Monday, June 28, 2010

Giveaway: THE HEALING SPELL by Kimberley Griffiths Little

Keeping in spirit with THE HEALING SPELL (available from Scholastic Thursday), here are exactly 9 reasons why you need to buy this book. Now.



9. The author. Kimberley is maybe one of the nicest people we have ever met. She is incredibly supportive of other writers and has a great deal of wisdom to share because she's an old pro. Check out all of her other books here!


8. The blurbs. Um, hello Richard Peck of Newbery Award winning greatness.


7. The cover. After you read the book, the cover will have much more significance. The artist did a beautiful job capturing the spirit of the bayou and the tone of the novel.


6. The trailer. This speaks for itself. Show this to a room full of kids (okay fine, and thirty-something-year-old sister-writers) and they'll be begging to read. End of story.


5. The setting. Hello Louisiana. There's the bayou, the dialect, the gators, the pirogues. By the end of the book you'll want your own baby gator to hold while you lay back in your pirogue letting your fingers skim over the waters of the bayou with a belly full of crawfish. Trust me.


4. The culture. There are scenes in this novel that encapsulate the culture of the deep South. And the healing spell? I'll never forget it.


3. The secondary characters. Kimberley creates a solid cast of characters readers will fall in love with. A dad, sisters, an aunt, a cousin, the love-interest. They all work to thread the pieces and parts of the story together in a really rich and beautiful way.


2. The story. Middle schoolers everywhere will truly connect with Livie's situation whether or not they've ever dealt with a sick loved one. She's smack dab in the middle of two sisters (I feel your pain Livie), she idolizes her dad, struggles to understand her mom before the accident and feels nothing but guilt afterwards. Add in a confusing crush amidst difficult circumstances and you have the perfect storm of tension. Bravo!

1. Livie. Her voice rings so true to middle school. She tells the story with such heart that you can't help but fall in love. I was rooting for Livie all the way through and couldn't wait for her to find the strength she needed to come to terms with her mother's illness.

So, there you have it. THE HEALING SPELL stands out in the world of middle grade lit making it a must-have.

AND lucky for you, one reader will take home a SIGNED copy today. Become a follower, leave a comment with your email address and we'll let the random number generator decide!

42 comments:

mariska said...

I haven't heard about this book before, but hey see all those Reasons (!), Count me in. i would love to win this.

uniquas at ymail dot com

Christine Danek said...

Sounds interesting. Great way to review.

christine.danek@verizon.net

Claire Dawn said...

I really loved the trailer. I just sent off for books yesterday, so I won't be ordering anymore anytime soon.

I'll add it to the list though! Thanx!

Matthew MacNish said...

What's with the highlighting?

Unknown said...

I love your reviews... 9 reasons to buy this book, I think you're on to something, I might need to pull out the big guns next round and be a copy cat! I've already stolen your brilliant truth tuesdays idea!

The book cover is really intriguing and who doesn't love a signed copy??

jenniferdaiker(at)gmail(dot)com

I'm never super lucky but I'll give it a go!

S.A. Larsenッ said...

The book sounds so interesting.
salarsen71(at)gmail(dot)com.

Unknown said...

Now that's a solid endorsement! Adding it to my to-read list.
sarahbsayshello{at}gmail.com

flanpnhfpnanfnFN said...

please count me in :)

fraijikhadija@hotmail.com

A Kinder said...

Loved your review! As a healer on a tight budget, I'd love to win this and then share it with friends family & clients!
SHENmagic@gmail.com

Jennifer said...

Sounds like an interesting book to read. Enter me. I loved your list of why we must buy this book. Thanks!
pinkpeonyblossom at gmail dot com

Jamie Manning said...

Sounds awesome...please enter me!

jmanni32@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I would so love to win this one. I think it looks perfect for my middle schoolers!

foltzsfantasticbooks at gmail.com

Summer Frey said...

Wow, awesome trailer. And I'm such a sucker for anything Southern, especially if it takes place in the bayou!

dream.traveling(at)gmail.com

Anonymous said...

added to my to read list, thank you.

stywrk at telusplanet dot net

Deb

Anonymous said...

When you mentioned 'after the accident' I was hooked. This sounds like a story teens and adults will adore. And a signed copy?? Great give away!
lp(dot)lynnjdesigns(at)gmail(dot)com

storyqueen said...

I love the trailer!!

Kimberly IS one of the coolest people I virtually know but have never really met.

I wish her all the success she deserves with this book.

Shelley

Marissa said...

Sign me up - looks like a great read!

marissa.burt@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Sounds awesome. Must add it to my to-read list.

Kerri Cuev said...

Count me in! Sounds like a good book!

kerri192804@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I haven't heard of this book previously, but I agree, the cover alone is enough to amke me pick it up! It looks gripping!

Please enter me, I'm a follower :-)

stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great MG novel. I'd love to give a copy to my niece.
paulgreci(at)yahoo(dot)com

A blub from Richard Peck speaks worlds.

Annette Lyon said...

For crying out loud, now I HAVE to read this. (In other words, job well done! Sounds fantastic and ENTER ME!)

Melody said...

This sounds so good! I have a feeling I would just love it. :)
Count me in! (Email address on my google profile...)

Danyelle L. said...

I've been meaning to pick this one up. It looks really good. :D

(address in profile.)

Sara B. Larson said...

I haven't heard of this one, but it sounds wonderful. :)

Also, that celebrity post last Friday was hysterical. I think botox is horrible already, but after that picture... whoa. Yikes.

Kathryn Packer Roberts said...

I'm a follower, count me in!

kathrynroberts @ hotmail.com

Talli Roland said...

Sounds like a fab book - with all these reasons, how can I resist?

Marsha Sigman said...

This sounds great and since I am a stone's throw from Louisiana, I feel I MUST read this book.

Laura Pauling said...

I'm already a follower. Sounds like a great book!

laurapauling@yahoo.com

Shannon O'Donnell said...

I love this review! MG lit is my favorite genre, so please count me in!!!

mrso_d at yahoo dot com

Creepy Query Girl said...

I'm in.

creepyquerygirl@gmail.com

Riv Re said...

Cool contest.
rivkarno1(at)hotmail(dot)com

Gail said...

Love MG, so need another book with an awesome story, would read anything you two recommend!!! Sign me up, please
Gail
g underscore handle at bellsouth dot net

Jemi Fraser said...

Sounds like a wonderful book for me and my classroom!

jemifraser(at)gmail(dot)com

Carolyn V. said...

I got to sit with Kimberley at a conference a few months ago. She is so nice and I can't wait for her book! Yay!

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

OMGoodness what a lovely cover! I so wish I could do art...

The book sounds awesome!

Carolina M. Valdez Schneider said...

Dude, I'm already a follower. Does this mean I can't win? (SAD FACE)

That's a gorgeous cover, by the way. Except, if I were that girl, I would not have my hand in the water. Gators have big teeth, from what I hear.

P.S. If I unfollow you and follow you again, will I be qualified to win then?

Lori W. said...

Sounds good!
loriannwalk(at)gmail(dot)com

Pragmatic Mom said...

Thanks for this post. I do love Richard Peck so any author that is compared (favorably) to him is someone I want to check out.

Pragmatic Mom
Type A Parenting for the Modern World

http://PragmaticMom.com
I blog on children's lit, education and parenting

PragmaticMOm said...

oops, forgot my email address:

pragamaticmom.com (at) gmail (dot)com

mo said...

Okay, anything involving Louisiana has my vote. There's such a charm there. Now I seriously need to read this book; it sounds amazing :D

mo said...

I coulda swore I had my email in there. *facepalm*

simplysnazzy (at) gmail (dot) com

Don't call this a comeback

So it’s been a minute. Or 10. Or truthfully more like 2,102,400. At least we think that’s how many minutes there are in 3 years, but let...