Jane Blond International Spy
By- Brianna Schatt & Stan Schatt
Genre- Middle Grade
Publication Date- October 19th
Fourteen year old Jane thought getting through high school was difficult enough with her dad in prison and her mother dating. Throw in being bullied by the popular girl who has everything- it’s completely unbearable. But when terrorists kidnap a boy she cares about, she knows she is the only one who can save him. International Spy, Jane Blond, must prevent terrorists from blowing up her school during the President’s visit. She’ll need all of her courage along with the help of a teen with CIA secrets, a friend with Asperger’s and a parrot with an attitude.
Excerpt-
My gray parrot Gertrude saw me first as I closed the door
behind me. “AAAWK. Jane’s late for dinner. Probably off visiting her worthless
father or her crazy uncle. AAAWK.”
“I’ll put some laxative in your birdseed,” I
whispered. “AAAWK. Boom boom in my cage,” she said.
I always wondered just how
smart Gertrude was. I thought she was echoing something she heard Mom say, but
who knew for sure? “AAAWK. Kiss me. You’re so sexy,” Gertrude said.
“Shush,” I said.
“AAAWK. How could Mom kiss
that fat turd? AAAWK,”
Gertrude said. She smacked her lips, proud of her linguistic
ability to imitate my voice when I was talking with Anouk.
“I’ll put the cover over your cage if you don’t shut up,” I
whispered.
“AAAWK. Kiss my bony ass. AAAWK,” Gertrude said in her own
voice.
I wondered where she heard that. I wouldn’t let myself
believe she made it up herself. I heard the bedroom door open and Mom joined
us.
“Where have you been?” Mom reminded me of one of those
police detectives on TV. You know, the ones who keep badgering the poor
sweating suspect until he confesses.
“I was over at Anouk’s house,” I said. The lie came easy to
my lips because I’d used it so often.
“You two spend an awful lot of time together. I’m not sure
what you see in her. She dresses like a homeless person.”
“Mom, she’s my best friend and the smartest kid at Broxton.
She can’t help being poor. She doesn’t have some fat sugar daddy paying her
bills.”
“Jane Alexandra, that is enough. Don’t you dare refer to
Vladimir that way! If you knew how good he’s been to both of us, you wouldn’t
say that. Show some respect.”
I thought of something clever to say, but I knew it would
only make things worse. “I’m sorry,” I said, trying to sound repentant and
hoping to change the subject.
About the Authors-
Dr. Stan Schatt spent many years as a futurist responsible for forecasting future technology products and markets for Fortune 500 companies. He served as a Fulbright Professor and taught at Tokyo University, USC, and the University of Houston. He is the author of over thirty books ranging from science fiction and paranormal mysteries to young adult novels. Schatt is a technology expert who has been quoted in the New York Times, Fortune, and BusinessWeek as well as CNBC.
Links-
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