• Age: 8 to 12
• Grade: 3 to 7

"Meet the new Ramona Quimby!" —Entertainment Weekly

In this hilarious and heartfelt middle grade debut, Gertie is a girl on a mission to be the best fifth grader ever in order to show her estranged mother that Gertie doesn't need her—not one bit!

Gertie Reece Foy is 100% Not-From-Concentrate awesome. She has a daddy who works on an oil rig, a great-aunt who always finds the lowest prices at the Piggly Wiggly, and two loyal best friends. So when her absent mother decides to move away from their small town, Gertie sets out on her greatest mission yet: becoming the best fifth grader in the universe to show her mother exactly what she'll be leaving behind. There's just one problem: Seat-stealing new girl Mary Sue Spivey wants to be the best fifth grader, too. And there is simply not enough room at the top for the two of them.

From author Kate Beasley, and with interior illustrations by Caldecott Honor artist Jillian Tamaki,Gertie's Leap to Greatness is a classic tale of hope and homecoming that will empty your heart, then fill it back up again—one laugh at a time.

Praise forGertie's Leap to Greatness:

"This story is full of fun surprises: zombie bullfrogs, faithful friends, humor, and hope . . . and a fabulous narrator. Not only is Gertie brave enough to see the world through hopeful eyes, but she's bold enough to be her uniquely wonderful self." —Natalie Lloyd, author ofA Snicker of Magic

"From the first paragraph, I was Gertie’s fan. Her gumption, her voice, her determination, and her sass jump off the page. Realistic social situations combine with over-the-top personalities to makeGertie’s Leap to Greatness a surefire hit for kids who loved Ramona and Fudge and who will one day want to be best friends with Scout. If your mission is to discover a funny, heartwarming, relatable, and entertaining middle grade novel, then jump for joy: Your mission is accomplished. Now dive in and see how Gertie does on hers." —Tegan Tigani, Queen Anne Book Company

"[Kate Beasley] writes in the spirit of Roald Dahl and Kate DiCamillo with all the spunk and ferocity of a Southern lady, and Gertie’s Leap to Greatness is equal parts Matilda and Because of Winn-Dixie. Heartbreaking and laugh-out-loud funny." —Clara Martin, Lemuria Books

"Gertie is a dynamic, fun, and well-delineated character, like Ramona and Clementine. Be prepared for Gertie to leap into your heart and mind in 2016." —John Schumacher, Ambassador of School Libraries

Kate Beasley's profile page

Kate Beasley holds a Masters in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives with her family in Claxton, Georgia, with two dogs, one parrot, lots of cows, and a cat named Edgar.Gertie's Leap to Greatness is her first novel.

Jillian Tamaki is an illustrator and comics artist. She won both a Printz Honor and a Caldecott Honor for the graphic novelThis One Summer, which she co-created with Mariko Tamaki. Jillian lives in Toronto, Ontario.

"This story is for anyone who has ever wanted to be the greatest fifth grader ever. It’s also for anyone who has never wanted to be the greatest fifth grader ever. In short, grab Gertie’s hand and leap right in.It’s better than the best, smoothest, creamiest chocolates. Oh, good Lord, it is." —Kathi Appelt, Newbery Honor author ofThe Underneath

"Oh my lord, Gertie Reece Foy!This is a girl you can’t help but root for. I kept losing my place from laughing so hard while reading this book. And more than once, I had to hide my face in my hands and read through my fingers, or I caught myself sniffling. Gertie on a mission is a spectacle that is simply not to be missed." —Kate Milford,New York Times-bestselling author of Edgar Award-winning novelGreenglass House

"This story iffull of fun surprises: zombie bullfrogs, faithful friends, humor, and hope . . . and a fabulous narrator.Not only is Gertie brave enough to see the world through hopeful eyes, but she's bold enough to be her uniquely wonderful self."—Natalie Lloyd, author ofA Snicker of Magic

"From the first paragraph, I was Gertie’s fan. Her gumption, her voice, her determination, and her sass jump off the page. Realistic social situations combine with over-the-top personalities to makeGertie’s Leap to Greatness a surefire hit for kids who loved Ramona and Fudge--and who will one day want to be best friends with Scout.If your mission is to discover a funny, heartwarming, relatable, and entertaining middle grade novel, then jump for joy: Your mission is accomplished. Now dive in and see how Gertie does on hers." —Tegan Tigani, Queen Anne Book Company

"Kate Beasley is a writer to watch, as she herself is poised for a leap to greatness with her debut novel." —Mary Brown, Books, Bytes & Beyond

"Look out, world, here comes Gertie Reece Foy! Kate Beasley’s debut novel captures Gertie's story withplenty of wit and understanding." —Cathy Berner, Blue Willow Bookshop

"[Kate Beasley] writes in the spirit of Roald Dahl and Kate DiCamillo with all the spunk and ferocity of a Southern lady, andGertie’s Leap to Greatness isequal partsMatilda andBecause of Winn-Dixie. Heartbreaking and laugh-out-loud funny."—Clara Martin, Lemuria Books

"Gertie is a dynamic, fun, and well-delineated character, like Ramona and Clementine. Be prepared for Gertie to leap into your heart and mind in 2016." —John Schumacher, Ambassador of School Libraries