Winner of Contest Monday: Escape the Mask

And the winner is....
Rikua
Congratulations! See, those extra entries can help. :-) Rikua, email me with your mailing address and I'll get your copy of Escape the Mask in the mail to you.

Everyone else, don't forget to enter this week's Contest Monday for a chance to win a copy of Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee. And for those of you who didn't win this time, you can pre-order your own copy of Escape the Mask from Amazon.com:

Contest Monday: Win a copy of Absolutely Maybe

After a little blip last week, it's time for another Contest Monday! Today's prize is a free ARC copy of Lisa Yee's new novel Absolutely Maybe.

About the book (from Amazon.com): "Meet Maybelline Mary Katherine Mary Ann Chestnut, named for two Miss Americas and her mother Chessy's favorite brand of mascara. Chessy teaches the students in her charm school her Seven Select Rules for Young Ladies, but she won't tell Maybe who her real father is -- or protect her from her latest scuzzball boyfriend. So Maybe hitches a ride to California with her friends Hollywood and Thammasat Tantipinichwong Schneider (aka Ted) -- and what she finds there is funny, sad, true, and inspiring . . . vintage Lisa Yee."

How to Enter: To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this post. That's easy, right? Or, if you can't leave a comment, send an email to shadyglade (AT) mail (DOT) com with the subject line "Absolutely Maybe Contest" and include your name, your email address, the correct subject line.

How to earn Extra Entries:

1. Post about the contest on your blog or website. Post a link in the comments, or email the link to me.
2. Become a follower of this Blog (post a comment to let me know)
3. Post your own Contest Monday (post a comment with the link)

Rules: The contest is open until Monday, February 2, 2009 when the new contest will be posted. Everyone in the US and Canada is eligible, even if you've won a contest in the past. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator. One free entry per person allowed. See above for instructions to earn extra contest entries. Questions? Post a comment or email and ask.

Good luck to everyone! I'll announce the contest winner on Tuesday, February 3. Look for an announcement tomorrow to find out who won last week's contest.

Absolutely Maybe is also available for order from Amazon.com:

Contest Monday: Update

Hey everyone!

Sorry I've been a bit scare lately, but I'm out of town at the moment. As such, this week's Contest Monday is that the deadline has been extended. However, I may add a runner up prize to the mix just to make it more interesting. So if you haven't already, head over to the original post to sign up.

I'll be back soon!

Winner of Contest Monday: The Girls

And the winner is....

Paradox

Congratulations! See, those extra entries can help. :-) Paradox, email me with your mailing address and I'll get your copy of The Girls in the mail to you. Everyone else, don't forget to enter this week's Contest Monday for another chance to win a copy of Escape the Mask. I had so many entries this week and only one book to give away, unfortunately. So everyone make sure you enter again, because I want to give a book to all of you!

And for those of you who didn't win this time, you can pre-order your own copy of The Girls from Amazon.com:

Contest Monday: Win a copy of Escape the Mask

Welcome to Contest Monday! Today's prize is a free hardback copy of David Ward's book Escape the Mask.

About the book (from Amazon.com): "The first in a new adventure trilogy full of danger, bravery, and unexpected friendships.

Welcome to Grassland, where the only hope of freedom is to go beyond the reach of sinister, silent masters, and the only family you know are your fellow captives. Coriko has never known a world beyond his cell and the fields where he toils all day. He does what he’s told and tries not to anger the Spears, the cruel, masked jailers who guard him and the other child slaves. If he gathers baskets of shards and keeps quiet and orderly, then he can spend time with his cellmate and best friend, Pippa.

But without warning, the children’s orderly lives begin to change—slowly at first, with the arrival of a pair of siblings who speak Coriko and Pippa’s language. Soon after, violent events shake up the quiet world of Grassland, and Coriko must find the strength to grasp his freedom. Full of heartstopping action, Escape the Mask introduces Coriko, Pippa, and their friends—and begins the journey of The Grassland Trilogy."

How to Enter: In an effort to make this easier, I'm chaning how to enter. To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this post. That's easy, right? Or, if you can't leave a comment, send an email to shadyglade (AT) mail (DOT) com with the subject line "Escape the Mask Contest" and include your name, your email adress, the correct subject line

How to earn Extra Entries:

1. Post about the contest on your blog or website. Post a link in the comments, or email the link to me.
2. Become a follower of this Blog (post a comment to let me know)
3. You will get one extra entry for each meaningful comment you make on this blog throughout the week.
4. Post your own Contest Monday (post a comment with the link)

Rules: The contest is open until Monday, January 19, 2009 when the new contest will be posted. Everyone in the US and Canada is eligible, even if you've won a contest in the past. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator. One free entry per person allowed. See above for instructions to earn extra contest entries. Questions? Post a comment or email and ask.

Escape the Mask is a 2008 Fantasy Sci-Fi Cybils nominee. Good luck to everyone! I'll announce the contest winner on Tuesday, January 20th.

Escape the Mask is also available for order from Amazon.com:

Sidenote: Sometimes I hate mornings

I'll be the first to admit that I usually don't sleep very well. That means dreaming is usually out of the question. But when I do dream, they are usually really weird. Not scary weird, but the kind of dreams that make you go "okayyyyyyyyy..." to yourself as soon as you wake up.

But when I'm about to kiss my very own Mr. Darcy and my alarm clock goes off, I'm about ready to hurl it across the room.

Hope your morning was better than mine. :-)

2008 Cybils finalists: Picture Books

As those who read this blog regularly may have noticed, I was very scarce the past few months. Although some of it was because of school, it was also because I was deeply involved on the Sci-Fi/Fantasy panel for the 2008 Cybils. Finalists were announced Jan. 1, and the winners will be posted in mid-Febuary. To count down to that anticpated day, I'll be reposting finalists and the coresponding panel's blurbs every Thursday until the final announcement. So without further ado, here our our first two lists, fiction and non-fiction picture books. You can learn more about each book by following the links below.

Non-Fiction Picture Books
A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams written by Jen Bryant
This biography follows "Willie Williams" from his days as a smart, athletic youngster to his later years as a physician. As readers see him aging, they also see the inexplicable pull of poetry in his life and the making of a man as a poet. The multimedia illustrations closely compliment the text, making for a book that exudes the spirit of Williams in every way. The book concludes with timelines of both Williams' life and world history during Williams' lifetime.

Astronaut Handbook written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy
How does one become an astronaut? McCarthy opens the door to astronaut training and lets readers in on all the secrets. The eye-popping illustrations offer ways to understand information that would be too difficult for the target audience had it been presented only in text. The back matter includes a page of fascinating facts and a bibliography of books, web sites, videos and places to visit.

Duel!: Burr and Hamilton's Deadly War of Words written by Dennis Brindell Fradin and illustrated by Larry Day
Fradin's historically accurate telling of the story of the duel between Hamilton and Burr is dramatically told. Both men are cast as well-rounded human beings with flaws and strengths, and both are shown to be at fault for the duel. The book concludes with a lengthy bibliography.

Fabulous Fishes written and illustrated by Susan Stockdale Peachtree
This Seuss-like look at the world of fish uses bold illustrations and rhyming text to introduce young readers to the wide variety of ocean fish. Stockdale follows up her textual overview with a few pages of additional information about each fish pictured. A long list of resources is also included.

Nic Bishop Frogs written and illustrated by Nic Bishop
Jam-packed with amazing and sometimes quirky facts, and gorgeous photos, this book takes readers on a journey through the wonderful world of frogs. Scientifically, Bishop doesn't talk down to young readers, but rather helps to make the mystery that is life and science more understandable. A glossary and index are included.

Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Lived to Draw written and illustrated by Deborah Kogan Ray
Using Gág's own words, Kogan Ray tells the story of a woman born into an art-loving family who followed her own dream to create art, no matter what obstacles stood in her way. This biography follows Gág from her childhood years up through the publication of her Newbery award-winning book, Millions of Cats.

Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa written and illustrated by Jeanette Winter Winter's bold illustrations and straightforward prose tell the story of this Nobel Peace Prize winner's efforts to bring the green back to Kenya. Focused on her early life, this biography introduces readers to a girl who loved nature, decried its destruction, and worked tirelessly to reforest her beloved homeland. The back matter includes an author's note and quote from Maathai.


Fiction Picture Books
Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall, Thin Tale (Introducing His Forgotten Frontier Friend)written by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by John Hendrix
In a year abundant in releases about our 16th president, this picture book title stands out for its originality, vibrant illustrations, and interactive flair. While the setting is historical, the mood is thoroughly modern in this clever celebration of the oral storytelling tradition.
--Travis Jonkers, 100 Scope Notes

Big Bad Bunny written by Franny Billingsley and illustrated by G. Brian Karas
No rushing stream or mucky swamp can stop Big Bad Bunny and his long sharp claws. Through the tangly bushes he marches, fierce and scowling--and a worried mama mouse has just discovered her baby mouse is missing. Suspenseful pacing, engaging art, and a delightful twist ending make this an enchanting tale for the preschool set.
--Melissa Wiley, Here in the Bonny Glen

Chester's Back! written and illustrated by Melanie Watts
A sublimely pushy cat vies for attention and control with his author and illustrator in this wildly funny book. With creativity and innovation, the author allows her persistent character Chester to scrawl over her illustrations and text with a red marker, creating immediacy, tension, and humor.
--Cheryl Rainfield

How to Heal a Broken Wing written and illustrated by Bob Graham
When a pigeon is injured in the middle of a busy city, no one stops to help until a little boy and his family take the bird home to heal it. Told mainly through pictures with minimal text to drive the plot forward, the story is touching one of kindness, patience, and humanity.
--Pam Coughlan, MotherReader

Katie Loves the Kittens written and illustrated by John Himmelman
The dog Katie can’t contain her desire to play with the new kitten companions in her home, but unfortunately her exuberance is overwhelming to the tiny creatures. With redirection and restraint, Katie finally finds a way to show her love for the kittens. The humor in, the situation, the story-telling, and illustrations will engage kids of all ages in this fun, romping story.
--Pam Coughlan, MotherReader

The Sea Serpent and Me written by Dashka Slater and illustrated by Catia Chien
An extraordinary friendship begins when a sea serpent drops from a faucet into a little girl's bath. As their friendship grows so does the sea serpent, until the girl has to admit that this creature belongs in the sea. This charming tale of friendship is propelled by lovely, energetic watercolor illustrations that create a world full of whimsy the reader will find hard to leave.
--Stephanie Ford, ChildLit

A Visitor for Bear written by Bonny Becker and illustrated by Kady Denton
When a mouse ignores the sign on Bear's door that reads "NO VISITORS ALLOWED", Bear can't get back to business as mouse continually reappears in Bear's home finally making Bear wonder if he really prefers to be alone after all. The text begs to be read aloud and the subdued watercolor, ink, and gouache illustrations chock full of personality that creating a tale every member of the family will adore.
--Stephanie Ford, ChildLit

Wabi Sabi written by Mark Reibstein and illustrated by Ed Young
A Japanese cat searches for the meaning of her name, and discovers that beauty can be found in simple, ordinary things and experiences. The text shows many layers and depth, the haikus are well-integrated into the story, and the collage illustrations are astonishing in their texture and beauty.
--Cheryl Rainfield

For more information on the Cybils, visit their website. And look for more Cybils finalists next Thursday.

Waiting On Wednesday 1.7.09

Welcome to the first Waiting on Wednesday of the new year. Okay, so technically this book came out yesterday, but I still can't wait to read it. :-)

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

From Amazon.com: "After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah’s gum-chewing, cell phone–carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Showing why she’s only Fair—because she’s not a very good fairy student—Chrissy mistakenly sends Savannah back in time to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Finally she sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah’s class, back instead to turn him into her prom-worthy prince. When Savannah returns to the Middle Ages to save Tristan, they must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious and undeniably sexy Black Knight. Laughs abound in this clever fairy tale twist from a master of romantic comedy."

You know me. I love retold fairy tales. And time travel. And romance. Well, some anyway. Either way, I can't wait to read this one. Hopefully I'll get my hands on a copy soon.

My Fair Godmother
is now available for order on Amazon.com:

Winner of Contest Monday Jan 5, 2009

And the winner is....

Katie J. (bball11kt)

Congratulations! Katie, email me with your mailing address and I'll get your copy of The Debs in the mail to you. Everyone else, don't forget to enter this week's Contest Monday for another chance to win another great book.

And for those of you who didn't win this time, you can order your own copy of The Debs from Amazon.com:

Contest Monday: Win a copy of The Girls

Welcome to another Contest Monday! Today's prize is a free ARC paperback copy of Tucker Shaw's new novel The Girls.

About the book (from Amazon.com): "Meet Mary: She’s beautiful, and her ski-star boyfriend is cheating on her.

Meet Crystal: She’s a townie, and she’s cheating with Mary’s boyfriend.

Meet Sylvia: She’s nasty, and she’s got something up her Prada-designed sleeve.

Meet Amber: She’s a flake, she’s the barista at the hottest coffee shop in Aspen, and she serves up gossip even hotter than grande skim lattes.

Meet Peggy: She’s Mary’s best friend, and she has no idea how to cope with all these girls.

A modern retelling of the classic play The Women (which featured not one male in the cast), The Girls is a quick-witted, stylish comedy about friendship, love, and most important, gossip! An elite Aspen prep school sets the stage for jealousy and intrigue as the lives of many girls tangle into a wickedly fun mess (in which no boys ever appear)."

How to enter: Send an email to shadyglade (AT) mail (DOT) com with the subject line "The Girls Contest" and include:
Your name
Your email adress
The correct subject line
If you post about the contest somewhere, let me know and get a free entry

Rules: The contest is open until Monday, January 12, 2009 when the new contest will be posted. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator. One free entry per person allowed. Post ab0ut the contest to earn extra contest entries. Questions? Post a comment or email and ask.

The Girls won't be available in stores until April 2009, so this contest is a great way for you to read it before anyone else. :-) Good luck to everyone! I'll announce the contest winner on Tuesday, January 13th.

The Girls is also available for pre-order from Amazon.com:

Back Up

Alright, I'm done playing with things for now. Just a few tweaks to the template. I know Blogger has had the new gadget design for about two years, but I still hadn't converted over yet. So it's changed now, and you can now follow this blog, and subscribe via RSS and all sorts of cool things. You'll find them over the sidebar. I'm still going to tweak things around, so let me know what you'd like to see.

Meanwhile, don't forget to enter the contest for a free copy of The Debs. Check out the sidebar for the link.

Under Construction

I'm going to be playing around with my template in the next few hours. Things will be moving around, and links might be broken. Just to give you a heads up! I'll be back in a few hours. :-)

Waiting On Wednesday 12.31.08

This is going up a little later than I intended, but I've been sick with a stomach flu and I had Cybils deliberations this afternoon. But without further ado, here's my last Waiting on Wednesday post for 2008:

The True Adventures of Charley Darwin by Carolyn Meyer

From Amazon.com: "Young Charley Darwin hated school—he much preferred to be outside studying birds' eggs, feathers, and insects. And so, at the age of twenty-one, he boarded a ship called HMS Beagle and spent five thrilling but dangerous years sailing around the world, studying plant and animal life that was beyond anything he could have imagined.Here, just in time for Darwin's 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his groundbreaking On the Origin of Species, historical novelist Carolyn Meyer tells the story of his unconventional adventures. It's the story of a restless childhood, unrequited teenage love, and a passion for studying nature that was so great, Darwin would sacrifice everything to pursue it."

I have to admit, I'm guilty of wanting to read this one simply because I love the author. Carolyn Meyer is so awesome! As a Biology minor, I hear about Charles Darwin all the time, so I think it will be interesting to read another side of his story, and Meyer is sure to do a great job. Plus, don't you just love the way Harcourt does her covers? They have such a misty/historical quality to them.

The True Adventures of Charley Darwin will be released on January 1 (tomorrow!) and is available for pre-order on Amazon.com:

Contest Monday: Win a copy of The Debs

As I mentioned earlier, it's time for our first Contest Monday! Yay! Today's prize is a free paperback copy of Susan McBride's The Debs.

About the book (from back cover): "The heat is on down South! Debutante season in Houston is under way, and four ultraprivileged girls await thier invitations from the illustrious Glass Slipper Club.

Laura Delacroix Bell: This trust-fund baby's size-fourteen figure doesn't stop her from attracting hot boys or the admiring eye of the GSC selection committee. But a salacious secret could take her out of hte running quicker than you can say 'Rosebud.'

Michelle "Mac" Mackenzie: She'd rather bury her nose in a book than embrace her deb destiny. But Mac's debut is her late mother's dream and her stepmother's obsession. If Mac doesn't bow out now, she may become the crankiest deb in Texas.

Ginger Fore: She hopes to wear her grandmother's vintage ball gown on her big presentation day. But when a mysterious college guy puts Ginger's deb eligibility in jeopardy, she may end up wearing an unflattering orange jumpsuit instead.

Jo Lynn Bidwill: A former beauty queen, she makes it her mission in life to take out the debu-trash. For now, Jo Lynn's sights are set on Laura Bell, and what she has in store for her bitter rival is anything but ladylike.

The Debs...high society doesn't get any lower than this."

How to enter: Send an email to shadyglade (AT) mail (DOT) com with the subject line "The Debs Contest" and include:

• Your name
• Your email adress
• The correct subject line
• If you post about the contest somewhere, let me know and get a free entry

Rules: The contest is open until Monday, January 5, 2009 when the new contest will be posted. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator. One free entry per person allowed. Post ab0ut the contest to earn extra contest entries. Questions? Post a comment or email and ask.

See? Simple right? So go ahead and enter right away. Good luck to everyone! I'll announce the contest winner on Tuesday, January 6th.

The Debs is also available for purchase from Amazon.com:

A Blog Update

Hello everyone! I'm back. Well, sort of. I know I've been scarce lately. Things have been crazy with graduation and the holidays and moving back into the room my brother commandeered while I was off at school. Plus, I've been furiously trying to get through as many Cybils nominees as possible, as the deadline fast approaches. I know, last minute, but in my defense there were over 160 nominees in my category this year.

Anyway, I'm gong to try to get back in the swing of things. I have a lot more Waiting on Wednesday posts to put up, as well as about 50 book reviews (give or take) that are just waiting to be written. I'll get them up when I can!

But this post is also to announce (another) new feature. Starting this afternoon, I am announcing the addition of (drumroll please)....

Contest Mondays!

See, I've got all these books that I will never be able to read again, and some that haven't been read at all, and probably never will. So I'm going to be having a giveaway on Mondays to pass on all those new and gently used, wonderful books to other people who will have the chance to enjoy them. Why Monday? Well, Wednesdays are already scheduled, and lots of people already do giveaways on Friday. I wanted to be different, and I don't know about you, but I'd like a pick-me-up on Mondays! So it's going to be Monday afternoons for free books at the Shady Glade, and look for that post later today!

Waiting on Wednesday 12.10.08

So I'm busy studying for graduation, but I wanted to throw this up real quick. :-)

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

From Amazon.com: "A tale of twelve princesses doomed to dance until dawn… Galen is a young soldier returning from war; Rose is one of twelve princesses condemned to dance each night for the King Under Stone. Together Galen and Rose will search for a way to break the curse that forces the princesses to dance at the midnight balls. All they need is one invisibility cloak, a black wool chain knit with enchanted silver needles, and that most critical ingredient of all—true love—to conquer their foes in the dark halls below. But malevolent forces are working against them above ground as well, and as cruel as the King Under Stone has seemed, his wrath is mere irritation compared to the evil that awaits Galen and Rose in the brighter world above.

Captivating from start to finish, Jessica Day George’s take on the Grimms’ tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses demonstrates yet again her mastery at spinning something entirely fresh out of a story you thought you knew."

Fairytale retelling? Twelve Dancing Princesses? I am so there! The cover alone makes me want to read it.

Princess of the Midnight Ball will be released on January 20, and is currently available for preorder on Amazon.com: