New books in 2027 and 2028!

Posted & filed under Book Deal, Getting Published.

Lynne Missen at Tundra Books has acquired world rights, in a preempt, to two novels by Tara Dairman. We Are the Devils is a darkly humorous YA about five cheerleaders who resolve to bully an ugly, messy new teammate off the squad—until that teammate's own violent agenda starts to transform their lens on femininity, perfection, and themselves. It's All Kosher in North Dakota is a contemporary middle grade novel that follows "Jewish-ish" Danny Fishbein-O'Donnell from Brooklyn to rural North Dakota, where his family has inherited an old restaurant—complete with family history and mysteries, and tough questions about what being Jewish means to him. The first book will publish in fall 2027; Ammi-Joan Paquette at Aevitas Creative Management did the deal.

I’m excited to share that I will have two new books out in 2027 and 2028!

WE ARE THE DEVILS, my young adult debut, is a darkly humorous YA about five cheerleaders who resolve to bully an ugly, messy new teammate off the squad—until that teammate’s own violent agenda starts to transform their lens on femininity, perfection, and themselves.

IT’S ALL KOSHER IN NORTH DAKOTA, my next middle-grade novel, follows “Jewish-ish” twelve-year-old Danny Fishbein-O’Donnell from Brooklyn to rural North Dakota, where his family has inherited an old restaurant—complete with family history and mysteries, and tough questions about what being Jewish means to him.

Biggest thanks to the Rocket Cats for their years of feedback and cheerleading (go, Devils!) while I worked on these projects, and to my agent, Ammi-Joan Paquette, for her enthusiasm for them. And of course to Lynne Missen and the whole team at Tundra Books–I can’t wait to work with you!


Go, Baby, Go! is out today!

Posted & filed under Getting Published, Go Baby Go!, Picture Book.

It’s here!

spread from the picture book Go, Baby, Go! showing a rainbow and a mom jogging pushing a jogging stroller with an excited kiddo inside. text reads: Rainbow arcs across the sky. Final stretch now. Fly, Baby, fly!

Today’s the day! My new picture book Go, Baby, Go!, illustrated by Olivia Amoah, is on shelves now. It’s a great read-aloud for ages 3-7, and also a great new-baby gift for parents who jog.

Go, Baby, Go written by Tara Dairman, illustrated by Olivia AmoahThis story of a jogging adventure has been gestating ever since my oldest kiddo was a baby—almost ten years! And even before I became a parent, I was inspired by watching friends strap their babies in and take them along on runs and hikes. The book is dedicated to three of those friends, and my launch party on Sunday will feature some of their favorite running treats. 😊

If you’re local, I’d love to see you at one of my three events (details below). If you’re not but you grab a copy of the book, thank you, and I hope you enjoy it!

Buy at:  Old Firehouse Books (you can request signing/personalization) * Bookshop.org * Barnes and Noble

About Go, Baby, Go!

A mother and child take a zippy rhyming run through a mountain landscape, complete with ups and downs, friends and weather, and a well-earned rest at the end.

Rhythmic and perfect for read-together story times, Go, Baby, Go! is an upbeat tale featuring a mom and baby out for a jog, as they try to outrun a coming rainstorm. Once they’ve returned home, they snuggle up for a well-earned nap, and perhaps dream of future adventures.

Filled with energetic rhyme and humorous, intimate parent-child interactions, Go, Baby, Go! encourages readers to get outside and move and to revel in the unexpected.

Graphic showing details for three author events in Fort Collins, CO. Fort Collins book events for...Go, Baby, Go! Launch party - treats, trivia, & fun! Sunday, July 27, 1pm, Old Town LIbrary Outdoor local author reading & crafts Wednesday, July 30, 3:30-5:3opm (I read at 5pm), The Gardens on Spring Creek Storytime! Sunday, August 3, 1pm, Barnes & Noble on College Ave.

My next book: Go, Baby, Go!

Posted & filed under News.

Friends, I’m excited to share that I have a new picture book coming out this summer, joyously illustrated by the wonderful Olivia Amoah, and published by Peachtree ! Go, Baby, Go!–an epic, rhyming jogging-stroller adventure–is available for preorder anywhere books are sold, and even already has a glowing trade review from Kirkus.

Image of the book cover of "Go, Baby, Go" by Tara Dairman and Olivia Amoah, with information about preordering, release date, and a praise quote from Kirkus

 

I wrote this book when I was a new parent in Colorado, occasionally jogging my kiddo to daycare in her stroller and being inspired by all the badass runner-parents I saw around me. I wanted to see more books out there featuring active moms sharing outdoor adventures with their little kids.

Olivia made the illustrations look like Colorado, and I love them so much. I’m excited to see this book of ours race its way out into the world in July!

You can preorder from anywhere, but please consider supporting your local independent bookstore with your purchase! If you’d like a signed/personalized copy, you can preorder from my indie, Old Firehouse Books, and put your signing request in the comments.

 

 

This week at the NCTE 2023 conference!

Posted & filed under News.

Hello, friends! I’m excited to be traveling to Columbus, Ohio, this week for my first ever NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) conference. I’ll be on two panels (fun fact–for the garden-themed panel on Saturday, I’m also the moderator!) and doing two book signings of The Girl from Earth’s End. If you’ll be attending the conference, please let me know, and I hope our paths cross!

Story time this Saturday at Fort Collins Nursery!

Posted & filed under Desert Girl Monsoon Boy, The Girl From Earth's End.

Northern Colorado friends–please join me and six other local authors/illustrators at Fort Collins Nursery for a nature-themed story time this Saturday morning, July 15, from 10-12! We’ll all be reading our picture books (I’ll be reading Desert Girl, Monsoon Boy), and there will be lots of amazing crafts and door prizes for the kiddos. Books will be for sale (also including my nature-filled middle grade, The Girl from Earth’s End) thanks to The Crowded Bookshelf. Hope to see you!

The Girl from Earth’s End hits the shelves today!

Posted & filed under Getting Published, The Girl From Earth's End, Writing and Life.

My fifth novel, The Girl from Earth’s End (Candlewick Press) is out in the world today!

We often say “happy book birthday” on a book’s publication day, since the process of writing and editing it can feel like a gestation. But for this book . . . I don’t know. I’ve spent such a long, intense time with its characters (five years!) that it feels a little more like I’m dropping the whole crew off at college. Through stages both joyful and infuriating, I’ve done my best to shape their personalities. Now it’s time for them to make their own impressions on the world; to live their lives independent from their creator.

I’m excited for Henna and P and Lora and all the rest of them, but also a little weepy. They’re not just my babies anymore! They belong to the world now, and not everyone’s gonna like them. Heartbreaks and disappointments may be coming their way. But maybe, also, glory? Great bonds with readers who will love them just as much (well, almost as much) as I have? Oh, I hope so.

Anyway, buy a book or two if you have the means (college tuition’s expensive!). Leave reviews on Amazon or Goodreads if you can. Tell your friends about these cool kids from the Gardenia Isles if you think they might want to be friends with them, too. And maybe even spare a thought for their empty-nester author-parent’s complicated feelings today. 😁😬🎉😱😍😭🌿

Read & grow,

Tara

 

Rocket Cat Kids Book Club — a free, virtual book club for middle-grade readers

Posted & filed under Fun, The Girl From Earth's End.

I’m very excited to share that the Rocket Cat Kids Book Club–a free, virtual book club for middle-grade readers run by me and my three author-critique partners–is happening! Please read on for more details, and SIGN UP HERE.
The Rocket Cat Kids Book Club!
Rocket Cat Book Club—join us!

We’ll be reading two books this spring (Sisterhood of Sleuths by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman and The Girl from Earth’s End by Tara Dairman) and two more this fall (Opinions & Opossums by Ann Braden and Half Moon Summer by Elaine Vickers).

To accommodate the most readers, we’ve decided to have TWO meetings for each book: one during the school day and one after school hours. Fall dates are TBD, but here are the meeting dates for spring:


Thursday, April 6 – Sisterhood of Sleuths – Mystery Mayhem!

1 PM ET (noon CT, 11 AM MT, 10 AM PT) – classroom version (geared more toward school groups, but homeschool students & international readers also welcome)

7 PM ET (6 PM CT, 5 PM MT, 4 PM PT) – after-school version (geared more toward individuals)

 

Thursday, May 18 – The Girl from Earth’s End – Gardens Galore!

1 PM ET (noon CT, 11 AM MT, 10 AM PT) – classroom version (geared more toward school groups, but homeschool students & international readers also welcome)

7 PM ET (6 PM CT, 5 PM MT, 4 PM PT) – after-school version (geared more toward individuals and book clubs)

 

A special deal on our books!

While purchasing the books is not required for participation, we’re excited to offer a special deal through The Wandering Jellyfish Book Shop in Niwot, Colorado (one of Jenn’s and Tara’s favorite local indies!). If you order the full Rocket Cat book package from The Wandering Jellyfish, you will receive:

-ALL FOUR book club books at a 10% discount (plus more discounts for schools*)

-signed/personalized books

-fun swag from the authors, like bookmarks and stickers

-books will ship to you automatically as soon they are published

This is a great way to support us as authors and to support a terrific independent children’s bookstore. Thank you for considering! (And just a reminder to order as soon as possible to leave time for signing, shipping, and reading in time for the first book club meeting.)

Of course, you are also welcome to borrow our books from your library, or to purchase them from the bookseller of your choice. We’re excited that you’re excited to read, write, and discuss the books with us.

* If a school wants to order and pay for the books, they can get the order as tax exempt and with a 20% discount. Their ordering process will be a little different: they will need to first create an account by clicking the little person icon near the top right of the page. Once they have created their account, they will need to email schools@twjbookshop.com with their account information and a copy of their tax exempt form. When the store receives that information, they will then set their account as tax exempt and respond to their email with a school discount code which they can use to take advantage of the 20% school discount.

Once again, here’s the link to sign up for the book club. Hope to see you on April 6!

World Read Aloud Day 2023

Posted & filed under The Girl From Earth's End.

Hi, educators! I’m excited to be participating as an author in World Read Aloud Day 2023, which means that I’ll be available to Zoom into classrooms on Wednesday, February 1 to read from my next middle-grade novel and answer student questions. (I’ll be reading from The Girl from Earth’s End, which doesn’t publish until March, so your students could be among the first to hear part of it!)

This visit will work best for upper elementary or middle-school students. If you’d like to sign your class/school up, spots are available here.

Looking forward to it!

Cover reveal for THE GIRL FROM EARTH’S END!

Posted & filed under Getting Published, The Girl From Earth's End.

Hello, friends! Today I’m so happy to be able to share the cover and description of my next middle-grade novel with you.

I’ve been hard at work on this book since 2018, and I’m so proud of how it’s turned out. If you’re familiar with my other middle-grade novels, you might notice that The Girl from Earth’s End sounds a bit different, and it is—this is me delving into some weightier topics and themes, from family dynamics to gender identity to mortality. (Though don’t worry, there’s still plenty of friendship, humor, and food, too.) It’s my most fantastical work so far, but at the same time the book that feels closest to my heart and my truth.

Chantal Horeis created this magnificent cover art for The Girl from Earth’s End, which will be published on March 14, 2023 by Candlewick Press.


I’m over the moon with how the cover turned out! In addition to creating an atmosphere that matches the story perfectly, Chantal worked in so many significant details from the plot—like the contents of the boat ready to launch in the corner, the flowers the main character is planting . . . even the shoes she’s wearing.

And the back cover features a tree that’s yet another key story element. Here’s the full jacket (additional credit to Matt Roeser and the rest of the design team at Candlewick).
 

So what’s this book about, and how can you get your hands on a copy (maybe even before publication)? Do read on . . .


The Girl from Earth’s End
Candlewick Press, 3.14.23
ISBN: 978-1536224801
ages 8 and up 
 
Gifted gardener Henna embarks from her island home to search for the plant that might save her papa’s life in this vibrant story of love, grief, and growth.

Twelve-year-old Henna loves living with her two papas and cultivating her beloved plants on the tiny island of Earth’s End—until Papa Niall grows seriously ill. Now Henna is determined to find a legendary, long-extinct plant with miraculous healing powers, even though the search means journeying all the way to St. Basil’s Conservatory, a botanical boarding school rumored to house seeds of every plant ever grown. At St. Basil’s, Henna is surrounded not only by incredible plants, but also, for the first time, by other kids—including her new roommates: wisecracking, genderfluid P, who gleefully bends every rule they come up against, and wealthy, distant Lora, who is tired of servants doing everything for her, from folding her clothes to pushing her wheelchair. But Henna’s search for the fabled healing seed means she doesn’t have time for friends, or so she thinks.
 
This tender tale, blossoming with moments of joy, is a story of hope, grief, and learning to flourish with a little help from those around you.
 
Preorder your copy from…
 
Old Firehouse Books (for signed copies)*
BAM
B&N
Amazon
Indigo (Canada)
Book Depository (International)
Kobo
Penguin Random House

Bookshop.org (this book is not yet in their system, but will be soon!)
 
Add it on Goodreads

*If you’d like your copy(/ies) signed and personalized, you should order from my local indie bookstore, Old Firehouse Books, and I’ll throw in some fun swag as well before they’re sent out to you.

Three ways you can help make this book a success 

Preorder a copy (or two). Preorders show the publisher and retailers that people are excited about the book; they can lead to higher print runs, bestseller list placement, and more visibility for the book in online algorithms. So thank you for preordering if you can! (And hey, if you have the means and want to preorder multiple copies, even better. You could gift an extra to a middle-grade reader in your life or pop one into a little free library.)
Request that your local library system purchase and carry it. You can often do this electronically through Libby or Overdrive or on your library’s website, or by filling out a form at the library in person. It can help to have the ISBN handy.
Read the book early and share a review. If you’re interested in doing this, read the next section!

Early ARC tour for The Girl from Earth’s End 
Would you like to read The Girl from Earth’s End before it’s even published? If so, consider joining my newsletter-subscribers-only ARC tour! If you can commit to reading the book in about a week (and mailing it to the next reader after), you can join a group of excited early readers who’ll be sending a copy of the book around the United States. Once you’ve read, I’d love it if you left a brief review on Goodreads or any other social media you participate in to help build buzz for the book. (If a kid is reading, they’re welcome to write a review and have an adult share it in any capacity that feels comfortable.)
 
I’ll send a newsletter out very soon with more details and a sign-up link. If you’re not already subscribed, you can do so here.


Blurbs!
Here are a few things other wonderful writers have said about The Girl from Earth’s End.                                                                                                                          
 “This book is a masterpiece. With a story that grabs you and doesn’t let go, a lush setting that ignites your imagination, and characters who will live in your heart long after you close the book, The Girl from Earth’s End will transport you to a different world—one where you’ll laugh, cry . . . and won’t want to leave.”

–Ann Braden, award-winning author of The Benefits of Being an Octopus and Opinions and Opossums
 
 
“Prepare yourself for an enchanting journey full of humor and heart. The Girl from Earth’s End will charm and captivate readers—a classic in the making.”
 
–Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, New York Times bestselling author of the Book Scavenger series and Sisterhood of Sleuths
 
 
“Richly imagined and beautifully detailed, The Girl from Earth’s End expertly weaves contemporary themes into a timeless, heartfelt tale that not only transports the reader but transforms them. A breathtaking gem of a book.”
 
–Elaine Vickers, award-winning author of Like Magic and Half Moon Summer

And one more thing…
As a bonus for scrolling all this way, here’s one more reveal from the book: a map of the Gardenia Isles, the world where The Girl from Earth’s End takes place. It was drawn by Christine Engels with further design elements by Maya Tatsukawa. Fun fact: Christine is my amazing editor, and she busted out her secret drawing skills to create this for the book and surprise me. Wow, right??
 

A Kirkus Best Book of the Year!

Posted & filed under Desert Girl Monsoon Boy, Picture Book.

Today I’m thrilled to share the news that Desert Girl, Monsoon Boy (words by me, pictures by Archana Sreenivasan) has been named one of the best picture books of 2020 by Kirkus. What an honor!

In their starred review earlier this year, Kirkus called DGMB “A beautiful and important book about climate change featuring those who are most affected by it.“

Here’s some more info about the book (which is for ages 4+). And if you’d like to buy a copy (more links below), please consider supporting an independent bookstore with your purchase. This year, more than ever, they can use the support!

Extreme weather affects two children’s lives in very different ways and shows how the power of nature can bring us together.

One girl. One boy. Their lives couldn’t be more different. While she turns her shoulder to sandstorms and blistering winds, he cuffs his pants when heavy rains begin to fall. As the weather becomes more severe, their families and animals must flee to safety–and their destination shows that they might be more alike than they seem. The journeys of these two children experiencing weather extremes in India highlight the power of nature and the resilience of the human spirit.

Buy your copy from…

Your local independent bookstore: find one here

Bookshop.org (which supports independent bookstores)

Or your favorite national or online retailer:

Penguin Random House * Powell’s * BAM * B&N * Amazon *  Indigo (Canada) * Book Depository (International)

 

***


As always, I will donate an ongoing portion of my royalties from this book to organizations that support pastoralists, like those featured in Desert Girl, Monsoon Boy, in environmentally and culturally sustainable ways worldwide. You can learn more about such organizations, including like Lokhit Pashu-Palak Sansthan (LPPS) in India, at pastoralpeoples.org/partners.