Join as we welcome author Claire Forrest to Wild Rumpus, and celebrate her new book, WHERE YOU SEE YOURSELF. We love a fresh, relatable, and romantic YA novel, and this one does not disappoint! Joining her in conversation is fellow author Anika Fajardo! Wahoo!
Where You See Yourself combines an unforgettable coming-of-age tale, a swoon-worthy romance, and much-needed disability representation in this story about a girl who's determined to follow her dreams. By the time Effie Galanos starts her senior year, it feels like she’s already been thinking about college applications for an eternity—after all, finding a college that will be the perfect fit and be accessible enough for Effie to navigate in her wheelchair presents a ton of considerations that her friends don’t have to worry about.
As Effie navigates her way through a year of admissions visits, senior class traditions, internal and external ableism, and a lot of firsts--and lasts--she starts to learn that sometimes growing up means being open to a world of possibilities you never even dreamed of. And maybe being more than just friends with her longtime crush is one of those dreams...
To Attend:
This event is free and open to the public. Seating will be available on a first-come first-served basis. Masks are encouraged.
Signing Guidelines:
Following the event, Claire Forrest will be available to sign copies of her book. If you are unable to attend but would still like a signed copy, you may order a copy from this page and we will ship after the event, or hold it behind the counter for local pickup. Please note in your order any personalization requests and we will do our best to accommodate. Orders must be placed by 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 8th to guarantee signed copies.
Claire Forrest is a novelist and essayist who holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. Where You See Yourself is based on her lived experience as a wheelchair user who has cerebral palsy. As an undergraduate at Grinnell College, she was a consultant for the Disability Services and Admissions offices, working directly to address the concerns of incoming college students with disabilities and their families. She now lives in Minneapolis, where, when she's not writing, she spends her time swimming and planning where to travel next.
Anika Fajardo was born in Colombia and raised in Minnesota. She is the author of Magical Realism for Non-Believers: A Memoir of Finding Family, as well as several books for middle-grade readers including What If a Fish, which won a Minnesota Book Award, Meet Me Halfway, and the Disney tie-in novel Encanto: A Tale of Three Sisters. She lives with her family in Minneapolis, where she teaches at Augsburg University's MFA program
“Where You See Yourself is an absolutely necessary and affirming addition to YA shelves.” –BuzzFeed Books
Where You See Yourself combines an unforgettable coming-of-age tale and a swoon-worthy romance in this story about a girl who's determined to follow her dreams.
By the time Effie Galanos starts her senior year, it feels like she’s already been
“A romp of a read!” —Rebecca Balcárcel, Pura Belpré Honor–winning author of The Other Half of Happy
When new classmates Mattie and Mercedes meet and realize they have the same Colombian dad, the two team up in a Parent Trap–inspired misadventure to meet him for the first time in this sharp and poignant middle grade novel about
A whimsical, “honest and heartfelt” (Booklist) generational story of family and identity where hats turn into leeches, ghosts blow kisses from lemon trees, and the things you find at the end of your fishing line might not be a fish at all.
Half-Colombian Eddie Aguado has never really felt Colombian. Especially after Papa died.