I wrote a new book!

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News from author Leila Sales

You are receiving this email because you have previously expressed interest in Leila's writing, editing, or general existence. If you don't remember who she is, you can visit her website or just quietly delete this email and never think of it again.

Did you forget that you're subscribed to this newsletter? That's reasonable, since I haven't sent it out in roughly 16 months. But I am sending it now, because I have Very Important News for You.

I wrote a new book!

The Museum of Lost and Found will be published by Abrams on May 16. It's geared toward readers ages 8 – 12, and it focuses on some of my favorite topics: strong female friendships and niche museums.

Kirkus Reviews says it "creatively explores the complexity of middle school friendships." Ruth Behar calls it "a beautiful exploration of friendship, family, and forgiveness, and the things we keep in the museum of the heart." You can pre-order The Museum of Lost and Found here or from any bookshop of your choosing.

The story, in brief:

When Vanessa discovers the abandoned museum, she starts filling it with her own projects and art and memories. She organizes them and labels them. Maybe, if she can put them all together in just the right way, she can finally understand what went wrong.

Why she can’t quit her bad habit. Why her dad lives on a military base thousands of miles away. Why a mysterious painting has been left behind, forgotten. And most of all, why Bailey, her best friend in the entire world, isn’t her best friend anymore.

Vanessa hopes that the museum will be the answer she needs. But what she soon discovers is that the museum has mysteries of its own…

Come see me on tour!

I'll be visiting a few independent bookstores this spring to celebrate the launch of The Museum of Lost and Found. Please join me, and invite all your friends and your friends' children and your children's friends!

At each event I will be in conversation with a museum curator. We'll discuss the evolving art of curation and how it plays out both in the real world and in the pages of my novel. Make sure to follow me on Twitter or Instagram for forthcoming announcements of which curator will be joining me at each stop.

TOUR DATES

Brookline Booksmith (Brookline, MA) on May 17
The Strand (New York, NY) on May 25
BookPeople (Austin, TX) on May 30

If you're not able to attend an in-person event, you can still get signed and personalized copies of any of my books. Just order them from one of those three bookstores prior to my event.

A special note to teachers and librarians

I'm scheduled to appear at two upcoming conferences. First at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference in Austin in April (not sure which day yet, so again keep an eye on my social media), and then at the Association of Jewish Libraries Conference on June 21, which will be held virtually. If you're a librarian, come and say hello.

If you want me to come speak to your school, library, book club, or summer camp, please reply to this email! I offer a fun interactive workshop on how to make a difference in your community, using The Campaign as a jumping-off point, and I've developed a brand-new workshop on creating a museum exhibition in your own home. I'm also happy to design a presentation or workshop specifically for your group.

The Campaign is coming out in paperback!

You may recall that during the depths of lockdown I published The Campaign, an illustrated political comedy about an artsy middle schooler who runs her babysitter's campaign to become mayor of their town.

The Campaign will be available in paperback on May 2! Find out why Max Brallier called it “a hilarious, inspiring story which proves that kids have the vision and the power to change the world” and why School Library Journal deemed it "a highly readable, enjoyable, nonpartisan story meant to encourage civic activism amongst middle schoolers."

Bonus note for teachers and librarians: Did you know that there's a downloadable activity guide for The Campaign? It's right here!

And now, a personal request

I'm planning to spend about a month from mid-June to mid-July in the UK and Europe. Where, exactly? Well, that depends somewhat on where I can find affordable accommodation. So if you or someone you know lives overseas and would be interested in a house-sitter, cat-sitter, or lodger paying somewhat less than market rate, please let me know.

That's all for now!

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram for somewhat more frequent updates. And I hope you'll continue to give copies of my existing books to new readers as they age into them. Once The Museum of Lost and Found is out, I'll have five YA novels, three middle grades novels, two audiobook editions, and one anthology of personal essays about scavenger hunts. Truly something for everyone.

Happy reading,
Leila

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Leila Sales Books · 345 Hudson Street · 15th Floor · New York, NY 10014 · USA