Presented by NWS and the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center
Supported by the Dilys Garcia Tosteson and Lola Jackson ‘Community Building’ Author Conversations
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is the two-time Newbery Honor winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of several acclaimed middle grade novels, including The War That Saved My Life and Jefferson’s Sons.
Kimberly’s middle school, mega-award winning novel, Fighting Words revolves around Suki, who has always had the back of her little sister, Della–when her mom’s boyfriend took them in after she’d gone to prison and when that same same boyfriend did something so awful to Della they had to run fast. But who has been protecting Suki? Who has been speaking up for her?
When Suki tries to kill herself after years of hiding a long-held secret, Della wonders if it’s her time to start speaking the truth.
In this powerful novel that explodes the stigma around child sexual abuse and leavens an intense tale with compassion and humor, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley tells a story about two sisters, linked by love and trauma, who must find their own voices before they can find their way back to each other.
Beth Milligan is a journalist and head writer for the Traverse City Ticker. She recently served as marketing chair on the board of directors for LGBTQ+ advocacy group Up North Pride and has worked in marketing and PR roles for numerous community organizations including the Traverse City Film Festival, Traverse Connect, Traverse City Winter Comedy Arts Festival, National Writers Series, and Porterhouse Productions. She currently serves on the marketing and outreach committee for the Leelanau Conservancy and on the advisory board for Northwestern Michigan College’s Extended Education Services. Beth lives on a small hobby farm called Stone Hill Farm on Old Mission Peninsula with her partner, Joe Beyer, with whom she produces community concerts and other programming as part of the farm’s nonprofit mission.
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