This book will appeal to young readers whose families are or have been transient or who have unresolved family issues

Happy Book Birthday to

THE SECRET HUM OF A DAISY

by Tracy Holczer!

Twelve-year-old Grace and her mother have always been their own family, traveling from place to place like gypsies. But Grace wants to finally have a home all their own. She thinks she’s found it with Mrs. Greene and her daughter Lacey so when her mother says it’s time to move on again, Grace summons the courage to tell her mother how she really feels. She’ll always regret that her last words to her were angry ones.

Now faced with making a home with a grandmother she’s never met, and according to her mother, didn’t want her in the first place, Grace is desperate to get back to Mrs. Greene and Lacey. A mysterious treasure hunt, just like the ones her mother used to send her on, may must be the key. It all begins with a crane. And Grace is sure it’s her mother showing her the way home.

You can read the first chapter on Tracy’s webpage.

For a wonderful review, head over to Leandra Wallace’s blog. (BONUS: recipe for luscious lemonade cookie pies!) For an interview with Tracy, visit OneFour KidLit, and to get the scoop on her success story head over to Miss Snark’s First Victim.

Look at this list list of recognitions!

2014 Indies Introduce New Voices pick for Summer/Fall

Publisher’s Weekly starred review

Kirkus Reviews quote: “Holczer presents a tender, transformative exploration of family, loss and reconciliation. The phrasing and the images are beautiful and rich.”

And for those of you who are fortunate enough to be going to the SCBWI International Conference in Los Angeles this summer, Tracy will be on the New Voices Panel on Group Marketing Strategies.

Tracy Holczer lives in Southern California with her husband, three daughters, and two rather fluffy dogs named Buster and Molly. She has a deep love for the mountains where she grew up so she writes them into her stories. Her debut middle grade novel, The Secret Hum of a Daisy, was written in praise of both nature and family, and all that can be found if you’re willing to hunt for treasure. It will be published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons on May 1, 2014 and by Konigskinder/Carlsen in Germany 2015.