MEGAN MCCAFFERTY

Megan McCafferty has written about adolescence for two decades. Her most recent books for 2020 are TRUE TO YOUR SELFIE (MG, Scholastic) and THE MALL (YA, Wednesday Books). The author of twelve novels, she is best known for the original Jessica Darling series which was described by the Wall Street Journal as “Judy Blume meets Dorothy Parker.” SLOPPY FIRSTS (2001), was ALA Top 10 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, an ALA Popular Paperback, and a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. Its sequel, SECOND HELPINGS (2003) was also selected to the NYPL list, and was a Booklist Editor’s Pick for one of the best novels of the year. CHARMED THIRDS (2006)  FOURTH COMINGS (2007) and PERFECT FIFTHS (2009) were instant New York Times and USA Today bestsellers. In March 2018, Megan’s stage adaption of SLOPPY FIRSTS premiered at Round House Theater.  Megan also published a series of middle grade prequels of the Jessica Darling story, Jessica Darling's It List 1,2 & 3.  

Megan lives with her husband and son in Princeton, New Jersey where she volunteers for HiTOPS adolescent health services and education center and is also a Princeton University Community Fellow for Mathey College.  Her next book, The Mall, set entirely in a New Jersey mall during the summer of 1991, will be published by Wednesday Books in 2020.

TRUE TO YOUR SELFIE (SCHOLASTIC, 2020)

“Mean Girls goes to a New Jersey middle school in the social media age.Life is perfect as Ella Jane Plaza enters seventh grade. She and her best friend, Morgan Middleton, are the local internet sensation #Morgan&Ella. With more than 10,000 followers on all the best "socials," the duo are on their way to "global multiplatform domination." Maintaining her image as the ukulele-playing "Goofball Goddess" sidekick to Morgan's "Girlboss Goddess Next Door" isn't easy, but as long as Ella does exactly as privileged, spoiled Morgan says, everything is harmonious. When Ella, who's never been particularly good at anything except being epically unorganized, discovers she has a natural aptitude for fencing, she has to hide it from Morgan. Such a "terminally uncute" sport is bad for their brand and will make #Morgan&Ella (but mostly Morgan) look bad. Eventually, Ella, who narrates with sincerity and uncertainty, must decide whether or not to continue being untrue to herself in order to maintain her popularity. Ella knows Morgan is manipulative and cruel (particularly to Ella's nerdy former best friend) but rationalizes Morgan's unkind words and actions as acts of charity and wisdom. Notably, Morgan's meanness isn't explained away as a result of neglectful high-power parents. Olive-skinned Ella is of Mediterranean descent, and Morgan is white; their community is also largely white.A quick, entertaining read for fans of frenemy fiction.”
- Kirkus

THE MALL (WEDNESDAY BOOKS, 2020)

“With wit and more than a little hairspray, McCafferty (True to Your Selfie) dives into the 1990s with this snappily written self-empowerment novel set beneath the fluorescent lights of a suburban New Jersey mall. Cassie Worthy has life after high school all planned out: at summer’s end, she’s heading from New Jersey to Manhattan to attend college near—but not with—Troy, her boyfriend of two years. They’re the ultimate power couple, but their plan radically shifts after Cassie’s recovery from mono and their subsequent breakup. Her job selling cookies at the mall isn’t as great as she’d hoped it would be, and she discovers that what she knew about life, love, and friendship aren’t even close to reality. A Cabbage Patch Kid–related treasure hunt for a cash stash takes Cassie on a winding path through the mall with her former best friend. The real find, though, is her journey of self-discovery, complete with the requisite coming-of-age tropes. Though some ’90s references may be unfamiliar to today’s teens, readers will easily be able to identify with Cassie’s struggles, tribulations, and triumphs.” - Publisher’s Weekly

PRAISE FOR JESSICA DARLING'S IT LIST 3

"This latest installment in the perils of Pineville Junior High can be described in just the same way as describing its title character: hilarious, sweet, and smart. This is a fun but not fluffy book; instead it provides some insightful truths about the heartbreaks of growing up, while maintaining a wicked sense of humor." -- VOYA

PRAISE FOR JESSICA DARLING'S IT LIST 2

"McCafferty knows her way around this age group; her depictions are pitch-perfect and will loudly resonate with girls facing their own friends and foes.” – Kirkus

“Razor-sharp writing, witty dialogue, and the genuineness of Jessica’s struggles make this a sure bet for tween readers.” – Booklist