Publisher Description

Twelve-year-old Mya Parsons could save the world and organize her family, if only she had her own cell phone. A Dork Diaries for today's socially conscious young readers.Twelve-year-old Mya Parsons could save the world and organize her family, if only she had her own cell phone. A Dork Diaries for today's socially conscious young readers.Mya Parsons runs her school's social justice club with her best friend, Cleo. Her lifelong desire is to work for the United Nations and change the world, and then bask in all the ensuing adulation. Her more immediate desire is to get a phone, preferably one like Cleo's, with a leopard-print case to match. When her distracted dad and her long-distance mom (temporarily in Myanmar taking care of Mya's grandmother) both say no, no way, and possibly never, Mya launches a campaign to prove herself reliable and deserving. She advertises her babysitting services, takes on more responsibility around the house, and attempts to supervise her sister's skateboarding lessons. Her efforts leave her ego bruised and the kitchen slightly scorched. She's no closer to touch-screen victory, let alone the Nobel Peace Prize she deserves. But all that changes after an accident leaves Mya to take charge--an experience which helps her realize how much she's grown, with or without access to proper communications.

Author Biography

TANYA LLOYD KYI has worked as a typesetter, graphic designer and photo editor before pursing writing full-time. She is the author of many non-fiction titles, including Shadow Warrior (Annick 2017), recently nominated for the ALA's Amelia Bloomer Project List and DNA Detective, shortlisted for the OLA Red Maple Award and the Red Cedar Award. Her published novels for young readers include Truth (Orca), My Time as Caz Hazard (Orca), Anywhere but Here (Simon Pulse, 2013), which was praised by Kirkus as having a main character whose "voice is convincingly filled with a combination of angst and nonchalance," and The Prince of Pot (Groundwood Books, 2017). Twitter @tanyakyi

Review

On Quill & Quire's Kidlit Spring Preview 2019, YA, MG, & Non-Fiction
One of CBC's 29 Canadian Kids Books & YA to Look For in Spring 2019

PRAISE FOR Mya's Strategy to Save the World:

 "For any girl going through life, body, and school changes, especially those interested in social activism." --Kirkus Reviews

"Mya's passionate—and often clueless—narration is a thoroughly entertaining rant by an overwrought tween with a big heart. . . . With a slim page count, brisk delivery, and trove of discussable topics, this bodes well for classroom as well as independent reading." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 

"Mya's passion for social justice means that she informs the reader about certain important global issues . . . [she] has a lot of personality and will be enjoyed by middle-school readers." --Highly Recommended, CM Magazine

"Mya's witty voice and deep desire for a cell phone will keep tween readers engaged . . . [a] welcome addition to middle grade bookshelves." --School Library Journal

Promotional

Twelve-year-old Mya Parsons could save the world and organize her family, if only she had her own cell phone. A Dork Diaries for today's socially conscious young readers.

Review Quote

On Quill & Quire 's Kidlit Spring Preview 2019, YA, MG, & Non-Fiction One of CBC 's 29 Canadian Kids Books & YA to Look For in Spring 2019 PRAISE FOR Mya's Strategy to Save the World : "Kyi includes real social justice issues in addition to preteen girl life, shedding light on important topics such as the persecution of the Rohingya and the use of cobalt in cellphones. For any girl going through life, body, and school changes, especially those interested in social activism." -- Kirkus Reviews

Promotional "Headline"

Twelve-year-old Mya Parsons could save the world and organize her family, if only she had her own cell phone. A Dork Diaries for today's socially conscious young readers.

Excerpt from Book

There are two types of people in the world: those who sleep with tissue boxes on their bedside tables, and those who pick their noses before bed and wipe their boogers on the sheets. I am the first type. My sister, Nanda, is the second. I know this because (a) we share a bedroom, and (b) my mother once read that kids who get more sleep are more intelligent. Which meant I had to go to bed at 8:30 p.m., the same as Nanda (who is FOUR YEARS younger than I am). It's practically still light outside, which meant I could see her wipe her snot on her sheets. And Mom and Dad wonder why I refuse to share a bed with Nanda on vacation. Who would want to share sheets with a known snot-wiper? On the Saturday night after our second week of school, I was awake for plenty of time to watch Nanda handle her snot, and for a long time after. Mom was away and Dad had a work party to attend, so I was left babysitting. I had been begging them, forever, to stop hiring Joanna from down the street because I was twelve years and three months old, almost a teenager myself, and it was ultra-humiliating to be babysat when I wasn't a baby and did not need to be sat upon. I was totally up for the job. It wasn't easy to supervise my eight-year-old sister, though. At first, I thought Nanda would watch TV and I would call my best friend, Cleo, so we could talk about how Drew cried in the cloakroom at lunchtime after his soccer team lost. But we had hardly started discussing whether Drew was wonderfully sensitive (Cleo's opinion) or weirdly competitive and a bad sport (my opinion) when, from the corner of my eye, I saw zombies. Nanda was watching a show about dead things with flesh still hanging from them. They were staggering around a city as if that was the best thing dead people could find to do with their time. Nanda always ruins everything. After I made her turn off the TV and put on her pajamas, she threw a fit. "Mya, I'm not making this up," she said. "There's something outside the window." There was nothing there, of course, but I had to open our bedroom window and yell, "Come and get us, flesh-eating figments of Nanda's imagination," before she would believe me. Then I had to stay in our room while she curled up, picked her nose and went to sleep.

Description for Sales People

Main character Mya will be relatable to teens, with her passions for social justice and technology. A mix of short chapters, texts, emails and more will keep young readers engaged. Tanya Lloyd Kyi is an award-nominated author. Great for fans of Suzy Becker and Rose Cooper.

Details