In this heartfelt episode of Reading in the Middle, host Annisha Jeffries speaks with co-authors Diane Debrovner and Stacy Cervenka about their touching middle-grade novel, Roxie in Color, launching on June 2. The discussion covers Roxie’s journey through friendship, anxiety, art, and identity as she faces seventh grade while hiding a personal secret: both her parents are blind. Annisha and the authors examine the novel's emotional use of color, Nash the guide dog’s narration, and the delicate balance between visibility, belonging, and self-protection. They also talk about collaboration, disability representation in middle-grade fiction, the importance of depicting systemic barriers realistically, and the choice to typeset the book in Atkinson Hyperlegible a font made for low-vision readers.
If you love thoughtful middle-grade books about courage, creativity, friendship, and finding your place in the world, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
Stacy Cervenka is the director of the Iowa Department for the Blind and previously led the Blind Parents Group of the National Federation of the Blind.
Roxie in Color by Diane Debrovner and Stacy Cervenka
Publication Date: June 2, 2026
Publisher: Candlewick Press
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