Press Release from ZONDERkidz

July 2013 A Celebrated Mystery Novelist Kicks Off a Brand New Middle Grade Series with a Gripping First Book     INSPY and Agatha Award finalist Amanda Flower has penned an intriguing new mystery sure to please middle grade readers and budding sleuths. ANDI UNEXPECTED (Zonderkidz; $10.99; October 2013), the first entry in the author's Andi Boggs series, is part history lesson and part fascinating puzzle that readers will enjoy helping to solve. In the novel, 12-year-old Andi (short for Andora), has just moved with her sister, Bethany, to their young aunt Amelie's home in Ohio. Orphaned by the death of their parents, Andi often feels abandoned and alone, especially since Bethany has become increasingly withdrawn. Fortunately, things begin to change for the better when Andi discovers a mysterious old chest hidden in Amelie's attic inscribed with the name 'Andora.'  Since no one in the family remembers this first Andora, Andi and her new friend, Colin, are captivated.  They are determined to find out who she was and to uncover the truth behind the fascinating, but startling, contents in the chest. With the assistance of the town curator, the two kids delve deeper into Andora's story and find themselves entangled in a Boggs family mystery rooted in the Great Depression. They wonder what happened to Andora. Did she once live in the Boggs' home? Could she still be alive? As more and more questions pile up, Andi and Colin need to crack the case while others in town try to exploit Andora's story for their own purposes. Will Andi and Colin find out who Andora was before someone else does? In ANDI UNEXPECTED, Flower delivers a mesmerizing plot that will have readers guessing until the last page. While the book compels readers to put on their detective hats, Flower's sensitive portrayal of the titular young heroine offers someone with whom they can identify. Inspired by her grandfather's stories of The Great Depression and the Second World War, Flower hopes the book will encourage readers to learn more about their own history by visiting local libraries and museums, just as Andi and Colin do. **** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Amanda Flower a mystery author and Agatha Award finalist (Maid of Murder), who first caught the writing bug in elementary school. She is also the author of both the Appleseed Creek and India Hayes Series, and writes other mystery novels for Penguin/NAL under the pen name Isabella Alan. In addition, Flower is a librarian at Ursuline College near her hometown of Tallmadge, Ohio. Visit her online at ww.amandaflower.com andwww.isabellaalan.com     To request an interview with Amanda Flower or to receive a review copy of ANDI UNEXPECTED, please contact Candice Frederick at DJC Communications: 212-971-9707, Candice@djccommunications.com.   Zonderkidz™, a division of Zondervan, inspires young lives through imagination and innovation. As the leader in Christian children's communications, it produces bestselling and award-winning Bibles, books, board books, graphic novels, audio, video and digital products that awaken the hearts and touch the souls of kids under 16 and the people who love them, from family members to educators. Zonderkidz is the publisher of the NIrV (New International Reader's Version) Bible translation, the 3rd-grade reading level edition of the NIV that is ideal for children and those who speak English as a second language. Visit Zonderkidz on the Internet atwww.zonderkidz.com. Zondervan, a HarperCollins company headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a world leader in Christian communications and the leading Christian publishing brand. For more than 75 years, Zondervan has delivered transformational Christian experiences through general and academic resources authored by influential leaders and emerging voices, and has been honored with more Christian Book Awards than any other publisher.

Candice Frederick DJC Communications  212-971-9707 candice@djccommunications.com