Tag: The Hunger Heroes: Snack Cabinet Sabotage

THE HUNGER HEROES: MISSED MEAL MAYHEM Wins the OTTER Award!

~ Jarrett Lerner ~ 1 Comment

A little over a year ago, I shared some excited news about Missed Meal Mayhem, the first graphic novel chapter book in my Hunger Heroes series. The news was that the book had been nominated for an OTTER Award, one of three state book awards the book had been put up for. (You can read the original blog post about the OTTER Award HERE.) The OTTER Award, which is given out by the Washington Library Association, is an especially special award. The list of nominees is put together by a group of librarians, and after a year of reading and discussing all the nominees, the winner of the award is chosen by the KIDS of Washington state. And I am beyond delighted and honored to share that, last week, it was announced that The Hunger Heroes: Missed Meal Mayhem WON the award.

There are even MORE reasons why the OTTER Award is so darn awesome, though, one being that the award highlights and celebrates a very specific type of book: so-called “transitional chapter books.” These books — which fall between picture books/early readers and longer, full-fledged chapter books — aim to both attract AND assist readers. In other words, these books need to be ones that kids will not only love to read, but ones that will help them in their journey to becoming stronger, more confident readers. And that is precisely what I tried to accomplish with Missed Meal Mayhem and its sequel, Snack Cabinet Sabotage. The carefully balanced blend of comics and text was designed to grow readers just as it excited and entertained them. To have a bunch of librarians acknowledge the work I did to make such a book — and, by nominating it for their state’s award, let me know they think I made a successful one — and THEN have thousands of young readers use their vote to declare it their favorite? I can’t think of anything better.

THANK YOU to the Washington Library Association, and THANK YOU to every Washington kid who read The Hunger Heroes: Missed Meal Mayhem, whether they ultimately voted for it not. Because getting kids reading and voicing their thoughts and feelings about books — that’s the real prize.

To learn more about the OTTER Award, click HERE.

To see the official announcement about Missed Meal Mayhem‘s big win, click HERE.

~ Jarrett

THE HUNGER HEROES: SNACK CABINET SABOTAGE pub day!

~ Jarrett Lerner ~ 2 Comments

Finally, at long last, after multiple delays due to supply chain and shipping issues, Snack Cabinet Sabotage — the second volume of my Hunger Heroes series of graphic novel chapter books — has arrived! If you preordered a copy, it should be landing on your doorstep (or the doorstep of your local independent bookstore) very soon, if it hasn’t already. And if you didn’t preorder the book, you can now find a copy wherever books are sold — or, in the case of libraries, loaned. As always, if you order copies of the book (and/or any of my others) from MY local independent bookstore, the Silver Unicorn, I’ll sign them for you and, if you want, personalize them, too. Click HERE to get to my books’ page at the Silver Unicorn site.

If you want to learn more about the book and see some of its interior, go and find me on social media (@Jarrett_Lerner on both Twitter and Instagram). I’ll be sharing more about and from the book there in the coming days.

Now excuse me while I go celebrate my superheroic crew with a taco or two!

~ Jarrett

THE HUNGER HEROES: SNACK CABINET SABOTAGE Cover Reveal!

~ Jarrett Lerner ~ 1 Comment

It’s been a busy week for a certain group of superheroic ingredients…

I’m talking about the Hunger Heroes, of course!

Not only did their first book, Missed Meal Mayhem, come out, but I also revealed the cover of their second adventure, Snack Cabinet Sabotage. In case you missed it, here it is!

Snack Cabinet Sabotage will soar onto shelves next summer — on August 23rd, 2022, to be specific — but is available for preorder now wherever books are sold.

Thanks to everyone who has celebrated the (long-awaited, I know…) launch of this new series of mine. It’s been amazing to see reviews coming in, and to start receiving fan art of Mr. Toots, Chip Ninja, Tammy, and Leonard from kids. I’m so glad these characters and stories that have been cooped up in my imagination for so long are now out there in the world, filling the imaginations of my readers.

~ Jarrett