Author of award-winning, adventurous realistic and historical fiction

Simon & Schuster

Cover Reveal for THE LAST GRAND ADVENTURE!

Jun 21, 2017 | , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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

“I loved traveling alongside Bea and her grandmother Pidge on their grand adventure. Bea learns to embrace courage and sisterly devotion as they draw ever closer to finding Pidge’s missing sister, Amelia Earhart. The mystery kept me thinking–and hoping–long after I finished reading!”
—Caroline Starr Rose, author of Jasper and the Riddle of Riley’s Mine
 
“Soaring with the thrill of possibility, The Last Grand Adventure delivers an intimate tale of navigating rough pockets in life’s airspace, chasing dreams, and discovering that the greatest journeys are filled with mystery, risk, setbacks, laughter, and a whole lot of heart.” —Jessica Lawson, author of Waiting for Augusta
 
“Hooray for The Last Grand Adventure, an irresistible blend of historical fact and adventure-filled fiction! Behrens sweeps the reader up with this charming mystery about Amelia Earhart’s whereabouts and the unbreakable bond between sisters. Traveling with Twelve-year-old Bea and her rule-breaking, free spirited grandmother Pidge across America in 1967 was the perfect way to explore timeless lessons about following  dreams, taking risks, persevering, and the unshakable strength of family ties.” —Nikki Loftin, author of Wish Girl

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!

SUMMER is here (at least in paperback)

May 23, 2017 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It might be a little chilly and gloomy this week, but Summer is finally here–at least in paperback.

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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 . . .

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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!

SUMMER Educator Giveaway

May 1, 2017 | , , , , , , , , , , ,

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I wouldn’t be the reader–or the writer–I am today without the influence of many wonderful educators. My childhood teachers and librarians in Madison, WI–at Thoreau Elementary, the Sequoya Library, Cherokee Middle School, and West High–were always putting books in my hands and providing me with a welcoming space to read, learn, and dream.

So to celebrate the paperback release of Summer of Lost and Found on May 23, I’m doing a special giveaway for educators (including teachers, librarians, support staff, and administrators*). Two winners will receive:

  • A reading-group set (10 copies) of Summer of Lost and Found paperbacks
  • Copies of the educator guide and book-club discussion guide (found here)
  • Assorted Summer of Lost and Found and When Audrey Met Alice bookmarks and stickers (great for reading incentives!)

The giveaway starts today and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on May 22. I’ll announce the winners on Tuesday, May 23.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note: If you have trouble entering through the Rafflecopter widget above, feel free to leave a comment on this post, and I will manually input your entry. Thanks!

*Not an educator? Feel free to enter on behalf of a school or classroom!

 

Summertime

Jul 5, 2016 | , , , , , , , ,

Summer of Lost and Found is out in the world, so I’ve started catching up on some of my favorite summer activities. Like chasing the ice cream truck. They’re not hard to chase in NYC because Mister Softee is ubiquitous, but an old-fashioned Good Humor truck is harder to find.

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And sneaking out to the country, where I can read and write in a backyard cottage. Tiny house = big word count. Who knew?

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In other news, I signed the contracts for The Last Grand Adventure; hooray! I’m excited to dig into this story.

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Coming up in July: I have two bookstore panels scheduled. On July 21, I’ll be in Arlington, VA, at One More Page with author friends Tara Dairman and Jen Swann Downey. Then on July 28, I’ll be in Larchmont, NY, at The Voracious Reader with a bunch of fantastic MG authors: Tara Dairman, Laura Marx Fitzgerald, Lauren Magaziner, and Michelle Schusterman. Check out my Events page for updated info.

Happy summer!

 

 

Celebrating SUMMER at Mystery to Me

Jun 16, 2016 | , , , , , , , , , , ,

I grew up visiting a wonderful children’s bookstore, Pooh Corner, in my hometown, Madison, WI. So I was delighted a few years ago when a new independent bookstore, Mystery to Me, opened on the same block where Pooh Corner once had a home. I try to stop by every time I’m back in town, and last week I got to launch Summer of Lost and Found there. (I wonder if kid-me would believe that adult-me was back on Monroe Street as an author!)

It was so much fun to meet up with family, old friends, former teachers and librarians, and new readers to talk about writing the book–and to sample some scuppernong grape juice and Duck Donuts. Here are a few pictures:

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“Event Today” signs make me happy 🙂

What would a book party be without snacks?

It was a great crowd--so many good questions.

It was a great crowd–so many thoughtful questions.

Signing a book for children's librarian (and friend) Nancy!

Signing a book for children’s librarian (and friend) Nancy!

Probably double-checking the spelling of a name--I've learned that lesson!

Probably double-checking the spelling of a name–I’ve learned that lesson!

Thanks to Joanne Berg and the staff for having me! It was a fantastic day.

 

WI State Journal interview

Jun 6, 2016 | , , , , , , , ,

A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to chat with Jeanne Kolker of the Wisconsin State Journal about Summer of Lost and Found and my career as an author. I grew up reading the State Journal–starting with the funny pages and eventually cover-to-cover–so it’s pretty exciting to have a chance to talk about my work in its pages! You can read the full interview online here: “Behrens digs into 16th-century mystery in new book for young readers.” Thanks for a great conversation, Jeanne!

And I’ll be in Madison for an event at Mystery to Me this weekend–Saturday at 1:00 p.m. There will be Duck Donuts, scuppernong juice, and plenty of bookmarks and stickers for young readers to take home. Stop by and say hi!

 

 

SUMMER’s launch at Books of Wonder

May 29, 2016 | , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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:

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It’s always exciting to get to the store and see your cover on the “Event Today!” sign.

 

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Snacks! Real scuppernong juice from Roanoke Island, custom-printed fancy Rice Krispy treats, chocolate artifacts, and more.

 

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With the wonderful Kim Liggett

 

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Books of Wonder has an incredible collection of kidlit art

 

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The crowd while I read one of my favorite passages

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Theories attendees submitted about what really happened to the Lost Colonists

 

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Signing time!

 

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With author friend Alison Cherry

 

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Still signing!

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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 is here!

May 24, 2016 | , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

SUMMER_map_StickerFINALSummer 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

A review from Word Spelunking

Interview with YA Reads

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!

 

 

The Last Grand Adventure

May 11, 2016 | , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So you might have seen some news in Publishers Weekly this afternoon:

 

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That’s right–I wrote another MG book! The Last Grand Adventure will be in bookstores sometime between January-April 2018. Like When Audrey Met Alice, I created a character based on a real, fascinating woman (in this case, Amelia Earhart, whom I’ve been obsessed with since childhood) and like Summer of Lost and Found, my MG protagonist unexpectedly finds herself in the middle of a history mystery. But for the first time, the whole book is historical fiction. It’s an adventure-ful road trip, a love letter to sisters, and a celebration of spunky grandmas. I loved writing this story, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

I’m thrilled to keep working with Alyson Heller and the Aladdin/Simon & Schuster team again, too! Many thanks to them for giving my books a home, to Suzie Townsend for being such a great advocate for my writing, to Sara Stricker for all her help and encouragement–and especially to readers, who keep us all going!

 

Pre-order Giveaway for SUMMER OF LOST AND FOUND

Apr 11, 2016 | , , , , , , ,

Summer of Lost and Found will be out in six weeks, and I can’t wait!

But did you know that you can buy a copy today? Pre-ordering books is a great way to support both authors and booksellers. Author Lisa Schroeder tells all the reasons why in this helpful post, but in short:
–Pre-orders can help a bookstore decide whether to stock a book
–Pre-orders can help the author get more marketing support from a publisher
–Pre-orders can help a publisher decide whether to sign up more books from an author

Basically, readers who pre-order books are helping out all the people who make and sell books! As a thank-you to those who pre-order Summer of Lost and Found, I’m doing a giveaway.

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Everyone who pre-orders a copy will receive Summer of Lost and Found swag:
–a signed and personalized bookplate
–stickers featuring both the beautiful cover art and the Roanoke map
–a bookmark
–a super shiny postcard
–a bonus piece of When Audrey Met Alice swag

But I know that some readers will get Summer of Lost and Found from the library (I love libraries!) or a friend (sharing books is the best!). I want to thank them, too, so one randomly selected reader* will receive a special prize:

-A beautiful bookish tote bag designed by Jen at Pop Goes the Reader, filled with books from the authors who blurbed Summer of Lost and Found, including: Blue Birds and May B. by Caroline Starr Rose and My Diary from the Edge of the World by Jodi Lynn Anderson.
-A free Skype author visit with the school or library of your choice, along with five signed hardcover copies of Summer sent to that school/library.

*Just to be super clear: This raffle is not limited to those who pre-order. No purchase is necessary, and anyone in the US or Canada can enter. If you are pre-ordering, I will enter your name when I send your swag. If you’re not pre-ordering, use the contact form at the end of this post to enter the raffle.

How to pre-order and get your thank-you swag:

1. Before 11:59 p.m. EST on May 23, order Summer of Lost and Found 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: 9781481458962.

2. Email me 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 don’t currently have a newsletter, but I might start one!

3. That’s it! I will email you to confirm once I’ve put your pre-order swag in the mail.


Thank you for your support, and happy reading!

 

{The contact form is now closed}

Blurbs!

Mar 29, 2016 | , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’m excited to share two wonderful blurbs for Summer of Lost and Found, from two writers whose work I adore.

Jodi Lynn Anderson has written two of my all-time favorite books, Tiger Lily and My Diary from the Edge of the World. Lately whenever I meet up with another MG reader, I immediately ask: Have you read Diary yet?! It’s a story with so much heart and creativity, and it has a collection of lovable and funny and complex characters. It’s poignant and funny and surprising. And I’d follow the Lockwood family just about anywhere.

Caroline Starr Rose wrote May B. and Blue Birds, which is a verse historical novel about a Roanoke Island. Blue Birds was published while I was working on Summer of Lost and Found, and I decided to wait until my book went to copy edits before reading it. It was really the best reward. The book is rich in historical detail, beautiful and moving writing, and a powerful theme of friendship and understanding. I’m really excited that Caroline and I had a great conversation about writing Roanoke–including the research process, the facts we found most fascinating, and our own feelings about what really happened to the Lost Colony. I’ll let you know when we share it on her site in May.

So here are the blurbs:

“I was edge-of-my-seat interested while reading Summer of Lost and Found. Rebecca Behrens has the ability to make the past irresistible and weave it into a present-day story that will satisfy fans of both mystery and adventure.” —Caroline Starr Rose, author of  Blue Birds

 

“A sweet, sparkling setting, a historical riddle, and a quirky cast make this little gem of a mystery a pure pleasure to read.” —Jodi Lynn Anderson, author of  My Diary from the Edge of the World

I’m so grateful to Caroline and Jodi for reading Summer and sharing their thoughts. And if you haven’t already–go get their books!

Early Reviews of SUMMER

Mar 19, 2016 | , , , , , , ,

It often feels like forever until a book comes out (thanks to all those hours spent writing, revising, and revising, and revising). And then suddenly the book’s first trade review arrives and, whoa! You realize publication is only two months away.

I’m excited to share the first two trade reviews for Summer of Lost and Found: Kirkus said, “the mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke becomes an engaging backdrop for a preteen experiencing her own losses” and praised, “this blend of history with mystery and fantasy with realism is a good find indeed.” Hooray!

And School Library Journal noted, “Behrens’s deft writing gives the book substance. . . . This intriguing mix of historical and realistic fiction with a dash of the paranormal makes this well-written novel appealing to a wide range of middle grade readers.” Thanks, SLJ!

It’s always a little nerve-wracking to get early feedback, so I’m thrilled that these reviewers enjoyed  Summer. I certainly had a wonderful time researching and writing Nell and Ambrose’s story, and I’m excited to share it with readers on May 24.

I’ll have some more news soon–about blurbs and book launches. Stay tuned!

 

 

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