SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: TRUE COLORS
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.abbycooperauthor.com/
CITY: Minneapolis
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME: SATA 330
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
ADDRESS
CAREER
Novelist. Formerly worked as teacher and school librarian.
AVOCATIONS:Reading, cupcakes, running, and reality television.
AWARDS:Finalist, Minnesota Book Awards middle grade category, 2017, for Sticks & Stones.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Abby Cooper is the author of the middle-grade novels Sticks & Stones and Bubbles. The author of a biographical blurb appearing on Metronet stated: “A former teacher and school librarian, her favorite things in the world (besides writing) are getting and giving book recommendations and sharing her love of reading with others. In her spare time, she likes eating cupcakes, running along the Mississippi River, and watching a lot of bad reality TV.”
Cooper harbored ambitions to become an author from an early age. “I’ve always wanted to be a writer,” Cooper declared in an interview appearing in TC Jewfolk. “Ever since I was little I liked writing stories and I wanted to be an author. It was more of a hobby growing up and [I] never thought I would get published because that seemed so far-fetched. It was something I did for fun.” Her ambitions crystallized after she had already begun another career. “I had an awesome job as a school librarian in Chicago … which combined interests of working with kids and books,” Cooper continued in her TC Jewfolk interview. “I was there the year Wonder came out, which is a popular middle-grade book. I couldn’t keep it on the shelf.” When students demanded more books like Wonder, Cooper realized that the time had come for her to write herself.
At the center of Cooper’s debut, Sticks & Stones, lies an image reminiscent of magical realism. “Eleven-year-old Elyse has an extremely rare skin condition,” wrote a Sweet Sixteens reviewer, “in which the names people call her appear on her body.” As she enters into middle school, Elyse hopes that the negativity that has dogged her throughout her elementary school days can finally be put to rest. “If the principal picks her to be Explorer Leader for the all-important class trip,” explained Jamie Hansen in Voice of Youth Advocates, “she can offer everyone new words like ‘smart,’ ‘brave,’ and ‘awesome.’” Eventually she comes to understand that only through her appreciation of her own qualities can she erase the graffiti that covers her arms and legs. “Elyse’s struggles toward self-confidence,” observed a Kirkus Reviews contributor, “will resonate with … all readers learning how to be comfortable in their own skins.”
Bubbles centers on another unlikely image. “Ever since Sophie’s mother broke up with her boyfriend, Pratik, and lost her job,” explained a Kirkus Reviews contributor, “she’s been depressed, and Sophie blames herself.” At the same time, Sophie appears to have developed a new power—she can see people’s inmost thoughts appear in the form of bubbles over their heads. “If you’re looking for a good solid middle grade book that kids could relate to,” stated a reviewer for the O.W.L. website, “I highly recommend it!”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, April 15, 2016, review of Sticks & Stones; April 15, 2017, review of Bubbles.
Voice of Youth Advocates, August, 2016, Jamie Hansen, review of Sticks & Stones, p. 73.
ONLINE
Abby Cooper Author, http://www.abbycooperauthor.com (May 15, 2018), author profile.
Macmillan Website, https://us.macmillan.com/ (May 15, 2018), author profile.
Metronet, http://metrolibraries.net/ (May 15, 2018), author profile.
O.W.L., http://owlforya.blogspot.com/ (October 17, 2017), review of Bubbles.
Sweet Sixteens, https://thesweetsixteens.wordpress.com/ (January 13, 2016), “Meet the Author: Abby Cooper.”
TC Jewfolk, https://tcjewfolk.com/ (September 12, 2016), Lonny Goldsmith, author interview.
About Abby
Abby Cooper lives in Minnesota with her husband, son, and miniature poodle. A former teacher and school librarian, her favorite things in the world (besides writing) are getting and giving book recommendations and sharing her love of reading with others. She recently founded the non-profit organization A Book of My Own that ships high-quality children’s books directly to families in need across MN.
Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Five Fun Facts About Abby
I can make this strange/awesome humming sound out of my nose. Once I made a video for a weird talents contest and it ended up on People Magazine’s website!
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is my favorite event ever. I look forward to it all year – seriously, it’s like my Super Bowl – and celebrate by throwing a party with letter-themed snacks.
I call my dog, Louis, my writing assistant, but it’s really true! He has many important responsibilities, including sniffing my books (to make sure they smell okay), as well as taking naps on them (to make sure the covers are comfy). I couldn’t do this job without him.
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. So much good food. And since both my son and I were born right around Thanksgiving, there’s turkey-shaped cake, too! (It’s not made of actual turkey, though. Mostly just frosting. YUM.)
I love wearing book-related t-shirts, dresses, headbands – anything, really. My favorite shirt slogans are let kids read what they want to read; read books, drink coffee, fight evil; and my weekend is all booked.
Facing our Feelings, a guest post by Abby Cooper
May 7, 2024 by Amanda MacGregor Leave a Comment
Everything happens for a reason.
It could always be worse.
Look on the bright side!
How many times, when faced with a complex emotion or situation, have you been met with one of the above?
If you’re a person in this world, probably quite a few. And if you’re Mackenzie Werner, age twelve, of Serenity, Minnesota, you’ve probably heard these platitudes more times than you can count. Where she lives, positivity is everything. From the sidewalk inscriptions to the lessons at school to the seemingly endless supply of bouncy castles and chocolate fountains, Serenity pretty much screams (joyfully, of course) GOOD VIBES ONLY.
Which is delightful. Unless you’re Mackenzie and were born with a rare condition that causes your emotions to manifest as colors that surround your body. Mackenzie knows she has a great life. She knows that so many people are so much worse off. She knows she should be happy. And she is. But no matter how much sunshine-yellow surrounds her, it never quite feels like enough.
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I know what that feels like. During COVID lockdown, when it felt like everyone was making sourdough bread and creating TikTok accounts, I was on the couch, depressed for what I considered “no reason.” My loved ones were healthy and safe, and in those scary times, that fact alone should have been enough for at least one awkward dance.
My feelings of sadness and fear were totally valid, but social media and our culture as a whole constantly told me they were not. Once you start to notice it, toxic positivity is everywhere – on t-shirts for kids and adults that proclaim “good vibes only,” at meetings for overworked, under-appreciated educators that ask you to “remember your why,” in songs and commercials and videos that basically demand that you smile (especially if you identify as female), and on, and on, and on.
Here’s the thing that took me awhile to learn: suppressing our feelings, or berating ourselves for having them in the first place, only makes those difficult feelings worse. Feelings are not mutually exclusive; it is possible to appreciate what you have and feel any number of uncomfortable ways at the same time. Acknowledging those feelings, and finding healthy ways to cope with them is SO much better for mental (and physical) health than simply pretending they do not exist.
2020 Abby trying to be a unicorn when she really felt like an Eeyore
All photos by Michael Baill
As much as I tried to talk myself out of my feelings during lockdown, eventually I gave up on the inauthentic TikTok attempts and wrote the first draft of TRUE COLORS. Writing this book was my way of reminding myself that just because you’re grateful for a lot of things doesn’t mean you can’t also feel sad, frustrated, disappointed, or any number of other ways. Young readers who are constantly bombarded by the toxic positivity all around us need and deserve this reminder as well. It is truly okay not to be okay, whether we’re in the midst of a global pandemic or it’s just a random Tuesday. Maybe even more important is the knowledge that if you’re not okay, you’re not the only one. Everyone feels difficult and uncomfortable feelings, even if they have everything they could ever want or need. Even if their families are healthy and safe.
Even if they live in a town with endless bouncy castles and chocolate fountains.
The only real way to handle our feelings isn’t to go around them, but through.
Meet the author
Abby Cooper is the author of four middle-grade novels: Sticks & Stones, Bubbles, Friend or Fiction, and True Colors. A former school librarian, Abby now runs the new non-profit A Book of My Own (BookOfMyOwn.org) that aims to increase book ownership across Minnesota. Visit her online at AbbyCooperAuthor.com.
Facebook.com/AbbyCooperAuthor
@_ACoops_ (Instagram and Twitter or whatever it’s called now)
About True Colors
Turning Red meets The Giver in this novel about a town where everyone agrees to think positively—but one girl, whose emotions manifest as colors, can’t hide her true feelings.
In Serenity, Minnesota, everyone looks on the bright side, and that’s on purpose: to live in this town, people have to agree to talk positively and only focus on the good things in life. For twelve-year-old Mackenzie Werner, who has the rare gift of her emotions showing up as a colorful haze around her body, this town seems like the perfect place; she’ll never face the embarrassment of a grumbly grapefruit smog if everyone and everything is set up to be happy. But when a documentary maker comes to town and starts asking questions, Mackenzie, overwhelmed with emotion, can’t hold her haze back—and it explodes onto the whole town. Now everyone has their own haze, revealing their real feelings. As Mackenzie learns that emotions go beyond surface level, the whole town must reckon with what it means now that these true colors are on display.
ISBN-13: 9781662620614
Publisher: Astra Publishing House
Publication date: 05/07/2024
Age Range: 10 – 13 Years
Ask the Author: Abby Cooper
September 30, 2019 By Melissa Roske Leave a Comment
The Proust Questionnaire, popularized by the French essayist and novelist Marcel Proust, is said to reveal a person’s true nature through a series of probing, soul-searching questions. In the hot seat today: ABBY COOPER, author of FRIEND OR FICTION (Charlesbridge, October 8, 2019), her third MG novel.
What is your idea of perfect happiness? Husband + poodle + book + coffee + cupcakes.
What is your greatest fear? Losing a loved one.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I overthink EVERYTHING.
What is the trait you most deplore in others? I wouldn’t say “deplore,” but it really bothers me when people are late. I value your time; value mine too, please!
Which living person do you most admire? Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I’ve been reading a lot about her lately. She’s done so many incredible things with all kinds of odds stacked against her. Also, she can probably do more push-ups than me!
What is your greatest extravagance? I have a hard time saying no to Starbucks, especially during pumpkin spice latte season.
What is your current state of mind? In a happy daze. I just got married, and everything has felt like a big blur since then. It went by so fast! And now I’m … MARRIED? I have a husband? What??
What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Patience. I guess it comes in handy for some things, but sometimes you need to stop waiting and take action.
On what occasion do you lie? If I’m attempting to play a prank on someone. (Though my guilty smile often gives it away.)
Which words or phrases do you most overuse? “Awesome.” What can I say? It’s just an awesome word.
Besides writing, which talent would you most like to have? I’d love to be able to sing and play the piano. Ideally at the same time.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? That I’ve figured out who I am and am happy to be that person. Being a published author is pretty awesome too.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? I think it’d be nice to be a small, fluffy dog. I’d probably get bored after a day or two, but a life where you get scratched and snuggled constantly (between naps) sounds pretty darn good.
What is your most treasured possession? My wedding ring. One of my husband’s best friends actually made it (he’s a jeweler), so it has extra sentimental value.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Somehow, ending up inside a tube slide. Those things are my worst nightmare.
What do you most value in your friends? The fact that we’re there for one another no matter what, in good times and in bad.
Who are your favorite writers? I have a million of them, but anything written by Megan McCafferty, Jaclyn Moriarty, or Sophie Kinsella is an auto-buy for me.
Who is your hero of fiction? Jessica Darling. While she may not be considered a typical literary hero, she helped me get through high school and to love to read. What’s more heroic than that?
Which historical figure do you most identify with? Ruth Graves Wakefield, the wonderful woman who invented the chocolate-chip cookie. She ran out of the specific chocolate she needed for baking, but did she give up? NO. She used PIECES of OTHER CHOCOLATE. I like to think that I share this determination. Also, I really love cookies.
What is your motto? “Eat dessert first.”
ABBY COOPER lives in Minnesota with her husband, her miniature poodle, and a whole bunch of books. A former teacher and school librarian, her favorite things in the world (besides writing) are getting and giving book recommendations and sharing her love of reading with others. In her spare time, she likes eating cupcakes, running along the Mississippi River, and watching a lot of bad reality TV. Learn more about Abby on her website and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Cooper, Abby TRUE COLORS Astra Young Readers (Children's None) $17.99 5, 7 ISBN: 9781662620614
Emotional honesty wins the day.
Everyone's happy in the town of Serenity. It's right there in the guidelines for residents: "CHOOSE HAPPINESS." And that's exactly what 12-year-old Mackenzie Werner and her friends do. Things are a little more complicated for Mackenzie; her feelings manifest as a colorful haze around her body. She's mostly able to control her emotions ("Every day can be sunny and bright if you decide to make it that way") until a new family moves to Serenity to work on a documentary about the town. Suddenly Mackenzie is confronted with some tough questions: Is being happy all the time really possible? The weight of projecting outward positivity takes its toll, and suddenly Mackenzie's colors explode out of her during an interview for the documentary. Now everyone within the blast range has a haze like hers and must contend with the fallout of having their emotions on display. Though some aspects of the story are less effective than others (for instance, the chapters written from the perspective of places and emotions), overall this is an intriguing exploration of the effects of conformity and suppressing emotions. While readers get brief glimpses into other people's lives through the documentary interviews, character development is generally light. The writing is well paced and engaging, and the book ends with helpful grounding techniques as well as resources for helping adults and tweens cope with overwhelming emotions. Mackenzie's family presents white, though there's racial diversity among her friends.
An absorbing treatise on living fully and truthfully. (Speculative fiction. 9-13)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Cooper, Abby: TRUE COLORS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A788096820/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b135e686. Accessed 8 Aug. 2024.
True Colors
Abby Cooper. Astra, $17.99 (192p) ISBN 978-1-66262-061-4
A rare condition causes 12-year-old Mackenzie Werner's emotions to radiate around her in a rainbow haze in this cerebral, lightly fantastical novel by Cooper (Friend or Fiction). After Mackenzie was treated as a pariah in kindergarten, her parents moved the family to Serenity, Minn., population 1000, where negativity is forbidden and choosing happiness is an edict. Mackenzie yearns to blend in, especially when a documentary crew arrives to chronicle Serenity's "way of life," but a growing friendship with the filmmaker's free-thinking daughter, Rayna Scott, causes Mackenzie to question her place in Serenity and the world. When her vivid emotions erupt and her colorful aura spreads to other townsfolk, she and her parents endure new levels of scrutiny as Serenity's facade of happiness fades away. Grounding a plot reminiscent of The Giver against a contemporary backdrop, Cooper depicts Mackenzie's bright emotions and desire to conform via a first-person POV that resounds as vibrantly as the protagonist's rainbow glow. Insights from the documentary footage and Serenity paraphernalia add nuanced layers to this tale about idealism gone awry. Mackenzie and her family are white; Rayna and othet supporting characters cue as racially diverse. Ages 10--up. Agent: Rebecca Sherman. Writers House. (May)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"True Colors." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 8, 26 Feb. 2024, p. 63. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A786321967/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=f43c6034. Accessed 8 Aug. 2024.
Cooper, Abby FRIEND OR FICTION Charlesbridge (Children's Fiction) $16.99 10, 8 ISBN: 978-1-62354-108-8
A lonely girl creates her own best friend.
No one stays in Tiveda, Colorado, for long. Friends come and go, and no one keeps in touch. Sick of making friends and losing them, aspiring author Jade Levy writes herself a best friend. Although Zoe exists solely on paper, she's real to Jade. She lives next door, they do everything together, and when Jade needs her, she gets out her beloved notebook and writes herself and Zoe into a story. Reality and fiction collide when an actual girl named Zoe moves in next door. Jade thinks she's dreaming; this can't be her Zoe. But everything about this girl mirrors Jade's creation. They look alike, and real Zoe's first day in Jade's sixth grade class unfolds exactly like the one Jade wrote for her. Jade finally has the real best friend she's longed for. But then Zoe deviates from the stories and starts thinking for herself, throwing Jade into a whirl of worry. What if Zoe finds another best friend? A subplot concerning Jade's father's cancer circles neatly around to meet the main narrative. Jade is introspective and narrates with quiet humor; anyone would be lucky to have her as a friend. Jade is white and Jewish, and Zoe has olive skin. An important secondary character is adopted and has two dads; another wears hijab.
A solid, unusual story that speaks to the need for friendship. (Fantasy. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Cooper, Abby: FRIEND OR FICTION." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A594857320/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=fc2c5050. Accessed 8 Aug. 2024.