booktalk tuesday

The Case of the Missing Marquess: an Enola Holmes Mystery, by Nancy Springer
IndieBound Description: When Enola Holmes, sister to the detective Sherlock Holmes, discovers her mother has disappeared, she quickly embarks on a journey to London in search of her. But nothing can prepare her for what awaits. Because when she arrives, she finds herself involved in the kidnapping of a young marquess, fleeing murderous villains, and trying to elude her shrewd older brothers--all while attempting to piece together clues to her mother's strange disappearance. Amid all the mayhem, will Enola be able to decode the necessary clues and find her mother?

My Thoughts: Oh, I love Enola Holmes! I am addicted to the whole series and if you read this one you will be too! These books are just a tiny bit older than most of the other books I recommend (not a lot though), mainly because this contains real thrills of murderous villains, etc--but that's the fun too!

holiday shopping

So Halloween is over and I've noticed that the stores have moved right on into holiday shopping decorations--some even bypassing Thanksgiving!

Well, before you shop at the mall, I just wanted to let you know that I'm teaming up with Porter Square Books again to offer my books personally autographed books for the holidays! How does it work?

Simply call the Porter Square Bookstore at 617-491-2220 (you can also order online) and ask for a signed or personalized copy of ANY of my books from Where the Mountain Meets the Moon to Ling and Ting. (You can browse all my available books HERE).

You pay for the book(s), shipping, and handling, and the bookstore will ship signed stock in time for the occasion, even gift-wrapped if requested. Remember, if you want the books personalized, to provide the name of recipient to bookseller. I will be going in to sign  until Dec. 21st, so this is a great opportunity to get books specially signed for the holidays (as well as support a great independent bookstore)!

Sunday Chinese School

Welcome to Sunday Chinese School, where we learn a Chinese word (or phrase) a week with my mom!

Today's word is:
sleep
shuì jiào

November Kid Review: Bringing in the New Year

This month's Kid Review of Bringing in the New Year:


*If you have a review of one of my books that you would like to share, send it to Gracelin.manager@gmail.com! Multimedia (audio clip, youtube link, etc) is encouraged but not necessary.

fortune cookie friday

"In the coldest flint there is hot fire."
-Chinese Proverb

Thank you, 3rd Graders!

I'm just starting to catch up on all my e-mails and notes and finally saw this:



Yay! It's another 90-second Newbery movie of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (make sure you don't miss the others!)! Isn't it great?

Felix & company, please contact me via gracelin.manager@gmail.com; I'd love to give you some prints from my etsy store (as promised)!

pocket pacys in the US

So there are three more Pocket Pacys:

And they have all found new homes. One I left them at statue in Seward, Nebraska, where I took part of the Plum Creek Literary Festival:

Another by an elephant, in Wilmington, Delaware, where I did a school visit at the Wilmington Friends School:

And the last was in Fresno, CA when I took part at the IBBY conference:

Where will the go from here?

BookTalk Tuesday

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

IndieBound Description:
Ramona feels quite grown-up taking the bus by herself, helping big sister Beezus make dinner, and trying hard to be nice to pesky Willa Jean after school. Turning eight years old and entering the first grade can do that to a girl. So how can her teacher call her a nuisance?

My Thoughts: If you are past the age of 8 and have not read this, you have missed something very, very important as well as wonderful! Everyone should know Ramona, and this book captures her vibrant, very real personality the best. I'm still not a huge fan on these new covers, but it's probably nostalgia that is holding me back.

happy halloween pumpkins!

It's been a bit crazy lately but I refused to give up our holiday pumpkin carving tradition. So, the gang gathered together again and we had a messy massacre of pumpkins guts:

But I think we are all getting better at carving because I think this was our best batch yet:

As usual, there was an eclectic theme ranging from Spiderman to bunnies:

The Sasquatch did a particularly charming Pac-Man themed pumpkin:

I admit I had a soft spot for the children's book ones:

Richard Scarry and Ed Emberly-inspired!

Because, of course, I carved some of them:

My older sister and niece came to the pumpkin carving for the first time and both did frogs:

What will we carve next year?

Sunday Chinese School

Welcome to Sunday Chinese School, where we learn a Chinese word (or phrase) a week with my mom!

Today's word is:
scary
kǒngbù