Bea and Pidge are hitting the road again–this time, in a fancy new trade paperback.
Maybe it’s because I often read on the go, as a traveler and a commuter (so lighter books = more I can tuck in my tote), but paperback is my favorite format as a reader. I’m excited to see what adventures Bea and Pidge tag along on in this new format!
| Add The Last Grand Adventure to your Goodreads shelf!Order in hardcover, paperback, or e-book from these retailers: | ||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Time flies when you’re having fun, and when you’re launching a new book. I can’t believe The Last Grand Adventure has already been out for three weeks! It’s been a lot of fun traveling around and talking about Bea and Pidge and Amelia’s adventures. Here’s where I’ve been so far:
I got to share The Last Grand Adventure a little early with readers at Barnes & Noble Neshaminy in Bensalem, PA. Lauren Magaziner, Tae Keller, Jessica Lawson, and I had a lot of fun answering questions and tackling truth-or-dares.
On Saturday, March 24, I officially launched The Last Grand Adventure with the help of the fantastic Claire Legrand, at Books of Wonder’s new Uptown store. We had a great talk about writing quietly adventurous MG characters and our own travel experiences. And I turned my book into Rice Krispie treats, because of course.
Airplane dress!
I wonder why we were laughing so hard?
Next I hopped a plane home to Madison, WI, where I met some fantastic young readers at EAGLE School and Thoreau Elementary, my alma mater.
Then celebrated the book’s release with a reading at my hometown indie, Mystery to Me. I forgot to take any pictures at this event other than this “After” one of my book cake. It was the most delicious map I have ever eaten.
You can check out my Instagram for some photos and reposts of Bea and Pidge in the wild. And if you’d still like a chance to have a book signed or meet me in person, I’ll be at The Voracious Reader in Larchmont as well as One More Page in Arlington, VA, this weekend. Check out my Events page for all the details!
The Last Grand Adventure is on shelves today–hip hip hooray!
I have fond memories of the trips I took as a kid and teen, so it surprised me when, a few years ago, I unearthed my childhood travel journal and found it full of worries. From ghosts in New Orleans to grizzlies in Denali National Park, to spiders in New Mexico and seaweed on Coronado Beach. Yes, I was even afraid of seaweed.
Like me, Bea (the protagonist of The Last Grand Adventure) is more of a natural worrier than a natural adventurer. As she heads off on a planes-trains-and-automobiles journey with her strong-willed and eccentric grandmother, Pidge, Bea is constantly faced with the dilemma of whether or not to yield to her fears. Of course, there’s a pretty tantalizing reason for them to keep going, all the way to Atchison, Kansas: the promise of finding Pidge’s long-lost sister, Amelia Earhart.
Travel opened my eyes to the world beyond my quiet neighborhood, showing me about people and places different than those I had known. As Bea’s journey takes her far across the country, she also experiences that feeling of discovery. The best souvenir, though, is the unexpected bravery she finds inside herself.
At its heart, this story is about the power of both an open mind and an open road. I hope readers will enjoy riding along on Bea and Pidge’s adventure.
Thanks to everyone who helped get this book into the world, especially: my agent, Suzie Townsend, and her assistants, Sara Stricker and Cassandra Baim; and my editors, Alyson Heller and Tricia Lin, publicist, Samantha Benson, and the whole team at Aladdin.
If you’d like a signed copy of Adventure and you can’t make one of my events, you can order one from Books of Wonder–or send me an email, and I’ll pop a personalized bookplate for you in the mail.
Bon voyage!
It’s been a busy couple of months–more on that soon! But I’m belatedly excited to share a few more snippets from trade reviews for The Last Grand Adventure:
“Informed by history, Behrens’s narrative treasures family relationships and celebrates courage.” —Booklist
“Normally unadventurous twelve-year-old Bea (“I left my adventure journal empty and my worry journal full”) is a sympathetic narrator as she frets about her place in her newly blended family and her grandmother’s wavering memory. The tantalizing thread of possibility about Amelia Earhart and the letters she—or somebody—has been writing to Pidge adds alluring mystery.” —BCCB
“Historical fiction lovers are in for a treat with this heartfelt tale of discovery and hope. . . . This story has much to love, from the touching development of Bea and Pidge’s relationship to Bea conquering her fears and discovering the appeal of adventure. . . . VERDICT An excellent purchase for readers who enjoy a strong dose of adventure and solid character development in their historical fiction.”—Darla Salva Cruz, School Library Journal
I’m blushing, SLJ! It’s always a great feeling when a reviewer seems to really get the story you were trying to tell. I’m grateful to these reviewers for their thoughtful and insightful reviews.
The Last Grand Adventure will be out next week, and it’s only fitting that I hit the road to share Bea and Pidge’s story with readers. Here are the places I’ll be in March and April:
More events for the summer are in the works: I’ll be at Bethany Beach Bookstore in June and I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be at the Amelia Earhart Festival in Atchison, Kansas, this July! I’ll keep the Events page of my site updated with all the details.
The Last Grand Adventure will be out in a month, and I can’t wait!
Basically, readers who pre-order books are helping out all the people who make and sell books! As a thank-you, everyone who pre-orders a copy will receive The Last Grand Adventure swag:
1. Order The Last Grand Adventure from the retailer of your choice. Here are links to major retailers:
If you’d like to purchase from your local indie, that is extra great! Just ask a friendly bookseller to order you a copy. In case you need it, the book’s ISBN is: 9781481496926.
2. Email me before March 20, 2018 with the following info: Name, mailing address, instructions on how to personalize your bookplate, and proof-of-purchase (e.g., screenshot of an order confirmation or receipt, or forward the order in your email). Feel free to delete or blur any personal info, but I promise I will not use or save any info you send me.
Also let me know if you’d like to be added to my mailing list. I send out a newsletter about 4 times a year, and I will never share your email.
3. That’s it! I will email you to confirm once I’ve put your pre-order swag in the mail.
Time flies when you’re having fun–I can’t believe summer is over, and September almost is, too. It was a busy month:
The new Books of Wonder opened! I love both stores, but it’s so exciting to have a children’s bookstore (and its awesome events) uptown.
Of course I visited Nell and Ambrose when I stopped by to check out the new space.
Meanwhile, at the downtown location, I went to a fabulous panel with Tara Dairman, Jessica Lawson, Alison Cherry, and Tracey Baptiste. Lots of author friends were there–we even had a mini reunion of our 2014 debut author group. Here we are: Jessica Lawson, Tara Dairman, Lauren Magaziner, me, and Michelle Schusterman. We all have new MG releases in either 2017 or 2018!
Speaking of new releases, I got a delightful surprise from the UPS man one morning: ARCs (advance reader copies) of The Last Grand Adventure!
Aren’t they pretty? It’s so exciting to finally see this story in book form.
Now it’s back to work on some new projects, and starting to think of fun ways to share The Last Grand Adventure with readers.
What have you been up to lately?
I’m so excited to share the cover for my next middle-grade novel that I’m skipping an introduction. Here it is!
Robyn Ng illustrated it, and Laura Lyn DiSiena designed it–the same team that created the beautiful cover for Summer of Lost and Found. And again they perfectly capture the spirit and setting of my book. I love the vintage font (perfect for historical fiction) and the sunset color palette, and the way my characters, Bea and Pidge, are facing out toward the great wide world.
Before I tell you all about The Last Grand Adventure, here’s information on how you can win an ARC and find out (early!) for yourself:
Simply leave a comment on this post to enter–if you’d like an extra entry, you can sign up for my newsletter or tweet about the cover. Full instructions and links below.
About The Last Grand Adventure:
Twelve-year-old Bea finds herself on a unique road-trip with her grandmother as they search for her grandmother’s long-lost sister—the legendary Amelia Earhart—in this charming and poignant novel from the author of When Audrey Met Alice and Summer of Lost and Found.
It’s 1967 and twelve-year-old Bea is in need of some adventure. Her mother is off in San Francisco, while her father has just gotten remarried in Los Angeles. Bea has gained a younger stepsister, and she’s not thrilled about her blended family. So when her ailing grandmother, Pidge, moves to an Orange County retirement community and asks if Bea would spend a few weeks helping her get settled, Bea is happy for any excuse to get away.
But it turns out, her grandmother isn’t interested in settling in. What she really wants is to hop a train back to Atchison, Kansas—where she thinks she’ll be reunited with her long-missing sister: Amelia Earhart. And she wants Bea to be her sidekick on this secret trip.
At first, Bea thinks her grandmother’s plan is a little crazy. But Pidge has thirty years of letters written in “Meelie’s” unmistakable voice, all promising to reunite. This might be the adventure Bea needs . . .
With letters in hand, Bea and Pidge set off on their quest to find Amelia. But getting halfway across the country proves to be more of an adventure than either of them bargained for. And their search for Amelia leads to some surprising truths about their family—and each other.
Early Praise
The Details
Coming from Simon & Schuster/Aladdin on March 20, 2018
Historical fiction for ages 8+
ISBN: 9781481496926
Preorder from:
Barnes & Noble
Indiebound
Amazon
Books-a-Million
or your local bookstore (the ISBN is 9781481496926)
And you can add The Last Grand Adventure to your shelves on Goodreads.
ARC Giveaway Instructions (the long version):
To enter to win an ARC, simply leave a comment on this post. Don’t worry if it doesn’t appear right away–my site requires approval for all comments. If you’d like an extra entry, you can sign up for my newsletter or tweet about this cover reveal. Make sure to let me know in your comment if you did one or both of those! This giveaway is open to readers in the US and Canada, and will end on Wednesday, June 28. I’ll announce the winner, chosen randomly, on Thursday, June 29. Good luck, and thanks for entering!
Update: Congrats to Kaitlin Hundscheid, who won the ARC–I’ll send you an email shortly. And thanks, all, for the cover love!
It might be a little chilly and gloomy this week, but Summer is finally here–at least in paperback.
It was a real treat to come home from a great day at #nErDcampNJ last Saturday and find a package with some early copies inside. It’s the same gorgeous art by Robyn Ng and lovely design by Laura Lyn DiSiena, but there is a surprise inside . . .
A teaser for my next middle-grade novel, The Last Grand Adventure (which is coming in March 2018 from Simon & Schuster).
I was a huge paperback reader as a kid–and still as an adult. Hardcover editions are beautiful, but they are not so easy to put in a bike basket or a beach bag, or to lug on the subway. I’m excited to think of Nell and Ambrose heading off to camps and swim clubs and cabins in the next few months.
And finally, I have winners to announce for the Educator Giveaway! Jennifer Pickrell and Kristy Guerriero won the reading-group sets. You should have received an email from me, and I’ll get those books and guides to you ASAP. Thanks to all who entered!
I had a fabulous time celebrating Summer of Lost and Found at Books of Wonder on Tuesday night. Here are some pictures of the festivities:
It’s always exciting to get to the store and see your cover on the “Event Today!” sign.
Snacks! Real scuppernong juice from Roanoke Island, custom-printed fancy Rice Krispy treats, chocolate artifacts, and more.
With the wonderful Kim Liggett
Books of Wonder has an incredible collection of kidlit art
The crowd while I read one of my favorite passages
Theories attendees submitted about what really happened to the Lost Colonists
Signing time!
With author friend Alison Cherry
Still signing!
Taking a bite out of my main character 🙂
If you missed it–you can still purchase a signed copy from Books of Wonder. And I’ll be in Madison, WI, on June 11 for another launch event at Mystery to Me!
Summer of Lost and Found is on shelves today! Hip hip hooray!
I hope readers will have as much fun discovering the past and present Roanoke Island as I did while writing it. Thanks to everyone who helped get this book into the world, especially: my agent, Suzie Townsend, and her assistant Sara Stricker; and my editor, Alyson Heller, publicist, Faye Bi, and the whole team at Aladdin.
If you’d like a signed copy of Summer and you can’t make one of my events, you can order one from Books of Wonder–or send me an email, and I’ll pop a personalized bookplate for you in the mail.
If you’d like to read a little more about the book and my experiences writing it, here are some interviews, reviews, and guest posts to check out:
A conversation with author Caroline Starr Rose
An interview with author Nikki Loftin
An interview in the InkSplat newsletter
A review from Bookshelf Fantasies
Interview with Pop! Goes the Reader
And last but not least–it’s time to announce the winner of the pre-order giveaway! Annette Burns won the beautiful bag of blurber books and school/library donation. Thanks to all who entered.
Happy Reading!