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The Mystery of Katie from INVISIBLE EMMIE (spoiler alert!)
Lately, I’ve been getting quite a few questions regarding the character Katie from INVISIBLE EMMIE. Before I go into it, if you haven’t yet read the book, this contains MEGA spoilers! Proceed only if you have read it or aren’t planning to read it (although I highly recommend you do 🙂 ).
Readers have asked me: where did Katie go? After the story, she simply disappears into oblivion and doesn’t reappear in any of the other books.
Actually, she DOES disappear. Quite literally.
You see, Katie doesn’t actually exist. She is entirely in Emmie’s imagination (and sketchbook). She is the ideal girl to Emmie: an alter ego (someone Emmie aspires to be), as well as an imaginary take-charge friend who guides Emmie when she is feeling upset, scared, or anxious.
So, toward the end of the book, when Emmie begins to discover her voice and starts to make new friends, she realizes she no longer needs Katie. That’s when Katie “disappears” and is replaced by something new to to Emmie — confidence.
I hope that makes sense! It’s definitely a twist ending, and one that trips up many readers.
For a synopsis of the book (or to order it to re-read), click here!
Book 10 COVER REVEAL!
Coming to stores SEPTEMBER 29, 2026: SERIOUSLY, CELIA?
Announcing the next book in the Emmie & Friends series! Yes, you’re not imagining things. This edition will be out later in the year than usual (I know, boo!). After a decade, I’m giving myself a little break to work on other projects. But don’t worry, the E&F series is still going. AND this time, it’s starring the two most requested characters of 2025!
SERIOUSLY, CELIA?* is the tenth book in the New York Times bestselling Emmie & Friends series. It’s all about that Queen Mean of Lakefront Middle School, Celia, and her sometimes-reluctant sidekick, Grace. Yes, we finally get to see what makes them tick!
Synopsis:
Summer break. Second chances. MIDDLE SCHOOL.
Celia is bored. It’s the summer before eighth grade and hanging out with Grace and Lindsay is getting old. So she makes a plan to get her former besties, Jaime and Maya, back. And Celia knows just the person to help reunite them…
Grace is anxious. She loves Cee, but lately Grace is starting to feel more like Cee’s lackey than her friend. Still, without Cee’s popularity to hang on to, Grace would be a nobody—and there’s nothing worse than that.
Celia is determined to get their friend group back together by any means necessary, but Grace isn’t sure she wants to be friends with Celia anymore…even though that means the unthinkable: starting the school year (gasp) completely alone.
For ages 8-12.
*note: all these books can be read in order as written or as stand-alones
To order SERIOUSLY, CELIA? (or any other books in the series), click here.
Comics Kingdom Podcast!
Recently, I was on Comics Kingdom’s “Inside the Kingdom” podcast with Alex Garcia, who is one of the BEST podcast hosts I’ve had the pleasure to speak with. Comics Kingdom runs my award-winning, now-retired syndicated comic strip, The Pajama Diaries. The strip is in reruns these days, and still very fun to read online. Alex interviews me about the strip as well as Emmie & Friends and my cartooning background. It’s a really fun, engaging interview, and I hope you’ll check it out.
You can watch the entire podcast HERE.
To read The Pajama Diaries online, click HERE.
New to middle school? I’ve got you covered.
It’s the new school year! For those going to middle school for the first time, here’s some advice. I stand by these, especially #2.
[PS Apologies: I had a cold and was in dire in need of tissues — and apparently some hairspray — when this was filmed.]
Guest writer alert!
Pleased to be a guest writer for the latest School Library Association (UK) journal (Pages 12-13). All about the upside of graphic novels in libraries. As if there’s a downside. 🙂
Enjoy!
Reader Questions, Part Two
It’s been a few years since I answered readers’ questions in a video — and you all have so many great ones. So I decided to do Part Two! Enjoy the video…you may even see a special someone make an appearance.