What happens when a sporty foster kid from the suburbs meets her glamorous birth mom in the big city? This slice-of-life novel is perfect for...

What happens when a sporty foster kid from the suburbs meets her glamorous birth mom in the big city? This slice-of-life novel is perfect for fans of Judy Blume and Wendy Mass.

Brady Mason couldn't care less about fashion. She likes what she knows: baseball, comfortable clothes, and pork roll with egg and cheese. When Brady's friends notice that she looks strangely like fashion editor Elena Lavigne, they start the rumor that Brady is Elena's long-lost daughter. They'll make a few TikTok videos, get some fun buzz online about their similarities, and that will be the end of it.

But when a DNA test confirms that Brady is Elena's long-lost daughter, she's summoned to Manhattan to live with her. The only problem: Elena's high-fashion life clashes with Brady's tomboy antics, and Elena doesn't know how to be a mother any more than Brady knows how to be a daughter. But the more time passes, the more Brady sees what they have in common, and she starts wondering...if she and Elena are both searching for a family, could the two of them be the right fit?

Balancing humor and heart, here is a winning story of hard-fought growth and found family.

Author: Nicole Melleby
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 01/13/2026
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 7.80h x 5.60w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9781523529360
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 10/06/2025
Booklist 11/01/2025
Kirkus Reviews 11/15/2025
Horn Book Magazine 01/01/2026 pg. 77
School Library Journal 01/01/2026 pg. 46

About the Author
Nicole Melleby, a New Jersey native, is the author of highly praised novels for young readers, including the Lambda Literary finalist Hurricane Season, ALA Notable book How to Become a Planet, Camp QUILTBAG (co-written with A. J. Sass), and The House on Sunrise Lagoon series. She's also the author of Sunny and Oswaldo, as well as the co-editor of Athlete Is Agender: True Stories of LGBTQ+ Excellence in Sports. She lives with her wife and their family and invites you to visit her online at nicolemelleby.com.