H.M. Bouwman, SCATTERGOOD - with Anne Ursu!

Celebrate the launch of local author H.M. Bouwman's stunning new middle grade novel, Scattergood! H.M. Bouwman will be joined in conversation by fellow middle grade author, Anne Ursu (Not Quite A Ghost).

In rural Iowa in 1941, twelve-year-old Peggy’s quiet life is turned upside down by refugee arrivals, first love, and a heartbreaking diagnosis. Join H.M. Bouwman and Anne Ursu for a conversation all about the writing of Scattergood! After the event, have your books signed and enjoy launch day treats. Guests who preorder a copy of Scattergood or purchase the book at the event will also have a chance to win fingerless gloves knit by H.M. Bouwman herself!

To attend: This event is open to the public, but registration helps us when considering spatial constraints. You can register for a ticket for free through January 21, 4:00pm, and preorder the book . Additional copies of Scattergood will be available for purchase during the event, but ordering ahead guarantees your copy.

Signing Guidelines: Following the event, H.M. Bouwman will sign and personalize copies of the book. If you would prefer not to stay for the signing portion, Red Balloon can have your books signed and personalized for you and will contact you when they're ready to be picked up.

Accessibility: Red Balloon Bookshop is wheelchair accessible and has a disability parking spot directly behind our store. If you have a disability or medical condition and have questions about or need other specific accommodations, please email [email protected] or call 651-224-8320.

is the author of children’s novels such as Gossamer Summer (2023, Atheneum), A Crack in the Sea, (Putnam, 2017), and A Tear in the Ocean (2019), as well as the Owen and Eleanor early chapter book series (Beaming Books). Her most recent release is Scattergood, coming from Holiday House in January 2025. A Professor of English at the University of St. Thomas, she lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her two kids.

is the author of acclaimed novels Not Quite a Ghost, The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy, The Lost Girl, Breadcrumbs, and The Real Boy, among others. Her work has been selected as a National Book Award nominee, a Kirkus Prize finalist, and as a best book of the year by Parents Magazine, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal. She lives in Minneapolis with her family and an unruly herd of cats.

Host or Publisher Red Balloon Bookshop