Description

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A hot-headed cynic befriends the new kid—a shy trans boy—when she takes on a bet to get him elected student body president in this new middle grade contemporary novel from Caroline Huntoon, author of Skating on Mars.

Linus is the new boy at school, and he’s trying to keep it quiet. After coming out as trans last year and managing the attention that came with it, he’s more than happy to fade into the background of his new middle school.

Etta isn’t like other kids at school, and she’s proud of it. The class misanthrope and the owner of the greenest hair at Doolittle Middle School, she's still reeling from a painful friendship breakup, making her more than happy to burn middle-school bridges before she heads off to the local alternative high school next year.

When Etta’s over-it-all attitude sparks a challenge from her ex-best friend, Marigold, to get Linus elected student body president, Linus is thrust back into the spotlight. But what started out as a bet quickly turns into a true friendship between Linus and Etta, one that could be in jeopardy if Linus finds out the real origins of his and Etta’s connection. Can Linus and Etta’s friendship withstand the betrayal of the bet?

About the Author

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Caroline Huntoon (they/them) is a nonbinary storyteller and educator and the author of Skating on Mars and Linus and Etta Could Use a Win from Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan. They grew up in Michigan but spent time in New York City to earn their B.A. at Barnard College and see as much musical theater as possible, Walt Disney World to fulfill a lifelong dream of working on The Great Movie Ride, and Vermont to earn their M.A. from The Bread Loaf School of English. Now back in Michigan, Caroline lives with their headstrong and hilarious child, Winnie, and their adorable and needy dog, Oscar David. By day they work as an English teacher and theater director, and by night they write stories for young people about loss, identity, and friendship that validate their messy and wonderful lives.

Praise For…

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Praise for Linus and Etta Could Use a Win:

"The characters’ sweet demeanors, lively dialogue, and ever-changing relationships will keep readers rooting for them until the book’s final pages. . . A tender story about moving through hurt and embracing uncertainty." —Kirkus

"Equal parts hilarious and heartfelt, Linus and Etta is more than a win, it is a triumph. Readers will delight in this story of friendship and acceptance that has loveable leads, plenty of puns, and above all, a sparkling and lifesaving amount of queer joy." —Justine Pucella Winans, author of The Otherwoods

"Caroline Huntoon has the exceptional ability to balance the humorous with the heartfelt in their stories. Linus and Etta’s voices shine with authenticity in this compassionately told novel about coming out to friends and family, middle school relationships, one secret bet, and a student council election. I would vote for both Linus and Etta myself if I could!" —A. J. Sass, award winning author of Ellen Outside the Lines and Ana on the Edge

"Caroline Huntoon brings plenty of laughs (and more than a few happy tears) to this hilarious, poignant, and uplifting novel about finding not only yourself, but also your people, all while navigating the shifting anxieties of middle school. Linus and Etta have my whole heart." —Edward Underhill, author of Always the Almost and This Day Changes Everything

"A zippy and heartfelt tale of friendship and connection." —Publishers Weekly

"Bright and energetic . . . another appealing middle-school story that features exceptional trans representation." —Booklist


Praise for Skating On Mars:

A Junior Library Guild Selection
An Amazon Editor's Choice June 2023

★"Huntoon. . . writes beautifully with authority and insight, creating in Mars a fully realized, memorable character; this first novel is an important contribution to the slender body of nonbinary literature, which belongs in every library." —Booklist, starred review

“Caroline Huntoon’s Skating on Mars is a rallying cry that trans and nonbinary kids belong in sports; it is also a moving story about life’s transitions, big and small. Mars is a kid you can’t help rooting for as they navigate friendships, grief, and their place within the sport of figure skating as a nonbinary athlete. Skating on Mars is an essential addition to the canon of queer sports stories.” —A. J. Sass, author of Ana on the Edge and Ellen Outside the Lines

“Mars gives us a beautiful blueprint for what to do when you’re neither/nor instead of either/or, a sparkling bolt of bold Bowie lightning in a world of black and white. Their story skated into my heart and left a smile on my face.” —Jules Machias, author of Both Can Be True and Fight + Flight

"All the gold medals for this book! Equal parts a fun, joyful story about figure skating and a nuanced, break-your-heart-and-put-it-back-together tale about grief and gender identity, Skating on Mars tackles big questions in an accessible and heartfelt fashion. Caroline's story had me rooting for Mars from the first spin to the last, triumphant triple toe loop."
—E. L. Shen, author of The Comeback

"This timely, triumphant novel about figure skating, identity, loss, and love will move and entertain readers—and it might just inspire them to find their own ways to change the world. " —Laurie Morrison, author of Up for Air and Coming Up Short

"The results are in: Skating on Mars is a must-read, all-around winning debut novel. The fierce, spirited Mars will be skating figure-eights in readers' hearts and minds long after the book comes to an end." —Michael Leali, author of The Civil War of Amos Abernathy

"We urgently need more books like this in the world: ones that remind us that LGBTQ+ kids are regular kids, with regular kid feelings, struggles, and triumphs. Skating On Mars is a sensitively written story that centers an appealing and realistic non-binary protagonist...An excellent and most welcome addition to the growing (but still too small) collection of well-written and compassionate books about young rainbow humans." —Lisa Bunker, author of Zenobia July and Felix Yz

"Mars’ identity is examined with nuance, given depth and consideration as life on and off the ice grows both more euphoric and increasingly complicated. . .a strong sports story and an earnest coming-of-age tale in one." —Kirkus

"Mars’s passion for figure skating is infectious, and their fight to stake out their own place in a system not built for them proves both gently affirming and joyful." —Publishers Weekly