Happy February and Happy Book Birthday to the following authors who have book releasing this month!

 

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

For fans of The War That Saved My Life and other World War II fiction, A Place to Hang the Moon is the tale of three orphaned siblings who are evacuated from London to live in the countryside with the secret hope of finding a permanent family.

It is 1940 and William, 12, Edmund, 11, and Anna, 9, aren’t terribly upset by the death of the not-so-grandmotherly grandmother who has taken care of them since their parents died. But the children do need a guardian, and in the dark days of World War II London, those are in short supply, especially if they hope to stay together. Could the mass wartime evacuation of children from London to the countryside be the answer?

It’s a preposterous plan, but off they go– keeping their predicament a secret, and hoping to be placed in a temporary home that ends up lasting forever. Moving from one billet to another, the children suffer the cruel trickery of foster brothers, the cold realities of outdoor toilets and the hollowness of empty stomachs. They find comfort in the village lending library, whose kind librarian, Nora Müller, seems an excellent choice of billet, except that her German husband’s whereabouts are currently unknown, and some of the villagers consider her unsuitable.

A Place to Hang the Moon is a story about the dire importance of family: the one you’re given, and the one you choose.

 

Girl Stuff. by Lisi Harrison

Bestselling author of The Clique returns with a funny, heartfelt series where girls help each other tackle issues of friendship, crushes, and new experiences. Perfect for fans of The Baby-Sitters Club, Real Friends, and Invisible Emmie–it’s all about being true to yourself

Fonda, Drew, and Ruthie have been besties forever, but seventh grade is going to be their year Look out, Poplar Middle School (yup, that’s PMS), here comes the coolest clique around. The three girls can’t wait to do everything together and have an amazing time doing it. But you know what they say about the best laid plans…

On day one:
– Ruthie realizes that being in Talented and Gifted means being in a different part of the school. There go their stuck-together-like-glue dreams.
– Drew’s crush–who seemed so into her like a week ago–suddenly acts like he doesn’t know her. And now he’s all she can think about.
– Fonda’s finally being noticed by The Avas (aka the popular girls, all named, you guessed it: Ava), but can she really hang out with them if Ruthie and Drew aren’t invited?

There’s nothing like seventh grade to test the bonds of friendship. Fonda, Drew, and Ruthie are about to find out how much it stinks to be lied to, to be left out, and to feel like you’re the only one who cares. But they’ll also find out how meaningful female friendships are, and how great it feels to be yourself.

Get ready for the most meaningful, most fun stuff of all: girl stuff.

 

My Ex-Imaginary Friend by Jimmy Matejek-Morris

Eleven-year-old Jack thought he had outgrown his imaginary friend, George–until his dad also disappears from his life. His mom’s bipolar disorder isn’t being properly treated, so while in the throes of a manic episode, she ditches Jack with his aunt, uncle, and cousins. Jack decides that only George can help him figure out where people go when others stop believing in them–and how Jack can put his family back together.

Meanwhile, the imaginary George–half-walrus, half-human, all magic–has a problem of his own: with nobody to believe in him, he is slowly disappearing. Rejoining Jack is his only hope for survival. Or is it?