Denis Markell's first novel for kids was Click Here To Start. His second book is based on his tween son's Dungeons & Dragons game (well, except the part where the characters come to life). . . . He lives in a small apartment in Brooklyn with his wife, illustrator Melissa Iwai, and his son. You can find him on Twitter at @DenisMarkell, and yes, he'd be happy to do a Skype author visit for your kid's class.
Praise for THE GAME MASTERS OF GARDEN PLACE: An epic adventure...for young fans of Stranger Things. --SLJ An exciting new adventure exploring friendship...[with] often humorous commentary on social issues. --Booklist Both funny and heartfelt...[it's] a story that has as much to offer diehard fans as it does newcomers to fantasy role-playing. --Bulletin Honors and Praise for Denis Markell's CLICK HERE TO START A Junior Library Guild Selection Humor, believable characters, and adventure...keeps readers in suspense to the end. A winner for mystery enthusiasts. --Kirkus Reviews In this clever debut, Markell takes readers on a clue-filled adventure...[and] maintains an energetic, entertaining balance of character-driven narrative and tricky challenges. --Publishers Weekly Markell's highly entertaining debut novel...is a well-paced read with fully realized and likable characters, ...[and] should have strong appeal to gamers, fans of video game-based stories, and reluctant readers. --School Library Journal This book will appeal to a wide audience. Readers who enjoyed Schreiber's Game Over, Pete Watson will enjoy the video game component; fans of Fitzgerald's Under the Egg will enjoy reading more about the Monuments Men; detective story aficionados will revel in the inclusion of The Maltese Falcon story. This is a great book to hand to just about any middle grade reader. --YA Books Central