Can math-loving Talia crack the code of being cool in middle school? Marissa Moss, creator of the internationally best-selling Amelia’s Notebook series, makes a welcome, STEM-oriented return to the comics diary form.

Talia loves math puzzles and code-breaking, but the new social rules of middle school have her stumped. Her best friend, Dash, is now embarrassed to be best friends with a girl, so he only wants to hang out with Talia outside of school. And although Talia is excited to make the mathlete team, the strict team captain doubts her abilities . . . just because she’s a girl. But Talia has a great idea: she’ll start her own all-girls mathlete team! As the first competition approaches, Talia is determined to bring her fledgling team to victory, get her best friend back, and break the social code of preteen life. In the spirit of her best-selling Amelia’s Notebook series, Marissa Moss brings Talia’s adventures to life through charming text, illustrations, doodles, graphs, and puzzles. This delightful new series is for all mathletes, doodlers, and anyone who has ever had to navigate the unfamiliar conventions of a new school.

PUBLISHER AND ACCOLADES

Candlewick Press, June 2023

• Featured in USING GRAPHIC NOVELS IN THE STEM CLASSROOM (2023)
• Mathematical Book Prize Winner
• Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of the Year

“Talia is an appealing heroine who thrives despite her challenges and missteps, and whose willingness to learn—coupled with her frustrations around growing up and changing dynamics—paints an organic portrait of one irrepressible tween’s middle school experience.”
—Publishers Weekly

“In this delightful book, author/illustrator Marissa Moss tells the story of math-loving Talia using her signature format that imitates a hand-written notebook with full color artwork on every page. . . math and codes are interwoven seamlessly into the text. . . the main draw for readers will be Talia herself, as her struggles with friendship and fitting in are so relatable.”
—School Library Connection

“Talia’s love of code-breaking and scavenger hunts is incorporated through fun puzzles for readers to solve. Fans of Moss’ Amelia’s Notebooks series will feel at home with the engagingly illustrated text and tips for navigating social situations.”
—Kirkus Reviews