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Author Spotlight: Kathleen Glasgow

Kathleen Glasgow

Kathleen Glasgow is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Girl in Pieces, as well as How to Make Friends with the Dark and You'd Be Home Now. She lives and writes in Tucson, Arizona. To learn more about Kathleen and her writing, visit her website, kathleenglasgowbooks.com, or follow @kathglasgow on Twitter and @misskathleenglasgow on Instagram.

The Glass Girl

The Glass Girl By Kathleen Glasgow

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the critically acclaimed author of Girl in Pieces comes a raw, heart-wrenching novel about a teenager facing down her struggles with alcohol—and the journey she must take to heal.

“A must-read.” —Laura Nowlin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of If He Had Been with Me

“Everyone needs this book.” —Sloan Harlow, New York Times bestselling author of Everything We Never Said

Everyone in fifteen-year-old Bella’s life needs something from her. Her mom needs her to help around the house, her dad needs her to not make waves, her ex needs her to not be so much. The only person who never needed anything from her was her grandmother—and now she’s dead.

There’s only one thing that dulls the pressure: alcohol. Vodka, beer, peppermint schnapps—alcohol smooths the sharp edges of Bella’s life. And what’s the big deal? Everyone drinks. Besides, Bella can stop whenever she wants. But after she gets blackout drunk at a Thanksgiving party and wakes up in the hospital, it’s time to face reality. And for Bella, reality means rehab.

Gorgeously written and deeply compassionate, Kathleen Glasgow’s The Glass Girl is a candid exploration of the forces pushing young women toward addiction—and what it really takes to help them get better.

Girl in Pieces Deluxe Edition

Girl in Pieces Deluxe Edition By Kathleen Glasgow

Don't miss this special edition of the Booktok sensation, featuring a prompted journaling section for daily reflection by the author!

"A haunting, beautiful, and necessary book."--Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything and The Sun is Also a Star

Experience #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Glasgow's devastating and uplifting novel like never before with this special collector's edition, featuring a lined journal in the back with prompts designed by the author for reflection after reading, as well as a new, larger trim size!

Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she's already lost more than most people do in a lifetime. But she's learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don't have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you.

Every new scar hardens Charlie's heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.

A deeply moving portrait of a girl in a world that owes her nothing, and has taken so much, and the journey she undergoes to put herself back together. Kathleen Glasgow's debut is heartbreakingly real and unflinchingly honest. It's a story you won't be able to look away from.

You'd Be Home Now

You'd Be Home Now By Kathleen Glasgow

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the critically acclaimed author of Girl in Pieces comes a stunning novel that Vanity Fair calls “impossibly moving” and “suffused with light”. In this raw, deeply personal story, a teenaged girl struggles to find herself amidst the fallout of her brother's addiction in a town ravaged by the opioid crisis.

For all of Emory's life she's been told who she is. In town she's the rich one--the great-great-granddaughter of the mill's founder. At school she's hot Maddie Ward's younger sister. And at home, she's the good one, her stoner older brother Joey's babysitter. Everything was turned on its head, though, when she and Joey were in the car accident that killed Candy MontClaire. The car accident that revealed just how bad Joey's drug habit was.

Four months later, Emmy's junior year is starting, Joey is home from rehab, and the entire town of Mill Haven is still reeling from the accident. Everyone's telling Emmy who she is, but so much has changed, how can she be the same person? Or was she ever that person at all?

Mill Haven wants everyone to live one story, but Emmy's beginning to see that people are more than they appear. Her brother, who might not be "cured," the popular guy who lives next door, and most of all, many "ghostie" addicts who haunt the edges of the town. People spend so much time telling her who she is--it might be time to decide for herself.

A journey of one sister, one brother, one family, to finally recognize and love each other for who they are, not who they are supposed to be, You'd Be Home Now is Kathleen Glasgow's glorious and heartbreaking story about the opioid crisis, and how it touches all of us.

How to Make Friends with the Dark

How to Make Friends with the Dark By Kathleen Glasgow

From the New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces comes a novel about love and loss and learning how to continue when it feels like you're surrounded by darkness.

"A rare and powerful novel." --Karen M. McManus, New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying and Two Can Keep a Secret


Tiger's life changed with a simple phone call. Her mother has died. That's when darkness descended on her otherwise average life.

Tiger's mother never talked about her father, and with no grandparents or aunts or uncles, her world is packed into a suitcase and moved to a foster home. And another. And another. Until hope surfaces in the shape of . . . a sister?

Sometimes family comes in forms you don't recognize. But can Tiger learn to make friends with the darkness before it swallows her whole?

"Stunning and beautifully written."-HelloGiggles

"Breathtaking and heartbreaking." --Jennifer Niven, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places

Fresh Voices: Q&A with Mariana Ríos Ramírez, author of Abuelita’s Gift: A Día de Muertos Story

★ “A touching tribute to the pain of losing a loved one—and the joys of honoring them.”

Kirkus Reviews, starred review

 

What inspired you to write Abuelita’s Gift: A Día de Muertos Story?

I wrote Abuelita’s Gift: A Día de Muertos Story because I wanted to share a piece of México with my kids. When my family moved to the USA in 2016, my children were faced with several new traditions that we were not used to before. Since then, we have embraced them. However, for my husband and I it was also important that my kids had their own Mexican traditions. In this particular case, Día de Muertos allows us to feel connected to México, but also to our family and ancestors. It’s the perfect opportunity to share with our children the memories we have of our grandparents, great grandparents, and other dear relatives. This is a tradition I hope my kids will continue to celebrate as they grow up.

What was the most difficult part about writing the book? What part was the easiest?

The most difficult part was making sure that the theme of death was not the center of the story. I wanted the focus to be on the close and loving relationship between Julieta and Abuelita, and how Julieta was able to find a way to stay connected to her, even when Abuelita was no longer around. Highlighting the sweet moments the characters shared was key to building their relationship and add more heart to the pages. However, it was also necessary to show Abuelita had passed away and how Julieta was impacted by that event. Sara Palacios’ illustrations captured the emotion of that moment so perfectly, that not much text was needed to convey those feelings of life changing grief.

As for the easiest part for me to write, it was the ending. From the very beginning I knew how I wanted the story to end. With Julieta finding the right gift within herself and being able to feel the connection with Abuelita restored. However, I also wanted her to realize that she loved dancing and that she could find joy in it again, even without Abuelita. For this reason, the last two spreads of the book are my favorite.

“Dancing was Abuelita’s Gift to me,” Julieta said. “Now, it’s mine for us both.”

What element of the story do you identify with the most and why?

I would say the love of family is the element of the story that I identify with the most. I’ve always been a person who’s been close to my family (nuclear and extended). I cherish spending time together, making memories, taking photos of our special moments, and I enjoy keeping mementos in memory boxes just like Julieta.

Now that I’m living far away from México, it’s my family that I miss most. For this reason, this book about endless love and connection with loved ones resonates with me so much.

What do you want kids today to take away from this story?

First of all, I want readers to get a glimpse of what Día de Muertos is about, so they can have a better understanding of this beautiful Mexican tradition. For this reason, it was important for me to include detailed back matter in the book. However, I also want children to wonder about their own family and ancestors, to ask questions so they can get to know more about their past and about themselves. I hope they will remember Día de Muertos as a celebration of love and family, and that our loved ones never really leave us as long as we remember them and keep them alive in our hearts.

Another important take away to keep in mind is that the best gifts always come from the heart, and in that way the gift is not only for the person who receives it, but for the giver as well.

What are you currently reading?

I just checked out A Flicker of Hope from my local library. It’s written by Cynthia Harmony and illustrated by Devon Holzwarth. The text is heartwarming, sweet, and powerful while the illustrations are beautiful and go perfectly well with the lyrical words on the pages.

What was the process like translating Abuelita’s Gift into El regalo de abuelita, which was published simultaneously in Spanish?

The decision to have a Spanish edition of Abuelita’s Gift wasn’t considered from the beginning, so it was a pleasant surprise. Gianna Lakenauth, my editor, shared the news about the translation and asked if I would like to do it, since my first language is Spanish. I felt very honored and thankful for the opportunity and also really happy that our book about a beloved Mexican tradition would also be released in my own language.

Translating to Spanish didn’t take a long time, but it was a bit more complicated than I had anticipated. I realized it was not just a matter of finding the right words in Spanish, but I also had to make sure that children could understand them and that they had a nice sound and flow. I had spent a long time trying to find the perfect words in English while editing, and sometimes there are words or phrases that are just not translated to Spanish exactly the same. Through the process I learned it was a matter of keeping the essence of the meaning and feeling in the sentences of the English edition, and not just worrying about translating exactly word by word.

Abuelita's Gift

Abuelita's Gift By Mariana Ríos Ramírez; illustrated by Sara Palacios

Julieta is eager to honor her Abuelita's spirit on Día de Muertos, but struggles to find the perfect gift. A touching story that celebrates ancestors and teaches that the most meaningful tributes come from the heart illustrated by award-winning Sara Palacios.

Julieta is excited for Abuelita's spirit to visit on Día de los Muertos. She is determined to find the perfect gift to honor Abuelita and to show how much she misses her. However, her ideas fail one by one and Julieta grows worried.
    It is only when Julieta embraces the memories she once shared with her abuelita, that she realizes the perfect gift comes from the heart. An uplifting story about both life and death, family, and the threads that connect us, long after we are gone.

El regalo de abuelita (Abuelita's Gift Spanish Edition)

El regalo de abuelita (Abuelita's Gift Spanish Edition) By Mariana Ríos Ramírez; illustrated by Sara Palacios

Julieta está ansiosa para honrar el alma de su abuelita en Día de Muertos, pero lucha por encontrar el regalo perfecto. Una cálida historia sobre el amor, la familia y los lazos que nos conectan, incluso después de la Muerte.

Acompaña a Julieta en su búsqueda del regalo perfecto para honrar el alma de su abuelita en Día de Muertos. Con la celebración acercándose, y viendo cómo sus ideas fallan una tras otra, Julieta está cada vez más preocupada. Solo cuando logra reconectar con la pasión que compartía con abuelita, Julieta se da cuenta de que los mejores regalos siempre vienen del corazón.
    El libro incluye una nota de la autora y un diagrama con los elementos más representativos de una ofrenda, los cuales aportan contexto adicional a esta hermosa tradición. Escrito por la autora mexicana Mariana Ríos Ramírez e ilustrado por la artista galardonada Sara Palacios, este cuento celebra a la familia y su legado que perdura a través del tiempo.

Mariana Ríos Ramírez

Mariana Ríos Ramírez is a Mexican author living in Anderson, South Carolina. She worked as a high school teacher and co-owned an online business before discovering her passion for writing. Mariana is a member of SCBWI, Storyteller Academy, Rate your Story, and Las Musas.

The Fresh Voices series is in coordination with the RHCB DEI Book Club committee.

Random House Teachers and Librarians