"Heartbreak is for suckers."
When Jenna Sakai gets dumped over winter break, it confirms what she learned from her parents' messy divorce: Relationships are risky and only lead to disappointment. So even though she still has to see her ex-boyfriend Elliott at newspaper club, Jenna is going to be totally heartless this semester -- no boys, just books.
But keeping her cool isn't always easy. Jenna's chief competition for a big journalism scholarship is none other than Elliott. Her best friend Keiko always seems busy with her own boyfriend. And cute-but-incredibly-annoying Rin Watanabe keeps stealing her booth at the diner she's been hiding at every day after school. Rin is every bit as stubborn and detached as Jenna. And the more Jenna gets to know him, the more intriguing a mystery he seems. Soon Jenna is starting to realize that being a loner is kind of, well, lonely. And letting people in might just be a risk worth taking.
It's pronounced Mar-tchins. LIKE A LOVE SONG, BAD AT LOVE (out now!), OUR SHADOWS HAVE CLAWS (out now!).
@artfromafriend both KEEP IT TOGETHER KEIKO CARTER and JUST BE COOL JENNA SAKAI by debbi michiko florence made me fall in love with audiobooks /all over/ again. funny and quick-paced, it convinced me that i basically need to read everything the author ever writes.
Librarian. Creator and Host of A Bookish Home Podcast.
Ep. 91: Debbi Michiko Florence on Just Be Cool, Jenna Sakai https://t.co/FVC4GJQdUe
Children's book literary agency. No longer On Here. Insta: @emliterary FB: @erinmurphyliterary
JUST BE COOL, JENNA SAKAI by @DebbiMichiko and BE STRONG by @PatZMiller & illustrated by @jenhillustrator have been selected for Amazon's Best of the Month lists! Huge congratulations to you all! 💜 See the lists: https://amzn.to/3B2Atw2 https://t.co/AOSdTpis4G
Praise for Just Be Cool, Jenna Sakai:
* "A tightly written narrative that is as fearless as it is balanced...offering glimmers of friendship and hope." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"A beautiful story about healing from heartbreak, and discovering the strength that comes from opening your heart to others. Jenna is a gem!" -- Jo Knowles, award-winning author of Where the Heart Is
Praise for Keep It Together, Keiko Carter:
"Sweet and smart." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Charming." -- Booklist
"Florence's tween drama will resonate." -- School Library Journal
"This is the book I wish I could take back in time and give to my tween self." -- Christina Soontornvat, Newbery Honor-winning author of A Wish in the Dark
"Keep It Together, Keiko Carter takes an honest look at friendship fallouts and changing family dynamics with sweetness and sincerity that will make you cheer for Keiko as she learns to manage it all without losing herself." -- Jessica Kim, author of Stand Up, Yumi Chung!
"In this deft, empathetic, and humorous narrative, Debbi Michiko Florence has expertly captured the joy and heartbreak of middle school." -- Andrea Wang, award-winning author of Magic Ramen, The Many Meanings of Meilan, and Watercress