2026/10/23: Debbie Fong - "It’s a Hoot" Owl Experience with Sweetbriar Nature Center
WHAT: It’s a Hoot Owl Experience with Sweetbriar Nature Center - Debbie Fong author visit
WHEN: 4:30 pm , Friday, Oct. 23, 2026
WHERE: Smithtown Library, 1 North Country Road, Smithtown, NY 11787
Author Debbie Fong will read from her cozy new book The Faraway Forest: Hester’s Big Dream, starring Hester the costume making owl. Discover Hester’s journey to make new friends and get acquainted with several different kinds of owls from the Sweetbriar Nature Center. Books will be available for purchase, personalization and signing. Come in costume or cozy pajamas.
2026/11/21: Debbie Fong NCTE Book Signing
WHAT: Debbie Fong NCTE Book Signing panel
WHEN: 4 pm ET, Saturday, November 21, 2026
WHERE: Chronicle Books Booth #304
NCTE Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Debbie Fong will be signing The Faraway Forest: Hester’s Big Dream, along with Grant Snider, at the Chronicle Books booth!
"There is no time of day or night that is not magical here.” – Kirkus Reviews
From the Kirkus review for The Faraway Forest: Hester’s Big Dream by Debbie Fong (Chronicle Books):
“The book kicks off with a warm orange sunset and concludes beneath a deep blue, starry sky; there is no time of day or night that is not magical here. The Faraway Forest’s denizens are universally kind, inviting types. Wally the raccoon, star of the previous book in this series, makes an appearance, though readers can start with this title and not miss a beat.”
Congrats, Debbie!
Happy Pub Day to Debbie Fong’s The Faraway Forest: Hester’s Big Dream
Celebrating the publication of The Faraway Forest: Hester’s Big Dream by Debbie Fong, with colors by Kayla Catanzaro, out today from Chronicle Books! This early reader graphic novel is perfect for fans of Owly, Donut Feed the Squirrels, and other sweet-natured, cozy stories featuring charming animals.
Hester the owl has just moved to the Faraway Forest. She rises at sunset and spends her nights dancing, cooking, writing, and making costumes, but she wonders whether there are new friends to be made while the sun is out. Can she stay awake long enough to find out? Or will the forest night turn out to be more magical than she imagined? Either way, Hester is in for an adventure in this follow-up to The Faraway Forest: Wally's Route.
Early Praise
"There is no time of day or night that is not magical here." – Kirkus Reviews
Sample Pages
Rights
- Foreign Rights: Available via Chronicle Books
- Film/TV Rights: Available via Janna Co.
- Merch/Commercial Rights: Available via Janna Co.
For rights inquiries, please contact me at janna@jannaco.co.
September 2027 Children’s Book Council Hot Off the Press Reading List
Congratulations to Debbie Fong for The Faraway Forest: Hester’s Big Dream (Chronicle Books) being included on the September 2027 Children’s Book Council Hot Off the Press Reading List!
Preorder Campaign for Debbie Fong’s The Faraway Forest: Hester’s Big Dream
Debbie Fong is running a characteristically adorable preorder campaign for The Faraway Forest: Hester’s Big Dream, the second book in her early reader graphic novel series from Chronicle Books.
Readers who preorder Hester’s Big Dream can fill out the form at www.thefarawayforest.com to receive a special Faraway Forest mailing that includes:
- a set of Hester and Wally trading cards!
- a 3-inch die-cut Hester sticker!
- a special Faraway Forest envelope!
Hester’s Big Dream introduces readers to Hester, a self-described night owl whose love of nighttime creativity leaves her feeling lonely during the day, when everyone else in the forest is awake. Determined to make more friends, she tries to force herself onto a daytime schedule, but after a few misfires, she discovers the Midnight Crew, a group of fellow nighttime friends.
The Faraway Forest: Hester’s Big Dream publishes on September 15, and the preorder campaign runs through September 14.
To receive Debbie’s preorder goodies, preorder the book and fill out the form at www.thefarawayforest.com. (Scroll down the page to find the form.)
Eisner Nomination for Best Publication for Early Readers 2026
Debbie Fong's The Faraway Forest: Wally's Route (Chronicle Books) has been nominated for a 2026 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for Best Publication for Early Readers. The Eisners are the most prestigious honor in comics and graphic novels, presented each year at San Diego Comic-Con.
Wally's Route is the first book in The Faraway Forest series, a graphic novel that follows a pair of friends as they discover the power of kindness and community. With relatable characters, gentle humor, and inviting comic-style layouts — plus a seek-and-find challenge and a "how to draw" section — it's a perfect fit for beginning readers. Debbie's cozy, cheerful storytelling, brought to life with color by Kayla Catanzaro, makes the Faraway Forest the kind of world young readers want to return to again and again.
The 2026 Eisner Awards will be presented at San Diego Comic-Con on July 24, 2026. Congratulations, Debbie!
ALA 2025 Best Graphic Novels for Children: Wally's Route (The Faraway Forest series)
ALA 2025 Best Graphic Novels for Children: Wally's Route (The Faraway Forest series)
Congratulations to Debbie Fong and colorist Kayla Catanzaro for The Faraway Forest: Wally’s Route being included on the ALA 2025 Best Graphic Novels for Children list!