From the Desk of Zoe Washington Shouldn’t Be Tabled!

Don’t table this book any longer! Get your mitts on From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks and carve out some time to read it. Soon. Like, very soon! There is so much in this middle grade book and it’s a huge understatement to say this author is talented! Let’s get after it!

Meet Zoe

Zoe just recently turned 12 and she’s got a small, but mighty group of friends. She loves baking and has her sights on becoming a pastry chef one day – starting with entering (and winning) the kids’ baking show on the Food Network. She would be the first Black participant to win, so she is extremely motivated.

Zoe lives with her mom and step-dad, Paul. Her birth father is in prison for some unknown reason. She’s never heard from him until today. His letter to Zoe arrives and it appears by his words that he’s written a lot in the past. But that’s news to Zoe.

A Mystery

Zoe digs through some of her feelings for her birth father for the first time. And she really wants to know what he did to land in prison. Mom won’t talk about him and Grandma seems to think fondly of him. It’s a mystery.

After some digging around, including connecting with her birth father via snail mail, Zoe might have stumbled on the one person who can help this wrongfully incarcerated man find justice – the one witness who can serve as an alibi. Can Zoe find the courage to seek justice for a man she doesn’t know? Can a 12 year old seek justice at all?

A Little Bit of Growing Up

While Zoe’s two best girlfriends are gone for the summer, Zoe must mend her friendship with her other best friend (and next door neighbor) if she can discover the art of forgiveness.

A favorite quote from this book:

“There are multiple sides to everyone. People aren’t so black-and-white. Sometimes good people do bad things, and bad people do good things.” Amen, right?! Nobody fits neatly into one box all the time.

Zoe is a rule-follower, but she mind need to push herself – and boundaries with people she loves – in order to seek justice for her birth father.

And So Much Creativity

The cupcake recipes Zoe tries will have your mouth watering. I’m not sad my oldest is in a baking phase right now, and reading this book had me salivating for what Tiny Dancer had created in the kitchen. Win!

Don’t table this book any longer! I love taking bite-sized lessons and gentle reminders from books of all lengths and genres. This is no exception. Grudges, forgiveness, honesty, growing up, friendship phases, seeking justice. So much goodness.

Also, I learned about the Innocence Project from this book was very new to me. Fascinating and heartbreaking and definitely worth reading up on!