It’s finally here! The cover for Andi Unexpected, my first mystery for children. I wrote this novel in 2006 and thought it would never be published. Even though I believed that, I wrote it because the main character, twelve-year-old Andora “Andi” Boggs, with frizzy strawberry-blonde hair, braces, and cheerful resilience, popped into my head fully formed and wouldn’t go away until I wrote her adventure. I was beyond thrilled when my superhero agent Nicole sold it to Zondervan, and I’m looking forward to sharing this story with you and the kids in your life.
About the novel:
After the sudden death of their parents in the jungles of Central America, twelve-year-old science geek Andora “Andi” Boggs and her diva teenaged sister Bethany move to rural Killdeer, Ohio to live with their eccentric twenty-something aunt. The timeworn house has been home to the Boggs family for generations. Exploring the attic in her grief, Andi discovers proof of another Andora Boggs in the family tree hidden in a Depression-era trunk. Despite the meddling of the citizens of Killdeer, Andi and her new friend, Colin Carter, are determined to find out who this first Andora was, how she vanished, and why no one in town wants to talk about her. As more and more unanswered questions pile up, Andi and Colin must decide who they can trust with their secrets and who is interested in Andora’s story for the wrong reasons. (Middle Grade Mystery, target age 8-12)
Without further ado…
What do you think? For me, the cover looks like a glimpse into my own childhood which was filled with adventure, mystery, and wonder too. I could not be happier. To celebrate this gorgeous cover, I’m hosting a giveaway here on my blog. See below for details.
What you will win:
A $20 gift card from Books-A-Million and a cupcake bookmark. Even if there isn’t a BAM in your area, you can use the gift card on their website.
How to Enter:
1) Leave the title of your favorite children’s book in the comments. I’m looking forward to learning your favorite titles.
Extra entries!
With this contest you will have two more chances to enter, giving you THREE chances to win! You have the opportunity to enter two more times by doing the following. Be sure to leave a comment letting me know you did one or both of these.
1) Like my author page on Facebook.
2) Like my pen name Isabella Alan on Facebook
The winner will be randomly selected from those who entered. Contest ends Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013 at 5pm (EDT). Winners will be announced here on my blog on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013.
Thank you again for following me on Facebook ! Good luck!
Amanda Flower-Sweet Cozy reads 
The cover looks awsome! Would make you want to pick it up and read it!! My favorite book way back then was Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret. I loved Judy Blume books when I was a kid! And of course, Nancy Drew was up there on favorite reads too!
Love it, Amanda! It looks fantastic!
LOOOOOVE this cover, Amanda! You have to be thrilled!
Children’s books are kind of my thing. I read more children’s books even now than I do adult. I have way too many favorites to list, but here are a few: Bunnicula, How to Eat Fried Worms, Frecklejuice, Romona Forever, Anne of Green Gables, Nancy Drew/Trixie Beldan books, Babysitter’s Club books, A Wrinkle in Time, Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret, Little Woman, Harry Potter, and on, and on! : )
My favorite book(s) as a kid were mysteries. I devoured every Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, or 3 Investigators I could find. As I got older, my favorite book became That was Then, This Now by S.E. Hinton. I read it over and over again. Good Luck! And the cover is awesome!
My favorite children’s book was “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” by Michael Rosen. My daughter loved all of the noises I would make as we went looking for that bear through the pages. I “liked” you on both of your facebook pages.
I can’t wait to get this for my ten year old! I loved The Babysitters Club,Little House on the Prairie and anything by Judy Blume. The list could go on and on! I read just about anything I could get my hands on 🙂
I love the cover! My daughter’s loved the Mandy series of books. We also loved Beverly Cleary’s books. Rhonda
nashhall@aol.com
Enticing cover.
A friend and I formed our own Nancy Drew club and eagerly awaited each new book. Can’t single out one title as “the” favorite.
That cover would get me to pick it up and read it. Thinking back on my childhood my favorite books were the Beverly Cleary books, Little House, and Anne books (they still are my favorites!).
Guess I’m showing my age, but my favorite has always been Heidi. I first read it in 1947 or thereabout and still re-read it every couple of years. It never loses it’s magic!
I have already liked you on both facebook sites. My favorite children’s books were Lois Gladys Leppard’s Mandy mysteries.
The cover’s great! One of my favorite kids books is The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall.
What a wonderful cover! Makes me want to know what’s inside the book. Congratulations! My favorite book growing up was The Secret Garden.
It’s such a warm and inviting–yet a little bit mysterious–cover!
What a generous giveaway! I absolutely adore the bookmark; that’s one of my favorite phrases. 😉
My all-time childhood favorite was, without question, A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
I also liked both of your FB pages.
Thank you!
My favorite book I read for my children was, I’ll Love You Forever, I’ll Love You For Always”..
I can’t remember how many times my daughter insisted on this being read with her. Also we shared any Berenstein Bear books that came out. Our grocery cart had at least one every week for a while. These are still books my daughter has kept to share with her children when they come along.
Love the cover and can’t wait to read this with my daughter. She just finished Palace Beautiful, and I know she’d love this premise. Congrats!
Congrats on the new series! Love the cover – especially the desk and window seat in the background! The first book I remember reading was a juvenile mystery that had been my mother’s, Billie Bradley at Sun Dial Lodge, by Janet D. Wheeler. I was eight years old and I still have that book. My favorite juvenile is Run Away Home, by Elinor Lyon. A close second is The Little House, by Christine Crowell. I also like the juvenile paranormals by Barbara C. Freeman, Elizabeth Marie Pope and Eleanor Cameron.
I loved Anne of Green Gables — Little house on the Prairie — and Nancy Drew.
I likeboth your author page and your pen name page.
That’s a great cover! And the story sounds great…I’m all about the science geek heroine, no matter how old she is!
My favorites were Charlotte’s Web (that darn book still makes me cry), the Black Stallion, and A Wrinkle in Time.
Great cover!!!!!! Just getting to know you and anxious to read one of your books.
My favorite childrens book growing up were the Nancy Drew mysteries.
Like your facebook author page. Facebook name: Merry Sunshine
Like your author page and your pen name page
I read a variety of books that I loved as a child. Little House complete series,
The true story of the Waltons’, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys.
I was a book unkie then, I still am today!
Liked you AF FB page last motnh when Plain Scandal came out. Like IA FB page today. Looking forward to reading this new series — hard to limit favorite book to a single title but Nancy Drew Myseries, Little House, and Hardy Boys were among my favorites! Love the new cover for this series!
I left a comment on Goodreads too – my fave kids book is The Westing Game. I follow both of your pages via FB. 🙂
I have already liked all your pages!!! The cover looks amazing! My favorite books growing up were the Little House series, as well as almost anything i could get my hands on to read….
Love it, already liked all your pages, I would love to win this book for my grandson. My favorite books growing up was Little House on the Prairie. I still love watching the reruns. Reminds me of the Amish.
My favorite, which I don’t have anymore is 365 Favorite Bedtime Stories.
It would be nice to find it somewhere again.
_The Diamond in the Window_ by Jane Langton. That was my fav. book when I was a middle-grade reader. It is a mystery that takes place in Concord, MA and weaves into the story some of the famous past citizens of Concord. Good read!
I love every cover and everything you have written. My favorite children’s books were Ballet Shoes and The Secret Garden. I’m not sure I can choose.
Enjoyed “Little Women” when I was young & think “The Pumpkin Patch Parable” is one of the best for kids now. I liked both of your pages on Facebook. Thanks for the opportunity to win the book!
bonnieroof60@yahoo.com
Great cover! I write books for kids, and I’m always touched when I discover classes have been reading my books.
My favorite kids’ book is called The Yellow Bird, which most people have never heard of. I still own it.
I don’t know that I can choose my favorite book from childhood. I was a *major* bookworm (still am), and loved them all! 🙂 The ones I go back and re-read the most are the Anne of Green Gable books. The ones I miss the most because I can’t find copies are the Tripod books by John Christopher. My favorite books to share with young friends are Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day and The Happy Hedgehog Band.
My favorite MG children’s book is Misty of Chincoteague, and the rest of the series. They are 1940’s horse novels based on a real-life story that sparked a what, 8-year obsession with horses? Amazing horses, determined children working hard toward their goal, and it’s true. Impossible not to love.
Gorgeous cover! It’s so hard to pick a favorite children’s book. As a 3rd grade teacher I read many, many chapter books to them. Sign of the Beaver was one as well as the two of the Chronicles of Narnia – The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. And then there was The Door in the Wall and The Cay. I could go on and on, too. Picking one book is like picking only one favorite food. Can’t be done.
Hi, Amanda. My son’s named Colin, so…great choice 🙂 Read every Nancy Drew–the originals–before the end of 7th grade. Fave children’s book is probably CHARLOTTE’S WEB. Also love A WRINKLE IN TIME, tho the allegory probably bumps that to a notch above children’s.
Best of luck!
Little house on the Praire is my all time favorite. I have like both you pages.
Love the cover. Nancy Drew was my favorite as a kid. Love to read yours by just looking at the cover. Thanks for the giveaway.
Blessings
joeym11@frontier.com
I love the cover! My favorite childrens book was The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White.
My favorite children’s book when i was little was “Little Black Sambo” and i still have that book – they have since taken it off the market. Your book, Andi Unexpected, looks like it would be a good book and I just might have to get it. Thanks for the contest.
Favorite kids book is encyclopedia Brown series.
My most recent favorite is “I Want My Hat Back”.
I lived all of The Nancy Drew books. I was simply fascinated by mystery. Still am. Love the cover of your new book.
I liked your author page. Thanks for the chance to win.