Cover Reveal - Turning Twelve

Vanessa Bettencourt

2 days ago4 min read

Turning Twelve by Kathryn Ormsbee and illustrated by Molly Brooks

Series: From the Universe of Growing Pangs

Random House Graphic | Oct 29, 2024

HC ISBN 9780593650066 | $21.99

240 pages | Middle Grade (Ages 8-12)

✍️author @kathsby

🎨illustrator @goodgollyetc

🏢publisher @rhkidsgraphic and @randomhousekids

@publicityprose Thank you For including me in this tour

Book is available now wherever books are sold or here.

Giveaway on my Instagram

Synopsis:

What if a friend...is more than a friend?

Katie can't wait to turn twelve--pool parties! babysitting! friends! But sometimes it feels like there's so much new stuff she can barely keep up. First Job? (Yes!) Unfair dress codes? (No way!) Make up (Okay?!) Shaving? (Uh…!)

Maybe growing up isn't as much fun as she had expected. But one thing does seem right--her new friend, Grace. Could Katie have a crush on another girl? Katie knows not everyone around her will approve...which is kind of scary. She might not be ready to tell anyone yet, and that’s fine...but can Katie stay true to herself and embrace the person she's growing up to be?

About the Author:

Kathryn Ormsbee is the author of books for children and young adults, including GROWING PANGS and THE HOUSE IN POPLAR WOOD. Her novels have been critically acclaimed, translated into eight languages, selected for the Indie Next List and Junior Library Guild, and made “best of” lists at Amazon, BookPage, Kirkus, NPR, and the Chicago and New York Public Libraries. She lives with her wife in Texas. Visit her online at kathrynormsbee.com.

About the Illustrator:

Molly Brooks is the author and illustrator of the SANITY & TALLULAH graphic novel series, as well as the illustrator for FLYING MACHINES: HOW THE WRIGHT BROTHERS SOARED by Ben Wilgus, and GROWING PANGS by Kathryn Ormsbee. Her illustration work has appeared in numerous national magazines and newspapers, including the Nashville Scene, the Guardian, Kazoo Magazine, and the Boston Globe. She grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, and now lives and works in Brooklyn with her wife, where she spends her spare time watching vintage buddy-cop shows and documenting her cats. Visit her online at mollybrooks.com.

Links + Socials:

Buy link: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/722328/turning-twelve-by-kathryn-ormsbee-illustrated-by-molly-brooks/

Author's website: kathrynormsbee.com

Illustrator’s website: mollybrooks.com

Instagram: @kathsby

Facebook: @authormsbee

The illustrator can be tagged on Instagram, Twitter, and BlueSky

Instagram: @goodgollyetc

Twitter: @mollybrooks

Bluesky: @mollybrooks

Instagram: @randomhousekids

Instagram: @rhkidsgraphic

TikTok: @randomhousekids

Facebook: @randomhousekids

Threads: @randomhousekids

Bluesky: @randomhousekids

Twitter: @randomhousekids

Twitter: @rhkidsgraphic

Praise for Turning Twelve

★ “A heartfelt and endearing snapshot of adolescence.”

—Kirkus, starred review

★ “Katie is just the sort of lively, inquisitive friend that a 12-year-old might yearn for. With its exhilarating combination of prose and illustrations, Turning Twelve will make readers clamor for more of Katie’s adventures.”

—BookPage, starred review“Through Katie’s story Ormsbee and Brooks craft a graphic novel that provides a realistic and empathetic exploration of understanding one’s identity. Her struggle to ask questions and identify her feelings, especially in the religious community, will be relatable to young readers with similar journeys…This exploration of crushes and growing up is a must for the realistic graphic novel genre.”

—School Library Journal

“A respectful portrayal of an adolescent girl learning to think independently.”—The Horn Book

“Twelve cheers for TURNING TWELVE! Readers will root for Katie as she navigates seventh grade and stays true to her own heart.”

—Megan Wagner Lloyd, author of Allergic

Awards and Honors:

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard SelectionKirkus Best Middle Grade Book of 2024BookPage Best Middle Grade Book of 2024Amazon Best Book of 2024ALA 2025 Rise Booklist Selection

Praise for Growing Pangs

★ “The story stays true to this child’s experience, and the art… gives equal attention to the high points of Katie’s life while skillfully depicting her lows.”—Booklist, starred review

“A poignant account of journeying through life while navigating mental health and friendships.”—Kirkus

“This sensitive, deeply felt graphic novel… will resonate with many readers.”—The Horn Book

“Eminently relatable for middle schoolers, taking the shame out of OCD and anxiety.”—NPR“An incisive and empathetic look at fitting in, anxiety, and what it means to be a good friend.”—Faith Erin Hicks, creator of The Adventures of Superhero Girl“A poignant and relatable story about making friends, letting go, and opening up.”—Terri Libenson, creator of the Emmie & Friends series“A thoughtful, compassionate portrayal of OCD, particularly in its visual representation of Katie’s anxieties.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books“The creators lend flashback-level realism to a story of one child’s world growing larger with age and experience.”—Publishers WeeklyAwards and HonorsNPR Best Book of 2022Target Book Club Pick of 2022Parents Magazine Best Book of 20222022 Oregon Spirit Book Award Winner2023 NCTE Charlotte Huck Recommended Title for Outstanding Fiction for Children

Awards and Honors:

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard SelectionKirkus Best Middle Grade Book of 2024BookPage Best Middle Grade Book of 2024Amazon Best Book of 2024ALA 2025 Rise Booklist Selection