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I'm so grateful and thrilled to announce another middle grade book, Friends Furever, coming out with Scholastic in Fall 2026. (I announced this on social media last month, but figured I should make it newsletter official). This is a fun story about a pug and a French bulldog who try to "parent trap" their feuding owners, while the girls navigate new friends and interests in sixth grade. Puppy hijinks and friendship drama ensue.  Every time I write a new book, I feel like I'm learning how to write a novel again. This is the first book I've written with four first-person POVs, including two puppies, so that was a fun challenge. I've been lucky to work with the most wonderful editors at Scholastic, Maya Marlette (Manatee's Best Friend, Near and Deer) and Anjali Bisaria (Stealing the Score), and they'll both have a hand in this book. Read on below for details about my 7-book mega giveaway. Summer Roundup: Banquet Speech & MoreThis summer, I've done some cool authorly things:MY FIRST BANQUET SPEECH, JULY 24: I was a banquet speaker at Longwood University's Summer Literacy Institute conference in Farmville, Virginia. I've given workshop but hadn't spoken to a large crowd in a very long time. I talked about the power of the universal and the particular story; how stories are sticky, connect people, and inspire action; and how librarians and teachers are uniquely positioned to empower students with these stories. It was so fun to meet librarians and teachers, as well as superstar librarian and author John Schu who shared his insights about storytelling.  QUERY WORKSHOP, AUG 16: For local writers, I'm running a workshop on Saturday, August 16, at The Muse Writers Center in Norfolk, VA, on submitting to agents and writing effective query letters. Sign up here (and use TOOLBOX25 for a 50% discount)  KEYNOTE FOR THE MUSE SUMMER CONFERENCE, AUG 22: I'll be the morning keynote speaker for the kickoff of The Muse Writers Center's Creative Writing Summer Camp for Adults and will provide creative prompts and hopefully some inspiration.  7-Book Mega GiveawayTo celebrate this news and to spread bookish love, I'm giving away 7 books: Bannock in the Hammock (Masiana Kelly & Ariel Sandland), A Cape! (Marty Kelley), You Make the World (Muon The Van, Phùng Nguyên Quang & Huynh Kim Liên), El Niño (Pam Muñoz Ryan), The Girl in the Walls (Meg Kuyatt), The Island of Forgotten Gods (Victor Piñeiro), Worm and Caterpillar are Friends (Kat Windness). I'm also running this giveaway on social media. To enter, like and share my social media posts of this giveaway (on Twitter/X, Instagram, Bluesky). and/or reply to this email with a summer read you've been enjoying, or a book you're looking forward to reading. (You can rack up your entries by sharing in all of the platforms).  What I'm Reading/WatchingI usually do a roundup post at the end of the year of the media and books I've loved, but I thought I'd share what I'm currently enjoying. What I'm Reading. After watching the Apple show Murderbot, I'm re-reading Martha Wells' Murderbot novellas and novels, and am on Network Effect. I've been a long-time fan of these smart, sharp, and funny stories about a security cyborg with free will reluctantly helping its human charges. The two middle grade books I'm reading now are The Beautiful Game by Yamile Saied Méndez (a soccer player who's the only girl in an elite boy's team) and The Island of Forgotten Gods by Victor Piñeiro (a kid spends the summer in Puerto Rico and awakens a mysterious chupacabra).  What (TV) I'm Watching. After watching Bad Sisters (funny Irish black comedy about sisters plotting to kill one of their brothers-in-law, AppleTV+), my daughter and I are continuing our dark phase by enjoying Yellowjackets (Netflix), about a girl's high school soccer team that ends up in the wilderness after a plane crash and their situation devolves into something harrowing.  What (Movie) I Watched. A fun and surprisingly moving movie is the animated Kpop Demon Hunters on Netflix, about a girl Kpop band that happens to be demon hunters, and things heat up when the demons come to town in the form of a Kpop boy's band.  Let me know what TV shows or movies you're loving now. Have a wonderful rest of your summer!
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