Carol Matas Meets with Students on The Freak 3:Blog

Hope everyone had a happy new year!

Check out the fun that author Carol Matas has been having meeting with students to chat about her new series of books, The Freak Trilogy.

Carol met with grade 7's from Gray Academy of Jewish Education here: http://thefreak3.blogspot.com/2008/01/welcom-students-of-gray-academy.html

And with grade 8's from Minitonas Middle School here: http://thefreak3.blogspot.com/2007/11/welcome-students-of-minitonas-middle.html

Ever wonder how a writer gets from an idea to a finished book?

Carol Matas, author of the very cool Freak Trilogy is writing a blog about the ups and downs of writing the final installment of the trilogy, The Freak: Book Three

It's an inside look at how a bestselling writer like Carol writes a book. Check it out at http://www.thefreak3.blogspot.com/.

Classes can also meet up with Carol on the blog to chat and have Carol answer their questions about writing and editing. If you are interested in chatting with Carol contact us for more info at kpwire@keyporter.com.

Happy Reading (and blogging)!

Get Reading!

Nothing gets us reading more great books than the Forest of Reading program put on by the Ontario Library Association. And this year two of our favourite authors, John Wilson and David A. Poulsen are involved.

Check out the Forest of Reading program's website for more info on all the nominees at http://accessola.com/ola/bins/content_page.asp?cid=92.

Where Soldiers Lie

By John Wilson

The Red Maple Award

Grades 7-8

The Salt & Pepper Chronicles: The Vampire's Visit

By David A. Poulsen

The Silver Birch Award

Grades 3-6

History and Magic, an awesome combination!

Check out what people have been saying about The Alchemist's Dream by John Wilson! For more info visit John's blog page at www.johnwilson-author.blogspot.com.

“The high caliber of writing, together with the thoroughly researched historical detail, make The Alchemist’s Dream a compelling read.” — Quill & Quire

Called an "Editor's Choice" book by the Vancouver Sun: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=eaa985e3-b628-4270-9fbb-25d655ae8496

What did you think of Visions by Carol Matas?

"The part that I enjoyed the most about both books was Jade's psychic powers and the cars exploding. I would say this book is good for twelve year olds and up with girls probably enjoying it slightly more than boys because of the romance.”

— Clayton, age 10

Send us your reviews!

New Blog to Check Out!

While you're surfing around the blogosphere, check out The Lawrence High Yearbook Series blog at http://www.lawrencehigh.blogspot.com/. It's a cool site written by one of the main characters of the book Wild Thing.

Lawrence High is the kind of school where sports rule and everything else takes a back seat. So if you love sports, don't miss this chance to read up on what your favourite characters are up to, and maybe ask them a question or two as well!

Read and Review Club

A new Read and Review title for August: The Feathered Cloak


Here's a sneak-peek at this month's title for all Read and Review Club members, as well as a reminder that if you haven't joined the club just email us at kpwire@keyporter.com to start receiving cool books before anyone else!



The Feathered Cloak
By Sean Dixon


When eleven-year-old Freya meets Morton—a peregrine falcon who has been stripped of his feathers—she has no idea what to make of him. Soon the often bad-tempered girl realizes she can communicate with the once-majestic bird and before long the two have formed an uncommon friendship. But when they find themselves at the centre of a battlefield—one that pits the old ways against the new, mortal against god, pagan against Christian, and brother against brother, they soon come to believe that this may be the end for the race of Norse gods and goddesses and the Vikings who fight in their shadows. (Ages 9-12)

The Salt and Pepper Chronicles!

Check out this cool series of books about teen detectives Pepper McKenzie and Christine "Salt" Bellamy!

Christine Bellamy and Pepper McKenzie are best friends — so close that everyone calls Christine “Salt.” Christine’s not sure if she likes the nickname or not, but she does know that life is certainly never boring when the two of them get together! Come along with these two teen detectives (and Salt’s mega-annoying little brother, Hal) as they solve mysteries and have more than a few laughs along the way! (Ages 9-12)

With four books available and more on the way, this series is well worth checking out! Start with Salt and Pepper's own website at http://www.keyporter.com/saltandpepper/, and subscribe to our newsletter at kpwire@keyporter.com to win free copies of the first two installments!

Read and Review Club

Join the Key Porter Books Read and Review Club!

If you love books, and love writing about them, you are the perfect fit for our Read and Review Club!

Each month we will pick a new title that is not yet in stores, and send out special sneak-preview copies to club members. Return your reviews to receive the next month’s book. The best of the reviews will be posted on this blog and published in our monthly newsletter The KP Wire.

So email us at kpwire@keyporter.com if you’d like to join the club and get your hands on some cool books before anyone else!

This month’s Title:

The Freak II: Visions
By Carol Matas

The second book in the exciting new series The Freak Trilogy

Jade is having nightmares, again. It’s been a few months since the episode at the synagogue—a few months since she discovered her strange new “powers”—and she’s pretty sure that a dream is no longer just a dream. How else do you explain seeing someone in your sleep who ends up on the front page of the morning paper—the victim of a murder? And what happens when one of the intended victims turns out to be someone a little too close to home? This time, Jade is more than willing to use her abilities to solve the murder. But will she figure it out in time?

Attention Baseball Fans!

There’s only one thing better than summer vacation—a summer vacation spent playing baseball!

Did you know that Jackie Robinson—the first African-American player to suit-up in the major leagues and one of the best player of all time—started his career right here in Canada? Take a front row seat as twelve-year-old baseball fan Matthew Parker watches the legendary second baseman become a major league star!

Check out The KP Wire Newsletter for cool ways to test your knowledge of baseball trivia and win a copy of So Long, Jackie Robinson!

Looking for an adventure?

Ever thought of running away?

That’s what Sydney and Turk do in this fun new book, The Royal Woods, only running away isn’t at all what they expect! When the two siblings hop a freight train and ride West heading for the farm where their Aunt Lily and Uncle Frank live, they’re sure that life will be just as great as their memories of the summers they’ve spent on the farm. But when they arrive and find the farm gone and in its place a strange new subdivision called The Royal Woods, things seem to have taken a turn that even quick-witted Sydney can’t fix.

But rather than return home and admit defeat, Sydney and Turk embark on the adventure of a lifetime. With an eccentric wanderer and friendly gas station attendant as their only friends—and some neighbourhood bullies as their sworn enemies—the pair struggle to make a life for themselves in their odd new surroundings.

Join The KP Wire Newsletter to find out how you can enter to win a copy of this book!