EMMY IN THE KEY OF CODE

Now available in paperback!

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In this innovative middle grade novel, coding and music take center stage as new girl Emmy tries to find her place in a new school. Perfect for fans of the Girls Who Code series and The Crossover.

In a new city, at a new school, twelve-year-old Emmy has never felt more out of tune. Things start to look up when she takes her first coding class, unexpectedly connecting with the material—and Abigail, a new friend—through a shared language: music. But when Emmy gets bad news about their computer teacher, and finds out Abigail isn’t being entirely honest about their friendship, she feels like her new life is screeching to a halt. Despite these obstacles, Emmy is determined to prove one thing: that, for the first time ever, she isn’t a wrong note, but a musician in the world’s most beautiful symphony.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

Shortlisted for the Royal Society’s Young People’s Book Prize
Nominated for a Connecticut Nutmeg award
Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal (UK)
Winner of the 2020 Northern California Book Award for Middle-Grade Literature

PRESS

★ “As Emmy learns Java, the language and structure of programming seep into her poems. Music and code interweave…. and readers will cheer to see them work collectively…to create something beautiful.”
—Kirkus, STARRED review

“Music, coding, strong female techie role models—this engaging first novel should attract a wide audience.”
—Booklist

“This timely debut…champions girls in STEM and delivers a positive message about being ‘always exactly yourself’….Through the author’s creative mesh of coding, music, poetry, and narrative, this story uniquely conveys the art and beauty that can be found in multiple disciplines…. relatable and relevant.”
—Publishers Weekly

“This unusual tale seamlessly weaves basic computer coding concepts into a compelling story about middle schoolers struggling to forge their own identities in spite of the expectations of their families and society.”
—School Library Journal

EXCERPT

Attempted Duet No. 1

“Hi, I’m new here. My name is—”

“That’s my locker.”

Attempted Duet No. 2 

“Hi, I’m new here. My name is—”

“You’re sitting at my desk.”

By the way…

My name is Emmy.

Illustrated by Abigail Dela Cruz

HarperCollins Publishers
September 2019
Reading age : 8 – 12 years
Grade level : 3 – 7
Hardcover : 416 pages
ISBN-10 : 0358040825
ISBN-13 : 978-0358040828

Now available in paperback!

–
In this innovative middle grade novel, coding and music take center stage as new girl Emmy tries to find her place in a new school. Perfect for fans of the Girls Who Code series and The Crossover.

In a new city, at a new school, twelve-year-old Emmy has never felt more out of tune. Things start to look up when she takes her first coding class, unexpectedly connecting with the material—and Abigail, a new friend—through a shared language: music. But when Emmy gets bad news about their computer teacher, and finds out Abigail isn’t being entirely honest about their friendship, she feels like her new life is screeching to a halt. Despite these obstacles, Emmy is determined to prove one thing: that, for the first time ever, she isn’t a wrong note, but a musician in the world’s most beautiful symphony.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

Shortlisted for the Royal Society’s Young People’s Book Prize
Nominated for a Connecticut Nutmeg award
Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal (UK)
Winner of the 2020 Northern California Book Award for Middle-Grade Literature

PRESS

★ “As Emmy learns Java, the language and structure of programming seep into her poems. Music and code interweave…. and readers will cheer to see them work collectively…to create something beautiful.”
—Kirkus, STARRED review

“Music, coding, strong female techie role models—this engaging first novel should attract a wide audience.”
—Booklist

“This timely debut…champions girls in STEM and delivers a positive message about being ‘always exactly yourself’….Through the author’s creative mesh of coding, music, poetry, and narrative, this story uniquely conveys the art and beauty that can be found in multiple disciplines…. relatable and relevant.”
—Publishers Weekly

“This unusual tale seamlessly weaves basic computer coding concepts into a compelling story about middle schoolers struggling to forge their own identities in spite of the expectations of their families and society.”
—School Library Journal

EXCERPT

Attempted Duet No. 1

“Hi, I’m new here. My name is—”

“That’s my locker.”

Attempted Duet No. 2 

“Hi, I’m new here. My name is—”

“You’re sitting at my desk.”

By the way…

My name is Emmy.