{"id":16570,"date":"2022-01-31T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-31T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/?p=16570"},"modified":"2022-01-30T21:05:47","modified_gmt":"2022-01-31T02:05:47","slug":"blog-tour-the-boy-who-met-a-whale-by-nizrana-farook-excerpt-giveaway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/blog-tour-the-boy-who-met-a-whale-by-nizrana-farook-excerpt-giveaway\/","title":{"rendered":"Blog Tour: The Boy Who Met a Whale by Nizrana Farook (Excerpt + Giveaway!)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"ubb-blog-tour-banner\"><a href=\"https:\/\/rockstarbooktours.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/THE-BOY-WHO-MET-A-WHALE.png\" alt=\"Blog Tour: The Boy Who Met a Whale by Nizrana Farook (Excerpt + Giveaway!)\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Happy Monday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for THE BOY WHO MET A WHALE by Nizrana Farook! I\u2019m so excited to share an excerpt of the book with you today, AND more information about the author and tour, PLUS you can enter the giveaway to win a print copy! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider.png 850w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider-300x18.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider-768x45.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/the-boy-who-met-a-whale-cover.png\" alt=\"Blog Tour: The Boy Who Met a Whale by Nizrana Farook (Excerpt + Giveaway!)\" title=\"Blog Tour: The Boy Who Met a Whale by Nizrana Farook (Excerpt + Giveaway!)\" class=\"ubb-cover-image alignleft\"><strong>The Boy Who Met a Whale<\/strong> by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/reviews\/authors\/nizrana-farook\/\">Nizrana Farook<\/a> <br><strong>Published on<\/strong>  February 1, 2022 by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/reviews\/publishers\/peachtree-publishing-company\/\">Peachtree Publishing Company<\/a> <br><strong>Genres:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/reviews\/genres\/fantasy\/\">Fantasy<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/reviews\/genres\/middle-grade\/\">Middle Grade<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/reviews\/genres\/science-fiction\/\">Science Fiction<\/a> <br><strong>Pages:<\/strong> 256 <br><strong>Add to <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/book\/show\/59776583-the-boy-who-met-a-whale\" target=\"_blank\">Goodreads<\/a> <br><strong>Author Links:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/nizranafarook.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Website<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NizRite\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Twitter<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NizRite\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Facebook<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/author\/show\/19040195.Nizrana_Farook\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Goodreads<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3HdM9iQ\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Amazon<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nizrite\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Instagram<\/a> <br><blockquote class=\"ubb-synopsis\"><p>From the author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant comes another brilliant escapade. A thrilling adventure set in fictional Sri Lanka, jam-packed with peril and kidnap and a huge blue whale!<br \/>\nRazi, a local fisherboy, is watching turtle eggs hatch when he sees a boat bobbing into view. With a chill, he notices a small, still hand hanging over the side\u2026 Inside is Zheng, who\u2019s escaped a shipwreck and is full of tales of sea monsters and missing treasure. But the villains who are after Zheng are soon after Razi and his sister, Shifa, too. And so begins an exhilarating adventure in the shadow of the biggest sea monster of them all\u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n\t\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n\t\"@type\":\"Review\",\n\t\"datePublished\": \"2022-01-31T11:00:00+00:00\",\n\t\"description\": \"\\nHappy Monday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for THE BOY WHO MET A WHALE by Nizrana Farook! I\\u2019m so excited to share an excerpt of the book with you today, AND more information about th\",\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-the-boy-who-met-a-whale-by-nizrana-farook-excerpt-giveaway\\\/\",\n\t\"itemReviewed\": {\n\t\t\"@type\": \"Book\",\n\t\t\"name\": \"The Boy Who Met a Whale\",\n\t\t\"author\": {\n\t\t\t\"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t\t\t\"name\": \"Nizrana Farook\",\n\t\t\t\"sameAs\": \"https:\\\/\\\/nizranafarook.com\\\/\"\t\t},\n\t\t\"isbn\": \"168263373X\"\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<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider.png 850w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider-300x18.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider-768x45.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Read-an-Excerpt-February-2022.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16642\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Read-an-Excerpt-February-2022.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Read-an-Excerpt-February-2022-300x59.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Read-an-Excerpt-February-2022-768x150.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\" id=\"chapter-one\"><strong>Chapter One<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>The boy clung to the rail with a death grip as the ship lurched violently in the storm.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was sinking.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All around him was darkness and the roar and crash of waves as the ship buckled and rain lashed down. The wind was shrill and whip-sharp. But for all the noise, the ship was empty of people. Where was everyone? The boy ran along the deck, slipping and sliding to the wheelhouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was deserted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He sprinted down the length of the ship, hurtling below deck to the captain\u2019s quarters. He pounded on the door, desperate to be heard over the sound of the thunder and the howling of the wind. But it was impossible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The door opened suddenly and the first mate slipped out, a long leather pouch clutched in his hand. He started when he saw the boy, and quickly hid his hand behind him.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSir, the storm\u2014\u201d began the boy, but the man shoved him aside and hurried down the passage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The boy held on to the side for balance and stumbled into the cabin. The captain was lying in his bunk, fast asleep. The room had been ransacked: drawers were hanging open and books had been tossed all over the place. The ship listed sharply and the debris on the floor slid to one side of the room where water was pooling, creeping darkly over fallen books.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The boy froze in shock. The crew had known they would be sailing into a storm. Why was the captain asleep so soundly? Why was the whole ship asleep? Apart from\u2026&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He stormed out of the captain\u2019s cabin and scrambled up to the deck. A lifeboat had been lowered into the sea, and the first mate was getting ready to climb down, accompanied by a man the boy recognized as the ship\u2019s cook.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He stared at the men, a cold fear clamping around his heart as the rain soaked through him. \u201cMarco!\u201d he screamed. \u201cWhat did you do? Did you drug them?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first mate looked back and shrugged, not even bothering to deny it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rain pelted the men as they prepared to get in the boat. Something snapped in the boy, and he raced toward them and plucked the leather pouch from the first mate\u2019s pocket.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yelling, the men gave chase as the boy sprinted away down the ship. Lightning lit up his running figure. The ship groaned and shifted. The men stumbled and one fell as the boy doubled back, jumping over the fallen man and speeding past his furious companion. The first mate took out a knife that flashed silver in the gloom of the night. He ran fast, closing in on the boy as water filled the deck and crept up his ankles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was over. The ship was going down, and it was too late to save anyone. The boy wailed in anguish as he threw himself over the side and into the lifeboat. The ship tilted and groaned, making a huge cracking sound as it broke apart. The men ran to the railing and yelled at the boy, but the rain blotted out everything as he rowed swiftly away. The last he saw of the ship was it careening jerkily off course.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The boy screamed into the wind and wept for his lost friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\" id=\"chapter-two\"><strong>Chapter Two<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>The baby turtle scuttled down the golden beach, wet and gritty with sand. Bit by bit scores of others emerged, their shiny black bodies, flailing limbs, and beady eyes glinting in the early&nbsp;morning sun. They scampered toward the water, their little legs scuffling over the freshly turned-up sand. A bale of tiny turtles\u2014all eager to make their first meeting with the sea.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi laughed as he ran after them, careful not to step on any of the little creatures. The sight never failed to amaze him and lift his spirits. He\u2019d seen it a hundred times, coming early to this stretch of beach to watch the newly hatched turtles running into the sea at sunrise. There was a white one among them, an albino turtle, the pattern on its back etched out in shiny black lines. It was lagging behind and in danger of getting lost.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGo on! Go, your friends are leaving!\u201d called Razi. He knew not to touch it and so he hoped his voice would cheer it on instead. Sure enough, the white turtle perked up and scuttled after the others.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Overhead a yellow-beaked ibis wheeled past. Razi kept an eye on it in case it tried to attack the babies. The sea was a grayish blue, deepening gradually to a brilliant turquoise with the rising sun shining on the waves. Coconut trees fringed the beach, their wiry trunks twisted like swaying cobras.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Standing on the shoreline, Razi watched in awe. A wave came in, drenching the baby turtles as they swarmed up to meet it. They hopped into the water, greeting it playfully. Razi held his breath. This part always worried him. The turtles looked so little and fragile. But the whole lot of them swam away happily, dots of black on the rolling blue waves surging into the great ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He sat cross-legged on the sand and watched them bob away. They disappeared quickly, swimming away to their new lives. He knew that turtles always came back to the very same beach they were born in to lay their own eggs. So someday when Razi was an adult he could be back here and see the babies of one of these same turtles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a lovely feeling. But it couldn\u2019t completely dislodge the sadness that dimmed Razi\u2019s world, no matter how much the sun shone and waves danced.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The sun rose higher and prickled his skin. Then he saw something bobbing in the water. Something dark. Razi squinted into the horizon. The turtles were all gone, but this was too big to be one of them anyway. Whatever it was, it was heading toward land. The sea glittered a brilliant, sparkling blue now, and the dark object swirled closer and closer to the shore with every wave.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a boat.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi stood up. This wasn\u2019t a fishing boat like the ones on Serendib. This boat was plain and simple, with no sail or outrigger, and, as it moved closer, Razi saw it had some strange lettering etched on the side.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Foreign letters, thought Razi excitedly. Where had the boat come from?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It dipped into a wave and then lifted up, a solitary blot on the empty ocean. As it surged closer, Razi saw something droop out over the side. Something small and bunched.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A hand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An actual human hand! Someone was in the boat! Razi staggered back, jabbing his foot on a pointed shell. The pain hardly registered as he watched the boat bobbing closer. He looked around the beach wildly to see if there was anyone to help. But, as usual, it was entirely deserted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The boat swirled closer and Razi froze. Was he going to have to get into the water? Dread clawed his heart at the prospect.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A gull squawked overhead, startling Razi. It was the jolt he needed, and he ran into the sun-warmed water, soaking his clothes as he waded quickly toward the boat.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is okay, you can do this, he told himself over and over as he tried to ignore the water rising to his chest. Razi reached the boat and looked over the side. An egret swooped by and darted off again, leaving the echo of its cry.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi gulped.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lying in the bottom of the boat, sunburned and still, was a boy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\" id=\"chapter-three\"><strong>Chapter Three<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOkay now,\u201d said Razi. \u201cStay calm, stay calm, this is serious. Just BE CALM.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With all his strength he pulled the boat out of the sea and dragged it up the beach, making a groove in the soft sand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The boy was on his side, cheek pressed against the bottom of the boat. His eyes were closed and his expression was blank. His lips were parched, and his skin was covered in patches of white where salt had dried. Even his clothes were dried up, and they rustled like paper when Razi shook his shoulder.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His eyes remained shut.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cUm, hello,\u201d said Razi. \u201cEr, listen, are you alive?\u201d The boy was as still as a stick. The sun beat down on him mercilessly, frying his already parched body. He had to be moved to the shade and given some water immediately.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi took a deep breath and carried on talking to the boy, despite feeling foolish. \u201cSo I\u2019m going to move you over there. Get you out of the sun.\u201d He leaned into the boat and grasped the boy under his arms.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To his surprise the boy slid out easily, as if he was no weight at all. Razi dragged him all the way up the sand to the shade of the coconut trees and laid him down. Out of the sun\u2019s glare, it was instantly cooler, and there was a soft breeze too.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The boy twitched, his eyes fluttered open slightly, and then closed again.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi almost cried with relief.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNow, that is good,\u201d said Razi, trying to sound encouraging. It had worked for the turtle, after all. \u201cYou stay here\u2014I\u2019m going to look for some water.\u201d He stood up and looked around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Something out at sea caught his eye. Another boat, identical to the one the boy had been in. There were two men in the boat, and the taller of the two was standing up, gesticulating furiously at the beach while the other rowed to shore. Razi couldn\u2019t understand any of this. What was going on?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi emerged from the trees and walked down the beach to meet the men. The tall one, who was strongly built with close-cropped hair, immediately jumped into the water and ran to him. To Razi\u2019s alarm, he gripped him by the collar and lifted him off his feet.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi tried to scream. He blanched at the man\u2019s furious expression.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMarco!\u201d said the other man, coming up the beach.\u201cThat\u2019s not him.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tall man shoved Razi away. He seemed angry that he\u2019d got the wrong person. Razi turned to run, terrified. He had to get away from these men fast.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhere is he?\u201d yelled the one called Marco. He rounded on Razi. \u201cYou! You must have seen him.\u201d Razi shook his head hard. Was the man talking about the boy on the boat? He wanted to say something, anything, but couldn\u2019t find the words.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe must be around here somewhere,\u201d said the other man. \u201cThat\u2019s his boat over there. We\u2019ll find him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFind him and kill him,\u201d said Marco, kicking at a scuttling crab.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi began to tremble. The boy was lying unconscious just yards away from them in the shade of the coconut trees. He was weak and barely alive, and these men wanted to harm him. He couldn\u2019t let them do that.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOh! D-do you mean the boy in the boat?\u201d said Razi, finding his tongue at last.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marco stopped and turned around. \u201cWhat do you know?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cN-nothing,\u201d said Razi, which was true. He pointed toward Galle town, then carried on less truthfully. \u201cHe asked me where the closest town was, and I told him it\u2019s a mile up the beach. So he ran that way.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marco came toward Razi slowly. His thick neck and meaty shoulders made Razi shrink away until he backed onto the side of their boat.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen was this?\u201d said Marco, breathing into Razi\u2019s face.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAn hour ago.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhy did you say before that you hadn\u2019t seen him?\u201dThe man spoke slowly, making the words sound doubly dangerous.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi swallowed as he tried to think of a reason. \u201cI wasn\u2019t sure what you m-meant. I m-mean, \u2018Where is he?\u2019 doesn\u2019t mean much, d-does it? Now, if you\u2019d said,\u2018w-where\u2019s that boy who came on the boat\u2026\u2019\u201d He was blabbering and Marco was looking at him with deep suspicion. He should shut up before he brought some serious damage down on himself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI see.\u201d Marco still spoke slowly and deliberately. \u201cIf I find out that you\u2019ve been lying to me, I will find you and I will kill you. Understand?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cO-of course,\u201d stammered Razi. \u201cThat-that sounds clear enough.\u201d He caught himself before he blathered on anymore.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With that, Marco and his accomplice got back in the boat and rowed off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\" id=\"chapter-four\"><strong>Chapter Four<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi watched the boat heading in the direction of Galle.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He exhaled and pressed his hands to his forehead. What had he gotten himself into? He looked back toward the unconscious boy, his foot clearly visible for anyone to see.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He had to check that the boy was all right and then get out of there as fast as he could.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi ran to collect some fallen King coconuts. Once he\u2019d found a pointed stone, he managed to pierce one, making a terrible mess, and felt the welcome squirt of cool coconut water on his face.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He went back to the boy and lifted his head up, tipping the King coconut slowly against his mouth. Half of the water sloshed out but the boy stirred awake and soon began to lap it up. He took in a good amount and then lay back down, his eyes closing again. He smelled of salt and the brininess of the deep sea. Razi felt a chill in spite of the heat of the day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEr, looks like you\u2019re a bit better then,\u201d said Razi, edging off and sitting back on his heels.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The boy opened his eyes. His face furrowed slightly and his eyes traveled all around him\u2014taking in the jewel-bright sea, the shell-strewn beach with the boat pulled up high on the sand, and the bunches of bright orange King coconuts in the tree above him.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He blinked in confusion and tried to sit up. \u201cHuh?\u201d \u201cI said it looks like you\u2019re feeling better,\u201d said Razi, even though the boy probably couldn\u2019t understand him.He was clearly from a faraway land. \u201cYou\u2019re safe.\u201d The boy looked at Razi for the first time. \u201cWhere is this?\u201d he said, speaking Razi\u2019s tongue easily. \u201cSerendib,\u201d said Razi. \u201cYou\u2019re on the island of Serendib.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The boy lay back wearily but there was a hint of a smile on his face. He touched his chest and his clothes rustled again.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi stared at the boy. The rustling sound wasn\u2019t coming from his clothes after all. There was something long and cylindrical hidden inside his shirt.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>***&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The boy slowly began to lift himself up until he was leaning against the tree.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHere,\u201d said Razi, prying the coconut open into two halves. He showed the boy how to scoop out the soft, pulpy insides. The boy took the coconut and scarfed it down gratefully. Seeing he was still hungry, Razi pierced open another King coconut for him, all the while keeping an eye out for the two men.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d asked the boy, after taking a long swig of coconut water. \u201cI\u2019m Zheng.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m Razi. I live in the town down the beach from here. How come you speak our language?\u201d He glanced nervously at the sea. Would the men be back? And was it all right to leave the boy in this state?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zheng wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. \u201cOh, I speak loads of languages. I don\u2019t mean to boast, but I can\u2019t think of a language I don\u2019t know even a little of. Been all over the world, you see.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi frowned. So much for not boasting.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zheng put down the coconut and gave a small sigh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cListen,\u201d said Razi. \u201cI don\u2019t like to hurry you while you\u2019re like this, but you need to get out of here fast.\u201d \u201cWhy do you say that?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBecause a man called Marco means to kill you.\u201d The boy startled and dropped the coconut, water sloshing over his legs. He scrabbled around as he tried to get up. \u201cHold on!\u201d said Razi. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean that fast!\u201d Zheng stared at him with such panic-stricken eyes that Razi felt instantly sorry for him. \u201cWho are you?\u201dsaid Zheng. \u201cAre you working for Marco?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo! He and another man came ashore in a boat soon after you did.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMarco is here?\u201d Zheng got up and staggered around like a crab before he managed to straighten up. \u201cWait, where are you going?\u201d said Razi, following Zheng as he stalked around in a panic.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know. Just away. I\u2019ll figure something out. I always do.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi could hardly leave him now. Zheng was shuffling inland in his ragged clothes, tired and weak, barely able to stand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWait, Zheng.\u201d Razi ran up to him. \u201cThere\u2019s a place near here where you can rest for a bit.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zheng turned back and looked at him hopefully. \u201cCome on!\u201d Razi led the way up the beach, threading through the coconut trees to the abandoned fisherman\u2019s hut he knew was there. \u201cIt can\u2019t really be seen from the beach. You\u2019ll be safe while you hide and think of what to do.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The hut was just a minute up the beach, small and coconut-thatched. There was a single wooden window that didn\u2019t close very well. The corners were full of cobwebs, and the door hung lopsidedly off its hinges. It wasn\u2019t great, but it was safe.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWould anyone come here?\u201d said Zheng.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNo. It was abandoned a long time ago. No one comes to this beach at all. I only come here because of the turtles.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zheng relaxed visibly and settled on the hard earth floor, stretching himself out.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s that rustling noise coming from your shirt?\u201dasked Razi.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zheng paled under his sunburn. \u201cI\u2019m not sure what you mean. I think it\u2019s my bones creaking.\u201d Razi suppressed a chuckle. Whatever it was, clearly Zheng didn\u2019t want Razi to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThank you for everything,\u201d said Zheng. \u201cThe less you know about any of this the better. Marco is a dangerous man, and Cook isn\u2019t too sweet either.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t I know it.\u201d Razi leaned against the window. \u201cHe\u2019s already threatened to find me and kill me if I was lying to him. And I was.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zheng shook his head in confusion. \u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMarco asked if I\u2019d seen you. I said you went to town and sent him the wrong way.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zheng\u2019s face turned sour. \u201cOh no. He\u2019s not someone you want to cross for any reason.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat about you, though? Will you be all right?\u201d \u201cOf course,\u201d said Zheng, leaning his head against the wall and closing his eyes. He seemed to have become more relaxed after reaching the hut. \u201cI\u2019ve been in all sorts of situations. When you work on a ship and have been all over the world, you\u2019re ready for anything. Reminds me of the time we had to fight off pirates. Not that it happened just the once, but this one time was particularly tense, because I had only one working arm at the time.\u201d Razi had no idea how seriously to take any of this. He was curious about Zheng, though, and felt responsible for him after rescuing him from the boat. \u201cWho are you? How did you come to be in that boat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zheng\u2019s face screwed up, as if he was trying to hold back some emotion. \u201cI was on a merchant ship that sank.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re a ship\u2019s boy, then?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zheng nodded. \u201cIt might not sound like much. But I was very close to the captain, no less. And I\u2019ve been all over the world. Been doing this since I was eight, and now I\u2019m twelve. Imagine that.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That was impressive, but Razi wasn\u2019t about to admit it. He was twelve too, but he had never even left the area he lived in.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhere did you say you were from again?\u201d said Zheng. \u201cGalle,\u201d said Razi. \u201cIt\u2019s a town about a mile or so up the beach from here. There\u2019s nothing else around. If you go up the beach the other way there\u2019s a village, but that\u2019s even farther away than Galle.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat were you doing here then?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was watching turtle hatchlings. There are always loads of them here. I like to see them go safely to the sea. Did you know that\u2019s why they run to the sea so soon after birth? It\u2019s so they\u2019re safe from predators.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s nice,\u201d said Zheng, though he didn\u2019t look too interested in the turtles. Which wasn\u2019t surprising considering he was running away from a maniac who was trying to kill him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve got to go now. My mother will be waiting for me. We usually have breakfast together before she goes to work. Good luck, Zheng.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAh, breakfast\u2026 Can\u2019t remember the last time I had it,\u201d said Zheng, a mournful expression on his face. \u201cWell, goodbye, Razi. Thank you for everything.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Razi nodded and turned to go. He stopped at the doorway. He couldn\u2019t very well leave Zheng without food. The coconut pulp was hardly anything.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He turned back to Zheng. \u201cDon\u2019t move from here. I\u2019ll bring you some food and water and then you can be on your way.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zheng looked thrilled. \u201cCould you hide my boat as well? If Marco comes back, it\u2019ll show him where I am. I\u2019d do it myself if I wasn\u2019t so weak.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSure.\u201d Razi smiled. He\u2019d move the boat, bring the food, and that would be the end of that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider.png 850w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider-300x18.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider-768x45.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/All-About-the-Author-February-2022.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16641\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/All-About-the-Author-February-2022.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/All-About-the-Author-February-2022-300x59.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/All-About-the-Author-February-2022-768x150.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"ubb-about-author\"><h3>About Nizrana Farook<\/h3><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/nizrana-farook-350x350.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"alignleft ubb-about-author-photo\"><p>Nizrana Farook was born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the beautiful landscapes of her home country find their way into the stories she writes. She has a master's degree in writing for young people, and lives in Hertfordshire, England with her husband and two daughters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ubb-author-links\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nizranafarook.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Website<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NizRite\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Twitter<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NizRite\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Facebook<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/author\/show\/19040195.Nizrana_Farook\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Goodreads<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3HdM9iQ\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Amazon<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nizrite\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Instagram<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider.png 850w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider-300x18.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider-768x45.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Follow-the-Blog-Tour-February-2022.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16639\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Follow-the-Blog-Tour-February-2022.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Follow-the-Blog-Tour-February-2022-300x59.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Follow-the-Blog-Tour-February-2022-768x150.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\" id=\"week-one\"><strong>Week One<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>1\/31\/2022<\/strong><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/kaitgoodwin.com\/books\"><strong>Kait Plus Books<\/strong><\/a><\/td><td><strong>Excerpt<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1\/31\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.yabookscentral.com\/\">YABooksCentral<\/a><\/td><td>Excerpt<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/1\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/rajivsreviews.com\/\">Rajiv&#8217;s Reviews<\/a><\/td><td>Review\/IG Post<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/1\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/pickagoodbook.com\/\">Pick A Good Book<\/a><\/td><td>Excerpt\/IG Post<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/2\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nerdophiles.com\/\">Nerdophiles&nbsp;<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/2\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/coffeesipsandreads\/\">@coffeesipsandreads<\/a><\/td><td>Review\/IG Post<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/3\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/themommaspot.home.blog\/\">The Momma Spot<\/a><\/td><td>Review\/IG Post<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/3\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/bookreviewvirginialee.com\/\">#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog<\/a><\/td><td>Excerpt<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/4\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bookhoundsya.net\/\">BookHounds YA&nbsp;<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/4\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/logcabinlibrary.blogspot.com\/\">Log Cabin Library<\/a><\/td><td>Excerpt<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\" id=\"week-two\"><strong>Week Two<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>2\/7\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/lexijavabookish.wordpress.com\/\">@lexijava&nbsp;<\/a><\/td><td>Review\/IG Post<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/7\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/thebookwyrmsden.com\/\">The Bookwyrm&#8217;s Den<\/a><\/td><td>Review\/IG Post<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/8\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/thereadingwordsmith.blogspot.com\/\">The Reading Wordsmith<\/a><\/td><td>Review\/IG Post<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/8\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/blessedmommysc.blogspot.com\/\">Lifestyle of Me<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/9\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.onemoreexclamation.com\/\">OneMoreExclamation<\/a><\/td><td>Review\/IG Post<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/9\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/am2cents.blogspot.com\/\">Two Points of Interest<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/10\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amybooksy.blogspot.com\/\">Locks, Hooks and Books<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/10\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/bibliophileonloose.home.blog\/\">Bibliophile On Loose<\/a><\/td><td>Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/11\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/enjoyingbooksagain\/\">@enjoyingbooksagain<\/a><\/td><td>Review\/IG Post<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2\/11\/2022<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/thebookview.com\/\">The Book View<\/a><\/td><td>Excerpt\/IG Post<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider.png 850w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider-300x18.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider-768x45.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Enter-the-Giveaway-February-2022.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16640\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Enter-the-Giveaway-February-2022.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Enter-the-Giveaway-February-2022-300x59.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Enter-the-Giveaway-February-2022-768x150.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rafflecopter.com\/rafl\/display\/e2389ba21396\/\" data-type=\"URL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Enter here to win a print copy of&nbsp;<em>The Boy Who Met a Whale<\/em> by Nizrana Farook!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>(US Only)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"50\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider.png 850w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider-300x18.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/0march-2022-divider-768x45.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Questions-and-Answers-February-2022.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16636\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Questions-and-Answers-February-2022.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Questions-and-Answers-February-2022-300x59.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Questions-and-Answers-February-2022-768x150.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>What do you think about <em>The Boy Who Met a Whale<\/em>? Have you added it&nbsp;to your tbr yet?&nbsp;Let me know in the comments and have a splendiferous day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Kait-Plus-Books-Signature-February-2022-1024x512.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16634\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Kait-Plus-Books-Signature-February-2022-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Kait-Plus-Books-Signature-February-2022-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Kait-Plus-Books-Signature-February-2022-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Kait-Plus-Books-Signature-February-2022.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Happy Monday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for THE BOY WHO MET A WHALE by Nizrana Farook! I\u2019m so excited to share an excerpt of the book with you today, AND more information about the author and tour, PLUS you can enter the giveaway to win a print copy!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16645,"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":[537,651,540,3704,462,3826,538,3827],"reading-challenges":[],"class_list":["post-16570","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-january-2022","tag-kait-plus-books","tag-nizrana-farook","tag-rockstar-book-tours","tag-the-boy-who-met-a-whale","book-author-nizrana-farook","book-publisher-peachtree-publishing-company","book-genre-fantasy","book-genre-middle-grade","book-genre-science-fiction"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2022-The-Boy-Who-Met-a-Whale-Featured-Image.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16570","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=16570"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16570\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16643,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16570\/revisions\/16643"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16570"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16570"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16570"},{"taxonomy":"reading-challenges","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kaitgoodwin.com\/books\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-challenges?post=16570"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}