It Happened on Saturday by Sydney Dunlap

It’s a fast-paced story of a 13-year-old girl who narrowly escapes becoming a victim of human trafficking and must find the courage to speak up and share her experience with her friends so none of them end up becoming victims too.

Your debut middle grade novel, It Happened on Saturday, is out February 21 st! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be? One that I can’t stop thinking about is Dan Gemeinhart’s beautiful The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. It had lots of pictures of a cute brown bunny, and even though there were hardly any words, it was such a great feeling of accomplishment when I finished! Katherine Paterson’s heart-wrenchingly honest The Great Gilly Hopkins made me want to be an author. The first book I remember reading was a very simple one called The Rabbit. Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about! I couldn’t wait for school to be over so I could go home and keep reading that story! It was SSR (sustained silent reading) time at school, and I was totally mesmerized by Beverly Cleary’s amazing character, Ramona. I have a very specific memory from when I was nine years old, in fourth grade. When did you first discover your love for writing and stories? Some things I enjoy include running, yoga, horseback riding, and volunteering, especially in the fight against child trafficking. I love animals and have a houseful of dogs and cats.

After teaching elementary school for a long time, I now tutor kids of all ages. I’ve lived most of my life in the Washington, DC area but am currently in Houston for my husband’s job. Hi! Thanks so much for having me on The Nerd Daily! It’s an honor to be here! Hi, Sydney! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself? In this timely, heartfelt debut, It Happened On Saturday, author Sydney Dunlap tells a story of a middle-school girl who narrowly escapes becoming a victim of human trafficking and must find her way toward hope and healing after this traumatic event.

It Happened on Saturday by Sydney Dunlap