A family curse. An “innocent” prank. A magic candle THE 12TH CANDLE

THE 12TH CANDLE by Kim Tomsic 

(October 8, 2019 Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins) ISBN 978-0062654977

Since birth, Sage Sassafras has been plagued by the Contrarium Curse, aka the Curse of the Opposites, and it has pitted her against tall, rich, basketball star, Priscilla Petty. When Priscilla lands dunk shots, Sage throws bricks. When Priscilla has a good hair day, Sage gets tangles, and when Priscilla’s father lands a big promotion at work, things go really sour for Sage’s daddy.

So when Noodler, the biggest search-engine company in the world, challenges students at Goldview K-8 to the Doodle for Noodler art contest, Sage is determined to win fame before Priscilla can, and thereby change her reputation from infamous to famous. Plus, with a little help from the magic candle she received on her 12^th birthday, she believes she can do even more! The candle brings pizza, art supplies, and new clothing—maybe it can change the curse, too, so Sage makes the ultimate wish—she asks for a curse-reverse.

When the consequences of her wish take a terrible turn, she has to team up with her frenimies and figure out how to break the curse and its reverse for good, she’ll be doomed to a life of opposites forever!

CRITICAL PRAISE:

“A thoughtful look at curse versus choice and an encouragement to youngsters to make their own paths.”—Kirkus Review

“Friendship, magic, and pink lightning—this book is a wish come true!” —Lauren Myracle

 “This sweetly magical novel is a lesson in kindness. There is magic in all of us.” –Kristen Gilligan, owner, Tattered Cover Book Store

“A heartfelt and humorous story about the ups and downs of middle school, touching on the ways acts of forgiveness can change an entire community. The 12^th Candle is a wish come true!” –McCourt Thomas, Head of Youth Services, Lyons Regional Library District

“An enchanting and heartfelt story for anyone who has ever tried to wish away their problems!” –Ida Olson, Library Media Specialist, McCormick Junior High School

If you would like a signed copy, please order through the following bookstores and let them know you'd like your copy personalized:

Changing Hands Bookstore: https://www.changinghands.com/book/9780062654977

Tattered Cover Bookstore: https://www.tatteredcover.com/book/9780062654977

BookBar Denver https://www.bookbardenver.com/book/9780062654977

Boulder Bookstore: https://www.boulderbookstore.net/book/9780062654977

PUBLIC EVENTS:

October 8th, 7:00 PM Tattered Cover Bookstore, 2526 E. Colfax Avenue, Denver

October 12th, noon, SCBWI Rocky Mountains

October 26th, 2:00 PM Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S. McClintock, Tempe AZ

November 9th:  Boulder Connect, Boulder Colorado

School visits (not listed here) have been scheduled through:  BookBar Denver, Tattered Cover Bookstore, Boulder Bookstore, and Changing Hands Bookstore. 

Buying Link: Indie Bound https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780062654977

Would you like to know about the author:

Please visit Kim Tomsic's Website:  http://kimtomsic.com/

ISBN 978-0062654977

Caleb and Kit by Beth Vrable: Entertainment, Adventure, and Diversity!

Caleb and Kit by Beth Vrable

FROM THE JACKETFLAP: 

"Twelve-year-old Caleb is shorter, frailer, and more protected than most kids his age. That's because he has cystic fibrosis, a diagnosis meaning lungs that fill with mucus and a shortened lifespan. Caleb tries not to let his disorder define him, but it can be hard with an overprotective mom and a perfect big brother.
Then Caleb meets Kit--a vibrant, independent, and free girl--and his world changes instantly. Kit reads Caleb's palm and tells him they are destined to become friends. She calls birds down from the sky and turns every day into an adventure. Her magic is contagious, making Caleb question the rules and order in his life. But being Kit's friend means embracing deception and danger, and soon Caleb will have to decide if his friendship with Kit is really what's best for him--or her."

If Caleb and Kit were a recipe, the instructions would say: mix up a heaping bowl of heart, humor, and adventure, plus add a dash of Because of Winn Dixie and Bridge to Terabithia. This book is a must read not only for the entertainment value, but also for the diversity of introducing a character with cystic fibrosis without reducing the protagonist to being defined by his disease. Author Beth Vrable delivers a cast of interesting and complicated characters and readers will most definitely want to follow Caleb and Kit page after page.

Comparable titles include The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin and Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt.

Don't take my word for it. Look at these fantastic reviews:

"A realistic story with strong, recognizable characters that doesn't reduce cystic fibrosis to a tragedy."
—-Kirkus Reviews

"Filled with smart, witty, and magical writing, Kit and Caleb, and those around them, come to vibrant life in this heartbreaking story about the ties that bring people together, and the difficulties of facing the truth."

—-Booklist

"A compelling story of two struggling kids making their own safe haven."
—- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

💙💙💙👦 from Caleb:

“I wanted to be like Kit, to see stories everywhere. I wanted to make up a new world, one where I wasn’t sick and she was magic. I wanted that more than anything.”

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 3 - 7
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Running Press (September 12, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076246223X
• ISBN-13: 978-0762462230

Suggestions on places where you can buy a copy:

Amazon

Tattered Cover

BookBar

Second Star to the Right

Graphic Novel Reading List from the Association for Library Service to Children

Thanks to Mr. Schu's blog called WATCH, CONNECT, READ I found this list of the Association for Library Service to Children- A Graphic Novels Reading List. 

About Mr. Schu

He is a K-5 teacher-librarian who works diligently to put the right book in every child's hand. Book trailers are one way to connect readers with books.

Mr. Schu says:

The Association for Library Service to Children updated the Graphic Novels Reading List. It is a wonderful resource that highlights the best graphic novels for grades K through 8.  I hope you will share it with your colleagues and students. Maybe you'll even mention it on your library or classroom website. I shared the lists with parents during parent-teacher conferences. 

It is broken down into grade levels (click on links below): 

K - 2nd grade - Color

K - 2nd grade - Black and White

3rd - 5th grade - Color

3rd - 5th grade - Black and White

6th - 8th grade - Color

6th - 8th grade - Black and White

By the way, here's a blast from the past listing some of my (Bookshelf Detective's) favorite graphic novels (I recomment for 12th grade reading or older):


Persepolis by Maryjane Satrapi  

Stitches by David Small 

Maus by Art Spiegelman

Ghost Story!

The Ghost Over Boulder Creek has been unleashed. Elain Pease's newest middle grade novel is now available at your favorite bookstore. Book signings are also happening this weekend, October 30, 2010 from 12:00pm to 2:00pm at Barnes &Noble in Boulder (2999 Pearl Street, Boulder 303-444-0349) and again on Sunday, October 31at Borders at the 29th Street Mall in Boulder.

After surviving the Washita River Massacre, Run Through Fire, a half-Cheyenne, half-white boy uses the ploy that he's a captured white and humbly follows Buffalo Bill across the plains in search of Run Through Fire's father. Run Through Fire hopes his father can help free the imprisoned survivors of his tribe. His mother is among them. When Run Through Fire arrives in Boulder, the ghost-like images that have haunted him during his journey prove to be more than warnings. Encourages discussions about prejudice, the westward movement and Manifest Destiny.