I am thrilled to be hosting
a spot on the OUR FRIEND HEDGEHOG by Lauren Castillo Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours.
Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About the Book:
Title: OUR FRIEND HEDGEHOG: The Story of Us
Author: Lauren Castillo
Pub. Date: May 5, 2020
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 122
From a Caldecott Honor-winning artist comes a cozy
classic-in-the-making about finding your friends and sticking together through
thick and thin.
"Our Friend Hedgehog feels like a modern-day Winnie the Pooh . It's so warm and full of joy and love. It's got classic written all over it." --Victoria Jamieson, Newbery Honor-winning author of Roller Girl
Sometimes you make a friend,
and it feels like you have known that friend your entire life. . .
.
Hedgehog lives on a teeny-tiny island with only her stuffed dog,
Mutty, for company. When a great storm carries Mutty away, she embarks on a
quest to find her friend. Following the trail of clues Mutty left behind, brave
Hedgehog meets a wiggly Mole, a wordy Owl, a curmudgeonly Beaver, a
scatterbrained Hen and Chicks, and a girl who's new to the neighborhood, Annika
May. With bravery and teamwork, there's nothing that can stop these seven from
finding Mutty, but along the way they discover something even more important:
each other.
The first book in a new series from Caldecott Honor winner Lauren
Castillo, Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us has the feel of a
timeless classic, introducing an unforgettable cast of characters who will star
in many more adventures to come.
Interview:
Hey Lauren!! First I want to say welcome to Two Chicks on
Books I’m glad you could stop by for a chat! OUR FRIEND HEDGEHOG sounds AWESOME
and I can’t wait for everyone to read it!
Thank you so much!
For the readers: can
you tell us a little bit about the OUR FRIEND HEDGEHOG and the characters? The story begins with Hedgehog who lives on a tiny island
with only her BFF Mutty for companionship. A storm whisks Mutty away and sad
Hedgehog is forced out of her comfort zone and on a journey to find her lost
best friend. Along the way she encounters many new adventures and many new
characters who end up finding a very special place in her heart. Our Friend
Hedgehog is about friendship, bravery, making our way in the world, and finding
our people.
What are you working
on now? I am working on the next book in the OFH
series. I love being back in Hedge Hollow with Hedgehog and friends :)
Were any of the
characters in the book inspired by people from your real life? Not people, but animals and stuffies! My dogs inspired
the characters of Mole and Beaver. And Mutty is a version of my childhood
stuffed animal.
Who was your favorite
character to write? What about your least favorite? Well,
Mutty was the easiest because he doesn't talk :) I don't really have a favorite
or least favorite. I will say though that Beaver was fun to write because he’s
grumpy.
What is your favorite
passages/scenes in OUR FRIEND HEDGEHOG? I love when
Hedgehog first meets Mole, and how kind Mole is to her. I also had a blast
designing Mole’s home!
What kind of research
did you have to do for the story? I had to research
the animals I would be drawing and writing about. Their different animal
traits, habitats, etc.. Our Friend Hedgehog is fantasy, but I wanted the
characters to feel true to their species.
Who is your favorite
children’s book author? That is a very hard
question! I love so many. Katherine Applegate and Kate DiCamillo are two
favorites.
What inspired you to
write Kidlit? I have always loved picture books,
creative writing and illustration, so it just seemed like a natural fit. I took
a book illustration class at Maryland Institute College of Art, where I was
studying illustration, and fell in love with the format. I knew then that I not
only did I want to illustrate books for children, I wanted to write them, too.
Lightning Round Questions
What are you reading
right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?
I am currently reading A WISH IN
THE DARK by Christina Soontornvat. It is SO good!
And the next book on my TBR
stack is THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WILL NOT CHANGE by Rebecca Stead.
What Hogwarts House
would the Sorting Hat place you in? Ravenclaw
Instagram, Twitter or
Facebook? Instagram
Favorite Superhero? Wonder Woman
Favorite TV show? Schitt’s Creek at the moment!
Sweet or Salty? BOTH :)
Any Phobias? driving
Song you can’t get
enough of right now? Ohana by the
Indian Summer Jars
2020 Movie you’re
most looking forward to? The One and Only Ivan!
Thanks so much Lauren for answering my questions! I can’t
wait for everyone to read OUR FRIEND HEDGEHOG!
About Lauren:
Lauren studied illustration at the
Maryland Institute College of Art and received her MFA from the School of Visual
Arts in New York City. She is the author and illustrator of the 2015 Caldecott
Honor winning book, Nana in the City, as well as The Troublemaker and Melvin
and the Boy. Lauren has also illustrated several critically acclaimed picture
books, including Kirkus Prize finalist Imagine by Juan Felipe Herrera, Twenty
Yawns by Jane Smiley, and Yard Sale by Eve Bunting. She currently draws and
dreams in Harrisburg, PA.
Giveaway Details:
3
winners will win a finished copy of OUR FRIEND HEDGEHOG, US Only.
Rafflecopter
Embed Code:
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
5/1/2020
|
Excerpt
|
Week Two:
5/4/2020
|
Spotlight
|
|
5/5/2020
|
Review
|
|
5/6/2020
|
Review
|
|
5/7/2020
|
Review
|
|
5/8/2020
|
Excerpt
|
Week Three:
5/11/2020
|
Review
|
|
5/12/2020
|
Review
|
|
5/13/2020
|
Review
|
|
5/14/2020
|
Excerpt
|
|
5/15/2020
|
Review
|
Week Four:
5/18/2020
|
Review
|
|
5/19/2020
|
Review
|
|
5/20/2020
|
Interview
|
|
5/21/2020
|
Review
|
|
5/22/2020
|
Review
|
Week Five:
5/25/2020
|
Excerpt
|
|
5/26/2020
|
Review
|
|
5/27/2020
|
Review
|
|
5/28/2020
|
Review
|
|
5/29/2020
|
Excerpt
|
My grandkids would love this.
ReplyDelete