Shannon Stocker presents The Roach King of Raleigh

Written by the acclaimed Schneider Family Award-winning author Shannon Stocker, The Roach King of Raleigh is a bold and authentic coming-of-age story that explores impactful themes like resilience, poverty, family struggles, addiction, and neurodiversity. This timely and compelling novel provides a mix of authenticity and hope that educators, librarians, and parents will eagerly recommend.

From Schneider Family Award-winning author Shannon Stocker comes The Roach King of Raleigh, an unflinching YA novel about a high school sophomore who’s determined to rise above his circumstances—even if it means starting a secret roach breeding business. Even if it means letting people in.

Quill Jenkins used to have a great life: a picture-perfect family, a big house in a nice neighborhood, and a best friend he could count on. But then his friend moved away, his brother left for college, and his dad’s drinking caused his parents to split. Now Quill and his mom live in a broken-down rental house owned by a neglectful landlord, who also happens to be the father of Quill’s high school nemesis.

More than anything, Quill wants to save enough money for a new house, but his mom refuses to let him get a job. So when he finds a hidden attic space inside his closet, then overhears the pet store owner arguing with a delinquent roach breeder, an idea is born. He strikes a deal and starts breeding roaches in the hidden room, reluctantly working with his classmate Harley and Harley’s twin sister, Zuri, to keep the whole operation a secret.

But as the roach business takes off, new complications arise: his dad’s condition steadily worsens, his beloved neighbor Mr. Dave suddenly goes MIA, and Quill learns that the truth has a way of creeping into the light.

Schneider Family Award winning author Shannon Stocker has written such picture books as LISTEN: HOW EVELYN GLENNIE, A DEAF GIRL, CHANGED PERCUSSION (Dial/PRH), CAN U SAVE THE DAY (Sleeping Bear Press), and WARRIOR: A PATIENT’S COURAGEOUS QUEST (Sleeping Bear Press). Her debut YA novel, STRONGER AT THE SEAMS (Blink/HarperCollins Focus), recently won the Crystal Kite Honor from SCBWI Midsouth, and her sophomore YA, THE ROACH KING OF RALEIGH (March 2026, Blink/HarperCollins Focus), was just named a Junior Library Guild Selection. Shannon is a fierce advocate for children with disabilities (her daughter is a cancer warrior, her son is neurodivergent, and she is a Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy patient who completed medical school). Cool facts: Shannon is a coma survivor, a musician, and once performed two songs (including one original) as part of an opening act for Blake Shelton. Upcoming books include ROACH KING and picture books GET A HUG (S&S, 2026), YOUR WHY (PRH, 2027—illustrated by Stocker’s Schneider Family Award partner Devon Holzwarth), and more! Shannon lives in Louisville KY with her husband Greg, her children Cassidy and Tye, a hidden stash of dark chocolate, and way too many critters. She’s represented by Allison Remcheck of Stimola Literary Studio.

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Host or Publisher Susan Norton