It’s a good thing I’ve been sticking to my resolve about logging in 10,000 steps a day – because with all of these book birthday celebrations, I’ve been eating a lot of cake!!

What a joy to welcome this beautiful new book!!! And guess what…there’s a gift for one lucky blog follower even though it may not be your birthday, Author Cynthia is offering a giveaway of a copy of FLICKER OF HOPE!!! Please make sure you leave a comment and let us know who you plan to share the story with (and it’s perfectly fine to say you want to have it to enjoy yourself…we all need hope, right?).

YUP! I agree! That’s quite a captivating cover!!! Kudos to illustrator Devon Holzwarth!

Here’s a little bit about the book:

A FLICKER OF HOPE 

Written by Cynthia Harmony

Illustrated by Devon Holzwarth

Published by Viking Books for Young Readers.

A Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal Star recipient. 

★“A beautiful story about cycles and traditions that shines a light on migration.” –Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW

★ “[A] smartly twined telling.” –Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

★“This magnificent and hopeful tale of journe and returns is recommended for first purchase.” ––School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

“Harmony employs a number of motifs throughout the story… if the prose is sensational, the addition of Holzwarth’s glowing illustrations makes this book a treasure.” –BCCB

Book Description

LUCÍA loves to watch the monarcas’ annual migration with her papá. But this year, their flight north holds extra weight: Papá is heading north, too, to work on faraway farms to feed his family. Though she hates to see him go, he leaves her a song and a promise that when the weather turns cold and the monarcas return, so will he. After many months apart, Lucía watches the skies for a flicker of hope, the monarchs’ homecoming that signals Papá’s return home. 
Through parallel journeys, this love letter to the bonds that connect us celebrates the power of families and nature, both of which know no borders.

This title is also launching as an audiobook and in Spanish, UN ALETEO DE ESPERANZA on the same day. 

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cynthia Harmony is a bilingual author and educational psychologist, originally from Mexico City. She is a 2023 recipient for the Sustainable Arts Foundation Illustrated Children’s Books Award and author of JLG Gold Standard Selections MI CIUDAD SINGS, MI CIUDAD CANTA (Penguin Workshop, 2022) OUR WORLD: MEXICO (Barefoot Books, 2023) and the 3 starred reviewed A FLICKER OF HOPE, UN ALETEO DE ESPERANZA (Viking, 2024). When not writing, Cynthia can be found in a museum with her kids, dancing to a Latin beat, daydreaming of tacos, or planning her next family trip.
Instagram: @cynthiaharmony
Threads:@cynthiaharmony

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
Devon Holzwarth grew up in Panama with the jungle as her garden and parrots and iguanas as pets. Devon earned her BFA in 2000 from the Rhode Island School of Design, focusing on screen printing and painting. Childhood memories and her collection of vintage children’s books strongly inspire her work. She currently lives in Aachen, Germany, with her husband, two kids, and beloved old hound dog.

And, dear friends, how can we help this beautiful new book find success? We can:
Buy a copy
Review it
Place it on our Goodreads WANT TO READ SHELF
Ask our local library to purchase a copy for their collection
Tell friends about the book (sharing on social media is a GREAT idea

And remember to leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway…that gives you ONE ticket in the giveaway hat…share on social media and you get more tickets.

Thank you for spending your precious time with us! If you have a few more minutes today, please visit Erin Dealey’s blog where I’ll be hanging out with Erin AND Picture Book Builders’ blog where you’ll find find me chatting with Rebecca Levington.