Venus Washington and the Lasagna Drama

by Maisha Oso, Courtney Lovett (Illustrator)

Overview

Literal-minded Venus Washington misunderstands the secret recipe behind her beloved lasagna in this first book in the hilarious chapter book series perfect for fans of Junie B. Jones and Dory Fantasmagory!

Venus Washington isn’t sure why her parents named her that, since she was born on Earth and she’s never been to Washington. One thing she does know: her favorite food is cotton candy. But after that, it’s definitely lasagna. Yummy, gooey, cheesy lasagna.

Grandma makes the best lasagna. Venus wants to know her super delicious recipe—until Grandpa lets it slip that the secret ingredient may be toes. Yuck! With the help of BFF Summer, WEF (Worst Enemy Forever) Winter, and super-smart pet Hamsterburger, Venus sets out to save her family from the worst secret ingredient ever!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781665969482
Publisher:	Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	01/06/2026
Series:	Venus Washington , #1
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
Age Range:	5 - 9 Years

About the Author

Maisha Oso is the author of picture books Buster the Bully, My Hair Is a Book, Before the Ships, and the It’s Almost Time For… series, as well as the Venus Washington chapter book series. She writes stories to empower, entertain, and encourage emotional intelligence in young children. A former strategy and analytics professional from New York City, Maisha is currently working in her most challenging role to date: a stay-at-home mom of three tiny humans. Visit her at MaishaOso.com.

Courtney Lovett has a BFA in visual arts and animation from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She works in different artistic disciplines, including illustration, character design, and animation. As a Black American and a native of the DC-Maryland-Virginia area, her work reflects her heritage and upbringing, focusing on perspectives that are often underrepresented or misrepresented in art and media. Visit her at CourtneyLovett.com.