KidsBuzz

Melissa Roske

Dear Reader,

Believe it or not, I first got the idea for KAT GREENE COMES CLEAN from a fortune cookie. It said, "A winsome smile is your sure protection." I wasn't sure what it meant at the time, but I liked the sentiment and started writing in my journal. Before I knew it, Kat Greene — a smart, funny, kind 11-year-old fifth grader — popped out!

Why I wrote the story is more complicated. In the book, Kat's mom suffers from a cleaning compulsion — a symptom of her OCD. She's also afraid of germs. It wasn't until I was done writing the book that I realized that the mom in the story is actually based on my dad. He's the exact opposite of Kat's mom, though. He is extremely messy and keeps everything. I actually found a datebook in his apartment from 1973!

Email Melissa@melissaroske.com to enter to win a signed copy.

Keep it clean,
Melissa Roske
MelissaRoske.com

"KAT GREENE mixes Harriet the Spy with some Windex and a dash of humor for a compelling story about the lengths we'll go to for the people we love. A sparkling debut!" —Erin Donne, author of The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet

"I absolutely loved Kat's warm, funny, perfectly-pitched middle-grade voice. This book fits perfectly in the heartwarming tradition of Manhattan-based stories from E.L. Konigsburg, Rebecca Stead, Louise Fitzhugh, and Judy Blume. Highly recommended!"  —Sally J. Pla, author of The Someday Birds

"With the same timeless feel as Judy Blume's middle-grade books, Kat Greene relays its themes in a similarly clever and entertaining way. Along with its winsome voice, I loved the way author Melissa Roske empowers Kat and, as a result, her tween readers." —Katy Upperman, author of Kissing Max Holden

"Melissa Roske gives us an easy-to-love protagonist in Kat Greene. She's smart, authentic, and very relatable. Kat navigates her struggles in realistic ways and never loses heart — even when things get tough. Teachers will want this one on their shelves." —Patricia Bailey, author of The Tragically True Adventures of Kit Donovan.