Long Version:

Jaime Berry is the author of middle grade fiction and is a former New York City public school teacher. Hope Springs, her debut novel, was named a Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year for 2022, and a state award nominee. Her sophomore novel, Heart Finds, was a Junior Library Guild Selection and described by Kirkus Reviews as, “sure-handed storytelling with a resilient, extremely likable young hero.” Despite spending her adult life in large cities, Jaime was born and raised in rural Oklahoma, and her stories tend to take place in small towns and feature kids doing big things while finding their place in the world. Now she lives in New Jersey with her husband, three kids, and one very ornery dog, and if she isn’t reading or writing, she’s most likely taking a walk and thinking about reading or writing. You can visit her at jaimeberryauthor.com or on Twitter @jaime_berry3.