Happy Book Birthday to ALONE!
Perfect for fans of Hatchet and the I Survived series, this harrowing middle grade debut novel-in-verse from a Pushcart Prize–nominated poet tells the story of a young girl who wakes up one day to find herself utterly alone in her small Colorado town. When twelve-year-old Maddie hatches a scheme for a secret sleepover with her two best friends, she ends up waking up to a nightmare. She’s alone—left behind in a town that has been mysteriously evacuated and abandoned. With no one to rely on, no power, and no working phone lines or internet access, Maddie slowly learns to survive on her own. Her only companions are a Rottweiler named George and all the books she can read. After a rough start, Maddie learns to trust her own ingenuity and invents clever ways to survive in a place that has been deserted and forgotten. As months pass, she escapes natural disasters, looters, and wild animals. But Maddie’s most formidable enemy is the crushing loneliness she faces every day. Can Maddie’s stubborn will to survive carry her through the most frightening experience of her life?
We’re so happy you’re at our party for ALONE. Join in the fun…
PARTY LOCATION…
We’ll celebrate on the banks of the creek that flows near Millerville, the town where Maddie must survive all alone. Maddie finds comfort and hope by spending time in the natural world, and Hope and Resilience are going to be the party guests of honor!
PARTY SOUNDS…
Marcus Mumford’s cover of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone”
PARTY FOOD…
Maddie’s been left behind after the entire town has been evacuated and the power’s been turned off, so she’s always on the search for food and fuel. She relies pretty heavily on canned foods that won’t spoil, so at this party, a can opener is going to take center stage. And Twinkies for dessert!
PARTY GAMES…
All the activities will be games Maddie can play by herself and art projects she creates from materials she scavenges. Have you ever challenged yourself to a game of chess or checkers? It’s actually amazing how much fun a person can have even when there’s no one else at the party.
PARTY FAVORS…
The best party favor for any kid trying to survive on their own would be one of those Leatherman multi-tools that has all the different tools that fold up together and can fit in your pocket. That along with a book of Emily Dickinson’s poetry and we’ve got ourselves a party!
ALONE is written by Megan E. Freeman and published by Simon & Schuster/Aladdin. You can buy this book at the retailers below…
Megan E. Freeman, Photo: Laura Carson Photography
Megan E. Freeman attended an elementary school where poets visited her classroom every week to teach poetry and she has been a writer ever since. She writes middle grade and young adult fiction, and her debut middle grade novel-in-verse ALONE is published by Simon & Schuster/Aladdin. Megan is also a Pushcart Prize-nominated poet, and her poetry collection, Lessons on Sleeping Alone, was published by Liquid Light Press. An award-winning teacher with decades of classroom experience, Megan is nationally recognized for her work leading workshops and speaking to audiences across the country. Megan used to live in northeast Los Angeles, central Ohio, northern Norway, and on Caribbean cruise ships. Now she lives in northern Colorado. Find her on her website: https://www.meganefreeman.com/, Facebook: @meganefreemanwrites, Twitter: @meganefreeman and Instagram: @megan_e_freeman_writer
Did you have fun at the party? Tell the author in the comments!
KEEP CELEBRATING! BUY THIS BOOK AT: Bookshop | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon
Browse all the books that have had a Book Birthday Bash and support indie bookstores!
