I’m probably one of the luckiest people in the world – when friends have new books coming out, they often ask if I can help them celebrate with a book birthday post. But before the book launches, there is another special day…the day of the COVER REVEAL! And we are so fortunate to get that first peek of WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW right here! Written by Rebecca Gardyn Levington, illustrated by Mariona Cabassa, and published by Barefoot Books, this wonderful SEL story launches on March 7, 2023.

Doesn’t that cover fill you with joy? I’ll bet young children who pick up this book will be imagining that they are the butterfly riders…and aren’t we writing stories to spark the imagination of kids?

What do I love about this book?
1. It’s in rhyme…and kids love rhyming books!
2. It can double as a bedtime story – and it’s always awesome to add a new bedtime story to the mix.
3. The illustrations are fabulous and they match the uplifting and positive messages of the text.

And guess what? We are so lucky! The lovely Rebecca Gardyn Levington stopped by to share a little bit about the book and the path to publication…plus, she’s offering a GIVEAWAY! If you leave a comment and share the post on your social media and follow both of us on social media – you might be the winner of a 30-minutes Ask-Me-Anything author Zoom chat!!!

ME: Welcome, Rebecca! Thank you so much for spending some time with us.

REBECCA:  Vivian, it was so wonderful having you host the cover reveal of my debut picture book, Brainstorm! in the spring. Thank you so much for having me back again to share the cover of my next book, Whatever Comes Tomorrow, illustrated by the incredible Mariona Cabassa, which releases March 7, 2023 from Barefoot Books.

Whatever Comes Tomorrow is truly my whole heart splattered on the page.
Ever since I was a very young child, I’ve struggled with anxiety – although, of course, it took me until mid-adulthood to understand that that’s what this feeling inside me was called.

I wrote this book because there are so many kids who struggle (like I did, and still do) with anticipatory anxiety, kids who worry constantly about what might happen tomorrow, kids who panic at any unexpected change or disruption to their normal routine, big or small  – a new sibling, a friend moving away, a substitute teacher, a fire drill…a pandemic.

Whatever Comes Tomorrow is essentially a poetic mantra, written to myself as a child and to all children (as well as adults like me, who still need to hear it!). It is a reminder that no matter what happens tomorrow – be it good, bad, or in-between – we will find a way to endure. We have all done or faced hard things in the past and we will continue to do and face hard things in the future. The trick is to remember that strength during the hard times and know that, for better or worse, this too shall pass.

Here is the “official” description of Whatever Comes Tomorrow from the publisher:

We might not know what the future holds, but the lyrical rhyming text in this beautiful book reassures readers that they have the resilience and strength to face whatever comes their way. Whimsical illustrations make for a captivating read-aloud or bedtime story. Inspired by the author’s own experience with anxiety, this book offers gentle wisdom applicable to both children and adults. End matter includes a discussion guide and activity ideas for managing worries. 

And check out this beautiful marketing trailer that Barefoot created! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5bRgaWa1ZU

I am so grateful to Mariona Cabassa for her gorgeous artistic talents. Her style, imagination, and color palette all brought my words to life in such a brilliant and breathtaking way. Her work is truly magic.

If anyone is interested in receiving an advanced digital review copy in exchange for a review, please email me via the contact page on my website: https://rebeccagardynlevington.com/contact/

(And while you’re there, feel free to hit the subscribe button at the bottom to receive my monthly newsletter, chock full of writing and publishing tips, book recs, and upcoming news!)

Vivian, thank you again for hosting the cover reveal of Whatever Comes Tomorrow. Your support, kindness and generosity (as always) is truly beyond!

Whatever Comes Tomorrow is AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER wherever books are sold!

*** To purchase a signed and personalized copy from my local indie, Words Bookstore in Maplewood, NJ: https://bit.ly/WhateverComesTomorrow

(Be sure to add any personalization you want in the comments section at check out!)

***Additional places to pre-order:

Barefoot Books: https://tinyurl.com/6zzkdf48

Bookshop.org: http://bit.ly/3gblElV

            Amazon: https://amzn.to/3X1l3UB

            B&N: http://bit.ly/3V0INpU

            Target: http://bit.ly/3O7Vv48

***And if you would like to add Whatever Comes Tomorrow to your “To Read” shelf:

            GoodReads: https://bit.ly/GoodReadsWhateverComesTomorrow

More about Rebecca:

Rebecca Gardyn Levington is a children’s book author, poet, and journalist with a particular penchant for penning both playful and poignant picture books and poems – primarily in rhyme. Her debut picture book BRAINSTORM! (Sleeping Bear Press, 2022) hit bookstores in August. She has five more rhyming picture books being published in the next two years, including WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW (Barefoot Books, 2023), AFIKOMAN, WHERE’D YOU GO? A Passover Hide-and-Seek Adventure (Penguin Random House/Rocky Pond Books, 2024), and I WILL ALWAYS BE… (HarperCollins, 2024). Rebecca’s award-winning poems and articles have appeared in numerous anthologies, newspapers, and magazines. She lives in the suburban jungles of New Jersey with her husband and two boisterous boys. Find out more about Rebecca at www.RebeccaGardynLevington.com (and subscribe to her monthly newsletter!) Follow her on Twitter/Facebook @WriterRebeccaGL or on Instagram @RebeccaGardynLevington.

Thank you so much, Rebecca, for sharing all of this. And for debut authors or even seasoned ones, please take note of how easy Rebecca makes it for people to find her books – she provides links for all outlets and she offers a link for signed books. Well done!

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week…Please stop by on Friday for Perfect Picture Book Friday featuring The Animal Adventure Guide by Susie Spikol (she’s a local writer friend of mine).