Unforgettable Leta Lightning Laurel

Description: "A determined girl athlete deals with food insecurity and a new rivalry challenging her feminist ideals."--

Brief description: R.L. Toalson grew up running wild through corn rows and cow-grazing fields and recording true and wildly exaggerated false tales to entertain her friends, family members, and anyone who would listen. She still runs (literally) wild through the streets of her city and spends most of her days recording true (if a little exaggerated) and false tales to entertain anyone who will listen. She lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her one brilliant husband, six delightful children, and two arrogant cats. She's the author of The Colors of the Rain, which won the Arnold Adoff Poetry Honor Award for New Voices in 2020; The Woods, which received a starred review from Booklist; the highly acclaimed The First Magnificent Summer; and Dirty Windows Don't Open. Visit her at RachelToalson.com.

Review Quotes: * "Toalson has crafted a novel that can be handed to anyone. Leta is a character that every reader will connect with and root for. Add in an embarrassing grandpa, a pain-in-the-neck little sister, and a supportive cast of friends, coaches, and teachers, and it's a story that will reach every reader."-- "--School Library Journal, starred review"