Maggie Vaults to "Battle of the Books" List!

Maggie Vaults Over the Moon is listed among the great reads on the 2014-15 Battle of the Books list in the Wichita Diocese Catholic Schools. The Battle of the Books is a popular reading contest for 5th and 6th graders in the district, which includes 25 elementary schools in south central Kansas. The purpose of the program is to encourage students to read good books and have fun competing against students from other schools. The Jeopardy-like team competitions begin in March."It's a great honor to be included on a distinguished reading list like this one," said author Grant Overstake, who lives in Wichita. "It's mind-blowing to be listed among so many great books and authors, including Wichita's most-famous author, Newbery Award-winner Clare Vanderpool."Lisa Hinson, the Librarian at Resurrection Catholic School, notified Overstake that his book had been selected."I liked the fact that your book was a sports title but with a female main character," Hinson wrote. "It is also nice to know that someone is writing books for our YA that aren't filled with rough language or sexual references but still have enough intrigue and action to keep students reading.  Thank you for providing such a book.  Do you have any more in the works?"In the story, Maggie Steele is a gritty farm girl from tiny Grain Valley, Kansas who pours her broken heart into the daring, dangerous sport of pole-vaulting. Driven by a secret she cannot share with anyone, Maggie finds herself on a quest to soar waaay higher than critics think a girl should ever go. Unflinching in its exploration of teenage grief with brilliant descriptions of a breathtaking, beautiful sport, Maggie Vaults Over the Moon is a powerful and rewarding read for mid-grade to adults.