SLJ contributing editor Rocco Staino interviews the 13-year-old author of Just Jake (Grosset & Dunlap) about Kid Cards, his school librarian, paying homage to Jeff Kinney, and more.  Tell us about Just Jake. Just Jake is a humorous story loosely based on my life.  The main character Jake Ali Mathews’s life is turned upside down when his family moves from Florida to Maryland. One of Jake’s hobbies is creating hand-made, comical “Kid Cards” of his classmates in which he ranks their popularity and chance at success in life. At his new school, Jake starts building a new collection, befriending as many people as he can while staying under the radar from the school bully. Unfortunately, the school bully decides Jake's next in line for humiliation and his Kid Cards get into the wrong hands. You wrote this book when you were just 12 and managed to get it published. How did that come about? I’ve been writing stories and books for a long time—my mom made me—and I wrote Just Jake because there wasn’t a lot of middle grade fiction specifically for boys. When I finished the manuscript, I thought it was pretty good and so did my friends. So I thought “Why not?!” try to get it published. First, I learned you really need an agent and I was fortunate enough to get signed by Writers House who brought the book to Grosset & Dunlap. It was really crazy how it worked out.  The Kid Cards are an element in your book. Is that something you really did? Yeah! All the time. When I was younger, I loved to doodle. And I collected baseball cards. One day it hit me to put the two together and make them about my classmates. How did the book's format come about? My idea from the beginning was to create a fun book that kids would want to read.  For me, that means a lot of cool illustrations and pictures throughout. The book is meant to look like you found my journal with lots of fun, full-color illustrations and clip art mixed throughout the text. It’s definitely a book I would pick up in a bookstore. Did you choose the images that appear in the book? Some of the images I selected and some were created by the amazing illustrator Victor Rivas Villa. He’s awesome! It was so much fun working with Victor and Penguin USA Art Director Giuseppe Castellano.  Most of the teachers in your book aren’t portrayed in a positive light, except for Mrs. Turlington, the library technician.  Really? I don’t think the teachers are portrayed negatively. Yes, in some cases they are tough and two have a quiet giggle at Jake’s expense, but I’ve been so lucky to have great teachers over the years and have nothing but respect for all their hard work. Mrs. T. is loosely based on a librarian I befriended in Maryland. She was the Assistant Librarian in charge of the technology and TV production. Why did you choose to make Mrs. T. a library technician rather than a librarian? She is a librarian in charge of all the technology. I’ve been really lucky to have gone to schools that embrace IT and leverage the Internet in the classroom. Are you a “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” fan? You bet! Big time. Mr. Kinney inspired me to write, and I think his books are hilarious. How did you come up with the name “Kinney Elementary School?” Had to give props to a middle grade fiction icon. He’s da man! Bullying is a topic in your book.  How do you handle bullies in real life? Unfortunately, for kids, bullies are a fact of life. I was bullied in school and didn’t think twice about going right to our principal. Some of my friends thought it was uncool, but I didn’t care. Once I got the principal and teachers involved, it all went away. I can’t tell you what a relief it is not having to worry about what’s going to happen at recess or in gym. I wish more kids would tell an adult. Jake’s sister and your sister are both named Alexis. How much are they alike? They both are very intense and incredible athletes. But my real life Alexis is the best and nowhere near as diabolical as Alexis Mathews. OK, maybe just a little. How has your life changed since the publication of Just Jake? Not too much. I still have to do the dishes and take out the garbage. You are currently writing the second book in the series.  What happens to Jake? I just finished book number two—yahoo! The adventure at Kinney Elementary continues with Jake and Michael being best friends. But, unfortunately, halfway through the year, their beloved teacher Mrs. Pilsen goes on maternity leave. The book is about the new substitute teacher and the launching of a classroom business. That’s all I can say at this point. Stay tuned!