MMGM NW Authors: Pebblehoof by Jason Black

About The Book: Maria Browning never asked to be dragged from Chicago into the untamed Nebraska Territory to help her parents find their dream of freedom on the frontier. But when she meets and befriends a wild horse, the prairie begins to grow on her. The spring of 1863 takes a turn for the better when the family learns that the Transcontinental Railroad will be coming through the nearby town of Columbus. But their excitement quickly sours when the railroad boss unexpectedly changes the planned route to run rails directly through the family’s land. Maria’s hardheaded father clashes with the railroad man and his underhanded tricks. Caught in the middle, Maria’s mother suffers a terrible injury, and the family’s crops are destroyed. Faced with returning to Chicago, Maria finds she cannot bear to leave behind her beloved horse and the prairie she has come to call home. Her only question is, can a ten-year-old girl defy the most powerful man in the territory and move a railroad, to save her home and her parents’ dream? —Amazon

First Line: "Mama must I?" Maria Browning asked.

What Others Are Saying: "Not just for girls! The unrelenting pace of the story, driven by the challenges of life in the 1860s, will also captivate boys. I was actually sorry to see the book end. Definitely a good read for adults as well as middle grades and up. Caution for parents: the book includes a couple of swear words (which I plan to omit when reading to kids.) Nathan Everett's graphics at chapter beginnings and between scenes add to the ambiance, and I appreciated the Author's Notes at the end about the real places and people in the story." —Norma Nill on Amazon

"There's tension, conflict and villains drawn from the historical figures of the time. As children read the story, they will be learning without even noticing about such things as what homesteads were, soap making, and what everyday life was like. They may also learn some German! The author clearly respects children, providing them with this intelligent and compelling story." —AMB on Amazon

What I Thought: From the first page I was drawn into Maria's new life on the prairie. It has been a very long time since I have had a historical fiction resonate with me in the same way that Laura Ingalls Wilder books did. I have never forgotten the descriptions of everyday tasks in Laura's world, the pig bladder, cutting sod and planting vegetables. When Black told about Maria making soap with her mother, I found myself transported again to a time before supermarkets, details so vivid I could almost smell the lye. That said, I think the underlying theme is about finding where you belong in a new place. Maria is taken from everything she knows, but finds a new friend and ultimately home.  

About The Author: Jason Black
Website
Guest Post on Seekerville
Radio Interview

Who: I met Jason two years ago at my first PNWA writers conference. I took one of his classes and now I'm a religious reader of his articles on Author Magazine. His most recent article "Let Your Characters Speak For Your Readers" is an excellent look at how important it is to avoid making a mystery seem like a mistake. Black writes,"Readers will follow you pretty much anywhere, so long as they trust you to know what you’re doing." 

"My name is Jason Black. I was born between Apollo 11 and the breakup of The Beatles. I live in Washington State, in a suburb outside of Seattle, with my wife and two young children whose future college educations I'm hoping you’ll help me pay for. I'm a computer geek, a local-food enthusiast, occasional gardener, ardent PNWA supporter, monthly contributor to PNWA's Author Magazine, and die-hard NaNoWriMo participant." —Black on Plot to Punctuation

Join the other MMGM reviewers, they have some great books, too! You can find links in my sidebar.

Coming soon: Kathleen Schlick Noe's, author of Something To Hold interview and book giveaway.

Another NW author review of Heather Vogel Frederick's Once Upon a Toad.

MMGM NW Authors: Animals Welcome by Peg Kehret

About The Book: A moving memoir from an award-winning author. 
     A mother cat and her kittens, shot with a pellet gun. A poacher illegally stalking a bear. Peg Kehret tells these true stories and more as she invites readers into her life on a small wildlife sanctuary.
     Vividly showing the joys of animal rescue while providing facts about the animals and birds she encounters, Kehret also shares the tragedy of her husband's sudden death, and the pain of losing Pete, the shelter cat who co-authored three of her books. Written with honesty, heart, and humor,Animals Welcome is a personal glimpse into the life of an author who loves animals, and the philosophy by which she lives. —Goodreads

First Line: Most of my books include an animal. I've written about elephants, bears, llamas, dogs, cats, chimpanzees, a rabbit, a pig, a 'possum, a horse, a pony, and a monkey.

What Others Are Saying: "Each chapter is a new adventure with a cat or dog that comes into Kehret’s life, and young readers who love animals will enjoy these chatty anecdotes."—Kirkus 

"This book is a collection of heartwarming snapshots centered on animals from feral cats, black bears to peacocks. You just never know who is going to show up when the welcome mat is out and all animals are welcome."—Layla Morgan Wilde
What I Thought: This was a delightful read and would make a fun read-aloud for children. I was amazed at the adventures that the author has had with all kinds of animals. Her writing is clear and concise and her story telling is exceptional. My favorite was sad but so full of hope and promise that I found it inspiring. In the chapter entitled  "My Life Changed Forever," Kehret relates the loss of her husband Carl and how she found purpose and joy once again through her first foster cat. "I still miss Carl and always will, but his workshop is no longer a sad, empty space,"writes Kehret about the workshop turned—Home For Wayward Cats...Strays Welcome!

About The Author: Peg Kehret
Website
Blog
Facebook

Who: Peg Kehret has always loved to write. As a child, she wanted to be either a writer or a veterinarian; now she includes animals in most of her books. She grew up in Austin, Minnesota, and had a happy and normal childhood except for a bout with polio which paralyzed her from the neck down and hospitalized her for nine months. However, she made nearly a complete recovery. She graduated from Austin High School and attended the University of Minnesota for one year.
She married Carl Kehret in 1955, and moved to California two years later. They adopted two children, Bob and Anne. As a young mother, Peg completed one more year of college. In 1970, Peg and Carl moved to Washington State where she still lives.

What: Kehret has published 47 books, the majority being children's books. She has won awards in just about every state. Here are just a few:

Later this week join me for an interview with NW author Katherine Schlick Noe author of Something To Hold. The book is based on her own experiences on an Indian Reservation in Oregon. Read the review, here.

If you haven't checked out other MMGM reviewers, you are really missing out on some great books to put on your TBR list for 2013! 

MMGM NW Author and a Giveaway: The Ring of Leilani by Annie Crawford

About The Book: The last thing fifteen-year-old Julia Dickinson expects while vacationing with her parents in Cancun is to find an ancient crown in an underwater cave, try it on...and be transformed into a mermaid. And not just any mermaid, but a direct descendant of the long-lost Princess Leilani and the heir to Leilani’s throne. The idea of being a queen is exciting, and the members of the merclan are overjoyed to have a leader once more...but Julia’s not at all sure she’s ready to give up her life as a human.
  
Julia’s fate hinges on a missing magic ring. Before she can become queen, she must find the ring, lost for a hundred fifty years, since the crown is useless without it. And when she learns that the combined power of crown and ring can make her human again, she’s even more motivated to search for it.
  
Accompanied by one of the merclan elders, Julia embarks on a perilous quest to find the ring. Along the way she blunders into a fishing net and meets Chac, a seventeen-year-old Mayan boy enamored of merfolk who promises to help her in her search. But if and when Julia does find the ring, can she also find happiness as a mermaid queen? —Goodreads

The Cover: Illustrated by Linda Ingraham
Website
Art Studio
Facebook
Quote:  “I am drawn to beautiful things...but beauty that reaches beyond the eyes and into the soul, the poignant beauty of spirituality, loss, fragility, and hope. These are the themes that weave a common thread through my work using nature as metaphor to explore the human psyche.” —Ingraham on Website
  
First Line: "Mom....please! Just five more minutes!"
  
Great Character Line: "...Think about what you're living right now! That's all any of us have, the moment."—Chac (85)

What Others Are Saying: “I found it refreshing that it seemed to break the current YA trend of love-triangles, sappy, weak-willed heroines, and girls who turn into mush at the first sight of a handsome boy. . . Julia is intelligent and strong, and while there is a cute boy involved, they work more as a team. . . love to read more!” —Sophia Flynt

"I read this book in one sitting. I LOVED it!! The writing was clear and crisp, with short chapters and a fast pace. I was never bored or lost interest for a moment. The plotline kept me guessing until the end...)  —Stacy on Goodreads

What I Thought: It's hard to choose what I liked best about this book. I loved Julia's character, she's strong and brave, yet impulsive. Crawford does an incredible job of world building and her descriptions of culture reminded me of Lewis Carrol, Frank Baum and J.M. Barrie and the way their writing whisked me off to distant lands. The pacing was perfect and the plot provided some unexpected twists. While this is young adult—Julia is fifteen— I think this would appeal to Tweens because it's full of adventure, self-discovery and a touch of magic.

About The Author: 
Annie Crawford
Website
Twitter
Interview
Facebook

Who: "I’ve been an avid reader ever since I learned what those funny squiggles on the page were all about. I’m also a writer, with two completed novels under my belt, The Ring of Leilani and The Curse of the Jade Amulet (find them on Amazon or Smashwords.com), two that have been put on the shelf for the time being, and another where I’m currently finishing up the first draft. What age levels are my books for? That’s hard to say. Personally, I don’t think the dividing line’s always that clear. I love good books, whether they’re for adults or children. Great kids’ books aren’t just for kids, they’re for everyone who loves magic, fantasy and discovering new worlds. As for adult books being for kids—well, my parents didn’t police the bookshelves and I readTropic of Capricorn at eleven. But that’s another story, and I don’t necessarily recommend Henry Miller for tweens!"
 —Magic And The Muse


I'm giving away my copy all you have to do is answer the question in a comment.
  
Who said, "beauty that reaches beyond the eyes and into the soul"?
  
Don't miss the other MMGM reviewers! Great books this week... you can find them in my sidebar!