Log Cabin Library: May 2023

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Blog Tour for A VANISHING OF GRIFFINS (Songs of Magic #2) by S.A. Patrick + Giveaway

I had a lot of fun reading the first book, A Darkening of Dragons back in March of 2022, so I was super excited about the sequel and hosting a spot on the A VANISHING OF GRIFFINS by S.A. Patrick Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. I hope you'll check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: A VANISHING OF GRIFFINS (Songs of Magic #2)
Author: S.A. Patrick
Pub. Date: May 2, 2023
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company
Formats: Hardcover,Paperback, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 400

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/A-VANISHING-OF-GRIFFINS

The epic, middle grade fantasy continues in Book Two of the Songs of Magic trilogy!

Having upset the Hamelyn Piper's dastardly plan to build an army through songs of mind control, 13-year-old Piper, Patch Brightwater, must foil the escaped villain's next sinister plot: assembling a suit of immortal armor. Accompanied by Wren, a girl cursed to live as a rat, and Barver, a fire-breathing dracogriff, Patch seeks the aid of old friends, legendary heroes, and a near-dead sorcerer.

Embark on another adventure with the motley trio as they clash with pirates of the Eastern Seas, uncover secrets of the griffins, and dabble with magic to undo past wrongs and forge their own offense before it's too late.

S. A. Patrick’s Songs of Magic trilogy is a brilliant retelling of one of the darkest legends of all time, "The Piper of Hamelyn." Combining folklore with the very best of modern storytelling, the books will delight young fantasy fans who are hungry for perilous quests, friendships forged on the road, and an inventive magic system that thrills the imagination.

Grab book 1, A DARKENING OF DRAGONS now!

Title

By S. A. Patrick

Excerpt for Rockstar Book Tours

Whatever Happened to Erner Whitlock?

Erner woke, as he did every morning, from a nightmare: being pushed off the back of a dracogriff, into a cold lake far below. In his nightmare, the face of the person who had pushed him was smiling a terrible smile, cruel and cold, laughing as Erner tumbled through the air and into the icy water, his Pipe slipping from his fingers and lost to the depths.

When it had actually happened, though, there had been no smile on Patch Brightwater’s face: he had looked utterly terrified.

A question had burned inside Erner ever since that fateful day, and he knew that there was only one way he would ever get an answer.

He would have to find Patch Brightwater, someone he’d always thought was a friend, and ask him why.

Why did you push me into the lake?

Erner’s journey since then had been eventful. It had brought him, eventually, to the Islands of the Eastern Sea, and to the court of one of the many Pirate Kings and Queens. Here on the island of Pengersick was an old fortress, where the King of Pengersick had his palace. It was in the heart of that fortress that Erner was imprisoned now: hanging in a tiny cage next to the throne of a Pirate King.

The King snored on his throne. He always slept there when he threw a party, and he’d thrown a party almost every night since taking the crown. The floor of the throne room was covered in sleeping pirates and empty rum bottles.

Erner’s legs were going numb. He shifted his weight, working his feet out from under him, trying not to make his cage swing—if the cage swung, the rope it hung from would creak, and the creak might wake the King.

That was never a good idea. Two nights before, one of the pirates had let out a belch that was long and thunderous as everyone slept. He’d woken the King. Worse, he’d laughed about it.

In front of the throne were a dozen wooden spikes, and on the top of each spike was the severed head of someone who had displeased the King. The head of the belching pirate was there, the freshest of the bunch.

Yes, waking the Pirate King was never a good idea. He was not a morning person.

Arpie Noss was his name—King Arpie to his subjects. He hadn’t been King long. Two months, that was all, but it had been a busy two months. Pirate rulers didn’t tend to last, and it seemed that Arpie Noss had been trying to fit as much as possible into whatever time he had.

Like buying Erner, for a start.

About S.A. Patrick:

S. A. Patrick was born in Belfast. When he was a child, he wanted to write video games, become an author, and have magical powers. The first two came true. If he ever does get magical powers, he hopes people like dragons and griffins because there’ll suddenly be a lot of them around. He lives in England.

Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of A VANISHING OF GRIFFINS, US Only.

Ends June 13^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

5/29/2023	The Chirpy Bookaholic	Excerpt/IG Post
5/29/2023	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt
5/30/2023	Log Cabin Library	Excerpt
5/30/2023	@katherinebichler	TikTok Post
5/31/2023	@evergirl200	IG Review
5/31/2023	YA Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
6/1/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
6/1/2023	Nerdophiles	Review
6/2/2023	Nonbinaryknightreads	Review/IG Post
6/2/2023	celiamcmaahonreads	Review/IG Post

Monday, May 29, 2023

Blog Tour for LOLO WEAVER SWIMS UPSTREAM by Polly Farquhar + Giveaway

If any knows me, they know that I'm a fan of Ramona Quimby, so I couldn't miss an opportunity to be a host for LOLO WEAVER SWIMS UPSTREAM by Polly Farquhar Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: LOLO WEAVER SWIMS UPSTREAM

Author: Polly Farquhar

Pub. Date: April 25, 2023

Publisher: Holiday House

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 240

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/LOLO-WEAVER-SWIMS-UPSTREAM

"Not since Ramona Quimby has a character marched right out of a book with so much bravado, humor, and heart."--Barbara O'Connor, New York Times bestselling author of Wish

A headstrong girl’s quest to steal back her family’s dog goes awry in this humorous and compassionate novel.

Lolo is stuck in summer school with a teacher who is out to get her while her family is still reeling from her grandfather’s death. Even his dog is mourning, howling outside all night and every night. Finally, lovable old Hank is sent to a farm across the lake that takes foster dogs.

And it’s all Lolo’s fault.

Lolo knows she has to get Hank back. In a tippy canoe, Lolo crosses the almost-dried-out lake to steal her dog back. But she runs into Noah, a student in her summer school class and Hank's new owner—and he loves Hank as much as she does.

As Lolo’s plan unravels and her uneasy alliance with Noah grows into a friendship, the question of what’s best for Hank becomes muddier. Can Lolo manage to do the right thing—for once?

Itch author Polly Farquhar returns to Ohio with a tale of a big-hearted girl searching for answers to tough questions in all the wrong places. Fans of Gary Schmidt will love Farquhar’s blend of honesty, humor, and heart.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Lolo Weaver Swims Upstream

By Polly Farquhar

Excerpt for Rockstar Book Tours

My name is Lolo Weaver. It’s a nickname. Lolo. The summer school teacher would only call me Willow, which is my official name and the one that gets printed up on the class lists, but when she was going around the room and my friend Eddie, whose given name is Eduardo, said, “Call me Eddie,” she made a note in her grade book and always called him Eddie, even when she scolded him. When she got to me, the very last kid on the list, she called out, “Willow Weaver,” and I said, “It’s Lolo,” and she said, “What kind of name is that?”

Every kid looked at me. Most of the kids were ones I’d known my whole life, and a few were from another school in the district, across the lake. The kids I’d known my whole life didn’t know Lolo was a strange name. I didn’t, either.

The teacher said, “That’s like calling you Low-Low with a W.” She lowered her voice when she said it. Low-Low. “It’s a name with low expectations.”

The teacher’s name was Mrs. Cryer, and I thought maybe her name was exactly right since she’d make all her students cry because she was so mean. Not tough, but mean, because there’s a difference. But I wasn’t brave or stupid enough to say that, though I always wished I had. I might as well have, because I was going to get into other kinds of trouble that summer, anyway.

Because it was summer, the building was mostly empty and mostly quiet, but it still smelled like a school—like glue and pizza, and canned peas and dirty feet. The only difference was the hot summer sunshine that shone in, even when the blinds were closed, and how a person can’t just sit inside a classroom without knowing that everyone else was on summer vacation. We were all there because we were the only ones who hadn’t passed the state test.

At least the lake was closed, and at least that wasn’t my fault.

About Polly Farquhar:

Polly Farquhar is the author of Itch. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Ohio State University, and her short stories for grown-ups have been published in literary magazines. She is also the recipient of multiple Individual Artist Grants from the Ohio Arts Council. She resides with her husband and daughters in the Columbus, Ohio area. Originally from upstate New York, her favorite place to canoe is the Adirondacks.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of LOLO WEAVER SWIMS UPSTREAM, US Only.

Ends June 13^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

5/29/2023	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
5/29/2023	Log Cabin Library	Excerpt
5/30/2023	YA Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
5/30/2023	The Momma Spot	Excerpt
5/31/2023	The Chirpy Bookaholic	Excerpt/IG Post
5/31/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
6/1/2023	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt
6/1/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
6/2/2023	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
6/2/2023	Review Thick And Thin	Review/IG Post

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Blog Tour for CHUPACARTER AND THE HAUNTED PIÑATA by George Lopez & Ryan + Giveaway

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the CHUPACARTER AND THE HAUNTED PIÑATA by George Lopez & Ryan Calejo Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About the Book:

Title: CHUPACARTER AND THE HAUNTED PIÑATA
Author: George Lopez, Ryan Calejo, & Santy Gutiérrez (Illustrations)
Pub. Date: May 30, 2023
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook,
Audiobook
Pages: 320
Findit: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/CHUPACARTER-AND-THE-HAUNTED-PINATA

In this hilarious follow-up to ChupaCarter, world-famous entertainer George Lopez delivers a spooky tale of mystery, revenge, and friendship starring 12-year-old Jorge and Carter, the fearsome but friendly Chupacabra!

Inspired by his own childhood and packed with clever illustrations, George Lopez's sequel to ChupaCarter sees Jorge finally feeling at home in his new town, thanks to his awesome friends Liza and Ernie—and especially Carter, the chupacabra.

New kid Jorge is shocked to learn that his beastly friend Carter isn't the only legendary creature in Boca falls. Every few years, the town is terrorized by a haunted . . . piñata? Rumor has it that the petrifying party decoration floats around setting eerie fires to avenge a long-ago betrayal. Jorge can't help but laugh, until a rash of green fires forces the townspeople to consider moving away, including the parents of his pals Ernie and Liza!

With Carter at their side, the three friends are in a race against time to catch the real culprit before they're separated forever . . . or the whole town is set aflame. Which will come first?

Get Book 1, CHUPACARTER now!

ChupaCarter and the Haunted Piñata

May 30, 2023

Excerpt- Chapter One

So there we were, about half the kids in town staring down at a freaky fiery message blazing in the middle of a huge cornfield. A message which—oh, by the way—had quite possibly probably been left by, I kid you not, a haunted piñata monster. It definitely wasn’t the kind of thing you saw every day. In fact, it was exactly the kind of thing you hope to never see. Unless, of course, you happen to have some weird obsession with fire or the paranormal, but that’s a whole other conversation. That’s not me, in case you’re wondering. That’s Panicky Pete. I don’t really know the kid, but he goes to my school and supposedly flips his lid over just about anything. You should hear the stories about him in the lunch line on Mystery Meat Thursdays . . .That’s me. There in the back. Looking all chulo in my Dodgers ball cap and zip-up hoodie.

My name is Jorge Lopez, and I’m just your typical Southern California kid. Born and raised in L.A. Throw a wicked curveball. Recently became besties with a chupacabra named Carter. Okay, so maybe the whole befriending-a-chupa-cabra thing isn’t so typical. Then again, Boca Falls, New Mexico, isn’t your typical small town. Seriously. What kind of place has a spooky, half- burned-down husk of a mansion as its unofficial kid hangout? And how many towns can say they’re being haunted by the vengeful spirit of some übercreepy rich kid now trapped in what basically amounts to a cardboard candy dispenser? Not many. ¡Órale! Almost forgot. The übercreepy rich kid—Miguel Valdez Blackbriar . . . I probably should’ve led with him. Y’know, ’cause context and all that. I mean, how are you supposed to get all terrified by the super freaky fiery message when you don’t even know the super freaky backstory? Oh, and did I mention that the flames were green? Yeah. Just a spooky sidenote. Anyway, so that you can be properly terrified, please fasten your seat belts and hold on tightly to the handrails as I rewind us exactly diez minutos . . .

About George Lopez:

George Lopez is a New York Times bestselling author, stand-up comedian, actor, and talk show host. He made waves as the star of the most successful English-language prime-time television series about Latin Americans in recent history. His successful stand-up comedy showcases his idiosyncratic point of view and impeccable comedic timing. He lives in Los Angeles.

About Ryan Calejo:

Ryan Calejo is an award-winning author born and raised in sunny south Florida. His critically acclaimed Charlie Hernández series has been featured in half a dozen state reading lists and has earned starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus, was a Texas Bluebonnet Master List Selection, and won an International Latino Book Award, a Sunshine State Young Readers Award, and a Florida Book Award (Gold Medal). He lives in Miami.

Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will win a finished copy of CHUPACARTER AND THE HAUNTED PIÑATA, US ONLY.

Ends June 20th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

5/22/2023	Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer	Review or Excerpt/IG Post
5/23/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
5/24/2023	yabookscentral.com	Excerpt/IG Post
5/25/2023	Log Cabin Library	Excerpt
5/26/2023	onemused	IG Post
5/27/2023	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt

Blog Tour and Giveaway for How To Survive in the Age of Dinosaurs by Stephanie Warren Drimmer

Welcome to the blog tour for

How to Survive in the Age of Dinosaurs,

part of National Geographic Kids’ DinoMAYnia – a month-long celebration of all things prehistoric!

All week blogs are hosting fun excerpts from this handy guide so you will know just what it takes to dodge deadly dinosaurs, ride out mega monsoons and escape other perils of the prehistoric!

How To Survive the Cretaceous

It’s hot, humid, and the heyday of the dinosaurs. During the Cretaceous, Pangaea has finally split apart into separate continents, and different dinos rule on each. Herds of Triceratops munch on newly evolved flowering plants in what is now the United States. Sauropods nearly the size of jumbo jets shake the earth in South America and Africa. And Tyrannosaurus rex, the most fearsome predator that ever lived, menaces North America. Does a human stand a chance?

The Cretaceous: 145-66 million years ago
Known For: The most iconic dinosaurs that ever lives
Best Place for Home Base: The European islands, where there are no mega-size carnivorous dinos
Your Main Food Source: Dinosaur eggs
Try to avoid: Becoming lunch

How To Walk With Giants

Today, Earth’s largest land animal is the mighty African bush elephant, which can reach a height of 13 feet at the shoulder and weigh more than 10 tons. But that’s nothing compared with the titanosaurs. The largest of them all, Patagotitan mayorum, stood about 130 feet from nose to tail and weighed some 70 tons. That’s about the length of two trucks (with trailers) parked end to end, and the weight of nearly 10 African elephants. Like elephants, these enormous dinosaurs are gentle giants. The largest of the sauropods, they are plant-eating herbivores whose huge bulk means they have no predators to fear. They are one of the most spectacular sights in the Cretaceous landscape. But their sheer size means you have to approach them with caution. Here are some tips for safe viewing:

Be Patient – You’re off to check your favorite nesting site for tasty eggs when—uh-oh—a herd of Dreadnoughtus are blocking the trail. Never try to shoo dinos off your path. Instead, wait until the massive creatures move to a new spot before continuing on your way.

Keep Your Distance - Dinos that think you’re a predator on the attack could become aggressive as they try to defend themselves. Stay far back to show that you’re not a threat. If the dinosaurs start moving toward you, back away slowly.

Know the Warning Signs - Watch the titanosaurs for any signs that they might be uneasy or stressed by your presence. Body language to look out for might include sniffing the air in your direction, pacing or pawing, or facing you while stamping a foot. If the dinosaurs seem not to want you there, move away slowly.

Never Run - Fast, jerky movements can panic the titanosaurs. And you’ll want to avoid being caught in a herd of frightened, jumbo-size dinos at all costs. Keep your movements slow and steady. If you stay calm, the dinosaurs usually do, too. Happy titano-spotting!

Did You Know?

Large dinosaurs arrange their eggs in a ring, and then sit in the middle. This keeps them from crushing the delicate shells.

Buy | Buy on Bookshop.org

How to Survive in the Age of Dinosaurs:

A Handy Guide to Dodging Deadly Predators, Riding Out Mega-Monsoons and Escaping Other Perils of the Prehistoric

(ages 8-12, Paperback, National Geographic Kids Books)

Boom, boom, BOOM … Look out! That’s a T. rex coming your way!? You’ve been transported back in time to the age of the dinosaurs. What do you do?! Test your chops and discover if you have what it takes to survive at a time when Earth looked, well, a tad different in this ultimate survival guide to the prehistoric age. Find out how to make it through exploding volcanoes and mega monsoons—while dodging giant Permian bugs! See how to fend off an angry pterosaur and learn what to do if you’re caught in a stampede of enormous titanosaurs. Discover what you could eat (spoiler alert: You better like the taste of insects!), and find out which hungry creatures just might try to eat you! Packed with tips, tricks, and helpful maps, this is the ultimate handbook for dinosaur fans who want to know what life on Earth was really like when dinos ruled. Could you survive in the age of dinosaurs?

About the Author

Stephanie Warren Drimmer is an award winning science writer based in Los Angeles, California. She writes books and magazine features for kids about everything from the strangest places in space, to the chemistry of cookies, to the mysteries of the human brain. She has a degree in science journalism from New York University...but she thinks she likes writing for kids because she's secretly still one herself.

Website

About the Expert Contributor

Dr. Steve Brusatte vertebrate paleontologist and evolutionary biologist and professor at the University of Edinburgh who specializes in the anatomy, genealogy, and evolution of dinosaurs and other fossil organisms. He has written over 110 scientific papers, published six books (including the adult pop science book The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, the textbook Dinosaur Paleobiology, and the coffee table book Dinosaurs), and has described over 15 new species of fossil animals. He has done fieldwork in Brazil, Britain, China, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and the United States. His research is profiled often in the popular press and he is a “resident paleontologist” and scientific consultant for the BBC's Walking With Dinosaurs team.