Donna Gephart: Greetings. I am Donna Gephart and I am the author of Abby, Tried and True. This is the book of my heart. Abby, Tried and True took me seventeen years to figure out how to write because eighteen years ago I was diagnosed with cancer, and it was one of the hardest things I had to get through in my life. But afterwards I decided to volunteer at a camp for kids who had cancer and for their siblings to go too. I learned so much from them, and I knew that I had to write a book about a kid with cancer. I wanted to make sure there was humor in the book and that there was hope in the book, and that's why it took me so long to figure out how to write Abby, Tried and True.

It's about Abby, whose very best friend in the whole world moves away to another country. She doesn't know how she's going to start seventh grade without her, and she thinks it's the worst thing that could possibly happen. But then her beloved older brother is diagnosed with cancer and she realizes that that's the worst thing that could happen. But Abby and her two awesome moms and this really interesting boy who moves in next door and her whole extended Jewish family all pull together and help get Abby's brother through this difficult time.

Abby is an introvert. She has a pet turtle, and she's very much like her pet turtle but she learns that there's quiet power in being an introvert and that she's wonderful just as she is. Really, that's what I hope that young readers take away from this. It's kind of a roadmap for that really difficult period of time where you're figuring out who you are and how you fit into the world. I hope that young readers feel like they are wonderful just as they are.

I would like to read you a really small passage from Abby, Tried and True. This takes place where Abby's family was sitting down to their traditional Rosh Hashanah dinner which is the Jewish new year dinner. It's usually this wonderful celebration that she has with her extended family. One of her moms took her brother to find out what's wrong with him, what was going on. They were gone a really long time, so her grandparents and her other mom and her, they're really nervous, and they're waiting for them to get back and tell them what's going on. That's where we start:

Everyone was spooning up the last of the soup from their bowls when the key turned in the lock and the front door swung open.

Zayde raised his arms. "Hooray. They're here!"

Bubbe Marsha put a gentle hand on his shoulder, and he quieted.

Mama Dee's whole body tensed.

Mom Rachel walked in first, her face a blank slate.

Abby swallowed a bite of cooked carrot from the soup. It felt like a rock going down her throat.

Paul strode past his mom, stood in front of everyone, and put his palms flat on the table. "Happy New Year, everyone! I have cancer!"

Then he walked to his bedroom and slammed the door.

Everyone turned to Mom Rachel.

She stood, shaking her head, a hand over her mouth.

Mama Dee nearly knocked her chair over, getting up to guide Mom Rachel to the couch.

Bubbe Marsha hurried over and sat on the other side of Mom Rachel, pressed against her, an arm wrapped around her shoulders.

Mom Rachel kept shaking her head, "I can't believe... I thought maybe... I hoped..."

Abby turned to her grandfather.

His head was down, a hand over his eyes, and his shoulders bobbed as he sobbed.

That scared Abby most of all. She's never seen her zeyde cry.

Slipping away from the table, from the adults, Abby quietly knocked on Paul's door.