Monday, July 18, 2011

Pearl: Excerpt


As part of the promotional tour through Teen Book Scene, I have a brief excerpt from Jo Knowles's young adult novel PEARL to share with you today. PEARL releases tomorrow (July 19th) and you can read my review HERE. Enjoy!

When we get to the paint-chipped front steps of my house, Henry moves closer to me. I can smell his deodorant and the fabric softener Sally uses because she likes the little teddy bear on the ads. I move closer too, so that our arms touch.

Being close to Henry has always made me feel safe. Ever since I met him at the MiniMart on the corner of our street. I was there to buy my mom some ginger-ale for her hangover and get myself a treat with the change. Henry was buying his mom Soap Digest and some Suzie Q’s. We were seven and it was July. Sally said later this was a sign, us being seven and meeting in the seventh month. She said we were meant to be friends forever.

That first day, Henry and I stepped out of the MiniMart together and began to walk back home, side by side.


“What’s your name?” he asked shyly.


“Bean,” I said. At school, everyone called me by my real name, Pearl. But right away, I knew Henry wasn’t like everyone else.


“Bean. As in the vegetable?”


“Actually, it’s a legume.”


He gave me a weird look. I just shrugged. I knew it was a stupid name, but it’s what I’d always been. My mom said she named me Pearl because I was her unexpected gem. But I don’t think pearls are actually gems. And I don’t think I’m one, either. Gus said the first time he held me, I felt soft and squishy like a bean, not hard and cold like a pearl. But I personally believed the real reason he wouldn’t call me Pearl was for the simple reason that it was the name my mom chose.


PEARL (from Goodreads)

Bean (née Pearl) and Henry, misfits and best friends, have the strangest mothers in town. Henry’s mom Sally never leaves the house. Bean’s mom Lexie, if she is home, is likely nursing a hangover or venting to her friend Claire about Bean’s beloved grandfather Gus, the third member of their sunny household.

Gus’s death unleashes a host of family secrets that brings them all together. And they threaten to change everything—including Bean’s relationship with Henry, her first friend, and who also might turn out to be her first love.

25 comments:

  1. Really like this teaser will have to check it out. :)

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  2. I've never really known the difference between a vegetable and a legume. I'm interested to see if their is any significance and symbolism between the names Pearl and Bean.

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  3. Thank you for sharing the excerpt! I can't wait to read Pearl.

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  4. The writing is definitely beautiful. Thanks for sharing :)

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  5. Laura - Glad you enjoyed it!

    Aylee - I tend to be fairly dense when it comes to symbolism, so there very well might be some with her name but it escaped me:)

    Misha - Looking forward to your thoughts on it!

    Nic - This was one of my favorite parts, Henry is just so darn cute.

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  6. I just got a chance to read this book and liked it. The emotions in it were a hot mess but good.

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  7. Ooh I already like Bean as the protagonist. LOL It's a "legume". I really need to check Pearl out!! =) Thanks for the except Jenny!

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  8. Oooo sounds interesting. I love how she defends her chosen name.

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  9. Savy - Haha yes they were:)

    Bailey - I liked Bean too, she and Henry were really cute together:)

    Juju - She's got some sass to her:)

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  10. It does sound interesting. I like the writing style too. Thanks for sharing this excerpt, Jenny!

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  11. Bean is a wicked awesome name. I've loved it ever since Kurt Cobain introduced his daughter to the Alternative Nation. ;)

    Fun excerpt, Jenny. Thanks for sharing it.

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  12. Henry sounds like a really sweet guy! I can't wait to see how his relationship with Bean develops. :)

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  13. Great excerpt. Now I know the meaning between both her names.

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  14. I want this. Like THIS MINUTE. Hmph. I'll be off in a corner pouting for the next hour...

    xoxo

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  15. I'll have to add this to my list! I haven't heard of it :)

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  16. Christina - You're welcome!

    Missie - I know. I want a cute and fun nickname that I can explain to people:)

    Lauren - He is, I really enjoyed their relationship.

    Jenny - Glad you enjoyed:)

    Ashley - Hahaha just run to the library and grab it:)

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  17. Oh I love this one. Especially her answer with the legume. So good. :) I must read.

    I have several nicks I had in high school. A couple I'd never divulge nor explain... lol

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  18. Great teaser! Your review totally intrigued me and, after reading the excerpt, I think I really will have to make sure I read it.
    Thanks!
    Mary @ Book Swarm

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  19. Love the legume detail. This looks great. What's funny is that the cover seems so serene but the content sounds like it will be about chaotic lives. Interesting.

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  20. Melissa - You're a tease. You can't say something like that and then not share ;)

    Mary - Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

    Alyssa - Bean's a fun character. And that's exactly how the whole book felt - a ton was going on, but everything still seemed really subdued.

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  21. Ok first the review.....and now that excerpt...I think I really will read this now....:)

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  22. Thanks for sharing the excerpt, Jenny. I like Pearl's personality at age seven.

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  23. Awwwww.... I haven't heard of this book before, but I love the idea of BFFs falling in love with one another (Violet and Jay anyone?)... ;)

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  24. Ok, that last paragraph got me. Totally sold. Must. Read. Now. Thanks for posting this!

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  25. Love the "it's a legume" quote. I don't know what Gus was thinking - beans aren't soft and squishy. Although they're moreso than pearls. But I get the point.

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