Hello, Universe Blog Tour and Giveaway
Hello, Universe
By Erin Entrada Kelly
Published in 2017
By Erin Entrada Kelly
Published in 2017
Mom's Review
It's easy to see why Hello, Universe won the 2018 Newbery Medal. This hard-hitting middle grade novel tackles bullying, racism, ableism, friendship, and self-confidence in a suspenseful story that grips the reader and doesn't even let go at the end. I read Hello, Universe in three hours straight – I simply couldn't put it down. Authentic characters, an anxiety-provoking plot, and a sweet little guinea pig make the hours fly.
The novel centers on Virgil and his pet guinea pig, Gulliver. When Virgil crosses through the woods en route to friend Kaori's house, he meets bully Chet. Chet grabs Virgil's backpack, which is housing Gulliver, and throws it down an abandoned well. In attempting to rescue the guinea pig, Virgil becomes trapped and is ultimately rescued by Kaori and another classmate, Valencia, whom he wished to befriend but was too shy to approach. Kelly brings the characters together organically, allowing each to struggle and blossom in his own time.
The entire story takes place in the course of only two days, but I felt as though I had lived with the characters for years. Not only do readers see what makes each character tick, but they feel what the characters do as they are enveloped in each character's life. Chet seems to be a standard villain, for example, until we feel the emotional abuse from his father and come to understand how he justifies his own actions. And he gets the least treatment; each of the other multi-faceted characters was shown fully and intimately. I felt as though I walked alongside them, sharing everything along the way.
I honestly did not know how the story would end up. Events unfold realistically the whole way, and the ending of Hello, Universe feels true to life. The bully is still a bully. Virgil is still shy. But...Virgil finds the courage to say, "hello."
Hello, Universe is superbly crafted and one I look forward to reading with T.
GIVEAWAY
The entire story takes place in the course of only two days, but I felt as though I had lived with the characters for years. Not only do readers see what makes each character tick, but they feel what the characters do as they are enveloped in each character's life. Chet seems to be a standard villain, for example, until we feel the emotional abuse from his father and come to understand how he justifies his own actions. And he gets the least treatment; each of the other multi-faceted characters was shown fully and intimately. I felt as though I walked alongside them, sharing everything along the way.
I honestly did not know how the story would end up. Events unfold realistically the whole way, and the ending of Hello, Universe feels true to life. The bully is still a bully. Virgil is still shy. But...Virgil finds the courage to say, "hello."
Hello, Universe is superbly crafted and one I look forward to reading with T.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a copy of Erin Entrada Kelly’s Hello, Universe HERE
Ten (10) winners receive:
A paperback copy of Hello, Universe
A paperback copy of Hello, Universe
• Giveaway begins April 7, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. PST and ends April 21, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. PST.
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, who are eighteen years of age or older in their state or territory of residence at the time of entry. Void where prohibited by law.
• HarperCollins is responsible for prize fulfillment.
Extra:
Author Erin Entrada Kelly's website: http://www.erinentradakelly.com/
Note: Per FTC guidelines, I disclose partnership with The Children’s Book Review and HarperCollins. A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
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