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SCBWI Member Videos: How to Apply for Awards and Grants

2024

California: San Diego

The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn

Bookshop.org,  Indie bookstores, Barnes and Noble, Amazon

A warm and humorous story, perfect for elementary and middle schoolers, about anxiety, worry-moths, the mind-body connection, and a feeling-invisible girl who learns that sometimes, the only way is through.

Invisible Isabel

Bookshop.org

When Ada Higgins learns that a new boy is moving in across the hall, she pre-decides that he will become her new best friend, and plans a loud festive welcome. But Zaz Jones hates 'loud' and does not do well with 'festive'. He is worried about the change. This bumpy beginning resolves after Zaz's pet parrot escapes in the building, and it's Ada and her dog Marvel to the rescue in an unexpected way.

Ada and Zaz

Amazon

ALA Schneider Award, Children's Lit Council Award, Texas Bluebonnet finalist, CA, VT, OK, ME, AL, NH, TX state lists, starred reviews.  
13 yr old Maudie is ready to spend an amazing summer with her dad, despite the impact of wildfire on their plans. But she's keeping a troubling secret about her home life—one that her mom warned her never to tell: Maudie yearns to confide in Dad about her new stepdad's anger, but fears hold her back. This summer, she learns to surf. She is conquering waves of change - but will she conquer her fears?

Nothing seems to be going right for Sammy today. At school, he got in trouble for kicking a fence, then the cafeteria ran out of pizza for lunch. After he walks home in the pouring rain, he finds his autistic little brother Benji is having a bad day too. On days like this, Benji has a special play-box where he goes to feel cozy and safe. Sammy doesn't have a special place, and he's convinced no one cares how he feels or even notices him. But somebody is noticing, and may just have an idea on how to help Sammy feel better.

Benji, The Bad Day, and Me

– Junior Library Guild Selection for 2018– New York Public Library Best Children’s Book of 2018– Kirkus Best Children’s Book of 2018 This funny and moving second novel from the author of The Someday Birds features
 comic trivia, a safety superhero, and a super-cool scavenger hunt all 
over downtown San Diego, as our young hero Stanley Fortinbras grapples 
with his anxiety—and learns what, exactly, it means to be brave.Nobody knows comics trivia like Stanley knows comics trivia.It’s
 what he takes comfort in when the world around him gets to be too much.
 And after he faints during a safety assembly, Stanley takes his love of
 comics up a level by inventing his own imaginary superhero, named John 
Lockdown, to help him through. Help is what he needs, because 
Stanley’s entered Trivia Quest—a giant comics-trivia treasure hunt—to 
prove he can tackle his worries, score VIP passes to Comic Fest, and win
 back his ex-best friend. Partnered with his fearless new neighbor 
Liberty, Stanley faces his most epic, overwhelming, challenging day 
ever. 

Stanley Will Probably Be Fine

Dolly Gray Award - Goodreads Choice  Award - JLG Selection – Bank Street, NYPL, LAPL Best Book – Starred Reviews - State Lists.
Charlie's life has been unraveling since his war journalist father was injured. Now he must travel cross-country to see him. So Charlie decides that, along the way,  if he can spot all the birds that his dad had been hoping to see with him someday . . . then  maybe, just maybe, Dad will be okay.

"Equal parts madcap road trip, coming-of-age story for a highly unusual boy, and uplifting portrait of a family overcoming a crisis."

The Someday Birds

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