Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Date of Publication: March 17, 2020
Ten-year-old Glory Bea Bennett believes in miracles. After all, her grandmother—the best matchmaker in the whole county—is responsible for thirty-nine of them so far.
Now, Glory Bea wants a miracle of her own—her daddy’s return.
The war ended three years ago, but Glory Bea’s father never returned from the front in France. She believes Daddy is still out there.
When reports that the Texas boxcar from the Merci Train—a train filled with gifts of gratitude from the people of France—will be stopping in Gladiola, Glory Bea just knows Daddy will be its surprise cargo.
But miracles, like people, are always changing, until at last they find their way home.
PRAISE FOR BLUE SKIES:
“I loved Blue Skies so much I couldn’t bear for it to end.” –Patricia Reilly Giff, Newbery Honor author of Lily’s Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods
“A heart-warming (and occasionally heart-wrenching) delight of a book . . .” –Joy Preble, Brazos Bookstore
“A tender story of grief and the gentle comfort of loved ones.” — Kirkus Reviews
┃ Amazon ┃ BookPeople ┃ IndieBound ┃
INTERVIEW WITH ANNE BUSTARD
Where did your love of books come from?
My parents were huge readers, so I had great models. My fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Crowe, read to us everyday, and challenged our class to read as many books as we could. I was all in!
She was also the Thornhill Elementary School librarian. Often, she’d open the door to the library in the adjoining classroom and invite me to read or shelve books. What joy!
Why did you choose to write for kids?
I love middle grade fiction. It’s been my reading material of choice since I was nine, except for a few years in high school. I like to think it chose me.
How does your book relate to your faith?
Glory Bea, my main character, and I believe in miracles. Both little and big: like the miracle of a gorgeous Hawaiian sunrise on Kailua Beach, and more-than-I-could-have-ever-dreamed-of yeses to enormous, life-changing prayer requests.
Like her, I’ve experienced no’s and not-yet answers to prayers, and those have served me as well.
What are some day jobs that you have held? Have any of them impacted your writing?
I’ve been an elementary classroom teacher, a reading teacher, a grad student (which I think counts as a job), a co-owner of a children’s-only bookstore, and a university lecturer to pre-service teachers.
Books and reading were central to each of my jobs. So I guess you could say I got paid to read, or in the case of school, paid myself to do so.
What book do you wish you could have written?
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate and The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman.
I know, I chose two; I couldn’t help it! The emotion on the pages of these books is palpable and when I read them (because once isn’t enough), I cry happy and sad tears.
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VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:
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3/17/20
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Notable Quotable
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3/17/20
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BONUS Post
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3/18/20
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Review
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3/19/20
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Playlist
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3/20/20
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Author Interview
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3/21/20
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Review
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3/22/20
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Guest Post
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3/23/20
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Review
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3/24/20
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Review
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3/25/20
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Top Ten List
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3/26/20
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Review
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[…] Author Interview about Blue Skies on Chapter Break Book Blog […]
Nice!
Thanks for stopping by the blog, Davida!