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Long Distance

Illustrated by Whitney Gardner
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About The Book

From the creator of Fake Blood comes another exceptionally charming middle grade graphic novel about friendships both near and far, far away.

Vega’s summer vacation is not going well.

When her parents decide it’s time to pack up and leave her hometown of Portland, Oregon, behind for boring Seattle, Washington, Vega is more than upset—she’s downright miserable. Forced to leave her one and only best friend, Halley, behind, Vega is convinced she’ll never make another friend again.

To help her settle into her new life in Seattle, her parents send Vega off to summer camp to make new friends. Except Vega is determined to get her old life back. But when her cellphone unexpectedly calls it quits and things at camp start getting stranger and stranger, Vega has no choice but to team up with her bunkmates to figure out what’s going on!

About The Author

Photograph by Whitney Gardner
Whitney Gardner

Whitney Gardner is an author, illustrator, and cartoonist. She started drawing stick figures in second grade and somehow no one’s been able to stop her. If there’s ever a moment when she isn’t drawing, she’s likely to be found rolling twenty-sided dice. Her favorite color is yellow. She is the author of the YA novels You’re Welcome, Universe and Chaotic Good, as well as the creator of Fake Blood, Long Distance, and Free Piano (Not Haunted) and the illustrator for Debbie Levy’s Becoming RBG and Stephanie Cooke’s The Racc Pack series.

About The Illustrator

Photograph by Whitney Gardner
Whitney Gardner

Whitney Gardner is an author, illustrator, and cartoonist. She started drawing stick figures in second grade and somehow no one’s been able to stop her. If there’s ever a moment when she isn’t drawing, she’s likely to be found rolling twenty-sided dice. Her favorite color is yellow. She is the author of the YA novels You’re Welcome, Universe and Chaotic Good, as well as the creator of Fake Blood, Long Distance, and Free Piano (Not Haunted) and the illustrator for Debbie Levy’s Becoming RBG and Stephanie Cooke’s The Racc Pack series.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (June 29, 2021)
  • Length: 320 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781534455672
  • Ages: 10 - 99
  • Lexile ® HL240L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

Raves and Reviews

"This delightful, oft-comedic graphic novel injects familiar themes with ample imagination, as Vega and campmates learn that 'Friendship is a renewable resource."

– Publishers Weekly

"A classic story of outsiders making friends—with a little something more."

– Kirkus

"This recalls Gardner’s Fake Blood but with supernatural elements replaced by intergalactic ones, and the satisfying blend of relatable angst and kooky weirdness will make this a winner."

– Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Awards and Honors

  • Bluestem Book Award Master List (IL)
  • Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List (TX)
  • ALA Round Table Best Graphic Novels for Children

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

More books from this author: Whitney Gardner