Hello, Future Me

by Kim Ventrella

Overview

A heart-expanding story of hope, friendship, and the power that comes with realizing that magic, like family, doesn't always look the way you expect it to.

Eleven-year-old June is a problem-solver. Some people might call her a busybody, but that's okay. Just look at all the couples she helped find love! (Grateful newlyweds Marlene and Big Vic have even promised June free hot chocolate for life at their café.)However, when June learns that her parents are getting divorced, she has to face the fact that there are some problems too big even for her. At least, that's what the adults in her life keep saying.But June's convinced there's a way to make her parents fall back in love. While brainstorming ideas on her new secondhand laptop — purchased from a mysterious store in town called The Shop of Last Resort — June gets a strange IM from someone named JuniePie28 . . . someone who claims to be an older version of June messaging her from the future.At first, she assumes it's a prank. But JuniePie28 knows too much about June's life to be a fraud, and future June warns her against interfering with her parents' marriage. But June can't just sit around and watch her parents' marriage dissolve, not when there's a magical shop in town that could be the answer to all her problems! Will June prove her older self wrong and stop the divorce? Or will she have to accept that there are some things she can't control?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338576177
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/04/2020
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	651,349
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kim Ventrella spends her days searching for whimsy and wonder, even in the darkest of times. She is the author of Bone Hollow and Skeleton Tree, which Kirkus Reviews called an "emotional roller coaster tempered by a touch of magic." She lives in Oklahoma City, where her favorite activities include writing stories, working at a haunted house, and racing her dog in the rain.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Hello, Future Me

"This light fantasy eases the tension of a tough topic." —Kirkus Reviews

“A perfectly magical story packed with twists, energy and charm!” –Janet Fox, award-winning author of The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle

“A sensitive story filled with humor, adventure and characters you want to hug. A wonderful read for all.” —Samantha M. Clark, author of The Boy, The Boat and the Beast

“Hello, Future Me is quite simply one of the most charming, and heartwarming books that I’ve read in a while. Get this book and start reading TODAY!” –Jonathan Rosen, author of Night of the Living Cuddle Bunnies

Praise for Bone Hollow

A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids 2019

“Set in the rural South, the syrup-soaked, rich imagery is a sensory delight. Gabe’s voice is distinct, and the evolution of his conflict reinforces the humanity amid the magic. A heck of a good read about the bright side of some durn bad luck.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Ventrella fearlessly tackles the sensitive subject of death for a middle grade audience.” –Booklist

Praise for Skeleton Tree

“[An] emotional roller coaster tempered by a touch of magic and a resilient, likable protagonist.” —Kirkus Reviews"Kim Ventrella knows when to be playful and when to break your heart.” —Cassie Beasley, NYT-bestselling author of Circus Mirandus

“Like Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, Skeleton Tree upends the myth of the Grim Reaper. Scary, sad, funny and always so, so sweet, Skeleton Tree will haunt me and remind me that life is miraculous when it’s rooted in hope and empathy.” —Paul Griffin, author When Friendship Followed Me Home

“Ventrella’s comforting storytelling reveals a magical world where a skeleton can grow and where a family’s love for each other can provide healing.” —School Library Journal

"Quietly powerful; dark yet whimsical . . .” —Booklist

Praise for The Secret Life of Sam

"The magic is rooted in evocative descriptions and strong emotions. Magically mesmerizing and moving." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

From the Publisher

2020-05-03
Magic helps a 12-year-old girl cope with her parents’ impending divorce.

June has always been a problem-solver and is quick to tell readers so directly in her lively, conversational narration. She questions her skills, however, when her mother returns from a five-week art retreat with a new guy and her parents decide to divorce. The author tempers June’s natural shock, anger, and desire to keep her parents together with her setting, a whimsical locale that celebrates Bigfoot sightings and magic from the newly opened Shop of Last Resort. As June schemes to make her parents love each other again, she also receives a refurbished laptop from this oddities emporium, which connects her via social media to child and young adult versions of herself. While child June shows her burgeoning strains in her parents’ relationship, her “Future Me” warns her about intervening. Against her own advice, so to speak, a desperate June tries out some of the shop’s unusual spells. The ensuing mishaps not only create intrigue, but allow June to realize and accept that she can’t control everything in her life. Particularly lovable throughout these mysterious events are June’s dad, a burly, tattooed handyman who’s also not afraid to cry, and best friend, Calvin, another supportive male and possible first love interest. Characters default to white in this quirky town located near Oklahoma and Arkansas’ Ouachita Mountains.

This light fantasy eases the tension of a tough topic. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews