reviews

More news and reviews for Alone in the Woods

Dec 5, 2020 | Alone in the Woods, audience, awards and honors, book clubs, everyone's a critic, JLG, news, reviews, survival stories

Here’s a roundup of some more news and reviews for Alone in the Woods!

The book received great reviews from BCCB and the Midwest Book Review:

Behrens plays fair with both the friendship drama and the survival story, and each protagonist’s voice is astute and true to her own perspective. . . . In the northwoods or the school hallway, most readers will feel they’ve been there.”
—Elizabeth Bush, BCCB, Recommended

A deftly crafted, suspense laden, inherently entertaining, and thoroughly ‘kid friendly’ novel by an author with a remarkable talent for the kind of narrative driven storytelling skills that will keep a young reader’s riveted attention from beginning to cliffhanger ending. . . . [A]n extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to elementary school, middle school, and community library . . . collections.”
—Midwest Book Review read more…

ALONE IN THE WOODS is now available!

Oct 6, 2020 | adventures, Adventures in Bloggysitting, Alone in the Woods, eventful, gratitude, hello, IRL, middle grade, news, pairs well with a hammock, releases, reviews, Sourcebooks, summertime, survival stories, writing

For each book I’ve released, I’ve spent time in my home state of Wisconsin, visiting schools and talking with young readers. And during every single Q&A, the same question has come up: Have you written any stories set in Wisconsin?

It took me years, and four other books, to find the right story, but now I can finally answer: Yes!

Booklist loved ALONE IN THE WOODS

Sep 20, 2020 | Alone in the Woods, book publishing, books, everyone's a critic, gratitude, middle grade, news, reviews, Sourcebooks, survival stories, talking about writing, this is how we read it

I was thrilled to read Booklist's review of Alone in the Woods--especially because they highlighted the "moments of peril and bodily danger," but felt that "but the most tender wounds here are the emotional ones nursed by the two girls." That's exactly what I was going for! It's really special to read a review that "gets" what you were going for as the author. 🙂

Great trade reviews for ALONE IN THE WOODS

Aug 27, 2020 | adventures, Alone in the Woods, book publishing, books, everyone's a critic, feel the love, middle grade, news, readers/reception, reviews, SLJ, Sourcebooks, survival stories

Trade reviews for Alone in the Woods have started rolling in, and I’m excited to share what these critics from Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal have to say about the girls’ Northwoods adventure:

Around the Blogosphere

Oct 16, 2019 | Adventures in Bloggysitting, blog touring, book people, everyone's a critic, gratitude, In Case of Emergency, middle grade, readers/reception, reviews, Sourcebooks, survival stories, teachers are the best, The Disaster Days, this is how we read it, warm fuzzy, wrap ups

The Disaster Days has been making its way around the blogosphere and Bookstagram, and I’m so grateful to the reviewers, bloggers, and bookstagrammers who’ve taken the time to read and then write such thoughtful reviews!

“Really, really enjoyed this!” Ms. Yingling Reads

“This story was truly page-turning and exciting” Tara Creel Books

“I was enraptured enough by this book that I kept getting feelings of sorrow with each thing that happened to them. I wanted to reach into the book and, if nothing else, grab hold of them and let them know it was going to be okay.” Reading Authors

“Are you serious with this book?! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time while reading” @TheSmileLines via KidLitExchange

“Rebecca Behrens’s The Disaster Days is a compelling and empowering middle-grade disaster story that will have readers on the edge of their seats and breathless!” Aeicha at Word Spelunking

“Readers who like adventure and wonder what it would be like to live/survive in an earthquake zone will be riveted to every page of Hannah’s story.” The Reading Tub

“Behrens does a great job drawing readers into experiencing the children’s feelings of fear and hopelessness. Each chapter has enough peril and nail biting angst to keep even the most reluctant reader eagerly reading to find out what will happen next to Hannah and her charges.” You Decide: Should I Read It Or Not?

“Very much recommended to anyone who loves kids surviving on their own stories!” Charlotte’s Library

“I really liked how Hannah develops as a character, making mistakes, but doing everything she can to care for herself and the younger children and a cute guinea pig.” Stephanie Tournas, Youth Services Book Review

“The writing was so well done…fun and fresh, and exciting.” The Pages In Between

“Though set in the Pacific Northwest this tense tale of post-earthquake survival is equally relevant to other areas where natural disasters are a constant threat, and may encourage middle grade readers to think and find out about their family and school disaster plans.” Bibliobrit

“This one is a definite must-read, must-have.” Mom Read It

“It’s The Babysitter’s Club meets Hatchet! Enough said.” Miss Print

Check out the amazing emergency kit video from Bookstagrammer @RidaPageTurner!

“Suspenseful reading for students and adults alike!” Ms_D_Reads

“I loved this book and had a hard time putting it down.” The Librarian Is On the Loose

More great trade reviews for THE DISASTER DAYS

Oct 11, 2019 | books, everyone's a critic, In Case of Emergency, middle grade, releases, reviews, slightly incoherent due to revision brain, Sourcebooks, The Disaster Days, this is how we read it, wrap ups

Trade reviews for The Disaster Days have kept rolling in, and I’m excited to share what these critics have to say about Hannah’s story:

“Behrens’s natural disaster–themed epic portrays a young person’s grace under pressure. . . . Her extraordinary resourcefulness and courage in deadly situations highlight her burgeoning maturity. Behrens (When Audrey Met Alice) uses immersive details and situations effectively viewed from Hannah’s perspective to create a suspenseful, vivid story filled with lessons about responsibility and overcoming adversity.” —Publishers Weekly

“After reading Behrens’s informative, riveting portrayal of earthquakes and their aftermath, readers may learn how to respond in a similar situation. VERDICT A realistic, engrossing survival story that’s perfect for aspiring babysitters and fans of John Macfarlane’s Stormstruck!, Sherry Shahan’s Ice Island, or Wesley King’s A World Below.”—Kaetlyn Phillips, Yorkton, Sask., School Library Journal

“The relentless progression of a variety of disaster scenarios will keep readers turning pages even as they learn, along with Hannah, vital information about earthquake safety and survival. Equally suspenseful and informative, this novel will spark important discussions about disaster preparedness.” —Jenna MacKay, School Library Connection

“The strength of this steadily paced novel that stretches over four days of a scary disaster scenario is that Hannah doesn’t figure everything out; she stumbles, doubts, and struggles throughout it all” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Two new glowing reviews for THE DISASTER DAYS!

Sep 2, 2019 | everyone's a critic, In Case of Emergency, middle grade, news, reviews, Sourcebooks, The Disaster Days

I’m excited to share two more trade reviews for The Disaster Days:

“Fans of survival thrillers in the vein of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet will enjoy this tense, honest tale of bravery. . . . [A]n excellent (and refreshingly not didactic) teaching tool on natural-disaster preparedness.” —Eleanor Roth, Booklist

Last February, I recorded an episode of the Dream Gardens podcast in which I talked about how much I loved Hatchet as a young reader–and how much I enjoyed rereading it as an adult. So I’m really thrilled that Booklist compared Hannah’s story to a classic that is a personal favorite. 🙂

Just four weeks till The Disaster Days hits shelves and stores!