In Ginger Reno’s compelling middle grade fantasy Find Her (Holiday House, Oct.), a tween girl grapples with the disappearance of her mother in Oklahoma. Set against the backdrop of the shocking story of the hundreds of indigenous people who have been reported murdered or missing in the state, Reno’s novel has already earned a starred review from PW and been named a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. PW talked with Reno about getting into the mind frame of her young heroine and how her Cherokee background informed this work.

What can you share about your background as a writer?

Growing up, I absolutely loved, loved, loved to read. I imagine the warmth of those memories is why I am drawn to write for children. Totally convinced I could write, I joined SCBWI in 2009 and promptly learned that I could not... yet. I credit SCBWI and the years of guidance and support of my writing mentor, Anna Myers, with finally getting me here.

How did you capture the voice and perspective of your heroine, Wren? How does she grapple with the loss of her mother and, specifically, the pain of having no answers concerning her disappearance?

Writers have a great deal in common with actors. We both have to crawl into our character’s skin. I took myself out of the equation and became Wren. Then it became MY mom who was missing, MY father who knew more than he would tell me, and ME who was sad, frustrated, and angry that I haven’t been able to find her.

Wren has her moments when the situation gets the best of her, but her volunteer work at the animal shelter and her talent for reuniting lost pets with their grateful owners keeps her sane. As her grandmother tells her, “When we are hurting, the best thing we can do is help others. To give another joy is to ease our own pain.”

Find Her is heart-wrenching on so many levels but also reads as an approachable story for young readers. How did you strike this balance?

Young readers have the same feelings as adults. The only difference is setting and circumstance. As a writer, I have to respect that and resist any urge to “write down” to them. I just told the story how it came.

As you wrote Find Her, did you research or speak with family members or friends of missing and murdered indigenous women?

Thanks to the efforts to raise awareness by Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and associated movements, there were several research sources available online that helped me greatly throughout the writing process. It was very important to me that Find Her be as accurate and authentic as possible, and I tried very hard to make it so.

What needs to happen within communities and the nation at large to both protect and galvanize indigenous women at risk?

I’m definitely no expert on the subject, so I hesitate to say, “This is what needs to be done.” When there are multiple contributing factors, which do you tackle first? How do you get the media to consider a young indigenous girl who's gone missing as newsworthy? To search for her with the same dedicated resources as is afforded others? To investigate and hold those responsible accountable—regardless of jurisdiction? Honestly, I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure out how I can help on my own.

I do believe just bringing awareness to the issue is a huge step forward—if for no other reason than to strike a spark of hope in those affected, to let them know they are not invisible. They are not alone. Now that this epidemic has been brought into the light, we must do whatever we can to make sure it stays there. Hopefully, continuing to share their stories will help. Everyone deserves to be safe. Every missing person deserves to be searched for. Every missing person deserves to be found.

As a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, can you speak to how your heritage has informed your creative work?

They say write what you know, but in my case, I am writing what I want to know. My desire to learn more about my Cherokee heritage and culture just naturally spilled over into my writing. Find Her is part of that journey.

What's next for you as an author?

A picture book, Spirit Shadow (Holiday House, 2026), that I’m very excited about, and I’m currently working on my next middle grade.