Spelling It Out

Name: Spelling It Out
Brand: Simon & Schuster NZ
SKU: 9781665930123
Price: 19.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

By Margaret Finnegan

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Brief Description

A rising seventh grader visits his grandmother in 1980s San Francisco for a whirlwind summer of spelling bee training, only to begin suspecting she has Alzheimer’s, in this witty and compassionate middle grade novel for fans of Al Capone Does My Shirts. Ben Bellini didn’t mean... Read More

Format: Paperback / softback

$19⁹⁹

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Spelling It Out

$19⁹⁹

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Description

Ben Bellini didn’t mean to become a champion speller—after all, he’s not a nerd—but he sure does like spelling bee glory now that it’s found him. He might even be good enough for the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC! And what better way to prepare than to train with a professional spelling coach in San Francisco, where his nan lives?

Through his adventures, Ben gets to know the city—and competitor Asha Krishnakumar, who’s equally determined to spell her way to victory. But Ben also starts having odd interactions with his nan that leave him feeling like he’s missing something. Where is Nan’s forgetfulness coming from? And will anyone even believe him if he tries to get help?

Between showing up for his loved ones and pursuing his own dreams, Ben will need to spend this summer figuring out what he owes others…and what he owes himself.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781665930123

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 19 May 2026

Country: United States

Imprint: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Edition: Reprint

Illustration: f-c cvr (sfx: spot gloss uv), matte film; digital

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 194.0mm

Weight: 166g

Pages: 224

Collections

Children's Books Children’s, Teenage and Educational Margaret Finnegan Young Adult

About the Author

Margaret Finnegan is the author of the Junior Library Guild Selections Sunny Parker Is Here to Stay, New Kids and Underdogs, Susie B. Won’t Back Down, and We Could Be Heroes, which was a USA TODAY bestseller. Her other work has appeared in FamilyFun, the Los Angeles Times, Salon, and other publications. She lives in South Pasadena, California, where she enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dog, and baking really good chocolate cakes. Visit her online at MargaretFinnegan.com.

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