FROM THE DESK OF ZOE WASHINGTON
Cover illustration by Mirelle Ortega. Design by Laura Mock.
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Dear Marcus... Zoe Washington isn’t sure what to write next. What does a girl say to the father she’s never met, hadn’t heard from until his letter arrived on her twelfth birthday, and who’s been in prison for a terrible crime? A crime he says he never committed. Could Marcus really be innocent? The truth is somewhere out there, and Zoe is determined to uncover it. Even if it means hiding his letters and her investigation from her mom and stepdad. Everyone else thinks Zoe’s worrying about doing a good job at her bakery internship, and proving to her parents that she’s worthy of auditioning for Food Network’s Kids Bake Challenge. It’s been Zoe’s dream to become a star baker, and she can’t afford to mess anything up. Her best friend and neighbor Trevor would’ve been her confidante through all this, but Zoe’s not speaking to him anymore. She’ll have to figure this out alone. With bakery confections on one part of her mind, and Marcus’s conviction weighing heavily on the other, this is one recipe Zoe doesn’t know how to balance. The only thing she knows to be true: Everyone lies. This captivating novel by debut author Janae Marks follows one courageous girl as she questions assumptions, searches for the truth, and does what she believes is right, even in the face of great opposition. Katherine Tegen Books
Target Age: 8-12 Hardcover ISBN: 9780062875853 Paperback ISBN: 9780062875860 Also available in the UK!
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Praise for FROM THE DESK OF ZOE WASHINGTON:
2020 Cybils Award Winner
Indie bestseller
Named a Best Book of the Year by Parents Magazine, Book Riot, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Chicago Public Library and the Boston Globe
NPR 100 Favorite Books for Young Readers
#1 Kids' Indie Next List Title
Junior Library Guild Selection
Finalist, NEIBA New England Book Award
Finalist, GoodReads Choice Awards
Project LIT Book Club Selection
Amazon Best Book of the Month and Teachers' Pick
Indie bestseller
Named a Best Book of the Year by Parents Magazine, Book Riot, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Chicago Public Library and the Boston Globe
NPR 100 Favorite Books for Young Readers
#1 Kids' Indie Next List Title
Junior Library Guild Selection
Finalist, NEIBA New England Book Award
Finalist, GoodReads Choice Awards
Project LIT Book Club Selection
Amazon Best Book of the Month and Teachers' Pick
"This powerful debut packs both depth and sweetness, tackling a tough topic in a sensitive, compelling way. An extraordinary, timely, must-read debut about love, family, friendship, and justice." - Kirkus, starred review
"Debut author Marks seamlessly weaves timely discussions about institutionalized racism into this uplifting and engaging story that packs an emotional punch. Zoe is a relatable tween, with friendship and familial frustrations that will resonate with readers."
- Publisher's Weekly, starred review
“This exceptionally sweet debut from Marks illustrates profound cracks in the American criminal justice system while telling an affecting story grounded in the middle-grade experience. The troubling ways race affects the characters…will facilitate important conversations about racial profiling and incarceration rates for people of color. Fortunately, Marks’ capable storytelling and engaging characters also combine into a wondrous confection of a book, full of heart and hope and promise.” -Booklist, starred review
"A smart, necessary, and hopeful middle grade debut that expertly balances a gentle, heartwarming tone with searing insight into systemic racism. Hand to readers who enjoyed Lisa Ramee’s A Good Kind of Trouble or Kekla Magoon’s The Season of Styx Malone." - School Library Journal, starred review
“A delightful confection of a novel! Zoe is a wondrous heroine who inspires a deeper love for food, family, and friends. Advocating for social justice, she creates a new recipe for a better, sweeter world. An enticing and enthralling debut from Janae Marks.” - Jewell Parker Rhodes, New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Boys
“With a dash of mystery, sprinkle of passion, and whole lot of heart, From the Desk of Zoe Washington has found a winning recipe.” - Coe Booth, author of Kinda Like Brothers
“A touching, tender, and absorbing read!” - Jodi Kendall, author of The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City
“Marks doesn’t downplay the immense impact of mass incarceration on communities of color, but neither does she dramatize it, allowing the reader to focus, instead, on Zoe’s discovery of the amazing work of the Innocence Project, and the bittersweet blossoming of her relationship with her birth father. From the Desk of Zoe Washington tackles the complex costs of the pursuit of justice and motivates readers to feel equipped—and energized—to stand up for what’s right, right now. Readers will recognize that, like Zoe Washington, they need not wait until they grow up to make their actions count.” - Tanita S. Davis, author of Mare’s War
“Marks delivers a spirited central character whose determination to get to the truth is admirable. An involving family story, this novel could also serve as an introduction to social justice for elementary schoolers." - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Never heavy-handed, Marks’ prose is as sweet as one of Zoe’s confections. And as the icing on the cake, From the Desk of Zoe Washington imparts important lessons about judging other people, whether by the color of their skin or by their presumed guilt or innocence." - BookPage
"Debut author Marks seamlessly weaves timely discussions about institutionalized racism into this uplifting and engaging story that packs an emotional punch. Zoe is a relatable tween, with friendship and familial frustrations that will resonate with readers."
- Publisher's Weekly, starred review
“This exceptionally sweet debut from Marks illustrates profound cracks in the American criminal justice system while telling an affecting story grounded in the middle-grade experience. The troubling ways race affects the characters…will facilitate important conversations about racial profiling and incarceration rates for people of color. Fortunately, Marks’ capable storytelling and engaging characters also combine into a wondrous confection of a book, full of heart and hope and promise.” -Booklist, starred review
"A smart, necessary, and hopeful middle grade debut that expertly balances a gentle, heartwarming tone with searing insight into systemic racism. Hand to readers who enjoyed Lisa Ramee’s A Good Kind of Trouble or Kekla Magoon’s The Season of Styx Malone." - School Library Journal, starred review
“A delightful confection of a novel! Zoe is a wondrous heroine who inspires a deeper love for food, family, and friends. Advocating for social justice, she creates a new recipe for a better, sweeter world. An enticing and enthralling debut from Janae Marks.” - Jewell Parker Rhodes, New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Boys
“With a dash of mystery, sprinkle of passion, and whole lot of heart, From the Desk of Zoe Washington has found a winning recipe.” - Coe Booth, author of Kinda Like Brothers
“A touching, tender, and absorbing read!” - Jodi Kendall, author of The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City
“Marks doesn’t downplay the immense impact of mass incarceration on communities of color, but neither does she dramatize it, allowing the reader to focus, instead, on Zoe’s discovery of the amazing work of the Innocence Project, and the bittersweet blossoming of her relationship with her birth father. From the Desk of Zoe Washington tackles the complex costs of the pursuit of justice and motivates readers to feel equipped—and energized—to stand up for what’s right, right now. Readers will recognize that, like Zoe Washington, they need not wait until they grow up to make their actions count.” - Tanita S. Davis, author of Mare’s War
“Marks delivers a spirited central character whose determination to get to the truth is admirable. An involving family story, this novel could also serve as an introduction to social justice for elementary schoolers." - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Never heavy-handed, Marks’ prose is as sweet as one of Zoe’s confections. And as the icing on the cake, From the Desk of Zoe Washington imparts important lessons about judging other people, whether by the color of their skin or by their presumed guilt or innocence." - BookPage