Top Five Reasons You NEED to Read SKY JUMPERS!

SKY JUMPERS, a post-apocalyptic middle grade novel by our very own Peggy Eddleman, comes out tomorrow! So, for the first half of this week, we're going to be telling you guys all about why you should read this book. Because oh, man, you have GOT to read it. Seriously.

The skinny:
The story follows a girl named Hope, who lives in a world left crippled in the aftermath of World War III. Desperate to regain the technology they once had, her town is all about invention—everyone is expected to produce marvels once a year like clockwork. And it seems like everyone lives up, using their strengths to design miraculous devices... everyone except for Hope, whose only talent seems to be getting into trouble. But when danger threatens her beloved home, it turns out that Hope has a different kind of strength, a kind that may just be what she needs to save her town. (Read the full blurb here!)

Top Five Reasons You MUST Read This Book:

1. Marvel at the inventions! Oh, the inventions. These kids invent everything from a better kind of spoon to machines that'll do your chores for you. Seriously, all I want is to kidnap Aaren, inventor prodigy, to come invent me a coaster that will keep my tea warm even when I get lost for hours in a good book.
2. Fall in love with Hope, the badass next door! Rarely do you meet a heroine in a novel that you'll want to cheer for as much as you're going to want to cheer for Hope. She is the perfect combination of girl next door and total badass. It's not that she isn't scared of anything, it's that she's taught herself not to let her fear hold her back. She'll get right under your skin and drag you along through this book at a breakneck pace.
3. Experience the thrill of skydiving without a parachute! Due to an atmospheric anomaly caused by the bombs used in WWIII, there are pockets of dense, deadly air called Bomb's Breath. If you breathe in them, you're dead—but they're so dense that they can slow your fall. Hope and her friends sneak off to base jump off cliffs and through pockets of Bomb's Breath for fun. Through Peggy's description, you get all the fun of free-falling without any of the side effects: you know, mind-numbing terror, the occasional splatting on the ground, that sort of thing.
4. Wish that Hope's friends were your friends! If you're anything like me, you tend to get tired of the stereotypical sidekick archetypes you often find in children's books. (You know what I mean. The smart one, the funny one, the sarcastic one, etc.) Not a stereotype in sight in SKY JUMPERS, though. Aaren, Brock, and Brenna are delightful additions to the cast, and all throughout the book you're going to find yourself wishing you could pal around with them, too. Though maybe not in quite as dire circumstances as Hope finds herself. Call me crazy, but I like to keep my feet on the ground, thanks.
5. Bask in the reminder... that there are different kinds of strength. Though not moralistic in nature, this book is the perfect reminder that not everyone has the same kinds of talents. Hope feels like the odd one out because she's not a born inventor like her peers, but what she lacks in engineering ingenuity she makes up for in spirit and courage, and this is what makes her the perfect person to save her town. I love stories that turn an ugly duckling's weaknesses into strengths—and if you read SKY JUMPERS, you will too!

SKY JUMPERS will be available September 24, 2013, 

from Random House Children's Books. 

Order your copy here!