About

Anica Mrose Rissi is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books for kids and teens, including picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and YA. Her essays have been published by The Writer and the New York Times, and she plays fiddle in and writes lyrics for the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves. Anica grew up in Maine and spent many years in New York City, where she worked as an executive editor in children’s book publishing. She lives in central New Jersey with her very good dog, Sweet Potato.

Anica enjoys speaking with kids and adults across the country about all stages of the writing process, from ideas and drafting to revisions and beyond. She teaches in the Writing for Children & Young Adults low-residency MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts and is available for in-person and virtual writing workshops and presentations for groups of all sizes and ages.

Other Works

  • Hide and Don't Seek: And Other Very Scary Stories

    2021
  • Nobody Knows But You

    2020
  • Love, Sophia on the Moon

    2020
  • Watch Out for Wolf!

    2019
  • Anna, Banana, and the Magic Show Mix Up

    2019
  • Always Forever Maybe

    2018
  • Anna, Banana, and the Recipe for Disaster

    2018
  • Anna, Banana, and the Sleepover Secret

    2018
  • The Teacher's Pet

    2017
  • Anna, Banana, and the Little Lost Kitten

    2017
  • Anna, Banana, and the Puppy Parade

    2016
  • Anna, Banana, and the Friendship Split

    2015
  • Anna, Banana, and the Monkey in the Middle

    2015
  • Anna, Banana, and the Big Mouth Bet

    2015

Awards and Recognition

  • 2021 Maine Literary Award
  • 2021 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People
  • YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers
  • Texas Library Association's Tayshas Reading List
  • Texas Library Association's 2x2 Reading List
  • Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
  • Multiple starred reviews and foreign translations