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Get ready to solve the mystery at the heart of Puzzleheart (Henry Holt & Company), the captivating new middle grade adventure about family — and a house with a mind of its own — from Jenn Reese, author of Game of Fox & Squirrels and Every Bird a Prince. Twelve-year-old Perigee has never met a problem they couldn't solve. So when their Dad's spirits need raising, Perigee formulates the Plan: a road trip to Dad's childhood home to reunite him with his estranged mother. There's something in it for Perigee, too, as they will finally get to visit "Eklunds' Puzzle House," the mysterious bed & breakfast their grandparents built but never opened. They arrive ahead of a massive storm and the House immediately puts Perigee's logical, science-loving mind to the test. Corridors shift. Strange paintings lurk in the shadows. Encoded messages abound. Despite Perigee's best efforts, neither the House nor Grandma will give up their secrets. And worse, prickly Grandma has outlawed games and riddles of any kind. Even the greatest of plans can crumble, and as new arguments fill the air, the House becomes truly dangerous. Deadly puzzles pop up at every turn, knives spin in the hallways, and staircases disappear. The answer lies at the heart of the House, but in order to find it, Perigee and their new friend Lily will need to solve a long-lost, decades-old riddle… if the House itself doesn't stop them first.In Sonja Thomas’s Olive Blackwood Takes Action! (Aladdin), an anxious aspiring filmmaker bands together with an unlikely friend group to protect their beloved state animal in this heartwarming contemporary middle grade novel perfect for fans of Jamie Sumner and Erin Entrada Kelly. Twelve-year-old Olive Blackwood's dream is to direct blockbuster fantasy movies, just like her dad wanted to before he died. She decides to apply to the highly competitive Rose City Summer Film Camp with the help of her best friend, Kayla. But Olive isn't sure how she can cast the movie when the mere thought of talking to a stranger makes her nervous. Then a surprise project in Olive's film class presents her best chance at going to Rose City: the group who makes the best documentary trailer will receive a recommendation to the elite program! But Olive's hopes are quickly dashed when she's paired with the two worst students in class: loud Jo Willems has a flashy style of dressing just as intimidating as their outspoken opinions and David Moore is even quieter than Olive, fading into the background. It seems impossible for the three of them to find enough common ground to produce something noteworthy. When Olive stumbles across an old lady chasing a beaver with a frying pan, she's disturbed to discover it's legal to K*ll beavers in Oregon — which has the animal on the state flag! Olive posts the video she took of the incident, and it goes viral. She wants to raise more awareness, and if she uses her documentary to do it, she could even get the coveted Rose City recommendation at the same time. With the help of unexpected friendship, counseling, and a little everyday magic, can Olive make her voice be heard?
Reese and Thomas will be joined in conversation by Tina Connolly, author of Glitterpony Farm.
Preorder a Signed Edition of Puzzleheart: https://www.powells.com/book/puzzleheart-9781250783462
Preorder a Signed Edition of Olive Blackwood Takes Action!: https://www.powells.com/book/olive-blackwood-takes-action-9781665939331
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Powell's Books, Inc. (Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing), 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd.,Beaverton,OR,United States
