Posted in Meet the authors

Gareth Wronski

Posted on by Bridget

  • Author website/social media: www.garethwronski.com, www.twitter.com/garethwronski
  • Tell me a little about yourself: I’m a Canadian writer of science fiction and fantasy. My first book, HOLLY FARB, was published last year by Simon & Schuster. I also write screenplays, and spend my free time avoiding the terrifying swans that live nearby.
  • When you were my age (9), did you like to read?

    • I actually wasn’t a huge reader as a child. I mostly watched movies and played video games, and the only books I read were ones I was forced to read in school. When I was a bit older I got more into it and started reading for pleasure.

  • What was your favorite story?

    • The one book I remember really liking as a kid was Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, about a boy who is stranded in the wilderness and has to find a way to survive. It also made me afraid of camping.

  • How do you get your ideas? Will there be a second Holly Farb book?

    • I’m not sure exactly where I get my ideas from — they just sort of pop into my head! I’d love to write another book about Holly, but that’s up to the publisher and whether they want to.

  • What author do you really like right now?

    • The last book I read was The Witch Apprentice by James Nicol, which I really enjoyed.

  • Do you have any new or lesser known authors you would suggest?

    • I can name a bunch of new authors people should check out: Wendy McLeod MacKnight, Heidi Lang, Kati Bartkowski, Beth McCMullen, Alexandra Ott, Sarah Cannon, Supriya Kelkar, Patricia Bailey, Melissa Roske, Lindsey Becker, Katie Slivensky, Jarrett Lerner, Darcy Miller, Rob Vlock, Sally J. Pla, and many others I’m probably forgetting.

  • What advice do you have for a kid who wants to be an author?

    • Don’t let anyone discourage you! Take time to have fun and figure out what sort of books you want to write. The good thing about writing at a young age is you have a lot of freedom to just enjoy the process and whatever you’re creating.

  • As an author, do you hear from your readers? What do you like about that?

    • I hear from readers from time to time, either by email or on Twitter. It’s always nice because one of the strange things about writing a book is you create this thing that then goes off into the world and you have no idea how anyone is reacting to it, or if they’re reacting to it at all. It’s like 70,000 words of talking to yourself, so it’s nice to have other people talk back.

  • If you could portal into any book (yours or another person’s), what book would it be?

    • Harry Potter. I’d play Quidditch by day and solve magical mysteries by night.

    Posted in Book Review

    Princeless

    Posted on by Bridget

    By Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin

    Book Source: Borrowed from library

    Book Status: available

    My librarian recommended this book.

    This book is about a princess who was locked in a tower but escaped with her dragon. She goes to the palace and they think she killed her self ( they think she is a knight that killed the princess ) then she goes to a blacksmith shop and the blacksmith goes with her on a quest.

    this book is unique because the princess not only saves herself but try’s to save her sisters!!

    I like this book because the princess saves herself and saves her sisters!

    Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review

    How we got to now

    Posted on by Bridget

    By Steven Johnson

    Book Source: provided for review as part of blog tour

    Book Status: Available now

    I’m going to spotlight the invention of………………………

    GLASS

    So glass wasn’t invented by a person but it was made by nature. Though the invention of clear glass was human works. So the first piece of glass was found in a desert and eventually shaped in a scarab beetle. Then people made the first glasses. Those were for the rich. Then the microscope. And many other things.

    People should read this book because well if they want to learn about cold light or clean they could reAd and end up a geinus about that topic

    Blog Tour Stops

    October 15 – Two Points of Interest – Review

    October 16 – Library Lady’s Kid Lit – Review

    October 17 – Bridget and the Books – Review

    October 18 – KidsR.Us – Review

    October 19 – Storymamas – Creative

    Posted in Book Review

    Something from Nothing

    Posted on by Bridget

    By Damian Synadinos

    Book Source: provided by author in exchange for honest review

    Book Status: available

    This book is about 2 puppets who want to put on a play but they don’t know what to do or what the play should be. One puppet suggests that they make a play about something but do not plan it. That is called improv. The book is really about teaching kids about improv.

    This is not a little kid read on your own book. It is a read out loud book. It would be a good picture book for bigger kids like fourth graders. It was interesting to learn about improv. It would be cool to try with my classmates. If my class did it, it would be unicorns, penguins, football and Fortnite. Hahaha – your brain just made that story in your head and I bet it is ridiculous. Fourth graders are ridiculous sometimes. It is what makes us awesome 🤗.

    This book is unique because it is a picture book about a term you wouldn’t see in a regular one.

    I like this book because the illustrations are cool. The illustrations have 2 types: preschooler/kindergarten coloring and grown up animation/cartoon style.

    Posted in Book Review

    Sticks and Stones

    Posted on by Bridget

    By Abby Cooper

    Book Source: Borrowed by Library

    Book Status: Available

    This book is about a girl who has something that makes whatever she is called appear on her arms and legs. The bad ones itch and good ones are soothing. When she starts getting little blue notes that encourage her to be Explorer leader which means she is in charge of the Minnesota field trip. She doesn’t know who they are coming from so she goes through all the possible suspects and one person fits with most of the notes ( one tells her to make her best friend break up with her boyfriend!) that person is the principle Mr Todd!

    This book is unique because it is about a girl that is very different than than the other kids.

    I like this book because of well, EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!😝😛😜😍🙂😀😃😄😁😆😊😸😺😻

    Posted in Book Review

    ComiqueCon

    Posted on by Bridget

    Yesterday was ComiqueCon, which is about women and non-binary comic/graphic novel. This was the third year and my third time attending. My mom is friends with Chelsea, the founder.

    This year I was asked to be part of the team! I co-hosted a craft event based on The Cardboard Kingdom. If you haven’t guessed by now, it was my book of the summer. It is in the running for my best book of 2018.

    It was super fun to cohost with Katie Schenkel, one of the authors. I met her in Ann Arbor when I first got the book so it was great to reconnect after I fell in love with the book. Plus she wrote the Banshee character, which I relate to a lot. I think that character really describes life as an ADHD girl!

    Ps so happy she sold out of her books!!!!!

    I also got to attend a discussion with Penelope Bagieu, author of Brazen. Bummed to hear she won’t be writing another but do really love the book. I even got her to sign my book.

    And I made a Cardboard Kingdom inspired costume for the cosplay contest. There was not a fairy in the book but if I was a kid in the neighborhood I would have been the fairy. With the help of my mom, I made a double costume. One side was the Kingdom version and one side was what the kid would make. My costume was tricky to make and I didn’t quite get things just right, but still it was fun.

    And the best part is I won first place in the Kids Cosplay Contest!

    I really love ComiqueCon because it is nice to be surrounded by other girls who love comics and graphic novels.

    Did you know it was a graphic novel that made me want to read so much? With Cleopatra in Space, there probably wouldn’t be this blog.

    So let kids read comics and graphic novels!

    Posted in Book Review, Reviews by Annoying Little Brother

    Porcupine Pie

    Posted on by Bridget

    By Laura Renauld

    Illustrated by Jennie Poh

    Book Source: provided to me for review

    Book Status: available

    Reviewed by Lil Bro

    This book is about a Porcupine being helpful. She wants to make a pie. While she was out collecting her berries, she saw her friends. Each friend needed a supply for their party treat. She shared her supplies with them. Then she realized she was missing her berries. Her friends helped her out!

    The story is about animals having a party. They are helpful to each other. If you share, people will share with you.

    Kids should read this. There is even a pie recipe in the book!