This was a great follow up to From the Desk of Zoe Washington. Zoe is a bit older in this book and juggling different priorities in the summer before entering high school. These include working at Ari's baking, pursuing her restaurant aspirations with Marcus, and managing new and changing friendships. It was nice reading about how Zoe's loved ones supported her through different challenges and provided ideas to help expand her perspective. Zoe, herself, is a superstar and it seems like there is nothing she can't do. I also appreciated the nuanced and insightful conversations regarding exonorees and more generally, formerly incarcerated people and the challenges they face once they are released. Janae Marks has done a wonderful job in handling these serious topics and making them accessible to a middle grade audience.

On Air With Zoe Washington is the kind of book that makes you disappointed you have to do anything else but continue to read. Stepping away was oh-so-challenging because the character is so endearing and inspiring. This sequel to From the Desk of Zoe Washington has all the things you love about the original and then some. Her kitchen craftiness and her willingness to try new things and stand up for what she believes in remain steadfast throughout this book. Additionally, I loved the weekly meals incorporating her whole family, the way she researched to create a podcast to help call attention and make a difference, and the way the trio of friendship was realistically navigated when two of the three ended up with a crush on one another. Like with the first book, there is so much to love about this book. I am thrilled that Janae Marks is creating and sharing stories with the world.

Good follow up to the original. I like the zest and hopefulness to Zoe's personality. I think upper elementary and middle school girls will find Zoe very relatable.

I adore this series! Janae's writing style is so engaging. Zoe helped clear her birth father's name and wants to help him adjust to life after prison in society. Marcus informs Zoe of his dream of opening a restaurant. He's having a difficult time reentering society. Zoe decides to start a podcast to share his story but isn't sure if it'll get any listeners. This was an incredible book!!

Zoe is a big inspiration- she’s a doer, a problem solver, and a creative thinker. Zoe wants to be baking, but will have to wait until she’s 16, unless Marcus and her can open their own restaurant. She finds the idea is harder yo do than she originally thought- there’s the loan, finding workers, but she finds happiness in planning the menu.

She starts her podcast as a way to make others more aware of how hard life is after jail, even for those who were exonerated. she hosts a live Podcast event to raise awareness for her Kickstarter. Will she make enough to open her restaurant with Marcus???

This second book was just as good as the first but in a different way. The first book was more suspenseful with her dad in jail and the current events when the book was published. This one was more heartwarming to see the relationship between Zoe and her dad. It was great to see their shared dream. I was happy that the author chose to write another story with these characters.

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins Children's Books, and Janae Marks for the opportunity to read this e-ARC!

Zoe is a few years older in this fantastic MG sequel! She’s bonding with Marcus, her birth father, who has recently been released from prison after being wrongfully convicted. When Marcus and Zoe start dreaming big about opening their own restaurant together, Zoe sees how difficult it is for Marcus to re-enter society and starts her own podcast to raise awareness.

Zoe is a go-getter, determined to help the people around her. On top of all that, she also has to navigate the dynamics of two close friends who might like each other as more than friends. Not only is it relatable, but the book tackles difficult conversations.

This was a great addition to the Zoe Washington collection and I can’t wait to recommend this to my students!

On Air with Zoe Washington
by Janae Marks
Pub Date 14 Feb 2023
HarperCollins Children's Books, Katherine Tegen Books
Children's Fiction | Middle Grade

I am reviewing a copy of On Air With Zoe Washington through HarperCollins Children's Book and Netgalley:


Zoe Washington helped clear Marcus’ name for a crime he didn’t commit two years ago. Now her birth father has finally been released from prison and to an outpouring of community support. So, everything should be perfect. Right?



Zoe and Marcus are now coworkers at Ari Cakes, so it's true life hasn't been better. But after Marcus reveals his lifelong dream of opening his own restaurant, Zoe becomes determined to help him achieve it with her as his pastry chef of course. She still has a lot of new desserts to invent!

Despite being innocent starting a new place is harder than it looks and despite being innocent, Marcus is having a harder time re-entering society than anyone expected. Determined to find a solution, Zoe starts a podcast to bring light to the struggles exonerees experience and fundraise for their restaurant.



Zoe finds herself being stretched thin between hosting her show, testing recipes, managing shifting friend dynamics, and trying to make sure Marcus and her stepdad each have enough time with her. She knows the power of using her voice. But with waning public interest in their story, will anyone still be listening?


I give on the Air With Zoe Washington five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

On Air With Zoe Washington by Janae Marks was a sweet, heartfelt, fun, and all around wonderful read. I loved Zoe’s relationship with Marcus and her dreams of them owning a restaurant. Zoe’s determination and work ethic was happiness-inducing and so enjoyable to read about. The book talks very honestly in regards to topics like life after incarceration and how just because someone has been to prison doesn’t make them a bad person & how people can change. It also talks about wrongful convictions & how hard it is for people who have been exonerated to get jobs, loans or even compensation money they are owed. The podcast aspect was really cool as well & made the story even more interesting.
This novel is uplifting, fun, serious, & includes such great ideas for baked goods that I may even want to make one of Zoe’s desserts. I can’t recommend this book enough.

I give the second book starring Zoe Washington a 3.5. It took a longer time for me to get into the story than with the first book and did not have quite as clear a focus. That said, once the story really got it’s sea legs, the story was highly compelling and showcased a part of many kids’ lives that doesn’t get talked about. The reality is that there are many children with incarcerated parents, whether guilty or innocent, and it is a challenging thing to deal with. Zoe was able to learn a great deal about prejudging others, patience, and the banking world. Her use of podcasting was a great choice. I’m not sure the exploration of having friends who are dating was necessary as it seemed out of place, but still a great read.

For those of us who finished From the Desk of Zoe Washington, but wondered what happened to Zoe and her dad, Marcus, after he was released from prison, now we can read more about these characters that we became so attached to. This book picks up seamlessly after the first installment, with Marcus living in Zoe’s grandmother’s home and working 2 jobs to try to get back on his feet. When Zoe and Marcus discuss their dreams, Zoe discovers that her father would like to have his own restaurant, and Zoe once again steps up to try to help him make it happen for them both. Along the way, she starts to see the real challenges that face exonerees after prison when he is unable to qualify for a bank loan because he has no credit history. Once again, Jenae Marks educates the reader about these challenges as Zoe has her eyes opened in the story. Add to this worry in Zoe’s life the uncertainty that goes with changing friendship dynamics when her two best friends begin dating each other. When Zoe makes a new friend whose mother is incarcerated due to some poor choices, she has to face some of her own biases concerning exonerees who committed crimes but have paid their debt to society and want to make a change in their lives. There are a lot of deep issues in this book that can lead to some great discussions with middle school students, whether they themselves have incarcerated or exonerated family members, or are just learning to empathize with others whose lives are affected by these issues.

Thank you to NetGalley and Katherine Tegen Books for the opportunity to read and review this egalley.

I was so excited to see this title and I couldn’t wait to read it! Lucky for me, I was able to read this before its publish date via a NetGalley ARC. All opinions in this review are my own.

There is a lot going on in this sequel. Working towards dreams, friendship drama and growing pains, and other relationship building!

The main storyline is that Zoe and Marcus are working towards their dream of opening a restaurant. One of the coolest things about Zoe is her drive to go for what she wants! Zoe wants to bake for others, and she wants to do it now - not just when in a few years when she is 18. This starts her summer of hard work, with the help of Marcus, trying to get the funding for a restaurant.

At the heart of the story is that life after prison isn’t easy for exonerees or those who have committed a crime. Even Zoe has to face her own thoughts and feelings about those who have served time for a crime.

Zoe’s activism and drive are inspiring. Zoe is a great example for students as someone who strives (and achieves!) to make positive change.

This would be a great book for students who have or have had someone in their family in jail for a crime. It also serves as a great example that kids can do anything they put their minds to!

This sequel is fabulous!!

Zoe is still tenacious and fierce! She's the kind of MC I want my girls reading about. She has goals and plans to make it happen!! This book picks up a few years after From the Desk of Zoe Washington. The family dynamics are so well written. I love seeing her dedication to her family. It's so refreshing to read!!

And I love Zoe's baking! It sounds so scrumptious! I want Zoe to get her own YA book next!! She's so much fun to read!! She's a great role model for my kids to read as well!! She's got grit and determination!! I highly recommend this series for family read alouds or tweens!!

What a positive, inspirational sequel to From the Desk of Zoe Washington. Zoe and her dad, Marcus, work in Ariana’s bakery and dad’s dream is to open his own restaurant some day. Because Marcus was wrongfully convicted and recently exonerated he’s entitled to wrongful conviction money but that takes time. Zoe’s friend Trevor says to start a Kickstarter, a fundraising website that might raise enough money. Zoe starts a podcast to make people aware of wrongfully convicted prisoners and life after incarceration. Someone suggests a food truck would be a less expensive way to get started in the restaurant business. After day 14, they’ve only reached 40% of their goal. Do they end up reaching their goal?

Now that her father has been exonerated, Zoe Washington starts on a new journey. She's hoping to open a restaurant with her dad! As they work through the process, they get stalled by so many issues related to his previous incarceration. Zoe starts a podcast to bring attention to the plight of Exonerees and a hopefully get a kickstarter funded.

I enjoyed this sequel, but found it wasn't quite as good as the original. Zoe seemed impractical and impatient to me, and I just couldn't connect with her as easily. I'd still recommend the book to fans of Zoe, it just wasn't my book.

I received a free eARC of this book so I could read it. Thank you for the opportunity.

This is the second book in a series. I haven’t read the first one, but found this one easy to follow.

Zoe is working at a bakery with her bio dad, recently exonerated former convict Marcus. The two of them want to start a restaurant, but are struggling with the reality that while Marcus has been exonerated, those years in prison still affect his life. Zoe wants to continue to help Marcus, help her new friend, Hannah, and help others in similar situations, but how?

Zoe’s struggles are realistic, even though sometimes she seems almost a little too good at everything. Children with a parent in prison aren’t a demographic represented in literature much, and this book is extremely needed for that reason alone. It also helps readers be more informed about the struggles other people are facing, even if it isn’t someone in their immediate family. This is a solid middle grades book that deserves a place in classrooms and on library shelves.

Zoe Washington is at it again- finding inspiration in the world around her and tackling problems bigger than anyone so young should need to.
When she and her recently released from prison father dream of starting their own restaurant, Zoe quickly realizes how even those who were wrongfully incarcerated struggle to regain their footing in the world. Searching for a way to get the word out about this major social issue, Zoe turns to podcasting to tell the stories of those who need her help.
And don't forget the friendship story- as Zoe's besties seem to be falling for one another, she struggles to find her own footing in this new territory!

A nice follow up to Zoe Washington's previous story. We learn more about her relationship with her father and family. Great way to promote activism and enterprise in young people.

On Air with Zoe Washington was a great follow up to From the Desk of Zoe Washington. As we continue to follow Zoe on her journey to understanding herself, her friends, her family and the world around her things get more complicated, but Zoe finds a way to work it out. Zoe is back to explore the challenges presented by growing up. She and her friends are getting older and trying new things: real jobs, relationships and....podcasts! When confronted with the challenges facing Marcus and other exonerees. Zoe must find a way to make things happen in a system that isn't always fair or right. She must also confront her own ideas about many of the notions she's held on to for a long time. Can her friendships survive their new status? Can she get her voice out into the community and make a difference? Can Marcus ever catch up after all of the time he's lost? Can formerly incarcerated adults who might not be falsely imprisoned have a chance at a better life? Zoe ponders all of these questions with the same can do attitude and the result is another powerful story shedding light on topics we're all impacted by.

In this follow-up to From the Desk of Zoe Washington readers will learn more about the progression of Zoe’s relationship with Marcus. Middle school students will easily relate to Zoe’s difficulty in adapting to a budding romance between her friends and how to navigate the waters of feeling like a “third wheel” among friends.
It is appropriate that On Air With Zoe Washington by Janae Marks is released on Valentine’s Day 2023 because readers are going to fall deeper in love with Zoe’s determination and ambition as she plans for a new business venture and creates a podcast to raise awareness of the difficulties of life outside of correctional institutions.
Debates over the worthiness of a new start for those who have been wrongfully convicted and those who are actually guilty will make middle grade students critically think about their own beliefs about people who have been incarcerated.
I highly recommend this title for middle grade libraries.