Book News

Liam and the Giant Eels, an eco mystery written in verse 

​When giant eels invade the Jersey Shore town where Liam spends his summers, he must dig into his dead grandfather's past to come up with answers. An environmental mystery about eels, the climate crisis, and confronting loss. LIAM AND the GIANT EELS is a verse novel for middle-grade readers.

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Something’s Wrong
 
Gramps knelt down
and peered closely.
 
He shook his head.
 
“Something’s wrong 
with that eel.
 
Don’t know what it is.”
 
Gramps threw the eel 
back in the creek
and they watched it swim away.
 
It looked like a long wave,
rippling in the dark water.
 
Later, Liam had to scrub
extra hard to wash
the slimy
mucus
off his hand.​
A SCARF FOR KEIKO 
(Kar-Ben, 2021)
​
The story of the friendship between a Jewish boy and Japanese American girl during World War II in California was named to the Vermont Department of Libraries' 2020-2021 Red Clover Book Award Honor List and the Arkansas Diamond Primary Award Nominations List 2021-2022.
KIKI IN THE MIDDLE
(West 44 Books, 2022)

Kiki is a teen artist living with her Greek-American family in Queens. After a man with mental illness is killed by police, protests fill the streets. Kiki is shocked when a protester lifts up a photograph of her brother, Stravros, and one word—#Murderer. Stavros, a police rookie in his first week on the job, says he was just defending himself. Kiki must decide who to believe, and what to do about it. Even artists can’t stand on the sidelines forever.
GHOST RUNNER, a new YA verse novel, is coming out in 2025 with West 44 Books. Essie’s twin brother Nate died when he fell off the railroad bridge. No one knows why he was up there, or how he fell. After Nate’s old dog Apollo spots what looks like a ghost on their morning walk by the river, Essie wants to find out what really happened and why Nate isn’t letting go. In the process, maybe she’ll be able to stop her parents from blaming each other for Nate’s death. To find clues, Essie quits the Camera Club and walks on to the cross-country team her brother was expected to lead to victory.When her teammates freeze her out, Essie thinks they know more about Nate’s death than they’re saying. Essie picks up her camera again. Can she find the truth with her lens? Sometimes it feels like Apollo is the only one with any answers. 

ZEKE THE WEATHER GEEK:                              
THERE'S A LIZARD IN MY BLIZZARD
​(Kids Can Press, 2023)

JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION
"A likable protagonist, a fun premise, and science galore."
​- Kirkus Reviews
 
​With a weather station in his yard and a weather journal in his pocket, it's no wonder Zeke Abramovich is called Zeke the Weather Geek. What he really wants, though, is to be a Weather Warrior. He may get his chance when a big blizzard hits town and the lights go out

The second book of ZEEK THE WEATHER GEEK comes out in 2025. Set during a dangerous spring flood,THERE'S MUD IN MY FLOOD follows Zeke as he once again uses his backyard weather station to help his family and friends (and his bearded dragon Lizzie) to avert disaster.