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From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

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From the Desk of Zoe Washington

Zoe Washington

by Janae Marks

Narrator Bahni Turpin

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Length 6 hours 9 minutes

Language English

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Bookseller recommendation

“An absolutely charming and inspirational read or listen about family, growing up and second chances. Social justice issues and experiences of racism are appropriately handled with grace and realism for this age. I enjoyed spending a bit of my summer experiencing her summer adventures and mishaps. Zoe is portrayed as a bright, ambitious 12 year-old, but she makes plenty of mistakes along the way. It balanced lighter moments of Zoe’s internship at a local bakery and re-building her friendship with her next-door neighbor alongside the tougher reality of deciding what to do when she receives a letter from her incarcerated biological father that she has never met. I loved that the author thoughtfully weaves in teachable moments around the Innocence Project and the effects that incarceration has on the entire family. Would partner great with "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stephenson. ”
— Cori • Bright Side Bookshop

Bookseller recommendation

“Zoe loves to bake. She wants to be a professional pastry chef when she grows up, and her mom landed her an internship at a local bakery this summer! But when she receives a letter from her birth father in prison on her 12th birthday, everything changes. Marcus sounds very nice in his letter, but he's in jail for murder. Zoe's not sure at first, but as she writes back and forth with Marcus (secretly—her mom would never allow it), she sees that he's really a good person. Could innocent people go to prison? With friendship challenges, cupcake creations, and a fight for justice—not to mention Bahni Turpin's peppy narration—From the Desk of Zoe Washington is an absolute delight to listen to.”
— Mary • Raven Book Store

Bookseller recommendation

“On Zoe's 12th birthday, she is looking through the mail for happy wishes when she discovers a letter from her birth father sent from the prison he has been serving his sentence in since she was born. Emotions and questions abound: should she trust this man she has never met? What would happen if she wrote back? Is it ok to keep it a secret from her parent? All of this comes together in a fantastic debut and #1 Kids Indies Next Pick that showcases a courageous and thoughtful main character.”
— Jessica • Once Upon A Time

Summary
About the author

#1 Kids Indie Next List * Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year * Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of the Year * SLJ Best Book of the Year * Kirkus Best Book of the Year * Junior Library Guild Selection * Edgar Award Nominee * Four Starred Reviews * Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year * An Indie Bestseller *

From debut author Janae Marks comes a captivating story full of heart, as one courageous girl questions assumptions, searches for the truth, and does what she believes is right—even in the face of great opposition.

Zoe Washington isn’t sure what to write. What does a girl say to the father she’s never met, hadn’t heard from until his letter arrived on her twelfth birthday, and who’s been in prison for a terrible crime?

A crime he says he never committed.

Could Marcus really be innocent? Zoe is determined to uncover the truth. Even if it means hiding his letters and her investigation from the rest of her family. Everyone else thinks Zoe’s worrying about doing a good job at her bakery internship and proving to her parents that she’s worthy of auditioning for Food Network’s Kids Bake Challenge.

But with bakery confections on one part of her mind, and Marcus’s conviction weighing heavily on the other, this is one recipe Zoe doesn’t know how to balance. The only thing she knows to be true: Everyone lies.

""When Marcus tells Zoe he is innocent, and her grandmother agrees, Zoe begins to learn about inequality in the criminal justice system, and she sets out to find the alibi witness who can prove his innocence."" (Publishers Weekly, ""An Anti-Racist Children's and YA Reading List"")

Plus don't miss Janae Marks's A Soft Place to Land!

Children's Cooking

Janae Marks is the author of the critically acclaimed novel From the Desk of Zoe Washington, the New York Times bestselling On Air with Zoe Washington, and A Soft Place to Land. She grew up in the New York City suburbs and now lives in Connecticut with her husband and daughter. She has an MFA in writing for children from the New School. Visit Janae online at janaemarks.com.