{"id":15260,"date":"2021-11-08T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-08T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/?p=15260"},"modified":"2021-11-08T19:02:42","modified_gmt":"2021-11-09T00:02:42","slug":"blog-tour-out-of-my-heart-by-sharon-m-draper-excerpt-giveaway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/blog-tour-out-of-my-heart-by-sharon-m-draper-excerpt-giveaway\/","title":{"rendered":"Blog Tour: Out of My Heart by Sharon M. Draper (Excerpt + Giveaway!)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"ubb-blog-tour-banner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rockstarbooktours.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/OUT-OF-MY-HEART-banner.png\" alt=\"Blog Tour: Out of My Heart by Sharon M. Draper (Excerpt + Giveaway!)\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Happy Monday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for OUT OF MY HEART by Sharon M. Draper! I&#8217;m so excited because today I have an excerpt of the book to share with you! This book is truly amazing and I&#8217;m so excited to for you to find out more about it, PLUS enter for a chance to win a print copy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"645\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13897\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider.png 645w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider-300x23.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/out-of-my-heart-cover.png\" alt=\"Blog Tour: Out of My Heart by Sharon M. Draper (Excerpt + Giveaway!)\" title=\"Blog Tour: Out of My Heart by Sharon M. Draper (Excerpt + Giveaway!)\" class=\"ubb-cover-image alignleft\"><strong>Out of My Heart<\/strong> by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/reviews\/authors\/sharon-m-draper\/\">Sharon M. Draper<\/a> <br><strong>Published on<\/strong>  November 9, 2021 by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/reviews\/publishers\/atheneum-caitlyn-dlouhy-books\/\">Atheneum\/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books<\/a> <br><strong>Genres:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/reviews\/genres\/contemporary\/\">Contemporary<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/reviews\/genres\/middle-grade\/\">Middle Grade<\/a> <br><strong>Pages:<\/strong> 352 <br><strong>Add to <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/56802072-out-of-my-heart\" target=\"_blank\">Goodreads<\/a> <br><strong>Author Links:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sharondraper.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Website<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sharonmdraper\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Twitter<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/Sharon-M-Draper\/348222328560623\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/author\/show\/51942.Sharon_M_Draper\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Goodreads<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3BzSmSR\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Amazon<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sharonmdraper\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Instagram<\/a> <br><blockquote class=\"ubb-synopsis\"><p><b>Melody faces her fears to follow her passion in this stunning sequel to the acclaimed, <i>New York Times<\/i> bestselling middle grade novel <i>Out of My Mind<\/i>.<\/b><br \/>\nMelody, the huge-hearted heroine of <i>Out of My Mind<\/i>, is a year older, and a year braver. And now with her Medi-talker, she feels nothing\u2019s out of her reach, not even summer camp. There <i>have<\/i> to be camps for differently-abled kids like her, and she\u2019s going to sleuth one out. A place where she can trek through a forest, fly on a zip line, and even ride on a horse! A place where maybe she really can finally make a real friend, make her own decisions, and even do things on her own\u2014the dream!<br \/>\nBy the light of flickering campfires and the power of thunderstorms, through the terror of unexpected creatures in cabins and the first sparkle of a crush, Melody\u2019s about to discover how brave and strong she really is.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n\t\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n\t\"@type\":\"Review\",\n\t\"datePublished\": \"2021-11-08T12:00:00+00:00\",\n\t\"description\": \"\\nHappy Monday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for OUT OF MY HEART by Sharon M. Draper! I'm so excited because today I have an excerpt of the book to share with you! This book is truly ama\",\n\t\"publisher\": {\n\t\t\"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t\t\"name\": \"Kait Plus Books\"\t},\n\t\"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\\\/books\\\/blog-tour-out-of-my-heart-by-sharon-m-draper-excerpt-giveaway\\\/\",\n\t\"itemReviewed\": {\n\t\t\"@type\": \"Book\",\n\t\t\"name\": \"Out of My Heart\",\n\t\t\"author\": {\n\t\t\t\"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t\t\t\"name\": \"Sharon M. Draper\",\n\t\t\t\"sameAs\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.sharondraper.com\\\/\"\t\t},\n\t\t\"isbn\": \"1665902167\"\t},\n\t\"author\": {\n\t\t\"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t\t\"name\": \"Kaity\",\n\t\t\"sameAs\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\\\/books\\\/\"\t},\n\t\"reviewRating\": {\n\t\t\"@type\": \"Rating\",\n\t\t\"ratingValue\": false,\n\t\t\"bestRating\": \"5\"\n\t}\n}\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"645\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13897\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider.png 645w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider-300x23.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Read-an-Excerpt-Fall-2021.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13940\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cOoh! Look! There\u2019s another one\u2014and another!\u201d my sister shrieked. She raced across the grass of Mrs. V\u2019s front yard, a jar clutched in her hands, trying to convince one of the tiny glowing insects to zoom into it. If my firefly had joined that swarm, I\u2019m sure that he and the others had to be laughing at Penny, sky dancing away from her.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCome help, Mrs. V!\u201d Penny pleaded. \u201cThey won\u2019t listen to me!\u201d She plunked down on the grass, her face scrunched into a frown.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mrs. V, who was our next-door neighbor and Mom\u2019s best friend, lounged on a padded recliner on her front porch. She winked at me before saying, \u201cWell, maybe they don\u2019t want to live in a bottle\u2014maybe they just want to boogie tonight!\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cJust one?\u201d Penny put on her most pitiful face.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAll right,\u201d Mrs. V replied. \u201cBut we\u2019re gonna let it go after we look at it, okay?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFine,\u201d Penny grumbled, folding her arms across her chest. \u201cBut why?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWould <em>you<\/em> like to live in a jug?\u201d Mrs. V asked.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Penny laughed. \u201cI\u2019m too big! But a bug in a jug even <em>sounds<\/em> right!\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWell,\u201d Mrs. V countered, \u201cwhat if I found a jug big enough for you to fit in? Would you want to live there?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Penny seemed to think for a moment. Then she said, \u201cI guess not. I\u2019d feel smooshed and stuffy.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cExactly! So, what do you think we should do?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Penny rolled into a somersault and popped up with an ease I couldn\u2019t help but admire and said, \u201cOkay\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>we\u2019ll catch us some bugs, then we let them fly!\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mrs. V, whose full name was Violet Valencia, turned to me. \u201cLet me go help her before she scares them all out of town!\u201d she said, double-checking to make sure the locks on the wheels of my wheelchair were secure. The two of them whirled across the lawn, laughing and reaching for the tiny lights. I couldn\u2019t join them, but for once I didn\u2019t feel left out\u2014a firefly had already found me.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I could see Mom\u2019s blue SUV pulling into our drive-way next door. Butterscotch, our golden retriever, raised his head in recognition. Mom works at a local hospital as a nurse, her days filled with taking care of people who have diseases or broken bones or heart attacks. She tells me her job is a challenge, but she loves it! She often comes home tired, but still has to take care of me. And, no joke, I\u2019m a handful. An armful! She\u2019s never, ever complained, but sometimes that makes me feel bad.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the school year, the belching yellow bus used to drop me at Mrs. V\u2019s house after school. But now that we\u2019re on summer vacation, Penny and I spend most weekdays with her.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every morning she has us do stuff like spelling, math, and language arts, but before I start to feel all bad like it\u2019s summer school or something, Mrs. V makes it so much fun it hardly seems like schoolwork.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Scrabble equals spelling lessons for me, and easy word puzzles become vocabulary fun for Penny. I learn math from a bingo game and clips from old movies help us learn history. I try to complain, because, duh, it\u2019s summer vacation! But honestly, I really like it\u2014at least for a couple of hours. Then in the afternoon we make Popsicles or play games or watch movies. Once a week we go to the neighborhood library. Penny fiercely chooses her own picture books\u2014she rarely needs anyone to help her.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve got this really awesome computer-like device that attaches to my wheelchair. It\u2019s called a Medi-Talker, but that sounds way too boring and grown-up, so I named it Elvira. It\u2019s how I talk to the rest of the world.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By using my thumbs, when they decide to cooperate\u2014which, luckily, is most of the time\u2014I can tap or type just about anything that pops into my head, then push the speak button, and Elvira will say it for me. I can do complicated stuff like a book report or a math project, or I can ask any question that might pop into my head, like <em>What makes clouds float? <\/em>&nbsp;Or <em>Where do farts come from? <\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or <em>Why do my armpits smell funky? <\/em>&nbsp;Instead of answering me, Mrs. V, of course, makes me look up the answer on the internet through Elvira.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the day, I like to just sit on the porch and chill. But Penny is four and a half and doesn\u2019t know the meaning of chill! That girl only knows two speeds\u2014go, or sleep. She\u2019s able to run and hop and spin around in a circle until she\u2019s dizzy. She did seventeen somersaults in a row earlier today\u2014she made me count.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for me? Well, even though my brain blazes, the rest of my body works like a piece of taffy that\u2019s been left in the sun for too long. No somersaults for me, unless I accidentally fall out of my wheelchair. I can\u2019t walk, can\u2019t talk, and can\u2019t use my hands and fingers like most folks do, but Mrs. V helps me shut down the pity party. She knows my mind is a vault full of words and ideas just bursting to be let out. So between our weekly library visits, Mrs. V encourages me to swim through the deep and gurgly waters of the internet to explore just about any subject that I\u2019m curious about. I\u2019ve dived into Egyptian history and discovered the female pharaohs, and I\u2019ve dog-paddled (ha-ha!) through the history of golden retrievers, the mechanics of car engines, and the mysteries of every planet. By the way, I\u2019m pretty sure I\u2019d be able to walk on Mars or Venus, assuming I didn\u2019t get fried by poisonous gases.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So Friday is usually library day\u2014my favorite. First thing Friday mornings, Mrs. V loads me and Penny into her car, and we head to our local branch a few blocks away.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I even love the smell of the place\u2014it smells like history and mystery and book bindings. It\u2019s an old building, so the floors and bookshelves are dark polished wood. Mrs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>V told us that she practically lived there when she was a kid. She knew where they kept the audiobooks as well as old photographs and films, and the rare books. I love audiobooks because I can just put on headphones and listen to anything I want. And hardcover books can be attached to my wheelchair tray with an easy clip.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All those books sit all week on the shelves, silent like me, waiting to speak to me every Friday. Then I grab a new pile of possibilities and place them on my tray.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The librarian, Mr. Francisco, always greets me with a smile and asks me questions about the books I read the previous week as he checks them in, then reloads my bag with the new pile.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last time I went, I was on a mission. Mr. Francisco, aka Best Librarian in the History of the World, had emailed me that the brochures he\u2019d ordered for me were in! I. Was. Psyched! What brochures, you wonder?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, my parents don\u2019t know it yet, but I want to go to summer camp. The last few weeks of school, it seemed like all anyone was talking about was the camps they were going to. Rock-Climbing Camp. Fly-Fishing Camp.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even Mermaid Camp. Yep, it\u2019s a real thing. Mermaid Makeovers. Underwater Theater. Dancing with Fins.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Girls go there to learn to swim with attached fish flippers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Seriously. Molly and Claire and Rose went on and on and on about it, how their parents are letting them fly\u2014<em>alone<\/em>\u2014from Ohio to Florida to go to . . . Mermaid Camp!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I tapped and told that story to Mrs. V, she\u2019d snorted out loud with laughter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d&nbsp; I\u2019d asked.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mrs. V could hardly catch her breath. \u201cWhen you\u2019re wearing those fake mermaid tails, you can only sit on the beach and look cute in a photo!\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201cSo?\u201d <\/strong>&nbsp;I didn\u2019t get it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMelody, think about it. A person wearing a fish tail can\u2019t walk!! Those kids get rolled around in what the camp calls a royal mermaid chariot. It\u2019s a chair with wheels. . . . It\u2019s . . . it\u2019s . . . a wheelchair!\u201d She exploded with laughter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I finally got it! See, last year in fifth grade Molly and Claire used to majorly make fun of me because I was in a wheelchair, and now they go and choose to spend their summer pretending to be part fish and not able to walk! <em>Ha ha ha ha!&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I sure don\u2019t want to go anywhere to pretend I\u2019m a mermaid, but it got me thinking. Maybe <em>I<\/em> could go to camp! It sounds really fun and a little scary and totally different. Plus, except for Mrs. V\u2019s house, I\u2019ve never once had a sleepover or been away from my family for even an entire day. I think I want to do something exciting. And unusual. And maybe scary. If those girls can do it, so can I.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But did they even have camps for kids like me? Here\u2019s the thing: people tend to stare at me. Nobody asks out loud, but I know they wonder, <em>What\u2019s wrong with that<\/em> <em>girl? Why can\u2019t she talk? <\/em>&nbsp;That freaks me out sometimes, because I can\u2019t tell them what they\u2019re too polite to ask.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I know a little bit about things not said. I\u2019m unable to say actual words like everybody else, and that drives me bananas. I\u2019ve got like a thousand thoughts and questions zooming around in my head. Like. All. The. Time. But not much opportunity to have a real conversation, or say something quickly, like in an emergency.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The result is some serious frustration.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, our family went out to a restaurant a few months ago. We don\u2019t do that often, because my let\u2019s-just-fling-out-any-old-time arms, and my unfailing ability to knock stuff over by accident, are often more than we want to deal with. Soup? Oops, sorry.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Penny\u2019s orange juice? Dang, my bad. So people stare.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most aren\u2019t judging\u2014just curious. A few whisper to each other. They sometimes point at me. I\u2019m used to it and I ignore them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But on that day we had ordered our food, and all was going well. Even though we forgot my Medi-Talker at home, which almost never happens, Mom read me the menu, and I hummed when she mentioned something I wanted. Mom spooned applesauce into my mouth, and it was delicious\u2014flavored with cinnamon. When the food and drinks came, I didn\u2019t spill one single drop.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Weird, though\u2014Penny wasn\u2019t eating, and it was chicken nuggets\u2014her favorite. She had been granky all day (that\u2019s our word for a grumpy, cranky Penny), but I guess Mom had figured that maybe a special trip out to eat might cheer her up.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then I noticed Penny\u2019s eyes were getting glassy, and sweat had popped up along her hairline. She was going to blow! I automatically looked down for Elvira, and, of course, she wasn\u2019t there. So there was no way I could tell my parents that I thought Penny was about to get sick.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And yep, halfway through the meal, Penny scrunched up her face, burst into tears, and threw up all over Mom and most of the food on the table! What a mess!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dad and Mom apologized to the waitstaff, paid the bill, and left a massive tip. Then we dashed out of there in a hurry. I felt bad that Penny was sick, but secretly I was so glad that for once it wasn\u2019t me making a mess.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We still laugh about that one. What I wasn\u2019t so glad about was that I hadn\u2019t been able to warn my parents that Penny was about to erupt. Yep, serious frustration.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oddly, I still remember that the bill that night came to $47.47. My brain does that\u2014recalls random numbers, maps, facts, and computations. And don\u2019t mess with me when it comes to trivia\u2014like the average summertime temperatures in Alaska, or Argentina, or Armenia. Or the secret ingredients in the grease that\u2019s used in fast-food places (you don\u2019t want to know), or the shortcut to the final level of just about any online video game. Most of this gets crammed into my head, wandering around with nothing to do. I know mountains of stuff, but I\u2019m pretty much stuck in a valley.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why can my brain do all that, but not know how to tell my body to move? Or talk? Or give my folks a heads-up that Penny\u2019s gonna throw up?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I prefer to focus on the things that I can do.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like, I can communicate with folks through Elvira.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mom and Dad just had her upgraded to System 9.9.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She\u2019s still clunky, but now she\u2019s smaller, faster, and even waterproof, like an iPad that took its vitamins. Plus, she snaps to my wheelchair in seconds. She\u2019s got apps and a full keyboard, so I can send texts, write out whatever\u2019s on my mind, and check online stuff like everybody else.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it\u2019s still impossible to type fast enough to bring up everything I wonder about.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She\u2019s got a speaking voice called \u201cTrish.\u201d It\u2019s the closest thing to a real girl\u2019s voice that I could find in the choices. I sure wish her speaking system was better-sounding, though. I think they ought to let me create my own voice for her. Maybe I\u2019d pick a cool accent, or something really glamorous, or perhaps low and mysterious.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which makes me think\u2014who knows what my voice would have been like? I can actually make sounds\u2014something that comes out sounding like <em>Uhh<\/em> to others, my family and my teachers know mean <em>Yes<\/em>. And I hum when I like something\u2014just not real words. Which kinda sucks. Maybe when I go to college, I can major in creating artificial languages. That would be awesome.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that I think about it, I\u2019ve also got a sort of sign language, too. I can\u2019t do ASL\u2014that\u2019s got way too many complicated hand motions\u2014but me and my family have adapted a version that works. For example, my sign for \u201cMom\u201d is my thumb on my chin, with my fingers as straight as I can get them. \u201cDad\u201d is thumb on forehead with fingers up. And my sign for \u201cPenny,\u201d even though she\u2019s four and a half and sassy, is both arms hugged together like a baby in a cradle. And I can shake my head to say no, just like everybody else does.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, it\u2019s a little awkward, but we manage to communicate\u2014sort of.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But right that second, when I saw Mom getting out of our car, I would have simply liked to have an easy way to blurt out what I was thinking. And what was on my mind right then was that I wanted to go to camp.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Mom came into Mrs. V\u2019s yard, I couldn\u2019t just yell out, <em>Hi Mom! <\/em>&nbsp;like Penny did, but I didn\u2019t need to spell out anything for my mother\u2014I just hummed, and she knew.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Butterscotch bounded over and yelped with joy as Mom pulled a treat out of the pocket of her scrubs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Penny was right behind the dog, jumping into Mom\u2019s arms. \u201cSpin me, Mommy! Spin!\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mom kissed her chubby cheek and spun her around, Penny\u2019s legs pinwheeling out.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMore?\u201d Penny begged when Mom put her back down.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPenny-girl, Mommy needs a break,\u201d she said, laughing. \u201cCan I say hello to Melody now?\u201d She came up onto the porch and leaned over to hug me tight.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She smelled so good\u2014a combination of talcum powder, alcohol wipes, and bubble gum. She keeps a big bag of Dubble Bubble in a top cabinet\u2014away from Penny. She says chewing gum helps her relax, so Dad makes sure the bag never goes empty.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Random thought\u2014I\u2019d love to be able to chew bubble gum. The smell makes my nose tickle in a good way. I\u2019d probably pop right with it if I could actually blow a real bubble!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHow\u2019s my girl?\u201d Mom asked.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I hugged her back as best as I could and made that hum sound that we both know means <em>I\u2019m good.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHey there, Violet,\u201d Mom said as she poured her-self a cup of lemonade. She then collapsed into the other chaise lounge, took a deep sip, and breathed out&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAhhhh.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mrs. V pointed to the firefly show. \u201cGlad you got home in time for a little nighttime magic.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOh, they\u2019re out early tonight,\u201d Mom said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMommy! Mommy! Look at mine!\u201d Penny shouted, running across the yard for her jar and back up onto the porch. She plopped the jar of blinking bugs into Mom\u2019s lap.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019re beautiful!\u201d Mom held up the jar. \u201cEven better than the sparkle lights in your bedroom.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMrs. V says I can\u2019t keep them, but they like me! So, can I? <em>Pleeeease? <\/em>\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWell,\u201d Mom said, \u201clet\u2019s think about this. How did you catch them?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey just flew into my jar!\u201d Penny told her solemnly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnd Mrs. V helped me.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDo you think some of those bugs might have moms and dads waiting for them in the bushes?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHmm.\u201d Penny pondered this. \u201cMaybe their parents don\u2019t know they\u2019re out playing in the dark. Maybe they snuck out!\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWell then, we better set them free so they can get home before they get in trouble, okay?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGood idea!\u201d Penny agreed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Mom opened the jar, Penny whispered, \u201cHurry home, little bugs!\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, with a whoosh of the lid, a dozen tiny little light bulbs lifted into the darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Excerpted from&nbsp;<i>Out of My Heart<\/i> by Sharon M. Draper with permission from Atheneum\/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books. Copyright \u00a9 2021 by Sharon M. Draper.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"645\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13897\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider.png 645w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider-300x23.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/About-the-Author-Fall-2021.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13959\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"ubb-about-author\"><h3>About Sharon M. Draper<\/h3><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/sharon-m-draper-350x350.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignleft ubb-about-author-photo\"><p>Sharon M. Draper is a three-time New York Times bestselling author and a recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring her significant and lasting contribution to writing for teens. She has received the Coretta Scott King Award for both Copper Sun and Forged by Fire, and was awarded the Charlotte Huck Award for Stella by Starlight. Her novel Out of My Mind has won multiple awards and was a New York Times bestseller for over three years, and Blended has also been a New York Times bestseller. She taught high school English for twenty-five years and was named National Teacher of the Year. She now lives in Florida. Visit her at SharonDraper.com.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ubb-author-links\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sharondraper.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Website<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sharonmdraper\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Twitter<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/Sharon-M-Draper\/348222328560623\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Facebook<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/author\/show\/51942.Sharon_M_Draper\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Goodreads<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3BzSmSR\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Amazon<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sharonmdraper\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Instagram<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"645\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13897\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider.png 645w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider-300x23.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Follow-the-Tour-Fall-2021.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13957\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><b>Week One<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>11\/8\/2021<\/strong><\/td><td><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/kaitgoodwin.com\/books\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Kait Plus Books<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td><strong>Excerpt<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/8\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/rajivsreviews.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rajiv&#8217;s Reviews<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/9\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/bookblogarama.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bookblogarama<\/a><\/td><td>Excerpt<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/9\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/littleredreads.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Little Red Reads<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/10\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/amybooksy.blogspot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Locks, Hooks and Books<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/10\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/blessedmommysc.blogspot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lifestyle of Me<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/11\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/brisbooknook.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bri&#8217;s Book Nook<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/11\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sparetimereader\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sparetimereader<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/12\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.morebookspleaseblog.wordpress.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">More Books Please blog<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/12\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.onemoreexclamation.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OneMoreExclamation<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Week Two<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>11\/15\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/wiltedpages.wordpress.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wilted pages<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/15\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/dontjudgeread.blogspot.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Don&#8217;t Judge, Read<\/a><\/td><td>Excerpt<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/16\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jennifermaryg.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">For the Love of KidLit<\/a><\/td><td>Excerpt<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/16\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bookhoundsya.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">BookHounds YA<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/17\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.elisquared.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Eli to the nth<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/17\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/am2cents.blogspot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Two Points of Interest<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/18\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.notinjersey.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Not In Jersey<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/18\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bookshelfmomma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">@bookshelfmomma<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/19\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.onceuponatwilight.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Once Upon a Twilight<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11\/19\/2021<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/themommaspot.home.blog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Momma Spot<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"645\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13897\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider.png 645w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider-300x23.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Enter-the-Giveaway-Fall-2021.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13960\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rafflecopter.com\/rafl\/display\/e2389ba21366\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"http:\/\/www.rafflecopter.com\/rafl\/display\/e2389ba21366\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Enter here for a chance to win a print copy of <em>Out of My Heart<\/em> by Sharon M. Draper!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>(US Only)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"645\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13897\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider.png 645w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/V3-Fall-2021-divider-300x23.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Questions-and-Answers-Fall-2021-1.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13968\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>What do you think about <em>Out of My Heart<\/em>? Have you added it to your tbr yet? Let me know in the comments and have a splendiferous day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1322\" height=\"881\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Kait-Plus-Books-Signature-Fall-2021.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13969\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Happy Monday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for OUT OF MY HEART by Sharon M. Draper! I&#8217;m so excited because today I have an excerpt of the book to share with you! This book is truly amazing and I&#8217;m so excited to for you to find out more about it, PLUS enter for a chance to win a print copy!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[484,1001,27],"tags":[537,651,540,462,3604,3603,538,3605],"reading-challenges":[],"class_list":["post-15260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-book-tours","category-excerpt","category-giveaways","tag-blog-tour","tag-excerpt","tag-giveaway","tag-kait-plus-books","tag-november-2021","tag-out-of-my-heart","tag-rockstar-book-tours","tag-sharon-m-draper","book-author-sharon-m-draper","book-publisher-atheneum-caitlyn-dlouhy-books","book-genre-contemporary","book-genre-middle-grade"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Out-of-My-Heart-Featured-Image.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15260"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15260\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15467,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15260\/revisions\/15467"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15260"},{"taxonomy":"reading-challenges","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-challenges?post=15260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}