forest to the southwest of Arcane, in which strange things had walked long ago. She even knew why Mrs. Corusk, who kept a little farm at the north edge of town, insisted on living by candlelight when most everybody else had had electricity since before Natalie was born. It was hard sometimes to tell which stories were true and which ones weren’t, but if Natalie was sure of anything, it was that in Arcane, you couldn’t be sure of anything at all.
The people who lived in Arcane were just like anyone else. They went to work, kept kitchen gardens and cats and dogs, and had jobs and children and houses with broken screen doors or squeaky porch steps. The children waited all year for summer holidays, then for winter holidays and presents, then for summer gain. There were bullies and victims, rich kids and poor ones, like there are anywhere.
But strange things can happen at the crossroads, and even if you were a perfectly normal child in a crossroads town you’d grow up hearing stories, maybe even see one of those odd happenings yourself. For instance, by the time she was thirteen years old Natalie Minks knew all those strange stories by heart. She knew the one about how the Old Village became an abandoned shell, and all the tales of that ancient forest to the southwest of Arcane, in which strange things had walked long ago. She even knew why Mrs. Corusk, who kept a little farm at the north edge of town, insisted on living by candlelight when most everybody else had had electricity since before Natalie was born.
It was hard sometimes to tell which stories were true and which ones weren’t, but if Natalie was sure of anything, it was that in Arcane, you couldn’t be sure of anything at all.
Remember, the giveaway is open only until June 1st, so download an entry form and mail it in!
(No purchase necessary. A purchase will not increase your chance of winning.)
