More about Worldwide Crush

Rory Calhoun is a teen popstar with perfect teeth and messy hair who's inspiring first crushes all over the globe. Millie Jackson is just one of the millions of fans who love him--but that doesn't mean her heart doesn't break for him every single day in this laugh-out-loud coming-of-age story.

How many of Rory's fans collect "data" about him in a special notebook hidden in their underwear drawer? Or have faked a fascination with whale migration for a chance to visit his hometown? Millie may not be Rory's only fan at Susan B. Anthony Middle School, but she's convinced she's the biggest--and the best.

Rory's new song "Worldwide Crush" is climbing the charts, and his lyrics are clear: he's looking for love--and he's looking in the audience. Meaning Millie's secret fantasies of running in the surf and eating waffles with him may not be crazy after all . . . she could be that girl But first she has to get to his concert--his completely sold-out concert in a city nowhere near her home for which she does not have tickets or a ride. She just has to figure out how.

About the Author

Kristin Nilsen is an erstwhile librarian, a collector of crush stories, and the author of Worldwide Crush (July 2023), a middle grade novel inspired by her own childhood crush on Shaun Cassidy. She co-hosts The Pop Culture Preservation Society, a weekly podcast celebrating the cultural nuggets of the classic Gen X childhood where Kristin serves as the show's Pro Crushologist. She lives in Minneapolis with her Gen X husband, her Gen Z son, and their rock and roll goldendoodle, Axl Rose Nilsen. This event is a full-circle moment for Kristin as she was also a children's manager for Anderson's Bookshop many moons ago. In fact, one could say that Anderson's Bookshop is where the seed for Worldwide Crush was planted.