Happy Tuesday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for JUNIPER HARVEY AND THE VANISHING KINGDOM! I’m so excited because today I have an interview with Nina Varela to share with you! This book is truly amazing and I’m so excited to for you to find out more about it!
Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom by Nina Varela Published on February 14, 2023 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Mythology, Queer
Pages: 320
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Author Links: Website, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram
When Juniper Harvey’s family moves to the middle of nowhere in Florida, her entire life is uprooted. As if that's not bad enough, she keeps having dreams about an ancient-looking temple, a terrifying attack, and a mysterious girl who turns into an ivory statue. One night after a disastrous school dance, Juniper draws a portrait of the girl from her dreams and thinks, I wish you were here. The next morning, she wakes up to find the girl in her room…pointing a sword at her throat! The unexpected visitor reveals herself as Galatea, a princess from a magical other world. One problem—her crown is missing, and she needs it in order to return home. Now, it’s up to Juniper to help find the crown, all while navigating a helpless crush on her new companion. And things go from bad to worse when a sinister force starts chasing after the crown too.
What would you do if you spent the day with Juniper and Galatea? Where would you go to eat, hang out, relax, etc.?
Ooh, what a good question. I’d take them to a natural history museum. I think Juniper would bring her sketchbook along and do studies of the animals and plants, and Galatea would get a kick out of the dinosaur bones.
If Juniper and Galatea were to hang out with other fictional characters, who would they be and why?
I think they’d have a great time hanging out with other MG fantasy protagonists, especially those in the Rick Riordan Presents sphere. There should be an after school club/support group for middle schoolers whose lives become entangled with gods and magic from other worlds.
If there was one fictional place you could travel to for a day, where would it be and why?
I’ve always wanted to visit the Shire, or the elven realm of Lothlorien, with the beautiful tree-houses. Maybe Narnia so I could have a cup of tea with a nice family of badgers or something. Basically, any place I imprinted on as a young kid.
If you buried a time capsule with three items inside, what three items would you choose and why?
An envelope of candid photos of people in 2023; a newspaper because print media might be a relic at that point; and a handful of coins for the same reason.
What was your favorite bit of research you ended up not using?
I read a lot about lesbianism and female sexuality in Ancient Greece. It wasn’t particularly relevant to the plot events, but it was relevant to my understanding of archaic worlds and definitely helped inform certain characters.
What is your favorite quote, scene, or moment from Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom?
There’s a scene where Juniper and Galatea are sharing earbuds that I found really lovely to write.
About Nina Varela
Nina Varela was born in New Orleans and raised in Durham, North Carolina, where she spent most of her childhood running around in the woods. These days, Nina lives in Los Angeles with her tiny, ill-behaved dog. She writes stories about queer kids, magic, and the magic of queer kids.
What do you think about Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom? Have you added it to your tbr yet? Let me know in the comments and have a splendiferous day!
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