Driving Home a Love of Middle Grade Books
Nicole D. Collier
Nicole D. Collier grew up in Atlanta, GA, the only child of an accountant and a public school librarian.
After graduating from Atlanta Public Schools, she went on to Florida A&M University (FAMU) where she earned a B.S. in Journalism. She also earned an M.S. in Elementary Education from Florida State University (FSU), and a Ph.D. in Learning, Design and Technology from the University of Georgia (UGA).
She has spent over two decades in education – first as a fourth grade teacher, and now as a partner and coach at Personality Matters, Inc., an executive training and coaching firm. Although Nicole writes for all ages, her first love is middle grade contemporary fiction. Young people are trying to discern who they are vs. who they want to be, and how to bridge the gap between the two. Nicole’s stories are in that gap.
The Georgia peach has recently relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida with her husband, Phillip. A self-proclaimed ever-victorious woman, she’s been known to run, dance, and turn cartwheels on sunny days.
Nicole is the author of The Many Fortunes of Maya (HarperCollins/Versify, 2023) and Just Right Jillian (HarperCollins/Versify, 2022).
Author photo credit to Teri Lyn Photography
Just Right Jillian
Fifth grader Jillian longs to wear bright colors in a school of neutral tones. To run and flip upside down while everyone else whispers and gossips. But no matter how hard she tries to be herself, shyness keeps her true brilliance hidden away. Even if it means getting the wrong glasses or losing an easy contest, Jillian keeps her mouth shut.
After a bully tells her she can never be a winner, Jillian gets fed up. She determines to prove, not only that she’s smart, but brave, too. But breaking out of her shell is easier said than done. Jillian has less than a month to overcome a lifetime of shyness and summon the courage to fight for herself.
The Many Fortunes of Maya
Maya J. Jenkins is bursting with questions:
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Will she get the MVP award at this year’s soccer banquet?
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Who will win the big grill off between Daddy and Uncle J?
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When will she pass the swim test and get a green bracelet?
For answers and a dose of good luck, 12-year-old Maya turns to her Wheel of Fortunes, a cardboard circle covered with the small slips of wisdom she’s collected from fortune cookies.
But can the fortunes answer her deep-down questions? The ones she’s too scared to ask out loud? Like, where did Mama’s smile go, the real one that lit up everything around her? When will Daddy move back home? And most of all, does she have enough courage to truly listen to the voice in her heart?
