Saturday, September 6, 2014

EgmontUSA Blog Tour & Guest Post: Lug, Dawn of the Ice Age (David Zeltser)

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Lug, Dawn of the Ice Age
Hardcover, 192 pages
Expected publication: September 9th 2014 by EgmontUSA


A hilarious middle-grade novel about a misunderstood caveboy perfect for fans of Ice Age, Happy Feet, The Time Warp Trio, and Platypus Police Squad. 
Lug is a caveboy who would rather paint than club other caveboys. The clan even mocks him, calling him "Little Slug." Like all the other caveboys, Lug must enter the contest to become the clan's next Big Man and attempt to catch the Biggest Beast--even though he would much rather spend his days painting in his secret art cave. When Lug is banished for failing to catch a jungle llama, he thinks he is alone in the world but finds others who believe in him: his clanmate Stony and a new friend, Echo, a girl from a rival clan who can talk to animals and just may be prehistory's first vegetarian/animal rights activist. Together they face even bigger challenges--Lug discovers the Ice Age is coming and he has to bring the warring clans together to save them not only from the freeze but also from a particularly unpleasant migrating pride of saber-toothed tigers. It's no help that the elders are cavemen who can't seem to get the concept of climate change through their thick skulls. With both funny, anachronistic humor, charming characters, and strong themes, Lug, Dawn of the Ice Age is sure to be a hit with many readers.
Illustrated with black and white line art throughout. 




David Zeltser
DAVID ZELTSER emigrated from the Soviet Union as a child, graduated from Harvard, and has worked with all kinds of wild animals, including rhinos, owls, sharks, and ad executives. He is the author of Lug, Dawn of the Ice Age, the first book in a satirical series about the world’s inaction on climate change, for ages 8-12. He also has a forthcoming picture book, Ninja Baby, with Caldecott Honor illustrator Diane Goode (Chronicle Books). David lives with his wife and daughter in Santa Cruz, California. He performs improv comedy and loves meeting readers of all ages. His second book about Lug is scheduled to publish in Fall 2015. Visit David’s website at www.davidzeltser.com. He’s also on Twitter: @davidzeltser


Dear Beth and Curling Up With a Good Book readers,

For this short guest post, I want to tell you where the phrase “Curling Up With a Good Book” takes me.

When I was struggling with what to do with myself in my twenties, I loved doing various volunteer wildlife jobs around the country in exchange for room and board. I banded birds at Long Point Bird Observatory in the middle of Lake Erie, collected insects at Archbold Biological Station in Central Florida, and many more. These were really cool jobs, but I sometimes felt lonely and (especially at night) anxious about my future. That was when I discovered the books of James Herriot. His incredibly charming tales of being a country vet on the farms of the Yorkshire Dales would always soothe me, amuse me and, eventually, put me out like a tranquilized sheep.

I later got the books on audio and—I know it sounds crazy—listened to them every night for years. Although obviously very different from LUG, I have no doubt that Herriot’s stories have had a huge influence on me and my writing.

I’d like to end this short post by thanking you for your interest in my work. I hope you’ll visit my website, learn more about all of my upcoming books, and see the LUG book trailer here: http://davidzeltser.com/books/lug-dawn-of-the-ice-age

Keep on curling up,
David


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