Blog Tour: A Perilous Journey of Danger & Mayhem: A Dastardly Plot by Christopher Healy

A PERILOUS JOURNEY OF DANGER & MAYHEM: A DASTARDLY PLOT by Christopher Healy

Publication Date: September 25, 2018

Publisher: Walden Pond Press

Pages: 320

Genre: Adventure/Steampunk

Audience: Middle Grade

Disclosure: Giveaway copy provided by publisher

Publisher Synopsis:

It is 1883—the Age of Invention! A time when great men like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Nicola Tesla, and George Eastman work to turn the country into a mechanical-electrical-industrial marvel: a land of limitless opportunity. And it all happens at the world famous Inventors Guild headquarters in New York City—a place where a great idea, a lot of hard work, and a little bit of luck can find you rubbing elbows with these gods of industry who will usher humanity into the bright promise of the future.

Unless, of course, you’re a woman. 

Molly Pepper, daughter of brilliant but unknown inventor Cassandra Pepper, lives with her mother in New York. By day, they make ends meet running a small pickle shop; but by night, they toil and dream of Cassandra shattering the glass ceiling of the Inventors Guild and taking her place among the most famous inventors in America. In an attempt to find a way to exhibit Cassandra’s work at the 1883 World’s Fair, they break into the Inventors Guild—and discover a mysterious and dastardly plot to destroy New York. The evidence points to the involvement of one of the world’s most famous inventors, and now it’s up to Molly, Cassandra, and a shop hand named Emmett Lee to uncover the truth—even if no one will ever know it was they who did it. 

Christopher Healy is the author of The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice, as well as its two sequels, The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle and The Hero’s Guide to Being an Outlaw. Before becoming a writer, he worked as an actor, an ad copywriter, a toy store display designer, a fact-checker, a dishwasher, a journalist, a costume shop clothing stitcher, a children’s entertainment reviewer, and a haunted house zombie. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, two children, and a dog named Duncan. You can visit him online at www.christopherhealy.com

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It's Monday! What are you reading? 9-24-18

It's Monday! What are you reading? Is a wonderful community of readers, teachers, and librarians. Hosted by Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers, participants share their reading adventures from the past week along with their reading plans for the week ahead.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.

It's been a couple weeks since I've posted. So I have a variety of books to share with you.


I finished reading:

Lost Soul, Be at Peace by Maggie Thrash
The sequel to Maggie Thrash's Honor Girl, this graphic memoir is tinged with sadness, grief, and magical realism. 


I finished reading with my ears:

What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton
Listening to the audio of this book left me equal parts calmed at her steadiness and bereft at what could have been.


Picture books I loved:

What Can a Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris

This is probably the only time you will ever hear me say that the pictures in this picture book are incidental because reading the text straight through without stopping to look at the pictures is actually the real treat here. That is a testament to Dave Eggers’ amazing writing. Pig the Star by Aaron Blabey More antics from Pig the Pug. Fun but formulaic. Mission Defrostable by Josh Funk, illustrated by Brendan Kearney Another fun foodie frolic in the fridge with Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast, this time with a new villain and some help in a surprising place. Currently reading: Rabbit and Robot by Andrew Smith Currently Reading with My Ears: The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell W. Kamau Bell's CNN show United Shades of America is one of the best things on television today. So I love that listening to Bell narrate this audiobook is just like one long episode of his show.

It's Monday! What are you reading? 9-3-18

It's Monday! What are you reading? Is a wonderful community of readers, teachers, and librarians. Hosted by Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers, participants share their reading adventures from the past week along with their reading plans for the week ahead.

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.


I recently reviewed:

How to Feed Your Parents by Ryan Miller, Illustrated by Hatem Aly
You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino


I finished reading:

Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker: Incognito by Shelley Johannes
Beatrice Zinker always has the best intentions but sometimes she doesn’t stop to think how her actions might be received by others. As her kind gestures get her into a wee bit of trouble, she must use her superhero ninja skills to get herself out of a few pickles. What I love about this series is that the conflicts seem silly to adults, but after hanging around second and third graders the past few years, Beatrice Zinker’s antics seem totally plausible.

The Final Six by Alexandra Monir
Aaaaagh! Whyyyyy do YA series books these days have to always end in cliffhangers?

Obama: An Intimate Portrait by Pete Souza
You don't know what you got till it's gone. I felt completely bereft while reading this. 


Picture books that stood out in the pile:

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold, illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman
A Perfect read aloud for the first week of school 

The Rough Patch by Brian Lies

I had a hard time reading this through all the tears, but it's one of the most beautiful and palpable, but ultimately hopeful, books about grief I have ever read. Imagine by Juan Felipe Herrera, illustrated by Lauren Castillo A poetic memoir of Juan Felipe Herrera, born to humble farmworkers who eventually became the poet laureate of the United States. A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin Beautiful story and illustrations that celebrates the Asian Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. Good Night, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony Mr. Panda is such a lovable curmudgeon. Rad Girls Can: Stories of Bold, Brave, and Brilliant Young Women by Kate Schatz, illustrated by Miriam Klein Stahl I love that Kate Schatz is continuing with her Rad Women series this time focusing on young women, some not even teenagers, and how they've made a difference in their communities, their country, and the world. I especially love that the focus of this book, though not exclusively, is on young girls who are still living and making a difference. Currently reading with my eyes and ears: Jazz Owls: A Novel of the Zoot Suit Riots by Margarita Engle Say You'll Remember Me by Katie McGarry