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#Giveaway TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE by Barbara Dee #Win MAYBE HE JUST LIKES YOU @Barbaradee2 @SimonKIDS @mediamastersbks Ends 10.11

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I received this book at no cost from the publisher

Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee
ISBN: 153443237X
Published by Aladdin on October 1, 2019
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Goodreads
four-half-stars



Welcome to the Maybe He Just Likes You Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee on October 1st, blogs across the web are featuring exclusive original content from Barbara, as well as 5 chances to win a copy of Maybe He Just Likes You, a Maybe bookmark and pin!

Two Truths and a Lie
by Barbara Dee

Two Truths and a Lie about Barbara:
1. My favorite band is Radiohead. Beginning with Halfway Normal, I’ve included  Radiohead-themed “Easter eggs” in every book.
2. When I’m stuck, I like to read movie scripts, which I borrow from the public library. Right now I’m reading Ghost World.
3. Every day I aim to write a minimum of 2000 words.  A good writing day is 5000 words.
Answer (highlight to reveal): The lie: #3. I don’t believe in writing everyday–I think you brain needs time to incubate, and also just  to rest. And when I’m writing, I never keep track of the word count. I’m convinced that some of the best writing I do is what I call “un-writing”–deleting unnecessary words and scenes. A really productive day often results in a negative word count, and I’m just fine with that.  I believe it’s better to focus on quality over quantity. 
Two Truths and a Lie about Mila:
1. Mila considers her physical development average for a seventh grade girl.
2. In sixth grade, Mila helped her friend Max when he was targeted for homophobic bullying.
3. All of the boys’ microaggressions happen to Mila in private, without any witnesses.
Answer (highlight to reveal): The Lie: #3. Much of the boys’ behavior does happen in private, with no witnesses, under the radar of adults. But some of the behavior takes place in front of classmates–on the school bus, in the band room, and on the blacktop during lunch. As Mila reflects just before the community meeting, the other kids have all seen “some things, not everything.” But enough kids have seen enough to know that something wrong is going on; they just don’t know what to do about it.

*****

 

Blog Tour Schedule:
September 30th — Randomly Reading
October 1st — Novel Novice
October 2nd — The Librarian Who Doesn’t Say Shh
October 3rd — Feed Your Fiction Addiction
October 4th — BookhoundsYA

Buy: Amazon | Indiebound

Follow Barbara: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Barbara Dee explores the subject of #MeToo for the middle grade audience in this heart-wrenching—and ultimately uplifting—novel about experiencing harassment and unwanted attention from classmates.For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some boys giving her an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. A few days later, at recess, one of the boys (and fellow trumpet player) Callum tells Mila it’s his birthday, and asks her for a “birthday hug.” He’s just being friendly, isn’t he? And how can she say no? But Callum’s hug lasts a few seconds too long, and feels…weird. According to her friend, Zara, Mila is being immature and overreacting. Doesn’t she know what flirting looks like?

But the boys don’t leave Mila alone. On the bus. In the halls. During band practice—the one place Mila could always escape.

It doesn’t feel like flirting—so what is it? Thanks to a chance meeting, Mila begins to find solace in a new place: karate class. Slowly, with the help of a fellow classmate, Mila learns how to stand her ground and how to respect others—and herself.

From the author of Everything I Know About You, Halfway Normal, and Star-Crossed comes this timely story of a middle school girl standing up and finding her voice.”

REVIEW

Barbara Dee does an amazing job of making the distinction between flirting and harassment.

Mila wears a favorite fuzzy green sweater and when the basketball team wants to touch it for good luck, it makes her feel uncomfortable, especially when the touching and hugging continues after she tells them to stop.  It continues even after she stops wearing it.  The other seventh graders seem to turn a blind eye to what is happening to Mila and she is afraid to speak up, especially when her friend, Zara seems jealous of the attention.

Her other friend Omi is very quiet and has no desire to be singled out herself.  Her friend Max suggests that she report the actions to an adult, she feels she can’t since she doesn’t want more attention. She can’t tell her mother because she just lost her job and she doesn’t want her mother any more upset.  Dee does a wonderful job of pointing out that while the boys are wrong, they really haven’t been taught that these actions are acceptable.

The story moves quickly and this book is something necessary that needs to be discussed especially with impressionable boys and to make girls feel confident that it is ok to speak up.  While at points, this story is heartbreaking it shows how to move through the mazes of growing up.

 

 

About the Author: Barbara Dee is the author of several middle grade novels including Maybe He Just Likes You, Everything I Know About You, Halfway Normal, and Star-Crossed. Her books have received several starred reviews and been included on many best-of lists, including the ALA Rainbow List Top Ten, the Chicago Public Library Best of the Best, and the NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People. Star-Crossed was also a Goodreads Choice Awards finalist. Barbara is one of the founders of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival. She lives with her family, including a naughty cat named Luna and a sweet rescue hound dog named Ripley, in Westchester County, New York.

 

GIVEAWAY

  • One (1) winner will receive a copy of Maybe He Just Likes You, bookmark, and pin
  • US/Canada only
  • Ends October 11th at midnight ET

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

four-half-stars

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Comments

  1. So excited for this one! Will be such a great book for so many of my 7th graders. We love Barbara Dee!

  2. I’m a fan of this author and know after chatting with her that this book speaks truth, is emotional, and so important for all ages.

  3. Hallo, Hallo —

    Happily finding quite a few #KidsLit bookaways this Friday via #bookishTwitter!! 🙂 I saw the link for one of your giveaways but elected to view the sidebar offerings as well which is how I stumbled onto this lovely post! I love finding new authors through bookaways but also, I love to see what is being written for young readers as I returnt to Children’s Lit a bit over 10 years ago as a way to inspire reads for nieces and nephews but instead re-found a love of these stories myself as an adult reader! I love to champion the stories by writers who are giving readers within the scope of MG or YA audiences something they can truly chew on and dig inside. I personally love realistic fiction which is what perked my interest in this title you’re featuring today.

    One thing that is definitely tricky to navigate for young girls is touching by peers – it can come on as innocent as a hug but is it really as innocent as it seems? I like how the author choose to explore this space of growing up and trying to not just navigate school but also sexuality, dating practices and being an enlightened young person who understands the boundaries which can become crossed and the individual limits within their own personal spaces. This sounds like a thought-provoking story and one with a critically important message which re-highlights a movement which befits our society right now.

    Thank you for offering the bookaway but moreso to the point – thank you for showcasing this novel so I could find it!! Top cheers to all.

  7. The writing tips are great especially reading constantly which is excellent. Thanks for this captivating and great gook.

You'd have to have, like, a lentil for a soul to hate wiener dogs. ~Zuzana from The Daughter of Smoke & Bones by Laini Taylor