<p class="ql-align-justify"><strong><em>THE HAT DIARIES™ The Secret Life of Ryan Rigbee&nbsp;</em></strong>by award-winning children's author Nadine Haruni is the debut novel in&nbsp;<em>THE HAT DIARIES™&nbsp;</em>middle-grade fantasy trilogy series.</p><p class="ql-align-justify"><br></p><p class="ql-align-justify">By day, 13-year-old Ryan Rigbee is the shaggy-haired loner getting bullied, while still reeling from the loss of his dad. But by night, it's another story. The imaginary "Adventures" he takes with his dog, Shadow, transform him from an awkward teen into someone who can handle anything. To make this magic happen, all he needs to do is put on a hat.</p><p class="ql-align-justify"><br></p><p class="ql-align-justify">Meeting Merlo at his mom's job at&nbsp;<em>Harry's</em>&nbsp;changes everything for Ryan, when he gets whisked off each night into various adrenaline-rushing roles through the factory's magical hats. Ryan documents these Adventures in his diary, and Merlo helps him navigate the many striking coincidences and clues leading to startling discoveries about himself, his family, and characters he meets.</p><p class="ql-align-justify"><br></p><p class="ql-align-justify">As Ryan develops more courage and the story gradually builds toward its climax, the distinction between Ryan's everyday life and his exciting nightly world of Adventures becomes impossible to discern.</p><p class="ql-align-justify"><br></p><p class="ql-align-justify">An imaginative, action-packed story following a relatable teen struggling with loss, love, bullying, loneliness, and regret,&nbsp;<strong><em>THE HAT DIARIES™ The Secret Life of Ryan Rigbee</em></strong>,&nbsp;marks the start of a coming-of-age fantasy trilogy resonating with readers of all ages and keeps them rooting for Ryan Rigbee.</p><p class="ql-align-justify"><br></p><p class="ql-align-justify">"The language and storyline&nbsp;fall within the standard practices for middle-grade reading.&nbsp;I also thoroughly enjoyed the story concept,&nbsp;sensing a reader would enjoy connecting dreams with characters from Ryan's life, and the empowerment and self-realization the story's experiences give him."&nbsp;-<em>Stacey McMackin, a National Board Certified Library Media Specialist K-12</em></p><p><br></p>