We are thrilled to be able to celebrate Jessie Ann Foley's new novel, Breda's Island, her first title for middle graders. Jessie will be in conversation with fellow author Jarrett Dapier. Don't miss this chance to see two of our favorite children's book authors talk about writing, publishing, and life! This program is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served!

About the Book: The first middle grade novel from award-winning author Jessie Ann Foley is a story of broken family ties and the journey one girl must take to find herself. Perfect for fans of When You Trap a Tiger and Shouting at the Rain.

After Breda Moriarity gets caught stealing one too many times, Breda's mom sends her to Ireland—a place she has never been—to live with the grandfather she has never met.

While Breda doesn’t want to be in this strangely beautiful land, she finally gets to meet her granda, her mom’s father. He’s a grumpy farmer who is also a seanchaí, a traditional Gaelic storyteller. But the most important story to Breda is the one nobody will talk about: what happened to her absent father. If nothing else this summer, Breda is determined to figure out the truth about her family’s history—and herself.

This powerfully poignant middle grade novel asks important questions about immigration, estranged relationships, and family secrets. We highly recommend this title for ages 10 to adult!

About the Author: Jessie Ann Foley is the Printz Honor–winning author of the YA novels The Carnival at Bray, Neighborhood Girls, Sorry for Your Loss, and You Know I’m No Good. Her work has been named to best-of lists by Kirkus Reviews, ALA Booklist, YALSA, Entertainment Weekly, and many other outlets, and has been featured on school and library recommended reading lists all across the United States. Jessie lives with her family in Chicago, where she was born and raised. You can visit her online at www.jessieannfoley.com.