Tag: MG

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the NOTHING IS LITTLE by Carmella Van Vleet Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

Title: NOTHING IS LITTLE

Author: Carmella Van Vleet

Pub. Date: July 19, 2022

Publisher: Holiday House

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 224

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

The case of a missing father is hard to crack . . . even for Felix, a tiny kid with a huge heart and an eye for detail.

 

Eleven-year-old Felix likes being the smallest kid in school.

At least he knows where he fits in. Plus his nickname, “Short-lock Holmes,” is perfect for someone who’s killing it in forensic science club. To Felix, Growth Hormone Deficiency is no big deal.

And then Felix learns that his biological dad was short, too. This one, tiny, itty-bitty piece of information opens up a massive hole in his life. Felix must find his father. He only has a few small clues to work from, but as Sherlock Holmes said, “To a great mind, nothing is little.” 

The further Felix gets in his investigation, though, the more he starts to wonder: What if his dad doesn’t want to be found? And what if Felix’s family—his mom, his stepdad, the baby on the way—needs him right where he is?

Tender and uplifting, this warm novel from Christopher Award–winner Carmella Van Vleet celebrates little differences in us that can make a big impact.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

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Reviews:

“A captivating, humorous, and heartfelt story of friendship, family, and crime-solving.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A fresh and funny read that sells itself, and it demonstrates that there is more than one way to grow.”—Booklist

“The story keeps a steady pace as it ­alternates between school and home,  giving a firsthand account of what it’s like to be young and faced with decisions that are difficult to navigate. ­Engaging and heartfelt, Van Vleet’s title delivers big on the feels. Anyone who’s ever been made to feel small will benefit from ­hearing Felix’s story.”—School Library Journal

“Nothing Is Little offers powerful proof that little things can matter in a great big way. What a beautiful book! The most huge-hearted and heartwarming story you’ll read this year.”—Claudia Mills, author of The Lost Language

“Smart, funny, and memorable. You can’t help but love Felix! He has big goals and a great big heart, and he’ll live large in your memory long after the final page is turned.”—Margi Preus, Newbery Honor–winning author

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 Excerpt:

1
The Alien

Things started changing when the alien took over.

For example, Mom used to stock up on desserts during back‐to‐school sales. But it’s two weeks into the year, and there’s still nothing sweet to pack in my lunch.

“Sorry, Felix,” Mom says, standing in front of the open pantry. “No Oreos.”

“I put them on the grocery list,” I say.
She gives me a tired smile. “I forgot to take the list.”
I feel bad complaining. Remembering stuff is hard for Mom lately. So are mornings.
We’re running later than usual. Mom’s in her pajamas and hasn’t showered yet. She overslept on account of she’s pregnant and spent the whole night getting up to pee.

For the record, my mom’s not the alien. My sister is. Boo’s not even born yet, and she’s already causing trouble.

It’s must be super weird to have some invisible being kick your bladder. The other night, Boo had the hiccups and I could actually see my mom’s stomach jump every few seconds.

And it’s not just Mom’s body. Boo has taken over our house, too. There’s a bunch of baby things and boxes of diapers piling up in the dining room. Even though my sister won’t be here for three more months, there’s a bottle sterilizer hogging space on the kitchen counter. Mom pushes it aside to check the fruit bowl.

“We’ve got bananas,” Mom tells me. “Or . . . Well, we have brown bananas.”

“It’s okay,” I tell her. “I’ll buy something at school again.”

There’s just enough time for me to finish up my Spanish homework, so I shove my lunch bag into my backpack and sit down.

Paul strolls into the kitchen. When he sees me he says, “A good sleep I trust you had, Padawan.” He’s been saying that ever since the two of us did a Star Wars movie marathon a few months back. I give him a thumbs‐up and go back to my worksheet.

Paul walks over to Mom and rubs her middle. “How are my favorite girls this morning?” Lately, his “favorite girls” are his favorite topic. Boo has invaded Paul’s vocabulary, too. He must have a Pregnancy Word of the Day calendar or something. He drops words like gestation period, amniotic fluid, and placenta (gross, gross, aaaannd gross) into conversations.

Mom tells Paul his favorite girls are fine, and he gives her stomach one last pat before grabbing himself coffee.

“Got a busy day?” Paul asks Mom.

She tells him she’s got a focus group coming in later at her downtown office. Mom works for a market research company that gets people’s opinions about different kinds of products.

 

 

About Carmella Van Vleet:

Carmella Van Vleet is a former kindergarten teacher and the author of numerous books for children, including To the Stars!, which was co-authored by astronaut Kathy Sullivan and named to the Amelia Bloomer list. Her debut children’s novel, Eliza Bing Is (NOT) a Big, Fat Quitter, received the Christopher Award and was named to four state award master lists. Just like Eliza, Carmella loves tae kwon do—she has earned her black belt! She lives in Ohio and can be found online at carmellavanvleet.com

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

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Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of NOTHING IS LITTLE, US Only.

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