The Summer of ’76 follows a young girl as a secret time machine sends her from Bicentennial-era Massachusetts into the American Revolution, where she must protect her family’s farm and uncover its buried legacy. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I began this story remembering an abandoned shed hidden in the woods behind my childhood home in Massachusetts. My friends and I used to imagine who lived there and why. While I was writing, the words of Longfellow’s poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride”, played in my head. I learned it when I was Betsy’s age and am still in awe of the brave people Longfellow memorialized. I knew I had to pay them tribute.

How did you balance the novel’s time-travel adventure with its more emotional story about family, healing, and legacy?

Reading each chapter out loud helped me think like a reader. I also asked for feedback from other authors I trust and respect. Writing is like sculpting. Little by little, I removed details that didn’t move the plot forward and added others that did until I knew I was done.

Betsy feels curious, impulsive, funny, and authentically twelve. How did you develop her narrative voice?

I was Betsy’s age in 1976. It was a more innocent time, which is why I picked it. I relied on my inner child to craft her point of view. Betsy comes to believe we can each make a difference, as do I.

What kind of historical research did you conduct to make Colonial life accessible and engaging for middle-grade readers?

I researched everything! The topics included the American Revolutionary War, life in Colonial Massachusetts, the Massachusett people, and the battles of Lexington and Concord. I visited Revolutionary landmarks in both towns and spoke with a number of people to get the details right.

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