Hello and thanks for visiting my website. My name is Tony Abbott, and I am and have been a full-time children’s writer for almost 30 years. I have written about 107 books, including Danger Guys, The Secrets of Droon, Firegirl, Kringle, The Postcard, Lunch-Box Dream, Underworlds, Goofballs, The Copernicus Legacy, and many more.

My most recent books are Junk Boy (HarperCollins, 2020), The Great Jeff (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2019), The Summer of Owen Todd (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2018), and Denis Ever After (HarperCollins, 2018).

I live and work in Trumbull, Connecticut, USA.

I speak at schools and conference. Click here for information about arranging a visit with your organization.

October 2020

Junk Boy was published on October 13. It is my first novel for young adult readers (YA). Reviews have been favorable, and it is a Junior Library Guild selection.

“This poignant novel in verse captures the bleakness and frustration of both teens’ lives and draws them out of their despair with courage and compassion. The end may be a little too neatly tied up, but after the preceding trauma, the conclusion is both hopeful and a relief.”

[from the Booklist Review]

 

June 2020

Junk Boy, my first YA novel will be published October 13, 2020.

Preorder it now from your favorite independent bookseller.

Publisher’s Description of Junk Boy:

Bestselling author Tony Abbott’s YA novel-in-verse is an unflinching and heartbreaking look at a boy’s junk-filled life, and the ways he finds redemption and hope.

Junk. That’s what the kids at school call Bobby Lang, mostly because his rundown house looks like a junkyard, but also because they want to put him down. Trying desperately to live under the radar at school—and at the home he shares with his angry, neglectful father—Bobby develops a sort of proud loneliness. The only buffer between him and the uncaring world is his love of the long, wooded trail between school and home.

Life grinds along quietly and hopelessly for Bobby until he meets Rachel. Rachel is an artist who sees him in a way no one ever has. Maybe it’s because she has her own kind of junk, and a parent who hates what Rachel is: gay. Together the two embark on journeys to clean up the messes that fill their lives, searching against all odds for hope and redemption.

Narrated in Bobby’s unique voice in arresting free verse, this novel will captivate readers right from its opening lines, urging them on page after page, all the way to its explosive conclusion.

 

 

March 2020

From the Writing Desk

What’s new? Well, I’m excited for the release in October of Junk Boy (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books) (see cover art, above), my first YA and first novel in verse, although I’ve been writing poetry for some forty-plus years. Also on my desk are a slew of varied projects—a slim young adult novel based on a couple of events from my high-school years; a church play; a young middle-grade adventure novel (also in verse!); and research on two or three historical events that will undoubtedly turn into books, too, whether I want them to or not. Oh, and tons of reading. As you can see from the picture, I have a few books to get through. Until next time—happy reading and writing!

 

 

April 2019

Texas Library Association, here I come! 

Texas librarians were so kind to nominate my book FIREGIRL in 2006 for the distinguished Bluebonnet Award List.

Over the years, many readers have asked me about a character from Firegirl named Jeff Hicks who is unkind to the central character Jessica Feeney and has a falling out with his best friend Tom Bender. They want to know what became of Jeff.

All these years later, I can tell you that characters continue. We may turn away for a time, but they’re still moving and breathing and living their lives. I guess the life of characters is exactly what readers have responded to these past many years. I hope they keep responding. Because when a character speaks to you, you can’t help but speak back. That’s one of the great joys of reading. Things and people we thought were elsewhere or gone are still with us after all. If we’re lucky we catch sight of them, we lean in and listen and soon find ourselves in the middle of a brand new story. It’s thanks to readers and teachers across the country that this pretty remarkable continuum exists.

I’ll be signing THE GREAT JEFF at noon on Tuesday April 16 in Austin. On the same day I’ll participate in a morning panel (10 am) on Tough Topics. I hope you’ll come say hello.

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 2019

The Great Jeff

A Companion Book to Firegirl

My novel Firegirl was published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in 2006.

The story was narrated by seventh-grader Tom Bender, and it centered on the three weeks that a severely burned student named Jessica Feeney joined his class. A number of small incidents made up the drama, both in and out of school. Tom’s friend Jeff Hicks wasn’t nice to Jessica, both to her face and behind her back. He was going through a rough situation at home and acted out his suffering toward her.

As brief as the book was, only a hundred and forty-five pages, I think it’s meant more to me than any other novel I’ve written. It was my first story to wade into some difficult emotional territory. Readers responded right away, with the most wonderful, considered, and thoughtful expressions about Tom and Jessica, about Jeff Hicks, and about Courtney, the girl Tom liked.

I suppose Firegirl does end with several untied threads, and over the years some readers have wondered how I might tie them up. Do Tom and Jessica ever meet again after their short time knowing each other? Do they become boyfriend and girlfriend? Does Jessica find a miraculous cure for her burn injuries? How will Jeff be punished for the cruel ways he acted toward her?

Whenever I could, I responded, “Well, what do you think happens?” What struck me was how diverse and powerful their answers were. Some were kind, some logical, some angry, some sad. I loved hearing them. I didn’t want to stop hearing them. After more than a dozen years, I still hear readers’ expressions and am so grateful that the book has remained in print and accessible for so long. I’ll admit that over the years it began to bother me that at the end of the story Tom essentially drops Jeff out of his life. It seemed cruel to me, the sharpness of the break. Was there another story there? Ultimately, I told myself no. I’ve always liked the way Firegirl ends and felt that writing my own sequel would be wrong, because it would cancel out readers’ many inventive storylines and be a disservice to the many different ways they’ve have responded to the characters.

And then a thing happened.

If you’re a writer, you’ll know that sometimes characters sneak up on you. Not long ago, I saw a boy sitting at a library table, reading. A voice in my head told me instantly that the boy was Jeff Hicks, that he was in trouble, and that he was trying desperately to keep a secret. I hadn’t been thinking at all about Firegirl, but after a dozen years I sat myself down and began The Great Jeff, a story that takes place a year after the incidents in Firegirl. Jeff takes center stage, narrating what is happening with him. Jessica Feeney is offstage, yes, but Tom and Courtney are here, along with more about Rich Downing, Jeff’s single remaining friend.

The Great Jeff appeared on March 19, 2019, after so many years of denial and gestation and, finally, creation. Which is only to say that characters continue. We may turn away for a time, but they’re still moving and breathing and living their lives. I guess the life of characters is exactly what readers have responded to these past many years. I hope they keep responding. Because when a character speaks to you, you can’t help but speak back. That’s one of the great joys of reading. Things and people we thought were elsewhere or gone are still with us after all. If we’re lucky we catch sight of them, we lean in and listen and soon find ourselves in the middle of a brand new story. It’s thanks to readers and teachers across the country that this pretty remarkable continuum exists.

Critical response to The Great Jeff:

“…a hopeful coming-of-age story that portrays the challenges of poverty in a realistic and relatable way.”―Booklist

“A powerful and realistic story of a boy coming of age with a family in crisis.”―School Library Journal

“For fans of Firegirl, this follow-up is a must-read…this novel is a solid addition to any library.”―School Library Connection

 

July 2018

Denis Ever After

Denis Egan is dead. He’s okay with that. It’s been five years since he died, and the place where souls go is actually pretty nice. Sure, there are some things about his life and how it ended he can’t quite recall, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. Remembering could prevent Denis from moving on to whatever’s next. However, something is standing in his way. His twin brother Matt can’t let go of him, and as long as the living are holding on to his memory, Denis can’t rest in peace. To uncover the truth about what happened that day five years before, Denis returns to his hometown and teams up with Matt. But visiting for too long has painful consequences for Denis, and Matt’s renewed interest in his brother’s passing is driving a wedge between his still-grieving parents. Can the two boys solve the mystery of Denis’s death without breaking apart the family he’s left behind?

My newest book, Denis Ever After, was published on July 24, 2018, by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Denis Ever After is a novel about the unbreakable bond between twin brothers, one living, one passed on, who find themselves joined on a journey of discovery to solve the mystery of Denis’s death five years ago. It’s a novel about family past, present, and future. Finally, it’s a story of redemption and love.

Advance reviews of Denis Ever After . . .

“Serious subject matter is offset by Denis’ resilient sense of humor and love for his family, and the story is handled with remarkable grace and clear authorial respect for young people’s depth of feeling.” Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Abbott keeps the tension high and the mystery dark and unsettling, leavening it with several flashes of humor and intriguing imaginative speculation about the dead. Page-turning.” Kirkus

“[Tony Abbott] blends a taut and twisted murder mystery with a profound reflection on grief and learning to move on. Denis comes to see the ‘thousand, thousand threads’ that bind people and realizes that the powerful connections forged through love cannot be broken, even in death.”Publishers Weekly

“Rather than taking a sensational route, Abbott steadily guides readers through a dark quagmire of questions, anger, and fraying family bonds that are nevertheless held together by love. Surprising twists and turns braid the story’s disparate parts into a revelatory whole that brings healing to its characters and won’t be forgotten by its readers anytime soon.” Booklist, starred review

> I recently contributed a meditation on helping children deal with grief to the HarperCollins Children’s Books blog. You can read it here.

 

December 2017

Many Thanks, Connecticut Post

This article about my book, The Summer of Owen Todd, was a feature in the Sunday, December 17, 20107, Connecticut Post. I am grateful to journalist Joe Meyers, editor John Breunig, and photographer Kyle Michael King.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 17, 2017: Publication Day!

The Summer of Owen Todd

by Tony Abbott

Book Publication Date: October 17, 2017

You may pre-order this new book from your local bookseller or online retailer.

Starred Review, Publisher’s Weekly “…A difficult, important, and possibly lifesaving story of children forced into terrible situations, as well as what real loyalty and friendship look like. Wishing books like this weren’t necessary doesn’t make them less so. Ages 10–14.”

Starred Review, School Library Journal “Unsettling and at times painful, this book offers an empathetic portrayal of a difficult and important subject.”

This book is based on a true story, but I am not an expert in treating victims of abuse. I tell this story so that children and adults will know to speak up and get help when faced with any abusive situation.

If you or someone you know is being abused, you may wish to call the RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network Hotline: 800-656-4673.

July 2017

Thank you School Library Journal for a *STARRED REVIEW* for “The Summer of Owen Todd.”

I love this part especially:

“The setting is particularly well drawn, and woven into the story are threads about family, friendship, trust, courage, and growing up. VERDICT: Unsettling and at times painful, this book offers an empathetic portrayal of a difficult and important subject.”

Wow. I am over the moon! Thank you, thank you, SLJ!

The book will be a Junior Library Guild Selection for Fall 2017.

The New York Times published a piece this week about talking to children about sexual abuse. This is a solid and compassionate discussion of what parents know and have a hard-to-impossible time talking to their children about. Its plain and sensible advice about communication and conversation on even the hardest topics is critical. I found it illuminating: I Was Abused as a Child. How Do I Deal With This as a Parent? by Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond

In addition, here’s a piece I wrote for The Nerdy Book Club about how the story depicted in The Summer of Own Todd came to me. In short, the mother wanted her son’s story out there, and since she knew I was a writer, she wondered if I knew anyone who might take it on.

There are a number of early reviews from Goodreads readers, and I appreciate the candor and comments and their willingness to read it.

The book can be pre-ordered from your local bookseller and from online booksellers.

January 2017

Advance copies of my new novel, The Summer of Owen Todd, arrived the other day; I can’t wait for readers to share what they think!

December 2016

 

July 2016

 

March 2016

LUNCH-BOX DREAM My historical novel about the Jim Crow era Lunch-Box Dream appeared five years ago, and I think it may have arrived a little too early on the scene. It vanished. Recent events, however, and the tenor of our country have allowed it to foster discussion I couldn’t have imagined back then. It was my privilege to experience such a discussion earlier this month when I visited the Metropolitan Learning Center in Bloomfield, Ct. My undying thanks go to Suzanne Artis, School Library Media Specialist for showing me and MLC’s middle school students, what conversation can do to help illuminate a painful thread in our country’s social and political life. After presenting generally to grades 6, 7, and 8, I had a one-on-one critical conversation about racism and the misunderstandings and emotional toll of “difference” with students from each grade. TEACHERS: If ANY middle school teacher or librarian would like a copy of Lunch-Box Dream, email me (tonyabbott@tonyabbottbooks.com) and I will send it right out to you. If you would like your students to discuss the book with me, email me, and I will do everything to try to make that happen. Good can come from a forgotten book.

September 2015

Now that school is in session, I hope to hear from even more schools that would like for me to visit and talk about reading and writing. Click on the VISITS tab above for all the information.

Here’s something that surprised me this summer! A friend of mine bought the new Party edition of Trivial Pursuit and one of his friends got the “Arts” question on this card! See it? My friend took a picture and sent it to me!

I couldn’t believe it! I’m wondering how long this edition has been out and if my friend hadn’t pulled this card would we have EVER KNOWN it was there??

Amazing to me, this is. And strangely validating. Not a week goes by that I don’t hear from a former Droon reader; many of them are now in their 20s.

August 1, 2015

I’m scheduling school visits for November 2015 as well as March and April of 2016. Interested? I invite you to CLICK HERE for more information!

April 23, 2015

This Saturday, April 25, I’ll be at “A Festival of Children’s Books” presented by R. J. Julia Booksellers. The Festival goes from 10am to 3pm, I’ll be there in the afternoon. It’s at Davis Street Arts and Academics School in New Haven, Ct. I hope you’ll come see me! There will be a number of children’s authors there all day.

March 31, 2015

Now that we appear to be out of the deep-freeze of winter (did I just jinx it?), my writing thoughts turn to spring. I’m happy to say that in two short months, The Copernicus Archives #2: Becca and the Prisoner’s Cross, will appear. One of the delightful places I visited…

…to do research for the book was Bletchley Park—well known, perhaps, from the television show The Bletchley Circle and the film The Imitation Game, though I have to say I was planning this before either of those came along. All visitors receive a one-year season ticket to Bletchley’s museum and the grounds of the estate in central England. I visited in April last year. Sadly, the season pass runs out in a couple of weeks, and I don’t think I will make it back to take advantage. But I do have my memories. And that brings us back to spring, since it was perfectly lovely there, as you can see from the photos! Some other highlights of my visit include the Tower of London and Chelsea Old Church. Readers will discover their relationship to the “prisoner” referred to in the title, that gold-faced gentleman seated outside the church. Cheers!

 

Jan 27, 2015

Whew!