Margaret Willey

Four Secrets mentioned as a Best Book Bet for November by blogger S. E. Toon.

"Secrets are fragile things, hard to keep and promises even easier to break. As the bullied become the bully each girl's friendship with the other is tested in this honest story of the complexity of emotions and the repercussions of one's actions. This is one book that addresses bullying without the reader feeling that they are being preached at."

I appreciate this clarification because S. E. Toon is right; my book does not preach about bullying. Rather it celebrates the trial by fire that bullying brings to the innocent and celebrates the heroic teenager who must rise above cruelty and ignorance. Wow, I am sounding like Nate tonight.

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The author with granddaughter Beatrice, born Nov. 13 to my daughter Chloe Willey Joanisse and her wife Susan Veronica Barranco. Beatrice is named after her paternal grandmother, Beatrice Amanda Cote Joanisse, born in Quebec, the original Clever Beatrice.

"For older young readers, ages 12 through 18, there’s Four Secrets by Margaret Willey ($$17.95 hardcover and $12.95 ebook, Carolrhoda Lab, a division of Lerner Publishing Group) that tells the story of Katy, Nate, and Renata, three teens who decide to rescue Renata from being bullied every day by a group of older boys and, in particular, the school’s biggest bully. Things go awry and they end up in juvenile detention and the question is whether they will keep their secrets and whether a social worker will discover the truth behind their silences. For any young person experiencing bullying or wanting to intercede for a friend, this will prove a very compelling story."

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Part of the warm welcome for my book. Who knew FOUR SECRETS would lead to such striking centerpieces?

"Ah, the crows...crows symbolize bad luck, Mrs. Shield. I have had some very bad luck lately."--Renata Le Cortez

But it was VERY GOOD LUCK luck for me to be invited to give my first presentation about writing 4 Secrets to a fine group of Michigan school librarians and media educators.

Special thanks to Past MAME President Cyndi Phillip and Decorations Diva Dee Gwaltney.  Read More 

School librarians--the best and warmest and most learned audience a children's author could hope for. FOUR SECRETS warmly received. Much concern among librarians about bullying. Photo courtesy of Shelley Lazarus.