Author Archive


Port Chicago 50 Exonerated!!!

Many years in the making, and it’s finally official: the Navy has exonerated the young sailors convicted of mutiny 80 years ago! Check out an article here, with quotes from Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro! And here’s one from the Washington Post, which includes this great excerpt: Del Toro said the decision to exonerate the […]


The Bletchley Riddle: A JLG Gold Standard Selection!

Getting close (sort of) to the October pub date of my upcoming middle grade mystery with Ruta Sepetys – here’s some nice news! Lots more on the book, and where to pre-order, at this link.


Sydney Taylor Honor for Impossible Escape!

This week Impossible Escape was named a Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor winner! This is a prestigious award given by the Association of Jewish Libraries – and to me, an especially meaningful one for this book. Lots more on all the winners here.


Impossible Escape: The Audiobook

I’m a huge fan of audiobooks and it’s always thrilling to hear a new book of mine in this format. I agree with this review in AudioFile – narrator Rob Shapiro “creates edge-of-your-seat immediacy” with the way he reads the story. Hit the link above for a sample of Rob’s reading.


AFF with Dan Santat/A First Time for Everything!

We just posted our first new Author Fan Face-off of the school year – a showdown with the author/illustrator Dan Santat and his great graphic novel A First Time For Everything!


Impossible Escape on WAMC

Nice interview with Joe Donahue on WAMC – we talk about Impossible Escape and Yukie’s Island!


Impossible Escape is out!

Today’s the book birthday for my new nonfiction book, Impossible Escape, the true story of a Jewish teenager who escaped from Auschwitz. The book has gotten 5 starred reviews – but I’m just as proud of the response from my fellow writers. I used a few of the quotes in this short book trailer:  


Coming Soon: Impossible Escape

Just a week now until the release of my new book – the most amazing escape story I’ve come across in a career of research. I’m really looking forward to sharing this one. Lots more on the book here.


First review for Impossible Escape

My new nonfiction book, Impossible Escape, will be out on August 29. Just saw the first review – a starred review from Kirkus! As usual for me, this book was years in the making, with lots of research – including a trek across southern Poland last summer. Much more to come soon on this story!


Bomb Graphic Novel Events!

Just a few more days till the launch of the Bomb graphic novel! I’ll be doing a few public events – two of them with the book’s amazing artist, Nick Bertozzi. Come say in Washington, D.C., St. Louis, and Saratoga Springs, NY – here’s all the info.