FORMAT | SOFTCOVER |
---|---|
FOR READERS | Ages 9-12, Grades 4 – 8 |
PAGE COUNT | 180 |
DIMENSIONS | 5″ x 8″ |
Elinormal Saga
$24.95Eleven-year-old Elinor Malcolm just wants to be normal. Lonely, she goes in search of her best self and a best friend.
In Elinormal, her bossy mom threatens to sue if Elinor is not granted a spot in a prestigious ballet academy. The problem is, Elinor has no interest in ballet. While sitting out the first class in an area park she meets Indira who helps her realize that she is a capable and kind individual. Elinor opens up and makes a friend at school who enjoys all the same things she does. The people in her life finally converge—secret identities are revealed, and Elinor has an epiphany about the nature of relationships and the power of love.
In the sequel, New Girl: The Further Adventures of Elinormal, Elinor is ready for the first day of seventh grade when a last-minute phone call turns her world upside down. She misses the first week of school and when she gets back she’s called “the new girl” even though she’s not. Elinor quickly learns that people are complicated and relationships take work. Lots of work. As she discovers who she is, who she wants to be, and what she wants most in life, she struggles to balance friendships, both old and new, while also unraveling her mother’s mysterious past.
Both of these delightful books explore the complexity of friendships, the reality of disappointments, and the trouble with secrets.
Check out the Elinormal book trailer!
Meet the Author
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FOR READERS Ages 9-12 | Grades 4 – 8
FORMAT SOFTCOVER | 5″ x 8″
ISBNs 978-1-952536-22-9 | 978-1-952536-34-2
Tamishly –
This story just stole my heart. I absolutely adore Elinor. She’s one of my most memorable characters ever.
I really want to get to the other book by the author. I want to know Elinor more.
The story talks about family, friends and most importantly about family ties. I would say some readers might find the beginning of the story a little difficult to read as it handles grief and loss of someone near and dear.
I find the writing so wholesome and soothing at times. More importantly whenever I needed comfort for the characters and for myself reading the story, the author knows exactly what to do. I really appreciate this.
One more highlight of the writing would be the keeping up with today’s social media lingo.
The chapters are short and the book is short too. But the content is so beautiful. I just appreciate both.
I really hope we have friends and family who are like these characters. Such a heartwarming story.
Grab this book when it comes out. It feels like a warm bear hug.
Leigh –
I was excited to dive into a sequel of Elinormal and enjoyed this one. I think it does a nice job dealing with challenging parental relationships, and the idea that parents have histories that their children have a hard time imagining. This is a quick engaging read that students will enjoy.
Tamishly –
This story just stole my heart. I absolutely adore Elinor. She’s one of my most memorable characters ever.
I really want to get to the other book by the author. I want to get to know Elinor better.
The story talks about family, friends and most importantly about family ties. I would note that some readers might find the beginning of the story a little difficult to read as it deals with grief and loss of someone near and dear.
I find the writing so wholesome and soothing. More importantly, whenever I needed comfort for the characters and for myself reading the story, the author knew exactly what to do. I really appreciate this.
One more highlight of the writing would be that it keeps up with today’s social media use and lingo.
The chapters are short and the book is short too. But the content is so beautiful. I just appreciate both.
I really hope we have friends and family who are like these characters. Such a heartwarming story.
Grab a copy of this book. It feels like a warm bear hug.
Leigh –
I was excited to dive into the sequel to Elinormal and I enjoyed this. I think it does a nice job dealing with challenging parental relationships and the idea that parents have histories that their children have a hard time imagining. This is a quick, engaging read that students will enjoy.
Lauren Miron –
Middle Grades books are hard to nail down based on the complex life of teenagers today, but, Kate McCarroll Moore nailed this one!
Elinor Malcom is primed and ready for the first day of 7th grade. She’s got her friends on speed dial and her perfect outfit ready, until one phone call changes everything. Her grandmother has passed, and the family has to fly out to take care of the funeral. Staying with her parents as they manage her estate leads Elinor to miss the first week of school, which creates a whole new start for seventh grade.
When she finally returns, she’s known as the new girl, which is far from the truth. Her diverse group of friends welcome her back with open arms as she settles back in to life as she knows it. Figuring out her relationship with her mom, meeting the new boy at school, and really understanding who her grandmother was take up most of Elinor’s time. Why can’t she and her mom be like everyone else? Who is this boy, and does he feel the same way about her she feels abut him? What did her grandmother do, and why is her family so secretive about her?
Filled with the complex truths of middle school, this is a window into the world of a preteen. I’m looking forward to adding this one to my classroom bookshelf!
Children’s Literature –
Starting her seventh-grade year, Elinor makes a wish list. But the first day of school is nothing like she planned. Instead of walking through the doors of her junior high school, she finds herself running to catch a flight to Oklahoma. Her grandmother has died. Stuck in another state to attend a funeral of a grandma she never really knew, Elinor realizes, this year isn’t THE year she makes her mark. Trying to “do as planned”, new friendship, and a newfound treasure box provides a new endeavor. She returns home and begins to live life as expected. New opportunities and friendships, come along. Life is soon full of mystery, suspense, and disappointment. Most importantly she realizes that people change and grow. As a teenager, she learns it’s necessary and valuable. Elinor’s teenage years seem relevant to any teen. Her everyday life and attempt to be a grown up are all some common character traits. Yet, the premise of the book being that Elinor is the “new” girl in the school where she is truly not new, and more unique than others is not explained. The reader may question why she stands out from the rest. What holds the reader’s attention most is Elinor’s sudden interest in her mother’s past. This journey is the strongest plot event, but it lacks consistent development. Clues leading to solving the mystery of her mother are put on hold by other distractions. Elinor tells the story with contemporary language and teen like voice. Her friendships are genuine and endearing. Her thoughtful exploration to learning more about her family is admirable. Patience for plot resolution is required to read this book. Teachers and parents can engage in talk about a teenager’s perspective and perhaps gain a new understanding about one another.