Reluctant Readers and the 79th Kid Lit Blog Hop

The Angels Club series focuses on social issues like bullying, but also highlights diversity and horse therapy and rescue. The third book in our series, Angels Club 3: The Fight for Free Spirits is coming out in December, and it follows, Emily, a girl with cerebral palsy who wants to improve her show jumping skills and do something to help with the wild mustang problem in Nevada.

You can pick up book 1 for FREE and see how Jacinda Gonzalez helps a rescue horse and sets out to change the world with her own good deeds club.
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I love to see diversity in fiction, so for my post, I'm sharing a few more diverse books that I found and enjoyed.

Christine's Odyssey by J.L. Campbell
Amazon

Raised in a hotbed of arguments and fights, eleven-year-old Christine Simms is the victim of her mother's temper and cruelty. A domestic dispute ends in tragedy, sending the family into a tailspin. A shocking discovery sends Christine on a quest to find the stranger who left her behind in Jamaica. Determined to unravel the mystery of her birth, Christine uses every tool at her disposal and treads with courage where no child should.

Lily Renee, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer by Trina Robbins

Amazon ~ Free in Kindle Unlimited

Raised In 1938, Lily Renée Wilheim is a 14-year-old Jewish girl living in Vienna. Her days are filled with art and ballet. Then the Nazis march into Austria, and Lily's life is shattered overnight. Suddenly, her own country is no longer safe for her or her family. To survive, Lily leaves her parents behind and travels alone to England. Escaping the Nazis is only the start of Lily's journey. She must escape many more times—from servitude, hardship, and danger. Will she find a way to have her own sort of revenge on the Nazis? Follow the story of a brave girl who becomes an artist of heroes and a true pioneer in comic books.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
AmazonFar off the coast of California looms a harsh rock known as the island of San Nicholas. Dolphins flash in the blue waters around it, sea otter play in the vast kep beds, and sea elephants loll on the stony beaches. Here, in the early 1800s, according to history, an Indian girl spent eighteen years alone, and this beautifully written novel is her story.

And now, 

Welcome to the 79th Kid Lit Blog Hop!

We want to welcome you to the September 2016 Kid Lit Blog Hop. Fall is finally here...YAY! There are some really great Autumn books out there for children. We have seen some list already. How about you share some of those on our monthly hop or for that matter, any great kid's literature.

This exciting, monthly hop, is where we develop an engaged group of people who love everything that has to do with children's literature. Everyone is welcome to join us: bloggers, authors, publicist, and publishers!

Have you seen the new Kid Lit Blog Hopper Facebook fan page? This page has all the news and information related to the hop plus ongoing posts, giveaways, news articles, etc. related to Kid's Lit. Check it out and of course, please like the page.

So for our hop, please make sure that your posts are related to Children’s literature only and add it to the linky. (Please make sure to add your direct post only) If you are an author, feel free just to link to your blog.

Once you are done, then hop around to visit others. Please follow the co-host and visit at least the one-two people above your link. Please leave a comment when you do visit, we all like those.

Also, it would be appreciated if you grab the Kid Lit Blog Hop Badge and display it on your blog and/or your post. Note: Make sure you have the newest badge as the old one goes to the wrong page.

We would also be grateful if you tweet and/or posted on Facebook about the blog hop. Let’s grow this wonderful community.

Our next hop will be October 19, 2016.  Thanks for sharing your great children's books with all of us! The hostess will be around to see you.Happy Hopping!
Reading Authors, Host
Julie Grasso
BeachBoundBooks
Cheryl Carpinello
Pragmatic Mom
The Logonauts
Spark and Pook
The Bookshelf Gargoyle

Sweet and Diverse #MiddleGrade Novel with Horses

West Ridge Farm Publishing has released Angels Club 2: The Trouble with Boys, the second novel in the Angels Club series by Courtney Vail and Sandra J. Howell. The diverse series is packed with emotional turns as it tackles current issues like bullying and overcoming individual differences. The books weave an equine storyline into the daily struggle of kids trying to fit in with their peers. Through their work with rescue horses and a Therapeutic Riding Program, the characters confront these issues and find a sense of belonging by helping others less fortunate. Writing has also just begun on Book 3.

Get Book 1 FREE Now!
 ANGELS CLUB 1 ~ SYNOPSIS

Hola, Cuties! I’m Jacinda Gonzalez, almost twelve. Although I think I’m pretty nice, not to mention way cool and one of the most knowledgeable people in all things horse, I just can’t make any friends in my new school. The only things flying my way are totally rude insults. The horseback riding therapy farm where I volunteer becomes my perfect escape from mean bullies. And when Angel, a scrawny, muddy American Curly, shows up as rescue, no one but me can see her potential and lovableness, so I take her on as a project horse to get her ready for sale. But, the thing is, I don’t want them to sell her. She’d be so perfect for therapy. So perfect. Now, if only I could prove it.

Anyway, Angel’s sugar-candy personality inspires me to be sweet in spite of bad things happening to me. So, of course, I can’t resist the urge to make the world a whole lot brighter. Come on in and see how I do it!

EXCERPT

A conversation between Jacinda and her friends Emily and Kat

 Emily looked at Kat and then at me with a crinkled nose of confusion. “Last week, Jacinda, you said you were almost twelve and live right down the road. You don’t go to the same school?”

I shook my head with my lips curled in. “Nope. Annoyingly, I was held back in third, so I’m only in fifth now, which puts me embarrassingly in the same new school as my six-year-old sister, Tia. Being in a sea of mostly ten-year-olds, and younger, only makes me stand out like a freakish, lumbering giant.”

“You’re not that tall.”

“I’m 5'4", and most of the kids stand beneath my shoulders.”

“We’re all pretty much freaks then,” Emily said. “We’ve got a gimp, a tree, a shortcake and a smelly disaster of a horse.”

“Hey! Don’t call yourself a gimp!” I yelled.

“Oh joy,” Kat muttered. “We’re like the Island of Misfit Toys. We should form our own club.”

I could tell by her sarcastic tone she was joking, but I nodded, loving the idea. “Yeah. We should.”

“I was joking!” she screeched with laughter.

“I know. But it’s a fab idea. I’m just not sure what our club should be about, but we’re all unique and talented in some way. So, I’m sure, combined, we can all put our hashtagable awesomeness to good use. Once we get Angel looking parade-worthy, we should, at the very least, try to find Angel’s previous owner. It’s not his fault he was hospitalized or whatever. We can send him pictures and some ‘Hope You Are Feeling Better’ cards. I really do hope he’s doing much better.”

“Me too. You have a really big heart, Jacinda,” Emily said with a smile. “I like that. It’s a great idea, one I should have thought of because I’ve certainly seen my share of hospitals. I know, just know, that man will love it. You were very patient with me, waiting for me to get up on the horse. You pushed me in exactly the way I needed without making me feel like a baby chicken. Hey! Maybe we should just do nice things for people and try to help whoever we can, especially other freaks like us.”

“Exactly.” I nodded with my smile sliding into an even bigger crescent moon. “The world is full of meanies. Each one of us here has been beaten down or ignored, so let’s be the opposite and try to make the world a little brighter. Instead of being more monsters in the mix, we can be angels instead.”

Emily’s bright smile said she adored the concept we came up with, and I took Kat’s nod of approval and shoulder shrug as good enough to be in too.

“Awesome!” I crossed my arms with a bounce of pride and elation. It was as ragtag and pitiful as this horse, and very tiny, but I had myself a club! An Angels Club.

Get it FREE Now!

 

BOOK TRAILER

ANGELS CLUB 2 ~ SYNOPSIS

Hey, Trackers. I’m River—“part hound dog and a whole lot Cherokee,” as my frenemy Kat says. I’ve been showing Kat how to track animals all summer long even though we argue about everything under the sun. When we find a buried map in a cave while waiting for a storm to pass, it thrusts us into the adventure of our lives. But hunting for possible treasure puts our already fragile friendship to the test. Can you imagine if we did find loot, like a chest of gold or something way cool like that? Kat could take in rescue horses at her parents’ farm, and I could buy this awesome colt Flash I love so much!

While searching for untold riches, we also have to deal with bullies, competing clubs, farm duties, frisky horses, and ferocious beasts that can claw your heart out. Will this treacherous journey turn us into good friends or make us mortal enemies forever? Join us in our heart-pounding quest while we try to not break our bones ... or our spirits.

Only $2.99! Get it now!

Courtney Vail, who also writes mystery thrillers, and Sandra J. Howell, who also writes equine novels for adults, set out to create a Middle Grade series that features underrepresented kids for kids. However, the heart, drive and passion within the books make them relatable and enjoyable to readers of all ages, especially horse lovers. As per emails the authors have received, the novels are touching lives and inspiring people of all ages. It’s the small things each of us can do that make a difference. A kind note left on a windshield, a cup of coffee, a smile, or giving your time can all make someone’s day and lift a spirit. As the Angels say in their calling card after they give a gift, “Angels smiled on you today. Go and be an angel too.”  That message is resonating and it proves that no matter who you are, or how you may be limited, you can still be a positive influence in the world.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP!

Learn more and connect at
 Website, Facebook, and Pinterest.

COURTNEY VAIL In addition to writing quirky, twisty books for teens and adults, Courtney works from home as a graphic designer and book formatter. She’s married to a should-be-famous comedian and has three kids who make her house LOUD and messy and do things like turn her veggie garden into Jurassic Park, but she thoroughly loves her life. She’s a member of Authors Selling Books in Western Mass. Courtney is a major sports junky and loves to run, visit amusement parks (and ride all the roller coasters first), skate, cook, and watch standup or anything that cracks her up or makes her heart race or neck tingle. Angels Club is her first novel for kids.

SANDRA J. HOWELL is an avid horse enthusiast and was the first breeder in Massachusetts of the rare American Bashkir Curly horse. Her lifelong passion for Curly horses led her to write two Equine novels, Spirit of a Rare Breed and Saving GiGi. Howell, a college professor, has been a contributing writer, featuring the American Bashkir Curly horse, for Equine journals and magazines. She has been featured on television, radio talk shows and news media, and has received numerous letters from Native Americans thanking her for promoting and advocating for their favored steed. Howell is a founding member of Authors Selling Books of Western Mass and is a member of the Independent Publishers of New England. Her novels are showcased at the New England Equine Affaire and promoted through many Equine organizations.

Stuff Your eReaders with 35 #MiddleGrade Books - #99cents or #FREE.

I'm excited about this Middle Grade promotion that my novel Angels Club is a part of it! Kick off the new year right and fill your eReader with great books that are all 99 cents or FREE.

This Multi-Author Middle-Grade Book Promotion runs from

January 4, 2016 thru January 7, 2016.

Gobble up these MG goodies!

From $5.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook  * iTunes All Jacob wants is to make the basketball team. All the Lorkon want is to control the magical powers Jacob doesn't know he possesses.	From $2.99 to $0.99 Kindle Twelve-year-old Steven never wondered where the Loch Ness monster or Big Foot came from until he found a stone box with a dangerous secret--one people are willing to kill for!	From $2.99 to $0.99 Kindle * Nook * Kobo More than anything, Benjamin Ravenspell wants a pet, but when he buys a mouse named Amber, he gets more than he bargained for.

From $0.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes Cassandra's ordinary life is riddled with hilarious and sometimes heart-breaking mishaps as she guides herself through the world of pre-teens on the brink of adulthood.	From $2.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook * Kobo Part Neanderthal, but raised as a human, Arken Freeth finds that he doesn't fit in either world as he struggles to survive.	From $3.99 to $0.99 Kindle * Nook * Kobo An eleven-year-old girl discovers she has the power to grant any living thing its one true wish.

From $3.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook * Kobo When a malnourished horse shows up as a rescue at the farm where she volunteers, Jacinda, a bullied girl, takes it on as a project horse, and the mare's sweet nature inspires her to spread kindness around to make a positive difference in the world.	From $0.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook * Kobo Jenni Kershaw and her eighth grade science class take a field trip they will never forget. Dragons and goblins and spirits, oh my!	From $2.99 to $0.99 Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes When Colin suddenly learns he has magic, he discovers that Atlantis is real, and that his new mermaid friend, Alleya, is in trouble.

From $2.99 to $0.99 Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes Bed bugs, burglars, and a missing mother. For Doodle, it’s just part of a day’s work. A laugh-out-loud mystery for dog lovers of all ages.	From $2.99 to $0.99 Kindle * Nook * Kobo To save her brother, the banshee Seven must save Atlantis.	From $1.99 to $0.99 Kindle One girl with a nightmare to live through; one ghost with a dream to live. With so much to lose, can anything be gained?

From $3.49 to FREE Kindle Enter a world of myth and magic as young English boy Thomas Farrell seeks to discover the identity of his late father, and why he left him a strange glass orb containing a serpent...	From $2.99 to $0.99 Kindle When eating dog kibble on a dare gives 10-year-old Tawny special powers, her life nearly goes to the dogs!	From $5.49 to $0.99 Kindle * Nook * Kobo Twins Justin and Janine discover a mysterious egg ... can they protect the hatchling while lost in Montana's Absaroka wilderness?

$3.99 to $0.99 Kindle Daniel doesn't think there's anything worse than spending a week at Camp Bigfoot . . . until he loses his prized possession: a pencil that brings his drawings to life.	From $4.99 to $0.99 Nook * Kobo Laughing and Learning Little Life Lessons	From $3.99 to FREE Kindle When a blast from the past shows up and makes her BFF go nutburgers, Ginnie is torn between helping her friend and getting some very important questions answered.

From $3.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook * Kobo Harry Potter and The Hobbit rolled into one captivating and humorous epic fantasy series that will have kids begging for more.	From $0.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook * Kobo Winner of the Mom's Choice Award honoring excellence in media for children. Classic fantasy adventure - quirky, funny, sinister, and action-packed	From $3.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes To save his friends from a dystopian future Earth, Nikolas leads them to a fantastic Moon in the past. But what happens when the fantastic becomes fatal?

From $3.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook * Kobo Explore the magical history of Kendra Kandlestar's world in this collection of bonus tales from the Land of Een.	From $4.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook * iTunes DREAMS: Dorothy called it Oz, Alice called it Wonderland, but Nightmares call it HOME.	From $2.99 to $0.99 Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes What's worse than stumbling upon the dead body of the Cat Lady? Being accused of her murder. Sarah Cole and her friends take it upon themselves to catch the Cat Lady Killer.

From $2.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook When Turik finds a special egg his Grandfather is kidnapped and he must balance his power for good with the strength of the evil that wishes to consume him.	From $2.99 to $0.99 Kindle Felicity, an ordinary sparrow learns that she can do extraordinary things!	From $3.99 to $0.99 Kindle * Nook * Kobo When a group of crazed ninjas take over their school, the Smartboys fight back. And it all happens on a day when Monkey has the worst case of flatulence imaginable.

From $2.99 to $0.99 Kindle * Nook * Kobo George, the magical basset hound, is on the trail of the mysterious ghosty haunting his Packmate, Tillie.	From $2.99 to $0.99 Kindle The legend of the little red hen, as told by the acorn that smacked her in the head. NO ONE IS TOO SMALL TO CHANGE THE WORLD!	From $2.99 to FREE Kindle Carter's life changes when an old man entrusts him with a book of magical spells, one of which grants the power to raise people from the dead.

From $0.99 to FREE Kindle Ever wonder what it would be like to be pulled into your computer? Sarah is about to find out.	From $2.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes It takes more than a school trip to change Christy's life. It takes murder.	From $2.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes When a savage pirate and a corrupt businessman join forces to steal the treasure for themselves, Christopher and his crew get caught up in pirate chases, time travel, and an underground network of spies!

From $0.99 to FREE Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes Semi-autobiographical adventures from a 20th Century Northern California outdoorsman	From $2.99 to $0.99 Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes The future looks bleak unless eighteen-year-old Lance and his young New Camelot Earth Warriors can save the planet from catastrophic climate change.

Enjoy your new books! :-)