Laura Anne Bird

×

Expand

Azena Photography

Laura Anne Bird

Join local author Laura Anna Bird for a discussion about Crossing the Pressure Line, the author’s first middle-grade book. Grappling with the death of her Grandpa Anthony, 12-year-old Clare Burch travels from Chicago to the north woods of Wisconsin for the summer. Though her summer dreams included swim team and her best friends, Clare chooses to follow her grandfather’s wishes. Clara’s summer in Alwyn helps her deal with the grief and blame she feels surrounding her grandfather’s death. The event can also be live streamed; find a link at mysterytomebooks.com.

press release: Mystery to Me makes an official return to LIVE EVENTS (!) with author Laura Anne Bird's debut middle grade novel: CROSSING THE PRESSURE LINE! Join us at Mystery to Me for an unforgettable evening of books and hugs! Livestream also available on Crowdcast.

About the Book

Twelve-year-old Clare Burch has just lost the person she loves most in the world. She wonders if her feelings of sorrow and self-blame over her grandfather’s death will ever go away.

Out of the blue, a special request sends Clare on a journey from her home in Chicago to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. She knows that she must honor Grandpa Anthony’s last wishes, even though they completely upend her summertime plans. 

Clare heads to rural Alwyn with her little blind dog and a duffel bag full of worries. What will she do without her best friends and swim team? Who will take her fishing and spoil her with candy now that her grandfather is gone? And most important, is she strong enough to let him go, forever?

During her summer up north, Clare stumbles upon the answers to her many questions. Even more, as she makes peace with why she couldn’t save Grandpa Anthony, she ends up rescuing someone else from danger.

Above all, Clare learns to listen to the courageous voice inside—and she discovers just how tough she really is.

About the Author

A Milwaukee native, Laura Anne Bird graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in English. She lives in Madison with her husband, three teenagers, and little blind dachshund. When she’s not reading, writing, or reviewing books, she loves to exercise and explore the outdoors. Crossing the Pressure Line is her first novel. You can find her on Instagram @laura_at_the_library.