(MMGM) Fluffy Bunnies 2: The Schnoz of Doom by Andrea Beaty {review, interview, giveaway}

Welcome to Day 15 of the 4th Annual March MG Madness! Today we are celebrating Andrea Beaty's super fun Fluffy Bunnies 2: The Schnoz of Doom...

The Schnoz of Doom

(Fluffy Bunnies #2)

by Andrea Beaty

3/17/15

Amulet Books

When film-loving twins Joules and Kevin Rockman left their summer camp, they thought their days of fighting evil bunnies from outer space were over. Surely there won’t be giant rabbits bent on world domination at their school, right? Wrong. Luckily, these bunnies aren’t FLUFFS (Fierce, Large, Ugly, and Ferocious Furballs)—sugar-addicted giant rabbits out to hypnotize and kill. Unluckily, they’re worse: the FOOFS (Fierce, Obnoxious, Odoriferous Furballs)—seemingly normal-size rabbits (with extra-large noses) out to take over the world! Can Joules and Kevin save themselves, and their school, from the Schnoz of Doom?

Seriously funny New York Times bestselling author Andrea Beaty raises the stakes in this sequel to her zany, pulpy sci-fi farce. And, not to use Famous Last Words, but with illustrations by the great Dan Santat (The Guild of Geniuses, Sidekicks), what could possibly go wrong?

goodreads / amazon / b&n / indiebound

Praise for the Fluffy Bunnies series

"Armageddon-averting fun for fans of Jon Scieszka's Spaceheadz and M.T. Anderson's Pals in Peril."
- Kirkus

"A lighthearted, clever send-up of zany horror conventions, this book is just the thing for kids about ready for M. T. Anderson’s Whales on Stilts"

-Booklist

"Similar in tone to Jon Sciezka's Time Warp Trio series, but for a slightly older audience, this title should have special appeal to reluctant readers"

-School Library Journal

Fluffy bunnies from outer space have once again come to Earth...what could go wrong? The answer: pretty much everything! After fighting FLUFFS (Fierce, Large, Ugly, and Ferocious Furballs) at summer camp, young Joules and Kevin Rockman think they can handle another fluffy invasion. But the big nosed FOOFS (Fierce, Obnoxious, Odoriferous Furballs) have some very smelly tricks up their sleeves!

In Fluffy Bunnies 2: The Schnoz of Doom, author Andrea Beaty returns to her wacky, wild, sci-fi world of truly out of this world alien bunnies. Fluffy Bunnies 2: The Schnoz of Doom is full of the outrageous humor and over-the-top-in-the-most-fun-way-possible scenarios that young middle-grade readers love. Beaty knows her audience well and this shines through in her silly, yet clever and effective storytelling. Fluffy Bunnies 2: The Schnoz of Doom is wonderfully cinematic and just plain fun. From chili induced toots to exquisite SPAM meals, zany school staff, and, of course, evil fluffy; big schnozed bunnies in search of odorific smells and trying to take over the world, Fluffy Bunnies 2: The Schnoz of Doom is full of the unexpected, endless amusement, and delightful imagination.

Impulsive, brave Joules and logical, smart Kevin, make for two different, but equally great heroes. Young readers will find our heroine and hero to be an endearing, capable, and entertaining team. And the big nosed, swirly blue-eyed, nasty smells loving fluffy bunnies from outer space, make for irresistible and unforgettable foes.

my final thoughts: Fluffy Bunnies 2: The Schnoz of Doom is full of everything young middle-grade readers crave: an exciting premise, fun storytelling, relatable characters, and giggle-inducing humor.

MY RATING

4/5 yummy cupcakes

What three words best describe the Fluffy Bunnies series? 
Stench-filled. Exciting. Odiferous.

Can you give us your best one sentence pitch to convince readers, especially reluctant readers, to give this series a try? 

If you read this series, a unicorn will  bring you a bag of candy.

Grab a copy of Fluffy Bunnies 2: The Schnoz of Doom and answer the following:

favorite page? 56

favorite illustration? page 74

favorite place/setting? Putrescent Pond on the planet called Stenchopia.

Flip to a random page and give us a 1-2 sentences teaser: Something stinks. Something explodes. Evil alien rabbits fall over laughing. Actually, that happens a lot in these books.  

What inspired the Fluffy Bunnies series?

I truly wanted to write an adorable picture book about cute, sweet fluffy little bunnies. After 30 seconds, the bunnies turned into 6-foot tall evil alien rabbits living on a marshmallow planet. Add a flaming meteor, a rocket and some awesome kids who love movies and voila! A cheesy alien sci-fi masterpiece was born.

Can you tell us a bit about your heroine and hero, Joules and Kevin? What makes them special and sets them apart from other middle-grades heroes?

I love Joules and Kevin. They are smart and have their own talents. Plus, they have seen every cheesy sci-fi movie ever made. They remind me of me!

If you could switch lives with any middle-grade character, who would you choose? 

Tiffany Aching from Wee Free Men. Crivens!

As a middle-grade author, why do think MG is so important and popular? What do you love about MG? 

MG novels can be anything they want. They are sophisticated, complicated, lyrical, heartfelt, hilarious, tender, honest, escapist, grounding, vital. I believe that MG novels are among the best works of fiction, period. MG gives kids a safe, nurturing place to learn about themselves and the world and to develop empathy with others. And sometimes, they are about ridiculous alien rabbits who laugh when a butterfly toot explodes their planet. How could you not love that?

What are some of your favorite middle-grade reads? 

There are too many to list. Some of my favorite authors are A.A. Milne, J.K. Rowling, E. B. White, Gary Schmidt, J.R.R. Tolkien, Sara Pennypacker, Julia Durango, Richard Peck, Laura Ruby, Terry Pratchett, Tracie Vaughn Zimmer. Each season, there is a new set of fantastic titles that leave me in awe. Thank goodness for the wonderful indie booksellers, school and public librarians, and educators who spread the word about them!

Fill in the blanks:

I’m really awesome at avoiding things I don’t want to do even though I need to get them done.

I’m really embarrassed to admit that I am awesome at avoiding things I don’t want to do even though I need to get them done.

The last great book I read was The Second Guard by J.D. Vaughn (Disney-Hyperion April 14, 2015. Read in ARC).

If you were to bake a cupcake inspired by Fluffy Bunnies 2: The Schnoz of Doom, what would it look and taste like and what would you call it?

It would have a burnt marshmallow outside and a smelly green filling inside and would probably be covered in alien rabbit fur. I would call it a cab and hope someone would take it far away from me.

website * goodreads * twitter

Andrea Beaty was raised in a small southern Illinois town, where her family ran a tiny grocery store. When she wasn’t roaming the nearby fields with her brothers and sisters, she was reading Nancy Drew mysteries up in the branches of a maple tree. Andrea now lives outside Chicago with her family.

Win a finished copy of

Fluffy Bunnies 2: The Schnoz of Doom!

Abrams has generously offered one book for one winner.

Details

-US only

-ends 3/31

(please red FULL rules below Rafflecopter form)

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Review and Giveaway: Dorko the Magnificent by Andrea Beaty

Be sure to check out the full March MG Madness schedule of events and enter the big giveaway (box of 10 middle-grade books).

Dorko the Magnificent

by Andrea Beaty

4/2/13

Amulet

Format: ARC

Source: from pub

add on goodreads

 Robbie Darko is a magician. An old-school, pull-a-rabbit-out-of-your-hat-style magician. Robbie loves magic and he’s good at it—sort of. Despite his best efforts, passion, and practice, something always goes wrong with his tricks, landing Robbie in trouble. Enter crotchety Grandma Melvyn, who calls everyone "Trixie” and complains about everything. When Grandma Melvyn moves in and takes over his room, Robbie discovers that she was once an internationally renowned magician and learns about the heartache that turned her into a bitter woman. Against all odds, Robbie and Grandma Melvyn form an uneasy alliance to show the world—or at least the kids of Hobson Elementary School—that he is a true magician. Shortly after a successful talent show, Grandma Melvyn performs a final disappearing act, and Robbie learns a little about the true meaning of magic.Written with pitch-perfect middle-grade humor and unforgettable characters, this gem of a novel will stay with readers long after Dorko the Magnificent has taken his final bow.

Andrea Beaty's Dorko the Magnificent is the kind of middle-grade book that I love and cherish. The kind that has me giggling the whole way through, wanting to hug its characters, then hitting me with a poignant and well executed emotional punch.

Fifth grader Robbie Darko is a magician. The top hat and cape wearing, wand waving, pull a rabbit out of a hat, kind of magician. Robbie uses his magic to escape his less than ideal life: his dad travels too much for his work, his mother must work a stressful job to make ends meet, his little brother is super annoying, and he gets picked on at school. And to make matters even worse, grumpy Grandma Melvyn moves in, taking over Robbie's room. Grandma Melvyn calls everybody Trixie, has a Wicked Wobble Eye, and isn't a big fan of Robbie's. But Robbie discovers that Grandma Melvyn was once a part of a famous magic act and she agrees to give him magic lessons in preparation for the big school talent show. With some patience, understanding, and a lot of magic these two form an unlikely bond.

Dorko the Magnificent was a complete joy to read and Andrea Beaty has magic in her words. This is a quick middle-grade read, but it's stuffed with a lot of fun, humor, and heart, and its unforgettable characters shine bright.

Beaty charms with Robbie's pitch-perfect and endearing voice and she clearly knows her intended audience well. The humor is giggle inducing, yet smart, and Robbie's misadventures with Grandma Melvyn are as touching as they are amusing. Amidst all the magic, funnies, and fifth-grade woes, Beaty crafts an insightful exploration of real life issues. Beaty touches on subjects like debt, bullying, overworked parents, and death, and does so with thoughtfulness and honesty, and in a way that is both appropriate and comprehensible to young readers.

Dorko the Magnificent has a wonderful cast of colorful characters, from unstoppable, magic loving Robbie, unpredictable and witty Grandma Melvin, PB&J taco eating Cat (Robbie's BFF), to an ape of a little brother who chews on everything, and many more. These are unforgettable, lovable, and charming characters that each have of a special shine of their own.

I didn't expect this book to move and touch me so much, but it has. I'm always impressed by a book that can make me cry, but a book that can have me smiling while crying is a real gem. This book is a sparkling gem!

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Robbie and Grandma Melvyn have cast a real spell on me and Andrea Beaty needs no wand to make real magic. Dorko the Magnificent will enchant readers of all ages and leave them laughing, thoughtful, and eager to create a little magic of their own.

MY RATING

Purchase

Amazon / B&N / Book Depository

Andrea Beaty: Website / Goodreads

Andrea Beaty was raised in a small southern Illinois town, where her family ran a tiny grocery store. When she wasn’t roaming the nearby fields with her brothers and sisters, she was reading Nancy Drew mysteries up in the branches of a maple tree. Andrea now lives outside Chicago with her family.

Win a finished copy of

Dorko the Magnificent!

Thanks to the generous people at Abrams Books, I have one copy to give away.

PLEASE READ: Throughout the March MG Madness, I will be giving away 10 books from Abrams. I will be using the same Rafflecopter below to give away each book. There will be ten winners who will each win one of the books. 

DETAILS

-US ONLY

-Ten winners will each win one of the ten books

-will run from 3/2 - 3/31

-must be 13+, one main entry per person

-winners will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours

-Word Spelunking is not responsible for lost, damaged, stolen prizes

a Rafflecopter giveaway