It Happened on Saturday

by Sydney Dunlap

Overview

A 2025 OLA Intermediate Sequoyah Masterlist selection
2025 Beehive Book Award Nominee
2024 Crystal Kite Awards Honor Winner
2024 IPPY Awards Silver Medalist, Juvenile Fiction
2023 Moonbeam Awards Gold Medalist (Pre-Teen Fiction – Mature Issues)
34th Annual Reading the West Book Awards Nominee – Young Readers
2023 Cybils Awards Nominee – Middle Grade Fiction
2023 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards Silver Winner, Juvenile Fiction
A 2025–2026 Virginia Readers' Choice Selection

“A powerful work.” —Kirkus Reviews

This character-driven book expands child trafficking awareness while exploring one girl’s search for belonging, self-love, and acceptance. Thirteen-year-old Julia would much rather work with horses at the rescue barn than worry about things like dating and makeup. But when her BFF meets a boy at camp, Julia’s determined not to get left behind. After a makeover from her older sister, she posts a picture of herself online and gets a comment from Tyler—a seemingly nice kid who lives across town. As they DM more and more, Julia’s sure that Tyler understands her in a way her family never has. Even better, their relationship earns her tons of attention at school. Then Julia finds out Tyler's true plan, and her world is turned upside down. She fiercely guards her secret, but could her silence allow her friends to fall into the same trap?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781631636950
Publisher:	North Star Editions
Publication date:	02/21/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	10 - 15 Years

About the Author

Sydney Dunlap is a former elementary school teacher who has worked with at-risk youth in a variety of settings, and she enjoys reading and writing heartfelt, hopeful fiction that expands young readers' awareness of tough topics. She is a published poet and has also written for a newspaper. A lifelong animal lover, Sydney lives with her family in a home where the dogs and cats outnumber the people.

Editorial Reviews

"Dunlap writes with compassion about factors that render adolescents particularly vulnerable to trafficking and what it takes to keep them safe; she offers insights into how excruciating self-consciousness prevents victims from seeking help or sharing their experiences. A powerful work." —Kirkus Reviews

"Themes of human trafficking, social media, middle school adjustments are on target. The development of family relationships and the challenge of growing up in this period of time teaches without judgement." —Children's Literature

From the Publisher

2022-11-16
After her best friend acquires a boyfriend at summer camp, an eighth grader persuades her older sister to give her a makeover, then posts it online.

Nori, whose parents recently separated, chooses hanging out with Luke over helping Julia volunteer at the stables where she takes riding lessons. Their friendship fraying, Julia feels abandoned. Her family’s preoccupied, especially sister Danielle, who is wrangling high school, choir, a boyfriend, and a part-time job. The makeover she gives Julia, however, works wonders: Julia could pass for 16, Danielle says. Julia’s sophisticated image prompts flattery from friends and strangers on social media—including handsome Tyler, who says he attends 10th grade at a nearby private school and follows up his compliments with requests to meet. Wary at first, Julia’s soon disarmed by his interest. More dates follow—a fancy dinner, minigolf—and expensive treats. Largely estranged from Nori, who warns her this is risky behavior, leading to a fight, Julia tries to enjoy the attention of girls who once ignored her. But Tyler is not what he seems: Following a nightmarish discovery and close call with a trafficker, Julia enters group therapy. Most characters follow a White default; Nori is Japanese American. Dunlap writes with compassion about factors that render adolescents particularly vulnerable to trafficking and what it takes to keep them safe; she offers insights into how excruciating self-consciousness prevents victims from seeking help or sharing their experiences.

A powerful work. (author’s note, author Q&A, discussion guide) (Fiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews