EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT! Taking a Deep Dive Into Dan Gemeinhart’s THE MIDNIGHT CHILDREN

“Roald Dahl meets The Boxcar Children.”

Those were the exact words they used to describe Dan Gemeinhart’s latest novel for kids, and as God is my witness, I was in. Never deny the power of a good hook. Particularly if it’s a hook a jaded blogger like myself hasn’t seen before.

If the name “Dan Gemeinhart” is ringing some bells for you, there might be a good reason for that. Perhaps you remember a little number by the name of The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise? Yes indeed, that was one of his. And now, with an August 30 publication date in its future, Mr. Gemeinhart has produced his latest magnum opus. The Midnight Children has been getting some rather hefty praise prior to publication. Check this out:

Praise for THE MIDNIGHT CHILDREN:

“A story of fierce friendship, bravery, loyalty, and finding—or making—a place to belong.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Distinctive narration and heart-pounding suspense will carry this kids-outwit-grownups tale deep into your heart to the place where courage is born.” -Rosanne Parry, bestselling author of A Wolf Called Wander

“Told in a riveting voice, this is Dan Gemeinhart’s best yet, and that’s saying something.” -Padma Venkatraman, Walter Award-winning author of The Bridge Home

“Equal parts Kate DiCamillo and Shirley Jackson, this book is unlike anything else I’ve ever read—you will love it.” -Jonathan Auxier, New York Times-bestselling author of Night Gardener and Sweep: the Story of a Girl and her Monster

“The midnight children might sneak into town quietly, but there’s nothing quiet about this sparkling story. It felt like fireworks in my heart.” –New York Times-bestselling author Natalie Lloyd

“[The Midnight Children] is a story to make a soul ache, a story to make a soul heal, a story to make a soul leap.” -Dusti Bowling, award-winning author of The Canyon’s Edge

“A magical and darkly humorous journey into a world of mysterious children, timeless villains, and the undeniable power of friendship.” -Melanie Conklin, author of A Perfect Mistake and Every Missing Piece

But, you might well ask, what’s the book actually about? Here’s the publisher description:

“In the dead of night, a truck arrives in Slaughterville, a small town curiously named after its windowless slaughterhouse. Seven mysterious kids with suitcases step out of the vehicle and into an abandoned home on a dead-end street, looking over their shoulders to make sure they aren’t noticed.

But Ravani Foster covertly witnesses their arrival from his bedroom window. Timid and lonely, Ravani is eager to learn everything he can about his new neighbors: What secrets are they hiding? And most mysterious of all…where are the adults?

Yet amid this shadowy group of children, Ravani finds an unexpected friend in the warm and gutsy Virginia. But with this friendship comes secrets revealed—and danger. When Ravani learns of a threat to his new friends, he must fight to keep them safe, or lose the only person who has ever understood him.

And now, it is my to my infinite delight that I get to show for you today an excerpt of the first six pages of the story. Take a look:

Special thanks to Kelsey Marrujo and the folks at Macmillan for setting up this excerpt reveal. The Midnight Children is on shelves everywhere 8/30 of this year. Set your calendar and be sure to check it out!

Filed under: Excerpts