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Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances

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Pub Date Mar 03 2026 | Archive Date Dec 31 2025


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Description

BRANFORD, CT–Former fifth-grade teacher and adolescent and family counselor Kimberly Behre Kenna is releasing the anticipated third installment in her Brave Girls Collection: “Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances” (Willow River, March 3, 2026). Following the success of her first two novels, Kimberly continues to boldly explore themes of finding and embracing your unique voice for a young teen audience.

About the book: On a mission to honor her perfect twin sister who died in an accident she feels responsible for, thirteen-year-old Lola is desperate to complete their treasured Perfect Pairs Collection, but gets caught stealing in the process. She’s sent to spend August with agoraphobic Uncle Milo in his ramshackle mansion on the Connecticut River. Here she becomes even more obsessed with her collection—a lucky baker’s dozen of pairs would provide the magic she needs to keep her out of Bad Girls Boarding School. But mishaps in a Zen Garden, a glitchy projector that spits out holographic messages from her dead aunt, a beached houseboat, and a displaced wolf upend everything and force her to rethink her mission. Who needs the magic most, her quirky uncle or herself?

Part of the proceeds from book sales will benefit Friends of Gillette Castle and The Cove Center for Grieving Children in Cheshire, CT.

BRANFORD, CT–Former fifth-grade teacher and adolescent and family counselor Kimberly Behre Kenna is releasing the anticipated third installment in her Brave Girls Collection: “Lola Gillette and the...


A Note From the Publisher

KIMBERLY BEHRE KENNA: After teaching fifth grade for many years, Kimberly earned an MA in Creative Writing from Wilkes University. Her children’s books have received recognition from the Nautilus Book Award, the Eric Hoffer Award, the Foreword INDIES Award, and the Green Earth Book Award. Kimberly has been a panelist and presenter at SCBWI events and workshops, a featured speaker at bookstore and library events, an MG panelist/moderator at the Virginia Festival of the Book, a panelist discussing banned books at the Collingswood Book Festival, and she will be a panelist/moderator at the 2026 AWP Conference discussing truth-telling in kidlit. She’s taught seminars on the transformational power of play on story-writing, most recently at Wesleyan University.

KIMBERLY BEHRE KENNA: After teaching fifth grade for many years, Kimberly earned an MA in Creative Writing from Wilkes University. Her children’s books have received recognition from the Nautilus...


Advance Praise

“Marvelously mystical, delightfully quirky, and satisfyingly tenderhearted.” 

–R.B. Shifman, YA author of “Paper Airplane, Broken Bones”

“Kimberly Behre Kenna has once again created an irresistible brave girl middle-grade readers will cheer for and love.” 

–Ona Gritz, author of “The Space You Left Behind” and “Take a Sad Song”

“Kenna's compelling middle grade tale, woven with mysterious magic, is about a young girl and her uncle, both shattered by their grief, who learn the redemptive power of community and family. Hopeful and absorbing, it's sure to resonate deeply with young readers.”

–Laura Segal Stegman, middle-grade author of Summer of L.U.C.K. trilogy

“Kenna gives an authentic voice to a young adolescent struggling to come to terms with a tragedy and whether that tragedy will define her.”

–Eva Silverfine, YA author of “Ephemeral Wings”

“‘Lola Gillette’ is a perfect addition to Kimberly Behre Kenna’s Brave Girls Story Collection. Like Artemis and Jett before her, Lola is a smart, resourceful character who is trying to make sense of her world and is willing to stand up for herself and others along the way.”

–Linda B. Davis, award-winning author of “Food Fight”

“Author Kimberly Behre Kenna has crafted a heartfelt, authentic novel that speaks to the tough stuff of adolescence: guilt, bad choices, difficulty fitting in, feeling misunderstood, and finding (and forgiving!) yourself”

–E.C. Quinn, author of “Premonition: The Gift”

“Kenna’s new novel is another winner with perfect middle-grade voice, angst, and strength.”

–Lee Y. Miao, author of “Take a Shot, Kipp”

“Hair-raising touches of magic and vivid descriptions really bring things to life on the page.”

            –Julie Swanson, author of North of Tomboy and Going for the Record

“Soul-mending… [Kenna has written] another story of deep healing and hope.”

–Laurie Beth Schneider, author of “Gittel”


“Marvelously mystical, delightfully quirky, and satisfyingly tenderhearted.” 

–R.B. Shifman, YA author of “Paper Airplane, Broken Bones”

“Kimberly Behre Kenna has once again created an irresistible...


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781965059746
PRICE $14.99 (USD)

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