About Jen Calonita

Jen Calonita is the New York Times and USA Today-bestselling author of more than forty books for teens and middle grade. Her books have sold more than a million copies and have been translated into 15 languages.

August 5, 2026 Karina Yan Glaser The Nine Moons of Han Yu & Luli Steamed Dumplings

Named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, ALA Booklist, Publishers Weekly, BookPage, The Strategist, Book Riot, and more!

September 2, 2026 James Ponti The Sherlock Society Flan

The Sherlock Society goes undercover in the Miami street art scene to find an anonymous graffiti artist in this third book in the hilarious, New York Times-bestselling Sherlock Society middle grade series from Edgar Award-winning author James Ponti!

October 14, 2026 Kalynn Bayron Olive Oakes & The Haunted Carousel TKWHAT

This new spooky mystery series by New York Times-bestselling author Kalynn Bayron is perfect for fans of Goosebumps!

May 13, 2026, 4:00PM Jen Calonita Isle of Ever — Wally’s Cookies

View an archived version of this event!

The highly anticipated second book in the New York Times-bestselling Isle of Ever series by Jen Calonita! The game is far from over! In fact, it’s only just begun.

June 10, 2026 Alyson Gerber The Liars Society Frozen Hot Chocolate

A New York Times-bestselling series! The Inheritance Games and One of Us is Lying for middle grade — an unforgettable mystery featuring a secret society, a mysterious island, and dangerous family secrets.

The Liars Society Frozen Hot Chocolate

• 1 ½ cups chocolate milk
• 1 cup dry hot chocolate mix
• 3-4 cups cubed or crushed ice depending on your blender (recommended: pour chocolate milk into ice cubes, so that your drink doesn’t get watered down!)
• Whipped cream
• Chocolate sprinkles

1. Add the milk, hot chocolate mix, and ice (or iced chocolate milk) in that order, to a blender and process until smooth.
2. Pour into glasses
3. Top with whipped cream
4. Decorate

July 8, 2026 Christina Diaz Gonzalez Off-Side Soccer Cake Pops

From the author of the USA Today and Indie bestselling Invisible, a must-have graphic novel about five very different students who may just have more in common than they thought.

Click here to download a PDF with full instructions!

Step 1: Bake and Cool the Cake
Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions in a 9×13 pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back when you touch it. Let the cake cool completely at room temperature before you crumble it. 
If you rush this step, the warm cake melts the frosting and turns the mixture soupy. Cool cake gives you that perfect truffle-like texture inside the soccer cakepops. 

Step 2: Crumble the Cake
Once the cake cools, cut off any browned or very crisp edges. Those edges taste great but make the mixture chunky, so I usually snack on them while I work. 
Crumble the soft center of the cake into a large bowl using clean hands. Aim for fine crumbs with no big chunks so the frosting mixes in evenly. 

Step 3: Mix with Frosting
Add about 3/4 cup frosting to the crumbs and mix with a spoon or your hands. Check the texture and add more frosting a tablespoon at a time until the mixture feels like soft modeling clay. 
You want it moist enough to hold shape but not sticky or greasy. If you add too much frosting, mix in a bit more cake crumb if you saved some. 

Step 4: Shape the Cake Balls
Use a cookie scoop to portion the mixture into even balls, about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons each. Roll each portion between your palms until it looks smooth and round. 
Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You should get about 30 to 36 cake balls, depending on size. 

Step 5: Chill the Cake Balls
Place the baking sheet in the fridge for at least 1 hour or in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. Chilled cake balls hold their shape better and make dipping easier. 
I usually chill them while I clean up and set up the dipping station. Cold centers plus warm coating give you that crisp shell and soft interior. 

Step 6: Attach the Sticks
Melt about 1/4 cup of the white candy melts in a small bowl with a tiny bit of coconut oil. Heat in 20 to 30 second bursts in the microwave and stir until smooth. 
Dip the tip of each lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into the melted coating. Insert the coated tip into a chilled cake ball, about halfway through the center. 
Repeat with all cake balls, then chill again for 10 to 15 minutes so the coating around the stick sets firmly. This step keeps the soccer cakepops from sliding off during dipping. 

Step 7: Melt the White Coating
Place the remaining white candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Heat in short bursts, stirring between each, until the mixture turns smooth and fluid. 
If the coating looks thick, stir in a tiny bit more coconut oil until it flows like warm syrup. Keep the bowl over a mug of hot water or reheat briefly as needed so it stays workable. 

Step 8: Dip the Cakepops
Hold a cakepop by the stick and dip it straight down into the melted white coating. Submerge the ball completely, then lift it out and gently tap the stick on the side of the bowl while you rotate the pop. 
Let the excess drip off so you get a thin, even shell. Stick the pop upright into the styrofoam block or stand so it can set without touching anything. 
Repeat with all cakepops, reheating the coating as needed. Let them sit at room temperature until the white coating hardens and looks matte. 

Step 9: Add Soccer Details
You have two options for the black soccer pattern: candy melts or edible marker / gel. I use candy melts when I want a bold, raised pattern and a marker when I want a quick, easy design. 
Option A: Piped Candy Melts
Melt the black candy melts with a tiny bit of coconut oil until smooth. Transfer the melted candy to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip or use a zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off. 
Pipe a small pentagon on the top center of the cakepop. Then pipe lines radiating from the corners of the pentagon down the sides and add smaller shapes between them to mimic a soccer ball pattern. 
Option B: Edible Marker or Gel
If you use an edible marker, wait until the white coating sets completely. Draw a small black pentagon on top, then sketch lines and shapes around the ball. 
If you use black gel icing, pipe thin lines and small pentagons with a fine tip. Work gently so you do not press too hard and crack the shell.