Little red reads is excited to be hosting a spot on the THE LOST LANGUAGE by Claudia
Mills Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the
giveaway!
About the Book:
Title: THE LOST LANGUAGE
Authors: Claudia Mills
Pub. Date: October 12, 2021
Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books
Formats: Hardcover, eBook,
Audiobook
Pages: 304
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org
The quest to save the words of a dying language – and to find the words to save what may be a dying friendship – lies at the heart of this exquisite verse novel.
Sixth grader Betsy is the one who informs her best friend, Lizard, that
thousands of the world’s languages are currently threatened by extinction;
Betsy’s mother is a linguistics professor working frantically to study dying
languages before they are lost forever. But it is Lizard who, gripped by the
magnitude of this loss, challenges Betsy, What if, instead of WRITING about
dying languages, like your mom, you and I SAVED one instead?
As the girls embark on their quest to learn as much as possible of the
near-extinct language of Guernésiais (spoken on the Isle of Guernsey, off the
coast of France), their friendship faces unexpected strains. With Lizard
increasingly obsessed with the language project, Betsy begins to seek greater
independence from her controlling and charismatic friend, as well as from her
controlling and charismatic mother. Then tragedy threatens Betsy’s life beyond
what any words can express, and Lizard does something unthinkable.
Maybe lost friendships, like lost languages, can never be completely saved.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Reviews:
★
“Betsy’s
first-person narration is engaging and will speak to the many young readers who
feel quashed by stronger personalities all around them. . . . The novel ends on
a realistic, satisfying note as Betsy’s family moves forward—together—and she and Lizard reach a new understanding.”—School
Library Journal, Starred Review
★ “Mills writes in free verse here rather than her
familiar prose, but her keen insight into dynamics and character remains
evident, and the compact, accessible phraseology deftly distills the
portrayals.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Starred
Review
“Conveyed in the first-person perspective, Bumble’s epiphanies and
observations are crystallized through concise language and evocative
descriptions . . . while her evolving emotions surrounding her parents and
Lizard are as eloquently conveyed as her growing understanding of the
world.”—Publishers Weekly
“Told through Betsy’s delicate voice in verse, this title addresses issues
such as parental depression, the aftermath of attempted suicide, cultural
ramifications of indigenous languages, controlling friendships, and alcoholism.
. . . [Betsy] discovers a healthier friendship with another classmate and . . .
her surge of maturity brings her belief in her own inner strength and
ability.”—School Library Connection
“Through well-drawn characters, this skillfully paced story thoughtfully
addresses the need to be truly seen in our important relationships. . . . A
sincere exploration of humanly imperfect love.”—Kirkus Reviews
About Claudia Mills:
Claudia Mills has written many children’s books, including 7
x 9 = Trouble!, the Franklin School Friends series, The A9er-School
Superstar series, and Zero Tolerance. She recently received the
Kerlan Award for her contribution to children’s literature. She was a professor
of philosophy for more than two decades at the University of Colorado and is
now a faculty member in the graduate programs in children’s literature at
Hollins University. Dr. Mills lives in Boulder, Colorado.
Website | Twitter | Instagram
| Facebook | Goodreads
| Amazon
Giveaway Details:
3 winners will receive a finished copy of THE LOST LANGUAGE, US Only.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTour Schedule:
Week One:
10/18/2021 |
Kickoff
Post |
|
10/18/2021 |
Excerpt |
|
10/19/2021 |
Excerpt |
|
10/19/2021 |
Excerpt |
|
10/20/2021 |
Excerpt |
|
10/20/2021 |
Excerpt |
|
10/21/2021 |
Review |
|
10/21/2021 |
Excerpt |
|
10/22/2021 |
Review |
|
10/22/2021 |
Review |
Week Two:
10/25/2021 |
Review |
|
10/25/2021 |
Review |
|
10/26/2021 |
Review |
|
10/26/2021 |
Review |
|
10/27/2021 |
Review |
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10/27/2021 |
Review |
|
10/28/2021 |
Review |
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10/28/2021 |
Review |
|
10/29/2021 |
Review |
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10/29/2021 |
Review |
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