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Local author honored St. Paul author Geoffrey Saign has hit the jackpot with his 2014 book, WhipEye. Not only are teachers, kids and Amazon.com reviewers raving about his middle-grade urban fantasy thriller (the first in a series), it’s also received two pretty big literary honors this year — first place in children’s fiction from the 2015 International Book Awards and a Book of the Year nod in outstanding children’s fiction from the Independent Author Network. Recommended for ages 10 and older, WhipEye ($13.95 paperback) follows the adventures of 12-yearold Samantha, an animal enthusiast struggling to recover from her mother’s death while also dealing with the antics of a 1,000-year-old wise-cracking parrot, who convinces her (and her sidekick buddy, Jake, from across the street) to fight monstrous animals that threaten their world and a world beyond. Saign (pronounced “sign,” as in stop sign) says the book is ideal for reluctant readers who are interested in nature and wildlife. Overriding themes include the power of love, helping others and trusting your intuition. Saign is also the author of Green Essentials: What You Need to Know About the Environment, as well as the eduational non-fiction books for middle graders — African Cats and Great Apes. Saign, who teaches special-education classes for kids and adults, is thrilled with his novel’s recent acclaim: “It’s always great, as a writer, to get validation that you’ve done something right, and maybe even wonderful.” Book 2 in Saign’s WhipEye Chronicles series — Gorgon — was released in September. Download the first chapters of WhipEye and Gorgon for free at geoffreysaign.net.
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December 2015 • mnparent.com
How do these deals sound to you? Take $2 off each admission ticket at the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul. Get $5 off a purchase of $25 or more at the Hard Rock Café at the Mall of America. Enjoy two-for-one admission at any of the four Pump It Up locations in the Twin Cities. These are just a few of the local discounts members of the new Twin Cities Kids Club can receive with their $12 monthly memberships. Twin Cities mommy bloggers and Kids Club co-owners Lisa Baker (Twin Cities Frugal Mom) and Aimee Farley (Why I Left My Job) founded the site to help parents potentially save money every month at museums, indoor play places, restaurants, retail stores and more. All are listed in the everchanging discount directory at twincitieskidsclub.com. “We have so much fun experiencing local attractions and businesses with our own kids. We love to share our experiences with other families,” Lisa Baker said. The site’s event calendar features low-cost and free activities for all ages including live performances, community festivals and story times. Families can also sign up for a weekly e-newsletter highlighting the best upcoming events and offers. Deals with Twin Cities Kids Club may be used multiple times and can often be used to cover an entire family. Learn more at facebook.com/ twincitieskidsclub.