Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264

Monday, March 11, 2024




ABOUT THE BOOK

Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264

Written by Sands Hetherington
Illustrated by Natalie Leininger
Ages 7+ | 156 Pages
Publisher: Dune Buggy Press | ISBN-13: 9780984741762

Publisher’s Book Summary: The iguanas are back to their stinky shenanigans. They’ve fitted out the flying school bus for real mischief and are marauding all over the Borough. They’ve really got it in for John and Crosley, who must sniff out their evildoings before it’s too late! Will they succeed? Join the Night Buddies in their racing blimp for this exciting new adventure!

Available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sands Hetherington, creator of the Night Buddies series of chapter books, credits his son John for being his principal motivator. Sands and young John developed the Crosley crocodile character in the series during months of bedtime story give-and-take. They collaborated many nights on escapades starring John and Crosley until, eventually, it occurred to Sands why it was that Crosley was bright red. That was when the first book came together.

Sands majored in history at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and has an M.F.A. in creative writing and an M.A. in English from UNC-Greensboro. He lives in Greensboro, North Carolina.

For more information, visit www.nightbuddiesadventures.com/, https://twitter.com/Night_Buddieshttps://www.pinterest.com/nightbuddies2/, https://www.facebook.com/NightBuddieshttps://www.instagram.com/nightbuddiesadventure/, https://www.tiktok.com/@nightbuddiesbookseries%20.


ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Natalie Leininger, illustrator of the 4th title in the Night Buddies series, grew up in New Jersey and has been drawing ever since she was young. She now lives in Nebraska and attends the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, studying the fine arts. She is in her third year at the university, primarily practicing oil painting, but spends time outside of the classroom working on a variety of projects. She has always enjoyed being with children, which made illustrating and working on Night Buddies such an enjoyable project!

Natalie strives to capture our world in bloom. Whether it be through the literal sense of a blooming flower or the simple act of sketching a character’s smile spreading across their face, her art is a place for all to engage in their own way.


AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Life Is What It's Called -What's the overall message of Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264?

Sands Hetherington - It’s really a kid’s story that’s pure entertainment. I just wanted to entertain young readers. If there’s any message in there, I’m not aware of it, although readers should enjoy the friendship between John and Crosley and realize the value of having a close friend. Friends teach each other social skills, provide moral support, and a host of other things. John does his best when it comes to Crosley.

Life Is What It's Called -What was your favorite scene to write and why?

Sands Hetherington - I think the scene with John and Crosley setting a booby trap for the iguanas who were going to spray paint John’s parents’ house. The booby trap blew up and scared the iguanas away. You’ve never seen a bunch of iguanas take off on their dirt bikes so fast!

Life Is What It's Called - Do you have a similar personality to any of the characters?

Sands Hetherington - I would say the character of John, who is fashioned after my own son John.

Life Is What It's Called - How is this book different from others on the market? 

Sands Hetherington - I don’t think there’s another book on the market that involves a red crocodile who’s allergic to water. When he gets water on him, he does the Black Bottom dance for hours. This dance became popular during 1920s amid the Jazz Age and became a national craze. The antidote that his brother, Crenwinkle, gives Crosley is what makes him turn red.

Life Is What It's Called -What did you learn from writing this book?

Sands Hetherington - This is the fourth book in the Night Buddies series, “Adventures after Lights Out.” I had to recall vividly what happened in prior books so that the storyline and characters would remain consistent. The books need to be compatible.

Life Is What It's Called -How has your life prepared you to write the Night Buddies series?

Sands Hetherington - I had always wanted to be a writer, and it occurred to me one night that I hadn’t done any writing in years. Every night I read to my son John for twenty minutes or so, and when we finished, he would continue making up this story about a red crocodile. I thought the idea was fresh and original and might be something entertaining for children.

Life Is What It's Called - What will readers enjoy most about Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264?

Sands Hetherington - It’s a wholesome adventure. My stepfather used to read books to me when I was a kid. I still listen to books and relish the characters that the authors invent. I simply want kids to have fun with the characters I created.



GIVEAWAY

Enter the giveaway for your chance to win an autographed 4-book series, including: Night Buddies and the Pineapple Cheesecake Scare, Night Buddies and One Far-out Flying Machine, Night Buddies Go Sky High, and Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264!

Night Buddies and Evil School Bus #264: Book Giveaway 

This post is sponsored by Sands Hetherington. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.

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