Tween Tuesday: The Center of Everything by Linda Urban

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: Contemporary

Release Date: 3/5/2013

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About the Book: Everyone in Ruby's town knows that if you make a wish on your birthday and a quarter with your birthday year goes through the statue of Captain Bunning's donut, your wish will come true on Bunning Day. Ruby didn't listen to her grandmother and grandmother recently passed away. Ruby wants to know what it was her grandmother was trying to tell her. Plus Ruby's best friend isn't speaking to her, her new friend is mad at her too, and Ruby's world is spinning out of control. Will her Bunning Day wish help her put everything straight?

GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: Linda Urban is a tween queen. I've been a fan of her books since her debut with A Crooked Kind of Perfect and Ms. Urban is a master at writing tween voices. She gets right to the heart of a story-you try and not get misty when you read a Linda Urban book.

In The Center of Everything Ms. Urban writes a gentle story of family and friendship. Ruby is in that tween stage of trying to figure friendships out, still believing and hoping in magic, and struggling to discover where and how exactly you fit in. She's not sure how to handle the grief over her grandmother and she's not sure how to talk about it with anyone. The tween voice is perfect and spot on and I think tweens will relate to Ruby.

The entire book takes place over the course of a day but with flashbacks what led up to Ruby's Bunning Day speech. While this is a short novel (maybe it just felt short because of all my YA reading lately!), each character is well developed and the plot moves at a nice pace. I think it would be a wonderful read aloud for families and classrooms and I would love to have a donut celebration like the one in the book!

Ruby is an avid reader and mentions When You Reach Me and A Wrinkle in Time. I think you could easily add The Center of Everything as a readlike for When You Reach Me and I think tweens who enjoy gentle, quiet stories about family and friends will enjoy this book.

Readalikes: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, Shug by Jenny Han, Mimi by John Newman

Full Disclosure: Reviewed from ARC received at ALA.

13 District Mockingjay Tour: District 4

Hello and welcome to District Four. I'm sorry that Finnick isn't here to be your host. I know as a member of District Four I should be cheering for my own tribute, but after watching the last two Hunger Games play out I have fallen in love with Peeta Mellark! Why do I love Peeta? He's smart, he's funny, and he's charming. He stands up for what he believes, he's loyal and he's not afraid to do what's right. He's sensitive and caring but can also be strong and kick butt. He fights for Katniss and with Katniss. Peeta is a great diplomat and he knows how to bring people together. He can also be sneaky to get what he wants. Plus, did I mention he can bake? And he's hot!! But it's not just me! We have an underground club of sorts here in District Four-Seafaring Librarians for Peeta! Here's what some of our members had to say about their love for Peeta: - Team Peeta!! I love their relationship because they balance each other perfectly. Where ...

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Win a Catching Fire Prize Pack!!

If you're like me, you are super excited that Catching Fire is finally here! And I have a chance for a great prize pack for all you Hunger Games fans! THREE lucky winners will win: -A copy of Catching Fire - A *very* limited edition promotional t-shirt (see photo) -A collectible mockingjay pin All you have to do is leave a comment below with a way for me to contact you if you win! +2 extra entries if you share this contest (twitter, facebook, blog, etc.) -Contest is open to US addresses only, (as long as your prize can be shipped in the US, it doesn't matter if the winner is outside the US) -Contest ends Sept. 15 The Fine Print: The Catching Fire book promotion is open to participants with a United States mailing address only (international readers can enter if you have a friend in the States who can accept your prizes by mail!). Entrants under age 13 must have parent or guardian permission to enter. ABOUT THE BOOK: COULD YOU SURVIVE ON YOUR OWN, IN THE WILD, WITH EVERYONE ...

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