I was born in a small town in central Wisconsin not far from where Gittel, my debut middle-grade novel, is set. 

Growing up, my favorite places were Herschleb’s Dairy Bar, the ice rink, the old railroad bridge that spanned the Wisconsin River, and most of all, the T.B. Scott Free Public Library, which was a short bike ride from our house...once I mastered my two-wheeler. (I clung to training wheels far longer than any of my friends. The shame was real!) 

That library was pure magic: Corinthian columns to welcome you in and a massive staircase with polished banisters that led to the best place in the world--the children’s room!  I can still remember where the Ramona books were shelved beneath a window seat with a view of the Wisconsin River. 

I’ve lived in five states since I graduated from high school--Ohio, California, Washington, Idaho, and Oklahoma--but the river, the people, and places in central Wisconsin are always with me, and when I pick up a pen, my stories inevitably circle back there. Gittel is one of these stories.  

I hope you'll fall in love with 13-year-old Gittel and her family, who are loosely based on three generations of my own family.