The School Story by Andrew Clements

Natalie is writing a novel. Her best friend, Zoe, thinks it should be published. And so begins this delightful story.

Natalie knows that her novel won't be taken seriously if it is known that a 12-year-old wrote it, so she adapts a pen name. But from seeing the piles of untouched manuscripts at the publishing company where her mom is an editor, she also knows that her book has a very small chance of making it. Energetic Zoe has the solution- she makes up a fake name for herself as well and becomes the new writer's agent and biggest supporter. The two also recruit their skeptical English teacher, Ms. Clayton, to help with the legalities. The three have a tricky job to do- submit the manuscript to Natalie's mother while not letting her realize that her daughter is the author, while keeping it out of the hands of Letha Springfield, the dreadful editor in chief at Shipley's Junior Books. Quite the challenge, no?

I thought that this was a very good book- the plot was unique and the characters were superb. As a writer, reading about the publishing process was really interesting, too. I couldn't wait to see the outcome of Natalie and Zoe's hard work, and I was not disappointed by the ending.

The above image is not mine.