Are you peeking? You know you’re supposed to cover your eyes until I say: READY! SET! GO!

But I understand…I’m excited, too! Especially since I saw the manuscript for this book when it was still a rough draft! Author Laura Roettiger and I have been kidlit friends for quite some time…I even got to meet her TWICE! Once at a book event in Colorado at Second Star to the Right and once when she stopped by my house on a road trip.

This was in 2019…our debut books had recently launched and we were SO HAPPY!!!!
And now Laura has a NEW BOOK coming out and I am SO HONORED that she asked me to do the cover reveal of AN ACCIDENTAL HERO: A Mostly True Wombat Story.

WOW! I love that cover!!! Look at that adorable wombat! And the color palette is absolutely beautiful. I’m excited to get the book next February!

Here’s a little bit about the story:
When Wombat sees the bushfires raging out of control, she learns that helping those in need of sanctuary in a time of crises provides unexpected rewards. This STEM picture book, written as a newscast, was inspired by events during the fires that spread through New South Wales in 2019/2020.

AN ACCIDENTAL HERO, A MOSTLY TRUE WOMBAT STORY combines science, friendship, and hope.

And now I have something special for you all – I often share bios about authors and illustrators…but today, I am sharing bios of author, illustrator AND editor! It’s always fun to see the team behind a book, right?

 Author: Laura Roettiger is a reading specialist who weaves her passion for STEM learning and fostering kindness into stories for children. Her roots in Chicago remain deep but now her home and heart are firmly settled in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado with her Goldendoodle Charlie. Laura’s teaching superpower of encouraging curiosity has transferred to her books. Her debut Aliana Reaches for the Moon (Eifrig Publishing, 2019) shares the story of a girl who combines observation, research, and experimental play to create a beautiful surprise for her brother. Laura combines her enthusiasm for helping others with the knowledge and experience she’s gained along the way through a wide variety of careers and volunteer roles in addition to earning a Master of Arts in Teaching and Reading while raising three children. @ljrwritenow on Twitter and IG LauraRoettigerBooks.com

Illustrator: Debbie Palen is an illustrator whose work has found a home in children’s and middle grade publishing.  Her work has been recognized by the Educational Press Association, Print magazine, Highlights for Children, and a Northern Lights Award in middle grade fiction in 2020. She loves drawing animals and her illustrations can often be found in the pages of Ranger Rick magazine. She works in both traditional media and digital. If she is not drawing, she is probably walking in the woods, doing yoga, writing, reading kids’ books or eating dark chocolate. Debbie lives in Cleveland, Ohio with one  indoor cat, one outdoor cat, and one indoor/outdoor human. To find out more about Debbie and her books: https://www.debbiepalen.com/

Editor: Jason Gruhl believes that all kids are smart, brave, kind, and creative, and he writes books to help them remember that. As an author and psychotherapist for children and adults, Jason is dedicated to helping them uncover their power and potential. Jason is a former Special Educator and the former Executive Director and Founder of The Joshua School (a school for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Developmental Disabilities in Boulder and Denver, Colorado). He holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and is a professor at Naropa University in the Mindfulness-based Transpersonal Counseling Program. When not writing, Jason is baking scones, playing board games, learning foreign languages, watching sci-fi movies, and hanging out with his Affenpinscher, Sven. To find out more about Jason and his books: www.jasongruhl.com

So, my friends…what can we do to help new books succeed?
We can order or pre-order them.
We can review them on Goodreads, Amazon and B&N.
We can tell friends about them.
We can ask our local library to purchase copies for their collection.

I hope you all have a wonderful week…and guess what? Tomorrow we have ANOTHER COVER REVEAL!