janae marks from the desk of zoe washington

The book starts off slowly but picks up steam and delivers a worthwhile message about perseverance, not rushing to judgment, and, most importantly, standing up for what you believe in. Zoe’s relationship with Marcus and her struggle to balance her new feelings with her relationship with the beloved stepfather she calls Dad feel relatable and believable. While Zoe is driven and extremely goal-oriented, Marks also includes everyday moments such as friendship insecurities and exaggerated expectations. Marks has written a natural, authentic story that particularly shines when she skillfully intertwines her narrative with historical information and contemporary context about the penal system. However, despite his securing a good job and a place to live, the life of an exoneree is fraught with pitfalls. Now that Marcus has been released, Zoe feels protective and hopeful about his future. As a seventh grader, Zoe worked tirelessly to determine whether the imprisoned father she had never met was innocent or guilty, ultimately helping to exonerate him. Now the Black 14-year-old is taking her journalistic skills to the airways through a podcast. It’s been two years since the determined tween at the heart of From the Desk of Zoe Washington (2020) sought answers about the unjust incarceration of her birth father. The only thing she knows to be true: Everyone lies.' Not being incarcerated doesn’t necessarily make you free.

Everyone else thinks Zoe’s worrying about doing a good job at her bakery internship and proving to her parents that she’s worthy of auditioning for Food Network’s Kids Bake Challenge.īut with bakery confections on one part of her mind, and Marcus’s conviction weighing heavily on the other, this is one recipe Zoe doesn’t know how to balance. Even if it means hiding his letters and her investigation from the rest of her family. What does a girl say to the father she’s never met, hadn’t heard from until his letter arrived on her twelfth birthday, and who’s been in prison for a terrible crime?Ĭould Marcus really be innocent? Zoe is determined to uncover the truth. A perfect book for fans of Front Desk and All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. An Amazon Best Book of the Month * #1 Kids Indie Next List * A Junior Library Guild Selection * Four Starred Reviews *įrom debut author Janae Marks comes a captivating mystery full of heart, as one courageous girl questions assumptions, searches for the truth, and does what she believes is right-even in the face of great opposition.

Janae marks from the desk of zoe washington