Up, Up, And Away With Our New Book!

We did it! My new Middle-Grade book is launched and ready for readers.

Thanks to all who attended! It was lots of fun.

What a great week we had celebrating with tidbits of my new story revealed each day from July 14th to the 18th. (If you missed it, you can click on “Kidlit Blog by Rosie” in the above menu on my website here and scroll through the days.

What They Are Saying About This New Book So Far…

In case you missed it, here’s the information I posted each day on my launch.

► Amazon Hardcover ►Amazon Paperback ►Amazon Kindle

► Barnes & Noble Hardcover

►Type the title of this book or Rosie Russell into your browser to find this book in other online stores.

► Libraries – This title contains an LCCN. Find this title to add to your bookshelves.

► Reviews welcomed. If you are in Goodreads, I’d love it if you would add it to your ► “Want to read shelf.” Thank you!  🙂

We Are Also Working On Something New!

This past week, I asked my followers what they think I should name my new page. Read more about that ► here.

Okay, so now you know it will be an art page. I plan to feature artists and share fun art projects along the way, too.

I will announce the winning title name on that page sometime in August.

Goodreads Challenge 2025

Phew, little time for me to read lately. However, I did manage to get in these books to report.

Five Stars

“Lasagna Means I Love You” by Kate O’Shaughnessy 

This story is written as a letter from 11-year-old Mo to her grandmother, Nan, who has passed away. Since her grandmother is gone, she is forced to enter the foster care system because her uncle can no longer care for her.

Cooking becomes her new hobby, especially exploring family recipes and the stories behind them. She creates a website to connect with others through her journey, hoping to find a sense of her past and belonging.

I enjoyed this book all the way to the end, with all the fun and tasty recipes.

“How to Stay Invisible” by Maggie C. Rudd 

In “How to Stay Invisible,” by Maggie C. Rudd, is a heartfelt story about survival, friendship, adventure, and the simple wonders of nature. Middle school often feels like a place to blend in, but sometimes it takes a brave heart to stand out! Twelve-year-old Raymond Hurley has never truly had a steady home. His parents are always moving, taking him from one town to another, and now he’s living in a trailer in a new state when they suddenly abandon him—something they’ve done before. With just a duffel bag of clothes and his loyal dog Rosie by his side, Raymond tries to make his way living in the woods behind his school. He’s got his fishing pole ready and a survival guide he borrowed from the library, and he’s managing to keep his secret safe. Fending for himself isn’t new to Raymond. As winter approaches and finding food gets tougher, he starts making new friends—including a curious coyote he didn’t expect. The story’s diverse characters add richness to his daily adventures of survival, keeping readers eager to turn each page. Raymond learns that enduring isn’t just about his wilderness skills but also about who he trusts—whether they’re human or animal. I really enjoyed this story, and I believe others will too.

Another book, which I will not count in the Goodreads Challenge is this next one because it’s under 100 pages.

I read this book over ten years ago and have been trying to find it forever. I remember loving the humor and the illustrations.

“No Dogs Here,” by Kathryn Hewitt (Author and Illustrator)

I reached out to my Facebook followers to ask if they knew anything about this book. One of my sweet friends found it! Yay!

I located a used copy of it on Amazon and bought it.

Here are my thoughts on this cute and funny book. 🙂

First off, I think a read-aloud will be best for this one. I loved how the author and illustrator added little clues to those who see the dogs in their sneaky endeavors of going out and acting like humans. I enjoyed the illustrations with the vibrant colors. I’m looking forward to reading this one again and laughing with my grandchildren.

Is there ever a book you think about and can’t find? Let us know and we will try and help you out. There are so many great sites for that now.

That’s all I have for this month.

Don’t forget to update us on any plans or something about your summer in the comment section below. 🙂

I wish you all a wonderful August.

As always,

Happy Reading!

Rosie