Happy Book Birthday to EVERY SHINY THING!
In this beautifully constructed middle-grade novel, told half in prose and half in verse, Lauren prides herself on being a good sister, and Sierra is used to taking care of her mom. When Lauren’s parents send her brother to a therapeutic boarding school for teens on the autism spectrum and Sierra moves to a foster home in Lauren’s wealthy neighborhood, both girls are lost until they find a deep bond with each other. But when Lauren recruits Sierra to help with a Robin Hood scheme to raise money for autistic kids who don’t have her family’s resources, Sierra has a lot to lose if the plan goes wrong. Lauren must learn that having good intentions isn’t all that matters when you battle injustice, and Sierra needs to realize that sometimes, the person you need to take care of is yourself.
We’re so happy you’re at our party for EVERY SHINY THING. Join in the fun…
PARTY SOUNDS…
This is a friendship story, so there would be lots of songs about friendship, for sure! “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars, “True Friend” by Taylor Swift, and “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story. Plus the Rocky theme song for some Philadelphia flair since the Philadelphia setting is important to the book, too.
PARTY FOOD…
Lauren and Sierra eat Chinese food, candy, and kale chips together (though they wish they were regular potato chips), so all of those offerings will be available. Plus chicken fingers, which are Lauren’s brother Ryan’s favorite food, pasta with sauce made with basil from the garden Sierra helps to tend, and a black forest cake, which Lauren learns to make.
EVERY SHINY THING goodies
PARTY GAMES…
Guests will create their own kaleidoscopes, consult Magic 8 balls with silly questions, and make jewelry from old and broken objects.
PARTY FAVORS…
Lauren and Sierra are very into simplicity–a value they learn about at their Quaker school–so this is a make your own favor party! Guests get to take home the kaleidoscopes and jewelry they make at the party. Although we do have some pretty shiny swag that guests can also grab on their way out.
EVERY SHINY THING is written by Laurie Morrison and Cordelia Jensen and published by Abrams (Amulet Books). You can buy this book at the retailers below…
Cordelia Jensen
Laurie Morrison
Cordelia Jensen and Laurie Morrison both live in Philadelphia and received MFAs in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. EVERY SHINY THING is their first middle grade novel. Cordelia is also the author of two YA novels-in-verse: SKYSCRAPING, a 2016 ALA Best Book for Young Readers, and THE WAY THE LIGHT BENDS (2018). She is a Writer in Residence at The Big Blue Marble Bookstore in Philadelphia, where she runs the Mt. Airy Musers, a kids’ literary journal. Laurie taught middle school English for ten years and is also the author of the forthcoming middle grade novel UP FOR AIR (2019). You can learn more about Cordelia and Laurie by visiting their websites: www.cordeliajensen.com and www.lauriemorrisonwrites.com. Follow Cordelia on Twitter @cordeliajensen and on Instagram @cordeliajensen1, and Laurie is @LaurieLMorrison on both Twitter and Instagram.
Did you have fun at the party? Tell the author in the comments!
KEEP CELEBRATING! BUY THIS BOOK AT: IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon
2 Responses
I love to read middle grade and have this book on my TBR already. Congrats!!
This has been on my TBR list too! So glad it’s out. I’ve got a few questions for that Magic 8 ball… 😉