Linus and Etta Could Use a Win

A hot-headed cynic befriends the new kid--a shy trans boy--when she takes on a bet to get him elected student body president in this new middle grade contemporary novel from Caroline Huntoon, author of Skating on Mars.

Linus is the new boy at school, and he’s trying to keep it quiet. After coming out as trans last year and managing the attention that came with it, he’s more than happy to fade into the background of his new middle school.

Etta isn’t like other kids at school, and she’s proud of it. The class misanthrope and the owner of the greenest hair at Doolittle Middle School, she’s still reeling from a painful friendship breakup, making her more than happy to burn middle-school bridges before she heads off to the local alternative high school next year.

When Etta’s over-it-all attitude sparks a challenge from her ex-best friend, Marigold, to get Linus elected student body president, Linus is thrust back into the spotlight. But what started out as a bet quickly turns into a true friendship between Linus and Etta, one that could be in jeopardy if Linus finds out the real origins of his and Etta’s connection. Can Linus and Etta’s friendship withstand the betrayal of the bet?

Caroline Huntoon has always loved to tell stories, but it took a while for them to translate that love to writing books. After they graduated with a B.A. from Barnard College, Caroline spent three years making magic at the happiest place on earth, before moving to Michigan to become an English teacher and theater director. It wasn’t until they earned an M.A. from The Bread Loaf School of English that they finally started writing stories for young people. Now they live in Ypsilanti, Michigan with their child, Winifred. Caroline writes across genres, but their work often circles back to themes of loss, identity, friendship, and validating the messy and wonderful lives of young people. They are the author of Skating On Mars and Linus and Etta Could Use a Win.