Good evening everyone and happy Thursday. I’m on the blog tour for Careful What You Hear by Helen Dunlap Newton today and I have an exciting extract to share with you.
This book sounds really intriguing and I’m going to get a copy for my daughter to read as I think she will enjoy it.
Careful What You Hear is out now and you can find out more about the book below as well as read the tantalising extract!
Huge thanks to Rachel for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Helen for providing me with the extract.
What super power do you wish you had?
Book Synopsis:
After a surgical mix-up gave 13-year-old Noah Baker mind reading powers, he became a spy tasked with stopping the bad guys.
Ever since he accidentally got an experimental cochlear implant, Noah and his secret agent partner, Lena, have been going on secret missions for the government. Now, they’re in for a reward for all their hard work-Space Camp! But all is not as it seems. When Noah accidentally overhears thoughts that reveal a plot to steal top secret plans from nearby Redstone Arsenal, he must make a choice.
From award-winning author and educator, Helen Dunlap Newton, Careful What You Hear is an engaging middle-grade read.
Grab your copy now and dive into this thrilling adventure!
Extract Introduction:
Noah is beyond excited about the special trip Captain Billings is giving them. Space Camp was something he had wished for ever since he could remember. Only problem—he and Lena weren’t quite sure if this was a reward or a cover for another mission.
Extract:
A month later, Noah felt adrenaline pulse through his body as the plane sped down the runway of the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. He should have been ready to take a nap since the government car picked him up at five a.m., but he was wide awake. During the secret missions over the last year, the flights were one of the few things he loved.
Loved the fear mixed with excitement as the wheels bumped on the ridges of the pavement.
Loved how the plane’s nose lifted from the tarmac, quickly followed by the tail.
The plane took off over the Potomac River and banked hard to the left. Noah strained his neck to get a glimpse of landmark buildings along the grassy National Mall. Early morning sun winked across the white exterior of the Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the edge of the White House.
He turned to Lena on his right and tapped her arm. She ignored him. With her earphones buried deep in her wavy hair and her eyes closed, most observers would assume she was a bored teenager trying to grab a few more minutes of sleep.
Noah knew better.
Lena hated when Noah could read her private thoughts with his special cochlear implant. But it didn’t take his secret thought-reading ability to know how she felt. One look at her white-knuckled fingers squeezing the front of the armrest, and he knew.
This no-fear girl hated takeoffs.
She’d never said it out loud. She never wanted anyone to know she was afraid of anything.
But Noah knew.
On their first mission as fake junior ambassadors, they’d both been excited to fly to New York City. Even argued who would get the window seat. Lena had stopped taking her turn in the prime viewing spot when, on a later mission, their plane almost collided with another plane on the tarmac in Chicago. The pilot had to slam on the brakes, and their plane skidded off the edge of the runway.
Noah tapped Lena’s shoulder. “You okay?” he asked. She pulled one side of the earphones from her head and gave him a “leave me alone” look.
He waited until she closed her eyes, then he smiled. He knew better than to make her think he was laughing at her.
The plane continued along the Potomac, quickly leaving the Earth below. When they rose above the clouds, he clicked the screen on the back of the seat in front of him and followed their route across Virginia. Noah glanced at Lieutenant Green and Corporal Powell
in the nearby seats. It always seemed strange to see them in their undercover civilian clothes instead of military uniforms.
The lieutenant winked at him and said something to Corporal Powell.
Noah often wondered why the government chose a nurse and a driver to be their chaperones on every trip. There had to be more to their stories than checking blood pressure and a car’s oil. He was tempted to press the secret button on his cochlear so he could hear their thoughts. But he didn’t. He’d learned to be careful what he heard. Knowing everyone’s thoughts wasn’t always a good thing.
Except maybe that girl in health class. He felt a smile spread across his face.
The plane finally leveled off, and Lena pulled her earphones from her head.
“This is my armrest, Upchuck,” she said. “Use the other one.”
Lena reached for her bag under the seat in front of her.
Noah didn’t have to look to know she was searching for a piece of grape gum.
He smiled. “Glad to have you back,” he said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lena asked. She blew a bubble and popped it in her mouth.
“Oh, nothing. You think Lieutenant Green is going to let you chew that gum the whole flight?
“Why not? We’re on vacation, aren’t we?”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Noah’s mind immediately went to the magazine article he’d read about Space Camp. Pictures of a rocket park, flight simulations, and smiling kids filled his head. He so hoped Captain Billings wasn’t keeping something from them.
“Lena,” Noah said, “I’ve been thinking about this vacation Captain Billings is giving us.”
“Good for you,” she said and popped another bubble.
Noah ignored her normal put-down and said, “Going to Space
Camp is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a little kid.” He cleared his throat and leaned closer to her ear. “I just can’t believe they’re not going to have some kind of job for us to do while we’re there.”
“Maybe, but I’ve decided to enjoy it while we can. Relax, Upchuck.” She reached in the seat pocket in front of him and grabbed the airsick bag. “Just keep this close by.” She gave him a toothy smile. “You know, just in case.”
About The Author:
Helen Dunlap Newton, a veteran middle grade language arts teacher, has been a serious writer for children since she became involved in the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Her debut middle grade novel, NIGHT OF THE AMBER MOON, was published in 2021 by Yorkshire Publishing and was a 2022 finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award. The novel received the Creative Women of Oklahoma Award from Delta Kappa Gamma in 2023. Her second middle grade novel was published by Yorkshire Publishing in 2022 and was also a finalist in the 2023 Oklahoma Book Award. In addition to writing, she enjoys reading, music, and helping her husband care for their plants, backyard chickens, and rowdy Australian shepherd in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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