Micheal Anderson, author of "Zoey Lyndon’s Big Move to the Lou" and "Zoey Lyndon and the Sticky Finger Bandit," has received enthusiastic feedback from readers regarding the inclusive and educational themes in her stories. Her books prominently feature STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), leading to significant interest among young readers. Anderson recalls a teacher noting that after reading her book, several girls expressed a desire to join a science club.
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Reader engagement has been high, with many parents sharing that their daughters are inspired by the stories. Some have even sent photos of their children recreating experiments from the books. To manage the influx of messages, Anderson set up a P.O. box, where she now receives letters filled with questions about her characters and illustrations from her young readers.
Anderson began her writing career while documenting personal experiences leading up to a milestone birthday. As she blogged, she discovered her passion for storytelling, which eventually evolved into writing children’s books. Her inspiration for Zoey Lyndon stemmed from her own daughters, who are both pursuing STEM degrees. She aimed to create stories featuring protagonists that reflect the identities of Black and Brown girls, as she felt there was a lack of representation in children's literature.
The response to her work has been encouraging. During a meeting with a Girl Scout troop, she addressed a question about her motivations for writing a book centered on a Black female character. The resonance of her answer underscored the importance of children seeing themselves in the stories they read. Most of her audience comprises Girl Scouts, primarily white girls, but the stories have universal appeal that transcends racial lines, addressing common childhood anxieties and experiences.
Anderson emphasizes the vital role of literacy in providing opportunities and exposure for children. She has committed to donating books for every 1,000 copies sold, supporting initiatives like Julius Anthony’s Believe Project and Girls Inc. She believes that access to literature should be universal, as she herself grew up with limited access to books.
Regarding the significance of literature for middle schoolers, she feels her stories resonate with a broad audience despite their specific perspective. The real-life challenges her characters face, such as anxiety about fitting in, strike a chord with many children.
Currently balancing a full-time job with her writing, Anderson describes her writing style as spontaneous, often creating outlines to steer her narratives. She strives to capture authentic emotions in her stories, believing that this energy translates to her readers.
Future installments in the Zoey Lyndon series will continue to focus on STEM themes, with the next book planned to address engineering at a summer camp. Although her professional background is in accounting, Anderson enjoys researching to incorporate relevant STEM activities into her work. She actively engages with her readers, especially Girl Scouts, who share their ideas and feedback, which she finds invaluable for her writing.
Anderson's books are available at local Barnes & Noble locations, EyeSeeMe, The Novel Neighbor, and online. Additionally, free teacher study guides for both books can be downloaded from her website.