Boston Book Festival 2019

Growing up comes with growing pains, and in this session, we’ll talk with three authors who have been there, done that, and now write about it! Hena Khan’s More to the Story takes a classic novel whose origin is here in New England--Little Women--and updates it for 2019, focusing on a tight-knit Muslim, Pakistani American family who have more than their fair share of struggles. In actor-turned-author Maulik Pancholy’s debut, The Best At It, a middle-schooler struggles to define his identity while also navigating anxiety and depression, in a novel Kirkus Reviews calls “a fast-paced journey riddled with heartbreakingly authentic moments of anxiety, confusion, and triumph.” Finally, in her middle-grade debut, My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich, award-winning novelist Ibi Zoboi introduces readers to a memorable character who would rather keep her head in the stars than contend with the real world. Our host for this session about growing up and getting stronger is Lauren Rizzuto of Simmons University.