Michael Leali
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Michael Leali (he/him/his) is an award-winning writer and veteran educator. His debut middle grade novel, The Civil War of Amos Abernathy, was a Lambda Literary Award finalist and won the 2023 Golden Kite Award for Best Middle Grade Fiction. He is also the author of Matteo and The Truth About Triangles.
Michael lives with his partner and their dog Bubba in the San Francisco Bay Area. Learn more at michaelleali.com. |
The Truth About TrianglesA heartfelt contemporary middle grade novel perfect for fans of Front Desk, following Luca Salvatore, a young gay Italian American trying to save his family’s pizza restaurant and a life that feels like it’s falling apart after he learns that his parents may be separating and his first crush and best friend might be into each other.
Twelve-year-old Luca Salvatore is always running interference: in arguments between his younger twin siblings, in his parents’ troubled marriage, and between Will, the cute new boy in town, and Luca’s best friend, June, who just can’t seem to get along. When the host of his favorite culinary TV show announces an open call for submissions for its final season, Luca is sure getting his family's failing pizzeria on the show will save it and bring his falling-apart family together. Surprisingly, securing a spot is easier than kneading dough—but when the plan to fix everything comes out burned, Luca is left scrambling to figure out just the right recipe to bring his family and his friends back together. From Lambda Literary finalist Michael Leali, The Truth About Triangles is full of heart, perfect for readers of Lisa Jenn Bigelow, Kelly Yang, and Maulik Pancholy. Publisher: HarperCollins ISBN: 9780063337367 (hardcover) Publication Date: May 21, 2024 |
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MatteoA 2024 LAMBDA AWARD FINALIST
"This enchanting, modern homage to Pinocchio reminds us anything is possible if we're true to ourselves." —Cynthia Leitich Smith, award-winning author of Ancestor Approved and Sisters of the Neversea Eleven-year-old Matteo has never felt like one of the other boys. He’s sure that will change when he joins the Blue Whales, the baseball team his dad once played for. This is his chance to grow into a son his father can be proud of. And grow Matteo does, but not the way he expected. Instead, he starts sprouting leaves and finding bark all over his skin. Alarmed, Matteo starts digging for the truth about what’s happening to him—and finds that all clues lead back to the oak tree at the center of town, which Creeksiders have always believed is a little bit magic. As his parents start noticing something is wrong, the truth gets harder to hide—and Matteo makes some surprising discoveries about himself, his hometown, and his entire family tree. From Michael Leali, author of The Civil War of Amos Abernathy, this earnest deconstruction of what it means to be a “real boy” is full of humor and heart, and a surefire home run for readers of Mark Oshiro, Anne Ursu, and Katherine Applegate. Publisher: HarperCollins ISBN: 9780063119918 (hardcover) Publication Date: May 23, 2023 |
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The Civil War of Amos AbernathyAn ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 Selection * Golden Kite Award Winner * New York Public Library Best Books for Kids * ALA Booklist Top 10 First Novels for Youth * Jane Addams Award finalist * Lambda Literary Award Finalist
A heartfelt debut novel about a boy’s attempt to find himself in the history he loves—perfect for fans of Dear Sweet Pea and From the Desk of Zoe Washington. Amos Abernathy lives for history. Literally. He’s been a historical reenactor nearly all his life. But when a cute new volunteer arrives at his Living History Park, Amos finds himself wondering if there’s something missing from history: someone like the two of them. Amos is sure there must have been LGBTQ+ people in nineteenth-century Illinois. His search turns up Albert D. J. Cashier, a Civil War soldier who might have identified as a trans man if he’d lived today. Soon Amos starts confiding in his newfound friend by writing letters in his journal—and hatches a plan to share Albert’s story with his divided twenty-first century town. It may be an uphill battle, but it’s one that Amos is ready to fight. Told in an earnest, hilarious voice, this love letter to history, first crushes, and LGBTQ+ community will delight readers of Ashley Herring Blake, Alex Gino, or Maulik Pancholy. Publisher: HarperCollins ISBN: 9780063119864 (hardcover); 9780063119871 (paperback) Publication Date: June 7, 2022 |
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Contact Michael
Website: michaelleali.com
Instagram: instagram.com/michaelleali
Threads: threads.net/@michaelleali
Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/michaelleali.bsky.social
Instagram: instagram.com/michaelleali
Threads: threads.net/@michaelleali
Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/michaelleali.bsky.social
