Courtney Craven
Middle-grade Author
About
Courtney Craven once had the best job in the world: giving away free books to kids. Now, she writes them, drawing on 25 years of experience in schools, youth mentoring, and literacy nonprofits. When she isn’t traveling the world out of a backpack—or hunting for the ultimate slice of pizza—Courtney creates stories for every kind of middle schooler, especially those searching for their own place of belonging. When not on the road, Courtney and her husband call Olympia, Washington home.
Contact
Hello! With 25 years of experience in literacy nonprofits, schools, and mentoring youth, Courtney loves connecting with educators and librarians to help middle schoolers find a true sense of belonging. Every school, library, and bookstore visit is fully interactive, designed to spark curiosity, get students talking, and create a space where everyone feels they belong. I look forward to working with you to create an interactive, unforgettable experience for your students.
SUPER FREAK
What does it take to trust someone when you’ve been raised on lies?Ricky James White doesn’t fit in at his new middle school. With his towering height, ginger hair, Southern accent, and mismatched eyes, he can’t seem to shake feeling like his childhood nickname: “Super Freak.” Even harder is his home life; a minefield of secrets, and a mom struggling to stay sober. His only escape is cooking and daydreaming about a hero dad he never met.After a weird kitchen fire, Ricky meets Benjamin, an exuberant music-obsessed trans kid, who knows what it’s like to be different – and bullied. Ricky doesn’t open up easily, especially about his mom. But when she goes missing, he must decide whether to trust Benjamin with the truth or keep carrying everything on his own.Together with a grumpy feral cat, a hipster artist, and a mysterious nurse, they set off on an adventure of family, friendship and forgiveness as they search for a sense of belonging in a complex world.
