About the Author

Kate McGovern is the author of the young adult novels Rules for 50/50 Chances and Fear of Missing Out, which received starred reviews. She has worked in schools and education nonprofits in Boston, London, and New York City, including at the Harlem Children's Zone, where she served as a reading specialist and directed Shakespeare productions with middle-schoolers. Her daughter, Priya, is the original "Hin-Jew" kid that Maple is written for. Kate McGovern lives in an Indian-Jewish household in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Reviews

Adventure abounds and develops into a solid story for students who struggle with reading. . . this is a story to share with all as Maple’s reading struggles are revealed to be a result of dyslexia, allowing this title to serve as a talking point regarding the need to show acceptance and understanding for students who struggle with reading and learning.
—School Library Connection (starred review)

Poignant. . . For young people who struggle with reading or feeling different because of other academic issues, Maple is a welcome protagonist.
—School Library Journal

Maple's learning challenges and their impact on her emotional health are carefully and realistically rendered. So, too, is her heartwarming journey to shedding her secrets and embracing her true, flawed, wonderful self. Maple is a character that readers of all stripes will relate to. . . Warmly compassionate and often funny, Welcome Back, Maple Mehta-Cohen is an inspiring and comforting read.
—Bookpage

Frank and quirky. . . A layered, utterly readable novel.
—Kirkus Reviews

McGovern offers a compelling portrait of a girl struggling to come to terms with a new version of herself, the shame she feels at imagining her parents' disappointment and the valuable life lessons she learns about making friends and keeping them.
—The Buffalo News

Readers of all ages will empathize with Maple as she faces her troubles and learns a thing or two about truth, friendship and perseverance.
—The Florida Times-Union