Happy News

"UNDERCOVER," Jill Santopolo, my editor, writes, "just got chosen for the 2009 Texas Lone Star Reading List AND the 2008-09 Tayshas Reading List."

And because that makes me happy, I post the news here. I have heard from other schools (my alma mater, even) that UNDERCOVER is sneaking onto recommended reading lists, and not long ago, while giving a talk, the dear librarian from Upper Darby High School (proud secondary ed proving ground of Tina Fey) made mention of this delightful fact: UNDERCOVER is sometimes being coupled in classrooms there with the original "Cyrano de Bergerac," which inspired some of the story.

I send, then, a virtual hug to these librarians who have so generously made room for UNDERCOVER. In NOTHING BUT GHOSTS, due out in June, I play out my admiration for librarians in full.

For now, right now, I can only say thank you.

Oh, and maybe this would be a good time to mention that an UNDERCOVER paperback is due out in May with a supplement I've loved writing. In that supplement, we meet Elisa a few years on. We read some of her new poetry. We learn the fate of her burgeoning romance with Theo. And Dr. Charmin remains within view.