Thanks for stopping by! I’m Joy Givens, and I write children’s and middle grade fiction full of adventure, self-discovery, and friendship. I also work as a Youth Program Specialist for a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit organization, which gives me the opportunity to learn, laugh, and grow with students from all over the world. Raised in a big Midwestern family, I now live with my husband and our four kids in the blossoming literary community of Pittsburgh, where I can often be found drinking reasonable amounts of coffee and trying new recipes.

My debut picture book, The Unstoppable Jamie, illustrated by Courtney Dawson, was published by Two Lions in 2023. Inspired by my oldest child and dubbed “Heartwarming and reassuring” by Kirkus Reviews, The Unstoppable Jamie is the story of a boy with Down syndrome who relies on his cape, his family, and ultimately himself during a superhero’s journey into the heart of New York City.

I’m represented by Danielle Chiotti of Upstart Crow Literary. My previously published works include the novel Ugly Stick, the short story collection April’s Roots, the nonfiction guide The New SAT Handbook (co-authored with Andrew Cole), and several pieces of award-winning short fiction, most recently published in WOW! Women on Writing, the anthologies Beach Life and Beach Fun (Cat & Mouse Press, 2017; 2018), the anthology Five Minutes at Hotel Stormcove (Atthis Arts, 2019), the anthology Community of Magic Pens (Atthis Arts, 2020), and the anthology City in a Wild Garden (The Nature of Cities, 2021).