Forest background with the text: There’s so much I could say. About the creeping doubt. About the worry that my anger will win no matter how hard I try.

Middle Grade and Up

Fast-paced hi-lo fiction. Written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 10 and up.

Releasing January 2027

The Zone

A Fast-Paced Middle Grade Novel about Getting a Handle on Handling Life

Zane has a goal and a problem as he ends the 8th grade. He’s been picked for a youth conservation program that will let him enjoy the outdoors for the summer and start saving for a car down the road. But controlling his anger has everyone on edge, especially after a big outburst as school let out. His parents want him to pause the summer plan, but he promises to double down on his therapy strategies using the zones of emotional regulation.

Soon, he’s trying to fit in and keep his cool as part of a crew with four other teens, a 20-year-old crew leader and a gruff ex-military program director named Wolf. While they build a habitat protection trail in a national forest, Zane navigates successes and struggles in getting along with the others, managing the things that trigger his anger and sticking with the hard work. Not helping is news that the school and his parents want him to transfer to a behavior support program as he starts high school in the fall.

He tries not to crack under all the pressure. When a thoughtless crewmate sparks a wildfire, Zane’s faced with a high-stakes test of his skills. He needs to stay calm so they can stay safe.

From Jolly Fish Press.