Reader Questions!
I get such wonderful letters and emails from readers. Occasionally, they ask me overlapping questions, so I thought I’d create a fun video answering some of them. Enjoy!
I get such wonderful letters and emails from readers. Occasionally, they ask me overlapping questions, so I thought I’d create a fun video answering some of them. Enjoy!
Hey Terri! Some motivation for you from your biggest fan! Don’t stress. You got this! Good luck today! I know you are going to do great. You’re making a significant change, and I’m so proud! Sending some good vibes and happy thoughts your way. Love you, Eleanor!
I was wondering after the Joe book, could there be a book about Celia? Thank you! You are my FAVORITE author ever!
I would love to do a book about Celia one day. She is definitely on the list!
Hey Mrs. Terri Libenson. I’m a big fan of how you draw, and the emmie & friends series are my favorite books! Just wanted to ask if there was gonna be another book after Always Anthony. Also, if there was going to be one about Joe Lungo. Thanks so much!
yea I was thinking about Celia and I was thinking Juan as well 😀
yesss there really SHOULD be a celia book!!
Love that suggestion, too!
I want one too! She could name it: “Certainly Celia!”
Sweet title!
i was thinking of Seriously, Cee? instead
I like it with the question mark!
Same
Yes! Please make a book about Celia!
How sweet! Thank you and right backatcha 🙂
Hey Mrs. Terri! I’m a big fan! Hope there will be a new book soon! I’ve got every book from your series, because I love how you draw. Thanks!
Next book in May, 2025! And thank you 🙂
Hi! I have a suggestion for your next book! I think it should be mainly about Joe! Maybe it could be called Jealous Joe and be related to how he is jealous of Leo and Sarah’s relationship. I really love your books! They are my favorite!
Love the suggestion. I get so many requests for Joe. I’ll keep it in mind! 🙂
I was maybe thinking jokingly joe
Love it!
Me too! I really think Joe is an amazing character and I would love to see him as a main char!! ✨
Hi terri, I love your series and was thinking that you should have a book for Dev. Maybe definitely Dev.
it could be about how he likes Brianna or something. Thanks so much
Joyful Joe could also be a really good title! Maybe the title could be referring to how he uses humor to defend himself?
OMG, Elanor, GENIUS!!! That’s such a good character suggestion, in my opinion!
Hi Mrs. Libenson! I’m a huge fan of emmie and friends! I just wanted to ask a simple question. Why did you chose to make Katie (Invisible Emmie) emmie’s alter ego? Maybe she could’ve had been real? And in Truly Tyler, why did Emmie, Brianna, Sarah, etc called Jaime and Maya “Gossip Girls”? I thought in Jaime, they all became friends? I kind of got confused on that part. But I love your books so much! They remind me of my life in middle school. Thanks!
Hi Kayra, so glad you enjoy the series. Happy to answer all your questions in an email, which I will do soon!
I was hoping there could be a character who is homeschooled but then transferred and struggles to adjust but then a character like Sarah or Emmie could help them and it gets easier but a part of her is trying to decide to stay or go back to homeschooling by the way I love your books Terri Libenson I’ve been reading them since I was ten and I really related to bri on her bat mitzvah
I love the home school idea! Thanks for reading and enjoying the books, especially BRIANNA. (That was based on all the bar and bat mitzvahs in our family…lots of material.)
I LOVE EMMIE AND FRIENDS I READ IT EVRY DAY TWICE SOMETIMES 3 TIMES
Aw, I’m so glad!
Hey Mrs. Libenson! Its me, Kayra again. I just finished reading “Remarkable Ruby”, and I really wanted to suggest a book idea for a lot of people who feel this way. You should write a book about a girl who is starting her first year of middle school, and becomes close friends with this new girl. But then all the girl’s friends take the new girl’s side in a conflict they have, and they have a long fight even though the new girl hurt the girl’s feeling without even realizing. This book should be dedicated to people who feels like everyone is against them, when others don’t realize how they feel. This is just an idea I have. You don’t need to use it. Just you reading this will make my day! Thanks so much! 🙂
Hi Kayra, what a great idea (with all the feelings), thank you!
Hi Terri! I absolutely loveeee ur books! i just have a book idea or 2, but what if u did a book on Anthony and Jaime about like how they both like each other but dont have the guts to ask each other out to a valentines disco dance but all their friends also want to just go in their friend group and another idea is if u get a story with 2 teachers and their boring routines at school, until a new student comes along and changes things up. these are just a few jdeas, but thank you anyways!
I really like that idea, personally. : )
I love the Jaime and Anthony idea. They clearly need a book together!
Aw, they sure do!
Hi Terri, I really love your books and I was thinking maybe a book about Dev or Juan would be nice? Like ‘definitely Dev’ or ‘joyfully Juan’. As well as that, some of the other comments mentioned a book about Joe and I think that would also be really nice, maybe ‘jolly Joe’ even.
Thank you for all your work on these amazing books too!
Wonderful ideas! I’ve come to love all of these characters. Thank you! xo
Hi Terri, I love your books! I was thinking a book about Dev or Juan would be nice, maybe ‘definitely Dev’ or ‘joyfully Juan’? As well as that, I saw some other comments mentioning Joe and I think it would be a cool idea as well, ‘jolly Joe’, possibly? Anyways, thank you for all your work you put into these awesome books and I hope you are well!
Love it! I’d really like to focus on all of these characters someday. Argh, I have too many characters! 🙂
These are all such wonderful ideas, thank you, everyone! I’m keeping everything in mind. 🙂
Maybe you could do a book from the POVs of Grace as the main character and Celia as the secondary character and maybe call it “Graceful Grace” or something. Maybe it could take place in the summer between seventh and eighth grade, and we can see Celia’s motives for being Celia and see what Grace does to handle being the butt of Celia and Lindsay’s jokes.
Love this! I would really like to use Celia and Grace as main characters someday.
I love Emmie and Friends I read it out of order but overall it’s an excellent series. maybe if you do a book on Joe it could be how some bullies are kinda sad on the inside and that’s how he is and how much he gets in trouble. and like on the other side, you could do one of the people he kind of bullies/makes fun of? this is a kinda horrible idea but I like it 🙂 have a good day too!
Thank you! It’s most definitely NOT a horrible idea, I think it has a lot of heart. I will keep this is mind! xo
I feel so late 😂 but I agree that you have so many characters but a suggestion is maybe focus on 2 for now (like Joe and Celia) and then see where it goes 😊 just a suggestion though because of how I’ve noticed how your stories connect, I love them so much and they’re so entertaining 😁
Good suggestion. Thank you!
Maybe you could have some main characters in the books talk to other people to have focus on their lives without having to make another book for them
Hi, Terri! I’m a huge fan of these books and I really enjoy them all. I have almost all of them! Honestly, I was kinda indignant that Dev (my favorite) wasn’t given a book yet, haha. Maybe, if in the future you do a book on Dev, it could be like ‘Definitely Dev’ or ‘Decoding Dev'(Because of his coding thingie)?
Love the idea of using Dev. He’s been requested quite a bit. I will keep him in mind. Love the titles!
Hi! I just wanted to say that I’ve been reading the Emmie and Friends since Invisible Emmie came out (when I was 10) and I still enjoy reading them at 17! My favorite book is Just Jamie but my favorite thing from all the books is how all the characters have different interests like volleyball, basketball, poetry, science, acting, music, and fashion. I feel like a lot of books have characters who have vaguely similar interests but your series is more like how real life is. Also loved the q&a!
Oh wow, the time has flown. I’m so glad you still enjoy the series — that is really gratifying! (And, yes, I was hoping the characters’ varying interests reflect real life)
I really would enjoy a book about Joe! He is one of my favorites after he received some redemption and depth. I think Celia would also be a good choice because she needs to explain herself!! Haha, I love your books – keep up the great work!
Aw, thank you. I get so many requests for Joe. And I’m listening! 🙂
Hi Mrs. Libenson!
I want to say that I love your books, and that I have a few suggestions for your next ones. The first one is Joe. (Lots of people agree :] ) The next one is maybe you can write one about Jesse and how his life was changed after Anthony stood up to the bullies, and started doing basketball with Tyler’s brother, Anthony, and his teammates. I’m really excited for the next book, because I just finished reading Always Anthony, and I really loved it. (I think it is my fave) . The last suggestion is Grace. I think it would be really interesting to find out what she really thinks about Celia.
Thanks for your consideration,
Isabella
Great suggestions! Joe, Celia, and Grace are my top requests, and I take those requests to heart. Love that you asked for Jesse. Sometimes I wish I could write many books at once just to fit them all in! (and so glad you enjoyed ANTHONY)
Hi Mrs. Libenson!
I want to say that I love your books, and that I have a few suggestions for your next ones. The first one is Joe. (Lots of people agree :] ) The next one is maybe you can write one about Jesse and how his life was changed after Anthony stood up to the bullies, and started doing basketball with Tyler’s brother, Anthony, and his teammates. I’m really excited for the next book, because I just finished reading Always Anthony, and I really loved it. (I think it is my fave) . The last suggestion is Grace. I think it would be really interesting to find out what she really thinks about Celia.
Thanks for your consideration,
-Isabella
Hello Mrs. Libenson! I would like to say that I love your books, and wanted to say that I think that you should maybe write a book about Celia. You kind of made her out to be the popular girl bully, but we never really got to see her real personality and why she acted the way she did. You could explore her story, with maybe something that triggered her mean actions, like maybe her parents divorcing? You could name it “Certainly Celia.” I want to be an author one day like you, and have lots of ideas. Like maybe Joe could get a book, explaining his deep feelings that he hides by being the class clown. These characters are given a title, and not looked into as much as they should have, so I think they should get their own books, or maybe share one. Thanks!
Your biggest fan,
Lealah
Hi Lealah, thank you! I’ll definitely take your suggestions to heart, they’re great. Joe and Celia seem to be everyone’s favorites. 🙂 Keep on reading and writing!
Hi again,
It’s Isabella, and it has been 24 days since I commented my suggestions. I still have some stuff buzzing in my head 😜. 1.) What was the hardest character to draw? 2.) What is your favorite out of your 9 books? 3.) I have an idea for if you make a book about Celia- maybe she goes on a trip to a place less fortunate than her, or she goes to summer school and someone bullies her, then she realizes what she has been doing to Jamie, Maya, and Grace. (I also agree with (Lealah)
P.S. #3 was really random 😝
Thanks again, -Isabella
Hi Isabella,
1. Love this question. Hardest character to draw: Maya from Just Jaime. Strangely, her hair is hard to draw from different angles.
2. I really don’t have a favorite. Like having kids, I love them all for different reasons.
3. Great idea!!
Hiiii Terri! I’m SUCH a fan of your books! All of them are very cool and amazing! (My fav is probably remarkably ruby!) 🩷
anyway, I had some books suggestions:
First: Kyle Duncan and Lindsay! I reckon they are cute together and make an excellent book!
Second: Celia and grace! It could be grace wants to leave cee but Celia is making her stay.
Third: Joe! I don’t know who he could be paired with but he is such an amazing character and I reckon it would be amazing to see him act on his feeling for Sarah! Thanks for reading this! Keep up the amazing work ✨
-Skye!
All great suggestions, Skye. Thank you!
Hello Terri! I love your books and you are my favourite author. A suggestion for a book would be focusing on Joe and the title could be JOKINGLY JOE. It’s about Joe trying to impress Sarah but takes it too far and they argue
Hi!!! I really love your work Terri!!! And I’m super excited for a new book (whatever it may be). Thank you for all these books!!!!!!!😁
-Emmie
Hi! I’m Emmy and I love your books! But in Ruby’s story, I really wanna know what Juan means by “The Feather”! I am a 4th grader and I have a really high reading level! I just got a phone and my favorite color is Blue!
Hi Emmy (great name)! The Feather is a secret name Juan makes up for the boy he likes. The boy is like a feather, just out of reach. Juan doesn’t know if he can “catch” him. Does that make sense?
Hi, Mrs. Libenson!
I really love all of your books. My best friend introduced me to them in fifth grade, and I’m still hooked, haha. I want to be an author myself one day, and I find your story truly inspiring, because I also love to draw comics/cartoons. I also really loved how you introduced a gay character. I love gay characters in all media, and I feel like there needs to be more of them. I would love a book from Juan’s point of view one day. I love to write a lot, but I usually lose motivation after a while. I usually just take longer and longer breaks until I stop writing the story altogether. Do you have any advice?
-Ingrid
Hi Ingrid, thanks for reading! Yes, representation is important. Thanks for suggesting Juan, one of my favorites. As for writing, I like to make an outline first. That helps you stick with it. Also, make sure you’re writing something that YOU find interesting so that it holds your attention (write for yourself, no one else!). Hope that helps.
Hey Miss Terri! I am probably your BIGGEST FAN! I wrote a letter to you about a suggestion for a emmie and friends book, and I hope you get it soon! Keep up the good work, and I can’t wait to read Always Anthony!!!!!!!!!
Love,
Laura
Thanks, Laura! Looking forward to your letter.
I think there should be a book about Juan admitting his feelings to a crush of some sort
Aw, I love that
Hi Ms. Libenson!
I love your books. I own all of them. I want to be an author when I grow up. Do you have any tips for getting ideas down on paper (or any writing website.)? (Could you email me/reply to my comment?)
Thanks,
Evelyn
Evelyn
Hi Ms. Libenson!
I love your books. I own all of them. I want to be an author when I grow up. Do you have any tips for getting ideas down on paper (or any writing website.)? (Could you email me/reply to my comment?)
Thanks,
Evelyn
Evelyn
So glad you love the series! Here’s a link that may help (you may have to scroll down a bit).
Hi Mrs. Libenson!
I’m a BIG fan and I really love your books! I’m in 8th Grade right now, and I’m always reading novels. BUT, whenever one of your books comes out, it’s instantly in my hands, and on the second-to-last chapter.
I had an idea for one of your books to be about Dev and Bri. It could be called “Daringly Dev”. I thought about how it could be about Dev trying to make a big decision in his life, but he’s not sure what to do because it could either affect his friendship with Bri, or his happiness in something he wants to pursue. Maybe it could lead to a big fight between them and at the climax of the fight, Dev admits his feelings for Brianna, which leaves her aghast (Winn Word of the Week). Faced with the decision, Dev finds an alternative answer to his problems by looking between the lines. (I am not sure about what this decision should be, by the way, but maybe something that he’s passionate about). Brianna knows she’s really smart, but she doesn’t know if that’s what she wants to be now. Classes are suddenly getting harder, and everyone’s going to her for her help. Faced with the pressure so suddenly, she goes to Dev, who tells her about his big decision. She starts avoiding Dev, thinking he would rather choose his passion over their friendship. Bri starts getting more anxious because she starts tutoring many kids who need help, and she doesn’t have enough time to hang with her friends anymore. Later on, Bri figures out a way to manage her school stress, so she has just enough time for her friends. She also makes up with Dev and says she’ll support him no matter what he does.
I also have another idea which is about Tyler and Emmie. It could be called “Tenacious Tyler” and it’s about how Tyler breaks his leg, which shatters his dream of trying out for a major youth basketball team in his state. He has to overcome the grief of not being able to have the ability to play basketball and not having the chance to play in a really good team. Meanwhile, Emmie sees Tyler more as a friend than a crush, so she helps Tyler go through his grief by doing art with him. She tries to show that not everything has to be bad, and with the right mindset, it can actually be good! Because of this, Tyler’s feelings for Emmie grow, but he doesn’t have the courage to tell her that. Tyler also becomes happier, and over time, he becomes glad he broke his leg because it gave him the chance to learn that he is more passionate about art than basketball. Emmie is also feeling insecure about her looks and popularity again. She thinks she’s not popular enough to be hanging out with the most popular guy in school (Tyler), and almost all the time. She says to him that she’s not good enough for Tyler, and sometimes ghosts him when they plan to meet up. Tyler, who feels better after his incident, tries to convince Emmie that she has been a really good friend to him, saying she’s been with him through his tough times, and saying that that’s what friends are for. He tells her to not listen to the other students. He also starts leaving hints to her that he has a crush on her throughout the book. Emmie, however, only notices these hints towards the end of the book.
Anyway, these are my thoughts (more like a brain dump), but you are the author, Mrs. Libenson, so you don’t have to use these ideas if you don’t want to. If you do decide to add these ideas to future books, I would like to be credited, please. I am really inspired by your work, because I’m passionate about art, and I would like to make my own graphic novel one day too! I’m happy that I got to share my ideas with you!
Thanks a lot!
Habitha
Hi Habitha, these plots are so well thought out — thank you! If you haven’t already, you should definitely start working on your own graphic novels. 🙂 I have a feeling they will be be so wonderful and imaginative.
Haha, this says I published the message before at 1:42 a.m., but in my time zone, it’s way before that. Don’t worry! I’m getting my daily dose of sleep every night!
do you own a kobo? (i know this is a bit irrelavant but with the whole impersonation appocolypse i don’t know if that 3rd one is you. (sorry about the misspelings i’m writing this on a kobo.))
Hello!My Name is Bree. I love your books so much I have read all of them & can’t wait to read the new one coming this year!!! I think that in the new one it should talk more about why Joe likes Sarah and how they met.Like in the first book how Emmie met Tyler.Maybe there is a new character who has a secret that gets found out?
Hi Bree, thank you for the great suggestion! (Hint: I think you’ll enjoy the new book)
Oh and maybe that secret is like Juan’s?
Hi Miss Terri Libenson, I’d just like to say I’m a huge fan of all your books, and it’s hard to believe that when my mom got me Remarkable Ruby at the store, I didn’t want to read it, but I did, and I read the whole book in one sitting, in like an hour. I have now read all of your books and I’m so excited when I hear a new book of yours is coming out, and when it comes out, I’ll be in line for it, I’ll even be in line for a book that you haven’t even announced yet! I’m counting down the days until EE comes out! I just encourage you to keep going, keep walking through these books you write, and when you stumble and fall, get back up, I believe in you! 😀
Love it! Thank you for reading RUBY and the rest of the series and for the words of encouragement.
You’re welcome!!! I do have one question that’s been on my mind for a while. Have you ever considered writing about the teacher’s lives?
few more questions:
What’s your go-to comfort food/snack/drink?
Do you listen to music while you work? If yes, what genre of music is it?
If you could spend 24 hours with one of any character from the Emmie & Friends series you created, who would it be? and why?
Did you make a character that you had to throw away?(Meaning you created a character that you didn’t like and never added he/she in your books)
(This one is a suggestion) Since Grace does a lot for Celia and others, maybe if you make a book about Grace, maybe she’s hard on herself in private, and she gets help from one of the girls (girls meaning Emmie, Brianna, Sarah, Maya, Jamie, Leah, or Ruby). Maybe when Grace was in kindergarten, she didn’t fit in, got picked on, and she wasn’t accepted by the other kids, and now she’s friends with Celia and does so much for her because she want’s to fit in and be accepted by Celia, and that Grace fears that if she isn’t loyal to Celia, she won’t be accepted, she won’t fit in, and she’ll get picked on again, all because, she thinks everyone won’t like the real her. What’re your thoughts?
Hi! To answer your questions:
1. I can’t listen to music while I write, but I often listen to music, podcasts, or shows while I illustrate (mainly comedies, news, and indie music — although I like all kinds of music).
2. I would spend 24 hours with Brianna to absorb all her fun facts and to improve my math 🙂
3.I DID create a throwaway character. His name was Noah and he was a new student at Lakefront Middle School in the first draft of TRULY TYLER. The plot wasn’t working, so I had to remove him…poor kid.
I love your suggestion…and I’d love to write a book about Grace. Thank you! 🙂
Sorry, I missed this question. You may want to read Positively Izzy. 🙂
Hi again! 😁
I’d just like to say that after reading all your books, it inspired me to write even more than I was supposed to on my Hero’s Journey Story (My English teacher had my class write a 10 page Hero’s Journey story about anything we wanted, but I wrote 28 pages, tee hee) I’m thinking of publishing it, maybe! (btw my book is called “A Canvas World”)
That’s wonderful! I hope it’s a bestseller 🙂
I think you can make a book about Juan being LGBT and his journey, then admitting his feelings and coming out
I think that’s a wonderful idea
a more explicit storyline would be fun especially with how most of the lgbt stuff is “shown, not told”
Hello, Terri!
I’m Blake, and I’m in 6th grade. Thanks for makin’ such great books over the years. First, I just want to say that I love the racial diversity in the characters. I can totally relate, since I’m Black. I also have a lot to learn about the queer community, so it’s cool you add that in your books, too. Super excited for Entirely Emmie. I’m just realizin’ these books could be excellent episodes for a mini-series or something! Here are some characters I am thinkin’ about for future books: Juan, Dev, and Celia (possibly other grades, too, like Zach and Jada and Lulu, but just a thought.) Thank you so much for bein’ coolio and awesome sauce. Sending burritos (my favorite food) your way.
Love, Blake!
Hi Blake, I’m so glad you enjoy the books and identify with many of the characters (and want to learn about others)! Thank you for the great suggestions. [And I LOVE burritos, yummm!]
Hello again!
You’re welcome. Have a great day!
Hi Terri,
Only 4 more days until Entirely Emmie comes out! 🥳(yes I have been counting down the days)
I do need to know something though: I live in Canada, and I want to get Entirely Emmie on release day, BUT, I’m worried that if I go to Walmart, it won’t be there yet, do you have any information on when the book will arrive in Canada? If you do, please do let me know.
Hi Ayla, I’m afraid I don’t have that info, so sorry! But if it’s not at Walmart, it should be out in bookstores and online. Thank you for reading and enjoying the series! xo
Hi Terri!
I can’t believe Entirely Emmie is already here! It feels like just yesterday I read Always Anthony! I just went to Barnes and Nobles and realized they were selling it! Obviously I got it. :))
Can’t wait to read it!
-Isabella
I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Hey again, Terri!
So excited for Entirely Emmie! I am SO going to read it soon (it sounds like a great summer read. Luckily, school for me is ending is a few days.) Anyway, I have always pondered, what is Izzy’s REAL name? Thanks!
–Blake
I hope you enjoy the book! And to answer your question: No one knows (including me!). It’s whatever you can think of. 🙂
Thank you! And Entirely Emmie was GREAT! Keep killing it 🙂
HAIII im a big fan omg, i want to ask a question… will we follow the emmie gang through to high school? i’d like to see how they adjust. LOVE YOU!!!!
OH BTW i have fanart for the new book YAY
Aw, so glad you love the books. And I’m not sure if we’ll see them through high school, but you never know!
Hey, Mrs. Libenson! I just finished Entirely Emmie. Absolutely STELLAR! Can’t wait for their (crossing fingers) summer/8th grade adventures! Keep killing it! No wonder you’re a bestselling author. 😉
–Blake 🙂
🙂
P.S, the stickers on the back are adorable
Dear Terri Libenson,
Hi! I have never done a fan email to anyone (famous) before so I guess this is how I’ll start mine. My name is Sukhmani, and I am 11 years old. I am writing this letter to you since I just finished reading your new release, Entirely Emmie! I absolutely loved it and couldn’t put the book down! I literally screamed when I read it because it was so good!!!!! I loved how we finally got the perspective of Joe, since he was a character I’m pretty sure everybody wanted. I also loved how you put your cute dog Rosie in the book as Joe’s pet dog, and she was so adorable and cute! Your illustrations are always so eye capturing and beautiful, which is mostly the reason I fell in love with the series , as well as the amazing characters. If you have to ask me my favourite character has to be Brianna. She is so sassy and smart in her own way, and I love the friendship between her and Emmie. I also enjoy in each book how it aims to to teach a lesson that there is more to people than meets the eye. (Like Joe). Down below I am going to write some questions if you don’t mind, and I hope you answer them, but it is fine if you don’t.
Will there be more Emmie and friends books in the future?
What is your favourite part about being an author illustrator?
Who is your favourite Emmie and friend’s character?
What is your favourite book, ever?
What is your favourite book that you have written?
I want to be an author someday and your books inspire me every coming day! I am very fond of this series, and will never stop reading them and never get bored of it. And some character suggestions I have are: Dev, Celia and Grace. I would love to know the backstory behind these characters, since it would be so cool!
So glad you enjoyed Entirely Emmie (and that you are fond of Brianna). Love the character suggestions. In the next month or two, I will film “Reader Questions, Part 2” and will be happy to respond to your questions in that video. So check back soon for those answers!
Yes! A Celia book but I have a question why um…I think it was Katie? She never came up after the 1st book. But PLEASE a Celia book
Keeping it in mind! 🙂