Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning by Danette Haworth is my favorite kind of juvenile fiction — a new novel that has a timeless feel, which allows the youngsters to have fun everyday adventures (the kind of adventures that today’s non Free-Range Kids don’t even dream about having).
Eleven-year-old Violet Raines is a girl whose life as she knows it in small-town Florida is about to change. There’s a new girl in town, Melissa Gold, who just moved from the big city of Detroit. Violet’s best friend Lottie is charmed by her big house and big-city obsessions with make-up and TV stars, and Violet feels left out. What’s more, Melissa thinks that the friendship between Eddie and Violet must mean something romantic, and that complicates things between the two of them.
Violet is the kind of protagonist that kids enjoy following. She’s larger-than-life, unafraid, and quirky (doing things such as slowly tracking dragonflies and collecting big words in her word box). My one complaint is that the dialect (including improper grammar) got a bit tiresome after a while.
However, the timeless feel and accurate look at friendship and growing up makes Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning a book that Amanda (10) and I both enjoyed.
The author has donated a copy for us to give to one of you as well. If you’d like to win a copy, please leave a comment here (one entry per person, please). This giveaway is for U.S. residents only. We’ll announce the winner in next Wednesday’s giveaway post.
The winner of Pajama School is #14 – Amy @ Hope is in the Word
Feel free to enter our other current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter. (These do not earn you extra entries, but we don’t want you to miss anything!)
Jennifer Donovan loves keeping one toe in childhood by indulging in children’s literature when she can. She blogs at Snapshot.
Do you think it would appeal to 11 & 12 yr. old BOYS? If so, I would welcome a copy for my grandsons.
This sounds good. I’d read it then pass it to my niece!
mj.coward[at]gmail.com
This sounds like a good read.
Mariah
penguinqueen(at)hotmail(dot)com
This sounds like the perfect gift for my niece whose birthday is coming up in August.
I’d love to read it and share it too! Put me in to win!
I know a 7 year old (going on 10) who would probably enjoy reading this book.
hawkes(at)citlink.net
I think my own larger-than-life girl would love this!
I would like to win this for my daughter. Please enter me in the giveaway.
This book sounds great. I bet my niece would enjoy it!
Thanks for the giveaway!
i would try it mverno@roadrunner.com
This is a book that could easily be passed around from friend to friend. Thanks.
The kids would like this.
Forget the kids – I would really like this!
I’d like to read and then pass on to the grandkids!
This looks like a great book.
sounds great
Grandaughter Kayla would love this book. jelly15301@gmail.com
Looks like a sweet read! I’m building up my daughter’s library…
It’s my birthday – I would love to win!
My granddaughter would really enjoy this book. Thank you for the giveaway!
mittens0831 AT aol.com
My daughter would love this book!!
My daughter really wants this
I think my niece would like this….would love to win so I could give it to her.
I would love to read this book with my nieces! Thanks for the chance!
geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com
Sounds Great…..
I would love this
would love to win
I would like to win this book!
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
[...] Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning, by Danette Haworth, at 5 Minutes for Books (ends July 21, US [...]
I would like to read this and share it with my Granddaughter.
THis sounds like a good read, great for young girls.
I’d love to read this – thanks for the chance to win!
Great read, great contest!
Count me in
I’d love to have a copy!
enter me
My niece would love this book… she cracks me up.. because everything with her is “Almost”.
She almost fell out of bed.. She Almost lost her retainer, She almost talked her dad into getting a puppy(not going to happen he is major allergic)..
Almost, Almost
Thanks for the chance
itsjustmerene2003 at yahoo dot com
I would love a chance to win. Thank you.
Would like to win this and read outside under my shade tree!
I have a niece that would LOVE this book! macd82 at gmail dot com
Neat title!
I would love to win this for my daughter to read.
My daughter would love to read this book. I would love to win and give it to her!
Love to read. Thanks for the chance to win this prize!
Sounds like a really fun and thought provoking book for children. Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
This sounds like a fantastic book! My cousin would sure love to read it (Of course I would probably read it first! lol)
This book sounds wonderful. How I miss the days that children could run free until dinnertime.
THanks!
I would love to read this.
My daughter would like this. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy.
Sounds like a great read for me and my daughter.