Sunday, December 10, 2017

Welcome to Wonderland #2: Beach Party Surf Monkey -- Review and Giveaway

Thought for the Day:
“Writing is so difficult that I feel that writers, having had their hell on earth, will escape all punishment hereafter.”
~ Jessamyn West ~

Gifts for My Writer Friends:
Writer’s Rumpus has a good post HERE about the hard work of revision. 

Steven Pressfield always has good advice, but the post HERE may have the best advice for writers. 


For those of us who write picture books, the post HERE by Melissa Manlove of Chronicle Books will be invaluable. 

Last week I offered a copy of Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade by Jordan Sonnenblick. Our winner this time is Joyce Moyer Hostetter! If you don't know Joyce, what cave have you been living in? She is a prolific writer from North Carolina, author of award winning books such as Blue and Healing Water and others. I'm so thrilled she reads my blog! Congratulations, Joyce. I will get your book out to you this week. Yes, for the rest of you, I do have another giveaway this week, so keep reading.

I mentioned a few weeks ago when I reviewed another Chris Grabenstein book that I would be reviewing Welcome to Wonderland #2: Beach Party Surf Monkey soon. This is the week and here is the review I wrote for the San Francisco Book Review. 

P. T. and Gloria are back in this sequel to Welcome to Wonderland #1: Home Sweet Motel and are still trying to save the Wonderland. This time they face a formidable opponent, Mr. Conch, and his nefarious daughter. Conch has built a huge resort next door and covets the very land Wonderland sits on. A movie is being filmed in town, and all the hotels and motels compete to be the setting for the film. P. T. and Gloria put on a presentation that wins the contract, and the games begin. 

Author Chris Grabenstein has a wicked sense of humor, and it populates every
Chris Grabenstein
page in this silly middle-grade novel. How can anyone not love a book that has a surfing monkey at its core? All the characters are fully-rounded and fully funny. Even the bad guys aren’t all that bad and will leave readers laughing. And of course there is poop. It’s a Chris Grabenstein book. And middle-graders love a little poop humor. Illustrator Brooke Allen adds to the fun with lots of cute cartoonish illustrations scattered throughout to support the story and keep wondering young minds pulled in. This one is a winner. 

I have a gently-read paperback for of this for one of you. To win, all you need do is have a US address, be a subscriber or follower, and tell me that in a comment you leave on this post. If you are reading this in your email, click HERE to go to the blog so you can leave a comment. If you would like extra chances, please spread the word by posting the link on a Tweet, blog post, Facebook, or any other way you like. Let me know what you have done in your comment, and I will put in extra chances for you for each that you do.

Don't forget to check out Greg Pattridge's blog HERE for many more Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday reviews and giveaways. He has graciously agreed to take over temporarily for Shannon Messenger while she is running around promoting her latest book. Thanks, Greg, and go forth and sell books, Shannon!