Series: Pages Between Us
ISBN: 9780062377746
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 3/14/2017
Format: Hardcover
Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7
My Rating: 4 Stars BFFs Olivia and Piper are back in the sequel to The Pages Between Us, another fun, totally earnest snapshot of middle grade friendship told in sweet journal-style book packed with fun, engaging art by beloved middle grade authors Lindsey Leavitt and Robin Mellom.
It’s time for the Battle of the Books!
When no one from their school signs up for the annual competition, BFFs Piper (Drama Lover) and Olivia (Bookworm) decide to put their talents to good use by creating a video to get their classmates excited about the contest.
Only things don’t go exactly as planned…
The video goes viral, thrusting Olivia into a spotlight she never wanted, while no one seems to remember that Piper wrote, produced, and directed the video. And on top of everything, while their video motivated a lot of people to sign up to participate in Battle of the Books, no one seems to have any interest in doing the reading.
With the tournament approaching, will Piper and Olivia be able to work together to save the day yet again?
Told in letters, posters, blog posts, homework assignments, and more, The Pages Between Us: In the Spotlight is a totally fun, totally earnest snapshot of real-life friendship—and what it truly means to be there for someone during the ups, downs, and everything in between.
A special thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Pages Between Us Paperback – February 14, 2017 by Lindsey Leavitt (Author), Robin Mellom (Author), Abby Dening (Illustrator)
Praise
“Leavitt and Mellom’s humorous and perceptive tale deftly explores the quandary of how to sustain a cherished friendship while nurturing individual growth.” –KIRKUS
“The girls’ voices are recognizably different… the premise and the delightful feeling of reading someone’s secrets should keep tween readers engaged.” ~Booklist
“Leavitt and Mellom have made the girls’ challenges–with each other, with their peers, with their families, and with themselves–relatable to those readers struggling to navigate the changes that middle school brings.” ~Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“A cousin to Rachel Renée Russell’s “Dork Diaries”… this is a gentler version of middle school, as the girls support each other through familiar trials… will be enjoyed by strong readers eager to devour realistic fiction with a multimedia slant.” ~School Library Journal
“In Piper and Olivia, Leavitt and Mellom have created a warm and likeable, but believably awkward pair of preadolescents. Readers will enjoy this story of love, friendship, change, and family.” ~Children’s Literature
Key Selling Points
SWEET, SILLY FUN: Piper and Olivia’s shared journal chronicles all the ups and downs of middle school, from triumphant (successfully talking to your crush!) to tricky (navigating the world of making new friends). Readers will love the easy back-and-forth between the girls—a testament to the real-life friendship between the authors!
ENGAGING ART: Throughout the journal, Piper and Olivia share invitations, post-its, receipts, you name it. The adorable art will keep even reluctant readers flipping the pages, excited for the next unexpected illustration.
MIDDLE GRADE PROS: Between Robin’s Classroom series and Lindsey’s Princess for Hire series, the authors are middle grade veterans, and the blend of their two seasoned voices makes for a totally charming read. The likable characters are layered, complex, and real-true sixth graders, dealing with genuine issues of fitting in and finding your place in a whole new world.
READY TO PROMOTE: Both authors are extremely passionate about In the Spotlight, and can’t wait to get out and promote it. They’ve already set up an extensive tour in 2016 for The Pages Between Us, utilizing their connections to librarians and booksellers, and are using their media savvy to launch campaigns on social media.
The paperback for The Pages Between Us comes out one month before In the Spotlight, and contains a teaser chapter.
About the Authors
Lindsey Leavitt is the author of the Princess for Hire series and Robin Mellom is the author of the Classroom series. They’re also the authors of a whole bunch of other books, but let’s talk about THIS series.
The Pages Between Us started when with Robin and Lindsey—two real-life friends—started writing emails to each other in the voices of their characters, and within a few months they’d written an actual novel-size amount of emails. (They have other emails about those emails, but those are TOP SECRET.)
Nowadays you can find them clicking away on their laptops, writing more letters to each other. Lindsey is probably eating a snickerdoodle. Robin is probably cleaning the cat litter. Read More
