★2026 Moonbeam Awards Bronze Medalist (Pre-Teen Fiction ? Mature Issues)
★2026 Hoffer Awards, Best YA Fiction, First Place
★2026 Whippoorwill Awards All-Read List
★2025 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist, Juvenile Fiction
★2025 IPPY Awards Finalist, Juvenile Fiction
Buried secrets from a small town's past will forever change the future for orphans of the opioid crisis.
Eleven-year-old Willa Johnson moved to the Southern Ohio Children's Home after her mom's overdose. The old mansion is a safe haven in her small town, but the home is teetering on the edge of financial ruin. The newest resident is Kacey, a teen who's been kicked out by parents who reject their nonbinary identity. Willa and Kacey bond over the discovery of a hidden set of diaries and unintentionally dig up a dark history that will forever change the kids' future.
"A heartwarming novel that explores the impact of the opioid epidemic on children and their families. The story includes meaningful friendships between kids who come from a variety of challenging circumstances, an adorable kitten, and a page-turning mystery involving Willa's caretaker-along with the discovery of old diaries that may contain clues. Willa is easy to root for." ?Sydney Dunlap, award-winning author of Racing the Clouds and It Happened on Saturday
"A vibrant middle grade mystery told from the perspective of Willa, who forms a bond with a nonbinary teen as the two read through secret diaries. Willa is a gem of a character who doesn't allow her circumstances to drag down her spirit. For their part, Kacey is a teen with a history of heartbreak who refuses to compromise their identity." ?The BookLife Prize
"Every so often, a book comes along that changes you as a person. Orphanland is one of those books. The representation is weaved unobtrusively throughout making this a future classic like Holes or Wonder. I would highly recommend for older teens and adults alike." ?Pending Plays UK, grade A, 10/10
"Willa's story features modern-day concerns, such as drugs and social conditions, while placing Willa and her friends amidst a storm of controversy that is as much about a sense of place and home as it is about safety, recovery, and growth." ?Midwest Book Review
"A gratifying and unforgettable story exploring themes of injustice, motherhood, privilege, gender identity, and broken systems in a thoughtful way. This middle-grade mystery delivers." ?Readers' Favorite, 5-star review
"A compelling story" ?The Manhattan Book Review
"Childhood friends work to unravel a mystery surrounding their orphanage, an abandoned school, and the influential family tied to both." ?Foreword Reviews, 5-star review
