About the Book
New York Times bestselling author Janae Marks delivers a stunningly crafted and twisty mystery about the tests of friendships that examines what matters most when everything can change in a split second--perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead and Anne Ursu.
That clock can't be right. When Elise wakes up the morning after her birthday celebration, she's surprised to find herself in her bedroom. Last she can remember, she had fallen asleep next to her best friends at her slumber party in her basement, and it was October. But now she's alone, and her phone says it's April 8. Elise doesn't understand. How could she have woken up six months later?
No one else is acting like anything strange has happened, yet Elise can't remember the last half year. To make matters worse, her friends refuse to talk to her and Elise doesn't know why. She also has no idea how she got signed up for photography club or why her former best friend, Cora, is talking to her again. Is it a memory problem? Could it be magic? Every day that passes takes Elise further from the world she knew. Thankfully, Elise has Cora to lean on in this new reality, and the two come together to investigate why Elise woke up in the future--and, more important, how to get her back to her past and away from this nightmare.
About the Author :
Janae Marks is the New York Times bestselling author of the Zoe Washington series, A Soft Place to Land, and A Split Second. She has an MFA in Writing for Children from The New School, and lives in Connecticut with her family. Learn more at janaemarks.com.
Review :
"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
"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
"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
"A smart, necessary, and hopeful middle grade debut that expertly balances a gentle, heartwarming tone with searing insight into systemic racism."
- School Library Journal (starred review)
"Debut author Marks seamlessly weaves timely discussions about institutionalized racism into this uplifting and engaging story that packs an emotional punch." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Praise for A Soft Place to Land:
?"Blending mystery with realistic fiction, Joy's story of how complicated life is for a kid will resonate with readers in tender and poignant ways." - Booklist (starred review)
"A fun and twisty story--A Split Second shines with charm and intrigue." - Jasmine Warga, Newbery Honor-winning author of Other Words for Home
"Janae Marks writes characters you can't help but love and plots you can't help but devour. I couldn't put this book down." - Tae Keller, author of Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling When You Trap a Tiger
"A smart and sweet magical mystery, bursting with hope and heart." - Sarah Mlynowksi, New York Times bestselling author of the Whatever After series
"A nuanced look at middle school friendships...thoughtfully delves into the consequences of the social isolation many young people experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic." - Kirkus Reviews
"A beautiful story about being brave and finding your people." - Booklist (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)
Praise for From the Desk of Zoe Washington:
"How could someone innocent end up in prison? With the help of her grandmother and her friend Trevor, Zoe begins to learn about systemic racism and how black people...are more likely to be wrongfully convicted of murder than white people. 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 Reviews (starred review)
"A Soft Place to Land perfectly captures how complicated it is to be a kid. Readers who have faced times of change and uncertainty of their own will recognize themselves in Joy and find hope in her courage, her ingenuity, and her fierce dedication to her friends." - Kate Messner, author of Breakout and Chirp
"A joyful story about the power of being kind and sticking together when life gets bumpy. A Soft Place to Land is a book that kids will love." - Rebecca Stead, Newbery Award-winning author of When You Reach Me
"A wonderfully timely story about connection, loss and the spaces we need to understand one and brave the other." - Paula Chase, author of Dough Boys and So Done
"This poignant look at friendship, loss, and facing consequences hits all the right notes. It will squeeze your heart in such a special way. Marks tenderly blends mystery, compassion and the highs and lows of friendship in a perfect melody. A Soft Place to Land will have readers cheering for Joy and longing for a hideout of their very own." - Lisa Moore Ramée, author of A Good Kind of Trouble and Something to Say
