Cover Reveal: Mammoth by Jill Baguchinsky

Happy Monday, friends! Today on Pop! Goes The Reader I’m thrilled to welcome author Jill Baguchinsky to the blog as we reveal the cover of Jill’s forthcoming novel, Mammoth! Coming to a bookstore and library near you November 8th 2018 from Turner Publishing, Mammoth is a young adult contemporary novel that has been pitched as “Jurassic Park meets Dumplin’” and that tells the story of Natalie Page, a plus-size science and fashion-obsessed paleontology geek who lands the coveted internship at an Ice Age dig site she’s always dreamed of with unexpected and challenging results. I’m always on the lookout for books that emphasize body positivity at every size and I’ve been super excited about this book in particular since I first read the announcement about it in Publisher’s Weekly, so I couldn’t have been happier when Jill’s agent, the amazing Eric Smith, reached out to ask if I would be interested in helping with Jill’s reveal! The cover of Mammoth was designed by Madeline Cothren. Please read on to learn more about Mammoth including an exclusive cover reveal, a special note from the author and a chance to win an advance reader copy of the novel from Jill Baguchinsky!

About Jill Baguchinsky

Jill Baguchinsky remembers staring down the bones of prehistoric beasts during a trip to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City when she was six. That visit spurred a lifelong fondness for paleontology that inspired the first draft of Mammoth.

Jill lives in Florida with a couple of very strange cats. If she’s not writing, she’s probably goofing off at Disney World, pretending she can knit, buying more books than she can possibly read, or teaching others how to pronounce her last name. (BAG-uh-CHIN-ski – it’s easier than it looks!)

But let’s not kid ourselves. She’s most likely writing.

Author Links: Website ● Twitter ● Instagram ● Facebook ● Goodreads

I wrote Mammoth in part for my past selves – for the six-year-old who spent hours studying a dinosaur encyclopedia, for the sixteen-year-old who searched for courage while caught in a whirlwind of self-conscious anxiety. I also wrote Mammoth for the fat girls who’ve had to find ways to shield themselves from bullies, and for the science-minded girls who’ve had to fight to be taken seriously. I wrote Mammoth for anyone who’s had to move past self-doubt and dig up their true awesomeness.

I wanted to combine all of that with plenty of solid, quirky science. My brilliant bestie, Dava, works at Waco Mammoth National Monument, an Ice Age dig site and education center. With her amazing help, I learned to dig and prospect for fossils, consulted with paleontologists and science educators, and toured labs and fossil collections. I even got to interact with elephants! (And of course I had to try real Texas barbecue. You know, for research.) It was, by far, the most fun I’ve ever had researching a story.

Finding representation for Mammoth was less fun. My last agent and I parted ways over this book; several other agents loved the story but insisted there was no room in the market for a plus-size heroine like Natalie. The first agent to say otherwise was Eric Smith of P.S. Literary during his 2017 Reddit AMA. Not long after that, I queried him, and he’s been Natalie’s most encouraging cheerleader ever since. It’s because of his hard work and enthusiasm that I’m finally about to bring Mammoth to the science girls, the fat girls, the self-doubters and the fossil geeks. I wrote Mammoth for you. And for me.

Title Mammoth
Author Jill Baguchinsky
Pages 304 Pages
Intended Target Audience Young Adult
Genre Contemporary
To Be Published November 8th 2018 by Turner
Find It On Goodreads ● Amazon.com ● The Book Depository

The summer before her junior year, paleontology geek Natalie Page lands a coveted internship at an Ice Age dig site near Austin. Natalie, who’s also a plus-size fashion blogger, depends on the retro style she developed to shield herself from her former bullies, but vintage dresses and perfect lipstick aren’t compatible with prospecting for fossils in the Texas heat. But nothing is going to dampen Natalie’s spirit — she’s exactly where she wants to be, and she gets to work with her hero, a rock-star paleontologist who hosts the most popular paleo podcast in the world. And then there’s Chase the intern, who’s seriously cute, and Cody, a local boy who’d be even cuter if he were less of a grouch.

It’s a summer that promises to be about more than just mammoths.

Until it isn’t.

When Natalie’s hero turns out to be anything but, and steals the credit for one of her accomplishments, Nat has to unearth the confidence she needs to stand out in a field dominated by dudes. To do this, she’ll have to let her true self shine, even if that means defying all the rules for the sake of a major discovery.

As an extra, exciting bonus, Jill has been kind enough to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to win an advance reader copy of Mammoth! This contest is open internationally. One winner will be chosen at random at the conclusion of the giveaway and the prize will be distributed by Jill when ARCs become available. Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

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