The Chismosas Only Book Club - by Laekan Zea Kemp

Book Synopsis

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants meets Mexikid in this heart-warming novel with illustrations about four friends and the magical bookstore that holds them together.

Cat, Sofia, Ana, and Mari are best friends. Nothing, nada, can break the special bond they share. And after Cat's mom chides the girls to quit their loud cackling at the bookstore as they carry on like a bunch of chismosas, the name sticks--Cat creates The Chismosas Only Book Club, so the girls can stay connected throughout their first year of high school, even when their class schedules and club activities rip them apart.

But ninth grade is harder than any of the girls predicted, and it seems that no amount of conchas y libros y riendo at Milagro's Books, founded generations ago by Cat's great-great-great grandmother, can repair the ever-growing cracks in their friendship. But maybe the spirit of Milagro herself can.

Filled with whimsy and heart, and interspersed with black & white graphic novel chapters, comes a charming, inventive novel that explores the magic of friendship, the enchanted embrace of ancestors, and the power of the stories we share.

And, of course, a wonderful reminder that books--and bookstores--are * magic *.

Also available in Spanish, from Vintage Español.

About the Author

Laekan Zea Kemp is a writer living in Austin, Texas. Her debut novel, Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet was a 2022 Pura Belpré Honor recipient and her most recent novel, An Appetite for Miracles won the Jean Flynn award for YA fiction. The Spanish translation of her debut picture book, Una Corona para Corina was named a Campoy-Ada Award Honor book and her picture book Desert Song was awarded the Tomás Rivera Book Award in the Young Readers category for 2025, as well as the Brigid Erin Flynn Award for Best Picture Book from the Texas Institute of Letters.

She has three objectives when it comes to storytelling: to make people laugh, cry, and crave Mexican food. Her work celebrates Chicano grit, resilience, creativity, and joy while exploring themes of identity and mental health.