BLOG TOUR and GIVEAWAY with exclusive look at some of the art: Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake by Julie Sternberg

LIKE CARROT JUICE ON A CUPCAKE

by Julie Sternberg, illustrations by Matthew Cordell

Amulet Books, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-4197-1033-9

Middle Grade Contemporary

Grades 2-5

Source: Publisher for review

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Available March 18th

ABOUT THE BOOK

I did a mean thing.
A very mean thing.
I HATE that I did it.
But I did.
This is worse than
carrot juice on a cupcake
or a wasp on my pillow
or a dress that’s too tight at the neck.

In the third installment from the team who created Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie and Like Bug Juice on a Burger, Eleanor’s relationship with her best friend, Pearl, experiences its first growing pains. When a glamorous new student transfers to school, at first Eleanor’s excited about the possibility of a new friend. But when Pearl is assigned to be the new girl’s buddy, Eleanor fears she can’t compete. To make matters worse, Eleanor’s been chosen for the lead role in the springtime musical, which means she has to sing a solo in front of the entire school!

From overcoming stage fright to having a secret crush, young readers will relate to Eleanor as she navigates the bittersweet waters of growing up.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR

Julie Sternberg received her MFA in writing for children from the New School. She is the author of Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie and Like Bug Juice on a Burger. She lives in Brooklyn with her family.

Matthew Cordell is the illustrator of Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie, Like Bug Juice on a Burger, Bat and Rat, and Trouble Gum. He lives outside Chicago.

REVIEW

Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake is another fun look at the perils of growing up and an apt reminder that while adults don't consider kid-sized worries much to worry about, kids themselves do. Eleanor's life takes a turn for the worse when her best friend, Pearl,  is assigned to be the new girl's buddy and has to spend her Monday and Wednesday afternoons tutoring her, days that used to belong to Eleanor and Pearl. Things get worse when her dog has to be sent to doggie camp and she learns she gets to sing a solo in the upcoming bunny musical. And then she does something mean. Can she find a way to repair the damage AND get her dog back, AND survive performing a solo in front of an audience?

While written in free verse poetry, it doesn't really read that way.  To me it reads pretty much like regular prose divided up, which makes it more child-friendly in my opinion. The short sections make it much less intimidating for reluctant readers and the illustrations are appealing and expressive. All in all a really nice addition to the series.


Check out the curriculum guide here.

Both illustrations copyright © 2014 by Matthew Cordell.

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the publisher I have a fun giveaway for you! 1 copy of each of the three books in the Eleanor series. 
US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway