New Middle Grade Novel Faith Girls: Growing in Grace–Book 1: New Beginnings Explores Quiet Courage, Belonging, and Faith

A Story of Friendship, Self-Discovery, and God’s Purpose in Unexpected Places

CINCINNATI, OH, UNITED STATES, April 29, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- March 2025 – Faith Girls: Growing in Grace – Book 1: New Beginnings introduces readers to a heartfelt coming-of-age story about identity, quiet strength, and the challenge of finding your place in a world that often demands you to be someone else. Written for preteen girls navigating change and uncertainty, this debut novel by Karen Willingham captures the struggles and triumphs of starting over—and learning that God’s plan is always bigger than our fears.

Set in the bustling middle school halls of Meadowbrook, the novel follows Emma Grace Carter, a quiet girl who has just moved to a new town. Faced with unfamiliar faces, group projects with polar-opposite classmates, and her own anxiety about fitting in, Emma begins to question where—and how—she belongs. Her world collides with three very different girls: Abby, confident and outspoken in her Christian faith; Sofia, skeptical and sharp-tongued; and Priya, logical and curious but distant. What begins as a forced group assignment soon transforms into something more: a journey of unexpected friendship, trust, and finding God in the middle of it all.

“Faith Girls is about what happens when four very different girls are put in the same space and are forced to grow—together,” says [Author Name]. “It’s about being brave in small, unseen ways. It’s about the quiet girls. The girls who wonder if they’re enough. This story tells them: yes, you are.”

As the story unfolds, Emma faces a turning point during a school talent show crisis, where her quiet voice and thoughtful heart make all the difference. For the first time, she learns that faith doesn’t always shout—it sometimes whispers. And that sometimes, the quietest girl in the room has the strongest spirit.

Faith Girls: Growing in Grace – Book 1: New Beginnings stands apart with its emotional realism, spiritual reflection, and relatable voice. It invites readers to embrace who they are, value others’ differences, and trust that God is always writing a bigger story—even when the first few chapters feel uncertain.

“This book is for the girls who don’t always raise their hand. Who love deeply but speak quietly. It’s a reminder that God doesn’t need you to be loud to be faithful,” explains the author. “Emma’s story is about letting go of the fear of not being ‘enough’ and stepping into the truth that you already are—just as God made you.”

With themes of belonging, grace, identity, and growing faith, Faith Girls is the first installment in a series that promises to speak to the heart of young readers in today’s complex world. Each book follows the same four girls as they face new school challenges, deepen their spiritual journeys, and learn how to grow in grace—together.

Faith Girls: Growing in Grace – Book 1: New Beginnings
Author: Karen Willingham
Genre: Middle Grade Christian Fiction
Available: March 2025 in paperback, eBook, and select bookstores

About the Author:
Karen Willingham writes faith-based fiction for young readers with a heart for helping girls find confidence in who God created them to be. With a background in teaching, ministry, and storytelling, [he/she/they] crafts stories that reflect the everyday struggles and quiet victories of growing up in faith. Faith Girls is [his/her/their] debut middle grade series.

Karen Porzio
Boundless Book Publisher
+1 2028460492
Karenporzio123@outlook.com
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