We are thrilled to be revealing the cover for Erin M Fry’s new middle grade novel, Joey The Good, which follows twelve-year-old couch potato Joey who’s summer goes awry when his older cousin shows up with a ridiculous plan: to climb Mt. Whitney to honor their late grandfather. But there are two big obstacles. First, the cousins’ relationship fell apart after they witnessed their grandfather’s death. And second? Joey’s cousin has been diagnosed with a disease that makes climbing a mountain not just difficult, but dangerous.
Releasing on May 20th 2025 from Jolly Fish Press, read on to discover the cover (illustrated by Chloe Quinn, illustrator’s agent Tina Doffing at Astound, and designer Kate Liestman), the synopsis, and Erin talks about the cover too!
Joey The Good is available to pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org and North Star Editions.
Twelve-year-old sweat-averse Joey is psyched for his summer of relaxation and perfecting his butt-shaped indentation on the couch. Sure, he wishes that his best friend, Xander, wasn’t always busy with his new cross-country team, but Joey is certain that Xander will still have plenty of time for the things they love: watching Italian soccer, making homemade pasta with Joey’s Nonna, and debating the merits of their favorite superheroes.
But Joey’s summer plans are upended when his perfect older cousin, Leo, comes to stay at his house for the summer. Leo is the kind of guy who runs marathons and jumps off cliffs. Hanging out with Leo is dead last on Joey’s list of Ways I’d Like to Spend a Day, partly because the two cousins have a tense history that goes back to the death of their Nonno. But now, Leo’s training to climb the highest mountain in California, and he wants Joey to do it with him. The plan is nuts—Joey usually avoids climbing stairs, so seriously, a mountain? But somehow, he’s roped into hiking with Leo anyway, which is how he accidentally learns Leo’s secret: His cousin has young-onset multiple sclerosis. So newsflash: This climb will most likely be his cousin’s final adventure, and he needs Joey’s help to do it.
With Xander spending more time with his new running friends, Joey’s mom on his back about being a good family member, and Leo’s disease slowly progressing, Joey feels the pressure building. And as the hikes get harder, Joey must confront not only his own physical limitations, but also a friendship he thought was unbreakable, his feelings for a girl who’s way out of his league, and a changing relationship with his cousin that will test his strength—and courage—in ways for which he’s not prepared.
“Joey the Good is about climbing mountains, both in a physical way that involves sweat and calf pain and a symbolic way that requires pushing through hard stuff. I think this cover brilliantly captures both. I love how Joey is looking up at the jagged peaks of Mount Whitney in a way that conveys doubt and awe at the same time. The artist did such an amazing job of portraying Joey’s character, too – a kid who’s spent a lot of time on the couch for the last two years watching Italian soccer and never imagined spending his summer hiking mountains. It’s a beautiful introduction to this book and an invitation to come along on Joey’s journey. I couldn’t be more excited to share it with the world.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
At age eight, Erin Fry wrote her first book in an orange spiral notebook, and she’s been writing ever since. That first book never made it to print, but a few others did, including Losing It, Secrets of the Book, Undercover Chefs, and most recently, Joey the Good—which was inspired by her own hike up Mt. Whitney in 2013.
A former middle-school teacher, she now shares a home office in southern California with her dogs Berkeley and Fitzgerald. When she isn’t writing and editing curriculum or books, she can be found with a crochet hook or paintbrush in her hand, playing that day’s New York Times games, or traveling with her husband to whatever far-off city her kids currently call home.
