Today my guest is Middle Grade author Donna Galanti with a new book in her series. Welcome, Donna.
My Review
Her mom’s a musician who must go on a European tour and send Sam to live with her uncle. When Sam arrives at her uncle’s home in Foggy Harbor, he’s not expecting her, and he isn’t very welcoming. This only makes Sam feel less loved and very lonely.
Fortunately, she’s a resilient girl and when she discovers a boy named Tuck and strikes up a friendship, her time in this sleepy little town becomes much more bearable. Then she makes a startling discovery, and Foggy Harbor turns into a magical place.
Unicorn Island is a delightful story that young readers will fall in love with. There are—of course— unicorns, a friendly wyvern and a friendship that makes Sam happy at last. However, don’t think this is The End because when we leave the island, something quite dark and dangerous appears. We won’t find out what until the next book arrives.
At the back of the book, it was interesting to some history and facts about the Carolinas, the region where this book is set. The author also includes some information about unicorns, wyverns, pirates who used to sail the southern coastline. Some great teacher resources.
Book information:
Grade Level: 4 – 6
Hardcover: 224 pages
ISBN-10: 1524864706
ISBN-13: 978-1524864705
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (February 9, 2021)
Reading level: 8 – 12 years
Where book is available: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Unicorn-Island/Donna-Galanti/Unicorn-Island/9781524864705
On Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54335181-unicorn-island
Donna’s website: https://www.donnagalanti.com/
UNICORN ISLAND GIVEAWAY
Please see the link and HTML code and link to the Unicorn Island giveaway. This runs February 9th at 12a.m. through February 15th at 11:45p.m. USA and Canada only. I always provide both the code and link in case you can’t add in the code to your site:
The Unicorn Island Prize Package includes:
$25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card
Unicorn LED night light and key chain
Unicorn stickers, 2 pencils, 2 erasers
Bookmarks and autographed bookplate
CONTEST LINK:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ddcc91cd25/?
Meet Donna
I’m the author of the middle grade adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road, which the Midwest Book Review called, “A heart-pounding thrill ride full of unexpected twists and turns from start to finish”. I’m also the author of the follow up, Joshua and the Arrow Realm, and the bestselling paranormal suspense Element Trilogy for adults. In addition, I write the popular Unicorn Island series for Epic, the leading digital platform for kids 12 and under. I’m also a writing contest judge at NYC Midnight and regularly present as a guest author at schools.
I love teaching at writing conferences on marketing and craft, am the creator of several online courses for writers at Udemy, and a member of the blog, From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade Authors. When I’m not writing you can find me on Twitter or Facebook where I love to share all things about outdoor adventures and children’s books. I’ve lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer, and have had a long career in corporate marketing. I’m represented by Liza Fleissig with the Liza Royce Agency in NYC. Visit me at donnagalanti.com.
Having grown up on the Carolina coast with an island as a backyard and always the hope to dig into some of Blackbeard’s treasure, I find the setting interesting!
https://fromarockyhillside.com
Jeff, thanks for sharing! My dad lives in North Carolina on the South Carolina border and I thought it was the perfect setting. And YES, love the history of pirates in this area, too! Hope you find that treasure someday. 🙂
Nobody can resist a good pirate story or a mysterious, foggy island.
Is he at Sunset Beach? You must have eaten at Calabash, then, right?
Jeff, my dad lives just before the bridge to Oak Island in a tiny town called Southport. And YES we’ve been to Calabash!
Looks like a great book.
Donna’s a great story teller.
Oh thanks so much, Lee! And the same about you. I’ve enjoyed reading your books as well!
Thank you Lee! I can say the same about you and totally enjoyed fun and fantastical, The Great Time Lock Disaster, and of course, The Sign of the Green Dragon, which I was honored to blurb. 🙂
Liz, thanks so much! I hope you enjoy if you read. It was really fun to write!
Sounds like a really fun book for kids.
I enjoyed it and am passing it on to one of the young readers in my family.
Thanks Alex and for being such a supported during Unicorn Island’s release! And, Lee, I’m so happy you are passing on the book for a young reader to enjoy. I hope they do! 🙂
Huge thanks to you both.
This is my second encounter with Donna and her latest book recently and both have fuelled (of course) my bookie lust.
A unicorn AND a wyvern? Be still my beating heart.
I know! How could there be two such amazing creatures in one story?
Thank you both so much! It was fun to create these characters. I wanted to do a different spin on a dragon, and this wyvern in the story is very adamant about NOT being called a dragon. 🙂
Lee, thanks so much for reading and reviewing Unicorn Island! I’m so glad you liked it. 🙂 I love writing magical elements in the real world like in this story because it’s fun to believe magic is all around us!
The book is actually now out Feb. 9 in illustrated hardcover by Andrews McMeel (Simon & Schuster) and readers can find it here or on my website: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Unicorn-Island/Donna-Galanti/Unicorn-Island/9781524864705.
I’m excited to share the next book in the series, Secret Beneath the Sand, comes out in 5-parts in May on digitally on the Epic! platform and then hardcover next winter.
Sorry about my mess with your post, Donna. I just restored my emails and have all the information, but a bit late I’m afraid.
The comments from others, however, seem to be quite enthusiastic! I’m sure your book will do quite well.
It’s quite all right! I’m so grateful to be back on your blog and really appreciate you reading and reviewing Unicorn Island! I understand completely about having a fried computer and it’s no fun 🙁