Ready, Set, Dough!

Zoe Sparks is an eleven-year-old with boundless enthusiasm, embarking on a mission to become the top cookie-dough seller in her school's fundraiser, and aiming to win a coveted laptop. But Zoe's laser-focus on winning may put her at odds with her best friend and family.

Spunky sixth-grader Zoe Sparks has discovered a unique way to get the laptop of her dreams—to win it! If Zoe can sell more tubs of cookie dough than anyone in her school, the laptop is hers. It’s the first step to becoming a prize-winning journalist! Soon, her win-at-all-costs attitude causes problems with her family and her best friend, Felix when she misses out on their important milestones. Zoe’s a top cookie-dough seller, but is winning the prize worth it?

Kelly J. Baptist is the inaugural winner of the We Need Diverse Books short-story contest. Her story is featured in the WNDB anthology Flying Lessons & Other Stories and inspired her first full-length novel, Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero and its sequel, Isaiah Dunn Saves the Day. Kelly is also the author of the picture book The Electric Slide and Kai and the middle-grade novels The Swag Is in the Socks Eb & Flow. Kelly lives in southwest Michigan with her five amazing children.