New Books

Delightful picture book by Karen Gray Ruelle, illustrated by Hadley Hooper:

“A girl and her dog lead parallel lives, until they meet.”* And nonfiction spies of World War II.

photo of Jump for Joy book cover by Karen Gray Ruelle, illustrated by Hadley Hooper

Jump for Joy
By Karen Gray Ruelle, illustrated by Hadley Hooper

(JANUARY 23, 2024)

Jump for Joy 

Written by Karen Gray Ruelle, illustrated by Hadley Hooper
(Astra Young Readers, 2024)

 For as long as she can remember, Joy has wanted a dog. It doesn’t matter what kind: big, little, spotted, curly. She wants one so fiercely, she makes dogs out of snow, seashells, or whatever’s at hand! However, none of the dogs Joy makes are quite what she yearns for. The seashell dog washes away, and the snow dog melts into a puddle. Little does Joy know that her perfect dog friend is just around the corner—wishing just as fiercely for a kid—and waiting to be discovered.

Award-winning artist Hadley Hooper creates a world that is both timeless and magical as she weaves ink, paint, and collages made from vintage etchings together in a style that perfectly complements the classic feel of Jump for Joy. Readers will rejoice in this satisfying kid-meets-dog story, and will savor returning to this world again and again.

REVIEWS:

“. . . Ruelle packs in an impressive amount of clever wordplay in a relatively spare text. The repetitive rhythm of both Joy and Jump doing similar actions is reassuring, while Hooper’s brilliant, mostly black-and-white collaged world highlights the sepia-toned friends as they navigate their way toward each other. Of course, when they finally cross paths, the world blooms into color.
A wistful meditation on patience and discovery.”  -*Kirkus Reviews
Click here to read the entire review 

“Tightly structured storytelling by Ruelle (Peter’s War) and crisp, editorial-style artwork by Hooper (The Elephants Come Home) frame this story about Joy, a girl, and Jump, a dog. . . .” –Publishers Weekly
Click here to read the entire review

DETAILS:
illustrations
for ages 3-7
January 2024 

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photo of interior art from Jump for Joy by Karen Gray Ruelle, illustrated by Hadley Hooper

Interior illustration by Hadley Hooper from Jump for Joy

Surprising Spies: Unexpected Heroes of World War II
By Karen Gray Ruelle

(HARDCOVER: NOVEMBER 2020, PAPERBACK: MARCH 2022)

Surprising Spies: Unexpected Heroes of World War II

WWII produced many heroes, who proved themselves in combat and in the struggle to defeat the enemy. But many battles were fought in secret, by mysterious means, fought by warriors most of us have never even heard of. This army of secret warriors was made up of all sorts of unsung heroes, from everyday citizens spying on their neighbors in broad daylight, to trained soldiers and spies sneaking into enemy territory. They were the underground resistance fighters who risked their lives on dangerous missions, sabotaging, confounding or killing the enemy, gathering information and spreading disinformation, all in an effort to help win the war.

Surprising Spies tells the true stories of these secret warriors, with compelling descriptions of their exploits and adventures, equipment and weapons, and the codes and ciphers many of them used.

The true identities of some of these secret warriors would surprise you. The cast of surprising spies and unexpected heroes includes a famous chef, a mime, a champion cyclist, a children’s book author, a major league baseball player, an African-American jazz singer, a Sufi princess, a Navajo marine, a middle-aged woman with a wooden leg, schoolchildren and boy scouts, a dead man, double agents who were highly placed in the Nazi hierarchy and a double agent from Spain who invented an entire army of sub-agents and used their reports to fool the Nazis about the Normandy Invasion—the crucial initiative that helped to end the war. 

Sufi princess Noor Inayat Khan, playing the vina.

REVIEWS:

“. . . suspenseful biographies of eight active, important, and often heroic spies who worked during World War II . . . .  An engaging examination of the important although often unsung work of spies.”   –Kirkus Reviews
Click here to read the entire review

“Although middle-grade readers may know little about the war, the book delivers a good deal of information in concise sidebars as well as individual narratives that offer drama, varied settings, and a gradually broadening perspective. The many archival photos and the relatively inclusive selection of featured spies enhance the book’s appeal, and Ruelle’s storytelling is consistently engaging. A lively addition to the history shelves.” – Booklist

“Straightforward storytelling delineates the dangerous and innovative clandestine work of eight unexpected individuals. . . . A clear, age-appropriate introduction to spycraft and WWII history that may well pique interest in both topics.“ – Publishers Weekly

Click here to read the entire review

 

DETAILS:
glossary
bibliography
recommended resources
index
maps
black and white photos
for ages 8-12
November 2020 

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Educators’ Guide

There’s a great educators’ guide for Surprising Spies. Check it out here.

Author Interview

Brand new bookseller, Detour Books, interviewed me about Surprising Spies. Check it out here.

photo courtesy of the Nekbakht Foundation