Listen
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Girl Friday Productions
Published:8th Jul '21
Currently unavailable, our supplier has not provided us a restock date
Publisher Marketing Prepublication buzz campaign Digital galley distribution on Edelweiss and NetGalley Trade advertising Target outreach to blogs and websites Social media influencer campaign Targeted online advertising Listing and pricing promotions run through GFB’s Aerio store Enhanced Amazon content creation Social media posts to support pre-order, book launch, and book reviews
Winner of the 2021 Silver Moonbeam Award for Pre-Teen Fiction In order to play more music in the future, Gwilym first has to deal with the past. Thirteen-year-old Gwilym Duckworthy has a supportive family consisting of his dad, stepmom Ferguson, grandma, aunt and uncle, and his older siblings, sister Bex and brother Clay. His best friends, Cat and Hattie (who is also his cousin), live on either side of him. He’s going to learn how to play the trumpet, and he has a job delivering Cat’s uncle Hal’s produce. His life is good. Listen opens on Thanksgiving day—Gwilym’s favorite holiday. It’s a day he can spend with his family and friends playing their annual football game and scavenger hunt. What could go wrong? Maybe a call from his mom—the one family member who left them when he was three years old? She is going to be in town with her jazz band to play two nights at Princeton University. Why has she decided to contact only him? Should Gwilym meet with her without his sister and brother? Does he want to know why she left them? The second book in the Sourland Mountain series, Listen delves into the issue of abandonment and how through forgiveness or acceptance the characters find out they are more alike than unalike.
"The straightforward story delivers a strong cast of characters . . .the protagonist is sensitive and observant in ways that are realistic for a 13-year-old boy." —Kirkus Reviews "A heartwarming story about parental abandonment and forgiveness. Gwilym Duckworthy is a hero kids will recognize and root for!" —Shannon Hitchcock, author of One True Way and Ruby Lee and Me "What a poignant and hopeful book for children. Gwilym Duckworthy, 13, has a lovely family and a heart still broken after his mother left him and his sibs to join a jazz band. I loved the quirky characters, the healing reconciliation with the prodigal mom after 10 years, and discussions of the link between art, music, and creativity. A charming tale not long enough (146 pages). Thankfully, another title in this Sourland Mountain Series comes out in the fall, so the story goes on. Hurrah!" —Literary Redhead “Listen was a warm, feel-good story that taught lessons about family, no matter how cohesive or broken. Although they were often conflicted over their mother, Gwilym and his siblings were fierce in their love for one another. The novel navigated this idea of ‘lost and found’ family through the eyes of a young teenager beautifully. I haven’t read many books centered around jazz bands or music in general, so that factor was alluring to me as well. The one thing I would say is that there were more family bonding scenes than real plot, so while I found the family bonding scenes enjoyable, I wish the story moved along faster. Overall, however, this is wonderful for anyone coming of age.” —April Yu, LitPick Book Reviews
- Runner-up for Silver Moonbeam Award in Pre-Teen Fiction-General 2021
ISBN: 9781736324332
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
146 pages