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"A big-hearted coming-of-age debut about a tiger, a Russian, a dead dad, a model airplane, and a bewildered twelve-year-old boy just trying to find his place in the world. It's 1981 in Texarkana, Texas, and Noah Ellis is trying hard to remember. Still reeling from the loss of his father in a tragic drowning, Noah is in an accident of his own-one that ends with a local boy dead, a tiger on the loose, and Noah in the hospital with severe amnesia. After that fateful day, everything changes. Noah becomes the key witness in a highly publicized court case. Local girls start to notice him and the kids who once bullied him accept him into their pack-at a cost. And rather than being the kid brother to his big brother Jack, now Noah's got a baby sister he's responsible for. But Noah's still stuck on that day-the accident he can't remember, and the boy he'll never see again. As town secrets come to light and summer comes to a close, Noah's got to figure what to do with all that grief"--
About the author
Raised on radio,
Lee Sanders is a Texas author who likes to write from the hip. His passions include guitars, grilling, and golf, although he’s not afraid of perusing a classic novel or catching a football game. He lives in Fort Worth with his wife, Zina, and their two daughters, Emilia and Caroline. He was born and raised in Texarkana and graduated with a degree in History from East Texas State. Under the Light of Fireflies is his debut novel.
Summary
A big-hearted coming-of-age debut about a tiger, a Russian, a dead dad, a model airplane, and a bewildered twelve-year-old boy just trying to find his place in the world.
It’s 1981 in Texarkana, Texas, and Noah Ellis is trying hard to remember. Still reeling from the loss of his father in a tragic drowning, Noah is in an accident of his own—one that ends with a local boy dead, a tiger on the loose, and Noah in the hospital with severe amnesia.
After that fateful day, everything changes. Noah becomes the key witness in a highly publicized court case. Local girls start to notice him and the kids who once bullied him accept him into their pack—at a cost. And rather than being the kid brother to his big brother Jack, now Noah's got a baby sister he's responsible for. But Noah’s still stuck on that day—the accident he can’t remember, and the boy he’ll never see again.
As town secrets come to light and summer comes to a close, Noah's got to figure out what to do with all that grief.
Foreword
- US regional book tour, Southern (Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Santa Fe/Albuquerque)
- ARCs to relevant reviewers including Kirkus, Foreword, PW, NYT, ALA Booklist, Library Journal; available as an e-ARC on Edelweiss
- Blog tour with book giveaways
- Early blurbs from bestselling YA fiction authors including Kristen Dwyer, Carolina Ixta, Jandy Nelson, Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Anna-Marie McLemore, and Sarah Crossan
- Book club outreach + reading guide
- Targeted marketing towards Deep South/Texas
- Leveled and aligned with Common Core
- Submission to Junior Library Guild, Baker and Taylor ARC program, and relevant awards
- Promotion at library conferences; educator and librarian outreach.
- Promotion at book fairs and trade shows including ALA annual, mid-winter ALA, TLA, NCTE, NCSS
- Submission for relevant awards
- Social media promotion
- Simultaneous e-book release
- Promotion as debut & crossover appeal
