Debbi Michiko Florenceās debut middle grade novel is Keep It Together, Keiko Carter (May 2020/Scholastic), a story about friendships and first crushes (and chocolate). She is also the author of the Jasmine Toguchi and the My Furry Foster Family chapter book series. A third-generation Japanese American, Debbi was born and raised in California. She is a former zoo educator, and now writes full-time in her writing studio, The Word Nest, in Connecticut. She loves passion fruit bubble tea and all chocolate, but favors dark, caramel and maple flavors, and no nuts.