Two more titles now available from the ongoing elementary series Izzy Jeen the Big Mouth Queen! Izzy is determined to get her way, no matter what. Nicknamed Izzy Jeen the Big-Mouth Queen by a classmate, she can’t always control her words or temper, and that can lead to big trouble! Through her adventures and misadventures,…
The Dragon’s Club Receives a Kirkus Star
West 44 Books’ verse novel The Dragon’s Club received a starred review from Kirkus. When her older sister’s drug addiction puts Faith’s violin scholarship at risk, she reluctantly joins a teen support group called the Dragons Club. Connecting with the other members soon starts to bring Faith and her music back to life, but as her…
Two powerful new additions to West 44’s Young Adult collection.
These two new young adult novels-in-verse find their protagonists grappling with family, loyalty, and relationships, all while they struggle to find their own voices. Kiki in the Middle and The Dragons Club provide teen readers with important, authentic stories that center current issues alongside fundamental questions of identity. Kiki in the Middle, an innovative new…
New for Fall: Middle Grade Fiction
New title now available from the ongoing Twisted series, by author Wil Mara. The latest installment in Wil Mara’s Twisted series, The Secret of Locker 24 is a fast-paced, easy read that combines an eerie mystery with an important lesson for young readers about bullying, mental health, and the consequences of our actions. One morning…
Now Available: Two New Elementary Titles!
Two new additions to West 44 Books’ elementary collection. The fourth installment of Wil Mara’s Izzy Jeen the Big-Mouth Queen series, as well as Marvella Finds Her Magic, the first installment in a newly emerging series from Annette Daniels Taylor, have hit the shelves! The newest Izzy Jeen installment, They Better Leave Sandra Alone or…
What’s new from West 44 Books Editor Caitie McAneney
Friends, Our West 44 YA verse titles have a special place in my heart. West 44 believes in amplifying the voices of authors from marginalized communities, especially BIPOC and LGBTQIA+. Verse is a popular yet unique format that provides more white space and more opportunities to keep turning the page. By combining diversity, inclusion, and…
Meet Edd Tello – Author Q&A
Edd Tello’s debut title Only Pieces is now available from West 44 Books! Edd Tello is a bilingual writer of children’s and YA literature with a master’s in creative writing from the University of Seville, Spain, as well as an English business certificate from the University of Washington. Since then, Tello has become a popular…
Meet Kymbali Craig – Author Q&A
Kymbali Craig is a writer, actor, musician, spoken word performance artist, visual artist, and educator. She is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and now resides in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Kymbali was the artist-in-residence at Paul Robeson High School in Brooklyn and the creative director of Bailey’s Café, a…
What’s New for April: Survive and Keep Surviving
Survive and Keep Surviving Author: Mel Mallory After being sexually assaulted at a party, Mara started experiencing paranoia and delusional thoughts, which resulted in a public psychotic episode freshman year. Now a senior in high school, Mara feels like an outcast who would rather keep to herself than risk being judged. However, the only way…
Get to Know Author Kate Karyus Quinn
Kate Karyus Quinn is an avid reader and menthol chapstick addict. After living in both California and Tennessee, she returned to her hometown of Buffalo, New York, and now lives there with her husband, three children, and one enormous dog. She is the author of young adult novels Another Little Piece, (Don’t You) Forget About…