Today is a great day! Our children’s book Finding Serendipity was published in the USA! This is the first in a series for primary school readers that I’ve co-authored with the wonderful Danielle Wood (www.daniellewood.com.au). Finding Serendipity launched in Australia in 2013, Germany 2014 and now the USA in 2015. The first sequel will be launched in Australia in May 2015. And we’re currently completing the third book! So over the next three years, readers across the world will have the fun of discovering Tuesday McGillycuddy, her dog Baxterr and her fearless friend Vivienne Small. There have been reviews flooding in – so here’s a few from our readers:
“Cleverly blurring the line between writers and the worlds they create, Finding Serendipity is both an entertaining adventure and a charming portrayal of the wonderful connection people feel to the stories they read and write. Through Tuesday, we are reminded just how ‘real’ the characters we love can become to us and how much they can influence and teach us. Tuesday McGillycuddy is a wonderful heroine – brave, clever, quirky and full of energy – and I’m looking forward to seeing what the author Angelica Banks (actually two authors from Tasmania, Heather Rose and Danielle Wood) has in store for Tuesday in the future.” Kids Book Review
“Finding Serendipity was a joy to read. I know my 12-year-old daughter will love it and it is the perfect story for advanced younger readers looking for a more involved story with content that they can still enjoy and appreciate. The story is an entertaining adventure combined with clever wordplay and appealing characters.” My Book Corner
“With cinematic imagery and keen wit, the authors construct an inventive novel that raises intriguing questions about the relationship between authors and their characters, and reaches “The End” all too soon.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“A middle-grade fantasy about the magic in writing stories . . . An original, wholehearted affirmation of the written word and the imagination.” Kirkus Reviews
“A classic tale that will be loved by many.” Lamont Books
“A fantastic adventure story brimming with imagination, a love of books, and a big dash of magic. . . . Finding Serendipity has pirates and adventures, sailing ships and oodles of magic, and a silver thread that creates words and stories. . . . You’ll never read a book in quite the same way again!” My Book Corner
“I loved this book because it was adventurous, exciting, descriptive, and a mysterious story.” Lilian, age 9
“This is an exceptional book for grades 3 – 6. It’s not simply full of wonderful (and hilarious) characters and a wildly imaginative plot – it is also a story about the nature of storytelling and is sure to inspire many young writers. It’s reminiscent of the real classics – The Hobbit, Peter Pan, Carbonel, the FarAway Tree. And this is the first in a series …so we wait with much anticipation for whatever happens to Tuesday, Baxterr and Vivienne next.” Goodreads
“This enchanting story (which may remind readers of the fully imagined worlds created by Edith Nesbit) celebrates the imagination and the connection writers feel with their stories. Spunky characters; spot-on pacing, providing perfectly timed plot revelations; and fully imagined worlds make this a charming winner for curling up with a good book or classroom read-alouds. Even those struggling a bit with reading will be tempted to up their game with this one.” Macmillan School & Library, STARRED REVIEW
